Jingo - Terry Pratchett > Reviews

Advantages: You probably know whether you like Discworld or not, has the Guards in it
Disadvantages: You probably know..., not the best but not the worst

Jingo is the 21st instalment in Terry Pratchett’s hugely successful Discworld series. If you’re not familiar with the series, it’s probably not the best place to start [Colour of Magic is the first, though far from my favourite]. For the rest of us, this is one of the guards books, featuring Vimes, Carrot, Colon, Nobbs and the rest of the Ankh-Morpork city watch. Everyone has their favourites, be it Rincewind, Granny Weatherwax, Death, the Librarian ... Read review

Advantages: Serious story, seriously funny
Disadvantages: none

As Boy George said, “War is stupid” For his 21st Discworld novel Terry Pratchett turns his attention to warfare and as the cover blurb says “ Discworld goes to war, with armies of sardines, warriors, fisherman, squid and at least one very camp follower” it seems that he agrees with Boy George and isn’t afraid to show it. For the uninitiated the Discworld is a disc-shaped world, obviously, which is supported on the ... Read review

Advantages: A witty reflection of a serious subject, and retains its actual message.
Disadvantages: Does ramble a little bit in places

I've read a few reviews describing the latest Pratchett books as "not as good as the old ones". This is because the Discworld setting has changed; back in the days of "The Colour of Magic", the Discworld novels were really fantasy, albeit tongue-in-cheek. These days Mr. Pratchett prefers to comment on the state of our own world, the Discworld being a reflection of it. Yes, this probably is pretentious twaddle, but read this book and you'll see what ... Read review

Advantages: still as funny as all the other discworld books
Disadvantages: slightly darker with a deep message "why can't we all just get along?"

...become background. I wouldn't read Jingo because it's funny. Jingo (like Pratchett's other more mature novels) isn't only funny, but also much richer than the previous novels. The characters are now well-known and more developped, yet retaining the basic characteristics that define them. Vetinari, more obscure than ever, acts for the first time openly, instead of intriguing. Leonard da Quirm is the pèerfect counterbalance to Vetinari. The plot is ... Read review

Advantages: Funny and Thought Provoking
Disadvantages: It ends

This is my probably my favourite Discworld book.It is as funny as the Discworld books ever are but is a also a startling attack on the futilit of war. It is as if Prattchett heard Edwin Starr singing and turned it into a inventive,cohesive stroy with a message. I don't know if he meant to do this but he did and the book is better for the message as it makes you think. This book is another which revolves around the escapades of the watch and in ... Read review