I Read Books: Monstrous Regiment

Monstrous Regiment

There’s a war going on. It’s a bit 18^th century as there’s a dynastic element. It’s a bit 19^th century, in that there’s rights of navigation or similar. It’s a bit late 20^th century in that the great powers aren’t actively trying to conquer, and national pride is at stake.

Borogravia is ruled by a Duchess who no one has seen for years, and by a god who keeps adding abominations to his holy book. When the river shifted course, as it does from time to time, the coach road and the semaphore line (“the clacks”) across the continent were on the Borogravian side and destroyed as abominations. Having been at war with most of it’s neighbours in recent times, an alliance against them is led by Zlobenia with the powers who are concerned that communications have been cut.

This is of little interest to Polly Perks who has disguised herself as a boy and joined the Borogravian army to look for her brother, who she is convinced will not be able to cope without her. (She’s probably right). She joins a recruiting party, only to swiftly learn that she is not the only woman masquerading as a man in the squad. And almost as swiftly they’re betrayed by a political corporal, but manage to capture a raiding party of Zlobenian cavalry, who have arranged for reporters from the Ankh-Morpork Times to cover them capturing the mere boys that are being recruited in desperation.

Pratchett turns his eye directly on war, picking up some of the themes from Jingo. What’s it about? It’s about pride, and stupidity and waste. It’s having a brew up whenever you can, and maybe tobacco, doing to the other guy before he does it to you, organised murder, and filling your boots. There are many ways you might end up fighting a war, but in the end you’re always fighting with the guy next to you. (Who may turn out to be a girl.) And you’re fighting for a chance for something better.

Jingo finessed the war, and Pratchett finesses the peace here, but the war has been fought and there’s a lot of death and loss and damage done. It’s a step forward in the satire, his second look at war, but also religion and government and men and women illusion and truth and what matters.

Read This: For a darkly humorous look at war and maybe gender
Don’t Read This: Even poking at the absurdities, war is not funny