Jingo

Terry Pratchett

Average Rating 8/10 (3 Reviews)

A weathercock has risen from the sea of Discworld, and suddenly you can tell which way the wind is blowing. A new land has surfaced, and so have old feuds. And as two armies march, Commander Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch has got just a few hours to deal with a crime so big that there's no law against it. It's called 'war'.

He's facing unpleasant foes that are out to get him… that's just the people on his side. The enemy might even be worse. And his pocket Dis-organizer says he's got Die under 'Things To Do Today'.

But he'd better not, because the world's cleverest inventor and its most devious politician are on their way to the battlefield with a little package that's guaranteed to stop a battle.

Discworld goes to war, with armies of sardines, warriors, fishermen, squid and at least one very camp follower. Jingo is the twenty-first in Terry Pratchett's phenomenally successful Discworld series. .

Review by Chrissi (010901) Rating (8/10)
Review by Nigel (301200) Rating (8/10)
Review by Thief (301200) Rating (7/10)

Review by Chrissi
Rating 8/10
An island has risen up in the middle of the sea, between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch, and both countries are willing to go to war over this new land. The trouble is the state of Ankh-Morpork has neither arms, nor the money to buy any, while Klatch has been the best customer of the Ankh-Morpork armourers for years.

When the Klatchian nobles come to Ankh-Morpork to discuss the diplomacy stuff about the new land it appears that someone among the delegates really wants a war, and it comes down to the detective skills of the watch to figure out what is going on. Vimes just goes from strength to strength, and when he assumes the watchman's stroll at the head of the procession it is just priceless.

Unfortunately, the one who wants to wage war has planned it all too well and seems about to get what he wants after the assassination of a prominent Klatchian noble. Vimes starts to investigate and comes to the conclusion the clues have been planted to lead him in a certain direction, namely the klatchian political delegation.

Angua tries to get on board one of their boats to investigate further but this proves to be a cunning trap, and the fleet sets sail with her still on board, leading Carrot to set out to rescue her. In the meantime though, Nobbs and Colon are travelling towards Klatch in Leonard of Quirm's latest invention, travelling companions of the Patrician and Leonard.

One of the star turns of the book is Vime's Dis-organiser (Mark 2). He is still unable to get to grips with the new technology, and when the dis-organiser gets things wrong, as it is prone to do, things can be a bit surreal. The twist comes when the trousers of time branch off in two directions and it's Vimes dis-organiser that illustrates the split. (This is quite sad, that TP can wish ill to any of the watch, even just in jest - shame on you TP!)

There are some lovely moments in this book and for me it is one of the better Discworld stories. One of the things that you have to watch for is Nobbs in his harem outfit - very funny.
Chrissi (1st September 2000)

Review by Nigel
Rating 8/10
This edition of the Discworld series sees the city watch at it again. Sam Vimes is the reluctant ambassador trying to keep two sides from waging war over a new island, Leshp, which has appeared overnight between Klatch and Ankh-Morpork.

This is one of the better Discworld novels, with some fine moments. Lord Vetinari and Leonard of Quirm as always amuse while the Dis-organiser appears at the most inopportune times with hilarious results.

Not many books can make you laugh out loud, but this is one of them. Recommended.
Nigel (30th December 2000)

Review by Thief
Rating 7/10
It was all right.
Thief (30th December 2000)