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Loading... Monstrous Regiment (2003)by Terry Pratchett
Tiptree longlist 2004 (  ) SChant | May 10, 2013 |  Set in the strange world of Borogravia where living is practically an abomination, this tells the tale of Polly Perks as she disguises herself as young Oliver (socks and all) to get into the army to find her brother. Simple, right? Pfft, I should know better than to expect that from a Pratchett book by now. ^_^ The regiment in question soon fills up with some unexpected wannabe soldiers: a coffee-drinking vampire, a troll and an Igor, alongside the more normal, though no less disturbing, folk. And off they all tramp to be geared up and trained, only there's bugger all gear and training will be on the front line, which apparently isn't much of a front line. There's also the question of who knew Polly's secret and didn't rat her out. It was certainly an interesting read, but a touch draggy after the previous books. Probably would've liked it more if I hadn't already read Night Watch. (  ) Aldrea_Alien | Apr 24, 2013 | I re-read this one for Archive of our Own tag wrangler purposes. Did the little lads have first names? Did Blouse? What about Emmeline? Did she get a family name? Answers: yes, no and no. FYI Magda "Tonker" Halter, Betty "Shufti" Manickle, Alice "Wazzer" Goom and Tilda "Lofty" Tewt. I think, and it's been ages since I last read the first thirty-odd Discworld books so I could be wrong, that this is the most serious dealing, as it does, with rape, abuse, stolen children and child labour. ( ) veracite | Apr 7, 2013 | Part-way thru I thought this wasn't half as good as Pratchett's other titles, but I revised my feelings upwards on completion. Still not sure how often I'll be re-reading but hey. ( ) comixminx | Apr 5, 2013 | Never judge ANYTHING by its appearance! (  ) Chris.Graham | Apr 5, 2013 |
 ''Monstrous Regiment'' is most often spirited and shambolic, but it has some serious heft. Pratchett is on the side of those who make very little fuss, which means he gets to shiv those who do.
References to this work on external resources.
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Polly becomes Private Oliver Perks, who is on a quest to find her older brother, who's recently MIA in one of the innumerable wars the tiny nation of Borogravia has a habit of starting with its neighbors. This peevish tendency has all but expended Borogravia's ranks of cannon fodder. Whether Sergeant Jackrum knows her secret or not, he can't afford to be choosy, as Perks and her/his comrades are among the last able-bodied recruits left in Borogravia. This collection of misfits includes the aforementioned vampire (reformed and off the blood, thank you), troll, and macabre Igor, who is only too happy to sew you a new leg if you aren't too particular about previous ownership. Off to war, Polly/Oliver learns that having a pair of, um, socks is a good way to open up doors in this man's army.
For those who haven't made this underrated author's acquaintance, Monstrous Regiment is as good a place to start as any. Readers will encounter Pratchett's subtle and disarming wit, his trademark footnoted asides along with a not-too-shabby tale of honor, courage, and duty in the face of absurd circumstances. --Jeremy Pugh
(retrieved from Amazon Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:31:29 -0500)
War has come to Discworld again. And, to no one's great surprise, the conflict centers around the small, arrogantly fundamentalist duchy of Borogravia, which has long prided itself on its unrelenting aggressiveness. A year ago, Polly Perks's brother marched off to battle, and Polly's willing to resort to drastic measures to find him. So she cuts off her hair, dons masculine garb, and, aided by a well-placed pair of socks, sets out to join this man's army. Since a nation in such dire need of cannon fodder can't afford to be too picky, Polly is eagerly welcomed into the fighting fold along with a vampire, a troll, an Igor, a religious fanatic, and two uncommonly close "friends". It would appear that Polly "Ozzer" Perks isn't the only grunt with a secret. But duty calls, the battlefield beckons. And now is the time for all good "men" to come to the aid of their country.… (more)
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