Monstrous Regiment: A Discworld Novel (Discworld Novels) by: Terry Pratchett
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Publisher: Corgi Books
Release date: 1st October, 2004
Media: Paperback
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Editorial Review
The Monstrous Regiment in question is made up of a vampire, a troll, Igor, a collection of misfits and a young woman who shoves a pair of socks down her pants to join the army. Here you have the characteristically charming novel by Terry Pratchett.
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, Amazon.com
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Rating: 
- terry pratchetts monstrous regiment
an extremely funny outing for terrys discworld series, a simply must read book thats funny from begining to end
Rating: - Proof that manhood consists of learning to burp and scratch yourself...and remembering to wear an extra pair of socks!
This is what I would call a "stand alone" Pratchett book. All the main characters are new, there are cameos by others such as Vimes and the Ankh-Morpork Times but generally separate from these storylines. It is based on those many folk songs (as a folk musician I've heard millions of them) where a woman dresses as a man and heads off to war/sea. Our heroine, Polly, learnt the song "Sweet Polly Oliver" when she was young which, when her elder, learning-disabled brother disappears in the middle of yet another Borogravian war, gives her the idea to cut off her hair and join up to find him. Fortunately for her, the regiment she joins is a little unusual...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I love all Pratchett books to be honest but this is one of my favourites (which is unusual for a stand alone book). I grew to love all the characters and there are plenty of jokes to keep you going. It is perhaps not as laugh out loud as some of his books, this seems to be a trend in his later texts- something I am very happy to enjoy. There is a lot of discussion about the horrors of war, as well as the sometimes surprising domesticity that you find in large, semi-permanent encampments. During the story we learn a lot about Borogravia, a country plagued by a crazy religion and a penchant for bickering and starting wars with their neighbours.
Essentially a great book and, if you're liking this slightly more serious Pratchett, one you're sure to enjoy!
Rating: - Excellent
I adored this book! I loved every moment of it! It was just hilarious, with several plot twists that you know you should have seen coming, but didn't. The story itself is rather simple really, but the way it is presented is excellent. Truly a triuph for pratchett!
I am a big fan of his work, having read it since I was about 7 or 8. I've not enjoyed the recent books quite as much, but this one really was amazing. It is my favourite of the discworld novels, I have read and listened to it over and over again.
The audio book of this is particularly great, so I suggest trying to get a hold of that (libraries usually have them).
I don't think you could be disappointed by this book.
Rating: - Pratchett's most adult book so far
Polly wants to go to war. The only trouble is, she's a girl and girls aren't allowed to fight in the interminable war that has devastated Borogrvania. But she wants to find her brother and so she disguises herself as a man, sticks a pair of socks down her pants and fools the recruiters. But as Polly get closer to the front line she's forced to confront the harsh realities of warfare while at the same time she begins to suspect that one or two of the other new recruits might be girls too...
This is most serious minded book in the series so far. It's also one of the best and it shows the Discworld satire can go beyond poking fun at frivolous things and tackle the big issues. Here the main theme is the horrors of war from the viewpoint of those who fight, the people who don't care why they are fighting. They just want to protect their mates and to go home in one piece. The secondary theme is another serious matter: extremist religion in the form of the doctrines of Nuggan, which are behind the war and which prohibits ever more bizarre things, most of which make it harder for them to win.
For the first time there are many genuinely harrowing sections in which no attempt is made, quite rightly, to find a humorous angle. But the story is not all serious. The trials of Polly trying to act as a man in a man's world, which is increasingly starting to get less manly, is the stuff of farce and works well. Especially when events force Polly to disguise herself as a woman.
Although most Discworld books peter out towards the end with an explosion of madcap ideas, that's not the case. The conclusion is low-key and avoids the obvious type of Discworld battle that I thought would come. I liked that and I thought the different way in which the plot threads were concluded worked well. The only note I didn't like was the way Vimes was forced into the plot when he wasn't really needed. That aside this is the most thoughtful book of the series and it is very welcome too.
Rating: - I have a cunning plan
I have to say that I didn't find this underwhelming in the least - perhaps the themes and tone are just a little difficult for some readers to grasp; perhaps they ought to stick to 'In the Night Garden' ;-)
Darker and cleverer than most of its predecessors, this Discworld novel is further proof of Pratchett's genius - I wouldn't consider myself a devotee or a fan but I have read all of his books so I have some scope for comparison. The heroine, Polly, is a classic Pratchett anti-hero(ine) and Sergeant Jacques is one of the writers' greatest characters. If you're a follower of the series or if you've never picked one up, I would encourage you to give this a go - I doubt you'll be disappointed.
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