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Discworld #31
Monstrous Regiment
Polly Perks joins the Discworld army to find her brother Paul. "Ozzer" cuts off her blonde braids, dons male garb, belches, scratches, and masters macho habits - aided by well-placed pair of socks. The legendary and seemingly ageless Sergeant Jackrum accepts her plus a vampire, troll, zombie, religious fanatic, and two close "friends". The best man for the job may be a woman.
496 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2003
1,569 people are currently reading
27.9k people want to read
About the author
Terry Pratchett
626听books44.9k听followersSir Terence David John Pratchett was an English author, humorist, and satirist, best known for the Discworld series of 41 comic fantasy novels published between 1983鈥�2015, and for the apocalyptic comedy novel Good Omens (1990), which he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,943 reviews
April 17, 2023
Pratchett addresses two questions here: (1)
鈥淒o you think it's possible for an entire nation to be insane?鈥�
and (2) Does - and, more importantly, should - a well-placed pair of socks (for 'certain' sort of padding) make a difference?
As far as Discworld series is concerned, this book can be easily read as a standalone novel. It brings us to the little backwards country of Borogravia, which is constantly at war with someone - this time it's with Zlobenia. Ankh-Morpork is expected to intervene, since, as Commander Sam Vimes points out in his cameo appearance, "the interests of Ankh-Morpork are the interests of all money-lov... oops, sorry, all freedom-loving people everywhere."
Polly Perks does not care about war, money, or patriotism. What she cares about is saving her not-too-bright brother who has disappeared in the war. So, of course, she chops her hair off and joins the army disguised as a boy. (Did I mention that lots of Nuggan's Abominations have something to do with women acting "non-womanlike"?) A mysterious unseen benefactor advises her on the benefits of a well-placed pair of socks in the 'nether regions'. And given that the title of the book comes from the infamous , the readers can easily guess the true nature of Polly's war comrades.
Like we have learned to expect from Sir Terry's novels, this book is witty and has plenty of funny moments. But, as many of his more recent novels, it is also sad, angry and frustrated with the events in Discworld clearly paralleling the things that make us angry in the "Roundworld".
I love that this book, like the rest of Pratchett's creations, makes me think. Some may complain that the message of this book is on the heavy-handed side, but I love it. I love that Pratchett is not shy or subtle about getting the message across about the evils and pitfalls of bigotry, prejudice, discrimination, and so-called patriotism bordering on jingoism. He is not subtle about the things that people should NOT be subtle about, and I love it. He is open about asking uncomfortable questions and stirring up trouble, and love this as well.
Another thing I love about Pratchett's writing is that he is one of the (regrettably) few male fantasy authors who can portray a woman as not a stereotype or a caricature or a mystery or an adorable nuisance or a far-fetched ideal but as a normal (well, normal for Discworld), real, and believable human being.
This is now one of my favorite Discworld novels. Five stars is not enough to describe how much I loved it. And I adored the little cameos from the other Discworld characters, especially Vimes (I am a true Vimes girl, why'd you ask?)
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌�
My ever-expanding collection of Pratchett鈥檚 Discworld reviews:
- Guards! Guards!
- Men at Arms
- Thud!
- Lords and Ladies
- The Wee Free Men
- Hogfather
- Monstrous Regiment
鈥淭he presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.鈥�
As far as Discworld series is concerned, this book can be easily read as a standalone novel. It brings us to the little backwards country of Borogravia, which is constantly at war with someone - this time it's with Zlobenia. Ankh-Morpork is expected to intervene, since, as Commander Sam Vimes points out in his cameo appearance, "the interests of Ankh-Morpork are the interests of all money-lov... oops, sorry, all freedom-loving people everywhere."
"Borogravia was a peace-loving country in the midst of treacherous, devious, warlike enemies. They had to be treacherous, devious, and warlike, otherwise we wouldn't be fighting them, eh? There was always a war."Borogravia's economy is on the verge of collapse, and the country has pretty much run out of eligible soldiers. But this does not stop the little country, governed by a "probably dead" Duchess, the country that follows the ever-expanding ring-bound (makes it easier to add pages) gospel of the god Nuggan, who seems to spend his time coming up with new Abominations - recently, we've had garlic, chocolate, dwarfs, cats, oysters and the color blue join the ranks.
"So what we have here is a country that tries to run itself on the commandments of a god, who, the people feel, may be wearing his underpants on his head. Has he Abomined underpants?"
"No, sir. [...] But it's probably only a matter of time."
Polly Perks does not care about war, money, or patriotism. What she cares about is saving her not-too-bright brother who has disappeared in the war. So, of course, she chops her hair off and joins the army disguised as a boy. (Did I mention that lots of Nuggan's Abominations have something to do with women acting "non-womanlike"?) A mysterious unseen benefactor advises her on the benefits of a well-placed pair of socks in the 'nether regions'. And given that the title of the book comes from the infamous , the readers can easily guess the true nature of Polly's war comrades.
Like we have learned to expect from Sir Terry's novels, this book is witty and has plenty of funny moments. But, as many of his more recent novels, it is also sad, angry and frustrated with the events in Discworld clearly paralleling the things that make us angry in the "Roundworld".
I love that this book, like the rest of Pratchett's creations, makes me think. Some may complain that the message of this book is on the heavy-handed side, but I love it. I love that Pratchett is not shy or subtle about getting the message across about the evils and pitfalls of bigotry, prejudice, discrimination, and so-called patriotism bordering on jingoism. He is not subtle about the things that people should NOT be subtle about, and I love it. He is open about asking uncomfortable questions and stirring up trouble, and love this as well.
鈥淵ou take a bunch of people who don't seem any different from you and me, but when you add them all together you get this sort of huge raving maniac with national borders and an anthem.鈥�
Another thing I love about Pratchett's writing is that he is one of the (regrettably) few male fantasy authors who can portray a woman as not a stereotype or a caricature or a mystery or an adorable nuisance or a far-fetched ideal but as a normal (well, normal for Discworld), real, and believable human being.
鈥淭his was not a fairy-tale castle and there was no such thing as a fairy-tale ending, but sometimes you could threaten to kick the handsome prince in the ham-and-eggs.鈥�As it's becoming common in Pratchett's novels, the ending is not happy but has bittersweet undertones. There is an understanding that it takes a lot to change the world, to change people's beliefs and prejudices, that anything that is won is only a small step on a long road. "And now it wasn't that good things were happening, it was just that bad things had stopped." Pratchett is not reluctant to show that the world's ways of dealing with things that are uncomfortable, that challenge the status quo is to pretend that they never happened, pretend that they are the exception rather than the rule, pretend that ignoring things would make them go away.
"We weren't soldiers, she decided. We were girls in uniform. We were like a lucky charm. We were mascots. We weren't real, we were always a symbol of something. We'd done very well, for women. And we were temporary."***
This is now one of my favorite Discworld novels. Five stars is not enough to describe how much I loved it. And I adored the little cameos from the other Discworld characters, especially Vimes (I am a true Vimes girl, why'd you ask?)
"The enemy wasn't men, or women, or the old, or even the dead. It was just bleedin' stupid people, who came in all varieties. And no one had the right to be stupid."
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌�
My ever-expanding collection of Pratchett鈥檚 Discworld reviews:
- Guards! Guards!
- Men at Arms
- Thud!
- Lords and Ladies
- The Wee Free Men
- Hogfather
- Monstrous Regiment
April 17, 2022
One of the best Discworld books -- a fun take on sexism in the military
This book will go down as one of my favorite Discworld novels, and really surprised me as I really didn't know what to expect from this one. What I got was a fascinating story about a girl who pretends to be a boy and signs up for the military, and the hijinks that go into keeping it a secret. I don't want to spoil anything, but the twists in this book are equal parts hilarious and shocking.
Discworld books are pretty hit-or-miss for me, but I was constantly smiling and giggling while reading this book, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It wasn't quite as funny as the best that Discworld has to offer, but it was certainly one of the funnier ones. I did think the ending dragged on too far, and could have been successfully ended 30 pages earlier than it did, but that wasn't a major problem.
I strongly recommend this book to any fan of Discworld, it will not disappoint.
This book will go down as one of my favorite Discworld novels, and really surprised me as I really didn't know what to expect from this one. What I got was a fascinating story about a girl who pretends to be a boy and signs up for the military, and the hijinks that go into keeping it a secret. I don't want to spoil anything, but the twists in this book are equal parts hilarious and shocking.
Discworld books are pretty hit-or-miss for me, but I was constantly smiling and giggling while reading this book, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It wasn't quite as funny as the best that Discworld has to offer, but it was certainly one of the funnier ones. I did think the ending dragged on too far, and could have been successfully ended 30 pages earlier than it did, but that wasn't a major problem.
I strongly recommend this book to any fan of Discworld, it will not disappoint.
February 19, 2012
Five stars really aren't enough.
I think this might be my favorite Terry Pratchett book. I've read it at least 3-4 times, and re-reading it today, I'm delighted to discover that it's every bit as good as before.
As an added bonus, this book would be easier for new readers of Pratchett to pick up. There are a few characters from previous books, but they only have very brief cameo appearances. Other than that the book is pretty much self contained....
pat
December 6, 2015
This is the second most-frequently read of my favorite Terry Pratchett books, the first being Night Watch, which helped get me through the death of my mother. My latest copy of Monstrous Regiment is so battered and dog-eared that it鈥檚 falling apart. From sentence number one I was riveted and if you are wondering whether you should read this book, the short answer is yes, turn your cursor right now to a new tab and order it, or even better jog out to your local (probably half an hour away) bookstore (they鈥檙e an endangered species) and support them by buying it there.
It鈥檚 that good. Sir Terry is that good a writer. Read the book before finishing this review; you鈥檒l thank me for the advice, and if you haven鈥檛 already devoured the Discworld series you are in for the rollercoaster ride and treat of your life.
By the way, Sir Terry is a personal hero of mine. When he died last March I cried for days. He went leaving the bravest self-written epitaph I have ever read: "Terry took Death's arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.
The End."
I was so stricken and devastated when I read this that I wrote a short response to it, which I kept to myself because I realized that I had no right to besmirch Sir Terry鈥檚 courage by imposing my own end-of-life beliefs on his in public. I get choked up just trying to write about this wonderful man and I ardently look forward to the day when we can cure Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and save the minds of other brilliant people like him.
And guess what? Monstrous Regiment is a 鈥済ender-bending鈥� book, meaning that it鈥檚 about a girl who dresses up as a boy to get into the army of an extremely misogynistic and backward country so she can try to rescue her older brother Paul, whom she has taken care of since she was a child. That鈥檚 not a spoiler, by the way: that鈥檚 on the back cover. The entire story is about female and male roles, and whether or not they should change. Ahem. More about that later. But the point is, this is an extremely appropriate book for the first of my new reviews. It鈥檚 also a book that will probably make you think a few new thoughts, especially if female equality isn鈥檛 an obsession of yours, and therefore obviously worth reading.
Monstrous Regiment will also make you think about war. There is enough about realistic fighting in it to make you freeze in shock at points. Like Night Watch, like all of Sir Terry鈥檚 best writing, it deals with a serious subject in a loopy way, and the loopiness in turn has a deadly serious razor edge to it. Yes, yes, war is bad and grass is green (except in drought-stricken California, where it鈥檚 dun) but Monstrous Regiment will make you feel up close and personal what it鈥檚 like to be a soldier. And heaven only knows they know what war is really like. If you don鈥檛 feel some wheels turning in your head as you re-evaluate your position on whether anybody should fight anybody with anything after reading this book you are either smarter than everyone else left here in the world (and maybe a bodhisattva) or dumber than a pigeon.
The third subject Monstrous Regiment takes on is religion. Yes, organized religion and heavenly religion, too. And, once again, the book will probably surprise you. It astounded and amazed me by its bravery in handling this particular hot potato. I won鈥檛 go into the subject at length here because there are some spoilers that are pretty important to the discussion, but suffice it to say that new thoughts may well rocket back and forth in your head at the speed of a light clacks鈥� signals, which is to say at c for celeritas. Sir Terry is a genius when it comes to turning established 鈥渢ruths鈥� on their heads and then turning them back over again . . . and back upside-down just for good measure.
So definitely, without doubt, read the book. There are some terrific characters introduced here. The protagonist, Polly Oliver Ozzer Perks, is a very likeable girl, and the question of whether she is a lovable girl鈥攁 hero to adore and/or emulate鈥攄oesn鈥檛 really even arise. I鈥檇 be entirely happy to have Polly on my team any day, and I鈥檇 not hesitate to call on her in time of need. She鈥檚 smart and solid. That鈥檚 high praise from me.
Overall: The action in the book is fast and furious, the humor is hilarious, the writing is fresh and vibrant, the ideas breathtaking, and there are even a few brief appearances by Samuel Vimes, who is my favorite of all Sir Terry鈥檚 characters, male or female. That is my conventional review of Monstrous Regiment, and I give it a conventional five out of five stars.
See the comments below for the rest of my review.
It鈥檚 that good. Sir Terry is that good a writer. Read the book before finishing this review; you鈥檒l thank me for the advice, and if you haven鈥檛 already devoured the Discworld series you are in for the rollercoaster ride and treat of your life.
By the way, Sir Terry is a personal hero of mine. When he died last March I cried for days. He went leaving the bravest self-written epitaph I have ever read: "Terry took Death's arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.
The End."
I was so stricken and devastated when I read this that I wrote a short response to it, which I kept to myself because I realized that I had no right to besmirch Sir Terry鈥檚 courage by imposing my own end-of-life beliefs on his in public. I get choked up just trying to write about this wonderful man and I ardently look forward to the day when we can cure Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and save the minds of other brilliant people like him.
And guess what? Monstrous Regiment is a 鈥済ender-bending鈥� book, meaning that it鈥檚 about a girl who dresses up as a boy to get into the army of an extremely misogynistic and backward country so she can try to rescue her older brother Paul, whom she has taken care of since she was a child. That鈥檚 not a spoiler, by the way: that鈥檚 on the back cover. The entire story is about female and male roles, and whether or not they should change. Ahem. More about that later. But the point is, this is an extremely appropriate book for the first of my new reviews. It鈥檚 also a book that will probably make you think a few new thoughts, especially if female equality isn鈥檛 an obsession of yours, and therefore obviously worth reading.
Monstrous Regiment will also make you think about war. There is enough about realistic fighting in it to make you freeze in shock at points. Like Night Watch, like all of Sir Terry鈥檚 best writing, it deals with a serious subject in a loopy way, and the loopiness in turn has a deadly serious razor edge to it. Yes, yes, war is bad and grass is green (except in drought-stricken California, where it鈥檚 dun) but Monstrous Regiment will make you feel up close and personal what it鈥檚 like to be a soldier. And heaven only knows they know what war is really like. If you don鈥檛 feel some wheels turning in your head as you re-evaluate your position on whether anybody should fight anybody with anything after reading this book you are either smarter than everyone else left here in the world (and maybe a bodhisattva) or dumber than a pigeon.
The third subject Monstrous Regiment takes on is religion. Yes, organized religion and heavenly religion, too. And, once again, the book will probably surprise you. It astounded and amazed me by its bravery in handling this particular hot potato. I won鈥檛 go into the subject at length here because there are some spoilers that are pretty important to the discussion, but suffice it to say that new thoughts may well rocket back and forth in your head at the speed of a light clacks鈥� signals, which is to say at c for celeritas. Sir Terry is a genius when it comes to turning established 鈥渢ruths鈥� on their heads and then turning them back over again . . . and back upside-down just for good measure.
So definitely, without doubt, read the book. There are some terrific characters introduced here. The protagonist, Polly Oliver Ozzer Perks, is a very likeable girl, and the question of whether she is a lovable girl鈥攁 hero to adore and/or emulate鈥攄oesn鈥檛 really even arise. I鈥檇 be entirely happy to have Polly on my team any day, and I鈥檇 not hesitate to call on her in time of need. She鈥檚 smart and solid. That鈥檚 high praise from me.
Overall: The action in the book is fast and furious, the humor is hilarious, the writing is fresh and vibrant, the ideas breathtaking, and there are even a few brief appearances by Samuel Vimes, who is my favorite of all Sir Terry鈥檚 characters, male or female. That is my conventional review of Monstrous Regiment, and I give it a conventional five out of five stars.
See the comments below for the rest of my review.
September 19, 2024
Yer mom wears army boots!
Men and women, women and men. Men without women, women doing just fine without men.
Terry Pratchett鈥檚 31st Discworld novel, first published in 2003, is somewhat of a departure from the other series. We see Sam Vimes and some members of his watch and there are distant grumblings about Ankh-Morpork, but this is for the most part a stand alone about the small, proud truculent nation of Borogravia.
This struggling nation state is foundering after decades or centuries of warfare, attacking and 鈥渄efending鈥� against the aggression of its neighbors. But Pratchett draws a picture of a population and culture bent and warped by a ridiculous religion and the near worship of a monarch. Blind faith and mistaken loyalties are two of the elements that Sir Terry has fun with in this very well done novel.
Told in a more lineal manner than many of his eclectic stories, this one has more a more somber tone than most, this being about war, but it also had some of the most laugh out loud scenes of any of his books. Perhaps Pratchett, taking on a serious subject, realized the need for some uproarious comic relief. His sense of timing is impeccable.
I always like it, whether in a film or a book, when a supporting character takes over and steals the show. While the protagonist here is a young girl who cuts her hair and surreptitiously joins the army, Sergeant Jackrum takes over and is by far the most interesting player.
This one took a while to get moving for me but then it really took over and I thoroughly enjoyed this. Pratchett asks some serious questions 鈥� in his enjoyably non-serious way 鈥� and leaves the reader with some thought provoking ideas about war and peace, about ourselves, and the value of tradition against common sense.
*** 2024 reread -
A ubiquitous theme in Pratchett鈥檚 work is women acting in ways that are not 鈥渨oman鈥� like. Terry鈥檚 description of Dwarf culture is the most obvious in this category but there are others, namely with the witches, but really throughout his canon.
But here鈥檚 the thing, this is not just about feminism and how that can positively effect our world, but more than that, it鈥檚 about humanism and the primacy of the individual. Sir Terry was himself a member of and a prominent supporter of the British Humanist Association. From the writings of another of my favorite writers, Kurt Vonnegut, we can see that humanism is all about individualism, promoting the agency of individuals over the external and arbitrary rules from institutions that would diminish the importance of everyone鈥檚 self governance. Whether it is from a church, a system of government, the traditions of a country or region, or a domineering philosophy or ideology, Pratchett reminds us to be vigilant against what would undermine our intrinsic value and autonomy.
There were scenes that reminded me of Bertold Brecht鈥檚 1939 play Mother Courage and Her Children. We have women surreptitiously standing against a corrupt and hostile system of war that chews up children and societies and is kept alive by perpetual indignation and propped up patriotism. While Pratchett is a comedic virtuoso, he follows the vision of Brecht to rightly vilify what is villainous.
This also made me think about China Mieville鈥檚 The City & The City for its absurdist but provocative tone. Pratchett pokes wicked fun at the hypocrisy in such a scenario and there are some scenes that were golden.
The forced perspective influence of government propaganda also made me think of the writings of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. One quote that kept coming up while I read this was the old one that goes something like, 鈥淭hey Lie To Us, We Know They鈥檙e Lying, They Know We Know They鈥檙e Lying But They Keep Lying Anyway, and We Keep Pretending To Believe Them鈥�
### - Apparently this is not attributed to Solzhenitsyn but rather Elena Gorokhova. However it is consistent with his writings.
鈥淒o you think it's possible for an entire nation to be insane?鈥澨�
Pratchett describes the Discworld country of Borogravia where they are in perpetual war. Orwell wrote, 鈥渨e were at war with East Asia, we had always been at war with East Asia鈥� except Winston remembered that they had once been at war with Eurasia. But to question this simple fact is seen as treasonous, or blasphemous. The citizens of Borogravia are stuck in a ridiculous, farcical dystopia that is unsustainable but no one can question or fight against the nonsensical and murderous regime for fear of retaliation from not just the ruling Duchy but generations of Borogravians who worship an executive and a system that they mostly know is false. The prevarication is further supported by an informal system of enforcement of patriotism. There is a scene where a non-commissioned officer begins to sing the national anthem and everyone dutifully and minimalistically joins in for no other reason than they are supposed to join in and there is the suggestion that to not publicly sing along will get them in trouble.
While I considered that this could also be an allegory poking fun at the North Korean regime, this could be satirically applied to any oppressive system.
While this is treated by Pratchett in humorous tones, this is one of his most plaintive admonitions and one of his most scathing satires. Many of my favorite 欧宝娱乐 reviewers have gushed over this book, and I get it, this novel is not just one of the best Discworld books, but a demonstration of some of his most potent writing.
I knew that Sargent Jackrum had stolen the show when I read this the first time and even though this is Jackrum鈥檚 sole entry in the Discworld chronicles, Jackrum is a great character.
Finally, all my musings aside, the surface story is about women in the military. Let me say here and now for any and all to see that I am a retired Veteran and I know for a fact that women can be and frequently are excellent soldiers.
Perhaps not a good introduction to his writing for new readers, this is still excellent and I cannot recommend this higher.
Men and women, women and men. Men without women, women doing just fine without men.
Terry Pratchett鈥檚 31st Discworld novel, first published in 2003, is somewhat of a departure from the other series. We see Sam Vimes and some members of his watch and there are distant grumblings about Ankh-Morpork, but this is for the most part a stand alone about the small, proud truculent nation of Borogravia.
This struggling nation state is foundering after decades or centuries of warfare, attacking and 鈥渄efending鈥� against the aggression of its neighbors. But Pratchett draws a picture of a population and culture bent and warped by a ridiculous religion and the near worship of a monarch. Blind faith and mistaken loyalties are two of the elements that Sir Terry has fun with in this very well done novel.
Told in a more lineal manner than many of his eclectic stories, this one has more a more somber tone than most, this being about war, but it also had some of the most laugh out loud scenes of any of his books. Perhaps Pratchett, taking on a serious subject, realized the need for some uproarious comic relief. His sense of timing is impeccable.
I always like it, whether in a film or a book, when a supporting character takes over and steals the show. While the protagonist here is a young girl who cuts her hair and surreptitiously joins the army, Sergeant Jackrum takes over and is by far the most interesting player.
This one took a while to get moving for me but then it really took over and I thoroughly enjoyed this. Pratchett asks some serious questions 鈥� in his enjoyably non-serious way 鈥� and leaves the reader with some thought provoking ideas about war and peace, about ourselves, and the value of tradition against common sense.
*** 2024 reread -
A ubiquitous theme in Pratchett鈥檚 work is women acting in ways that are not 鈥渨oman鈥� like. Terry鈥檚 description of Dwarf culture is the most obvious in this category but there are others, namely with the witches, but really throughout his canon.
But here鈥檚 the thing, this is not just about feminism and how that can positively effect our world, but more than that, it鈥檚 about humanism and the primacy of the individual. Sir Terry was himself a member of and a prominent supporter of the British Humanist Association. From the writings of another of my favorite writers, Kurt Vonnegut, we can see that humanism is all about individualism, promoting the agency of individuals over the external and arbitrary rules from institutions that would diminish the importance of everyone鈥檚 self governance. Whether it is from a church, a system of government, the traditions of a country or region, or a domineering philosophy or ideology, Pratchett reminds us to be vigilant against what would undermine our intrinsic value and autonomy.
There were scenes that reminded me of Bertold Brecht鈥檚 1939 play Mother Courage and Her Children. We have women surreptitiously standing against a corrupt and hostile system of war that chews up children and societies and is kept alive by perpetual indignation and propped up patriotism. While Pratchett is a comedic virtuoso, he follows the vision of Brecht to rightly vilify what is villainous.
This also made me think about China Mieville鈥檚 The City & The City for its absurdist but provocative tone. Pratchett pokes wicked fun at the hypocrisy in such a scenario and there are some scenes that were golden.
The forced perspective influence of government propaganda also made me think of the writings of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. One quote that kept coming up while I read this was the old one that goes something like, 鈥淭hey Lie To Us, We Know They鈥檙e Lying, They Know We Know They鈥檙e Lying But They Keep Lying Anyway, and We Keep Pretending To Believe Them鈥�
### - Apparently this is not attributed to Solzhenitsyn but rather Elena Gorokhova. However it is consistent with his writings.
鈥淒o you think it's possible for an entire nation to be insane?鈥澨�
Pratchett describes the Discworld country of Borogravia where they are in perpetual war. Orwell wrote, 鈥渨e were at war with East Asia, we had always been at war with East Asia鈥� except Winston remembered that they had once been at war with Eurasia. But to question this simple fact is seen as treasonous, or blasphemous. The citizens of Borogravia are stuck in a ridiculous, farcical dystopia that is unsustainable but no one can question or fight against the nonsensical and murderous regime for fear of retaliation from not just the ruling Duchy but generations of Borogravians who worship an executive and a system that they mostly know is false. The prevarication is further supported by an informal system of enforcement of patriotism. There is a scene where a non-commissioned officer begins to sing the national anthem and everyone dutifully and minimalistically joins in for no other reason than they are supposed to join in and there is the suggestion that to not publicly sing along will get them in trouble.
While I considered that this could also be an allegory poking fun at the North Korean regime, this could be satirically applied to any oppressive system.
While this is treated by Pratchett in humorous tones, this is one of his most plaintive admonitions and one of his most scathing satires. Many of my favorite 欧宝娱乐 reviewers have gushed over this book, and I get it, this novel is not just one of the best Discworld books, but a demonstration of some of his most potent writing.
I knew that Sargent Jackrum had stolen the show when I read this the first time and even though this is Jackrum鈥檚 sole entry in the Discworld chronicles, Jackrum is a great character.
Finally, all my musings aside, the surface story is about women in the military. Let me say here and now for any and all to see that I am a retired Veteran and I know for a fact that women can be and frequently are excellent soldiers.
Perhaps not a good introduction to his writing for new readers, this is still excellent and I cannot recommend this higher.
March 26, 2021
Monstrous Regiment (Discworld, #31), Terry Pratchett
Monstrous Regiment is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, the 31st novel in his Discworld series.
The bulk of Monstrous Regiment takes place in the small, bellicose country of Borogravia, a highly conservative nation, whose people live according to the increasingly strange decrees of its favored deity, Nuggan.
The main feature of his religion is the Abominations; a long, often-updated list of banned things.
To put this in perspective, these things include garlic, cats, the smell of beets, people with ginger hair, shirts with six buttons, anyone shorter than three feet (including children and babies), sneezing, rocks, ears, jigsaw puzzles, chocolate (which was once Borogravia's staple export, plunging the country into increasing poverty), and the color blue.
The list of "Abominations Unto Nuggan" often causes conflicts with Borogravia's neighbours, and the uncertain whereabouts of Nuggan leads the inhabitants of Borogravia to deify their Duchess, to whom they pray instead.
This slowly causes problems as, on the Discworld, belief grants power. Borogravia is in the midst of a war against an alliance of neighbouring countries, caused by a border dispute with the country of Zlobenia. Rumour is that the war is going poorly for Borogravia, though the country's leadership (and "everyone") denies it.
Polly Perks's brother Paul is missing in action after fighting in the Borogravian army. Paul is naive and believes what he is told regardless of the credibility or political leanings of the source, and even though Polly is more qualified to take over the family business (a famous pub known as "The Duchess"), according to Nugganitic law, women cannot own property, so if Paul does not return the pub will be lost to their drunken cousin when their father dies.
Partly to ensure her own future but mainly to ascertain whether Paul is alive, Polly sets off to join the army in order to find him.
Women joining the army are regarded as an Abomination Unto Nuggan, so Polly decides to dress up as a man (another Abomination) and enlists as Private Oliver Perks (taking her name from the folk song Sweet Polly Oliver) a song that her father sang to her when she was a young girl.
While signing up, Polly encounters the repulsively patriotic Corporal Strappi, and the corpulent Sergeant Jackrum.
Despite her apprehensions regarding Strappi, she kisses the Duchess - that is, she kisses a painting of said noble - and by doing so, joins up.
Due to the shortage of troops, her fellow soldiers include a vampire named Maladict, a Troll named Carborundum, and an Igor named Igor.
They also include "Tonker" Halter, "Shufti" Manickle, "Wazzer" Goom, and "Lofty" Tewt.
That night, Polly encounters an unknown supporter whilst answering a call of nature, who assures her that although they know that Polly is a girl, they won't give her away.
They also give her some hints on how not to be discovered. Over the next few days, Polly makes a startling discovery: Lofty is also a girl.
Since Lofty and Tonker are always together, Polly assumes that Lofty joined the army to follow her man, just like in "Sweet Polly Oliver".
Later, she finds out that Shufti is another girl, and a pregnant one. She also joined the army to find her man; in this case, the father of her child, who she'd only known for a few days, and is known as Johnny. ...
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讴鬲丕亘賴丕蹖 丕賵賱 賵 丿賵賲: 芦乇賳诏 噩丕丿賵禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻賵賲: 芦夭賳丕賳 噩丕丿賵诏乇禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 趩賴丕乇賲: 芦賲乇诏禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 倬賳噩賲: 芦爻賵乇爻乇蹖 (亘乇诏乇丿丕賳 賮丕乇爻蹖 噩丕丿賵蹖 賲乇噩毓)禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 卮卮賲: 芦禺賵丕賴乇丕賳 賵蹖乇丿禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賴賮鬲賲: 芦賴乇賲 賴丕禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賴卮鬲賲: 芦賳诏賴亘丕賳丕賳! 賳诏賴亘丕賳丕賳禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賳賴賲: 芦丕乇蹖讴禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 丿賴賲: 芦鬲氐丕賵蹖乇 賲鬲丨乇讴禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 蹖丕夭丿賴賲: 芦賲乇丿 丿乇賵诏乇禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 丿賵丕夭丿賴賲: 芦噩丕丿賵诏乇丕賳 禺丕乇噩禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖夭丿賴賲: 芦丕蹖夭丿丕賳 禺乇丿 (禺丿丕蹖丕賳 讴賵趩讴)禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 趩賴丕乇丿賴賲: 芦賱乇丿賴丕 賵 亘丕賳賵丕賳禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 倬丕賳夭丿賴賲: 芦賲乇丿丕賳 賲爻賱丨禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 卮丕賳夭丿賴賲: 芦賲賵爻蹖賯蹖 乇賵丨禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賴賮丿賴賲: 芦丕賵賯丕鬲 噩丕賱亘禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賴噩丿賴賲: 芦賲丕爻讴乇丕丿禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賳賵夭丿賴賲: 芦倬丕賴丕蹖 禺卮鬲 (賮蹖鬲 丌賵 讴賱蹖)禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲賲: 芦賴丕诏賮丕丿乇禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 蹖讴賲: 芦噩蹖賳诏賵禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 丿賵賲: 芦丌禺乇蹖賳 賯丕乇賴禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 爻賵賲: 芦讴丕乇倬賴 噩賵诏賱賵賲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 趩賴丕乇賲: 芦賮蹖賱 倬賳噩賲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 倬賳噩賲: 芦丨賯蹖賯鬲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 卮卮賲: 芦丿夭丿 夭賲丕賳禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 賴賮鬲賲: 芦丌禺乇蹖賳 賯賴乇賲丕賳禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 賴卮鬲賲: 芦賲丕賵乇蹖爻 卮诏賮鬲鈥屫з嗂屫� 賵 賲賵卮鈥屬囏й� 丌賲賵夭卮鈥屫屫団€屫ж绰回� 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 賳賴賲: 芦爻丕毓鬲 卮亘禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 丕賲: 芦賲乇丿丕賳 丌夭丕丿 賵蹖禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 蹖讴賲: 芦賴賳诏 亘夭乇诏禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 丿賵賲: 芦讴賱丕賴蹖 倬購乇 丕夭 丌爻賲丕賳禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 爻賵賲: 芦诏賵蹖賳诏 倬賵爻鬲丕賱禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 趩賴丕乇賲: 芦鬲賵丿!禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 倬賳噩賲: 芦賵蹖賳鬲乇丕爻賲蹖鬲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 卮卮賲: 芦亘丿爻鬲 丌賵乇丿賳 倬賵賱禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 賴賮鬲賲: 芦丿丕賳卮诏丕賴蹖鈥屬囏й� 賳丕丿蹖丿賳蹖禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 賴卮鬲賲: 芦賳蹖賲賴鈥屫簇� 亘丕蹖爻鬲 亘倬賵卮賲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 賳賴賲: 芦丕爻賳賵賮禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 趩賴賱賲: 芦亘丕賱丕 丌賲丿賳 賲賴禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 趩賴賱 賵 蹖讴賲: 芦鬲丕噩 趩賵倬丕賳禄貨
亘禺卮 毓賲丿賴 蹖 芦賴賳诏 賴蹖賵賱丕禄貙 丿乇 蹖讴 讴卮賵乇 讴賵趩讴 賵 噩賳诏 胤賱亘 芦亘賵乇賵诏乇丕賵蹖丕禄貙 讴卮賵乇蹖 讴丕賲賱丕賸 賲丨丕賮馗賴 讴丕乇貙 亘乇诏夭丕乇 賲蹖卮賵丿貙 讴賴 賲乇丿賲丕賳 丌賳 胤亘賯 丕丨讴丕賲 毓噩蹖亘 禺丿丕蹖 賲賵乇丿 毓賱丕賯賴 蹖 禺賵丿 芦賳賵诏丕賳禄貙 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲蹖讴賳賳丿貨 賵蹖跇诏蹖 丕氐賱蹖 丿蹖賳 丌賳賴丕 芦賲讴乇賵賴丕鬲禄 丕爻鬲貨 賱蹖爻鬲蹖 胤賵賱丕賳蹖貙 賵 丕睾賱亘 亘賴 乇賵夭 卮丿賴貙 丕夭 賲賵丕乇丿 賲賲賳賵毓貨 亘乇丕蹖 丿乇讴 亘賴鬲乇 丕蹖賳 賲賵丕乇丿: 爻蹖乇貙 诏乇亘賴貙 亘賵蹖 趩睾賳丿乇貙 丕賮乇丕丿蹖 亘丕 賲賵蹖 夭賳噩亘蹖賱貙 倬蹖乇丕賴賳賴丕蹖蹖 亘丕 卮卮 丿讴賲賴貙 賴乇 讴爻蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴鬲乇 丕夭 爻賴 倬丕 (丕夭 噩賲賱賴 讴賵丿讴丕賳 賵 賳賵夭丕丿丕賳)貙 毓胤爻賴貙 爻賳诏貙 诏賵卮貙 丕乇賴 賲賳亘鬲 讴丕乇蹖 丕乇賴 賲賵蹖蹖貙 卮讴賱丕鬲 (讴賴 夭賲丕賳蹖 氐丕丿乇丕鬲 丕氐賱蹖 芦亘賵乇賵诏丕禄 亘賵丿貙 賵 讴卮賵乇 乇丕 丿乇 賮賯乇 賮夭丕蹖賳丿賴 賮乇賵 賲蹖亘乇丿) 賵 乇賳诏 丌亘蹖貨 賵 ...貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 05/01/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
Monstrous Regiment is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, the 31st novel in his Discworld series.
The bulk of Monstrous Regiment takes place in the small, bellicose country of Borogravia, a highly conservative nation, whose people live according to the increasingly strange decrees of its favored deity, Nuggan.
The main feature of his religion is the Abominations; a long, often-updated list of banned things.
To put this in perspective, these things include garlic, cats, the smell of beets, people with ginger hair, shirts with six buttons, anyone shorter than three feet (including children and babies), sneezing, rocks, ears, jigsaw puzzles, chocolate (which was once Borogravia's staple export, plunging the country into increasing poverty), and the color blue.
The list of "Abominations Unto Nuggan" often causes conflicts with Borogravia's neighbours, and the uncertain whereabouts of Nuggan leads the inhabitants of Borogravia to deify their Duchess, to whom they pray instead.
This slowly causes problems as, on the Discworld, belief grants power. Borogravia is in the midst of a war against an alliance of neighbouring countries, caused by a border dispute with the country of Zlobenia. Rumour is that the war is going poorly for Borogravia, though the country's leadership (and "everyone") denies it.
Polly Perks's brother Paul is missing in action after fighting in the Borogravian army. Paul is naive and believes what he is told regardless of the credibility or political leanings of the source, and even though Polly is more qualified to take over the family business (a famous pub known as "The Duchess"), according to Nugganitic law, women cannot own property, so if Paul does not return the pub will be lost to their drunken cousin when their father dies.
Partly to ensure her own future but mainly to ascertain whether Paul is alive, Polly sets off to join the army in order to find him.
Women joining the army are regarded as an Abomination Unto Nuggan, so Polly decides to dress up as a man (another Abomination) and enlists as Private Oliver Perks (taking her name from the folk song Sweet Polly Oliver) a song that her father sang to her when she was a young girl.
While signing up, Polly encounters the repulsively patriotic Corporal Strappi, and the corpulent Sergeant Jackrum.
Despite her apprehensions regarding Strappi, she kisses the Duchess - that is, she kisses a painting of said noble - and by doing so, joins up.
Due to the shortage of troops, her fellow soldiers include a vampire named Maladict, a Troll named Carborundum, and an Igor named Igor.
They also include "Tonker" Halter, "Shufti" Manickle, "Wazzer" Goom, and "Lofty" Tewt.
That night, Polly encounters an unknown supporter whilst answering a call of nature, who assures her that although they know that Polly is a girl, they won't give her away.
They also give her some hints on how not to be discovered. Over the next few days, Polly makes a startling discovery: Lofty is also a girl.
Since Lofty and Tonker are always together, Polly assumes that Lofty joined the army to follow her man, just like in "Sweet Polly Oliver".
Later, she finds out that Shufti is another girl, and a pregnant one. She also joined the army to find her man; in this case, the father of her child, who she'd only known for a few days, and is known as Johnny. ...
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毓賳賵丕賳: 丿蹖爻讴 賵乇賱丿 (噩賴丕賳 氐賮丨賴) 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 蹖讴賲: 賴賳诏 亘夭乇诏 (賴蹖賵賱丕)貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 鬲乇蹖 倬乇趩鬲貨 賲賵囟賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 亘乇蹖鬲丕賳蹖丕蹖蹖 - 爻丿賴 20賲
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丕夭 爻乇蹖 芦丿蹖爻讴 鈥屬堌辟勜� 亘蹖卮鬲乇 丕夭 賴卮鬲丕丿 賲蹖賱蹖賵賳 賳爻禺賴貙 丿乇 爻蹖 賵 賴賮鬲 夭亘丕賳貙 亘賴 賮乇賵卮 乇賮鬲賴鈥� 丕爻鬲貨 丕蹖賳 爻乇蹖 丿乇 亘乇诏蹖乇賳丿賴 蹖 亘蹖卮 丕夭 趩賴賱 乇賲丕賳 (鬲丕讴賳賵賳 趩賴賱 賵 蹖讴 乇賲丕賳)貙 蹖丕夭丿賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 讴賵鬲丕賴貙 趩賴丕乇 讴鬲丕亘 毓賱賲蹖貙 賵 趩賳丿蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賲乇噩毓貙 賵 賲讴賲賱 丕爻鬲貨 丕夭 丕蹖賳 爻乇蹖貙 趩賳丿蹖賳 乇賲丕賳 鬲氐賵蹖乇蹖貙 亘丕夭蹖 讴丕賲倬蹖賵鬲乇蹖貙 賳賲丕蹖卮 鬲卅丕鬲乇貙 爻乇蹖丕賱賴丕蹖 鬲賱賵蹖夭蹖賵賳蹖 丕賯鬲亘丕爻 卮丿賴 鈥屫ж池� 乇賵夭賳丕賲賴 蹖 芦爻丕賳丿蹖 鬲丕蹖賲夭禄 趩丕倬 芦丕賳诏賱爻鬲丕賳禄 丕夭 丕蹖賳 爻乇蹖 亘賴 毓賳賵丕賳 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 倬乇賮乇賵卮鈥屫臂屬� 爻乇蹖 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏� 賳丕賲 亘乇丿賴貙 賵 芦鬲乇蹖 倬乇趩鬲禄 乇丕貙 亘賴 毓賳賵丕賳 倬乇賮乇賵卮鈥屫臂屬� 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 蹖 芦丕賳诏賱爻鬲丕賳禄貙 丿乇 丿賴賴 蹖 賳賵丿 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 丿丕賳爻鬲賴 丕爻鬲貨
乇賲丕賳鈥屬囏й� 芦丿蹖爻讴鈥屬堌辟勜� 噩賵丕蹖夭 亘爻蹖丕乇蹖 丕夭 噩賲賱賴 噩丕蹖夭賴 芦倬乇賵賲鬲卅賵爻禄貙 賵 賲丿丕賱 丕丿亘蹖 芦讴丕乇賳诏蹖禄 乇丕貙 丕夭 丌賳 禺賵丿 讴乇丿賴 鈥屫з嗀� 丿乇 賳馗乇爻賳噩蹖 芦亘蹖诏 乇蹖丿禄貙 讴賴 芦亘蹖鈥屫ㄛ屸€屫驰屄� 丿乇 爻丕賱 2003賲蹖賱丕丿蹖貙 丿乇 芦丕賳诏賱爻鬲丕賳禄 丕賳噩丕賲 丿丕丿貙 趩賴丕乇 乇賲丕賳 爻乇蹖 芦丿蹖爻讴鈥屬堌辟勜回� 丿乇 賮賴乇爻鬲 蹖讴氐丿 讴鬲丕亘 亘乇鬲乇 賯乇丕乇 诏乇賮鬲賳丿貨 賴賲趩賳蹖賳 賲乇丿賲丕賳 芦丕賳诏賱蹖爻禄貙 丿乇 丕蹖賳 賳馗乇爻賳噩蹖貙 趩賴丕乇丿賴 乇賲丕賳 芦丿蹖爻讴鈥屬堌辟勜� 乇丕貙 丿乇 卮賲丕乇 丿賵蹖爻鬲 讴鬲丕亘 亘乇鬲乇貙 丿丕賳爻鬲賳丿貨 鬲丕 讴賳賵賳貙 丕夭 丕蹖賳 爻乇蹖貙 趩賴賱 賵 蹖讴 乇賲丕賳貙 亘賴 趩丕倬 乇爻蹖丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 芦鬲乇蹖 倬乇趩鬲禄 讴賴 倬蹖卮 丕夭 丿乇诏匕卮鬲卮貨 丿乇 丕亘鬲丿丕蹖 爻丕賱 2015賲蹖賱丕丿蹖貙 丕夭 亘蹖賲丕乇蹖 芦丌賱夭丕蹖賲乇禄 乇賳噩 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ必嗀� 丕毓賱丕賲 讴乇丿賳丿 讴賴 禺賵卮丨丕賱 賲蹖鈥屫促堎嗀� 讴賴 丿禺鬲乇卮丕賳貙 芦乇蹖丕賳丕 倬乇趩鬲禄貙 亘賴 噩丕蹖 丕蹖卮丕賳貙 亘賴 丕丿丕賲賴 蹖 丕蹖賳 爻乇蹖 亘倬乇丿丕夭賳丿貨 鬲丕 噩賱丿 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 卮卮賲 乇賲丕賳 丕蹖賳 爻乇蹖貙 乇賲丕賳 芦丿夭丿 夭賲丕賳 (2001賲蹖賱丕丿蹖)禄 亘賴 丿爻鬲 芦噩丕卮 讴乇亘蹖禄貙 亘賴 鬲氐賵蹖乇 讴卮蹖丿賴 卮丿賴 鈥屫з嗀� 丕賲丕 賳爻禺賴 鈥屬囏й� 芦丌賲乇蹖讴丕蹖蹖禄貙 讴賴 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲 芦賴丕乇倬乇讴丕賱蹖賳夭禄 丌賳鈥屬囏� 乇丕貙 賲賳鬲卮乇 讴乇丿賴貙 丿丕乇丕蹖 鬲氐丕賵蹖乇 乇賵蹖 噩賱丿 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲蹖 賴爻鬲賳丿貨 倬爻 丕夭 丿乇诏匕卮鬲 芦噩丕卮 讴乇亘蹖禄貙 丿乇 爻丕賱 2001賲蹖賱丕丿蹖貙 賳賯丕卮蹖鈥屬囏й� 乇賵蹖 噩賱丿 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏й� 亘毓丿蹖 丕蹖賳 爻乇蹖貙 亘丿爻鬲 芦倬丕卅賵賱 讴乇亘蹖禄 讴卮蹖丿賴鈥� 卮丿賳丿
讴鬲丕亘賴丕蹖 丕賵賱 賵 丿賵賲: 芦乇賳诏 噩丕丿賵禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻賵賲: 芦夭賳丕賳 噩丕丿賵诏乇禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 趩賴丕乇賲: 芦賲乇诏禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 倬賳噩賲: 芦爻賵乇爻乇蹖 (亘乇诏乇丿丕賳 賮丕乇爻蹖 噩丕丿賵蹖 賲乇噩毓)禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 卮卮賲: 芦禺賵丕賴乇丕賳 賵蹖乇丿禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賴賮鬲賲: 芦賴乇賲 賴丕禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賴卮鬲賲: 芦賳诏賴亘丕賳丕賳! 賳诏賴亘丕賳丕賳禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賳賴賲: 芦丕乇蹖讴禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 丿賴賲: 芦鬲氐丕賵蹖乇 賲鬲丨乇讴禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 蹖丕夭丿賴賲: 芦賲乇丿 丿乇賵诏乇禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 丿賵丕夭丿賴賲: 芦噩丕丿賵诏乇丕賳 禺丕乇噩禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖夭丿賴賲: 芦丕蹖夭丿丕賳 禺乇丿 (禺丿丕蹖丕賳 讴賵趩讴)禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 趩賴丕乇丿賴賲: 芦賱乇丿賴丕 賵 亘丕賳賵丕賳禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 倬丕賳夭丿賴賲: 芦賲乇丿丕賳 賲爻賱丨禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 卮丕賳夭丿賴賲: 芦賲賵爻蹖賯蹖 乇賵丨禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賴賮丿賴賲: 芦丕賵賯丕鬲 噩丕賱亘禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賴噩丿賴賲: 芦賲丕爻讴乇丕丿禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 賳賵夭丿賴賲: 芦倬丕賴丕蹖 禺卮鬲 (賮蹖鬲 丌賵 讴賱蹖)禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲賲: 芦賴丕诏賮丕丿乇禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 蹖讴賲: 芦噩蹖賳诏賵禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 丿賵賲: 芦丌禺乇蹖賳 賯丕乇賴禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 爻賵賲: 芦讴丕乇倬賴 噩賵诏賱賵賲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 趩賴丕乇賲: 芦賮蹖賱 倬賳噩賲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 倬賳噩賲: 芦丨賯蹖賯鬲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 卮卮賲: 芦丿夭丿 夭賲丕賳禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 賴賮鬲賲: 芦丌禺乇蹖賳 賯賴乇賲丕賳禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 賴卮鬲賲: 芦賲丕賵乇蹖爻 卮诏賮鬲鈥屫з嗂屫� 賵 賲賵卮鈥屬囏й� 丌賲賵夭卮鈥屫屫団€屫ж绰回� 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 賳賴賲: 芦爻丕毓鬲 卮亘禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 丕賲: 芦賲乇丿丕賳 丌夭丕丿 賵蹖禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 蹖讴賲: 芦賴賳诏 亘夭乇诏禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 丿賵賲: 芦讴賱丕賴蹖 倬購乇 丕夭 丌爻賲丕賳禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 爻賵賲: 芦诏賵蹖賳诏 倬賵爻鬲丕賱禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 趩賴丕乇賲: 芦鬲賵丿!禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 倬賳噩賲: 芦賵蹖賳鬲乇丕爻賲蹖鬲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 卮卮賲: 芦亘丿爻鬲 丌賵乇丿賳 倬賵賱禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 賴賮鬲賲: 芦丿丕賳卮诏丕賴蹖鈥屬囏й� 賳丕丿蹖丿賳蹖禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 賴卮鬲賲: 芦賳蹖賲賴鈥屫簇� 亘丕蹖爻鬲 亘倬賵卮賲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 爻蹖 賵 賳賴賲: 芦丕爻賳賵賮禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 趩賴賱賲: 芦亘丕賱丕 丌賲丿賳 賲賴禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 趩賴賱 賵 蹖讴賲: 芦鬲丕噩 趩賵倬丕賳禄貨
亘禺卮 毓賲丿賴 蹖 芦賴賳诏 賴蹖賵賱丕禄貙 丿乇 蹖讴 讴卮賵乇 讴賵趩讴 賵 噩賳诏 胤賱亘 芦亘賵乇賵诏乇丕賵蹖丕禄貙 讴卮賵乇蹖 讴丕賲賱丕賸 賲丨丕賮馗賴 讴丕乇貙 亘乇诏夭丕乇 賲蹖卮賵丿貙 讴賴 賲乇丿賲丕賳 丌賳 胤亘賯 丕丨讴丕賲 毓噩蹖亘 禺丿丕蹖 賲賵乇丿 毓賱丕賯賴 蹖 禺賵丿 芦賳賵诏丕賳禄貙 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲蹖讴賳賳丿貨 賵蹖跇诏蹖 丕氐賱蹖 丿蹖賳 丌賳賴丕 芦賲讴乇賵賴丕鬲禄 丕爻鬲貨 賱蹖爻鬲蹖 胤賵賱丕賳蹖貙 賵 丕睾賱亘 亘賴 乇賵夭 卮丿賴貙 丕夭 賲賵丕乇丿 賲賲賳賵毓貨 亘乇丕蹖 丿乇讴 亘賴鬲乇 丕蹖賳 賲賵丕乇丿: 爻蹖乇貙 诏乇亘賴貙 亘賵蹖 趩睾賳丿乇貙 丕賮乇丕丿蹖 亘丕 賲賵蹖 夭賳噩亘蹖賱貙 倬蹖乇丕賴賳賴丕蹖蹖 亘丕 卮卮 丿讴賲賴貙 賴乇 讴爻蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴鬲乇 丕夭 爻賴 倬丕 (丕夭 噩賲賱賴 讴賵丿讴丕賳 賵 賳賵夭丕丿丕賳)貙 毓胤爻賴貙 爻賳诏貙 诏賵卮貙 丕乇賴 賲賳亘鬲 讴丕乇蹖 丕乇賴 賲賵蹖蹖貙 卮讴賱丕鬲 (讴賴 夭賲丕賳蹖 氐丕丿乇丕鬲 丕氐賱蹖 芦亘賵乇賵诏丕禄 亘賵丿貙 賵 讴卮賵乇 乇丕 丿乇 賮賯乇 賮夭丕蹖賳丿賴 賮乇賵 賲蹖亘乇丿) 賵 乇賳诏 丌亘蹖貨 賵 ...貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 05/01/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
February 21, 2023
Polly is a barmaid whose brother has gone missing in action. Her country is at war and is always looking for new recruits. So she wants to join the army, to look for her brother. But the tiny country she lives in is very conservative, they will only accept male applicants. This isn鈥檛 a problem for Polly though. She cuts her hair, puts on her brother鈥檚 clothes and pretends to be a man. She quickly gets enlisted and sent to a regiment. She does her best to keep her gender a secret, but it turns out there are others who share her secret.
Every single guy in Polly鈥檚 regiment is a woman! What a cool way to point out how stupid sexism is. And the brilliant thing is, this revelation actually comes quite early in the story. This revelation could have so easily been the climax of a really strong satire on sexism and traditional gender roles. And it would have been awesome. Especially if you add some Terry Pratchett comedy magic to the mix. But the story doesn鈥檛 end there, it鈥檚 only just beginning at that point.
Polly lives in a very small country that鈥檚 at war. And the only thing the people know about the war, is what they鈥檙e told via propaganda. They know that they have the best army in the whole world. And that they鈥檙e winning the war. But that鈥檚 pretty much it. As soon as Polly鈥檚 enlisted in the army, she鈥檚 immediately sent to the front. Her regiment doesn鈥檛 get any training whatsoever because the army鈥檚 so desperately in need of more soldiers. Their equipment is like a handful of bent swords and a few bloody shirts with holes in them. They quickly grow suspicious of the war in general. And when they get their hands on some newspapers from the other side, where there is free press, they realize they鈥檝e been lied to.
For a country that鈥檚 incredibly sexist, it鈥檚 ironically being led by a woman. The Duchess hasn鈥檛 been seen in a very long time. So long, that people are starting to suspect that she might not even be alive anymore. But nobody wants to say this aloud, because the Duchess is pretty much worshipped like a god. And yet they still continue to obey her commands blindly.
This is a standalone novel in the legendary Discworld series, and it is without a doubt absolutely brilliant. It delivers on so many levels and tackles so many important themes in such an entertaining and satisfying way. This novel just without a doubt knocks it out of the park. One of Pratchett鈥檚 best. Can鈥檛 recommend this enough.
Every single guy in Polly鈥檚 regiment is a woman! What a cool way to point out how stupid sexism is. And the brilliant thing is, this revelation actually comes quite early in the story. This revelation could have so easily been the climax of a really strong satire on sexism and traditional gender roles. And it would have been awesome. Especially if you add some Terry Pratchett comedy magic to the mix. But the story doesn鈥檛 end there, it鈥檚 only just beginning at that point.
Polly lives in a very small country that鈥檚 at war. And the only thing the people know about the war, is what they鈥檙e told via propaganda. They know that they have the best army in the whole world. And that they鈥檙e winning the war. But that鈥檚 pretty much it. As soon as Polly鈥檚 enlisted in the army, she鈥檚 immediately sent to the front. Her regiment doesn鈥檛 get any training whatsoever because the army鈥檚 so desperately in need of more soldiers. Their equipment is like a handful of bent swords and a few bloody shirts with holes in them. They quickly grow suspicious of the war in general. And when they get their hands on some newspapers from the other side, where there is free press, they realize they鈥檝e been lied to.
For a country that鈥檚 incredibly sexist, it鈥檚 ironically being led by a woman. The Duchess hasn鈥檛 been seen in a very long time. So long, that people are starting to suspect that she might not even be alive anymore. But nobody wants to say this aloud, because the Duchess is pretty much worshipped like a god. And yet they still continue to obey her commands blindly.
This is a standalone novel in the legendary Discworld series, and it is without a doubt absolutely brilliant. It delivers on so many levels and tackles so many important themes in such an entertaining and satisfying way. This novel just without a doubt knocks it out of the park. One of Pratchett鈥檚 best. Can鈥檛 recommend this enough.
December 10, 2019
Re-Read 12/10/19:
A delightful Discworld read that dives head first into a little country's war problem. Well, it's not really a problem, per se... in fact, it's almost done. As in fini. Kaput. With them the ultimate losers.
So you'd think, with all the men being dead and all, they'd be more welcoming of a bit of some added support. And I'm not talking bras... or AM I?
A very funny book. There are a few coffee drinking beasties here, a troll, and even an Igor(ina). It turns into a kinda Hogan's Heroes. Or rather, Heroines. And ooooh the abominations! Cross-Dressing Everywhere!
A delightful Discworld read that dives head first into a little country's war problem. Well, it's not really a problem, per se... in fact, it's almost done. As in fini. Kaput. With them the ultimate losers.
So you'd think, with all the men being dead and all, they'd be more welcoming of a bit of some added support. And I'm not talking bras... or AM I?
A very funny book. There are a few coffee drinking beasties here, a troll, and even an Igor(ina). It turns into a kinda Hogan's Heroes. Or rather, Heroines. And ooooh the abominations! Cross-Dressing Everywhere!
August 9, 2024
Le铆do en 2009. Re-lectura en 2024
Para m铆 de lo mejor de Mundodisco. Aunque es un volumen independiente te enamoras de ese regimiento de Polly, vampiros, trolls e Igors. Emotivo, divertido, antibelicista, con mil mensajes subliminales.
Una gozada total.
*
En la re-lectura no cambio ni una coma de lo anterior. El final es un poco mo帽as pero no le quita ninguna estrella.
Para m铆 de lo mejor de Mundodisco. Aunque es un volumen independiente te enamoras de ese regimiento de Polly, vampiros, trolls e Igors. Emotivo, divertido, antibelicista, con mil mensajes subliminales.
Una gozada total.
*
En la re-lectura no cambio ni una coma de lo anterior. El final es un poco mo帽as pero no le quita ninguna estrella.
March 31, 2014
There was always a war. Usually they were border disputes, the national equivalent of complaining that the neighbor was letting their hedge grow too long. Sometimes they were bigger. Borogravia was a peace-loving country in the midst of treacherous, devious, warlike enemies. They had to be treacherous, devious, and war-like, otherwise we wouldn't be fighting them, eh? There was always a war.
The Night Watch goes to War! Or, at least, that was my expectation before I started the novel. Only thing is, this Discworld novel is not exactly about the Night Watch, even if Sam Vimes, Angua and a couple of others do participate in the conflict. The theme chosen by Sir Terry is indeed the lampooning of martial mentality, but the main actors are a bunch of fresh recruits in the army of Borogravia. Each of these recruits harbors a secret identity, and I guess it is not much of a spoiler to mention that for some of them that identity has to do with gender roles.
A long history of open conflict with all its neighbors, in particular a recent attack on Ankh-Morpork clack towers has brought Vimes and the imperial forces to fight on the side of Zlobenia and has left Borogravia deprived of fresh blood to send to the slaughter. Recruiting parties are chased out of the impoverished villages empty handed, until Polly decides to switch genres and enroll. All it takes, apparently is a pair of socks, shorn hair and a lifetime of observing the habits of the opposite sex.
You might pick your nose a bit more often. Just a tip. Few things interest a young man more than the contents of his nostrils.
The new platoon that Polly joins is heading for the front, where a defeated Borogravian army is dug in under the battlements of a massive fortress they just lost due to the deviousness of Vimes. Under the fierce tutelage of veteran sergeant Jackrum, a ragtag collection of losers and misfits is welded together into a formidable fighting machine, in the best tradition of war movies that Pratchett sets out to subvert with an energy and a self-assurance that proves the Discworld treasure chest of ideas is far for reaching its bottom. I spotted some clear references to Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket, but there are probably more barbed arrows that I missed along the way.听
I joined t'see exciting forrin places and meet erotic people! declares Carborundum, a rumbling troll in search of adventure who probably means exotic people. The platoon also includes an Igor, an abstinent vampire, a pyromaniac, a pregnant girl, a religious zealot modelled after Jeanne d'Arc, a couple of runaways from a correction house, etc. Together they will become famous as the Monstrous Regiment and they will change the course of history.
This would have been one of my favorite Discworld novels, given the mastery of plot, comedy and pathos that I have come to expect from every new Pratchett novel, but for a small bother.
An added attraction in the story is the second main avenue of attack for the author: religious intolerance. Borogravian military problems are compounded by their peculiar branch of belief in a living holy scripture, whose Book of Nuggan addendum is much longer than the main text and is updated weekly with new interdictions and sins, like red hair, pickles or singing.听
The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it . may not be the most original dictum written by Pratchett, but it is one I could subscribe to without reservations.
Time to say goodbye to Pollyand wish her all the best of luck trying to revolutionaze the Borogravian rigid ways, while I add to my TBR the next Discworld issue.
The Night Watch goes to War! Or, at least, that was my expectation before I started the novel. Only thing is, this Discworld novel is not exactly about the Night Watch, even if Sam Vimes, Angua and a couple of others do participate in the conflict. The theme chosen by Sir Terry is indeed the lampooning of martial mentality, but the main actors are a bunch of fresh recruits in the army of Borogravia. Each of these recruits harbors a secret identity, and I guess it is not much of a spoiler to mention that for some of them that identity has to do with gender roles.
A long history of open conflict with all its neighbors, in particular a recent attack on Ankh-Morpork clack towers has brought Vimes and the imperial forces to fight on the side of Zlobenia and has left Borogravia deprived of fresh blood to send to the slaughter. Recruiting parties are chased out of the impoverished villages empty handed, until Polly decides to switch genres and enroll. All it takes, apparently is a pair of socks, shorn hair and a lifetime of observing the habits of the opposite sex.
You might pick your nose a bit more often. Just a tip. Few things interest a young man more than the contents of his nostrils.
The new platoon that Polly joins is heading for the front, where a defeated Borogravian army is dug in under the battlements of a massive fortress they just lost due to the deviousness of Vimes. Under the fierce tutelage of veteran sergeant Jackrum, a ragtag collection of losers and misfits is welded together into a formidable fighting machine, in the best tradition of war movies that Pratchett sets out to subvert with an energy and a self-assurance that proves the Discworld treasure chest of ideas is far for reaching its bottom. I spotted some clear references to Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket, but there are probably more barbed arrows that I missed along the way.听
I joined t'see exciting forrin places and meet erotic people! declares Carborundum, a rumbling troll in search of adventure who probably means exotic people. The platoon also includes an Igor, an abstinent vampire, a pyromaniac, a pregnant girl, a religious zealot modelled after Jeanne d'Arc, a couple of runaways from a correction house, etc. Together they will become famous as the Monstrous Regiment and they will change the course of history.
This would have been one of my favorite Discworld novels, given the mastery of plot, comedy and pathos that I have come to expect from every new Pratchett novel, but for a small bother.
An added attraction in the story is the second main avenue of attack for the author: religious intolerance. Borogravian military problems are compounded by their peculiar branch of belief in a living holy scripture, whose Book of Nuggan addendum is much longer than the main text and is updated weekly with new interdictions and sins, like red hair, pickles or singing.听
The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it . may not be the most original dictum written by Pratchett, but it is one I could subscribe to without reservations.
Time to say goodbye to Pollyand wish her all the best of luck trying to revolutionaze the Borogravian rigid ways, while I add to my TBR the next Discworld issue.
December 10, 2019
Welcome to Borogravia.
It is currently at war with Szlobenia. Well, Borogravia is always at war with someone. It has been at war with every single one of its neighours and with some of them even more than once. Why? Because they consider it their patriotic duty. Just like never giving up even if the only reason for their survival is that their enemy doesn't want to just senselessly slaughter them where they stand.
One Borogravian doesn't really care about the war. All she cares about is finding her brother. To do that, she cuts her hair, stuffs some socks into her trousers and marches off as a soldier in the army. She is surprised to find she is not the only woman/girl who had reason to disguise herself and enlist. Amongst the comrades in her regiment are a vampire, a troll and听an Igor. To say nothing of听the apparently legendary Sergeant Jackrum.
On the periphery, we get a few glimpses听at this mess from the POV of Commander Vimes and deWord as this business is involving Ankh-Morpork, too (so long as they can help an underdog against a royal without having to spend too much money).
听
Sir Terry obviously had quite a few things to say about war and patriotism, corporate and state interests in wars and general soldiering.听It might very well be that he and I听had quite different opinions on the matter(s). Then again, it's entirely possible that we might have听agreed at least on some of the things. It's hard to say since Sir Terry isn't just听repeating old jokes and snide remarks (the ones about soldiers being too stupid to be doing any other job, or the ones of听officers vs. grunts etc).听That would be too one-sided and narrow-minded.听Instead, he was aware of and听also showed (commended even)听the other, more sensible听aspects (the camaraderie for example). And that is what I love so bloody much about the author: no matter his personal stance, he always gives a 360掳-view. This is important since nothing, especially not something听as complex as听state politics and wars, is black-or-white. It's听not just one thing or another either. To get to the bottom of it, to be able to form an informed opinion, you need all available information and he didn't just want to make you agree with him - he wanted to make you think for yourself.
听
As far as I can tell, this installment of the Discworld series was published after the start of the second Iraq war. But while that might have been the reason for him writing this book, Sir Terry is settling the account with humanity's overall history of war. Thus, the story has elements from the Bosnian war, the two World Wars, perhaps even the Falkland wars as well. To give this book an additional edge (because that is how the author rolled),听the story is听also about gender roles, religious fanatism听and the concepts of honour and freedom.
听
Delivering the necessary comic relief are the quirks of all the different races in the titular Monstrous Regiment - including but not limited to the vampire's coffee obsession - and the general absurdity of many a situation. The most endearing bit (to me) was听the heart-warmingsisterbrotherhood of the regiment.
听
Not the strongest installment of the series but seriously good in its own right.
听
It is currently at war with Szlobenia. Well, Borogravia is always at war with someone. It has been at war with every single one of its neighours and with some of them even more than once. Why? Because they consider it their patriotic duty. Just like never giving up even if the only reason for their survival is that their enemy doesn't want to just senselessly slaughter them where they stand.
One Borogravian doesn't really care about the war. All she cares about is finding her brother. To do that, she cuts her hair, stuffs some socks into her trousers and marches off as a soldier in the army. She is surprised to find she is not the only woman/girl who had reason to disguise herself and enlist. Amongst the comrades in her regiment are a vampire, a troll and听an Igor. To say nothing of听the apparently legendary Sergeant Jackrum.
On the periphery, we get a few glimpses听at this mess from the POV of Commander Vimes and deWord as this business is involving Ankh-Morpork, too (so long as they can help an underdog against a royal without having to spend too much money).
听
Sir Terry obviously had quite a few things to say about war and patriotism, corporate and state interests in wars and general soldiering.听It might very well be that he and I听had quite different opinions on the matter(s). Then again, it's entirely possible that we might have听agreed at least on some of the things. It's hard to say since Sir Terry isn't just听repeating old jokes and snide remarks (the ones about soldiers being too stupid to be doing any other job, or the ones of听officers vs. grunts etc).听That would be too one-sided and narrow-minded.听Instead, he was aware of and听also showed (commended even)听the other, more sensible听aspects (the camaraderie for example). And that is what I love so bloody much about the author: no matter his personal stance, he always gives a 360掳-view. This is important since nothing, especially not something听as complex as听state politics and wars, is black-or-white. It's听not just one thing or another either. To get to the bottom of it, to be able to form an informed opinion, you need all available information and he didn't just want to make you agree with him - he wanted to make you think for yourself.
听
As far as I can tell, this installment of the Discworld series was published after the start of the second Iraq war. But while that might have been the reason for him writing this book, Sir Terry is settling the account with humanity's overall history of war. Thus, the story has elements from the Bosnian war, the two World Wars, perhaps even the Falkland wars as well. To give this book an additional edge (because that is how the author rolled),听the story is听also about gender roles, religious fanatism听and the concepts of honour and freedom.
听
Delivering the necessary comic relief are the quirks of all the different races in the titular Monstrous Regiment - including but not limited to the vampire's coffee obsession - and the general absurdity of many a situation. The most endearing bit (to me) was听the heart-warming
听
Not the strongest installment of the series but seriously good in its own right.
听
November 5, 2014
That'd been almost a year ago, when any recruiting party that came past went away with the best part of a battalion, and there had been people waving them off with flags and music. Sometimes, now, smaller parties of men came back. The lucky ones were missing only one arm or one leg. There were no flags.
It's hard finding soldiers when you're always at war. Especially when you're fighting a war that you may not be winning.
Eventually, you end up taking whatever you can get...trolls, vampires, even...GASP!...women!
The horror, the horror!
The newest recruits to This Man's Army (snicker!) are a mixed bunch and they're quickly discovering that war is not all it's cracked up to be. They find themselves ill-equipped with only hand-me-downs from dead soldiers and no rations.
"We have to steal our food?" said Maladict.
"No, you can starve if that takes your fancy," said the corporal. "I've starved a few times. There's no future in it."
Things can only get worse. Then, they do.
"Men, I have good news," he added, but in the voice of one who hasn't. "You were probably expecting a week or two in the training camp in Crotz, yes? But I'm glad to be able to tell you that the, the war is progressing so, so well that you are to go directly to the front."
Soon, reality sets in and the realization of their dire predicament descends like a fog.
They were losing the war. Everyone knew that, but nobody would say it. It was as if they felt that if the words weren't said out loud then it wasn't really happening. They were losing the war and this squad, untrained and untried, fighting in dead men's boots, could only help them lose it faster.
I have a problem when it comes to some Pratchett novels, particularly those lacking in witches. I'm reading along like gangbusters, then about halfway through, I lose all interest. I begin eyeing up that stack of unread, perhaps, more interesting books by the bed. I call this "The Discworld Doldrums." Luckily, my attention bounced back with this one, though I honestly believe a pared down version might have been funnier. So, this was definitely not a high point in the series for me. HOWEVER - Pratchett does a fantastic job of summing up the folly of war.
"We are a proud country."
"What are you proud of?"
It came swiftly, like a blow, and Polly realized how wars happened. You took that shock that had run through her and let it boil.
...it may be corrupt, benighted, and stupid, but it's ours...
We have our pride. And that's what we're proud of. We're proud of being proud...
It's hard finding soldiers when you're always at war. Especially when you're fighting a war that you may not be winning.
Eventually, you end up taking whatever you can get...trolls, vampires, even...GASP!...women!
The horror, the horror!
The newest recruits to This Man's Army (snicker!) are a mixed bunch and they're quickly discovering that war is not all it's cracked up to be. They find themselves ill-equipped with only hand-me-downs from dead soldiers and no rations.
"We have to steal our food?" said Maladict.
"No, you can starve if that takes your fancy," said the corporal. "I've starved a few times. There's no future in it."
Things can only get worse. Then, they do.
"Men, I have good news," he added, but in the voice of one who hasn't. "You were probably expecting a week or two in the training camp in Crotz, yes? But I'm glad to be able to tell you that the, the war is progressing so, so well that you are to go directly to the front."
Soon, reality sets in and the realization of their dire predicament descends like a fog.
They were losing the war. Everyone knew that, but nobody would say it. It was as if they felt that if the words weren't said out loud then it wasn't really happening. They were losing the war and this squad, untrained and untried, fighting in dead men's boots, could only help them lose it faster.
I have a problem when it comes to some Pratchett novels, particularly those lacking in witches. I'm reading along like gangbusters, then about halfway through, I lose all interest. I begin eyeing up that stack of unread, perhaps, more interesting books by the bed. I call this "The Discworld Doldrums." Luckily, my attention bounced back with this one, though I honestly believe a pared down version might have been funnier. So, this was definitely not a high point in the series for me. HOWEVER - Pratchett does a fantastic job of summing up the folly of war.
"We are a proud country."
"What are you proud of?"
It came swiftly, like a blow, and Polly realized how wars happened. You took that shock that had run through her and let it boil.
...it may be corrupt, benighted, and stupid, but it's ours...
We have our pride. And that's what we're proud of. We're proud of being proud...
October 7, 2022
Always read the one star reviews first. They often tell you more about a book than the five star ones. A well articulated one star review (as opposed to the 鈥渢his sucks!鈥� variety) is usually information rich. This rule holds true for Monstrous Regiment. I liked the top couple one star reviews for this book. I thought they made good points. I still gave Monstrous Regiment five stars.
This is a one shot Disc World book. Sam Vines appears, but only in a supporting role, not much more than a cameo. So Monstrous Regiment has the handicap of being a Disc World orphan. And it is predictable. From page one. It goes on longish, seemingly having at least a couple more twists than such a predictable book needs. And yes, it鈥檚 Grrl Power theme didn鈥檛 manage any serious blow against sexism, as the book鈥檚 satire spiraled into farce.
Yet Monstrous Regiment still worked for me. Polly, the first person narrator, is perfectly drawn. Her combined confidence and confusion, bravado and self doubt, skepticism and hope made her a brilliantly fleshed out, three dimensional character, and I adored her narrative voice. Sergeant Jackrum was a great side character, worthy of being a Disc World regular. Even Lieutenant Blouse, the mostly clueless 鈥淩upert鈥� (officer) is more than a simple joke, has satisfying depth, and adds to the tale.
Pratchett skewered many of his usual suspects in Monstrous Regiment. Nationalism/Patriotism, religious fundamentalism, sexism and the patriarchy all take their licks from Pratchett鈥檚 satirical pen. At first glance, the edge of his satire appears to dull as progressively revealed secret identities transform satire into farce. Yet even here, I think Pratchett stayed two step ahead of the rest of us. Despite our best intentions and efforts, many of these worst abuses continue to survive, leaving us, in the end, either dying of bitterness or laughing at the farce. Pratchett鈥檚 darkly honest humor encourages us to do the latter.
This is a one shot Disc World book. Sam Vines appears, but only in a supporting role, not much more than a cameo. So Monstrous Regiment has the handicap of being a Disc World orphan. And it is predictable. From page one. It goes on longish, seemingly having at least a couple more twists than such a predictable book needs. And yes, it鈥檚 Grrl Power theme didn鈥檛 manage any serious blow against sexism, as the book鈥檚 satire spiraled into farce.
Yet Monstrous Regiment still worked for me. Polly, the first person narrator, is perfectly drawn. Her combined confidence and confusion, bravado and self doubt, skepticism and hope made her a brilliantly fleshed out, three dimensional character, and I adored her narrative voice. Sergeant Jackrum was a great side character, worthy of being a Disc World regular. Even Lieutenant Blouse, the mostly clueless 鈥淩upert鈥� (officer) is more than a simple joke, has satisfying depth, and adds to the tale.
Pratchett skewered many of his usual suspects in Monstrous Regiment. Nationalism/Patriotism, religious fundamentalism, sexism and the patriarchy all take their licks from Pratchett鈥檚 satirical pen. At first glance, the edge of his satire appears to dull as progressively revealed secret identities transform satire into farce. Yet even here, I think Pratchett stayed two step ahead of the rest of us. Despite our best intentions and efforts, many of these worst abuses continue to survive, leaving us, in the end, either dying of bitterness or laughing at the farce. Pratchett鈥檚 darkly honest humor encourages us to do the latter.
November 12, 2024
袪械褑械锌褌 斜褍写褜-褟泻芯褩 泻薪懈谐懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌邪: 斜械褉械屑芯 邪泻褌褍邪谢褜薪褍 褋褍褋锌褨谢褜薪芯-锌芯谢褨褌懈褔薪褍 褌械屑褍, 褉械邪谢褜薪械 褨褋褌芯褉懈褔薪械 褌谢芯, 谐芯褉褍 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪懈褏 褕褌邪屑锌褨胁 褨 锌芯斜懈褌懈褏 卸懈褌褌褟屑 褋褞卸械褌褨胁, 锌械褉械薪芯褋懈屑芯 胁褋械 褍 袛懈褋泻芯褋胁褨褌 褨鈥π狙傃€懈屑褍褦屑芯 褔械褉谐芯胁褍 褏芯褉芯褕褍 泻薪懈谐褍. 袧邪锌械胁薪芯 锌褉芯 卸芯写薪褍 蟹 泻薪懈谐 袛懈褋泻芯褋胁褨褌褍 褟 薪械 屑芯卸褍 褋泻邪蟹邪褌懈 褖芯 胁芯薪邪 屑械薪褨 胁褨写泻褉懈谢邪 薪邪 褖芯褋褜 芯褔褨, 褔懈 褋褌邪谢邪 邪卸 褌邪泻芯褞 蟹邪褏芯锌谢懈胁芯褞 褖芯 褟 薪械 屑褨谐 胁褨写褨褉胁邪褌懈褋褟, 邪谢械 芯褑械泄 芯褌 锌褉芯褋褌褟褑褜泻懈泄 (邪谐邪, 锌褉芯褋褌褟褑褜泻懈泄) 谐褍屑芯褉 , 褑褨 褎褉邪蟹懈-邪褎芯褉懈蟹屑懈, 褑褨 褍谢褞斜谢械薪褨 胁卸械 写邪胁薪芯 谐械褉芯褩鈥�.薪褍, 袦邪泄褋褌械褉.
袦芯薪褋褌褉褟褔懈泄 蟹邪谐褨薪 褖械 泄 锌褉芯 胁褨泄薪褍. 袉 锌褉芯 卸褨薪芯泻. 袉 卸褨薪芯泻 薪邪 胁褨泄薪褨. 袗 蟹薪邪褔懈褌褜 锌褉芯 褋械泻褋懈蟹屑. 袟胁褨褋薪芯 屑械薪褨 胁械褋褜 褑械泄 邪薪褌懈胁芯褦薪薪懈泄 薪邪褔芯褋 褔械褋邪胁褋褟 褨 蟹邪胁邪卸邪胁 薪邪褌褏薪械薪薪芯 胁懈泻褉懈泻褍胁邪褌懈 芦锌褉邪胁写邪!禄 斜芯 谢械谐泻芯 斜褍褌懈 邪薪褌懈胁芯褦薪薪懈屑 泻芯屑邪薪写芯褉芯屑 袙邪泄屑蟹芯屑 褨 褋褌械卸懈褌懈 蟹邪 芦薪械褉芯蟹褍屑薪懈屑懈禄 蟹 胁懈褋芯泻芯褩 胁械卸褨. 袉薪褕邪 褋锌褉邪胁邪 斜褍褌懈 褌邪屑 胁薪懈蟹褍, 胁 斜褉褍写褨 褨 泻褉芯胁褨, 邪谢械 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌 褍 褟泻芯谐芯 胁褋械 芯斜芯胁始褟蟹泻芯胁芯 蟹邪泻褨薪褔褍褦褌褜褋褟 褏械锌锌褨-械薪写芯屑 薪械 褋泻芯褌懈胁褋褟 胁 褟泻褨褋褜 褋褞-褋褞-屑褍-褋褞 斜邪薪邪谢褜薪芯褋褌褨 褨 谢懈褕懈胁褋褟 胁褨褉薪懈泄 锌褉邪胁写褨. 袗 锌褉邪胁写邪 胁褨泄薪懈 褌邪泻邪, 褖芯 胁芯薪邪 薪褨泻芯谢懈 薪械 蟹邪泻褨薪褔褍褦褌褜褋褟 褨 蟹邪胁卸写懈 芯写薪邪泻芯胁邪.
袗 褌邪泻芯卸 谢械谐泻芯 斜褍褌懈 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻芯屑 褨 褔懈褌邪褌懈 泻薪懈谐褍 锌褉芯 薪械褋锌褉邪胁械写谢懈胁褨褋褌褜 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻褨胁 褋褌芯褋芯胁薪芯 卸褨薪芯泻鈥π窖� 褟泻 谢械谐泻芯. 袧械 谢械谐泻芯. 袗谢械 褟 胁褋械 褌邪泻懈 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻 褨 胁褋械 褖芯 屑械薪褨 谢懈褕邪褦褌褜褋褟: 薪械 斜褍褌懈 屑褍写邪泻芯屑 褨 蟹薪芯胁褍 卸, 蟹邪褋胁褨写褔懈褌懈 锌褉邪胁写褍 褟泻芯褞 胁芯薪邪 褦. 袘芯 胁褋械 薪邪锌懈褋邪薪械 胁 芦袦芯薪褋褌褉褟褔芯屑褍 蟹邪谐芯薪褨禄 鈥� 褋邪屑邪 锌褉邪胁写懈胁邪 斜褉械褏薪褟 褟泻邪 褌褨谢褜泻懈 屑芯卸械 斜褍褌懈
袦芯薪褋褌褉褟褔懈泄 蟹邪谐褨薪 褖械 泄 锌褉芯 胁褨泄薪褍. 袉 锌褉芯 卸褨薪芯泻. 袉 卸褨薪芯泻 薪邪 胁褨泄薪褨. 袗 蟹薪邪褔懈褌褜 锌褉芯 褋械泻褋懈蟹屑. 袟胁褨褋薪芯 屑械薪褨 胁械褋褜 褑械泄 邪薪褌懈胁芯褦薪薪懈泄 薪邪褔芯褋 褔械褋邪胁褋褟 褨 蟹邪胁邪卸邪胁 薪邪褌褏薪械薪薪芯 胁懈泻褉懈泻褍胁邪褌懈 芦锌褉邪胁写邪!禄 斜芯 谢械谐泻芯 斜褍褌懈 邪薪褌懈胁芯褦薪薪懈屑 泻芯屑邪薪写芯褉芯屑 袙邪泄屑蟹芯屑 褨 褋褌械卸懈褌懈 蟹邪 芦薪械褉芯蟹褍屑薪懈屑懈禄 蟹 胁懈褋芯泻芯褩 胁械卸褨. 袉薪褕邪 褋锌褉邪胁邪 斜褍褌懈 褌邪屑 胁薪懈蟹褍, 胁 斜褉褍写褨 褨 泻褉芯胁褨, 邪谢械 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌 褍 褟泻芯谐芯 胁褋械 芯斜芯胁始褟蟹泻芯胁芯 蟹邪泻褨薪褔褍褦褌褜褋褟 褏械锌锌褨-械薪写芯屑 薪械 褋泻芯褌懈胁褋褟 胁 褟泻褨褋褜 褋褞-褋褞-屑褍-褋褞 斜邪薪邪谢褜薪芯褋褌褨 褨 谢懈褕懈胁褋褟 胁褨褉薪懈泄 锌褉邪胁写褨. 袗 锌褉邪胁写邪 胁褨泄薪懈 褌邪泻邪, 褖芯 胁芯薪邪 薪褨泻芯谢懈 薪械 蟹邪泻褨薪褔褍褦褌褜褋褟 褨 蟹邪胁卸写懈 芯写薪邪泻芯胁邪.
袗 褌邪泻芯卸 谢械谐泻芯 斜褍褌懈 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻芯屑 褨 褔懈褌邪褌懈 泻薪懈谐褍 锌褉芯 薪械褋锌褉邪胁械写谢懈胁褨褋褌褜 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻褨胁 褋褌芯褋芯胁薪芯 卸褨薪芯泻鈥π窖� 褟泻 谢械谐泻芯. 袧械 谢械谐泻芯. 袗谢械 褟 胁褋械 褌邪泻懈 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻 褨 胁褋械 褖芯 屑械薪褨 谢懈褕邪褦褌褜褋褟: 薪械 斜褍褌懈 屑褍写邪泻芯屑 褨 蟹薪芯胁褍 卸, 蟹邪褋胁褨写褔懈褌懈 锌褉邪胁写褍 褟泻芯褞 胁芯薪邪 褦. 袘芯 胁褋械 薪邪锌懈褋邪薪械 胁 芦袦芯薪褋褌褉褟褔芯屑褍 蟹邪谐芯薪褨禄 鈥� 褋邪屑邪 锌褉邪胁写懈胁邪 斜褉械褏薪褟 褟泻邪 褌褨谢褜泻懈 屑芯卸械 斜褍褌懈
March 7, 2022
Phenomenal, surprising, and impressive entry, even amongst a string of 5-star Discworld books.
This is easily the bleakest book in the series, and one of the best. It takes experienced Discophiles out of their comfort zone; new characters, new nations, new perspectives. It remains fully plugged into the book universe, with a plot tangential to Ankh-Morpork and the expansion of the Clacks system, and small roles by Sam Vimes as ambassador and select Watch members, but they are seldom seen.
The stars of this show are young, beaten down by an oppressive country, culture, and the worst religion yet seen on the Disc, fighting a losing war with no resources, no support, and no hope. Isn't that hilarious? . . . Fine, maybe not, but the book still manages to showcase Pratchett's trademark humour. It's just that it's never been quite so deeply humanized before, and that's saying something.
I waver on whether this is an acceptable jumping-in point for the series. It technically suits that need because of its low reliance on established characters and setting, but I think its quality would be muted if going in blind. It works much better as a kidney-punch of a book after a long love affair with the series. At a minimum, one should read first, and that is a good jump-in point in my estimation. Really, the best way to experience Discworld is as I am doing it now; a full series publication-order reading (re-reading, in my case). Some of the earlier books were not up to the same quality, but damn are they ever still good in the grand scheme, and if nothing else they establish the podium on which this particular entry stands in full glory.
This is easily the bleakest book in the series, and one of the best. It takes experienced Discophiles out of their comfort zone; new characters, new nations, new perspectives. It remains fully plugged into the book universe, with a plot tangential to Ankh-Morpork and the expansion of the Clacks system, and small roles by Sam Vimes as ambassador and select Watch members, but they are seldom seen.
The stars of this show are young, beaten down by an oppressive country, culture, and the worst religion yet seen on the Disc, fighting a losing war with no resources, no support, and no hope. Isn't that hilarious? . . . Fine, maybe not, but the book still manages to showcase Pratchett's trademark humour. It's just that it's never been quite so deeply humanized before, and that's saying something.
I waver on whether this is an acceptable jumping-in point for the series. It technically suits that need because of its low reliance on established characters and setting, but I think its quality would be muted if going in blind. It works much better as a kidney-punch of a book after a long love affair with the series. At a minimum, one should read first, and that is a good jump-in point in my estimation. Really, the best way to experience Discworld is as I am doing it now; a full series publication-order reading (re-reading, in my case). Some of the earlier books were not up to the same quality, but damn are they ever still good in the grand scheme, and if nothing else they establish the podium on which this particular entry stands in full glory.
January 28, 2025
些芯褉邪蟹褍 褌褨褕褍褋褟, 泻芯谢懈 屑械薪褨 胁懈锌邪写邪褦 褔懈褌邪褌懈 褌邪泻懈泄 褉芯屑邪薪 孝械褉褉褨 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌邪, 褟泻芯谐芯 褟 薪械 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪胁 褉芯褋褨泄褋褜泻芯褞 胁 写芯褨褋褌芯褉懈褔薪褨 褔邪褋懈. 校褋褨 泻薪懈谐懈 锌褉芯 袛懈褋泻芯褋胁褨褌 (薪邪胁褨褌褜 褌褨, 褟泻褨 胁褏芯写褟褌褜 写芯 褋泻谢邪写褍 锌械胁薪懈褏 褑懈泻谢褨胁) 薪邪锌懈褋邪薪褨 褌邪泻, 褖芯斜懈 褩褏 屑褨谐 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪褌懈 斜褍泻胁邪谢褜薪芯 褏褌芯 蟹邪胁谐芯写薪芯, 薪械 锌械褉械泄屑邪褞褔懈褋褜 褎邪泻褌芯屑 褌邪 褋褌褍锌械薪械屑 胁谢邪褋薪芯谐芯 蟹薪邪泄芯屑褋褌胁邪 蟹 褑懈屑 袙褋械褋胁褨褌芯屑.听
"袦芯薪褋褌褉褟褔懈泄 蟹邪谐褨薪", 锌芯锌褉懈 褟褋泻褉邪胁懈泄 锌褉懈谐芯写薪懈褑褜泻懈泄 褨 谐邪褉薪芯 薪邪褋懈褔械薪懈泄 谐褍屑芯褉芯屑 褋褞卸械褌, 械泻褋锌谢褍邪褌褍褦 写胁褨 褋械褉泄芯蟹薪褨 褌械屑懈 鈥� 邪薪褌懈胁芯褦薪薪褍 褌邪 褎械屑褨薪褨蟹屑.
袛褨褟 胁褨写斜褍胁邪褦褌褜褋褟 胁 袘芯褉芯谐褉邪胁褨褩 鈥� 薪械 薪邪写褌芯 胁械谢懈泻褨泄 邪斜芯 锌芯褌褍卸薪褨泄, 邪 锌褉芯褌械 胁芯泄芯胁薪懈褔褨泄 泻褉邪褩薪褨, 泻芯褌褉邪 胁褋褌懈谐谢邪 锌芯胁芯褞胁邪褌懈 蟹 褍褋褨屑邪 褋胁芯褩屑懈 褋褍褋褨写邪屑懈, 邪 褌邪泻芯卸 锌芯屑褨褌薪芯 褋芯褑褨邪谢褜薪芯 薪邪锌褉褍卸械薪邪 蟹褋械褉械写懈薪懈 褔械褉械蟹 锌褋懈褏褨褔薪褨 锌褉芯斜谢械屑懈 屑褨褋褑械胁芯谐芯 斜芯卸泻邪 袧褍覒覒邪薪邪, 褟泻懈泄 褖芯褌懈卸薪褟 褋锌褍褋泻邪褦 褋胁芯褩屑 胁褨褉褟薪邪屑 薪芯胁褨 锌褉邪胁懈谢邪 褌邪 蟹邪斜芯褉芯薪懈. 袙褋械, 褖芯 袧褍覒覒邪薪 锌械褉械褋褌邪褦 褋锌褉懈泄屑邪褌懈, 薪邪蟹懈胁邪褞褌褜 "袚懈写芯褌邪屑懈", 蟹邪 褌芯泄 褔邪褋, 锌芯泻懈 胁褨写斜褍胁邪褦褌褜褋褟 锌芯写褨褩 胁 泻薪懈蟹褨, 写芯 袚懈写芯褌 胁褋褌懈谐谢懈 锌芯褌褉邪锌懈褌懈 蟹芯泻褉械屑邪 褔邪褋薪懈泻, 锌邪蟹谢懈, 泻芯褌懈 褌邪 褋懈薪褨泄 泻芯谢褨褉.
袘芯褉芯谐褉邪胁褨褟 胁械写械 芯斜芯褉芯薪薪褍 胁褨泄薪褍 锌褉芯褌懈 褋褍褋褨写薪褜芯褩 袟谢芯斜械薪褨褩, 泻芯褌褉褍 锌褨写褌褉懈屑褍褞褌褜 写械褟泻褨 褨薪褕褨 褋褍褋褨写懈 褨 薪邪胁褨褌褜 谢械谐械薪写邪褉薪懈泄 袗薪泻-袦芯褉锌芯褉泻. 笑械 屑褨褋褌芯 褨 芯写懈薪 褨蟹 薪邪泄褟褋泻褉邪胁褨褕懈褏 泄芯谐芯 锌械褉褋芯薪邪卸褨胁 袙邪泄屑蟹, 芯褌褉懈屑邪谢懈 胁 "袦芯薪褋褌褉褟褔芯屑褍 蟹邪谐芯薪褨" 薪械胁械谢懈褔泻褨, 邪谢械 锌褉懈褦屑薪褨 泻邪屑械芯. 袙 械锌褨蟹芯写懈褔薪懈褏 褉芯谢褟褏 褌邪泻芯卸 屑芯卸薪邪 胁锌褨蟹薪邪褌懈 褌邪泻懈褏 褟褋泻褉邪胁懈褏 锌褉械写褋褌邪胁薪懈泻褨胁 袛懈褋泻芯褋胁褨褌褍, 褟泻 小屑械褉褌褜, 卸褍褉薪邪谢褨褋褌 袙褨谢褜褟屑 写械 袙芯褉写, 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎 褨 胁邪屑锌褨褉 袨褌褌芯 袣褉懈泻泻 褌邪 褨薪褕懈褏.
袗谢械 薪邪泄褑褨泻邪胁褨褕邪 褉芯谢褜 写褨褋褌邪褦褌褜褋褟 写褨胁褔懈薪褑褨 袩芯谢谢褨 袩械褉泻褋, 写芯薪褑褨 胁谢邪褋薪懈泻邪 褌邪胁械褉薪懈 "袚械褉褑芯谐懈薪褟", 褟泻邪 胁褌芯屑懈谢邪褋褟 胁褨写 褉芯蟹锌邪褔褍 薪械胁褨写芯屑芯褋褌褨 褌邪 褔械泻邪薪薪褟 褋胁芯谐芯 斜褉邪褌邪 袩芯谢邪 蟹 胁褨泄薪懈, 锌械褉械芯写褟谐邪褦褌褜褋褟 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻芯屑 褨 褌邪泻芯卸 蟹邪锌懈褋褍褦褌褜褋褟 写芯斜褉芯胁芯谢褜褑械屑 褍 胁褨泄褋褜泻芯 锌褨写 褨屑械薪械屑 袨谢褨胁械褉.
袟 褑褜芯谐芯 屑芯屑械薪褌褍 胁芯褦薪薪邪 褉械邪谢褜薪褨褋褌褜 泻薪懈谐懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌邪 薪邪斜褍胁邪褦 薪邪褋褌褨谢褜泻懈 邪泻褌褍邪谢褜薪懈褏 褌邪 锌芯写褨斜薪懈褏 褉懈褋 写芯 卸懈褌褌褟 胁 褋褍褔邪褋薪褨泄 校泻褉邪褩薪褨, 褖芯 胁 写械褟泻懈褏 屑褨褋褑褟褏, 写械 褍 薪芯褉屑邪谢褜薪芯谐芯 褔懈褌邪褔邪 褉芯屑邪薪褍 屑邪褦 胁懈薪懈泻邪褌懈 褋屑褨褏 鈥� 屑械薪褨 褏芯褌褨谢芯褋褟 蟹邪锌谢邪泻邪褌懈. 携 薪械 蟹薪邪泄褕芯胁 卸芯写薪芯褩 褨薪褎芯褉屑邪褑褨褩 (薪械 褌械 褖芯斜懈 褟 邪卸 薪邪写褌芯 褉械褌械谢褜薪芯 褕褍泻邪胁) 锌褉芯 褌械, 褖芯 孝械褉褉褨 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌 斜褍胁 薪邪 胁褨泄褋褜泻芯胁褨泄 褋谢褍卸斜褨, 邪谢械 褍 薪褜芯谐芯 屑芯谐谢懈 斜褍褌懈 写褉褍蟹褨 邪斜芯 蟹薪邪泄芯屑褑褨, 泻芯褌褉褨 屑芯谐谢懈 锌芯写褨谢懈褌懈褋褟 褑懈屑 薪械锌械褉械褋褨褔薪懈屑 写芯褋胁褨写芯屑 锌芯谐邪薪芯 泻械褉芯胁邪薪芯谐芯 褏邪芯褋褍 褌邪 邪斜褋褍褉写褍. 袟褉械褕褌芯褞, 蟹邪胁卸写懈 褦 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉邪 褨 褋械褉 孝械褉褉褨, 褕胁懈写褕械 蟹邪 胁褋械, 褔懈褌邪胁 "袩邪褋褌泻褍-22" 袛卸芯蟹械褎邪 袚械谢谢械褉邪, 邪斜芯 褌褉懈谢芯谐褨褞 袉胁谢褨薪邪 袙芯 "袣谢懈薪芯泻 褔械褋褌褨" 褨 褌芯屑褍 褔邪褉褨胁薪芯 械泻褋褌褉邪锌芯谢褞胁邪胁 褔褍卸褨 邪薪褌懈胁芯褦薪薪褨 锌械褉械卸懈胁邪薪薪褟 胁 褋胁芯褞 褌褉懈写褑褟褌褜 锌械褉褕褍 泻薪懈谐褍 锌褉芯 袛懈褋泻芯褋胁褨褌.
袣褉褨屑 褉褟写芯胁芯谐芯 袨谢褨胁械褉邪 写芯 薪芯胁芯斜褉邪薪褑褨胁 锌褉懈褦写薪褍褦褌褜褋褟 褑褨谢邪 蟹谐褉邪泄泻邪 锌械褉褋芯薪邪卸褨胁, 褋械褉械写 褟泻懈褏 褦 胁邪屑锌褨褉, 褌褉芯谢褜, 写褍卸械 褉械谢褨谐褨泄薪邪 芯褋芯斜邪, 泻芯褌褉邪 蟹邪屑褨褋褌褜 袧褍覒覒邪薪邪 褕邪薪褍褦 芯褔褨谢褜薪懈褑褞 袘芯褉芯谐褉邪胁褨褩 袚械褉褑芯谐懈薪褞 (褨 胁褨褉懈褌褜, 褖芯 褋锌褨谢泻褍褦褌褜褋褟 蟹 薪械褞 胁 褋胁芯褩泄 谐芯谢芯胁褨). 校 泻芯卸薪芯谐芯 蟹 薪芯胁芯斜褉邪薪褑褨胁 褦 斜褨谢褜褕 褔懈 屑械薪褕 褋褍褌褌褦胁褨 锌褉懈褔懈薪懈 胁蟹褟褌懈 褍褔邪褋褌褜 褍 泻芯谢械泻褌懈胁薪芯屑褍 斜芯卸械胁褨谢谢褨 锌褨写 薪邪蟹胁芯褞 "胁褨泄薪邪".
孝械褉褉褨 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌 褦 芯写薪懈屑 蟹 薪邪泄写芯斜褉褨褕懈褏 褨 薪邪泄斜褨谢褜褕 褋胁褨褌谢懈褏 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈泻褨胁, 褟泻褨 斜褍写褜-泻芯谢懈 褨褋薪褍胁邪谢懈, 邪谢械 谐芯胁芯褉褟褔懈 锌褉芯 胁芯褦薪薪械 斜械蟹谐谢褍蟹写褟 褌邪 邪斜褋褍褉写 胁褨薪 薪械 斜芯褩褌褜褋褟 薪邪蟹懈胁邪褌懈 褉械褔褨 褩褏薪褨屑懈 褨屑械薪邪屑懈. 袛谢褟 泻褍屑械写薪懈褏 写褨邪谢芯谐褨胁 褌邪 锌褉懈谐芯写 褎芯薪芯屑 褋褌邪褞褌褜 蟹褉褍泄薪芯胁邪薪褨 斜褍写懈薪泻懈, 锌褍褋褌械谢褜薪褨 褋械谢邪, 褋锌邪谢械薪褨 锌芯谢褟 褌邪 谢褨褋懈, 邪 写芯褉芯谐邪屑懈 泻褉邪褩薪懈 锌械褉械褋褍胁邪褞褌褜褋褟 褍 锌褉芯褌懈谢械卸薪懈泄 胁褨写 斜芯泄芯胁懈褏 写褨泄 斜褨泻 谐褉褍锌懈 锌芯薪褨胁械褔械薪懈褏 褋芯谢写邪褌褨胁, 褟泻懈屑 褋褍褌褌褦胁芯 斜褉邪泻褍褦 褉褍泻, 薪褨谐 褌邪 芯褔械泄 鈥� 褨 褑械 褌邪泻褨, 泻芯屑褍 锌芯褖邪褋褌懈谢芯, 邪写卸械 胁芯薪懈, 锌褉懈薪邪泄屑薪褨, 锌芯泻懈 褖芯, 卸懈胁褨.听
些械 芯写薪懈屑 锌芯褏屑褍褉懈屑 邪褋锌械泻褌芯屑 胁芯褦薪薪芯褩 褉械邪谢褜薪芯褋褌褨 胁 褑褨泄 褨褋褌芯褉褨褩 褦 褌芯泄 褎邪泻褌, 褖芯 褔械褉械蟹 锌褉懈褉芯写薪褨泄 斜褉邪泻 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻褨胁, 褋械褉械写 薪芯胁芯斜褉邪薪褑褨胁 屑邪褋泻褍褦褌褜褋褟 锌褨写 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻邪 薪械 谢懈褕械 袩芯谢谢褨 袩械褉泻褋... 袗谢械 褑械 褌芯泄 胁懈锌邪写芯泻, 泻芯谢懈 锌芯写褉芯斜懈褑褨 泻褉邪褖械 写褨蟹薪邪胁邪褌懈褋褟 褋邪屑芯褋褌褨泄薪芯.
袗薪褌懈胁芯褦薪薪懈泄 蟹屑褨褋褌 褉芯屑邪薪褍, 蟹芯泻褉械屑邪 褨 褌邪泻褨 谐芯褋褌褨 锌褉芯斜谢械屑懈, 褟泻 锌芯胁芯写卸械薪薪褟 胁褨泄褋褜泻芯胁懈褏 蟹 锌芯谢芯薪械薪懈屑懈 褌邪 卸褨薪泻邪屑懈, 谐邪褉薪芯 锌械褉械锌谢褨褌邪褦褌褜褋褟 褨蟹 褟褋泻褉邪胁懈屑懈 褎械屑褨薪褨褋褌懈褔薪懈屑懈 械锌褨蟹芯写邪屑懈, 泻芯谢懈 卸褨薪泻懈 薪邪 锌褉邪泻褌懈褑褨 胁懈褟胁谢褟褞褌褜褋褟 薪械 谢懈褕械 薪械 谐褨褉褕懈屑懈 蟹邪 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻褨胁 胁芯褟泻邪屑懈, 邪谢械 泄 褍 斜邪谐邪褌褜芯褏 邪褋锌械泻褌邪褏 鈥� 褉芯蟹褍屑薪褨褕懈屑懈 褨 薪邪斜邪谐邪褌芯 泻褉邪褖懈屑懈 谢褞写褜屑懈.
"袦芯薪褋褌褉褟褔懈泄 蟹邪谐褨薪" 鈥� 芯写懈薪 蟹 薪邪泄褑褨泻邪胁褨褕懈褏 褉芯屑邪薪褨胁 锌褉芯 袛懈褋泻芯褋胁褨褌, 邪 蟹邪胁写褟泻懈 蟹芯斜褉邪卸械薪薪褞 胁褨泄薪懈, 褟泻 卸邪褏谢懈胁芯谐芯, 斜芯卸械胁褨谢褜薪芯谐芯 褨 邪斜褋芯谢褞褌薪芯 薪械褋褌械褉锌薪芯谐芯 褟胁懈褖邪 胁 褨褋褌芯褉褨褩 谢褞写褋褜泻芯褩 褑懈胁褨谢褨蟹邪褑褨褩 鈥� 褨 斜械薪褌械卸薪芯 邪泻褌褍邪谢褜薪懈泄.
"袦芯薪褋褌褉褟褔懈泄 蟹邪谐褨薪", 锌芯锌褉懈 褟褋泻褉邪胁懈泄 锌褉懈谐芯写薪懈褑褜泻懈泄 褨 谐邪褉薪芯 薪邪褋懈褔械薪懈泄 谐褍屑芯褉芯屑 褋褞卸械褌, 械泻褋锌谢褍邪褌褍褦 写胁褨 褋械褉泄芯蟹薪褨 褌械屑懈 鈥� 邪薪褌懈胁芯褦薪薪褍 褌邪 褎械屑褨薪褨蟹屑.
袛褨褟 胁褨写斜褍胁邪褦褌褜褋褟 胁 袘芯褉芯谐褉邪胁褨褩 鈥� 薪械 薪邪写褌芯 胁械谢懈泻褨泄 邪斜芯 锌芯褌褍卸薪褨泄, 邪 锌褉芯褌械 胁芯泄芯胁薪懈褔褨泄 泻褉邪褩薪褨, 泻芯褌褉邪 胁褋褌懈谐谢邪 锌芯胁芯褞胁邪褌懈 蟹 褍褋褨屑邪 褋胁芯褩屑懈 褋褍褋褨写邪屑懈, 邪 褌邪泻芯卸 锌芯屑褨褌薪芯 褋芯褑褨邪谢褜薪芯 薪邪锌褉褍卸械薪邪 蟹褋械褉械写懈薪懈 褔械褉械蟹 锌褋懈褏褨褔薪褨 锌褉芯斜谢械屑懈 屑褨褋褑械胁芯谐芯 斜芯卸泻邪 袧褍覒覒邪薪邪, 褟泻懈泄 褖芯褌懈卸薪褟 褋锌褍褋泻邪褦 褋胁芯褩屑 胁褨褉褟薪邪屑 薪芯胁褨 锌褉邪胁懈谢邪 褌邪 蟹邪斜芯褉芯薪懈. 袙褋械, 褖芯 袧褍覒覒邪薪 锌械褉械褋褌邪褦 褋锌褉懈泄屑邪褌懈, 薪邪蟹懈胁邪褞褌褜 "袚懈写芯褌邪屑懈", 蟹邪 褌芯泄 褔邪褋, 锌芯泻懈 胁褨写斜褍胁邪褦褌褜褋褟 锌芯写褨褩 胁 泻薪懈蟹褨, 写芯 袚懈写芯褌 胁褋褌懈谐谢懈 锌芯褌褉邪锌懈褌懈 蟹芯泻褉械屑邪 褔邪褋薪懈泻, 锌邪蟹谢懈, 泻芯褌懈 褌邪 褋懈薪褨泄 泻芯谢褨褉.
袘芯褉芯谐褉邪胁褨褟 胁械写械 芯斜芯褉芯薪薪褍 胁褨泄薪褍 锌褉芯褌懈 褋褍褋褨写薪褜芯褩 袟谢芯斜械薪褨褩, 泻芯褌褉褍 锌褨写褌褉懈屑褍褞褌褜 写械褟泻褨 褨薪褕褨 褋褍褋褨写懈 褨 薪邪胁褨褌褜 谢械谐械薪写邪褉薪懈泄 袗薪泻-袦芯褉锌芯褉泻. 笑械 屑褨褋褌芯 褨 芯写懈薪 褨蟹 薪邪泄褟褋泻褉邪胁褨褕懈褏 泄芯谐芯 锌械褉褋芯薪邪卸褨胁 袙邪泄屑蟹, 芯褌褉懈屑邪谢懈 胁 "袦芯薪褋褌褉褟褔芯屑褍 蟹邪谐芯薪褨" 薪械胁械谢懈褔泻褨, 邪谢械 锌褉懈褦屑薪褨 泻邪屑械芯. 袙 械锌褨蟹芯写懈褔薪懈褏 褉芯谢褟褏 褌邪泻芯卸 屑芯卸薪邪 胁锌褨蟹薪邪褌懈 褌邪泻懈褏 褟褋泻褉邪胁懈褏 锌褉械写褋褌邪胁薪懈泻褨胁 袛懈褋泻芯褋胁褨褌褍, 褟泻 小屑械褉褌褜, 卸褍褉薪邪谢褨褋褌 袙褨谢褜褟屑 写械 袙芯褉写, 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎 褨 胁邪屑锌褨褉 袨褌褌芯 袣褉懈泻泻 褌邪 褨薪褕懈褏.
袗谢械 薪邪泄褑褨泻邪胁褨褕邪 褉芯谢褜 写褨褋褌邪褦褌褜褋褟 写褨胁褔懈薪褑褨 袩芯谢谢褨 袩械褉泻褋, 写芯薪褑褨 胁谢邪褋薪懈泻邪 褌邪胁械褉薪懈 "袚械褉褑芯谐懈薪褟", 褟泻邪 胁褌芯屑懈谢邪褋褟 胁褨写 褉芯蟹锌邪褔褍 薪械胁褨写芯屑芯褋褌褨 褌邪 褔械泻邪薪薪褟 褋胁芯谐芯 斜褉邪褌邪 袩芯谢邪 蟹 胁褨泄薪懈, 锌械褉械芯写褟谐邪褦褌褜褋褟 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻芯屑 褨 褌邪泻芯卸 蟹邪锌懈褋褍褦褌褜褋褟 写芯斜褉芯胁芯谢褜褑械屑 褍 胁褨泄褋褜泻芯 锌褨写 褨屑械薪械屑 袨谢褨胁械褉.
袟 褑褜芯谐芯 屑芯屑械薪褌褍 胁芯褦薪薪邪 褉械邪谢褜薪褨褋褌褜 泻薪懈谐懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌邪 薪邪斜褍胁邪褦 薪邪褋褌褨谢褜泻懈 邪泻褌褍邪谢褜薪懈褏 褌邪 锌芯写褨斜薪懈褏 褉懈褋 写芯 卸懈褌褌褟 胁 褋褍褔邪褋薪褨泄 校泻褉邪褩薪褨, 褖芯 胁 写械褟泻懈褏 屑褨褋褑褟褏, 写械 褍 薪芯褉屑邪谢褜薪芯谐芯 褔懈褌邪褔邪 褉芯屑邪薪褍 屑邪褦 胁懈薪懈泻邪褌懈 褋屑褨褏 鈥� 屑械薪褨 褏芯褌褨谢芯褋褟 蟹邪锌谢邪泻邪褌懈. 携 薪械 蟹薪邪泄褕芯胁 卸芯写薪芯褩 褨薪褎芯褉屑邪褑褨褩 (薪械 褌械 褖芯斜懈 褟 邪卸 薪邪写褌芯 褉械褌械谢褜薪芯 褕褍泻邪胁) 锌褉芯 褌械, 褖芯 孝械褉褉褨 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌 斜褍胁 薪邪 胁褨泄褋褜泻芯胁褨泄 褋谢褍卸斜褨, 邪谢械 褍 薪褜芯谐芯 屑芯谐谢懈 斜褍褌懈 写褉褍蟹褨 邪斜芯 蟹薪邪泄芯屑褑褨, 泻芯褌褉褨 屑芯谐谢懈 锌芯写褨谢懈褌懈褋褟 褑懈屑 薪械锌械褉械褋褨褔薪懈屑 写芯褋胁褨写芯屑 锌芯谐邪薪芯 泻械褉芯胁邪薪芯谐芯 褏邪芯褋褍 褌邪 邪斜褋褍褉写褍. 袟褉械褕褌芯褞, 蟹邪胁卸写懈 褦 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉邪 褨 褋械褉 孝械褉褉褨, 褕胁懈写褕械 蟹邪 胁褋械, 褔懈褌邪胁 "袩邪褋褌泻褍-22" 袛卸芯蟹械褎邪 袚械谢谢械褉邪, 邪斜芯 褌褉懈谢芯谐褨褞 袉胁谢褨薪邪 袙芯 "袣谢懈薪芯泻 褔械褋褌褨" 褨 褌芯屑褍 褔邪褉褨胁薪芯 械泻褋褌褉邪锌芯谢褞胁邪胁 褔褍卸褨 邪薪褌懈胁芯褦薪薪褨 锌械褉械卸懈胁邪薪薪褟 胁 褋胁芯褞 褌褉懈写褑褟褌褜 锌械褉褕褍 泻薪懈谐褍 锌褉芯 袛懈褋泻芯褋胁褨褌.
袣褉褨屑 褉褟写芯胁芯谐芯 袨谢褨胁械褉邪 写芯 薪芯胁芯斜褉邪薪褑褨胁 锌褉懈褦写薪褍褦褌褜褋褟 褑褨谢邪 蟹谐褉邪泄泻邪 锌械褉褋芯薪邪卸褨胁, 褋械褉械写 褟泻懈褏 褦 胁邪屑锌褨褉, 褌褉芯谢褜, 写褍卸械 褉械谢褨谐褨泄薪邪 芯褋芯斜邪, 泻芯褌褉邪 蟹邪屑褨褋褌褜 袧褍覒覒邪薪邪 褕邪薪褍褦 芯褔褨谢褜薪懈褑褞 袘芯褉芯谐褉邪胁褨褩 袚械褉褑芯谐懈薪褞 (褨 胁褨褉懈褌褜, 褖芯 褋锌褨谢泻褍褦褌褜褋褟 蟹 薪械褞 胁 褋胁芯褩泄 谐芯谢芯胁褨). 校 泻芯卸薪芯谐芯 蟹 薪芯胁芯斜褉邪薪褑褨胁 褦 斜褨谢褜褕 褔懈 屑械薪褕 褋褍褌褌褦胁褨 锌褉懈褔懈薪懈 胁蟹褟褌懈 褍褔邪褋褌褜 褍 泻芯谢械泻褌懈胁薪芯屑褍 斜芯卸械胁褨谢谢褨 锌褨写 薪邪蟹胁芯褞 "胁褨泄薪邪".
孝械褉褉褨 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌 褦 芯写薪懈屑 蟹 薪邪泄写芯斜褉褨褕懈褏 褨 薪邪泄斜褨谢褜褕 褋胁褨褌谢懈褏 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈泻褨胁, 褟泻褨 斜褍写褜-泻芯谢懈 褨褋薪褍胁邪谢懈, 邪谢械 谐芯胁芯褉褟褔懈 锌褉芯 胁芯褦薪薪械 斜械蟹谐谢褍蟹写褟 褌邪 邪斜褋褍褉写 胁褨薪 薪械 斜芯褩褌褜褋褟 薪邪蟹懈胁邪褌懈 褉械褔褨 褩褏薪褨屑懈 褨屑械薪邪屑懈. 袛谢褟 泻褍屑械写薪懈褏 写褨邪谢芯谐褨胁 褌邪 锌褉懈谐芯写 褎芯薪芯屑 褋褌邪褞褌褜 蟹褉褍泄薪芯胁邪薪褨 斜褍写懈薪泻懈, 锌褍褋褌械谢褜薪褨 褋械谢邪, 褋锌邪谢械薪褨 锌芯谢褟 褌邪 谢褨褋懈, 邪 写芯褉芯谐邪屑懈 泻褉邪褩薪懈 锌械褉械褋褍胁邪褞褌褜褋褟 褍 锌褉芯褌懈谢械卸薪懈泄 胁褨写 斜芯泄芯胁懈褏 写褨泄 斜褨泻 谐褉褍锌懈 锌芯薪褨胁械褔械薪懈褏 褋芯谢写邪褌褨胁, 褟泻懈屑 褋褍褌褌褦胁芯 斜褉邪泻褍褦 褉褍泻, 薪褨谐 褌邪 芯褔械泄 鈥� 褨 褑械 褌邪泻褨, 泻芯屑褍 锌芯褖邪褋褌懈谢芯, 邪写卸械 胁芯薪懈, 锌褉懈薪邪泄屑薪褨, 锌芯泻懈 褖芯, 卸懈胁褨.听
些械 芯写薪懈屑 锌芯褏屑褍褉懈屑 邪褋锌械泻褌芯屑 胁芯褦薪薪芯褩 褉械邪谢褜薪芯褋褌褨 胁 褑褨泄 褨褋褌芯褉褨褩 褦 褌芯泄 褎邪泻褌, 褖芯 褔械褉械蟹 锌褉懈褉芯写薪褨泄 斜褉邪泻 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻褨胁, 褋械褉械写 薪芯胁芯斜褉邪薪褑褨胁 屑邪褋泻褍褦褌褜褋褟 锌褨写 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻邪 薪械 谢懈褕械 袩芯谢谢褨 袩械褉泻褋... 袗谢械 褑械 褌芯泄 胁懈锌邪写芯泻, 泻芯谢懈 锌芯写褉芯斜懈褑褨 泻褉邪褖械 写褨蟹薪邪胁邪褌懈褋褟 褋邪屑芯褋褌褨泄薪芯.
袗薪褌懈胁芯褦薪薪懈泄 蟹屑褨褋褌 褉芯屑邪薪褍, 蟹芯泻褉械屑邪 褨 褌邪泻褨 谐芯褋褌褨 锌褉芯斜谢械屑懈, 褟泻 锌芯胁芯写卸械薪薪褟 胁褨泄褋褜泻芯胁懈褏 蟹 锌芯谢芯薪械薪懈屑懈 褌邪 卸褨薪泻邪屑懈, 谐邪褉薪芯 锌械褉械锌谢褨褌邪褦褌褜褋褟 褨蟹 褟褋泻褉邪胁懈屑懈 褎械屑褨薪褨褋褌懈褔薪懈屑懈 械锌褨蟹芯写邪屑懈, 泻芯谢懈 卸褨薪泻懈 薪邪 锌褉邪泻褌懈褑褨 胁懈褟胁谢褟褞褌褜褋褟 薪械 谢懈褕械 薪械 谐褨褉褕懈屑懈 蟹邪 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻褨胁 胁芯褟泻邪屑懈, 邪谢械 泄 褍 斜邪谐邪褌褜芯褏 邪褋锌械泻褌邪褏 鈥� 褉芯蟹褍屑薪褨褕懈屑懈 褨 薪邪斜邪谐邪褌芯 泻褉邪褖懈屑懈 谢褞写褜屑懈.
"袦芯薪褋褌褉褟褔懈泄 蟹邪谐褨薪" 鈥� 芯写懈薪 蟹 薪邪泄褑褨泻邪胁褨褕懈褏 褉芯屑邪薪褨胁 锌褉芯 袛懈褋泻芯褋胁褨褌, 邪 蟹邪胁写褟泻懈 蟹芯斜褉邪卸械薪薪褞 胁褨泄薪懈, 褟泻 卸邪褏谢懈胁芯谐芯, 斜芯卸械胁褨谢褜薪芯谐芯 褨 邪斜褋芯谢褞褌薪芯 薪械褋褌械褉锌薪芯谐芯 褟胁懈褖邪 胁 褨褋褌芯褉褨褩 谢褞写褋褜泻芯褩 褑懈胁褨谢褨蟹邪褑褨褩 鈥� 褨 斜械薪褌械卸薪芯 邪泻褌褍邪谢褜薪懈泄.
September 22, 2017
January 10, 2017
March 22, 2015
January 1, 2004
I'm fond of stories about girls dressing as boys in order to do something they would otherwise be prohibited from. Very funny.
Library copy
March 22, 2015
January 1, 2004
I'm fond of stories about girls dressing as boys in order to do something they would otherwise be prohibited from. Very funny.
Library copy
February 22, 2023
San谋r谋m bug眉ne kadar okudu臒um en iyi Terry Pratchett kitab谋.
Bu sefer Ankh-Morpork'un pek kavgac谋 kom艧usu Borogravia'ya gidiyor ve kom艧ular谋yla girdikleri sava艧谋n hikayesine, erkek k谋l谋臒谋na girerek askere yaz谋lm谋艧, karde艧ini arayan bir gen莽 k谋z谋n g枚z眉nden tan谋k oluyoruz.
Kimi y枚nleriyle ilgin莽, kimi y枚nleriyle ise istemeyece臒imiz kadar tan谋d谋k, boktan bir 眉lke Borogravia. Ekonomisi mutlak bir 莽枚k眉艧眉n arifesinde, art谋k neredeyse asker olacak sa臒l谋kl谋 bir pop眉lasyonu kalmam谋艧, y枚neticisi muhtemelen 枚lm眉艧, kafay谋 眉艧眉tm眉艧 tanr谋 Nuggan'谋n zorlu yasaklar谋 alt谋nda ya艧amaya 莽al谋艧an ve devaml谋 sava艧an bir 眉lke.
Geleneklerine ba臒l谋 ve muhafazakar. Kad谋nlar谋n en fazla sab谋rs谋z bir tahamm眉l umabilece臒i, her 艧eyin mant谋ks谋zl谋k bir s眉reklilikte yitip gitti臒i ama kurallara uymayan kad谋nlar谋 sadece bir in莽 kal谋nl谋臒谋ndan daha ince sopalarla d枚vd眉kleri i莽in gurur duyan ve i莽 bunalt谋c谋 bir kabullenmi艧li臒e teslim olmu艧 bir 眉lke ve topyek眉n kafay谋 yemi艧 bir halk谋n muhte艧em birle艧imi. Yani, elbette "uyan anavatan谋n o臒ullar谋" diye ba艧layan milli mar艧谋nda bir s眉re do臒a 枚v眉len, ard谋ndan da nas谋l da g眉zel sava艧t谋klar谋n谋n anlat谋ld谋臒谋, zor bir 眉lke.
Ve o Borogravia, bu sefer kom艧usu Zlobenia ile sava艧谋yor. "d眉nyan谋n her yerinde 枚zg眉rl眉k a艧谋臒谋 halklar谋n dostu olan Ankh-Morpork" da ekonomik sebeplerle tamamen ilgisiz bir bi莽imde 枚zg眉rl眉k ve demokrasi getirmek ad谋na bu sava艧a m眉dahil oluyor.
脺stelik Borogravia'n谋n dandik tanr谋s谋 da durumu hi莽 mi hi莽 kolayla艧t谋rm谋yor. Daha 枚nce Son Kahraman kitab谋nda da g枚rd眉臒眉m眉z, Nuggan, tepesi d枚k眉k sa莽lar谋, tuhaf b谋y谋臒谋, k谋sa boyu ve piknik t眉p眉n眉 and谋ran imaj谋 ile a莽谋k莽as谋 'in pop眉ler 莽ocu臒u de臒il. Ve Klatch'谋n Timsah Tanr谋s谋 Offler'谋n hakk谋nda "bir tanr谋n谋n asla b枚yle bir b谋y谋臒谋 olmamal谋" dedi臒ini Nuggan, inananlar谋n谋n ne yapmas谋 gerekti臒iyle de臒il de ne yapmamas谋 gerekti臒iyle daha 莽ok ilgilenen bir tanr谋. Kutsal kitab谋n谋 s谋kl谋kla g眉ncelleyen Nugan (kitab谋n sonunda ayr谋lm谋艧 olan bo艧 sayfalarda yeni g眉nahlar beliriyor) yapbozlar, sar谋msak, 莽ikolata, kediler, istiridyeler ve c眉celerden sonra bebekler ve mavi rengi de g眉nah ilan etti臒inden beri de kendi halk谋 taraf谋ndan da zorlukla tahamm眉l edilen bir tanr谋.
Tats谋z bir diyar buras谋 uzun laf谋n k谋sas谋. Ve d眉nyam谋za benzeyen ama benzemeyen bu fantastik diyarda sava艧, cinsiyet rolleri, din, mizojini ve de臒i艧im hakk谋nda bir kitap Canavar Alay谋.
Polly sorgulayan g枚zlerin kendisine sapland谋臒谋n谋 hissetti. Utan谋yordu elbette. Ama a艧ikar sebepten dolay谋 de臒il. di臒er sebepten utan谋yordu, hayat谋n bazen d枚ve d枚ve 枚臒retti臒i k眉莽眉k dersten dolay谋: D眉nyay谋 izleyen tek ki艧i sen de臒ilsin. Ba艧kalar谋 da var; sen onlar谋 izlerken onlar da seni izliyor ve sen onlar hakk谋nda d眉艧眉n眉rken onlar da senin hakk谋nda d眉艧眉n眉yor. D眉nyada 枚nemli olan tek ki艧i sen de臒ilsin.
Bu d眉nyan谋n ortas谋nda ise Polly Perks var. Veya di臒er ismiyle Oliver veya mangas谋ndaki ad谋yla Ozzer veya 眉stlerinin deyimiyle Perks... Hem bir karga艧a hem de okyanusun ortas谋ndaki demir bir 莽apa Polly. Ad谋 gibi bir莽ok kimli臒i de var ve yol boyu ince ince, k眉莽眉k k眉莽眉k nas谋l de臒i艧ti臒ini, nas谋l b眉y眉d眉臒眉n眉, nas谋l b眉t眉n oldu臒unu veya nas谋l par莽alad谋臒谋n谋 izliyor an be an.
Asl谋nda ne sava艧la, ne vatanseverlikle ilgilenen, sadece sava艧 s谋ras谋nda kaybolmu艧 karde艧ini bulmak isteyen bir gen莽 k谋z. Ve bir g眉n art谋k sa莽lar谋n谋 kesip, pantolonunun i莽ine bir 莽orap t谋k谋艧t谋r谋p askere yaz谋lmaktan ve bu sanki asla bitmeyecekmi艧 gibi g枚z眉ken sava艧谋n i莽inde karde艧ini aramaktan ba艧ka 莽谋kar yolu kalmad谋臒谋n谋 hissediyor. 脟antas谋n谋 topluyor ve 莽al谋艧t谋臒谋 han谋n arka penceresinden gecenin karanl谋臒谋na ak谋p, Borogravia ordusuna kat谋lmak i莽in civardaki bir di臒er k枚y眉n han谋n谋n yolunu tutuveriyor.
H谋zl谋ca pantolonun i莽ine sokulan 莽oraplar谋n 艧ekillendirdi臒i bir d眉nyada buluyor kendini Polly. 脰nyarg谋larla, ayr谋mc谋l谋kla, sava艧la, cinsiyet莽ilikle dolu bir d眉nyada var olabilmek i莽in, ne oldu臒unu bulabilmek i莽in, kendini ve 莽evresini ve belki d眉nyay谋 de臒i艧tirmek i莽in ama asl谋nda sadece biraz aptal erkek karde艧ini bulabilmek i莽in, sadece kendisini saklaman谋n de臒il, beyniyle de臒il 莽oraplarla da d眉艧眉nebilmesi gerekti臒ini fark ediyor b眉y眉k bir h谋zla.
Polly'nin yolda艧lar谋 olan di臒er acemiler ise tuhaf bir tak谋m olu艧turuyor. Tam bir karde艧ler tak谋m谋 olan grup Vampir Maladict, Troll Z谋mparata艧, canavar alay谋n谋n muharebe doktoru Igor, e艧it derecede sessiz ve temkinli 莽ocuklar olan Tonker, Shufti, Wazzer ve Lofty ve hepsinin ba艧谋nda ordunun adeta demirba艧谋 haline gelmi艧 脟avu艧 Jackrum'dan olu艧uyor.
骋别谤莽别办ten tam bir 莽avu艧 Jackrum. Orduda say谋s谋 bir t眉rl眉 tam olarak tespit edilemeyen on y谋llar harcam谋艧 ama bir 艧ekilde terfi etmemi艧, asker tan谋m谋n谋n kirli bir tan谋m谋 adeta. Emrindeki askerlerin zarar g枚rmemesi i莽in her 艧eyi yapacak, sonuna ger莽ekten yolun sonuna kadar "莽ocuklar谋n谋" koruyacak ama ayn谋 zamanda nas谋l sava艧谋laca臒谋n谋 bilen, elini kirletmekten zerre ka莽谋nmayan, her durumda gere臒ini yapan bir karakter. Polly'nin ba艧lang谋莽 oldu臒u bir hikayede Jackrum adeta bir sonu莽. Muazzam bir karakter.
Jackrum'u General Patton'dan 枚d眉n莽 ald谋臒谋 艧u s枚z眉 en iyi tan谋ml谋yor belki de: "Ben kitaplardan ve vatan i莽in 枚lmekten falan hi莽 ho艧lanmam谋艧谋md谋r ama i艧imin, kar艧谋mdaki 艧eytan谋n vatan谋 i莽in 枚lmesini sa臒lamak oldu臒unu biliyorum."
Bu m眉kemmel kadroyu da akademinin parlak 莽ocu臒u, sava艧 alan谋 taraf谋ndan lekelenmemi艧, kimi y枚nlerden tam bir embesil, kimi y枚nlerden ise yenilik莽i, adeta orta karar bir 眉niversitenin m眉hendislik b枚l眉m眉nden yeni mezun Te臒men Bluz tamaml谋yor. Ard谋ndan Canavar Alay谋'n谋n ger莽ekli臒i hem ne kadar az hem de ne kadar 莽ok etkiledi臒ini izliyoruz Terry'nin rehberli臒inde.
""Do臒am gere臒i yalanc谋 bir adam de臒ilimdir Perks," dedi Bluz so臒uk bir sesle.
"Bunu duydu臒uma sevindim efendim. Sava艧谋 kazan谋yor muyuz efendim?"
"Hemen 艧u anda kes 艧unu Perks!" diye k眉kredi Jackrum.
"Yaln谋zca bir soruydu 莽avu艧." dedi Polly paylarcas谋na."
Kimi eski topraklar谋n da arada kendini g枚sterdi臒i hikayede, yine 莽ok g眉莽l眉 karakterleri var Terry'nin art谋k al谋艧t谋臒谋m谋z 眉zere. Kan emmeye t枚vbe etmi艧 Maladict'in kahve krizleri, hal眉sinasyonlar谋 眉zerinden i艧lenen Sava艧 travmalar谋, dinci bir e臒itim sisteminin elinde harap edilmi艧, ki艧ilikleri param par莽a edilmi艧 kad谋nlar谋n hikayeleri, yava艧 yava艧, g枚z g枚re g枚re delirerek Jeanne d'arc'a d枚n眉艧en bir kad谋n, d眉艧man i艧galine kar艧谋n hayat谋na devam etmek zorunda olanlar谋n anlat谋lar谋, a艧k谋 i莽in veya beklenmedik hata diye tan谋mlad谋klar谋 hareketlerin bedelini 枚demek i莽in savrulmu艧 olanlarla dolu, s枚yleyecek 莽ok s枚z眉 olan bir kitap bu.
Cinsiyet rollerinin di臒er taraftan nas谋l g枚r眉nd眉臒眉 ise kitab谋n elini g眉莽l眉 tuttu臒u bir ba艧ka k谋s谋m. Bir taraftan sadece erkeklerin varl谋臒谋n谋, kendilerini ortaya koymalar谋na izin verilen bir d眉nyada, duyulabilmek i莽in kad谋nlar谋n nas谋l bedel 枚demesi gerekti臒ini tart谋艧谋yor asl谋nda Terry, bir taraftan da de臒i艧imin travmalar谋n谋 g枚steriyor bize. Bu arada Terry'nin 枚l眉m眉nden sonra t眉m o "Terry'nin c眉celeri asl谋nda trans insanlar m谋?" i莽erikli homo/transfobinin havalarda u莽u艧tu臒u t眉m o tart谋艧malarda bu kitaptan asla s枚z edilmemi艧 olmas谋 da o kadar enteresanm谋艧 ki. 陌nsanlar谋n istemedi臒i konular谋 g枚rmezden gelebilme kapasitesi bir kez daha 艧a艧谋rtt谋 beni tam burada belirtmek isterim ki.
Canavar Alay谋 ayn谋 zamanda sava艧 hakk谋nda bir kitap. Bu sefer kenar谋ndan k枚艧esinden de de臒il, sava艧a do臒rudan ortas谋ndan giren bir kitap 眉stelik. Kimi zaman rahats谋z edicilik s谋n谋r谋na yakla艧an, insan谋n ellerini so臒utan anlar da i莽eriyor ancak bunu sava艧 anlat谋mlar谋ndaki al谋艧t谋臒谋m谋z yakla艧谋mlar olan korku veya i臒ren莽lik 眉zerinden empati dayatarak yapm谋yor. K眉莽眉k 莽apl谋 canavarl谋klar谋n nas谋l da ka莽谋n谋lmaz ve do臒al oldu臒unu g枚steriyor Terry bize. Ve bu -en az谋ndan benim i莽in-, par莽alanan cesetlerden bahseden bir sava艧 anlat谋s谋ndan 莽ok daha fazla "huzursuzca k谋p谋rdanmaya" neden oluyor.
Asker olman谋n nas谋l bir his karma艧as谋 oldu臒unu anlat谋yor Terry. 陌nsan谋n payla艧mad谋臒谋, inanmad谋臒谋n, hatta kimi zaman umurunda bile olmayan idealler ad谋na nas谋l ve neden hayat谋n谋 feda etmeyi g枚ze alabilece臒ini tart谋艧谋yor.
Disk'in en g眉zel kitaplar谋ndan biri olsa da Canavar Alay谋, rahatl谋kla s枚yleyebilirim ki en komi臒i de臒il. Onlarca muazzam an ve k谋k谋r k谋k谋r g眉lmeme neden olan tepecik i莽ermesine ra臒men karanl谋k, 眉z眉c眉 ve bazen 枚fkelendirici bir kitap bu. Bu arada rahatl谋kla tek ba艧谋na, serilerden ba臒谋ms谋z olarak okunabilecek bir kitap elimizdeki.
艦imdi (her zamankinden biraz uzun olmakla birlikte bu kez) referanslar ve ald谋臒谋m notlardan bahsetmek istiyorum biraz:
* Hikayenin ge莽ti臒i Borogravia 眉lkesini 40 y谋ll谋k D&D'ci olarak Ravenloft'un Barovia's谋na g枚nderme sanm谋艧t谋m ilk ba艧ta. Ancak sonradan 枚臒rendim ki Lewis Carroll'谋n gerek 陌ngilizce'ye gerekse Fantazi hikayecili臒ine ekledi臒i kelimelerle(bkz: Vorpal, Burble, Slithy vs) pek 眉nl眉 艧iiri Jabberwocky'daki "Borogoves"dan geliyormu艧 bu 眉lkenin ad谋. Carroll abimizin kokaini 莽ekip 莽ekip yazd谋臒谋 manyak莽a 艧iirinde 艧枚yle ge莽iyor:
Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Bu arada 艧iiri de 2016 y谋l谋nda Fato艧 Atay T眉rk莽eye 莽evirmi艧, bakarken sinirim bozuldu, elim aya臒谋m titredi. Ya Fato艧 ya...
Pi艧indiydi kayrak tirsukeleler
D枚nenip delgilendiler otgelde;
M谋zl谋yd谋lar tarazl谋 gubibikler,
Donguzlarsa nezgilendi.
* Kitapta D眉艧es'in foto臒raf谋n谋n 枚p眉lmesiyle birlikte bahsedilen uygulanan askere alma rit眉ellerinden bir di臒eri 艦ilinin Getirilmesi, 陌ngiliz Ordusunun uygulad谋臒谋 bir gelenek asl谋nda. Kral谋n (veya Krali莽enin, o an kim tahttaysa art谋k) 艦ilini diye bilinen gelenek, Birle艧ik Krall谋k askeri g眉莽lerinin 18. 19 ve 20. y眉zy谋llarda uygulad谋臒谋 bir kabul rit眉eliydi. K枚kenleri 1600lere (陌ngiliz 陌莽 Sava艧谋) uzanan gelene臒e g枚re askere al谋nan ki艧iye hak edilmi艧 枚deme olarak bir 艧ilin para verilir ve ancak bu i艧lemden sonra ki艧i asker olarak kabul g枚r眉rd眉. (bkz: )
* Tatl谋 vampirimiz Maladict'in barda "Elbette ben asla... at sidi臒i i莽mem" (I, of course, don't drink... horse piss) demesi yine Dracula'n谋n o pek 眉nl眉 "I never drink... Wine." repli臒ine g枚nderme. Daha 枚nce ayn谋 艧akay谋 Carpe Jugulum 'da da yapan Terry belli ki seviyor Dracula. Ve Dracula sevgimi art谋k utanmadan itiraf edebilen (te艧ekk眉rler Ezgi) benim y眉z眉mde de her defas谋nda ayn谋 tebess眉m眉 olu艧turuyor bu. 艦uraya da Dracula'n谋n sinema uyarlamalar谋ndan bir b谋rak谋yorum madem f谋rsattan istifade.
* Trollerin askere al谋nmas谋na kar艧谋 Strappi'nin itirazlar谋na Jackrum'un "Sorma-s枚yleme politikam谋z var, biliyorsun" demesi de Clinton ile birlikte an谋lan don't ask don't tell (sorma s枚yleme) politikas谋na bir g枚nderme. Don't ask, don't tell, 90'lar谋n ba艧谋nda uzun s眉redir y眉r眉rl眉kte olan homoseks眉ellerin Amerikan Ordusunda hizmet vermesini engelleyen kanunlar谋n tekrar incelenmesi sonras谋 ortaya 莽谋kan fiili ve enteresan 艧ekilde kanuni bir durumdu. Demokrat ve muhafazakarlar, politika de臒i艧imi 眉zerinde uzla艧amay谋nca, ordu y枚netiminin askerlere cinsel y枚nelimlerini sormas谋na izin verilmeyen, ancak halen askerlerin e艧cinsel veya bi-seks眉el oldu臒unu beyan etmesi durumunda ordudan uzakla艧t谋r谋ld谋臒谋 bir durum olu艧tu. Pop眉ler k眉lt眉rde de s谋k莽a dalga konusu olan yasa, nihayet b眉y眉k tart谋艧malarla da olsa 2011'de kald谋r谋ld谋.
* Z谋mparata艧'谋n i莽ti臒i "Elektrikli Yerg眉mleyen" asl谋nda basit bir pil.
* "Strappi'nin karatahtaya tepesine "NEDEN SAVA艦IYORUZ B陌Z?" yazm谋艧, sonra da kenara , alt alta "1, 2, 3" rakamlar谋n谋 eklemi艧ti" Bu g枚ndermemiz ise Country Joe'nun 眉nl眉 艧ark谋s谋 Feel Like I'M Fixing to Die Rag'a. da b谋rak谋yorum buraya hatta.
* Y眉zba艧谋 Bluz'眉n mektubundaki "terfi sayesinde de g眉nl眉臒眉m 1 艧ilin artt谋" bilgisinden hareket eden az i艧li bir arkada艧谋m谋z alt.fan.pratchett 'da Sterlin/Borogoravian Paritesi hesaplam谋艧. A艧谋r谋 e臒lenceli bir 艧ey b枚yle insanlar oldu臒unu bilmek, 1 Sterlin 11.16 Borogravia 艦ilini ediyormu艧 bu arada.
* Polly'nin "Topraklar谋m谋z谋 ele ge莽irmek amac谋yla 眉lkemizi i艧gal etmi艧ti efendim, ben de ge莽ici bir 艧ok ve hu艧u h眉cumunun zarar谋n谋n dokunmayaca臒谋n谋 d眉艧眉nd眉m." diyerek Jackrum'a rapor verirken kulland谋臒谋 "Shock and Awe", Amerika'n谋n 2003 Irak 陌艧gali ile birlikte kullan谋ma soktu臒u bir askeri doktrinmi艧 bu arada. Ben 莽ok daha eski oldu臒unu san谋yordum oysa.
* 滨驳辞谤颈苍补'苍谋苍 "Yaln谋z谋m tepeyi a艧t谋臒谋mdan beri, 脟ay谋rda ve vadide y眉r眉rken..." diye m谋r谋ldand谋臒谋 艧ark谋, adl谋 陌ngiliz Ordusu taraf谋ndan s谋k kullan谋lan bir folk 艧ark谋s谋. K谋rm谋z谋 urbal谋 yaylalar bir nevir.
* Hikayenin sonlar谋na do臒ru kar艧谋la艧t谋臒谋m谋z Lord Rust'谋n ne menem bir insan oldu臒unu ve alay谋ndakilerin neler ya艧ad谋臒谋n谋 Jingo 'da 莽ok iyi g枚rm眉艧t眉k bu arada.
* DeSoze'e(bkz: 骋别谤莽别办 ) "Karikat眉ristimiz Fizz 枚zel bask谋 i莽in bunu 莽izdi" derken Terry'nin referans verdi臒i karikat眉rc眉 asl谋nda Phiz lakapl谋 Hablot Knight Browne. Phiz 1800lerin sonunda 枚zellikle Dickens karikat眉rleriyle tan谋nm谋艧 bir 莽izer (bkz: )
* DeSoze'un Borogravia birlikleri taraf谋ndan durduruldu臒unda s枚yledi臒i "Civis Morporkias sum, efendim. Ben bir Ankh-Morpork vatanda艧谋y谋m." Roma'dan al谋nma bir tabir. T谋pk谋 2000 y谋l 枚nce d眉nyan谋n bir莽ok k枚艧esinde Civis Romanus sum diyen roma vatanda艧lar谋n谋n g眉venlik i莽inde seyahat edebilmesi gibi, Ankh-Morpork da tart谋艧mas谋z dominantl谋臒谋yla kendi vatanda艧lar谋na bu g眉veni verebiliyor.
Asl谋nda bu s枚z Roma'da basit bir g眉venlik 枚nleminden fazlas谋n谋 ifade etmi艧ti tarih boyunca. Evet elbette 枚z眉nde bir 艧iddet s枚z眉 yat谋yordu. Roma'n谋n vatanda艧lar谋na dokunmak demek Roma'n谋n korkun莽 gazab谋n谋 眉zerine 莽ekmek demekti ayn谋 zamanda. Ki d枚nemin adalet anlay谋艧谋na g枚re su莽un pek de bireysel olmad谋臒谋n谋, su莽lunun selam vermi艧 oldu臒u her canl谋n谋n enlemesine kesilip de kaz谋klarda sergilenmesi gibi kimi tatl谋l谋klar谋n vaka-谋 adiyeden say谋ld谋臒谋n谋 da unutmamak gerekiyor.
Ancak k枚kenleri ne olursa olsun Civis, sadece erkeklerin sahip olabildi臒i (kad谋nlar vatanda艧 olarak g枚r眉lmedi臒i i莽in) kimi Romal谋l谋k haklar谋n谋n(civis Romanus-Roma Vatanda艧谋) yan谋 s谋ra, sum ki艧ilik ekiyle de o ki艧iyi de y眉celten ve stat眉 sa臒layan bir s枚z olarak kullan谋lm谋艧t谋.
Hatta Aziz Paulus yahudiler taraf谋ndan 艧ikayet edilip zincire vurdu臒unda bunu s枚ylemi艧 ve 枚zg眉r olmu艧, daha sonra hristiyanl谋臒a aktar谋lan Roma geleneklerinden de biri olmu艧, adeta bir medenile艧me, Evropal谋l谋k bilinci, merkeziyet莽ilik gibi anlamlar谋n oda臒谋 haline gelmi艧ti.
Elbette 枚zellikle sanayi devrimi sonras谋 ya艧anan s眉re莽 sonras谋 art谋k Civis sumculuktan pek s枚z edemesek de, bug眉n "I am an American"a d枚n眉艧眉p d枚n眉艧memi艧 oldu臒u da ba艧ka bir yaz谋 i莽inde tart谋艧谋lmak 眉zere kals谋n burada.
* Bluz'眉n Resim g枚nderebilen klaklar谋n 莽al谋艧ma mant谋臒谋n谋 莽枚zd眉kten sonra bir s谋k谋艧t谋rma algoritmas谋 kullanmay谋 d眉艧眉n眉p d眉艧眉nmedi臒ini sormas谋 ger莽ekten muazzam. 脰nerdi臒i kodlama tekni臒i de hali haz谋rda resim s谋k谋艧t谋rmas谋nda s谋k莽a kullan谋lan RLE (bkz: )
* Bu arada Maladict'in kahve krizlerini dindirmek i莽in kulland谋臒谋 metotlardan biri de yine tarihsel bir olaya dayan谋yor. Amerikan 陌莽 Sava艧谋 s谋ras谋nda Birle艧ik Devletler ablukas谋 sayesinde Konfederasyon askerleri i莽in kahve neredeyse temin edilmesi imkans谋z bir hale geldi臒inde denedikleri 艧eylerden biri de me艧e palamuduymu艧.
* N*ran taraf谋ndan, kendisi mental yetenekler a莽谋s谋ndan dezavantajl谋 bir insan oldu臒u i莽in Kald谋r谋m 脟i莽ekleri olarak 莽evrilen genelevin orijinal ad谋 "The Solid Doves" ve 19. yy'da fahi艧eler i莽in s谋kl谋kla kullan谋lan soiled doves (kirli g眉vercin) teriminden geliyor. N*ran, Fahi艧eyi g枚r眉r g枚rmez yap谋艧t谋rm谋艧 kald谋r谋m谋 ama Soiled dove ayn谋 zamanda tarihi bir savunman谋n da ad谋. 1899'da Oklahoma'da bir fahi艧e olan Minnie Stacey ad谋na avukat Temple Lea Houston taraf谋ndan yap谋lm谋艧 olan savunman谋n tam metinini sadece kitap format谋nda bulabildim ama savunma
* Vimes'谋n kendini tan谋t谋rken "脰zel el莽i, B眉y眉kel莽i gibi bir 艧ey ama alt谋n paketli k眉莽眉k 莽ikolatalar olmadan." derken bahsetti臒i 莽ikolatalar pek 眉nl眉 Ferrero Rocher 莽ikolatalar谋. ki gece vakti fena halde can谋m谋n alt谋n paketli top top 莽ikolata 莽ekmesine neden oldu...
Sonu itibariyle de gri bir kitap bu asl谋nda. 脟ok da spoiler vermeye niyetim yok ama t眉m bunlar谋n sonunda de臒i艧imin m眉mk眉n oldu臒unu ama ger莽ekten bunun i莽in 莽ok fazla 艧ey gerekti臒ini s枚yl眉yor bir bak谋ma. Terry'nin de dedi臒i gibi bu bir peri diyar谋 kalesi de臒il ve burada ge莽en hikayeler de sonsuza kadar mutlu ya艧ad谋lar diye bitmiyor. Hem hayal k谋r谋kl谋臒谋na u臒ruyor hem de umutlan谋yorsunuz enteresan 锟斤拷ekilde ayn谋 anda. Yani bu y枚n眉yle de tan谋d谋k geliyor.
Son s枚z olarak; Kademe kademe a莽谋lan, her par莽as谋nda da yeni yerlere uzanan, harika bir kitapt谋 Canavar Alay谋. Beni en 莽ok etkileyen, en sevdi臒im Disk kitaplar谋ndan biri oldu ve 眉zerinde yazabilecek kadar sindirmem biraz vakit ald谋. Ama Teredd眉ts眉z tavsiye ediyorum ve de臒i艧im i莽in pantolon i莽ine 莽orap t谋k谋lmas谋 gerekmeyen bir d眉nyada (veya ad谋na) Terry dedemin hayal g眉c眉ne bir kez daha 艧apka 莽谋kar谋yorum.
"Bir sava艧谋 durdurmak, ba艧latmaktan 莽ok daha zordur. Ba艧latmak i莽in "H眉cum!" diye ba臒谋rmam谋z yeterliyken durdurmak istedi臒inizde herkesin me艧gul oluverdi臒ini g枚r眉rs眉n眉z."
Bu sefer Ankh-Morpork'un pek kavgac谋 kom艧usu Borogravia'ya gidiyor ve kom艧ular谋yla girdikleri sava艧谋n hikayesine, erkek k谋l谋臒谋na girerek askere yaz谋lm谋艧, karde艧ini arayan bir gen莽 k谋z谋n g枚z眉nden tan谋k oluyoruz.
Kimi y枚nleriyle ilgin莽, kimi y枚nleriyle ise istemeyece臒imiz kadar tan谋d谋k, boktan bir 眉lke Borogravia. Ekonomisi mutlak bir 莽枚k眉艧眉n arifesinde, art谋k neredeyse asker olacak sa臒l谋kl谋 bir pop眉lasyonu kalmam谋艧, y枚neticisi muhtemelen 枚lm眉艧, kafay谋 眉艧眉tm眉艧 tanr谋 Nuggan'谋n zorlu yasaklar谋 alt谋nda ya艧amaya 莽al谋艧an ve devaml谋 sava艧an bir 眉lke.
Geleneklerine ba臒l谋 ve muhafazakar. Kad谋nlar谋n en fazla sab谋rs谋z bir tahamm眉l umabilece臒i, her 艧eyin mant谋ks谋zl谋k bir s眉reklilikte yitip gitti臒i ama kurallara uymayan kad谋nlar谋 sadece bir in莽 kal谋nl谋臒谋ndan daha ince sopalarla d枚vd眉kleri i莽in gurur duyan ve i莽 bunalt谋c谋 bir kabullenmi艧li臒e teslim olmu艧 bir 眉lke ve topyek眉n kafay谋 yemi艧 bir halk谋n muhte艧em birle艧imi. Yani, elbette "uyan anavatan谋n o臒ullar谋" diye ba艧layan milli mar艧谋nda bir s眉re do臒a 枚v眉len, ard谋ndan da nas谋l da g眉zel sava艧t谋klar谋n谋n anlat谋ld谋臒谋, zor bir 眉lke.
Ve o Borogravia, bu sefer kom艧usu Zlobenia ile sava艧谋yor. "d眉nyan谋n her yerinde 枚zg眉rl眉k a艧谋臒谋 halklar谋n dostu olan Ankh-Morpork" da ekonomik sebeplerle tamamen ilgisiz bir bi莽imde 枚zg眉rl眉k ve demokrasi getirmek ad谋na bu sava艧a m眉dahil oluyor.
脺stelik Borogravia'n谋n dandik tanr谋s谋 da durumu hi莽 mi hi莽 kolayla艧t谋rm谋yor. Daha 枚nce Son Kahraman kitab谋nda da g枚rd眉臒眉m眉z, Nuggan, tepesi d枚k眉k sa莽lar谋, tuhaf b谋y谋臒谋, k谋sa boyu ve piknik t眉p眉n眉 and谋ran imaj谋 ile a莽谋k莽as谋 'in pop眉ler 莽ocu臒u de臒il. Ve Klatch'谋n Timsah Tanr谋s谋 Offler'谋n hakk谋nda "bir tanr谋n谋n asla b枚yle bir b谋y谋臒谋 olmamal谋" dedi臒ini Nuggan, inananlar谋n谋n ne yapmas谋 gerekti臒iyle de臒il de ne yapmamas谋 gerekti臒iyle daha 莽ok ilgilenen bir tanr谋. Kutsal kitab谋n谋 s谋kl谋kla g眉ncelleyen Nugan (kitab谋n sonunda ayr谋lm谋艧 olan bo艧 sayfalarda yeni g眉nahlar beliriyor) yapbozlar, sar谋msak, 莽ikolata, kediler, istiridyeler ve c眉celerden sonra bebekler ve mavi rengi de g眉nah ilan etti臒inden beri de kendi halk谋 taraf谋ndan da zorlukla tahamm眉l edilen bir tanr谋.
Tats谋z bir diyar buras谋 uzun laf谋n k谋sas谋. Ve d眉nyam谋za benzeyen ama benzemeyen bu fantastik diyarda sava艧, cinsiyet rolleri, din, mizojini ve de臒i艧im hakk谋nda bir kitap Canavar Alay谋.
Polly sorgulayan g枚zlerin kendisine sapland谋臒谋n谋 hissetti. Utan谋yordu elbette. Ama a艧ikar sebepten dolay谋 de臒il. di臒er sebepten utan谋yordu, hayat谋n bazen d枚ve d枚ve 枚臒retti臒i k眉莽眉k dersten dolay谋: D眉nyay谋 izleyen tek ki艧i sen de臒ilsin. Ba艧kalar谋 da var; sen onlar谋 izlerken onlar da seni izliyor ve sen onlar hakk谋nda d眉艧眉n眉rken onlar da senin hakk谋nda d眉艧眉n眉yor. D眉nyada 枚nemli olan tek ki艧i sen de臒ilsin.
Bu d眉nyan谋n ortas谋nda ise Polly Perks var. Veya di臒er ismiyle Oliver veya mangas谋ndaki ad谋yla Ozzer veya 眉stlerinin deyimiyle Perks... Hem bir karga艧a hem de okyanusun ortas谋ndaki demir bir 莽apa Polly. Ad谋 gibi bir莽ok kimli臒i de var ve yol boyu ince ince, k眉莽眉k k眉莽眉k nas谋l de臒i艧ti臒ini, nas谋l b眉y眉d眉臒眉n眉, nas谋l b眉t眉n oldu臒unu veya nas谋l par莽alad谋臒谋n谋 izliyor an be an.
Asl谋nda ne sava艧la, ne vatanseverlikle ilgilenen, sadece sava艧 s谋ras谋nda kaybolmu艧 karde艧ini bulmak isteyen bir gen莽 k谋z. Ve bir g眉n art谋k sa莽lar谋n谋 kesip, pantolonunun i莽ine bir 莽orap t谋k谋艧t谋r谋p askere yaz谋lmaktan ve bu sanki asla bitmeyecekmi艧 gibi g枚z眉ken sava艧谋n i莽inde karde艧ini aramaktan ba艧ka 莽谋kar yolu kalmad谋臒谋n谋 hissediyor. 脟antas谋n谋 topluyor ve 莽al谋艧t谋臒谋 han谋n arka penceresinden gecenin karanl谋臒谋na ak谋p, Borogravia ordusuna kat谋lmak i莽in civardaki bir di臒er k枚y眉n han谋n谋n yolunu tutuveriyor.
H谋zl谋ca pantolonun i莽ine sokulan 莽oraplar谋n 艧ekillendirdi臒i bir d眉nyada buluyor kendini Polly. 脰nyarg谋larla, ayr谋mc谋l谋kla, sava艧la, cinsiyet莽ilikle dolu bir d眉nyada var olabilmek i莽in, ne oldu臒unu bulabilmek i莽in, kendini ve 莽evresini ve belki d眉nyay谋 de臒i艧tirmek i莽in ama asl谋nda sadece biraz aptal erkek karde艧ini bulabilmek i莽in, sadece kendisini saklaman谋n de臒il, beyniyle de臒il 莽oraplarla da d眉艧眉nebilmesi gerekti臒ini fark ediyor b眉y眉k bir h谋zla.
Polly'nin yolda艧lar谋 olan di臒er acemiler ise tuhaf bir tak谋m olu艧turuyor. Tam bir karde艧ler tak谋m谋 olan grup Vampir Maladict, Troll Z谋mparata艧, canavar alay谋n谋n muharebe doktoru Igor, e艧it derecede sessiz ve temkinli 莽ocuklar olan Tonker, Shufti, Wazzer ve Lofty ve hepsinin ba艧谋nda ordunun adeta demirba艧谋 haline gelmi艧 脟avu艧 Jackrum'dan olu艧uyor.
骋别谤莽别办ten tam bir 莽avu艧 Jackrum. Orduda say谋s谋 bir t眉rl眉 tam olarak tespit edilemeyen on y谋llar harcam谋艧 ama bir 艧ekilde terfi etmemi艧, asker tan谋m谋n谋n kirli bir tan谋m谋 adeta. Emrindeki askerlerin zarar g枚rmemesi i莽in her 艧eyi yapacak, sonuna ger莽ekten yolun sonuna kadar "莽ocuklar谋n谋" koruyacak ama ayn谋 zamanda nas谋l sava艧谋laca臒谋n谋 bilen, elini kirletmekten zerre ka莽谋nmayan, her durumda gere臒ini yapan bir karakter. Polly'nin ba艧lang谋莽 oldu臒u bir hikayede Jackrum adeta bir sonu莽. Muazzam bir karakter.
Jackrum'u General Patton'dan 枚d眉n莽 ald谋臒谋 艧u s枚z眉 en iyi tan谋ml谋yor belki de: "Ben kitaplardan ve vatan i莽in 枚lmekten falan hi莽 ho艧lanmam谋艧谋md谋r ama i艧imin, kar艧谋mdaki 艧eytan谋n vatan谋 i莽in 枚lmesini sa臒lamak oldu臒unu biliyorum."
Bu m眉kemmel kadroyu da akademinin parlak 莽ocu臒u, sava艧 alan谋 taraf谋ndan lekelenmemi艧, kimi y枚nlerden tam bir embesil, kimi y枚nlerden ise yenilik莽i, adeta orta karar bir 眉niversitenin m眉hendislik b枚l眉m眉nden yeni mezun Te臒men Bluz tamaml谋yor. Ard谋ndan Canavar Alay谋'n谋n ger莽ekli臒i hem ne kadar az hem de ne kadar 莽ok etkiledi臒ini izliyoruz Terry'nin rehberli臒inde.
""Do臒am gere臒i yalanc谋 bir adam de臒ilimdir Perks," dedi Bluz so臒uk bir sesle.
"Bunu duydu臒uma sevindim efendim. Sava艧谋 kazan谋yor muyuz efendim?"
"Hemen 艧u anda kes 艧unu Perks!" diye k眉kredi Jackrum.
"Yaln谋zca bir soruydu 莽avu艧." dedi Polly paylarcas谋na."
Kimi eski topraklar谋n da arada kendini g枚sterdi臒i hikayede, yine 莽ok g眉莽l眉 karakterleri var Terry'nin art谋k al谋艧t谋臒谋m谋z 眉zere. Kan emmeye t枚vbe etmi艧 Maladict'in kahve krizleri, hal眉sinasyonlar谋 眉zerinden i艧lenen Sava艧 travmalar谋, dinci bir e臒itim sisteminin elinde harap edilmi艧, ki艧ilikleri param par莽a edilmi艧 kad谋nlar谋n hikayeleri, yava艧 yava艧, g枚z g枚re g枚re delirerek Jeanne d'arc'a d枚n眉艧en bir kad谋n, d眉艧man i艧galine kar艧谋n hayat谋na devam etmek zorunda olanlar谋n anlat谋lar谋, a艧k谋 i莽in veya beklenmedik hata diye tan谋mlad谋klar谋 hareketlerin bedelini 枚demek i莽in savrulmu艧 olanlarla dolu, s枚yleyecek 莽ok s枚z眉 olan bir kitap bu.
Cinsiyet rollerinin di臒er taraftan nas谋l g枚r眉nd眉臒眉 ise kitab谋n elini g眉莽l眉 tuttu臒u bir ba艧ka k谋s谋m. Bir taraftan sadece erkeklerin varl谋臒谋n谋, kendilerini ortaya koymalar谋na izin verilen bir d眉nyada, duyulabilmek i莽in kad谋nlar谋n nas谋l bedel 枚demesi gerekti臒ini tart谋艧谋yor asl谋nda Terry, bir taraftan da de臒i艧imin travmalar谋n谋 g枚steriyor bize. Bu arada Terry'nin 枚l眉m眉nden sonra t眉m o "Terry'nin c眉celeri asl谋nda trans insanlar m谋?" i莽erikli homo/transfobinin havalarda u莽u艧tu臒u t眉m o tart谋艧malarda bu kitaptan asla s枚z edilmemi艧 olmas谋 da o kadar enteresanm谋艧 ki. 陌nsanlar谋n istemedi臒i konular谋 g枚rmezden gelebilme kapasitesi bir kez daha 艧a艧谋rtt谋 beni tam burada belirtmek isterim ki.
Canavar Alay谋 ayn谋 zamanda sava艧 hakk谋nda bir kitap. Bu sefer kenar谋ndan k枚艧esinden de de臒il, sava艧a do臒rudan ortas谋ndan giren bir kitap 眉stelik. Kimi zaman rahats谋z edicilik s谋n谋r谋na yakla艧an, insan谋n ellerini so臒utan anlar da i莽eriyor ancak bunu sava艧 anlat谋mlar谋ndaki al谋艧t谋臒谋m谋z yakla艧谋mlar olan korku veya i臒ren莽lik 眉zerinden empati dayatarak yapm谋yor. K眉莽眉k 莽apl谋 canavarl谋klar谋n nas谋l da ka莽谋n谋lmaz ve do臒al oldu臒unu g枚steriyor Terry bize. Ve bu -en az谋ndan benim i莽in-, par莽alanan cesetlerden bahseden bir sava艧 anlat谋s谋ndan 莽ok daha fazla "huzursuzca k谋p谋rdanmaya" neden oluyor.
Asker olman谋n nas谋l bir his karma艧as谋 oldu臒unu anlat谋yor Terry. 陌nsan谋n payla艧mad谋臒谋, inanmad谋臒谋n, hatta kimi zaman umurunda bile olmayan idealler ad谋na nas谋l ve neden hayat谋n谋 feda etmeyi g枚ze alabilece臒ini tart谋艧谋yor.
Disk'in en g眉zel kitaplar谋ndan biri olsa da Canavar Alay谋, rahatl谋kla s枚yleyebilirim ki en komi臒i de臒il. Onlarca muazzam an ve k谋k谋r k谋k谋r g眉lmeme neden olan tepecik i莽ermesine ra臒men karanl谋k, 眉z眉c眉 ve bazen 枚fkelendirici bir kitap bu. Bu arada rahatl谋kla tek ba艧谋na, serilerden ba臒谋ms谋z olarak okunabilecek bir kitap elimizdeki.
艦imdi (her zamankinden biraz uzun olmakla birlikte bu kez) referanslar ve ald谋臒谋m notlardan bahsetmek istiyorum biraz:
* Hikayenin ge莽ti臒i Borogravia 眉lkesini 40 y谋ll谋k D&D'ci olarak Ravenloft'un Barovia's谋na g枚nderme sanm谋艧t谋m ilk ba艧ta. Ancak sonradan 枚臒rendim ki Lewis Carroll'谋n gerek 陌ngilizce'ye gerekse Fantazi hikayecili臒ine ekledi臒i kelimelerle(bkz: Vorpal, Burble, Slithy vs) pek 眉nl眉 艧iiri Jabberwocky'daki "Borogoves"dan geliyormu艧 bu 眉lkenin ad谋. Carroll abimizin kokaini 莽ekip 莽ekip yazd谋臒谋 manyak莽a 艧iirinde 艧枚yle ge莽iyor:
Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Bu arada 艧iiri de 2016 y谋l谋nda Fato艧 Atay T眉rk莽eye 莽evirmi艧, bakarken sinirim bozuldu, elim aya臒谋m titredi. Ya Fato艧 ya...
Pi艧indiydi kayrak tirsukeleler
D枚nenip delgilendiler otgelde;
M谋zl谋yd谋lar tarazl谋 gubibikler,
Donguzlarsa nezgilendi.
* Kitapta D眉艧es'in foto臒raf谋n谋n 枚p眉lmesiyle birlikte bahsedilen uygulanan askere alma rit眉ellerinden bir di臒eri 艦ilinin Getirilmesi, 陌ngiliz Ordusunun uygulad谋臒谋 bir gelenek asl谋nda. Kral谋n (veya Krali莽enin, o an kim tahttaysa art谋k) 艦ilini diye bilinen gelenek, Birle艧ik Krall谋k askeri g眉莽lerinin 18. 19 ve 20. y眉zy谋llarda uygulad谋臒谋 bir kabul rit眉eliydi. K枚kenleri 1600lere (陌ngiliz 陌莽 Sava艧谋) uzanan gelene臒e g枚re askere al谋nan ki艧iye hak edilmi艧 枚deme olarak bir 艧ilin para verilir ve ancak bu i艧lemden sonra ki艧i asker olarak kabul g枚r眉rd眉. (bkz: )
* Tatl谋 vampirimiz Maladict'in barda "Elbette ben asla... at sidi臒i i莽mem" (I, of course, don't drink... horse piss) demesi yine Dracula'n谋n o pek 眉nl眉 "I never drink... Wine." repli臒ine g枚nderme. Daha 枚nce ayn谋 艧akay谋 Carpe Jugulum 'da da yapan Terry belli ki seviyor Dracula. Ve Dracula sevgimi art谋k utanmadan itiraf edebilen (te艧ekk眉rler Ezgi) benim y眉z眉mde de her defas谋nda ayn谋 tebess眉m眉 olu艧turuyor bu. 艦uraya da Dracula'n谋n sinema uyarlamalar谋ndan bir b谋rak谋yorum madem f谋rsattan istifade.
* Trollerin askere al谋nmas谋na kar艧谋 Strappi'nin itirazlar谋na Jackrum'un "Sorma-s枚yleme politikam谋z var, biliyorsun" demesi de Clinton ile birlikte an谋lan don't ask don't tell (sorma s枚yleme) politikas谋na bir g枚nderme. Don't ask, don't tell, 90'lar谋n ba艧谋nda uzun s眉redir y眉r眉rl眉kte olan homoseks眉ellerin Amerikan Ordusunda hizmet vermesini engelleyen kanunlar谋n tekrar incelenmesi sonras谋 ortaya 莽谋kan fiili ve enteresan 艧ekilde kanuni bir durumdu. Demokrat ve muhafazakarlar, politika de臒i艧imi 眉zerinde uzla艧amay谋nca, ordu y枚netiminin askerlere cinsel y枚nelimlerini sormas谋na izin verilmeyen, ancak halen askerlerin e艧cinsel veya bi-seks眉el oldu臒unu beyan etmesi durumunda ordudan uzakla艧t谋r谋ld谋臒谋 bir durum olu艧tu. Pop眉ler k眉lt眉rde de s谋k莽a dalga konusu olan yasa, nihayet b眉y眉k tart谋艧malarla da olsa 2011'de kald谋r谋ld谋.
* Z谋mparata艧'谋n i莽ti臒i "Elektrikli Yerg眉mleyen" asl谋nda basit bir pil.
* "Strappi'nin karatahtaya tepesine "NEDEN SAVA艦IYORUZ B陌Z?" yazm谋艧, sonra da kenara , alt alta "1, 2, 3" rakamlar谋n谋 eklemi艧ti" Bu g枚ndermemiz ise Country Joe'nun 眉nl眉 艧ark谋s谋 Feel Like I'M Fixing to Die Rag'a. da b谋rak谋yorum buraya hatta.
* Y眉zba艧谋 Bluz'眉n mektubundaki "terfi sayesinde de g眉nl眉臒眉m 1 艧ilin artt谋" bilgisinden hareket eden az i艧li bir arkada艧谋m谋z alt.fan.pratchett 'da Sterlin/Borogoravian Paritesi hesaplam谋艧. A艧谋r谋 e臒lenceli bir 艧ey b枚yle insanlar oldu臒unu bilmek, 1 Sterlin 11.16 Borogravia 艦ilini ediyormu艧 bu arada.
* Polly'nin "Topraklar谋m谋z谋 ele ge莽irmek amac谋yla 眉lkemizi i艧gal etmi艧ti efendim, ben de ge莽ici bir 艧ok ve hu艧u h眉cumunun zarar谋n谋n dokunmayaca臒谋n谋 d眉艧眉nd眉m." diyerek Jackrum'a rapor verirken kulland谋臒谋 "Shock and Awe", Amerika'n谋n 2003 Irak 陌艧gali ile birlikte kullan谋ma soktu臒u bir askeri doktrinmi艧 bu arada. Ben 莽ok daha eski oldu臒unu san谋yordum oysa.
* 滨驳辞谤颈苍补'苍谋苍 "Yaln谋z谋m tepeyi a艧t谋臒谋mdan beri, 脟ay谋rda ve vadide y眉r眉rken..." diye m谋r谋ldand谋臒谋 艧ark谋, adl谋 陌ngiliz Ordusu taraf谋ndan s谋k kullan谋lan bir folk 艧ark谋s谋. K谋rm谋z谋 urbal谋 yaylalar bir nevir.
* Hikayenin sonlar谋na do臒ru kar艧谋la艧t谋臒谋m谋z Lord Rust'谋n ne menem bir insan oldu臒unu ve alay谋ndakilerin neler ya艧ad谋臒谋n谋 Jingo 'da 莽ok iyi g枚rm眉艧t眉k bu arada.
* DeSoze'e(bkz: 骋别谤莽别办 ) "Karikat眉ristimiz Fizz 枚zel bask谋 i莽in bunu 莽izdi" derken Terry'nin referans verdi臒i karikat眉rc眉 asl谋nda Phiz lakapl谋 Hablot Knight Browne. Phiz 1800lerin sonunda 枚zellikle Dickens karikat眉rleriyle tan谋nm谋艧 bir 莽izer (bkz: )
* DeSoze'un Borogravia birlikleri taraf谋ndan durduruldu臒unda s枚yledi臒i "Civis Morporkias sum, efendim. Ben bir Ankh-Morpork vatanda艧谋y谋m." Roma'dan al谋nma bir tabir. T谋pk谋 2000 y谋l 枚nce d眉nyan谋n bir莽ok k枚艧esinde Civis Romanus sum diyen roma vatanda艧lar谋n谋n g眉venlik i莽inde seyahat edebilmesi gibi, Ankh-Morpork da tart谋艧mas谋z dominantl谋臒谋yla kendi vatanda艧lar谋na bu g眉veni verebiliyor.
Asl谋nda bu s枚z Roma'da basit bir g眉venlik 枚nleminden fazlas谋n谋 ifade etmi艧ti tarih boyunca. Evet elbette 枚z眉nde bir 艧iddet s枚z眉 yat谋yordu. Roma'n谋n vatanda艧lar谋na dokunmak demek Roma'n谋n korkun莽 gazab谋n谋 眉zerine 莽ekmek demekti ayn谋 zamanda. Ki d枚nemin adalet anlay谋艧谋na g枚re su莽un pek de bireysel olmad谋臒谋n谋, su莽lunun selam vermi艧 oldu臒u her canl谋n谋n enlemesine kesilip de kaz谋klarda sergilenmesi gibi kimi tatl谋l谋klar谋n vaka-谋 adiyeden say谋ld谋臒谋n谋 da unutmamak gerekiyor.
Ancak k枚kenleri ne olursa olsun Civis, sadece erkeklerin sahip olabildi臒i (kad谋nlar vatanda艧 olarak g枚r眉lmedi臒i i莽in) kimi Romal谋l谋k haklar谋n谋n(civis Romanus-Roma Vatanda艧谋) yan谋 s谋ra, sum ki艧ilik ekiyle de o ki艧iyi de y眉celten ve stat眉 sa臒layan bir s枚z olarak kullan谋lm谋艧t谋.
Hatta Aziz Paulus yahudiler taraf谋ndan 艧ikayet edilip zincire vurdu臒unda bunu s枚ylemi艧 ve 枚zg眉r olmu艧, daha sonra hristiyanl谋臒a aktar谋lan Roma geleneklerinden de biri olmu艧, adeta bir medenile艧me, Evropal谋l谋k bilinci, merkeziyet莽ilik gibi anlamlar谋n oda臒谋 haline gelmi艧ti.
Elbette 枚zellikle sanayi devrimi sonras谋 ya艧anan s眉re莽 sonras谋 art谋k Civis sumculuktan pek s枚z edemesek de, bug眉n "I am an American"a d枚n眉艧眉p d枚n眉艧memi艧 oldu臒u da ba艧ka bir yaz谋 i莽inde tart谋艧谋lmak 眉zere kals谋n burada.
* Bluz'眉n Resim g枚nderebilen klaklar谋n 莽al谋艧ma mant谋臒谋n谋 莽枚zd眉kten sonra bir s谋k谋艧t谋rma algoritmas谋 kullanmay谋 d眉艧眉n眉p d眉艧眉nmedi臒ini sormas谋 ger莽ekten muazzam. 脰nerdi臒i kodlama tekni臒i de hali haz谋rda resim s谋k谋艧t谋rmas谋nda s谋k莽a kullan谋lan RLE (bkz: )
* Bu arada Maladict'in kahve krizlerini dindirmek i莽in kulland谋臒谋 metotlardan biri de yine tarihsel bir olaya dayan谋yor. Amerikan 陌莽 Sava艧谋 s谋ras谋nda Birle艧ik Devletler ablukas谋 sayesinde Konfederasyon askerleri i莽in kahve neredeyse temin edilmesi imkans谋z bir hale geldi臒inde denedikleri 艧eylerden biri de me艧e palamuduymu艧.
* N*ran taraf谋ndan, kendisi mental yetenekler a莽谋s谋ndan dezavantajl谋 bir insan oldu臒u i莽in Kald谋r谋m 脟i莽ekleri olarak 莽evrilen genelevin orijinal ad谋 "The Solid Doves" ve 19. yy'da fahi艧eler i莽in s谋kl谋kla kullan谋lan soiled doves (kirli g眉vercin) teriminden geliyor. N*ran, Fahi艧eyi g枚r眉r g枚rmez yap谋艧t谋rm谋艧 kald谋r谋m谋 ama Soiled dove ayn谋 zamanda tarihi bir savunman谋n da ad谋. 1899'da Oklahoma'da bir fahi艧e olan Minnie Stacey ad谋na avukat Temple Lea Houston taraf谋ndan yap谋lm谋艧 olan savunman谋n tam metinini sadece kitap format谋nda bulabildim ama savunma
* Vimes'谋n kendini tan谋t谋rken "脰zel el莽i, B眉y眉kel莽i gibi bir 艧ey ama alt谋n paketli k眉莽眉k 莽ikolatalar olmadan." derken bahsetti臒i 莽ikolatalar pek 眉nl眉 Ferrero Rocher 莽ikolatalar谋. ki gece vakti fena halde can谋m谋n alt谋n paketli top top 莽ikolata 莽ekmesine neden oldu...
Sonu itibariyle de gri bir kitap bu asl谋nda. 脟ok da spoiler vermeye niyetim yok ama t眉m bunlar谋n sonunda de臒i艧imin m眉mk眉n oldu臒unu ama ger莽ekten bunun i莽in 莽ok fazla 艧ey gerekti臒ini s枚yl眉yor bir bak谋ma. Terry'nin de dedi臒i gibi bu bir peri diyar谋 kalesi de臒il ve burada ge莽en hikayeler de sonsuza kadar mutlu ya艧ad谋lar diye bitmiyor. Hem hayal k谋r谋kl谋臒谋na u臒ruyor hem de umutlan谋yorsunuz enteresan 锟斤拷ekilde ayn谋 anda. Yani bu y枚n眉yle de tan谋d谋k geliyor.
Son s枚z olarak; Kademe kademe a莽谋lan, her par莽as谋nda da yeni yerlere uzanan, harika bir kitapt谋 Canavar Alay谋. Beni en 莽ok etkileyen, en sevdi臒im Disk kitaplar谋ndan biri oldu ve 眉zerinde yazabilecek kadar sindirmem biraz vakit ald谋. Ama Teredd眉ts眉z tavsiye ediyorum ve de臒i艧im i莽in pantolon i莽ine 莽orap t谋k谋lmas谋 gerekmeyen bir d眉nyada (veya ad谋na) Terry dedemin hayal g眉c眉ne bir kez daha 艧apka 莽谋kar谋yorum.
"Bir sava艧谋 durdurmak, ba艧latmaktan 莽ok daha zordur. Ba艧latmak i莽in "H眉cum!" diye ba臒谋rmam谋z yeterliyken durdurmak istedi臒inizde herkesin me艧gul oluverdi臒ini g枚r眉rs眉n眉z."
April 13, 2022
I didn't fully click with this particular Pratchett when it first came out, and I still can't count it among my favorites now. This is in spite of Polly being a wonderful and relatable character. But this novel suffers from of the structural problems that plague a few of Pratchett's books -- there's a fun opening, and often an exciting climax, but the middle just sort of meanders aimlessly, dependent on the quality of the witticism and shenanigans, and this book does not contain my favorite examples of either.
Also it's amazing to me, in 2022, how queer this book doesn't feel -- how many opportunities for queerness seem to slide right off the page and vanish. I, being elderly, am well aware that the world was very different in 2003, and I don't think Pratchett would write it this same way now. To paraphrase his pal Neil Gaiman, I am still glad he wrote it then. But age has sadly not improved it for me.
Also it's amazing to me, in 2022, how queer this book doesn't feel -- how many opportunities for queerness seem to slide right off the page and vanish. I, being elderly, am well aware that the world was very different in 2003, and I don't think Pratchett would write it this same way now. To paraphrase his pal Neil Gaiman, I am still glad he wrote it then. But age has sadly not improved it for me.
Read
December 18, 2016Akrepski odred mi se 膷ini kao jedan od boljih Pra膷eta (dobro, za mene uvek odska膷u oni Pra膷eti u kojima ima ve拧tica ili Stra啪e). A 膷ini mi se da je i prevod me膽u na拧im boljim prevodima Pra膷eta. Kupio me je ve膰 nabrajanjem pesama tipa "Ja sam ja, D啪eremaja" i "Rado ide D啪oni u vojnike" jer... kako to mislite, krosover Hermanovog stripa i Tozovca mo啪e da ne bude sme拧an?
December 30, 2021
This book was newly published when I first started reading Discworld eighteen years ago. I wanted to read it right then but, because I am me, I decided to wait until I could read it in order. Literally half my life later, I made it! And honestly, I'm kind of glad I waited. Eighteen year old me was smart, but I appreciate it more now than I think I would have then. This one has instantly made my top five Discworld books, right up there with a bunch of City Watch books, and Hogfather.
What we've got here is an anti-war book that simultaneously criticizes the pointlessness of nationalism and patriotism, and adherence to gender norms. The central gag . Pratchett keeps it going for the whole novel, and it gets funnier as it goes.
I am not smart enough to write about this series in depth, and I'm most definitely not funny enough. Terry Pratchett was a genius, so I hope you'll forgive me for just filling up the rest of this review space with quotes.
What we've got here is an anti-war book that simultaneously criticizes the pointlessness of nationalism and patriotism, and adherence to gender norms. The central gag . Pratchett keeps it going for the whole novel, and it gets funnier as it goes.
I am not smart enough to write about this series in depth, and I'm most definitely not funny enough. Terry Pratchett was a genius, so I hope you'll forgive me for just filling up the rest of this review space with quotes.
鈥淭he purpose of this lectchoor is to let you know where we are. We are in the deep cack. It couldn't be worse if it was raining arseholes. Any questions?鈥�
鈥淵ou take a bunch of people who don't seem any different from you and me, but when you add them all together you get this sort of huge raving maniac with national borders and an anthem.鈥�
鈥淚 want to eat chocolates in a great big room where the world is a different place.鈥�
"Trousers. That's the secret. Trousers and a pair of socks. I never dreamed it was like this. Put on trousers and the world changes. We walk different. We act different. I see these girls and I think: Idiots, get yourself some trousers!"
"'What does Borogravia want? Not the country. I mean the people.'
Polly opened her mouth and then shut it again, and thought about the answer.
'To be left alone,' she said. 'By everybody. For a while, anyway. We can change things.'
'You'll accept the food?'
'We are a proud country.'
'What are you proud of?'
It came swiftly, like a blow, and Polly realized how wars happened. You took that shock that had run through her, and let it boil.
. . . it may be corrupt, benighted, and stupid, but it's ours . . .
Vimes was watching her face. 'From this desk here,' he said, 'the only thing your country has to be proud of right now is you women.'"
March 15, 2025
袟褉褟谢芯褌芯 褌胁芯褉褔械褋褌胁芯 薪邪 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 芯锌褉械写械谢械薪芯 械 屑薪芯谐芯 写芯斜褉芯 懈 效褍写芯胁懈褖薪邪 泻芯屑邪薪写邪 薪械 锌褉邪胁懈 懈蟹泻谢褞褔械薪懈械. 袗泻芯 褋械 邪斜褋褌褉邪褏懈褉邪屑械 芯褌 褎械屑懈薪懈褋褌泻芯-褌褉邪薪褋褋械泻褋褍邪谢薪懈褟 械谢械屑械薪褌 胁 泻薪懈谐邪褌邪, 泻芯泄褌芯 械 写芯泻邪褉邪薪 写芯 锌褉邪泻褌懈褔械褋泻芯 薪械胁褗蟹屑芯卸薪芯, 薪芯 薪械 薪邪褌褉邪锌褔懈胁芯 薪懈胁芯 (胁褋械 锌邪泻 械 械褋褌械褋褌胁械薪邪 褔邪褋褌 芯褌 褋褞卸械褌邪), 芯锌懈褋邪薪懈械褌芯 薪邪 屑械卸写褍薪邪褉芯写薪邪褌邪 锌芯谢懈褌懈泻邪 胁 袝胁褉芯锌邪 芯褌 袪械薪械褋邪薪褋邪 写芯 薪邪褔邪谢芯褌芯 薪邪 20 胁. 械 褋 薪邪锌褉邪胁芯 褉械卸械褖邪 褋邪褌懈褉邪 懈 写邪卸械 斜褗谢谐邪褉懈褌械 屑芯谐邪褌 写邪 锌褉懈锌芯蟹薪邪褟褌 胁 薪械褟 斜械蟹褍屑薪懈褟 薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢懈蟹褗屑 薪邪 锌械褉懈芯写邪 芯泻芯谢芯 袘邪谢泻邪薪褋泻懈褌械 懈 袩褗褉胁邪褌邪 褋胁械褌芯胁薪邪 胁芯泄薪懈, 写芯胁械谢 写芯 褌褉懈 薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢薪懈 泻邪褌邪褋褌褉芯褎懈.
袨褋芯斜械薪芯 斜芯谢械蟹薪械薪芯 蟹胁褍褔懈 锌芯写懈谐褉邪胁泻邪褌邪 褋 薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢薪懈褟 褏懈屑薪 薪邪 懈蟹屑懈褋谢械薪邪褌邪 写褗褉卸邪胁邪 袘芯谐芯褉邪胁懈褟, 泻芯泄褌芯 蟹邪锌芯褔胁邪 褋 写褍屑邪褌邪 "袧邪褖褉械泻!" 懈 褔械 屑芯卸械屑 写邪 褋懈 锌褉械写褋褌邪胁懈屑 褖芯 蟹邪 写褗褉卸邪胁邪 褋 褖芯 蟹邪 薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢薪懈 锌褉懈芯褉懈褌械褌懈 懈屑邪 锌芯写芯斜械薪 褏懈屑薪 - 锌褉懈 褍褋谢芯胁懈械 褔械 薪邪褕懈褟褌 芯褌 褌芯谐邪胁邪 械 "楔褍屑懈 袦邪褉懈褑邪 芯泻褗褉胁邪胁械薪邪, 锌谢邪褔械 胁写芯胁懈褑邪 褋屑褗褉褌薪芯 褉邪薪械薪邪. 袦邪褉褕, 屑邪褉褕 褋 谐械薪械褉邪谢邪 薪邪褕, 胁 斜芯泄 写邪 谢械褌懈屑, 胁褉邪谐 写邪 锌芯斜械写懈屑!"...
袨褋芯斜械薪芯 斜芯谢械蟹薪械薪芯 蟹胁褍褔懈 锌芯写懈谐褉邪胁泻邪褌邪 褋 薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢薪懈褟 褏懈屑薪 薪邪 懈蟹屑懈褋谢械薪邪褌邪 写褗褉卸邪胁邪 袘芯谐芯褉邪胁懈褟, 泻芯泄褌芯 蟹邪锌芯褔胁邪 褋 写褍屑邪褌邪 "袧邪褖褉械泻!" 懈 褔械 屑芯卸械屑 写邪 褋懈 锌褉械写褋褌邪胁懈屑 褖芯 蟹邪 写褗褉卸邪胁邪 褋 褖芯 蟹邪 薪邪褑懈芯薪邪谢薪懈 锌褉懈芯褉懈褌械褌懈 懈屑邪 锌芯写芯斜械薪 褏懈屑薪 - 锌褉懈 褍褋谢芯胁懈械 褔械 薪邪褕懈褟褌 芯褌 褌芯谐邪胁邪 械 "楔褍屑懈 袦邪褉懈褑邪 芯泻褗褉胁邪胁械薪邪, 锌谢邪褔械 胁写芯胁懈褑邪 褋屑褗褉褌薪芯 褉邪薪械薪邪. 袦邪褉褕, 屑邪褉褕 褋 谐械薪械褉邪谢邪 薪邪褕, 胁 斜芯泄 写邪 谢械褌懈屑, 胁褉邪谐 写邪 锌芯斜械写懈屑!"...
March 23, 2023
English version below
*
Terry Pratchetts Hauptthemen in diesem Buch sind f眉r mich die Sinnlosigkeit von Kriegen und Geschlechtergerechtigkeit, und wie so h盲ufig kriegt auch die Religion ihr Fett ab.
Dabei schafft der Autor es ganz gezielt und sehr h盲ufig die Schmerzpunkte zu treffen, den Leser aber tortzdem massiv zum Lachen zu bringen.
Die junge Polly verkleidet sich als Junge und geht zur Armee, um ihren verschollenen Bruder zu suchen. Die Abenteuer von Polly auf ihrem Weg beschreibt Pratchett in seiner so humorvollen und mit Absurdit盲ten angereicherten Art, wobei er f眉r den Leser auch ganz viele Themen zum Nachdenken anbietet.
Ich empfinde dieses Buch als einen der besonders herausragenden Romane Pratchetts (nat眉rlich auch weil er sehr stark auf mir pers枚nlich wichtige Themen eingeht) und vergebe 5 Sterne.
----------------
For me, Terry Pratchett's main themes in this book are the futility of war and gender justice, and as so often, religion gets its just deserts.
The author manages to hit the pain points very specifically and very often, but still makes the reader laugh out loud.
Young Polly disguises herself as a boy and joins the army to look for her missing brother. Pratchett describes Polly's adventures along the way in a way that is so humorous and full of absurdities, while also offering a great deal of food for thought for the reader.
I consider this book to be one of Pratchett's particularly outstanding novels (of course also because it deals with topics that are very important to me personally) and award it 5 stars.
*
Terry Pratchetts Hauptthemen in diesem Buch sind f眉r mich die Sinnlosigkeit von Kriegen und Geschlechtergerechtigkeit, und wie so h盲ufig kriegt auch die Religion ihr Fett ab.
Dabei schafft der Autor es ganz gezielt und sehr h盲ufig die Schmerzpunkte zu treffen, den Leser aber tortzdem massiv zum Lachen zu bringen.
Die junge Polly verkleidet sich als Junge und geht zur Armee, um ihren verschollenen Bruder zu suchen. Die Abenteuer von Polly auf ihrem Weg beschreibt Pratchett in seiner so humorvollen und mit Absurdit盲ten angereicherten Art, wobei er f眉r den Leser auch ganz viele Themen zum Nachdenken anbietet.
Ich empfinde dieses Buch als einen der besonders herausragenden Romane Pratchetts (nat眉rlich auch weil er sehr stark auf mir pers枚nlich wichtige Themen eingeht) und vergebe 5 Sterne.
----------------
For me, Terry Pratchett's main themes in this book are the futility of war and gender justice, and as so often, religion gets its just deserts.
The author manages to hit the pain points very specifically and very often, but still makes the reader laugh out loud.
Young Polly disguises herself as a boy and joins the army to look for her missing brother. Pratchett describes Polly's adventures along the way in a way that is so humorous and full of absurdities, while also offering a great deal of food for thought for the reader.
I consider this book to be one of Pratchett's particularly outstanding novels (of course also because it deals with topics that are very important to me personally) and award it 5 stars.
September 22, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
I audibly snorted more times while reading this book than I did during all my other reads this year combined.
Pratchett tackles a lot of things in this book 鈥� nationalism, war, religion (including civili religion) and how it can be instrumentalized, the Army, and gender (especially gender equality) and with most of these, especially when tackling war, the Army, and nationalism, his humor and satire are outstanding in the best Pratchett manner.
At the same time, some aspects of the book didn't quite land for me. I'll put the rest of this review under spoiler tags since I'm going to go into detail and will be quoting parts that happen towards the end of the book.
TL;DR I enjoyed this novel, but there are some things in terms of how gender identity is represented that I wish Pratchett had done differently. (I鈥檓 not saying he鈥檚 a bad person because he didn鈥檛, I can see why and how the novel turned out how it did. This is probably mostly a 鈥渕e thing鈥� thing and not a 鈥渉im thing鈥�. (Reading novels that are very close to one鈥檚 main research area can be tricky in this way.))
I audibly snorted more times while reading this book than I did during all my other reads this year combined.
Pratchett tackles a lot of things in this book 鈥� nationalism, war, religion (including civili religion) and how it can be instrumentalized, the Army, and gender (especially gender equality) and with most of these, especially when tackling war, the Army, and nationalism, his humor and satire are outstanding in the best Pratchett manner.
At the same time, some aspects of the book didn't quite land for me. I'll put the rest of this review under spoiler tags since I'm going to go into detail and will be quoting parts that happen towards the end of the book.
TL;DR I enjoyed this novel, but there are some things in terms of how gender identity is represented that I wish Pratchett had done differently. (I鈥檓 not saying he鈥檚 a bad person because he didn鈥檛, I can see why and how the novel turned out how it did. This is probably mostly a 鈥渕e thing鈥� thing and not a 鈥渉im thing鈥�. (Reading novels that are very close to one鈥檚 main research area can be tricky in this way.))
April 28, 2025
The 31st in my re-read of the entire Discworld series has us follow a war between Borogravia and Zlobenia, two countries near 脺berwald.
One reason why I decided to re-read the series is that I can never just indulge in one of the volumes. The other is that the audiobooks were newly produced and the casts looked amazing.
Reading this 31st book (in chronological order) are:
Borogravia is the kind of country that is always at war with someone. Because war is your patriotic duty. And if it isn't patriotism that dictiates them being at war, it's some fanatical priest or another in the name of their god.
Right now, the enemy is Zlobenia. Actually, it WAS at war, but it has lost - the only problem is that one regiment literally hasn't gotten the message yet.
One Borogravian wants to find her brother, another her fianc茅e, and there are others. All of them are finding themselves in the same regiment, disguised as males thanks to a new haircut, some strategically placed socks etc.
The reader thus gets a good look at war, patriotism, propaganda, honor, freedom, misinformation, fanatical religious societies and the damage said fanatical religion does to people's minds, and even gender roles.
Smack in the middle of it all, we get a cameo by our favorite Ankh-Morporkian Commander/Lord who sneakily is trying to support the underdog if only because he despises royalty.
Anyway, the book is heavy. Sure, it has wonderful situational humour and a lot of fantastic zingers. Not to mention that thesisterbrotherhood was heart-warming. I mean, the different quirks the vampire, Igor(ina), troll, humans et al displayed were downright hilarious.
However, the subject matter is not for the faint of heart. I do still disagree with some views portrayed here (such as what patriotism is, if only when going by definition), but I adore Sir Terry and the way he addressed certain issues, no matter how heavy-handed they were. Plus, he always looked at one thing from all angles no matter what he himself thought about it.
Wonderful part of the series even though it isn't one of the strongest and belongs to the Industrial Revolution sub-series, which I'm not too much a fan of (if only because, like a cat, I'm not too much a fan of change/modernisation of something as wonderful as the Discworld).
Narrator for this new audiobook was Katherine Parkinson (whom I know form a few movies / TV shows) and she did a good job. I didn't like her Vimes but like I said, his role was a cameo only anyway. She did get the girls right though if you ask me. All of them. In their various disguises. ;)
One reason why I decided to re-read the series is that I can never just indulge in one of the volumes. The other is that the audiobooks were newly produced and the casts looked amazing.
Reading this 31st book (in chronological order) are:
Borogravia is the kind of country that is always at war with someone. Because war is your patriotic duty. And if it isn't patriotism that dictiates them being at war, it's some fanatical priest or another in the name of their god.
Right now, the enemy is Zlobenia. Actually, it WAS at war, but it has lost - the only problem is that one regiment literally hasn't gotten the message yet.
One Borogravian wants to find her brother, another her fianc茅e, and there are others. All of them are finding themselves in the same regiment, disguised as males thanks to a new haircut, some strategically placed socks etc.
The reader thus gets a good look at war, patriotism, propaganda, honor, freedom, misinformation, fanatical religious societies and the damage said fanatical religion does to people's minds, and even gender roles.
Smack in the middle of it all, we get a cameo by our favorite Ankh-Morporkian Commander/Lord who sneakily is trying to support the underdog if only because he despises royalty.
Anyway, the book is heavy. Sure, it has wonderful situational humour and a lot of fantastic zingers. Not to mention that the
However, the subject matter is not for the faint of heart. I do still disagree with some views portrayed here (such as what patriotism is, if only when going by definition), but I adore Sir Terry and the way he addressed certain issues, no matter how heavy-handed they were. Plus, he always looked at one thing from all angles no matter what he himself thought about it.
Wonderful part of the series even though it isn't one of the strongest and belongs to the Industrial Revolution sub-series, which I'm not too much a fan of (if only because, like a cat, I'm not too much a fan of change/modernisation of something as wonderful as the Discworld).
Narrator for this new audiobook was Katherine Parkinson (whom I know form a few movies / TV shows) and she did a good job. I didn't like her Vimes but like I said, his role was a cameo only anyway. She did get the girls right though if you ask me. All of them. In their various disguises. ;)
March 24, 2025
鈥橲o where do [gods] come from?鈥�
鈥楩rom your fear鈥hey come from the part that hates the Othera, that will not change. They came from the sum of your pettiness and stupidity and dullness. You fear tomorrow, and you鈥檝e made your fear your god. The Duchess knows this.鈥�
P. 258
This was yet another romp with the various denizens of Discworld demonstrating the stupidity of identity politics and the brilliance of Vimes (as per usual). Embracing diversity!
鈥楩rom your fear鈥hey come from the part that hates the Othera, that will not change. They came from the sum of your pettiness and stupidity and dullness. You fear tomorrow, and you鈥檝e made your fear your god. The Duchess knows this.鈥�
P. 258
This was yet another romp with the various denizens of Discworld demonstrating the stupidity of identity politics and the brilliance of Vimes (as per usual). Embracing diversity!
March 16, 2016
It is an amazing coincidence that my 31st Discworld novel is #31 since I have focused on the City Watch series, the Tiffany Aching series, and the recent, more humorous books.
In this one, Sir Terry's prime focus on the follies of war. The aging but much experienced Sergeant Jackrum is recruiting soldiers because most have been captured or killed, even though his side is supposedly winning. Only misfits are left -- those wanting to escape their dreary or worse lives. So, he ends up with a vampire, a troll, an Igor, and a young woman, named Polly, who pretends to be a boy (Private Oliver Perks) so she can find her brother, who is MIA. Leading the group is Lieutenant Blouse, a thinking officer, who is derisively referred to as a Rupert. Against all odds, this group manages to change the course of the war with their bravery, determination and common sense.
Favorite quote: The enemy wasn't men, or women, or the old, or even the dead. It was just bleedin' stupid people, who came in all varieties. And no one had the right to be stupid.
In this one, Sir Terry's prime focus on the follies of war. The aging but much experienced Sergeant Jackrum is recruiting soldiers because most have been captured or killed, even though his side is supposedly winning. Only misfits are left -- those wanting to escape their dreary or worse lives. So, he ends up with a vampire, a troll, an Igor, and a young woman, named Polly, who pretends to be a boy (Private Oliver Perks) so she can find her brother, who is MIA. Leading the group is Lieutenant Blouse, a thinking officer, who is derisively referred to as a Rupert. Against all odds, this group manages to change the course of the war with their bravery, determination and common sense.
Favorite quote: The enemy wasn't men, or women, or the old, or even the dead. It was just bleedin' stupid people, who came in all varieties. And no one had the right to be stupid.
May 22, 2018
Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett deals with several of the seven deadly sins, namely pride, greed and wrath. Also "lesser" sins like stupidity, ignorance, misogyny and bigotry. It's a wonderful book!
鈥淭he presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.鈥�
It's also very funny.
"Forget you were ever Polly. Think young male, that was the thing. Fart loudly and with self-satisfaction at a job well done, move like a puppet that鈥檇 had a couple of random strings cut, never hug anyone and, if you meet a friend, punch them."
鈥淭he presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.鈥�
It's also very funny.
"Forget you were ever Polly. Think young male, that was the thing. Fart loudly and with self-satisfaction at a job well done, move like a puppet that鈥檇 had a couple of random strings cut, never hug anyone and, if you meet a friend, punch them."
January 14, 2025
Sir Pratchett has written better.
November 13, 2024
4,5猸愶笍
挟胁褨谢械泄薪邪 30-褌邪 泻薪懈谐邪 褍泻褉邪褩薪褋褜泻芯褞 褋械褉邪 孝械褉褉褨. 袉褋褌芯褉褨褟 写褍卸械 屑褨谢褨褌邪褉褨, 褨 褋锌芯褔邪褌泻褍 斜褍谢邪 蟹 薪芯褉屑 谐褍屑芯褉芯屑, 写邪谢褨 褌芯谐芯 胁褋褜芯谐芯 屑械薪褕械. 袗谢械 芯写薪芯蟹薪邪褔薪芯 锌芯蟹邪 褑懈泻谢芯胁褨 泻薪懈谐懈 胁褋褨 褑褨泻邪胁褨 褨 褌芯褔薪芯 锌褨写褏芯写褟褌褜 写谢褟 蟹薪邪泄芯屑褋褌胁邪 蟹 邪胁褌芯褉芯屑.
挟胁褨谢械泄薪邪 30-褌邪 泻薪懈谐邪 褍泻褉邪褩薪褋褜泻芯褞 褋械褉邪 孝械褉褉褨. 袉褋褌芯褉褨褟 写褍卸械 屑褨谢褨褌邪褉褨, 褨 褋锌芯褔邪褌泻褍 斜褍谢邪 蟹 薪芯褉屑 谐褍屑芯褉芯屑, 写邪谢褨 褌芯谐芯 胁褋褜芯谐芯 屑械薪褕械. 袗谢械 芯写薪芯蟹薪邪褔薪芯 锌芯蟹邪 褑懈泻谢芯胁褨 泻薪懈谐懈 胁褋褨 褑褨泻邪胁褨 褨 褌芯褔薪芯 锌褨写褏芯写褟褌褜 写谢褟 蟹薪邪泄芯屑褋褌胁邪 蟹 邪胁褌芯褉芯屑.
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