Monstrous Regiment (Discworld, #31; Industrial Revolution, #3) in SpecFic Buddy Reads

Apr 15, 2012 Nataliya rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, pratchett, for-my-future-hypothetical-daughter, awesome-kickass-heroines, 2012-reads

Pratchett addresses two questions here: (1) “Do you think it's possible for an entire nation to be insane?” and (2) Does - and, more importantly, should - a well-placed pair of socks (for 'certain' sort of padding) make a difference?

“The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.”

As far as Discworld series is concerned, this book can be easily read as a standalone novel. It brings us to the little bac Pratchett addresses two questions here: (1) “Do you think it's possible for an entire nation to be insane?” and (2) Does - and, more importantly, should - a well-placed pair of socks (for 'certain' sort of padding) make a difference?

“The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.”

As far as Discworld series is concerned, this book can be easily read as a standalone novel. It brings us to the little backwards country of Borogravia, which is constantly at war with someone - this time it's with Zlobenia. Ankh-Morpork is expected to intervene, since, as Commander Sam Vimes points out in his cameo appearance, "the interests of Ankh-Morpork are the interests of all money-lov... oops, sorry, all freedom-loving people everywhere."

"Borogravia was a peace-loving country in the midst of treacherous, devious, warlike enemies. They had to be treacherous, devious, and warlike, otherwise we wouldn't be fighting them, eh? There was always a war."

Borogravia's economy is on the verge of collapse, and the country has pretty much run out of eligible soldiers. But this does not stop the little country, governed by a "probably dead" Duchess, the country that follows the ever-expanding ring-bound (makes it easier to add pages) gospel of the god Nuggan, who seems to spend his time coming up with new Abominations - recently, we've had garlic, chocolate, dwarfs, cats, oysters and the color blue join the ranks.

"So what we have here is a country that tries to run itself on the commandments of a god, who, the people feel, may be wearing his underpants on his head. Has he Abomined underpants?"
"No, sir. [...] But it's probably only a matter of time."

Polly Perks does not care about war, money, or patriotism. What she cares about is saving her not-too-bright brother who has disappeared in the war. So, of course, she chops her hair off and joins the army disguised as a boy. (Did I mention that lots of Nuggan's Abominations have something to do with women acting "non-womanlike"?) A mysterious unseen benefactor advises her on the benefits of a well-placed pair of socks in the 'nether regions'. And given that the title of the book comes from the infamous The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women, the readers can easily guess the true nature of Polly's war comrades.

Like we have learned to expect from Sir Terry's novels, this book is witty and has plenty of funny moments. But, as many of his more recent novels, it is also sad, angry and frustrated with the events in Discworld clearly paralleling the things that make us angry in the "Roundworld".

I love that this book, like the rest of Pratchett's creations, makes me think. Some may complain that the message of this book is on the heavy-handed side, but I love it. I love that Pratchett is not shy or subtle about getting the message across about the evils and pitfalls of bigotry, prejudice, discrimination, and so-called patriotism bordering on jingoism. He is not subtle about the things that people should NOT be subtle about, and I love it. He is open about asking uncomfortable questions and stirring up trouble, and love this as well.

“You take a bunch of people who don't seem any different from you and me, but when you add them all together you get this sort of huge raving maniac with national borders and an anthem.”

Another thing I love about Pratchett's writing is that he is one of the (regrettably) few male fantasy authors who can portray a woman as not a stereotype or a caricature or a mystery or an adorable nuisance or a far-fetched ideal but as a normal (well, normal for Discworld), real, and believable human being.

“This was not a fairy-tale castle and there was no such thing as a fairy-tale ending, but sometimes you could threaten to kick the handsome prince in the ham-and-eggs.”

As it's becoming common in Pratchett's novels, the ending is not happy but has bittersweet undertones. There is an understanding that it takes a lot to change the world, to change people's beliefs and prejudices, that anything that is won is only a small step on a long road. "And now it wasn't that good things were happening, it was just that bad things had stopped." Pratchett is not reluctant to show that the world's ways of dealing with things that are uncomfortable, that challenge the status quo is to pretend that they never happened, pretend that they are the exception rather than the rule, pretend that ignoring things would make them go away.

"We weren't soldiers, she decided. We were girls in uniform. We were like a lucky charm. We were mascots. We weren't real, we were always a symbol of something. We'd done very well, for women. And we were temporary."

************************************************
This is now one of my favorite Discworld novels. Five stars is not enough to describe how much I loved it. And I adored the little cameos from the other Discworld characters, especially Vimes (I am a true Vimes girl, why'd you ask?)

"The enemy wasn't men, or women, or the old, or even the dead. It was just bleedin' stupid people, who came in all varieties. And no one had the right to be stupid."

————
My ever-expanding collection of Pratchett’s Discworld reviews:
- Guards! Guards!
- Men at Arms
- Thud!
- Lords and Ladies
- The Wee Free Men
- Hogfather
- Monstrous Regiment ...more

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Mar 04, 2017 Lyn rated it really liked it

Yer mom wears army boots!

Men and women, women and men. Men without women, women doing just fine without men.

Terry Pratchett’s 31st Discworld novel, first published in 2003, is somewhat of a departure from the other series. We see Sam Vimes and some members of his watch and there are distant grumblings about Ankh-Morpork, but this is for the most part a stand alone about the small, proud truculent nation of Borogravia.

This struggling nation state is foundering after decades or centuries of warfar ...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, 2019-shelf, humor

Re-Read 12/10/19:

A delightful Discworld read that dives head first into a little country's war problem. Well, it's not really a problem, per se... in fact, it's almost done. As in fini. Kaput. With them the ultimate losers.

So you'd think, with all the men being dead and all, they'd be more welcoming of a bit of some added support. And I'm not talking bras... or AM I?

A very funny book. There are a few coffee drinking beasties here, a troll, and even an Igor(ina). It turns into a kinda Hogan's Her ...more

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Dec 10, 2019 Trish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Welcome to Borogravia.
It is currently at war with Szlobenia. Well, Borogravia is always at war with someone. It has been at war with every single one of its neighours and with some of them even more than once. Why? Because they consider it their patriotic duty. Just like never giving up even if the only reason for their survival is that their enemy doesn't want to just senselessly slaughter them where they stand.
One Borogravian doesn't really care about the war. All she cares about is finding he Welcome to Borogravia.
It is currently at war with Szlobenia. Well, Borogravia is always at war with someone. It has been at war with every single one of its neighours and with some of them even more than once. Why? Because they consider it their patriotic duty. Just like never giving up even if the only reason for their survival is that their enemy doesn't want to just senselessly slaughter them where they stand.
One Borogravian doesn't really care about the war. All she cares about is finding her brother. To do that, she cuts her hair, stuffs some socks into her trousers and marches off as a soldier in the army. She is surprised to find she is not the only woman/girl who had reason to disguise herself and enlist. Amongst the comrades in her regiment are a vampire, a troll and an Igor. To say nothing of the apparently legendary Sergeant Jackrum.
On the periphery, we get a few glimpses at this mess from the POV of Commander Vimes and deWord as this business is involving Ankh-Morpork, too (so long as they can help an underdog against a royal without having to spend too much money).

Sir Terry obviously had quite a few things to say about war and patriotism, corporate and state interests in wars and general soldiering. It might very well be that he and I had quite different opinions on the matter(s). Then again, it's entirely possible that we might have agreed at least on some of the things. It's hard to say since Sir Terry isn't just repeating old jokes and snide remarks (the ones about soldiers being too stupid to be doing any other job, or the ones of officers vs. grunts etc). That would be too one-sided and narrow-minded. Instead, he was aware of and also showed (commended even) the other, more sensible aspects (the camaraderie for example). And that is what I love so bloody much about the author: no matter his personal stance, he always gives a 360°-view. This is important since nothing, especially not something as complex as state politics and wars, is black-or-white. It's not just one thing or another either. To get to the bottom of it, to be able to form an informed opinion, you need all available information and he didn't just want to make you agree with him - he wanted to make you think for yourself.

As far as I can tell, this installment of the Discworld series was published after the start of the second Iraq war. But while that might have been the reason for him writing this book, Sir Terry is settling the account with humanity's overall history of war. Thus, the story has elements from the Bosnian war, the two World Wars, perhaps even the Falkland wars as well. To give this book an additional edge (because that is how the author rolled), the story is also about gender roles, religious fanatism and the concepts of honour and freedom.

Delivering the necessary comic relief are the quirks of all the different races in the titular Monstrous Regiment - including but not limited to the vampire's coffee obsession - and the general absurdity of many a situation. The most endearing bit (to me) was the heart-warming ~~sister~~brotherhood of the regiment.

Not the strongest installment of the series but seriously good in its own right.

...more

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Apr 19, 2015 Lindsay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, humor

Part of the Pratchett reread with the SpecFic Buddy Reads group in 2019.

The small nation of Borogravia is at war, and has been at war, with just about everybody. The mad decrees of the Borogravian god Nuggan don't help. Polly needs her brother Paul back to help run the family's inn, so she disguises herself as a boy and joins up with the army. Her squad of recruits includes an Igor, a vampire, a troll, a few other traumatized young people and a tough-as-nails old sergeant named Jackrum, but they ...more

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Apr 28, 2025 Trish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The 31st in my re-read of the entire Discworld series has us follow a war between Borogravia and Zlobenia, two countries near Überwald.

One reason why I decided to re-read the series is that I can never just indulge in one of the volumes. The other is that the audiobooks were newly produced and the casts looked amazing.

Reading this 31st book (in chronological order) are:

Borogravia is the kind of country that is always at war with someone. Because war is your patriotic duty. And if it isn't patrio The 31st in my re-read of the entire Discworld series has us follow a war between Borogravia and Zlobenia, two countries near Überwald.

One reason why I decided to re-read the series is that I can never just indulge in one of the volumes. The other is that the audiobooks were newly produced and the casts looked amazing.

Reading this 31st book (in chronological order) are:

Borogravia is the kind of country that is always at war with someone. Because war is your patriotic duty. And if it isn't patriotism that dictiates them being at war, it's some fanatical priest or another in the name of their god.
Right now, the enemy is Zlobenia. Actually, it WAS at war, but it has lost - the only problem is that one regiment literally hasn't gotten the message yet.
One Borogravian wants to find her brother, another her fiancée, and there are others. All of them are finding themselves in the same regiment, disguised as males thanks to a new haircut, some strategically placed socks etc.

The reader thus gets a good look at war, patriotism, propaganda, honor, freedom, misinformation, fanatical religious societies and the damage said fanatical religion does to people's minds, and even gender roles.

Smack in the middle of it all, we get a cameo by our favorite Ankh-Morporkian Commander/Lord who sneakily is trying to support the underdog if only because he despises royalty.

Anyway, the book is heavy. Sure, it has wonderful situational humour and a lot of fantastic zingers. Not to mention that the ~~sister~~brotherhood was heart-warming. I mean, the different quirks the vampire, Igor(ina), troll, humans et al displayed were downright hilarious.
However, the subject matter is not for the faint of heart. I do still disagree with some views portrayed here (such as what patriotism is, if only when going by definition), but I adore Sir Terry and the way he addressed certain issues, no matter how heavy-handed they were. Plus, he always looked at one thing from all angles no matter what he himself thought about it.

Wonderful part of the series even though it isn't one of the strongest and belongs to the Industrial Revolution sub-series, which I'm not too much a fan of (if only because, like a cat, I'm not too much a fan of change/modernisation of something as wonderful as the Discworld).

Narrator for this new audiobook was Katherine Parkinson (whom I know form a few movies / TV shows) and she did a good job. I didn't like her Vimes but like I said, his role was a cameo only anyway. She did get the girls right though if you ask me. All of them. In their various disguises. ;) ...more

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Apr 06, 2018 Suzanne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, library, humor

“The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.”

I really enjoyed this - it was funny from beginning to end. And it also had some good things to say :) ...more

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Jun 22, 2020 Di Maitland rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, audiobook, humorous, military, war, in-library, action-girl, non-humans, shapeshifters, cross-dressing

The lion is a big ol’ coward, mostly. If you want trouble, you want to tangle with the lioness. They’re killers, and they hunt together. It’s the same everywhere. If you want big grief, look to the ladies.

This book has girl power written all over it. Part stand-up comedy routine, part social commentary and part charming tale, Pratchett once again twists words and reality to his delightfully humorous bidding.

Polly needs to find her brother or risk losing her home, so she dresses up as a boy and s

The lion is a big ol’ coward, mostly. If you want trouble, you want to tangle with the lioness. They’re killers, and they hunt together. It’s the same everywhere. If you want big grief, look to the ladies.

This book has girl power written all over it. Part stand-up comedy routine, part social commentary and part charming tale, Pratchett once again twists words and reality to his delightfully humorous bidding.

Polly needs to find her brother or risk losing her home, so she dresses up as a boy and signs up to the Borogravian Army. Unfortunately, it seems there isn't much of an army left and she isn't the only one pretending. Operating under the discerning eye of Sergeant Jackrum, and the less discerning eye of Lieutenant Blouse, her rag-tag band of "brothers" include a troll, an Igor with undertones of Frankenstein, a fervent Duchess devotee, and a suave, coffee-craving vampire.

“I’ve only got one shot but there’s two of you. Who shall I shoot? You choose. Now, listen very carefully: where's your coffee? You've got coffee, haven't you? C'mon, everyone's got coffee! Spill the beans!”

Pratchett may write fantasy, but, more so than most, his books present only a thin veneer over very real circumstances - exaggerated or taken out of context, they are unfailingly funny and totally relatable. In Monstrous Regiment, Pratchett focuses his laser eye on gender and the military. The results include:

It’s not lying when you do it to officers! It’s presentin’ them with the world the way they think it ought to be!

and

Then there was the young-male walk to master. At least women swung only their hips. Young men swung everything, from the shoulders down. You have to try to occupy a lot of space, she thought. It makes you look bigger, like a tomcat fluffing his tail. She’d seen it a lot in the inn. The boys tried to walk big in self-defense against all those other big boys out there. I’m bad, I’m fierce, I’m cool, I’d like a pint of shandy and me mam wants me home by nine.

Pratchett's not a champion, advocating for women's rights or meritocratic advancement. He simply enjoys pointing out the ludicrousness of our every day lives. And I enjoy reading these observations, not to mention his other off-the-wall turns of phrase:

And the new day was a great big fish.

One interesting fact I read online was that Pratchett's inspiration for the title came from John Knox's book, The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstruous Regiment of Women, where Knox, in 1558, attacks female monarchs, arguing that rule by females is contrary to the Bible. I suppose Pratchett was inspired by more than just the title!

My only problem with this book and Pratchett's others is that I find it rather jolting that it is a book. I get so caught up in each upended character stereotype and one-liner that I forget that I need to pay attention to the plot; and, when the plot comes to the fore in the book's few serious moments, I feel a little uncomfortable, like I've started reading a passage from a different story.

All that by the by, I'm happily on to the next Discworld novel. It's enormously convenient that they don't need to be read in order or in close succession in order to remember the underlying plot. I might try try to finish one of the sub-series though: Industrial Revolution or City Watch. I do miss Corporal Carrot. ...more

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Jan 03, 2020 Linda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019

Although I love listening to the Discworld audiobooks because it’s such an enjoyable experience, I absorb and remember so much more when I read the print books as I did with this one. And what a great one this was! The slow reveals were great, and even then I didn’t catch on to the bigger ones later on until they happened.

And of course there were so many great scenes and quotes as usual in this series. This one especially stood out near the end of the book:

“The enemy wasn’t men, or women, or th ...more

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