Rating: Summary: A standard outing Review: This is by no means the best of the Watch novels ... but even an average Pratchett novel is a thing of beauty. By turns deadly serious and laugh-out-loud funny, the book has only three weaknesses (which other reviewers have touched upon).First, most of the Watch characters get barely anything to do. Second, the Patrician is way out of character. And finally, the ending is pretty weak. Nevertheless, this is a still a great and very entertaining read. I wouldn't recommend it as a starting point, though, as Guards! Guards! is a better introduction, Men at Arms is funnier, and Feet of Clay is a better mystery.
Rating: Summary: Intelligent humor Review: There are very few writers who can make you laugh out loud just seconds after making your heart clench. In fact, Terry Pratchett is about the only one I've ever read who could do that. The basic plot is very simple. Two countries, who haven't warred in centuries, find an island, that may or may not have value, situated between them. And for various political reasons both sides begin to prepare for war. It's up to the lowly city guard to put a stop to it. Led by a reformed alcoholic and an oddly naive and carefree captain who sees only the best in people (odd mainly because he's still alive, it is Ankh-Morpork after all) the chances for success don't look too good. Especially when Vetinari, the Patrician, is relieved of his duties by the nobility in preperation for the war. And when the foreign ambassador is killed right under the city guard's collective nose? Well, not even a nice game of football is going to do any good. This was easily my favorite of all the discworld novels, the humor was just as good as in Interesting Times but I felt that the plot and the shading of the characters was slightly superior. The only negative thing that I could say about this book (and quite frankly all of the discworld novels) is that you had better be a fast reader. I read it in under six hours, you need that kind of speed, otherwise I believe that the constant off-subject footnotes would get in the way. Small problem, but one that can be annoying at times.
Rating: Summary: Good Fun But . . . Review: I recently read Terry Pratchett for the first time through an advanced reader's copy of "The Fifth Element." I greatly enyoyed that book and immediately went out and purchased"Jingo." While to a large degree similar--though I felt the former to be better plotted and more tightly written--I found the similarities here beginning to wear thin midway through the book. It wasn't that I was bored, or found Pratchett's writing lacking in inventiveness, but that his use of plot devices were already becoming familiar. Not a good sign, if a reflection upon the other 23 Discworld titles. I think I'll give Pratchett a rest; perhaps after a few months the next title I read will appear fresher.
Rating: Summary: Serious but funny Review: Jingo is one of the best of the Discworld series because it deals with a serious subject - the futility of war but still makes it funny. And if you know of the characters from previous books you'll find one bit of it unbearably moving - the hairs on the back of my neck rose as the Disorganizer read out the appointments of the characters within a few seconds of each other in the alternate universe - particularly for Captain Carrot. Of course, there are weaknesses in it. I still don't understand the plot, Vetenari would never get involved in direct action, there was too much of Colon and Nobby, and not enough of the other characters e.g. Cherrybottom, the OrangUtan, Detritus and the other Guards. Most of all, it's ridiculous to think that countries would go to war over a useless island (nobody mention the Falklands). But despite this I enjoyed it enormously and would recommend it as a good starting point in the series. By the way, the title "Jingo" refers to a song from the Victorian music halls which began "We don't want to fight you but by Jingo if we do: We've got the ships, we've got the men, we've got the money too." And from that we get the word "Jingoism". See, you learn something reading Pratchett!
Rating: Summary: Terry Pratchett shows his true ability once again Review: In the latest edition of the series involving Commander Vimes and crew, quality co-exists with quantity. By this I mean that this great read will keep you reading for awhile. Don't worry though, it will keep you wanting more. There are plenty of jokes that'll keep you laughing too. One of my favorite things about this book are the characters. Their personalities are so unique and in-depth, it made me almost miss them when I had finished. The plot is good too, with many different parts that come together in the end. If you like this one, you'll like its predecessors such as "Feet of Clay" and "Men at Arms". There is no question this book gets five stars.
Rating: Summary: the best, definitely! Review: For anyone who thinks that the plot is confusing, well, life is confusing, isn't it? But I really liked the book, especially since Commander Vimes was so believable and the alternative countdown thing was downright scary. I also like the way he built everything up to just that one moment in the tent when everything rests on a click of the finger and you finally see how it MIGHT have been. Wonderful
Rating: Summary: Best Ever Review: If Death is scratching a cat's ears around the corner before coming to help you towards your final resting place, but, in his new role as a 'people-person', is allowing you to read just one more book, choose this one. If you gotta go, go with a smile on your face.
Rating: Summary: Like reading a very mediocre play Review: I really hoped to enjoy "Jingo," and did like its lampoon of seemingly needless conflicts over religion and territory. Nevertheless, Pratchett is not much of a prose stylist. He focuses so much on dialogue that reading this is like reading a play. There is virtually no description of events, places, or people, and the characters talking is endless and becomes taxing. I was ultimately disappointed by this novel because of its style (or lack there of), which is unfortunate because it could have been a very good satirical novel.
Rating: Summary: My favorite so far Review: This is my favorite Discworld novel I have read yet (the others are Men at Arms, Interesting Times, and Lords and Ladies.) Although Men at Arms has the best scene I've read (the pork futures warehouse scene,) this is the best overall. This novel is simultaneously one of the best fantasy novels and also brilliant parody of the genre.
Rating: Summary: How you can criticize politics and yet be incredibly funny Review: Of course Pratchett is the funniest writer of the XXst century. Everything has been said about that. Yet what has amazed me most this time was not the jokes but the story behind them. Pratchett has mnanaged to create an icredible political thriller where nothing is quite what it seems. in fact, the byzantine and treacherous policies of Klatch and Ankh-Morpork are only an image of our own policies. This is more than a Discworld comedy. It's a satire on world politics.
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