| Monstrous Regiment | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 119 reviews)
Sales Rank: 90610
Category: Book
Author: Terry Pratchett
Publisher: HarperTorch
Studio: HarperTorch
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
Label: HarperTorch
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.5
ISBN: 0060013168
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780060013165
ASIN: 0060013168
Publication Date: September 1, 2004
Release Date: August 31, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
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 ... er ... "men" to come to the aid of their country.
Amazon.com Review
What do you get when you cross 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? The answer's simple. You have Monstrous Regiment, 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
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| Customer Reviews: Read 114 more reviews...
 A comfortable read with some chuckles October 29, 2008
A tiny nation is at war and girl dressed as a boy joins a mismatched regiment and ultimately wins the war.
Like most later Diskworld novels Monstrous Regiment will be a quick read with some good chuckles and then fades from memory.
The twists are predictable, the jokes are too, there's a lot of moralizing about the horrors of war but nothing more unpleasant than a bump on the head happens on camera.
A good read for a long plane trip or dull weekend.
not my favorite terry pratchett October 27, 2008
I love everything Terry Pratchett, but Monstrous Regiment isn't his best effort. If you haven't read Terry Pratchett before I recommend one of his other books first - I like reading them in order of publication anyway although it's not necessary. If you're an old fan, you'll like it (and maybe even better than I did).
 Good start - lame finish September 19, 2008
This book comes in at about 400 paperback pages... which was big for a discworld novel at the time.
The book starts off great, and proceeds in typical Pratchett style until about page 240... then, things go downhill quickly. The fun/fast read is over, and it becomes a struggle to even finish the book.
I recommend GOING POSTAL instead, if you want a good example of a big/latter day book from the discworld series.
Hittin' the Nail With the Cliche September 5, 2008
In Terry Pratchett's Discworld, a comic fantasy fun house mirror reflection of our world, he explores and satirizes the themes of war, leadership, gender roles. The setting is a particular corner of Discworld where the nation of Borogovia is continually at war with its neighbors. It is a place reminiscent of Fredrick the Great's Prussia, Hitler's Germany, and many other places in our world where warfare skipped lightly over rational aims to assume a monsterous life of its own. The protagonist, Polly, is a girl who disguises herself as a man to join Borogovia's army in order to find her brother. She hooks up with Sergeant Jackrum and his misfit recruits and many comical adventures ensue. A reader new to Pratchett's books will find it amusing and absurd. And they will find Pratchett's signature ability to preach great truths through non preachy humor and absurdist fantasy. Most Pratchett fans will be faintly disappointed that it isn't quite as funny as his prior work. When Pratchett works these tales he's honest in portraying death, loss, and grief as tangible problems even in the fantasy setting. He balances it with comedy, but he doesn't blunt it. One awkwardness in this book is that Pratchett uses many war cliches: the Cunning and Worldly Wise Sergeant and the Book Smart But Clueless Officer. In certain moments one can feel they've read this before in some other, possibly better, book. But the reason these cliches persist is because they are so often true. And while they outnumber original insights greatly, the whole amounts to a satisfying read.
 Monstrous Regiment a monstrous disappointment August 11, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
There isn't much to say about this book. I generally look forward to reading Terry Pratchett's work because he has a way of intertwining his message with a humorous story. But in Monstrous Regiment, there was no such subtlety. His message virtually bludgeons the reader. Even though I agreed with his message, there was so little humor that by page 100 of 500, I gave up. If you like Pratchett's usual wit, sarcasm and satire, then do not read this book.
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