It began as a sudden strange fancy...

Polly Perks had to become a boy in a hurry. Cutting off her hair and wearing trousers was easy. Learning to fart and belch in public and walk like an ape took more time...

And now she's enlisted in the army, and is searching for her lost brother.

But there's a war on. There's always a war on. And Polly and her fellow recruits are suddenly in the thick of it, without any training, and the enemy is hunting them.

All they have on their side is the most artful sergeant in the army and a vampire with a lust for coffee. Well...they have the Secret. And as they take the war to the heart of the enemy, they have to use all the resources of...the Monstrous Regiment.

Night Watch (which I fully intend to reread soon) was probably my favourite Discworld book to date. When I finished it I ached for more, and finally the latest Pratchett novel is out. I've never bought the hardbacks before, but I've got so impatient for them that I've caved. I like the idea of this one, sort of Private Benjamin meets Discworld. Should be fun...what am I saying, this is Pratchett, of course it will be fun!!!

November 14th 2003
Up to page 111

Pratchett has got darker...or maybe it's the world that has got more dangerous and Pratchett is reflecting that in his work. I love it. The laughs are still there in abundance, but instead of ideas thrown in willy nilly for comic effect they're now much more structured and used to more emotional effect.

In this story we meet Polly Perks, who is a woman living under the oppressive regime of The Duchess, in a country (Borogravia) run at the whim of Nuggan, a tetchy God who takes offence at the slightest thing. The country is at war, and Polly's brother is missing after joining the Ins and Outs, the country's army. In a last ditch attempt to save her families business, an inn that under Borogravian law she can't inherit...women can only inherit needles...and cats, and other such feminine items, Polly joins the last bunch of new recruits disguised as a boy.

There's never any question about my enjoyment of Pratchett novels, the delicate balance of characters is, as always, perfect. My only disappointment so far was a brief visit to Sam Vimes, currently in the area working as diplomatic envoy to Ankh-Morpork (Nuggan help them!). As one of my favourite Discworld characters I was thrilled, not expecting his appearance, and then he went away never to be seen again. Or at least not so far. I'm not too worried though, as William de Worde, the Disc's first journalist, has just showed up much to the new recruits bemusement.

I'm really enjoying this book, and it gives a bleak view of military life, but glories in the resilience and tenacity of ordinary people. Ok...they're not that ordinary...and some of them can't really be classed as people...so strike that. It's great, that's really all that needs to be said. I love the newest vampire on the block, Maladict, and look forward to hearing his story...that is if he really is a he, and not just donning an extra pair of socks!

November 16th 2003
The End

This was an odd story, clearly a reaction to current world events, about a small country without hope, without resources but with a helluva lot of national pride (though no one's really sure what they're proud of). What they do have is a raggle-taggle bunch of raw recruits who are hell bent on winning...even though winning would mean returning to the lives they're desperate to escape.

The story is bleak, and doesn't have the resonance of Night Watch. It continues Pratchett's darker style of storytelling, and doesn't go for an easy happy ending either. I'm really not into war tales, and so found some parts of the book not to my taste...though it never felt hard or unsatisfying. One of the things I love about Pratchett is that he takes me to places I wouldn't choose to go unless he were my guide, and he makes me think about stuff I'd otherwise avoid, or at least wouldn't actively consider. This is one of those times.

The main message of this book seems to be that soldiers are the same whichever side you're on, and are just like you and me (some are even women!). That the enemy don't want to kill you any more than you want to kill them, but are both as keen on survival as each other. The enemy are always baby-eating demon people who bath in blood...even when you're the enemy and the people in at the top only feel comfortable giving orders to invade because they're not actually the ones waving the swords around. In short, war is a really crappy deal, whichever side you're on.

Much of this book is tragically depressing, because there are too many people in the world living in conditions like Borogrovia, and they don't have Sam Vimes around seeing sense. Maybe that's why I found this uncomfortable at times, it wasn't as far removed from reality as Pratchett's usual fair. I didn't think that was a bad thing, just a different thing. Pratchett writes so well, and creates such amazing characters that I loved this ever though it wasn't particularly funny. His sardonic view of war and the way armies run definitely made me think. I love that he holds a mirror up to hypocrisy and exposes the fucked up nature of human beings. I am now also left wondering if there are any high up army officials donning two pairs of socks!