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Discworld #21
Джинґо
«Джинґо» — четвертий роман із циклу про Міську варту серії «Дискосвіт» Террі Пратчетта, що висміює агресивний горе-патріотизм та безпідставний войовничий ентузіазм.
Зненацька з глибин Округлого моря здійнявся... цілий острів і, звісно ж, найближчі до нього Анк-Морпорк та їхній морський сусід Хапонія претендують на нову територію та навіть готові розпочати за неї війну. Правда, готовність у випадку анк-морпоркців означає хіба що хвацький бойовий дух. Командор Варти Семюел Ваймз відчуває, як у місті змінився вітер — так, що не пізнати, хто тепер друг, а хто ворог — і за будь-яку ціну намагається зупинити, мабуть, найбільший у своїй кар’єрі злочин.
Тим часом лорд Ветінарі як вправний політик який звик жонглювати інтересами впливових людей, намагається втримати місто на плаву. Допоможуть йому в цьому геніальний винахідник Леонард із Квірма і значно менш обдаровані вартові, які несподівано розкриють свій потенціал.
Зненацька з глибин Округлого моря здійнявся... цілий острів і, звісно ж, найближчі до нього Анк-Морпорк та їхній морський сусід Хапонія претендують на нову територію та навіть готові розпочати за неї війну. Правда, готовність у випадку анк-морпоркців означає хіба що хвацький бойовий дух. Командор Варти Семюел Ваймз відчуває, як у місті змінився вітер — так, що не пізнати, хто тепер друг, а хто ворог — і за будь-яку ціну намагається зупинити, мабуть, найбільший у своїй кар’єрі злочин.
Тим часом лорд Ветінарі як вправний політик який звик жонглювати інтересами впливових людей, намагається втримати місто на плаву. Допоможуть йому в цьому геніальний винахідник Леонард із Квірма і значно менш обдаровані вартові, які несподівано розкриють свій потенціал.
440 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Terry Pratchett
466 books43.8k followersSir Terence David John Pratchett was an English author, humorist, and satirist, best known for the Discworld series of 41 comic fantasy novels published between 1983–2015, and for the apocalyptic comedy novel Good Omens (1990), which he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,165 reviews
October 4, 2020
A homage to the always funny punchline of saber rattling with the danger of an escalating, raging war because of instrumentalized patriotism around a small piece of worthless land, in this case, a tiny island.
Diplomacy is an art of its own and wait what Vetinari has prepared towards the end, it´s a masterpiece of interstate relationship longtime planning. Possibly many real life troubles, quarrels, and close to Mutual Assured Destruction WW3 scenarios went, are just going, and will go a similar way, one better doesn´t start thinking about it. Pratchett mixes the economic incentives with patriotism, politics, and faith, showing how the different forces develop their different grades of madness, who is more influenced by which dogma, and how this affects the military capabilities.
Racism is a big player in here too, I should consider making a list which of the critical complexes gets most of Pratchett´s attention, but possibly he was so ingenious to make a balanced mix to satirize all of them and my endeavor would be useless.
Leonard of Quirm, symbolizing the power of science, is one of the most meta potential characters, the idea of Vetinari controlling technological and thereby sociological and economical development is fascinating, because the has profound and longtime ideas about how society should or should not develop. How often similar things happened, are happening, and will happen in real history, is a fascinating subject, just take not avoiding giving people universal basic income by suddenly using all secret military prototypes to make most jobs useless, giving cures for aging that make 200 years lifetime possible, and all the real before and possible later developments.
It´s interesting to watch Samuel Vines´ development, one of the rare character transformations Pratchett included in his work, and how the executive force, be it police, incompetent or capable generals, mercenary armies,…is always an important, unpredictable factor on the battlefield. Much of what was masterfully planned in theory, even with logic and good statistics, failed because of such, suddenly appearing, factors.
Humankind ought consider to start thinking why it would still easily be possible to start major wars because of ridiculous territorial disputes and faith, if it would at least be a question of survival, cultural identity, or half of the territory of the state in question, it wouldn´t seem that silly.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
This one is added to all Pratchettian reviews:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheibe...
The idea of the dissected motifs rocks, highlighting the main real world inspirational elements of fiction and satire is something usually done with so called higher literature, but a much more interesting field in readable literature, as it offers the joy of reading, subtle criticism, and feeling smart all together.
Diplomacy is an art of its own and wait what Vetinari has prepared towards the end, it´s a masterpiece of interstate relationship longtime planning. Possibly many real life troubles, quarrels, and close to Mutual Assured Destruction WW3 scenarios went, are just going, and will go a similar way, one better doesn´t start thinking about it. Pratchett mixes the economic incentives with patriotism, politics, and faith, showing how the different forces develop their different grades of madness, who is more influenced by which dogma, and how this affects the military capabilities.
Racism is a big player in here too, I should consider making a list which of the critical complexes gets most of Pratchett´s attention, but possibly he was so ingenious to make a balanced mix to satirize all of them and my endeavor would be useless.
Leonard of Quirm, symbolizing the power of science, is one of the most meta potential characters, the idea of Vetinari controlling technological and thereby sociological and economical development is fascinating, because the has profound and longtime ideas about how society should or should not develop. How often similar things happened, are happening, and will happen in real history, is a fascinating subject, just take not avoiding giving people universal basic income by suddenly using all secret military prototypes to make most jobs useless, giving cures for aging that make 200 years lifetime possible, and all the real before and possible later developments.
It´s interesting to watch Samuel Vines´ development, one of the rare character transformations Pratchett included in his work, and how the executive force, be it police, incompetent or capable generals, mercenary armies,…is always an important, unpredictable factor on the battlefield. Much of what was masterfully planned in theory, even with logic and good statistics, failed because of such, suddenly appearing, factors.
Humankind ought consider to start thinking why it would still easily be possible to start major wars because of ridiculous territorial disputes and faith, if it would at least be a question of survival, cultural identity, or half of the territory of the state in question, it wouldn´t seem that silly.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
This one is added to all Pratchettian reviews:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheibe...
The idea of the dissected motifs rocks, highlighting the main real world inspirational elements of fiction and satire is something usually done with so called higher literature, but a much more interesting field in readable literature, as it offers the joy of reading, subtle criticism, and feeling smart all together.
January 21, 2024
‘Why are our people going out there?’ said Mr Boggis of the Thieves’ Guild.
‘Because they are showing a brisk pioneering spirit and seeking wealth and . . . additional wealth in a new land,’ said Lord Vetinari.
‘What’s in it for the Klatchians?’ said Lord Downey.
‘Oh, they’ve gone out there because they are a bunch of unprincipled opportunists always ready to grab something for nothing,’ said Lord Vetinari.
'Wazir comes from Smale, you see,' said Carrot. 'And Mr Goriff comes from Elharib, and the two
countries only stopped fighting ten years ago. Religious differences.'
'Ran out of weapons?' said Vimes.
'Ran out of rocks, sir. They ran out of weapons last century.'
Vimes shook his head. 'That always chews me up,' he said. 'People killing one another just because their gods have squabbled-'
'Oh, they've got the same god, sir. Apparently it's over a word in their holy book, sir. The Elharibians say it translates as "god" and the Smalies say it's "man".'
'How can you mix them up?'
'Well, there's only one tiny dot difference in the script, you see. And some people reckon it's only a bit of fly dirt in any case.'
'Centuries of war because a fly crapped in the wrong place?'
'It could have been worse,' said Carrot. 'If it had been slightly to the left the word would have been ‘liquorice'.'
On consideration, I would say "Jingo" is my 2nd favourite book of the Ankh-Morportk City Watch series (right after Night Watch ) and my 3rd favourite in the complete Discworld series (after Night Watch and Hogfather).
It was due to this book I decided that I want Sir Samuel Vimes as my literary husband (I am truly sorry, Mr Darcy, but you just have to move on. In any case, you have Lizzy Bennet and the adoration of the rest of the world to console you and yes, we can still be friends.) and my (secret) crush for Vetinari started.
And if I were an educational authority preferably with international competence, I would make all the politicians of the world read it and discuss it in class and write essays about it and if they scored higher than C+, then and only then would I allow them to hold office of any kind. But it is wishful thinking as well as longing for more Vetinaris and Sam Vimeses in the world.
In "Jingo" Terry Pratchett is actually waging a bitter and deeply sad one-man war against nationalism, racism, religious fundamentalism, territorialism and all kinds of nasty-ISMS invented by men and he does it the way he knows best: by making you laugh out loud and think! And there is no better way to do it, in my book anyway.
‘Because they are showing a brisk pioneering spirit and seeking wealth and . . . additional wealth in a new land,’ said Lord Vetinari.
‘What’s in it for the Klatchians?’ said Lord Downey.
‘Oh, they’ve gone out there because they are a bunch of unprincipled opportunists always ready to grab something for nothing,’ said Lord Vetinari.
'Wazir comes from Smale, you see,' said Carrot. 'And Mr Goriff comes from Elharib, and the two
countries only stopped fighting ten years ago. Religious differences.'
'Ran out of weapons?' said Vimes.
'Ran out of rocks, sir. They ran out of weapons last century.'
Vimes shook his head. 'That always chews me up,' he said. 'People killing one another just because their gods have squabbled-'
'Oh, they've got the same god, sir. Apparently it's over a word in their holy book, sir. The Elharibians say it translates as "god" and the Smalies say it's "man".'
'How can you mix them up?'
'Well, there's only one tiny dot difference in the script, you see. And some people reckon it's only a bit of fly dirt in any case.'
'Centuries of war because a fly crapped in the wrong place?'
'It could have been worse,' said Carrot. 'If it had been slightly to the left the word would have been ‘liquorice'.'
On consideration, I would say "Jingo" is my 2nd favourite book of the Ankh-Morportk City Watch series (right after Night Watch ) and my 3rd favourite in the complete Discworld series (after Night Watch and Hogfather).
It was due to this book I decided that I want Sir Samuel Vimes as my literary husband (I am truly sorry, Mr Darcy, but you just have to move on. In any case, you have Lizzy Bennet and the adoration of the rest of the world to console you and yes, we can still be friends.) and my (secret) crush for Vetinari started.
And if I were an educational authority preferably with international competence, I would make all the politicians of the world read it and discuss it in class and write essays about it and if they scored higher than C+, then and only then would I allow them to hold office of any kind. But it is wishful thinking as well as longing for more Vetinaris and Sam Vimeses in the world.
In "Jingo" Terry Pratchett is actually waging a bitter and deeply sad one-man war against nationalism, racism, religious fundamentalism, territorialism and all kinds of nasty-ISMS invented by men and he does it the way he knows best: by making you laugh out loud and think! And there is no better way to do it, in my book anyway.
April 4, 2021
Jingo (Discworld #21), Terry Pratchett
Jingo is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, part of his Discworld series. It was published in 1997.
With the opening of the novel, the island of Leshp, which had been submerged under the Circle Sea for centuries, rises to the surface. Its position, exactly halfway between Ankh-Morpork and Al Khali (the capital of Klatch), makes the island a powerful strategical point for whoever lays claim to it, which both cities do.
In Ankh-Morpork, a Klatchian Prince named Khufurah is parading through Ankh-Morpork, where he will be presented with a Degree in Sweet Fanny Adams (Doctorum Adamus cum Flabello Dulci), but an assassination attempt occurs, and the Prince is wounded. Sir Samuel Vimes, Commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, begins investigating the crime, originally suspecting both a Klatchian named 71-Hour Ahmed and a senior Morporkian peer, Lord Rust, of being involved.
The attempted assassination breaks off relations between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch as Prince Khufurah's brother, Prince Cadram, effectively declares war on the city of Ankh-Morpork. At this point, Havelock Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, resigns—apparently of his own free will—and Lord Rust takes command of the city.
Vetinari has refused to become involved in the war with Klatch, due to the fact Ankh-Morpork does not have an army to stand against any opposing forces (the reason given being that killing enemy soldiers makes it difficult to sell them things afterwards), but Rust declares Martial law and orders the city's noble families to revive their old private regiments.
Vimes, refusing to follow Rust, stands down as Commander of the Watch. Captain Carrot resigns as well, as do Sergeant Colon, Sergeant Detritus and Corporal Angua.
The idea of putting the watch under the command of Corporal Nobbs is rejected by the ruling Council of Guild leaders and the Watch is disbanded.
Vimes then recruits the Watch into his own private army regiment, reasoning that, as an official noble, he is entitled to do so by law and by Lord Rust's command, with the group remaining independent as knights legally fall under command of the king or his duly appointed representatives, neither of which exist in Ankh-Morpork.
Angua, following 71-Hour Ahmed, is captured by the Klatchians and taken to Klatch. Carrot, rather than rush off to save her, reports back to Vimes, who gets his private army to head for Klatch.
Meanwhile, Nobby and Sergeant Colon have been recruited by Vetinari and his pet inventor, Leonard of Quirm, on a secret mission of their own, unknown to Vimes.
Vetinari, Leonard of Quirm, Colon, and Nobby end up in Leonard's "Going-Under-the-Water-Safely Device" and discover that Leshp is actually floating on top of a huge bubble of gas, and that the gas is escaping from said bubble, meaning that Leshp will, ultimately, sink back under the sea again.
Vimes catches up with 71-hour Ahmed and has, by this time, figured out that Ahmed is a fellow policeman.
Ahmed tells Vimes that Prince Cadram was responsible for the assassination attempt on Prince Khufurah. Ahmed and his band of Klatchian D'regs and Vimes' army head towards Gebra, in Klatch, where the war is due to start. ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز سی ام ماه آوریل 2020میلادی
عنوان: دیسک ورلد (جهان صفحه) کتاب بیست و یکم: جینگو؛ نویسنده تری پرچت؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیایی - سده 20م
دیسک ورلد (جهان صفجه)، یک سری از کتابهای فانتزی هستند، که روانشاد «تری پرچت»، نویسنده ی «انگلیسی»، نگاشته اند؛ داستانهای این سری در جهانی با نام «دیسک ورلد (جهان صفحه)» میگذرند؛ که صفحه ای تخت است، و بر شانه های چهار فیل، با هیکلهای بزرگ، قرار دارد؛ این فیلها نیز، به نوبه ی خود، بر روی پشت یک لاکپشت غولآسا، با نام «آتوئین بزرگ» قرار دارند؛ در این سری از کتابها، بارها از سوژه های کتابهای نویسندگانی همچون «جی.آر.آر تالکین»، «رابرت هاوارد»، «اچ پی لاوکرافت» و «ویلیام شکسپیر» به گونه ای خنده دار، استفاده شده است؛
از سری «دیسک ورلد» بیشتر از هشتاد میلیون نسخه، در سی و هفت زبان، به فروش رفته است؛ این سری در برگیرنده ی بیش از چهل رمان (تاکنون چهل و یک رمان)، یازده داستان کوتاه، چهار کتاب علمی، و چندین کتاب مرجع، و مکمل است؛ از این سری، چندین رمان تصویری، بازی کامپیوتری، نمایش تئاتر، سریالهای تلویزیونی اقتباس شده است؛ روزنامه ی «ساندی تایمز» چاپ «انگلستان» از این سری به عنوان یکی از پرفروشترین سری کتابها نام برده، و «تری پرچت» را، به عنوان پرفروشترین نویسنده ی «انگلستان»، در دهه ی نود میلادی دانسته است؛
رمانهای «دیسکورلد» جوایز بسیاری از جمله جایزه «پرومتئوس»، و مدال ادبی «کارنگی» را، از آن خود کرده اند؛ در نظرسنجی «بیگ رید»، که «بیبیسی» در سال 2003میلادی، در «انگلستان» انجام داد، چهار رمان سری «دیسکورلد»؛ در فهرست یکصد کتاب برتر قرار گرفتند؛ همچنین مردمان «انگلیس»، در این نظرسنجی، چهارده رمان «دیسکورلد» را، در شمار دویست کتاب برتر، دانستند؛ تا کنون، از این سری، چهل و یک رمان، به چاپ رسیده است؛ «تری پرچت» که پیش از درگذشتش؛ در ابتدای سال 2015میلادی، از بیماری «آلزایمر» رنج میبردند، اعلام کردند که خوشحال میشوند که دخترشان، «ریانا پرچت»، به جای ایشان، به ادامه ی این سری بپردازند؛ تا جلد بیست و ششم رمان این سری، رمان «دزد زمان (2001میلادی)» به دست «جاش کربی»، به تصویر کشیده شده اند، اما نسخه های «آمریکایی»، که انتشارات «هارپرکالینز» آنها را، منتشر کرده، دارای تصاویر روی جلد متفاوتی هستند؛ پس از درگذشت «جاش کربی»، در سال 2001میلادی، نقاشیهای روی جلد کتابهای بعدی این سری، بدست «پائول کربی» کشیده شدند
کتابهای اول و دوم: «رنگ جادو»؛ کتاب سوم: «زنان جادوگر»؛ کتاب چهارم: «مرگ»؛ کتاب پنجم: «سورسری (برگردان فارسی جادوی مرجع)»؛ کتاب ششم: «خواهران ویرد»؛ کتاب هفتم: «هرم ها»؛ کتاب هشتم: «نگهبانان! نگهبانان»؛ کتاب نهم: «اریک»؛ کتاب دهم: «تصاویر متحرک»؛ کتاب یازدهم: «مرد دروگر»؛ کتاب دوازدهم: «جادوگران خارج»؛ کتاب سیزدهم: «ایزدان خرد (خدایان کوچک)»؛ کتاب چهاردهم: «لردها و بانوان»؛ کتاب پانزدهم: «مردان مسلح»؛ کتاب شانزدهم: «موسیقی روح»؛ کتاب هفدهم: «اوقات جالب»؛ کتاب هجدهم: «ماسکراد»؛ کتاب نوزدهم: «پاهای خشت (فیت آو کلی)»؛ کتاب بیستم: «هاگفادر»؛ کتاب بیست و یکم: «جینگو»؛ کتاب بیست و دوم: «آخرین قاره»؛ کتاب بیست و سوم: «��ارپه جوگلوم»؛ کتاب بیست و چهارم: «فیل پنجم»؛ کتاب بیست و پنجم: «حقیقت»؛ کتاب بیست و ششم: «دزد زمان»؛ کتاب بیست و هفتم: «آخرین قهرمان»؛ کتاب بیست و هشتم: «ماوریس شگفتانگیز و موشهای آموزشدیدهاش»؛ کتاب بیست و نهم: «ساعت شب»؛ کتاب سی ام: «مردان آزاد وی»؛ کتاب سی و یکم: «هنگ بزرگ»؛ کتاب سی و دوم: «کلاهی پُر از آسمان»؛ کتاب سی و سوم: «گوینگ پوستال»؛ کتاب سی و چهارم: «تود!»؛ کتاب سی و پنجم: «وینتراسمیت»؛ کتاب سی و ششم: «بدست آوردن پول»؛ کتاب سی و هفتم: «دانشگاهیهای نادیدنی»؛ کتاب سی و هشتم: «نیمهشب بایست بپوشم»؛ کتاب سی و نهم: «اسنوف»؛ کتاب چهلم: «بالا آمدن مه»؛ کتاب چهل و یکم: «تاج چوپان»؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 14/01/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Jingo is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, part of his Discworld series. It was published in 1997.
With the opening of the novel, the island of Leshp, which had been submerged under the Circle Sea for centuries, rises to the surface. Its position, exactly halfway between Ankh-Morpork and Al Khali (the capital of Klatch), makes the island a powerful strategical point for whoever lays claim to it, which both cities do.
In Ankh-Morpork, a Klatchian Prince named Khufurah is parading through Ankh-Morpork, where he will be presented with a Degree in Sweet Fanny Adams (Doctorum Adamus cum Flabello Dulci), but an assassination attempt occurs, and the Prince is wounded. Sir Samuel Vimes, Commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, begins investigating the crime, originally suspecting both a Klatchian named 71-Hour Ahmed and a senior Morporkian peer, Lord Rust, of being involved.
The attempted assassination breaks off relations between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch as Prince Khufurah's brother, Prince Cadram, effectively declares war on the city of Ankh-Morpork. At this point, Havelock Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, resigns—apparently of his own free will—and Lord Rust takes command of the city.
Vetinari has refused to become involved in the war with Klatch, due to the fact Ankh-Morpork does not have an army to stand against any opposing forces (the reason given being that killing enemy soldiers makes it difficult to sell them things afterwards), but Rust declares Martial law and orders the city's noble families to revive their old private regiments.
Vimes, refusing to follow Rust, stands down as Commander of the Watch. Captain Carrot resigns as well, as do Sergeant Colon, Sergeant Detritus and Corporal Angua.
The idea of putting the watch under the command of Corporal Nobbs is rejected by the ruling Council of Guild leaders and the Watch is disbanded.
Vimes then recruits the Watch into his own private army regiment, reasoning that, as an official noble, he is entitled to do so by law and by Lord Rust's command, with the group remaining independent as knights legally fall under command of the king or his duly appointed representatives, neither of which exist in Ankh-Morpork.
Angua, following 71-Hour Ahmed, is captured by the Klatchians and taken to Klatch. Carrot, rather than rush off to save her, reports back to Vimes, who gets his private army to head for Klatch.
Meanwhile, Nobby and Sergeant Colon have been recruited by Vetinari and his pet inventor, Leonard of Quirm, on a secret mission of their own, unknown to Vimes.
Vetinari, Leonard of Quirm, Colon, and Nobby end up in Leonard's "Going-Under-the-Water-Safely Device" and discover that Leshp is actually floating on top of a huge bubble of gas, and that the gas is escaping from said bubble, meaning that Leshp will, ultimately, sink back under the sea again.
Vimes catches up with 71-hour Ahmed and has, by this time, figured out that Ahmed is a fellow policeman.
Ahmed tells Vimes that Prince Cadram was responsible for the assassination attempt on Prince Khufurah. Ahmed and his band of Klatchian D'regs and Vimes' army head towards Gebra, in Klatch, where the war is due to start. ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز سی ام ماه آوریل 2020میلادی
عنوان: دیسک ورلد (جهان صفحه) کتاب بیست و یکم: جینگو؛ نویسنده تری پرچت؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیایی - سده 20م
دیسک ورلد (جهان صفجه)، یک سری از کتابهای فانتزی هستند، که روانشاد «تری پرچت»، نویسنده ی «انگلیسی»، نگاشته اند؛ داستانهای این سری در جهانی با نام «دیسک ورلد (جهان صفحه)» میگذرند؛ که صفحه ای تخت است، و بر شانه های چهار فیل، با هیکلهای بزرگ، قرار دارد؛ این فیلها نیز، به نوبه ی خود، بر روی پشت یک لاکپشت غولآسا، با نام «آتوئین بزرگ» قرار دارند؛ در این سری از کتابها، بارها از سوژه های کتابهای نویسندگانی همچون «جی.آر.آر تالکین»، «رابرت هاوارد»، «اچ پی لاوکرافت» و «ویلیام شکسپیر» به گونه ای خنده دار، استفاده شده است؛
از سری «دیسک ورلد» بیشتر از هشتاد میلیون نسخه، در سی و هفت زبان، به فروش رفته است؛ این سری در برگیرنده ی بیش از چهل رمان (تاکنون چهل و یک رمان)، یازده داستان کوتاه، چهار کتاب علمی، و چندین کتاب مرجع، و مکمل است؛ از این سری، چندین رمان تصویری، بازی کامپیوتری، نمایش تئاتر، سریالهای تلویزیونی اقتباس شده است؛ روزنامه ی «ساندی تایمز» چاپ «انگلستان» از این سری به عنوان یکی از پرفروشترین سری کتابها نام برده، و «تری پرچت» را، به عنوان پرفروشترین نویسنده ی «انگلستان»، در دهه ی نود میلادی دانسته است؛
رمانهای «دیسکورلد» جوایز بسیاری از جمله جایزه «پرومتئوس»، و مدال ادبی «کارنگی» را، از آن خود کرده اند؛ در نظرسنجی «بیگ رید»، که «بیبیسی» در سال 2003میلادی، در «انگلستان» انجام داد، چهار رمان سری «دیسکورلد»؛ در فهرست یکصد کتاب برتر قرار گرفتند؛ همچنین مردمان «انگلیس»، در این نظرسنجی، چهارده رمان «دیسکورلد» را، در شمار دویست کتاب برتر، دانستند؛ تا کنون، از این سری، چهل و یک رمان، به چاپ رسیده است؛ «تری پرچت» که پیش از درگذشتش؛ در ابتدای سال 2015میلادی، از بیماری «آلزایمر» رنج میبردند، اعلام کردند که خوشحال میشوند که دخترشان، «ریانا پرچت»، به جای ایشان، به ادامه ی این سری بپردازند؛ تا جلد بیست و ششم رمان این سری، رمان «دزد زمان (2001میلادی)» به دست «جاش کربی»، به تصویر کشیده شده اند، اما نسخه های «آمریکایی»، که انتشارات «هارپرکالینز» آنها را، منتشر کرده، دارای تصاویر روی جلد متفاوتی هستند؛ پس از درگذشت «جاش کربی»، در سال 2001میلادی، نقاشیهای روی جلد کتابهای بعدی این سری، بدست «پائول کربی» کشیده شدند
کتابهای اول و دوم: «رنگ جادو»؛ کتاب سوم: «زنان جادوگر»؛ کتاب چهارم: «مرگ»؛ کتاب پنجم: «سورسری (برگردان فارسی جادوی مرجع)»؛ کتاب ششم: «خواهران ویرد»؛ کتاب هفتم: «هرم ها»؛ کتاب هشتم: «نگهبانان! نگهبانان»؛ کتاب نهم: «اریک»؛ کتاب دهم: «تصاویر متحرک»؛ کتاب یازدهم: «مرد دروگر»؛ کتاب دوازدهم: «جادوگران خارج»؛ کتاب سیزدهم: «ایزدان خرد (خدایان کوچک)»؛ کتاب چهاردهم: «لردها و بانوان»؛ کتاب پانزدهم: «مردان مسلح»؛ کتاب شانزدهم: «موسیقی روح»؛ کتاب هفدهم: «اوقات جالب»؛ کتاب هجدهم: «ماسکراد»؛ کتاب نوزدهم: «پاهای خشت (فیت آو کلی)»؛ کتاب بیستم: «هاگفادر»؛ کتاب بیست و یکم: «جینگو»؛ کتاب بیست و دوم: «آخرین قاره»؛ کتاب بیست و سوم: «��ارپه جوگلوم»؛ کتاب بیست و چهارم: «فیل پنجم»؛ کتاب بیست و پنجم: «حقیقت»؛ کتاب بیست و ششم: «دزد زمان»؛ کتاب بیست و هفتم: «آخرین قهرمان»؛ کتاب بیست و هشتم: «ماوریس شگفتانگیز و موشهای آموزشدیدهاش»؛ کتاب بیست و نهم: «ساعت شب»؛ کتاب سی ام: «مردان آزاد وی»؛ کتاب سی و یکم: «هنگ بزرگ»؛ کتاب سی و دوم: «کلاهی پُر از آسمان»؛ کتاب سی و سوم: «گوینگ پوستال»؛ کتاب سی و چهارم: «تود!»؛ کتاب سی و پنجم: «وینتراسمیت»؛ کتاب سی و ششم: «بدست آوردن پول»؛ کتاب سی و هفتم: «دانشگاهیهای نادیدنی»؛ کتاب سی و هشتم: «نیمهشب بایست بپوشم»؛ کتاب سی و نهم: «اسنوف»؛ کتاب چهلم: «بالا آمدن مه»؛ کتاب چهل و یکم: «تاج چوپان»؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 14/01/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
January 14, 2019
"War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, why'all" – Edwin Starr
"Gen'rals gathered in their masses,
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction,
Sorcerer of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning,
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind,
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh Lord yeah" – Ozzy
“Ohhh. Great warrior. Wars not make one great.” – Yoda
War on the Discworld.
Sir Terry Pratchhett’s satire on war and all things warlike – from the martial to the blindly jingoistic - was a lot of fun. Seems a lost and forgotten island bubbles up from the depths in waters contested between Klatch and Anhk-Morpork and both sides are quick to let the fans of discord blow them to extremes.
More than just a parody of war, Pratchett examines the unhealthy but apparently primal urges of some to lean that way despite all sense otherwise. Pratchett’s character Lord Rust sees to embody all that is nonsensical about the “us versus them” populist rhetoric. We also get to meet 71 Hour Ahmed, one of Pratchett’s most memorable Discworld players.
I also very much enjoyed the Lovecraft references.
For Discworld fans and for Pratchett fans everywhere.
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, why'all" – Edwin Starr
"Gen'rals gathered in their masses,
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction,
Sorcerer of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning,
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind,
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh Lord yeah" – Ozzy
“Ohhh. Great warrior. Wars not make one great.” – Yoda
War on the Discworld.
Sir Terry Pratchhett’s satire on war and all things warlike – from the martial to the blindly jingoistic - was a lot of fun. Seems a lost and forgotten island bubbles up from the depths in waters contested between Klatch and Anhk-Morpork and both sides are quick to let the fans of discord blow them to extremes.
More than just a parody of war, Pratchett examines the unhealthy but apparently primal urges of some to lean that way despite all sense otherwise. Pratchett’s character Lord Rust sees to embody all that is nonsensical about the “us versus them” populist rhetoric. We also get to meet 71 Hour Ahmed, one of Pratchett’s most memorable Discworld players.
I also very much enjoyed the Lovecraft references.
For Discworld fans and for Pratchett fans everywhere.
April 11, 2014
The Complete Discworld Reread
I am a Granny Weatherwax guy. With no hesitation. You ask me which Pratchett story arc is the best and I will yell to the world how awesome the witches of Lancre are. But I got a dirty secret; it wasn’t always this way to me. Granny is the other woman, the one I left my first love for. Before I fell in love with Granny, I was a city watch man through and through. Reading Jingo again has reminded me exactly why.
It is not the best book of the Discworld series, not by a long shot. Even against the other city watch books it probably sits in, well, bottom half for sure. Behind Guards! Guards!, Feet of Clay, and Night Watch definitely. Been too long since I read The Fifth Elephant, but I remember it being pretty good too. So, let’s give it the fifth spot and go from there. So the fourth or fifth best book in my second favorite subplot of a large series and I still flew through and gobbled up every damn word.
A small, tactically worthless island appears out of nowhere between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. Of course both sides claim it and suddenly peaceful relations turn sour. A diplomatic mission from Klatch goes sour and soon enough war appears to be the only result. But it should be over quickly right, just as soon as those foreign dogs get a taste of cold steel they will run to the hills, right?
Not the most subtle of book, but Pratchett is known to hide a single piccolo in a brass band. If you are looking for the in jokes they are always there, but there are plenty of big jokes to play around with even if you don’t see them. This time we are dealing with national politics, war, racism and immigration, and of course, national jingoism.
There is an early scene in this book that sums up everything I love about Pratchett, and it is only a few pages long. But our good friends Colon and Nobby are watching the cities jingoistic sailors prepare for way, specifically a sign painter who has missed a letter ‘e’ in the Pride of Ankh-Morpork. And while they wait for their minor schadenfreude Colon ‘educates’ Nobby on the politics of the situation; strait from the reliable sources of ‘what some bloke told me in a pub.’ Nobby sits and pokes holes in every amount of Colon’s non PC argument by agreeing with in in a very telling way. It is a conversation that could be held in any bar across the country and it is damn near perfect. All tied together at the end by the two sharing a minor victory as the man painting his ship finds the mistake they have been watching for.
At this point the City Watch as grown so large that only a few members get any actual development in the book, most just stick to their old roles or give a bit of comic relief. Carrot is established at this point; certainly not a king but a man people can’t help but follow (all the way to a foreign country if need be). Sadly Angua may as well be invisible; this is a rare Pratchett outing that forgets to give the female characters anything to do at all. Nobbs learns a bit more about love, and Vimes learns once again that he is bought and sold. I had never before noticed that Vimes shows apparent growth in each book of his story arc, yet in each is in the exact same place by the end; he just gets a new title or concession thrown his way after the Patrician is done pulling all the right strings (well, wasn’t the Patrician this time, but strings were still pulled).
Not sure why I don’t rate this one as high as some of the earlier ones. Perhaps it is because all the watch is present but few have much to do. The relative lack of Angua especially is missed. It is very over the top in making its point this time around; the Ankh-Morporkians are so stupidly sure of themselves against their ‘uncivilized’ neighbors it should be laughable (if history didn’t show people with that misplaced confidence time and again). And of course the whole Vimes is in a rut thing is starting to show.
But I liked it better than I remembered. Humor? Still top notch. If you don’t find a zombie catching rats and calling it a foreign disease hilarious you have no soul (especially when you learn of the cure). And who can forget rival street gangs putting their thumbs in their ears and chanting together a silly little nonsense. Good stuff. And I have always wondered where you find lowerglyphics, what it means when seaweed is wet, and why someone would carry around a life sized inflatable donkey. I enjoyed Vimes’ new rival, 71 Hour Ahmed, who has a very unique way of keeping people off guard. I was also fairly impressed about the eventual conclusion to the early stories crime (the war itself came later). Everyone suspects everyone, even themselves, and both sides wanted to claim the criminal as their own is a different type of thing.
Not the best, but a solid entry.
4 Stars
I am a Granny Weatherwax guy. With no hesitation. You ask me which Pratchett story arc is the best and I will yell to the world how awesome the witches of Lancre are. But I got a dirty secret; it wasn’t always this way to me. Granny is the other woman, the one I left my first love for. Before I fell in love with Granny, I was a city watch man through and through. Reading Jingo again has reminded me exactly why.
It is not the best book of the Discworld series, not by a long shot. Even against the other city watch books it probably sits in, well, bottom half for sure. Behind Guards! Guards!, Feet of Clay, and Night Watch definitely. Been too long since I read The Fifth Elephant, but I remember it being pretty good too. So, let’s give it the fifth spot and go from there. So the fourth or fifth best book in my second favorite subplot of a large series and I still flew through and gobbled up every damn word.
A small, tactically worthless island appears out of nowhere between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. Of course both sides claim it and suddenly peaceful relations turn sour. A diplomatic mission from Klatch goes sour and soon enough war appears to be the only result. But it should be over quickly right, just as soon as those foreign dogs get a taste of cold steel they will run to the hills, right?
Not the most subtle of book, but Pratchett is known to hide a single piccolo in a brass band. If you are looking for the in jokes they are always there, but there are plenty of big jokes to play around with even if you don’t see them. This time we are dealing with national politics, war, racism and immigration, and of course, national jingoism.
There is an early scene in this book that sums up everything I love about Pratchett, and it is only a few pages long. But our good friends Colon and Nobby are watching the cities jingoistic sailors prepare for way, specifically a sign painter who has missed a letter ‘e’ in the Pride of Ankh-Morpork. And while they wait for their minor schadenfreude Colon ‘educates’ Nobby on the politics of the situation; strait from the reliable sources of ‘what some bloke told me in a pub.’ Nobby sits and pokes holes in every amount of Colon’s non PC argument by agreeing with in in a very telling way. It is a conversation that could be held in any bar across the country and it is damn near perfect. All tied together at the end by the two sharing a minor victory as the man painting his ship finds the mistake they have been watching for.
At this point the City Watch as grown so large that only a few members get any actual development in the book, most just stick to their old roles or give a bit of comic relief. Carrot is established at this point; certainly not a king but a man people can’t help but follow (all the way to a foreign country if need be). Sadly Angua may as well be invisible; this is a rare Pratchett outing that forgets to give the female characters anything to do at all. Nobbs learns a bit more about love, and Vimes learns once again that he is bought and sold. I had never before noticed that Vimes shows apparent growth in each book of his story arc, yet in each is in the exact same place by the end; he just gets a new title or concession thrown his way after the Patrician is done pulling all the right strings (well, wasn’t the Patrician this time, but strings were still pulled).
Not sure why I don’t rate this one as high as some of the earlier ones. Perhaps it is because all the watch is present but few have much to do. The relative lack of Angua especially is missed. It is very over the top in making its point this time around; the Ankh-Morporkians are so stupidly sure of themselves against their ‘uncivilized’ neighbors it should be laughable (if history didn’t show people with that misplaced confidence time and again). And of course the whole Vimes is in a rut thing is starting to show.
But I liked it better than I remembered. Humor? Still top notch. If you don’t find a zombie catching rats and calling it a foreign disease hilarious you have no soul (especially when you learn of the cure). And who can forget rival street gangs putting their thumbs in their ears and chanting together a silly little nonsense. Good stuff. And I have always wondered where you find lowerglyphics, what it means when seaweed is wet, and why someone would carry around a life sized inflatable donkey. I enjoyed Vimes’ new rival, 71 Hour Ahmed, who has a very unique way of keeping people off guard. I was also fairly impressed about the eventual conclusion to the early stories crime (the war itself came later). Everyone suspects everyone, even themselves, and both sides wanted to claim the criminal as their own is a different type of thing.
Not the best, but a solid entry.
4 Stars
July 23, 2023
I read the entire series of Discworld many years ago and have all the paperbacks sitting on my shelves.
It was so nice to dip into them again - I must do it more often!
All my favourite characters turn up in Jingo. Sam Vimes and Carrot are there along with the rest of the Watch. Veterinari performs his usual discreet handling of events. Even Death shows up a couple of times. Of course, being Pratchett, the humour is laugh aloud funny, and the story is entertaining and cleverly put together.
This was an amazing series written by an excellent author. A great legacy for us to remember him by. Now which one will I read next?
It was so nice to dip into them again - I must do it more often!
All my favourite characters turn up in Jingo. Sam Vimes and Carrot are there along with the rest of the Watch. Veterinari performs his usual discreet handling of events. Even Death shows up a couple of times. Of course, being Pratchett, the humour is laugh aloud funny, and the story is entertaining and cleverly put together.
This was an amazing series written by an excellent author. A great legacy for us to remember him by. Now which one will I read next?
February 27, 2019
War. War never changes.
Unless you're talking about Discworld.
And then history tends to change based on what you had to eat and whether or not a football is involved. And then, you need to remember the importance of knowing your neighbor's names.
You know... this second time reading this was much more interesting than the first. I simply had a much better time going to war. There's nothing like a bit of stabby stabby or running away from a certain man of the watch dressed up like a woman to get the blood moving.
Still, I have to say... poor Vimes. A dukedom? The poor man!!!
Unless you're talking about Discworld.
And then history tends to change based on what you had to eat and whether or not a football is involved. And then, you need to remember the importance of knowing your neighbor's names.
You know... this second time reading this was much more interesting than the first. I simply had a much better time going to war. There's nothing like a bit of stabby stabby or running away from a certain man of the watch dressed up like a woman to get the blood moving.
Still, I have to say... poor Vimes. A dukedom? The poor man!!!
March 26, 2017
"It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things."
Jingo is an anti-war book in the guise of an absurdist farcical satire.
I've been working on getting though the Discworld books since I was sixteen, which is now exactly half my life ago. Fitting that I am also now halfway through Terry Pratchett's most famous series of books, and just now really getting to the ones that start hitting harder. Judging from this book, a Pratchett book will never be serious, but their silliness is more and more being undercut with a pathos that is riveting, an anger that drives the story. That combo of laughter and rage is something I've not found anywhere else but a Pratchett book. And the more the series goes on, the bolder he gets.
The inciting incident of Jingo is a long-lost island floating up from the middle of the Circle sea, right smack dab in the middle of Ankh-Morpork and Klatch, and both nations claim ownership of it. This leads, of course, to war. Both nations start plotting and scheming. But this isn't a war book like normal war books. This is a book that backs ass backwards into war, after first lighting everything on fire and then everyone plays football*.
*British football, not American. And I'm being quite literal here.
But really all of this is just an excuse for Captain Sam Vimes to get involved. After all, if war is a crime, then who better to go after the criminals and stop it than a copper? And he brings the whole Watch with him. It's not just war that Pratchett sends up here. He also takes jabs at racism, sexism, nationalism. Lots of -isms.
I always have such a hard time writing about these books. I don't know why. Maybe it's just because they're so chock full of everything. Characters, one-liners, elaborately set up satirical gags. Or maybe I just personally have a hard time writing about humor. It's so . . . ineffable.
The only thing here is that I wasn't super in the mood for this type of book when I picked it up. I put it down several times to read other books, and had a hard time picking it back up (but always really enjoyed myself while reading). Next time I pick one of these books up (next up is The Last Continent, a Rincewind book, so I've got to be extra in the mood for that) I'm gonna make sure I'm in the mood. I only have so much Pratchett left.
Jingo is an anti-war book in the guise of an absurdist farcical satire.
I've been working on getting though the Discworld books since I was sixteen, which is now exactly half my life ago. Fitting that I am also now halfway through Terry Pratchett's most famous series of books, and just now really getting to the ones that start hitting harder. Judging from this book, a Pratchett book will never be serious, but their silliness is more and more being undercut with a pathos that is riveting, an anger that drives the story. That combo of laughter and rage is something I've not found anywhere else but a Pratchett book. And the more the series goes on, the bolder he gets.
The inciting incident of Jingo is a long-lost island floating up from the middle of the Circle sea, right smack dab in the middle of Ankh-Morpork and Klatch, and both nations claim ownership of it. This leads, of course, to war. Both nations start plotting and scheming. But this isn't a war book like normal war books. This is a book that backs ass backwards into war, after first lighting everything on fire and then everyone plays football*.
*British football, not American. And I'm being quite literal here.
But really all of this is just an excuse for Captain Sam Vimes to get involved. After all, if war is a crime, then who better to go after the criminals and stop it than a copper? And he brings the whole Watch with him. It's not just war that Pratchett sends up here. He also takes jabs at racism, sexism, nationalism. Lots of -isms.
I always have such a hard time writing about these books. I don't know why. Maybe it's just because they're so chock full of everything. Characters, one-liners, elaborately set up satirical gags. Or maybe I just personally have a hard time writing about humor. It's so . . . ineffable.
The only thing here is that I wasn't super in the mood for this type of book when I picked it up. I put it down several times to read other books, and had a hard time picking it back up (but always really enjoyed myself while reading). Next time I pick one of these books up (next up is The Last Continent, a Rincewind book, so I've got to be extra in the mood for that) I'm gonna make sure I'm in the mood. I only have so much Pratchett left.
February 28, 2019
Bingly-bingly-bingly beep!
It was time for my monthly dose of Discworld!
Once upon a time, I would have sworn that NOTHING could ever surpass one of the witches novels in this series. Today, I have to confess that might no longer be the case.
This 21st novel, initially unbeknownst to me, is one of the novels featuring The Watch. As such, we get Sgt. Colon, Nobby, Angua, Captain Carrot, Detritus (my favourite) and Commander/Lord/Sir Vimes and the rest of their weird bunch as well as the entirety of Ankh-Morpork including Lord Vetinari.
An island has risen out of the ocean, sporting all the buildings and stuff it originally sank with. Soon after, the first two fishermen start fighting (despite their sons best efforts to stop them) about who the island belongs to: Ankh-Morpork or Klatch.
Thus, a Klatchian delegation arrives in the city, there is to be a pompous ceremony, fights break out (yes, nothing new in that city, but still entertaining), a diplomat is killed, a certain werewolf gets "kidnapped", and some people with titles think they need to get the old dusted book of traditions out and start a war.
You know those movies (or even real-life scenes) where two neighbours are starting a war across their fence? Yeah, like that. With the difference that the dwarves are actual people in this one and the "tools" used include useful-but-tragically-long-named-inventions. Oh, and swords. The kind that is so big it carries you, not the other way around.
Never fear though, because no matter how reluctant he is, Vimes is not gonna let any crime go unpunished, no matter how many diplomats he needs to get rid of first.
In this novel, even more than in others I know so far, the author once again proves why he is known and loved around the world. He is a word smith who weaves puns and images into sharp criticism about xenophobia, misogyny, duty ... He also nicely points out the difference between the military and police force and all I can say is that many people, then and now, should rather read this book than any modern rules and regulations. Could get some sense between those thick ears.
Which proves that Pratchett was not only a fantastic writer but also a keen observant. He actually saw the world, the politics, the diplomacy, crime and punishment, social affairs, human psychology (hell, even the distinction over who is the leader of anything on paper and who REALLY knows what's going on) - and he knew that you best get them when you are making them laugh first.
He paints a scene, several scenes actually, and lets loose a host of characters you either already know and love or will fall in love with after 3 seconds. And not just Carrot, who even gets the gutter rats to do as they are told. I mean, I almost lost it when !
Not to mention that I want someone like Vetinari ruling the city/state I live in with someone like Vimes to make sure it's (relatively) safe. *lol*
The Watch was, again, hilarious. Be it Colon and Nobby on their way with Vetinari and that inventor; or Vetinari himself showing that rather unexpected and yet totally familiar side; or the Arch-Chancellor when trying to herd a procession; or Vimes meeting his Klatchian counterpart; or Vimes' and Lady Sybil's butler in a whole new uniform. But they also made you think - like Colon when he reminisced about his days in the military.
Just look at those quotes! The humour is just there to soften the blow while simultaneously driving the knife in even deeper.
Veni, vici ... Vetinari! You best believe me or I'll ask Nobby to show you his "lady-parts". BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
December 1, 2020
Originally I rated as three star, but lately I changed my mind after reading a discussion on a forum for Terry Pratchett's fans. This novel might be have less fun story than Feet of Clay, but this book has more memorable quotes (at least for me, and the quotes affecting my life) than majority of other Discworld novels.
The Watch have been growing since the first Watch arch story, with diversity and number of force. The criminal case is getting more complicated too, now there setting is not only on Ankh-Morpork. And I love Lord Vetinari has more active role in this novel.
The Watch have been growing since the first Watch arch story, with diversity and number of force. The criminal case is getting more complicated too, now there setting is not only on Ankh-Morpork. And I love Lord Vetinari has more active role in this novel.
September 13, 2019
Full review to come. I loved this much more the second time round! A fine addition to the Night's Watch.
January 26, 2023
Четверта книга про варту, читала вперше. Нагадала мені ті типи епізодів в гуртовому аніме коли "А тепер вся компашка їде на море". От тільки тут не море, а війна з Хапонією (лол, я тільки потім дотумкала, що Хапонія це так переклали Клач -clutch - хапати, стискати в руці - в інших книгах я уявляла собі щось японське, а треба було щось арабське). Взагалі багато сатири на війну, і на стереотипи про чужинців. Наші улюблені Вартові вже встигли зробитись ріднесенькими (Морква - вічний краш). Ще в цій книзі Ноббі дуже смішний, коли перевтілюється в жінку і розуміє всю печаль жіночого досвіду. Звісно в кінці все добре. Також зʼявилось бажання набити собі Veni, Vidi, Vetinari, бо епічно.
Один момент з перекладом засмутив, там був каламбур на собаку, на якій тренують умовні рефлекси (собака павлова), яка їла Павлову (десерт), але чомусь вирішили перекласти "їла полуничне безе", і жарт втрачається. Ну але це деталі.
Один момент з перекладом засмутив, там був каламбур на собаку, на якій тренують умовні рефлекси (собака павлова), яка їла Павлову (десерт), але чомусь вирішили перекласти "їла полуничне безе", і жарт втрачається. Ну але це деталі.
May 4, 2024
Just okay.
September 6, 2022
Reading this volume in the marvelous Discworld series puts me just over the half-way mark! I am pacing myself, interspersing these books in between other reading to appreciate them to their fullest. I find that I enjoy some more than others, Jingo was one that is in the 'liked' category, as I didn't feel quite as engaged.
Update 9/5/22 - I truly enjoyed it more second time around. This time, I listened with my husband and daughter. We laughed out loud at intervals!
Here are some examples of what we found so amusing:
"You'd have to call what he was wearing a turban because it wasn't moving fast enough to be called a badger."
“Already old Fred's face was creasing up in the soft expression of someone who has been mugged in Memory Lane."
"'Mr Vimes?' Only Carrot could whisper like that. He associated whispering with concealment and untruth and compromised by whispering very loudly."
"Brigands, maybe, the dry land equivalent of pirates, but Carrot would have said they were jolly good chaps for all that. If you were content to be their guest then they were as nice as pie, or sheep's eyeball and treacle or whatever you got out here."
One of our very favorite scenes includes Angua, the werewolf: "'I heard her earlier. She's probably enjoying herself. She doesn't really get much of a chance to let herself go in Ankh–Morpork.'
'Er... no...' Vimes had a mental picture of a werewolf letting go."
Then, when asked how he and Angua are getting along living together, Carrot responds, "She buys her own dog biscuits and she's got her own flap in the door." We roared at that!
An ode to mother-in-law jokes: "There was something hauntingly familiar about her and Nobby realized if you cut her in half the words 'mother-in-law' would be all the way through." This is a reference to the sticks of rock you get at the seaside in England, where the place name appears all the way through the candy.
"The door snapped open. The woman within had one of those faces that had settled over the years, as though it had been made of butter and then left in the sun. But age hadn't been able to do much with her hair. It was a violent ginger and piled up like a threatening thunderhead."
All in all this was a wonderful listen that we thoroughly enjoyed. Nigel Planer's narration was excellent as usual.
Update 9/5/22 - I truly enjoyed it more second time around. This time, I listened with my husband and daughter. We laughed out loud at intervals!
Here are some examples of what we found so amusing:
"You'd have to call what he was wearing a turban because it wasn't moving fast enough to be called a badger."
“Already old Fred's face was creasing up in the soft expression of someone who has been mugged in Memory Lane."
"'Mr Vimes?' Only Carrot could whisper like that. He associated whispering with concealment and untruth and compromised by whispering very loudly."
"Brigands, maybe, the dry land equivalent of pirates, but Carrot would have said they were jolly good chaps for all that. If you were content to be their guest then they were as nice as pie, or sheep's eyeball and treacle or whatever you got out here."
One of our very favorite scenes includes Angua, the werewolf: "'I heard her earlier. She's probably enjoying herself. She doesn't really get much of a chance to let herself go in Ankh–Morpork.'
'Er... no...' Vimes had a mental picture of a werewolf letting go."
Then, when asked how he and Angua are getting along living together, Carrot responds, "She buys her own dog biscuits and she's got her own flap in the door." We roared at that!
An ode to mother-in-law jokes: "There was something hauntingly familiar about her and Nobby realized if you cut her in half the words 'mother-in-law' would be all the way through." This is a reference to the sticks of rock you get at the seaside in England, where the place name appears all the way through the candy.
"The door snapped open. The woman within had one of those faces that had settled over the years, as though it had been made of butter and then left in the sun. But age hadn't been able to do much with her hair. It was a violent ginger and piled up like a threatening thunderhead."
All in all this was a wonderful listen that we thoroughly enjoyed. Nigel Planer's narration was excellent as usual.
August 22, 2023
My friend Chisom got me this ^^
Pratchett takes on the war machine. It doesn't hold up super well, but if you squint past the caricatures and the blurred line of militarized home policing, there's still some good anger towards using fear for profit, told in a very charming Pratchettian way.
Pratchett takes on the war machine. It doesn't hold up super well, but if you squint past the caricatures and the blurred line of militarized home policing, there's still some good anger towards using fear for profit, told in a very charming Pratchettian way.
August 23, 2016
English | Español (más abajo)
This is the Spanish edition of Jingo, I'll try to write a review soon. I haven't had much time lately and I have an awful lot of pending reviews ¬¬. In short: go read it, every single Terry Pratchett book is worth your money and time; especially this one since it's one of the best books in the Discworld series.
Even though each novel can be read as a standalone book, It's highly recommended to read the previous books of the Guards series to get to know the background of some characters.
---------------------
Podés encontrar esta y otras reseñas en mi blog.
¡Voto a Bríos! Es el cuarto libro de la saga de los Guardias (mi saga favorita dentro de la locura que es Mundodisco) y en él se empieza a notar el progreso de la guardia de Ankh-Morpork en comparación con el primer libro. Ya no está compuesta únicamente por el capitán Vimes, Colon y Nobby, sino que ahora es una verdadera fuerza integrada por miembros de todas las variedades de seres que habitan la ciudad más poblada de Mundodisco: golems, trolls, enanos, hombres lobo, gárgolas, e incluso zombies.
Esta enorme variedad de personajes le sirve a Pratchett para hacer lo que se le da mejor y lo que más disfruto de sus novelas: criticar los aspectos más ridículos de las diferentes culturas y religiones, creando estereotipos absurdos, pero a la vez sumamente entretenidos de leer. No considero ofensivas estas burlas, sino que por el contrario me parecen una forma bastante inteligente de criticar nuestra realidad sirviéndose de criaturas fantásticas; ese aspecto es lo que hace que Mundodisco sea una saga única, diferente a cualquier historia de fantasía que vas a encontrar.
Los guardias son mis personajes favoritos justamente porque reflejan la variedad de culturas y costumbres que existen en el mundo, y como, cuando se dejan estas diferencias de lado, los seres humanos (y los "no tan humanos") son capaces de alcanzar grandes cosas.
Volviendo a lo que es la trama, la misma cobra una mayor dimensión cuando se investiga un poco (busqué todo en Google, tremenda investigación (?) al respecto. Para escribir esta novela Pratchett se basó en un incidente ocurrido en 1830, en el cual una isla emergió en el Mar Mediterráneo y desató un conflicto entre Gran Bretaña y otros países de la zona para ver quién anexaba la isla a su territorio.
A partir de esta premisa, el autor escribe una graciosa historia que se burla de las estúpidas razones por las cuales se producen las guerras, como en este caso, un pedazo de tierra inútil en todo sentido.
En esta novela, Pratchett también se burla del nacionalismo extremo. El título de la novela en inglés es Jingo, el cual es una abreviación de "jingoísmo", una idea de imperialismo basada en la expansión violenta sobre otras naciones que surgió en Inglaterra a finales de la era victoriana. Es una filosofía extremadamente racista e intolerante que en la novela es plasmada de manera brillante, poniendo de un lado a Klatch que se asemeja a un país árabe —con todas sus costumbres que a nosotros nos resultan aberrantes— y por el otro a Ankh-Morpork, que vendría a representar la civilización occidental.
—¿Hace falta una excusa para ir a la guerra? —dijo Nobby—. O sea, ¿para quién? ¿No vale con que vayas y digas: «Tú tienes montones de dinero y tierras pero yo tengo una espada muy grande así que ya estás dándome lo mío, chop chop»? Es lo que yo diría —dijo el cabo Nobbs, estratega militar—. Y ni siquiera lo diría hasta después de atacar.—Ah, pero eso es porque no sabes nada de política —dijo Colon."
Lo que me parece brillante de los libros de Mundodisco es que logra tocar todos estos temas sin hacerlo de forma aburrida y "repartiendo" para todos lados: en los libros de Pratchett vas a encontrar críticas y burlas hacia absolutamente todos los aspectos de nuestra vida cotidiana; a veces de forma bastante clara, como ocurre en esta novela, y otras veces de forma más sutil, a través de pequeñas referencias y guiños a diferentes elementos de la "cultura popular".
En fin, como siempre me pasa al escribir acerca de un libro de Mundodisco, me resulta imposible calificarlo porque adoro esta saga. Considero que son libros excelentes y muy recomendables para todo el mundo, sean o no fanáticos de las novelas de fantasía. Por supuesto que hay algunos libros que no son tan graciosos como otros, e incluso hay algunos bastante flojos, pero es indudable que cada novela de Mundodisco es, como dice Neil Gaiman, "un pequeño milagro" y rara vez la vas a pasar mal leyendo a Pratchett.
¡Voto a Bríos! es de los mejores libros que he leído hasta el momento dentro de esta enorme y divertidísima saga. A pesar de que cada libro de Mundodisco se puede leer de manera independiente, en este caso recomiendo leer por lo menos los tres libros anteriores de la saga de los guardias para poder apreciar cómo evolucionan los personajes.
Para conocer los posibles órdenes de lectura de Mundodisco o cuáles libros recomiendo leer para comenzar la saga, podés consultar esta sección del blog.
This is the Spanish edition of Jingo, I'll try to write a review soon. I haven't had much time lately and I have an awful lot of pending reviews ¬¬. In short: go read it, every single Terry Pratchett book is worth your money and time; especially this one since it's one of the best books in the Discworld series.
Even though each novel can be read as a standalone book, It's highly recommended to read the previous books of the Guards series to get to know the background of some characters.
---------------------
Podés encontrar esta y otras reseñas en mi blog.
¡Voto a Bríos! Es el cuarto libro de la saga de los Guardias (mi saga favorita dentro de la locura que es Mundodisco) y en él se empieza a notar el progreso de la guardia de Ankh-Morpork en comparación con el primer libro. Ya no está compuesta únicamente por el capitán Vimes, Colon y Nobby, sino que ahora es una verdadera fuerza integrada por miembros de todas las variedades de seres que habitan la ciudad más poblada de Mundodisco: golems, trolls, enanos, hombres lobo, gárgolas, e incluso zombies.
Esta enorme variedad de personajes le sirve a Pratchett para hacer lo que se le da mejor y lo que más disfruto de sus novelas: criticar los aspectos más ridículos de las diferentes culturas y religiones, creando estereotipos absurdos, pero a la vez sumamente entretenidos de leer. No considero ofensivas estas burlas, sino que por el contrario me parecen una forma bastante inteligente de criticar nuestra realidad sirviéndose de criaturas fantásticas; ese aspecto es lo que hace que Mundodisco sea una saga única, diferente a cualquier historia de fantasía que vas a encontrar.
Los guardias son mis personajes favoritos justamente porque reflejan la variedad de culturas y costumbres que existen en el mundo, y como, cuando se dejan estas diferencias de lado, los seres humanos (y los "no tan humanos") son capaces de alcanzar grandes cosas.
Volviendo a lo que es la trama, la misma cobra una mayor dimensión cuando se investiga un poco (
A partir de esta premisa, el autor escribe una graciosa historia que se burla de las estúpidas razones por las cuales se producen las guerras, como en este caso, un pedazo de tierra inútil en todo sentido.
En esta novela, Pratchett también se burla del nacionalismo extremo. El título de la novela en inglés es Jingo, el cual es una abreviación de "jingoísmo", una idea de imperialismo basada en la expansión violenta sobre otras naciones que surgió en Inglaterra a finales de la era victoriana. Es una filosofía extremadamente racista e intolerante que en la novela es plasmada de manera brillante, poniendo de un lado a Klatch que se asemeja a un país árabe —con todas sus costumbres que a nosotros nos resultan aberrantes— y por el otro a Ankh-Morpork, que vendría a representar la civilización occidental.
—¿Hace falta una excusa para ir a la guerra? —dijo Nobby—. O sea, ¿para quién? ¿No vale con que vayas y digas: «Tú tienes montones de dinero y tierras pero yo tengo una espada muy grande así que ya estás dándome lo mío, chop chop»? Es lo que yo diría —dijo el cabo Nobbs, estratega militar—. Y ni siquiera lo diría hasta después de atacar.—Ah, pero eso es porque no sabes nada de política —dijo Colon."
Lo que me parece brillante de los libros de Mundodisco es que logra tocar todos estos temas sin hacerlo de forma aburrida y "repartiendo" para todos lados: en los libros de Pratchett vas a encontrar críticas y burlas hacia absolutamente todos los aspectos de nuestra vida cotidiana; a veces de forma bastante clara, como ocurre en esta novela, y otras veces de forma más sutil, a través de pequeñas referencias y guiños a diferentes elementos de la "cultura popular".
En fin, como siempre me pasa al escribir acerca de un libro de Mundodisco, me resulta imposible calificarlo porque adoro esta saga. Considero que son libros excelentes y muy recomendables para todo el mundo, sean o no fanáticos de las novelas de fantasía. Por supuesto que hay algunos libros que no son tan graciosos como otros, e incluso hay algunos bastante flojos, pero es indudable que cada novela de Mundodisco es, como dice Neil Gaiman, "un pequeño milagro" y rara vez la vas a pasar mal leyendo a Pratchett.
¡Voto a Bríos! es de los mejores libros que he leído hasta el momento dentro de esta enorme y divertidísima saga. A pesar de que cada libro de Mundodisco se puede leer de manera independiente, en este caso recomiendo leer por lo menos los tres libros anteriores de la saga de los guardias para poder apreciar cómo evolucionan los personajes.
Para conocer los posibles órdenes de lectura de Mundodisco o cuáles libros recomiendo leer para comenzar la saga, podés consultar esta sección del blog.
September 13, 2023
С всяка книга за стражите мнението ми се затвърждава все повече и повече - това са моите хора от света на сър Пратче��!
Къде другаде има толкова пъстра сбирщина от индивиди без мозък и с мозък под въпрос, които оцеляват по удивителни начини в най-щурия град в мултивселената?
Хареса ми и участието на Ветинари, който често ми остава някак встрани.
Само краят (решението на проблема) ми беше малко... абе някак... можеше по-иначе, нали... Но прощавам.
Къде другаде има толкова пъстра сбирщина от индивиди без мозък и с мозък под въпрос, които оцеляват по удивителни начини в най-щурия град в мултивселената?
Хареса ми и участието на Ветинари, който често ми остава някак встрани.
Само краят (решението на проблема) ми беше малко... абе някак... можеше по-иначе, нали... Но прощавам.
October 14, 2022
⚓🐪
“It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy. You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told the children bed time stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people. It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was Us, then what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.”
I took a short break from my Discworld reading journey, after wrapping up the end of 2021 having read little else. I enjoyed taking the time to get to some other books that I have been looking forward to reading, but I was excited to return to the series. With the Terry Pratchett biography coming out later this year, I'm aiming to finish the core Discworld books and then read that as a kind of conclusion.
This really applies to all the Discworld books so far, but Jingo is an immediate favourite. I've come to love Commander Vimes and the rest of The Watch. As ever Terry Pratchett eloquently weaves a dizzying number of brilliant ideas, perfect observations, fascinating characters and humour and it works beautifully.
“Oh, my dear Vimes, history changes all the time. It is constantly being re-examined and re-evaluated, otherwise how would we be able to keep historians occupied? We can't possibly allow people with their sort of minds to walk around with time on their hands.”
*******
“History was full of the bones of good men who'd followed bad orders in the hope that they could soften the blow. Oh, yes, there were worse things they could do, but most of them began right where they started following bad orders.”
“It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy. You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told the children bed time stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people. It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was Us, then what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.”
I took a short break from my Discworld reading journey, after wrapping up the end of 2021 having read little else. I enjoyed taking the time to get to some other books that I have been looking forward to reading, but I was excited to return to the series. With the Terry Pratchett biography coming out later this year, I'm aiming to finish the core Discworld books and then read that as a kind of conclusion.
This really applies to all the Discworld books so far, but Jingo is an immediate favourite. I've come to love Commander Vimes and the rest of The Watch. As ever Terry Pratchett eloquently weaves a dizzying number of brilliant ideas, perfect observations, fascinating characters and humour and it works beautifully.
“Oh, my dear Vimes, history changes all the time. It is constantly being re-examined and re-evaluated, otherwise how would we be able to keep historians occupied? We can't possibly allow people with their sort of minds to walk around with time on their hands.”
*******
“History was full of the bones of good men who'd followed bad orders in the hope that they could soften the blow. Oh, yes, there were worse things they could do, but most of them began right where they started following bad orders.”
November 3, 2016
Con: largely disposable within the context of Discworld and feels a little like an afterthought. Highly patronising, with vague suggestions of some somewhat iffy political assumptions. Inadequate plot (partly I think on purpose).
Pro: very funny. Surprisingly enjoyable. A chance to see the Watch characters in a slightly more normal situation and at a relaxed pace, at least in the first half of the book.
Summary: I always remembered the downsides and thought this was one of the worst Discworld novels; it's definitely in the bottom half or bottom third, but it's actually much more enjoyable that I thought it was. Shouldn't be on many favourites lists, but you needn't actively avoid it when reading the Watch books.
My review is over on my blog as usual.
Pro: very funny. Surprisingly enjoyable. A chance to see the Watch characters in a slightly more normal situation and at a relaxed pace, at least in the first half of the book.
Summary: I always remembered the downsides and thought this was one of the worst Discworld novels; it's definitely in the bottom half or bottom third, but it's actually much more enjoyable that I thought it was. Shouldn't be on many favourites lists, but you needn't actively avoid it when reading the Watch books.
My review is over on my blog as usual.
February 5, 2018
June 20, 2013
An ancient island appears halfway between Klatch and Anhk-Porpork and a war is brewing. Vimes and the Watch; the Patrician, Leonardo, Nobbs and Colon; and various other characters are all trying to avert or encourage the war for their various purposes. I just love how Pratchett gets sharper in his satire, more pointed, while retaining the slapstick. In this case, it's an anti-war book that manages to acknowledge why people want to have wars, even while coming up with a clever solution. And I really just enjoyed the hell out of the character development of Nobbs. Picking a favorite Pratchett character would be like picking a favorite child, that is, inadvisable for any reason. But I appreciate that even characters who've been present for quite a while can still be developed.
I bought it.
An ancient island appears halfway between Klatch and Anhk-Porpork and a war is brewing. Vimes and the Watch; the Patrician, Leonardo, Nobbs and Colon; and various other characters are all trying to avert or encourage the war for their various purposes. I just love how Pratchett gets sharper in his satire, more pointed, while retaining the slapstick. In this case, it's an anti-war book that manages to acknowledge why people want to have wars, even while coming up with a clever solution. And I really just enjoyed the hell out of the character development of Nobbs. Picking a favorite Pratchett character would be like picking a favorite child, that is, inadvisable for any reason. But I appreciate that even characters who've been present for quite a while can still be developed.
I bought it.
August 20, 2021
Re-read 6/22/21: I'm not sure why this is my least favorite of the Guards novels. It's not that it's less impactful--it's about war and mankind's obsession with conflict--and it's not that it lacks the elements that make a great Discworld novel (see below about "Beti"). I've just never warmed to it as a whole despite its having some of my favorite scenes from the series. Which is why I have nothing new to say that I didn't say in the earlier review, except that this volume is clearly, in hindsight, an important stepping stone to the book I consider a major turning point in the Discworld series as a whole, Night Watch.
Read 1/10/16: When I need something comfortable on a Sunday afternoon, I generally pick up a Terry Pratchett novel. I'm not sure why I opted for this one over all the others, since it's not one of my favorites--or maybe that's why; it came across as fresher than one I might have read more recently. In this novel, Pratchett skewers the idea of the noble war and the instinct of mankind to distrust and hate the Other. The appearance of a mysterious island sets Morporkians against Klatchians, despite the fact that most Klatchians living in Ankh-Morpork are second- or third-generation residents, and Sam Vimes and the City Watch end up at the center of the conflict. Vimes' insistence that he is not a military man sets up the premise that there is a difference between being a policeman and being a soldier, which plays out throughout the main plot. A secondary plot featuring Fred Colon and Nobby Nobbs being shanghaied by the Patrician and Leonard of Quirm at first looks like mere comedy (Nobby as the dancing girl Beti makes me laugh every time) but turns out to be key to the solution of keeping both countries from destruction.
This book mostly hits all the notes you expect from a City Watch novel (for example, the inevitable kidnapping and hostage-holding of Angua) but I'm struck by how powerful one aspect of the ending is.
Fun, funny, and a great way to spend an afternoon.
Read 1/10/16: When I need something comfortable on a Sunday afternoon, I generally pick up a Terry Pratchett novel. I'm not sure why I opted for this one over all the others, since it's not one of my favorites--or maybe that's why; it came across as fresher than one I might have read more recently. In this novel, Pratchett skewers the idea of the noble war and the instinct of mankind to distrust and hate the Other. The appearance of a mysterious island sets Morporkians against Klatchians, despite the fact that most Klatchians living in Ankh-Morpork are second- or third-generation residents, and Sam Vimes and the City Watch end up at the center of the conflict. Vimes' insistence that he is not a military man sets up the premise that there is a difference between being a policeman and being a soldier, which plays out throughout the main plot. A secondary plot featuring Fred Colon and Nobby Nobbs being shanghaied by the Patrician and Leonard of Quirm at first looks like mere comedy (Nobby as the dancing girl Beti makes me laugh every time) but turns out to be key to the solution of keeping both countries from destruction.
This book mostly hits all the notes you expect from a City Watch novel (for example, the inevitable kidnapping and hostage-holding of Angua) but I'm struck by how powerful one aspect of the ending is.
Fun, funny, and a great way to spend an afternoon.
June 17, 2015
6/10
This is the weakest Watch novel I’ve read to date, quite simply the bar has been set too high in the previous novels meaning that a small blip is quite a noticeable drop in quality. Whilst entertaining in parts it became a bit of a chore to finish this one with a very convoluted plot which started tangling itself up the further things progressed and I was losing the threads the longer I read.
The first 1/3 of the novel is the usual top notch quality writing with a mystery being looked into by the Watch, witty back and forths between Vimes and Vetinari and the usual capers that happen throughout a normal Watch novel set in Ankh-Morpork with all the side characters. Then things take a sharp turn and go way off left-field and the Watch go invading like an army in a foreign country, Vetinari enlists Nobbs and Colon to do some spying whilst travelling in a submarine and the humour and high standards that are normally expected take a sharp drop.
I’ve said it previously about the Watch novels, the best parts are the interactions between Vimes and Vetinari. These are few and far between in this novel and swapping Vimes for Nobbs on Colon definitely didn’t have the same impact for me. Other enjoyable parts are Vimes struggling to work out how a certain murder has happened whereas this took a back seat in this story and at times I’d forgot that a murder had taken place.
I’d been warned that this one wasn’t viewed as highly as the others before reading it so that might have had an impact on me when things went a little boring but fingers crossed for a return to form in the next novel and back to the usual hijinks of the previous books.
If you like this try: “The Island of the Sequined Love Nun” by Christopher Moore
This is the weakest Watch novel I’ve read to date, quite simply the bar has been set too high in the previous novels meaning that a small blip is quite a noticeable drop in quality. Whilst entertaining in parts it became a bit of a chore to finish this one with a very convoluted plot which started tangling itself up the further things progressed and I was losing the threads the longer I read.
The first 1/3 of the novel is the usual top notch quality writing with a mystery being looked into by the Watch, witty back and forths between Vimes and Vetinari and the usual capers that happen throughout a normal Watch novel set in Ankh-Morpork with all the side characters. Then things take a sharp turn and go way off left-field and the Watch go invading like an army in a foreign country, Vetinari enlists Nobbs and Colon to do some spying whilst travelling in a submarine and the humour and high standards that are normally expected take a sharp drop.
I’ve said it previously about the Watch novels, the best parts are the interactions between Vimes and Vetinari. These are few and far between in this novel and swapping Vimes for Nobbs on Colon definitely didn’t have the same impact for me. Other enjoyable parts are Vimes struggling to work out how a certain murder has happened whereas this took a back seat in this story and at times I’d forgot that a murder had taken place.
I’d been warned that this one wasn’t viewed as highly as the others before reading it so that might have had an impact on me when things went a little boring but fingers crossed for a return to form in the next novel and back to the usual hijinks of the previous books.
If you like this try: “The Island of the Sequined Love Nun” by Christopher Moore
March 2, 2022
Ankh Morpork and Klatch have been at peace for a long time now. Klatchians would even send their sons to the prestigious Assassin's Guild Academy, and Ankh-Morporkians (Ankh-Morporkans?) would happily lend money to their Klatchian neighbors in need. And yet, when a mysterious island emerges from the sea all bets are off. Both sides are set to claim the island of Leshp as their own.
There is an attempt at a diplomatic solution, when Prince Khufurah visits Ankh Morpork. Nevertheless, things end badly for both parties, after the Prince disappears amid the chaos of a flaming embassy. With no other alternatives, Ankh Morpork and Klatch are going to war. In the end, this shouldn't be a difficult endeavor, after all Klatch is very much indebted to the Ankh Morpork. On the other hand, the latter doesn't exactly have an army to speak of...
Illustrated by Karla Cervantes
Based on the 2-3 most popular reviews here, I wasn't expecting much from this installment of the City Watch's adventures. So the fact that I ended up enjoying it so much, was a rather welcome surprise. Most importantly however, I have finally found a liking for Commander Vimes.
As far as Captain Carrot is concerned, he starred in plenty of hilarious scenes, such as this hilarious negotiation with criminals.
There were however, several exasperating moments between Angua and him. I totally sympathize with the girl, especially when it comes to these types of conversations.
Score: 4/5 stars
This was an especially memorable book, more so given the current political situation in the Middle East. Basically, the dedication at the beginning of the book nailed it: To all the fighters for peace.
==========================================
Other books featuring the City Watch:
Review of the 1st book: Guards!Guards!
Review of the 2nd book: Men at Arms
Review of the 3rd book: Feet of Clay
Review of the 5th book: The Fifth Elephant
Review of the 6th book: Night Watch
Review of the 7th book: Thud!
Review of the 8th book: Snuff
There is an attempt at a diplomatic solution, when Prince Khufurah visits Ankh Morpork. Nevertheless, things end badly for both parties, after the Prince disappears amid the chaos of a flaming embassy. With no other alternatives, Ankh Morpork and Klatch are going to war. In the end, this shouldn't be a difficult endeavor, after all Klatch is very much indebted to the Ankh Morpork. On the other hand, the latter doesn't exactly have an army to speak of...
Illustrated by Karla Cervantes
Based on the 2-3 most popular reviews here, I wasn't expecting much from this installment of the City Watch's adventures. So the fact that I ended up enjoying it so much, was a rather welcome surprise. Most importantly however, I have finally found a liking for Commander Vimes.
It wasn’t spying, Commander Vimes told himself. Spying was when you crept around peeking in windows. It wasn’t spying when you had to stand back a bit so that you weren’t deafened.
Vimes’s approach to paperwork was not to touch it until someone was shouting, and then at least there would be someone to help him sort through the stacks.
“By the way, do you think anyone saw you up there?”
“I doubt it, sir. I was right in among the chimneys and the air vents.”
Vimes sighed. “Captain, I expect if you’d done it in a cellar at midnight his lordship would have said ‘Wasn’t it rather dark down there?’ next morning.”
As far as Captain Carrot is concerned, he starred in plenty of hilarious scenes, such as this hilarious negotiation with criminals.
“Never mind, we did it! Now can we come out, please?” There was another sound behind the voice. It sounded like a low, continuous growl.
“I think you ought to be able to tell me what you stole,” said Carrot.
“Er…rings? Gold rings?”
“Sorry, no rings mentioned.”
“Pearl necklace? Yes, that’s what—”
“Getting warmer, but no.”
“Earrings?”
“Ooo, you’re so close,” said Carrot encouragingly.
“A crown, was it? Maybe a coronet?”
Carrot leaned down to the constable. “Says here a tiara, Reg, can we let—?” He stood up. “We’re prepared to accept ‘coronet.’ Well done!”
There were however, several exasperating moments between Angua and him. I totally sympathize with the girl, especially when it comes to these types of conversations.
“Well, that’s a nice start to the day,” said Carrot.
“Thank you, yes, I wasn’t hurt,” said Angua.
“It makes it all seem worthwhile, somehow.”
“Just my hair messed up and another shirt ruined.”
“Well done.”
“Sometimes I might suspect that you don’t listen to anything I say,” said Angua.
“Glad to hear it,” said Carrot.
Score: 4/5 stars
This was an especially memorable book, more so given the current political situation in the Middle East. Basically, the dedication at the beginning of the book nailed it: To all the fighters for peace.
==========================================
Other books featuring the City Watch:
Review of the 1st book: Guards!Guards!
Review of the 2nd book: Men at Arms
Review of the 3rd book: Feet of Clay
Review of the 5th book: The Fifth Elephant
Review of the 6th book: Night Watch
Review of the 7th book: Thud!
Review of the 8th book: Snuff
June 5, 2020
Den Krieg auf die Schippe nehmen kann nur einer wirklich gut - Pratchett hat es mal wieder geschafft mit Humor und Scharfblick die Gesellschaft auf liebenswerte Art vorzuführen :)
Mein Fazit: Ein weiterer re-read aus dem Scheibenwelt-Universum und wieder bin ich mit Samuel Mumm und Konsorten aus der Stadtwache von Ankh-Morpork unterwegs ... was für ein geniales Abenteuer mal wieder!
Dieses Mal nimmt Pratchett die "Kriegstreibereien" aufs Korn; ein ernstes Thema, das er allzu genau mit viel trockenem Humor, Feingefühl aber auch sehr deutlich beleuchtet und mit sämtlichen Vorurteilen aufräumt.
Ich hab mich wieder köstlich amüsiert, weil es trotz der zur Realität bezogenen Konflikte einfach wunderbar witzig war und der Menschheit so gekonnt den Spiegel vorhält. Der Autor hat wirklich meinen größten Respekt solch humorvolle Geschichten zu entwerfen und damit - ohne dass man es als Leser zunächst wahrnimmt - den "Finger genau auf die menschliche Überheblichkeit zu legen".
Dazu kommt die geniale Auflösung durch den Patrizier, den man nie unterschätzen sollte, und der selbst Mumm noch überraschen kann :)
Zitat: "Ich glaube, es heißt: >Wer den Frieden will, sollte für den Krieg bereit sein<, Exzellenz", sagte Leonard.
Vetinari neigte den Kopf zur Seite, und seine Lippen bewegten sich, als er die Worte lautlos wiederholte. "Nein", sagte er schließlich. "Nein, ich glaube, das ergibt keinen Sinn." Seite 280
Weltenwanderer
Mein Fazit: Ein weiterer re-read aus dem Scheibenwelt-Universum und wieder bin ich mit Samuel Mumm und Konsorten aus der Stadtwache von Ankh-Morpork unterwegs ... was für ein geniales Abenteuer mal wieder!
Dieses Mal nimmt Pratchett die "Kriegstreibereien" aufs Korn; ein ernstes Thema, das er allzu genau mit viel trockenem Humor, Feingefühl aber auch sehr deutlich beleuchtet und mit sämtlichen Vorurteilen aufräumt.
Ich hab mich wieder köstlich amüsiert, weil es trotz der zur Realität bezogenen Konflikte einfach wunderbar witzig war und der Menschheit so gekonnt den Spiegel vorhält. Der Autor hat wirklich meinen größten Respekt solch humorvolle Geschichten zu entwerfen und damit - ohne dass man es als Leser zunächst wahrnimmt - den "Finger genau auf die menschliche Überheblichkeit zu legen".
Dazu kommt die geniale Auflösung durch den Patrizier, den man nie unterschätzen sollte, und der selbst Mumm noch überraschen kann :)
Zitat: "Ich glaube, es heißt: >Wer den Frieden will, sollte für den Krieg bereit sein<, Exzellenz", sagte Leonard.
Vetinari neigte den Kopf zur Seite, und seine Lippen bewegten sich, als er die Worte lautlos wiederholte. "Nein", sagte er schließlich. "Nein, ich glaube, das ergibt keinen Sinn." Seite 280
Weltenwanderer
February 4, 2018
I love this Discworld "City Watch" sub-series. Love the characters: Commander Sam Vimes, Lord Vetinari, Captain Carrot, the troll Detritus, and the whole multi-species gang of street patrollers.
About the title, from lspace Annotated Pratchett: "By jingo!" is an archaic, jocular oath, of obscure origin, used in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries. The word -- with derived forms such as 'jingoism' and 'jingoistic' -- became associated with aggressive, militaristic nationalism as a result of a popular song dating from the Turko-Russian war of 1877-78, which began:
This book’s satire is focused on empire-building and patriotism, with martial law in Ankh-Morpork, and the patriotic Morporkians warring on Klatchian sands. Parody comes complete with cultural stereotype (boiled eyeballs, anyone?), xenophobia, camels, deserts, and feuding desert tribes. Where's the oil?
This cartoon by Tom Gauld sums it up!
Funny dialogue, especially between Colon and Nobbs: Page 29: "The Klatchians invented nothing...They came up with zero.'" ( -- and that's even worse than nothing!)
I loved the scene that unfolded when Lord Vetinari sent the stymied Sam Vimes a letter with only his title on it: Sir Samuel Vimes, Knight. Really enjoyed the hysterical dialogue between Nobby and Colon, while Vetinari an unwilling audience. And the storm at sea, with Vimes refusing to shorten sail or batten down. Poor Jenkins! But I never understood what (whose magic) caused that storm.
Really enjoyed the scenes when Vimes and Carrot met the desert warriors, and Jabbar the not-chief. And the scenes with Vimes and 71-Hour Ahmed.
Great scene towards the end, in the Rats Council, with Lord Rust, Mr. Slant the slimy solicitor, Vetinari, Vimes, etc.
This book is also about football (foot-the-ball / ⚽️ soccer) and submarines (Going-Under-the-Water-Safely Device). It's about gender roles, stubborn mules, and flying carpets. Old school, old rule, and the oldest of murders — fratricide.
Quibbles: Sometimes the inner commentary bogs down the pace. Some puns have me rolling my eyes. Also, Pratchett makes too many jokes about fat people. Willikins the butler joins the militia in this book (his immature gullible behavior seemed quite out of character in the sequels, especially In Thud! and Snuff).
Also see "Jingo" illustration, created by Marc Simonetti, here: http://kemar.blogs.3dvf.com/2010/11/0...
Series: Here are the Discworld books about the City Watch and its commander Sam Vimes, in reading order:
Guards! Guards! (1989)
Theatre of Cruelty (free online, only 4 pages)
Men at Arms (1993)
Feet of Clay (1996)
Jingo (1997)
The Fifth Elephant (1999)
Night Watch (2002)
Thud (2005)
Snuff (2011)
(Series links at https://www.goodreads.com/series/1062...)
Oh--and Unseen Academicals (2009) is not really City Watch, but a few characters overlap.
Related "Modernization" Series: Also, there are some spin-off books that cross-over with the "City Watch" sub-series. These books introduce new-fangled notions to the twin cities of Ankh-Morpork. The books feature con-man turned hero, Moist Von Lipvig, and a few characters from the City Watch. Going Postal describes the invention and proliferation of postage stamps (loved it) and Making Money, depicts the creation of paper money to replace gold (also very good). Then there is Raising Steam, where Lord Vetinari makes Moist Von Lipvig introduce the steam train to the City, making it popular and profitable. (Pratchett's last book in the series, and a little weak.)
Also, The Truth depicts the invention of a printing press and the subsequent introduction of widespread newspapers into society. Satire deals with the wholesale acceptance of lies when ink-validated. William de Worde (he-he) is the city's first investigative journalist, sleuthing out possible murder and a plot to overthrow Lord Vetinari. This book does not feature Moist Von Lipvig, but it has some City Watch characters.
Finally, Moving Pictures introduces the film industry to the eager citizens of Ankh-Morpork. This book does not include Moist Von Lipvig. I didn't care as much for it, but it's brimming with satire and some scenes are great.
About the title, from lspace Annotated Pratchett: "By jingo!" is an archaic, jocular oath, of obscure origin, used in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries. The word -- with derived forms such as 'jingoism' and 'jingoistic' -- became associated with aggressive, militaristic nationalism as a result of a popular song dating from the Turko-Russian war of 1877-78, which began:
We don't want to have to fight,
but by Jingo if we do
We've got the ships, we've got the men,
we've got the money too.
This book’s satire is focused on empire-building and patriotism, with martial law in Ankh-Morpork, and the patriotic Morporkians warring on Klatchian sands. Parody comes complete with cultural stereotype (boiled eyeballs, anyone?), xenophobia, camels, deserts, and feuding desert tribes. Where's the oil?
This cartoon by Tom Gauld sums it up!
Funny dialogue, especially between Colon and Nobbs: Page 29: "The Klatchians invented nothing...They came up with zero.'" ( -- and that's even worse than nothing!)
I loved the scene that unfolded when Lord Vetinari sent the stymied Sam Vimes a letter with only his title on it: Sir Samuel Vimes, Knight. Really enjoyed the hysterical dialogue between Nobby and Colon, while Vetinari an unwilling audience. And the storm at sea, with Vimes refusing to shorten sail or batten down. Poor Jenkins! But I never understood what (whose magic) caused that storm.
Really enjoyed the scenes when Vimes and Carrot met the desert warriors, and Jabbar the not-chief. And the scenes with Vimes and 71-Hour Ahmed.
Great scene towards the end, in the Rats Council, with Lord Rust, Mr. Slant the slimy solicitor, Vetinari, Vimes, etc.
This book is also about football (foot-the-ball / ⚽️ soccer) and submarines (Going-Under-the-Water-Safely Device). It's about gender roles, stubborn mules, and flying carpets. Old school, old rule, and the oldest of murders — fratricide.
Quibbles: Sometimes the inner commentary bogs down the pace. Some puns have me rolling my eyes. Also, Pratchett makes too many jokes about fat people. Willikins the butler joins the militia in this book (his immature gullible behavior seemed quite out of character in the sequels, especially In Thud! and Snuff).
Also see "Jingo" illustration, created by Marc Simonetti, here: http://kemar.blogs.3dvf.com/2010/11/0...
Series: Here are the Discworld books about the City Watch and its commander Sam Vimes, in reading order:
Guards! Guards! (1989)
Theatre of Cruelty (free online, only 4 pages)
Men at Arms (1993)
Feet of Clay (1996)
Jingo (1997)
The Fifth Elephant (1999)
Night Watch (2002)
Thud (2005)
Snuff (2011)
(Series links at https://www.goodreads.com/series/1062...)
Oh--and Unseen Academicals (2009) is not really City Watch, but a few characters overlap.
Related "Modernization" Series: Also, there are some spin-off books that cross-over with the "City Watch" sub-series. These books introduce new-fangled notions to the twin cities of Ankh-Morpork. The books feature con-man turned hero, Moist Von Lipvig, and a few characters from the City Watch. Going Postal describes the invention and proliferation of postage stamps (loved it) and Making Money, depicts the creation of paper money to replace gold (also very good). Then there is Raising Steam, where Lord Vetinari makes Moist Von Lipvig introduce the steam train to the City, making it popular and profitable. (Pratchett's last book in the series, and a little weak.)
Also, The Truth depicts the invention of a printing press and the subsequent introduction of widespread newspapers into society. Satire deals with the wholesale acceptance of lies when ink-validated. William de Worde (he-he) is the city's first investigative journalist, sleuthing out possible murder and a plot to overthrow Lord Vetinari. This book does not feature Moist Von Lipvig, but it has some City Watch characters.
Finally, Moving Pictures introduces the film industry to the eager citizens of Ankh-Morpork. This book does not include Moist Von Lipvig. I didn't care as much for it, but it's brimming with satire and some scenes are great.
February 24, 2024
Лорд Ветінарі тепер моя любов навіки❤️
March 22, 2023
This is why the City Watch books in the Discworld are some of my favorite books of all time.
The story starts with the lost city of Leshp rising up from the bottom of the ocean, in between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. Since it is basically just a lump of useless rock in the middle of nowhere, nobody should care about it much. Naturally, Ankh-Morpork and Klatch are both ready to go to war over it. Tensions rise and when an attempt is made on a Klatchian prince’s life in Ankh-Morpork, war seems inevitable. The City Watch has a conspiracy to unravel before the situation gets completely out of hand. They are not the only ones trying to stop a war from breaking out. Lord Vetinari, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, goes on a mission with Leonard of Quirm and his latest invention, Sergeant Colon and a very feminine Corporal Nobbs.
The way Terry Pratchett has grown as a writer throughout the Discworld series is mind-blowing. Look at the first book in the Discworld series, The Colour of Magic. Well-written, as all Discworld books are of course. It had some good comedy and two memorable characters but was very light in terms of plot. In Jingo the comedy is brilliantly interwoven in the plot, there’s a wealthy cast of loveable and unforgettable characters, and the plot is not only expertly crafted and executed, but it also playfully juggles so many powerful and important themes like war, diplomacy, jingoism (nationalism), xenophobia, sexism, …
One of Terry Pratchett’s best works. Loved this from start to finish.
The story starts with the lost city of Leshp rising up from the bottom of the ocean, in between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. Since it is basically just a lump of useless rock in the middle of nowhere, nobody should care about it much. Naturally, Ankh-Morpork and Klatch are both ready to go to war over it. Tensions rise and when an attempt is made on a Klatchian prince’s life in Ankh-Morpork, war seems inevitable. The City Watch has a conspiracy to unravel before the situation gets completely out of hand. They are not the only ones trying to stop a war from breaking out. Lord Vetinari, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, goes on a mission with Leonard of Quirm and his latest invention, Sergeant Colon and a very feminine Corporal Nobbs.
The way Terry Pratchett has grown as a writer throughout the Discworld series is mind-blowing. Look at the first book in the Discworld series, The Colour of Magic. Well-written, as all Discworld books are of course. It had some good comedy and two memorable characters but was very light in terms of plot. In Jingo the comedy is brilliantly interwoven in the plot, there’s a wealthy cast of loveable and unforgettable characters, and the plot is not only expertly crafted and executed, but it also playfully juggles so many powerful and important themes like war, diplomacy, jingoism (nationalism), xenophobia, sexism, …
One of Terry Pratchett’s best works. Loved this from start to finish.
July 17, 2020
“Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.” My all time favorite quote comes from this book.
You can be neighbors for many years and it can change overnight, say, if an island appears from out of nowhere and we both lay a claim to it. War is so easy to monger and so many people are eager to do it.
“It was so much easier to blame it on Them.[…] No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.”
As usual, Pratchett wraps serious issues into madcap comedy. Jingo is one of my favorites for many reasons. One, Vimes goes to another country and undergoes serious, at the same time hilarious, character development. Even more enjoyable, if possible, is the excursion by Lord Vetinari, who for the first (and I think the only) time dazzles us with his skills as a civilian abroad. Among those skills are: juggling sharp knives with melons, getting a donkey off a minaret, stealing a magic carpet, and getting Nobby to dress as a woman. Which leads me to the next great episode, Nobby discovering gender discrimination as well as female solidarity as a woman. We also have Sergeant Colon as a spy, Carrot as a military leader of sorts, a deadly and mysterious Klatchian named 71-hour Ahmed, spitting camels, and general hilarity overall.
A great installment that’s worth re-reading. Again.
You can be neighbors for many years and it can change overnight, say, if an island appears from out of nowhere and we both lay a claim to it. War is so easy to monger and so many people are eager to do it.
“It was so much easier to blame it on Them.[…] No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.”
As usual, Pratchett wraps serious issues into madcap comedy. Jingo is one of my favorites for many reasons. One, Vimes goes to another country and undergoes serious, at the same time hilarious, character development. Even more enjoyable, if possible, is the excursion by Lord Vetinari, who for the first (and I think the only) time dazzles us with his skills as a civilian abroad. Among those skills are: juggling sharp knives with melons, getting a donkey off a minaret, stealing a magic carpet, and getting Nobby to dress as a woman. Which leads me to the next great episode, Nobby discovering gender discrimination as well as female solidarity as a woman. We also have Sergeant Colon as a spy, Carrot as a military leader of sorts, a deadly and mysterious Klatchian named 71-hour Ahmed, spitting camels, and general hilarity overall.
A great installment that’s worth re-reading. Again.
February 19, 2020
Terry Pratchett’s take on War. Funny and absurd, with a satyrical view on why people start a war: greed, racism, prejudice, religion, sheer stupidity.
“Why are our people going out there,” said Mr. Boggis of the Thieves’ Guild.
"Because they are showing a brisk pioneering spirit and seeking wealth and … additional wealth in a new land,” said Lord Vetinari.
“What’s in it for the Klatchians?” said Lord Downey.
“Oh, they’ve gone out there because they are a bunch of unprincipled opportunists always ready to grab something for nothing,” said Lord Vetinari.
“Why are our people going out there,” said Mr. Boggis of the Thieves’ Guild.
"Because they are showing a brisk pioneering spirit and seeking wealth and … additional wealth in a new land,” said Lord Vetinari.
“What’s in it for the Klatchians?” said Lord Downey.
“Oh, they’ve gone out there because they are a bunch of unprincipled opportunists always ready to grab something for nothing,” said Lord Vetinari.
April 5, 2016
Ankh-Morpork Goes to War
5 April 2016
I have to admit that I'm quite surprised that I have now read 21 of the Discworld books. Okay, that actually isn't much of an effort where I'm concerned considering that for some inexplicable reason I ended ploughing through a large majority of the Xanth books, and also pretty much read every Forgotten Realms book (and a few Dragonlance books) as soon as they hit the shelves. Okay, after doing English Literature at university I must admit that my taste in books has changed quite a lot since then, however it is always good to read something that is not all that serious, and Discworld certainly fits the bill.
Mind you, it isn't as if the Discworld novels would fall into the category of mindless pulp since Pratchett does a really good job a satirising the modern world. Okay, the Simpsons also did that, but I have to admit that the Simpsons really started to get to me because, well, it was way too close to home, and in such circumstances the satire probably doesn't work as well. For instance there are a number of characters in the Simpsons (such as Reverend Lovejoy) that I simply could not stand namely because there are people that are quite like him. However Futurama worked a lot better, namely because it was set three thousand years in the future, and the harsh realities of our world were softened by the fact that the satire was set in an unfamiliar place. Such is also the case with Discworld.
Anyway Jingo is about going to war. Not any sort of war, but a war that is based on the pride of a nation. It isn't one of those wars were a power will invade simply because the region has something they want, but rather because a nation has been slighted by another nation (that they don't particularly like) and as such they need to do something to save face. In all honesty it's actually human nature – we do that in our individual lives. If somebody makes us look silly in front of all our peers the we automatically want to respond in kind. Some of us will simply reply with a classic comeback, while others of us, who are not capable of such a feat, will usually respond in anger.
Such is the case with Anhk-Morpork. A chunk of rock suddenly appears in the ocean halfway between them and the nation of Klatch (which seems to be the Middle East, though it sort of has a Turkish flavour to it – though for all we know it could simply be France – they don't have pubs, they have beer gardens). Neither nation manages to lay claim to it before the other, so the tensions begin to ratchet up. This comes to ahead when one of the princes of Klatch is shot in the foot during a parade, and suddenly both nations want to go to war. The problem is that Ankh-Morpork doesn't have an army – it's not good for business because if you attack somebody then they aren't going to want to buy anything off you. However they simply can't let Klatch have a chunk of rock because, well, they will lose face.
Once again he have the night watch, but when Ventinari steps down as ruler of Ankh-Morpork, and Vimes is given extended leave because he sort of has this habit of digging to deep and exposing the political machinations that are going on behind the scenes, they suddenly find themselves on a boat (two actually), with Ventinari's pet inventor Leonard of Quirm (guess who he is) on their way to Klatch to launch a pre-emptive strike (with pretty much no army).
Of course Ventinari does manage to get out of this mess because, well, he is the very definition of cunning. I would suggest that the definition of cunning in the dictionary would have a picture of him next to it, but unfortunately I think somebody beat him to it:
Oh, Nobby Nobbs also gets in touch with his feminine side, and develops a longing for a relationship (not that a suitable partner reveals herself). Mind you, this is the guy, despite the fact that he is the only one left in the nightwatch after everybody else resigns, is still passed over for promotion. You sort of feel sorry for him.
5 April 2016
I have to admit that I'm quite surprised that I have now read 21 of the Discworld books. Okay, that actually isn't much of an effort where I'm concerned considering that for some inexplicable reason I ended ploughing through a large majority of the Xanth books, and also pretty much read every Forgotten Realms book (and a few Dragonlance books) as soon as they hit the shelves. Okay, after doing English Literature at university I must admit that my taste in books has changed quite a lot since then, however it is always good to read something that is not all that serious, and Discworld certainly fits the bill.
Mind you, it isn't as if the Discworld novels would fall into the category of mindless pulp since Pratchett does a really good job a satirising the modern world. Okay, the Simpsons also did that, but I have to admit that the Simpsons really started to get to me because, well, it was way too close to home, and in such circumstances the satire probably doesn't work as well. For instance there are a number of characters in the Simpsons (such as Reverend Lovejoy) that I simply could not stand namely because there are people that are quite like him. However Futurama worked a lot better, namely because it was set three thousand years in the future, and the harsh realities of our world were softened by the fact that the satire was set in an unfamiliar place. Such is also the case with Discworld.
Anyway Jingo is about going to war. Not any sort of war, but a war that is based on the pride of a nation. It isn't one of those wars were a power will invade simply because the region has something they want, but rather because a nation has been slighted by another nation (that they don't particularly like) and as such they need to do something to save face. In all honesty it's actually human nature – we do that in our individual lives. If somebody makes us look silly in front of all our peers the we automatically want to respond in kind. Some of us will simply reply with a classic comeback, while others of us, who are not capable of such a feat, will usually respond in anger.
Such is the case with Anhk-Morpork. A chunk of rock suddenly appears in the ocean halfway between them and the nation of Klatch (which seems to be the Middle East, though it sort of has a Turkish flavour to it – though for all we know it could simply be France – they don't have pubs, they have beer gardens). Neither nation manages to lay claim to it before the other, so the tensions begin to ratchet up. This comes to ahead when one of the princes of Klatch is shot in the foot during a parade, and suddenly both nations want to go to war. The problem is that Ankh-Morpork doesn't have an army – it's not good for business because if you attack somebody then they aren't going to want to buy anything off you. However they simply can't let Klatch have a chunk of rock because, well, they will lose face.
Once again he have the night watch, but when Ventinari steps down as ruler of Ankh-Morpork, and Vimes is given extended leave because he sort of has this habit of digging to deep and exposing the political machinations that are going on behind the scenes, they suddenly find themselves on a boat (two actually), with Ventinari's pet inventor Leonard of Quirm (guess who he is) on their way to Klatch to launch a pre-emptive strike (with pretty much no army).
Of course Ventinari does manage to get out of this mess because, well, he is the very definition of cunning. I would suggest that the definition of cunning in the dictionary would have a picture of him next to it, but unfortunately I think somebody beat him to it:
Oh, Nobby Nobbs also gets in touch with his feminine side, and develops a longing for a relationship (not that a suitable partner reveals herself). Mind you, this is the guy, despite the fact that he is the only one left in the nightwatch after everybody else resigns, is still passed over for promotion. You sort of feel sorry for him.
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