Monstrous Regiment [Audio CD]

Polly Perks seeks her missing brother in the middle of a conflict none can explain nor justify. Hiding the fact that she's a girl, she slashes her golden curls, dons boys' clothes [including "special purpose" socks] and enlists to seek him out. Her military career is fraught with risk, but not just from battle. If she's exposed, the wrath of Nuggan, the local deity, will be boundless - dressing as a man is an Abomination. As are cats, the colour blue, garlic and a host of social ills. These are lined out in the Appendix of a bible - with the Appendix larger than the main inspirational text.

In Sam Vimes' view, Polly has entered a life of crime, but not through her cross-dressing. He thinks "war is a crime - like murder". Sam, Commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, has been sent to make a peace. When the stakes are as high as these - who rules the country - the task becomes Herculean. As with most wars, this one uses high moral purpose to camouflage baser selfish motives. A prince seeks power. Polly, along with her meagre "regiment" is caught up in the forces this war for rule has unleashed. They are ill-equipped and untrained for their task. Even so, Polly's first skirmish with the enemy has enduring results.

Pratchett, using Polly's voice, has produced his finest work. He delves into military life, the vagaries of monarchy, and the shams of religion. He exposes many nerves in this book, but with a gentle finesse. He encourages the open mind while appealing to those who haven't taken the trouble to even ask questions. Polly asks and confronts many of these queries. She examines the answers in light of what is occurring around her. She's sharp and alert. She has to be, hiding her identity from friend and foe alike. She learns to belch, pick her nose and walk swaying her shoulders instead of her hips. Is this what's important? Pratchett takes us to the abyss of gender politics, reveals its deceptive simplicity, and leads us away. To confront a yet more fundamental horror. He is adept at surprising the reader, accomplishing that again here with his usual aplomb. Once again, he's "mirrored" our world. Take a close look and see if you are imaged here. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa]

Polly is young, smart and courageous. With her hair cut short, in men's clothes and imitating some "typical" male habits, she easily fools the recruiting officers. Or does she? Polly has several reasons to join the war effort - she needs to find her soldier brother who has not been writing home. Also, she has not really much to look forward to in this country. Borogravia is run by a Duchess who may or not be alive, and the local deity, Nuggan, who issues strict rules for his followers, reflected in an ever expanding list of "Abominations". These become stranger as time moves on. They include a ban on the colour blue, having your picture taken, newspapers, or the use of garlic. Not only should girls not wear trousers, they cannot own land, houses or run a business. Women's lives are clearly very restricted.

The story follows Polly, a skillful observer, who always asks pertinent questions. What is the purpose of the war, the upcoming battle, the enemy and the truth in all she hears and sees: "We are still winning this war, aren't we?!" Sergeant Jackrum, an old hand in the business of war, guides the motley crew of new recruits towards the battlefield. There is no time for training, really, but as the archetypical military father figure, he intents to "look after my lads". He maneuvers around Lieutenant Blouse, who knows everything about all the historical wars - from books. Blouse is more successful at redesigning filing systems than at giving orders to the squad - then again, he shows surprising qualities when things get really tight.

Humour and irony in this story operate at various levels. So also does the social and political commentary. The daily military confusions of the recruits and personal interactions between them are often hilarious. Secrets are discovered, shared and hidden again. Sometimes it is not even clear who is fighting whom. William de Worde, the editor of the Ankh-Morpork Times and well known to Discworld fans, has his own assessment of the situation: "sometimes a country's system is so out of date that it's only outsiders that can see the need for wholesale change". The news business is also no longer what it was either...

There are many perfect one-liners and satirical gems that Pratchett has scattered throughout the book. From "shock and awe" to female tactics in close combat, you can smile, giggle or laugh out loud. But then again, the latter may get stuck in your throat when you think about the timely and topical messages being conveyed. This is, despite the Discworld fantasyland and its ludicrous conflicts, a serious book for serious people in serious times - and "no one has the right to be stupid." Questions remain at the end of the book and one wonders where Pratchett will go from here.

Monstrous Regiment is recommended Discworld beginners or newcomers; fans will find some familiar territory and will broaden their horizons of the "mirror of worlds". [Friederike Knabe]