Discworld - Watching the War

As I mentioned previously, I received Jingo as a thank you gift for VCR-sitting.  Now, there'd been things going on around Iran and Iraq for a while, and Pratchett had had things as a background to Desert Storm in Only You Can Save Mankind, he had also alluded to the situation in Klatch when Death joined the Klatchian Foreign Legion in Soul Music.  The subtle part was when Albert notes the actual dotted line that marked the territorial boundary that existed in reality passing through the desert.  But in Jingo, Pratchett gets down to what has really been going on.  It's also his twist on Lawrence of Arabia".

I think this book is a prime example of Pratchett's skill in writing.  As usual, he doesn't use paragraphs, breaking scenes using only white space, but the book just flows along smoothly from each stage of the story.

I'll admit that the first time I read it, I was a bit confused on what had actually happened in a few spots.  The second time I read it, everything fell into place with a big, "Ohhhh, now I get it."  I think I wasn't expecting the depth that he put into it.

I find myself wanting to say that each book is my favorite, but that's the thing with this series.  Almost every book is your favorite once you read it.  And the next one is only that much better.

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Recurring characters and themes in this book:

“Personal is not the same as important.”

Al-jibla (Klatchian Dibbler)

Angua, Corporal

Ankh-Morpork

Berghodlt Stuttley “Bloody Stupid” Johnson

Blind Hugh

Bows and Ammo

Buggy Swires, Constable

Burleigh & Stronginthearm

Cabbage

Carrot Ironfounderson, Captain

Cecil W. St. J “Nobby” Nobbs, Corporal

Chalky the Troll

Cheri LIttlebottom, Corporal

Cumbling Michael

Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler

Death

Detritus, Sergeant

Djelibeybi

Done-It Duncan

Dorfl, Constable

Downspout, Constable

D'regs

Drumknott, Secretary

Duck Man

Elm Street

Foul Ole Ron

Fred Colon, Sergeant

Genua

Havelock Vetinari, Patrician

Ironcrust's Dwarf Bread

Klatch

Leonard of Quirm

Leshp

Lord and Lady Selachii

Lord Downey, Assassin’s Guild

Lord Ronald “Ronnie” Rust

Lord Venturi

Mad Lord Snapcase, Patrician

Mr Hong, and the Three Jolly Luck Take-Away fish bar on Dagon street, site of old fish-God temple, opening on the night of the full moon

Mr. Boggis, Thieves’ Guild

Mr. Slant, Lawyers’ Guild

Mrs. Cake

Muntab

Mustrum Ridcully, Archchancellor UU

Old Stoneface Vimes

Pediment, Constable

Reg Shoe, Constable

Samuel Vimes, Commander/Duke/Knight

St. Ungulant ('s Fire)

Sybil Ramkin Vimes, Lady/Duchess

Tacticus, General

The Agony Aunts

The Alchemists’ Guild

The Assassin’s Guild

The Beggars’ Guild

The Bunch of Grapes

The Bursar

The Butchers’ Guild

The Dean

The Dis-Organizer

The Guild of Engravers

The Librarian

The Mended Drum

The Opera House

The Seamstresses' Guild

The Shades

The Thieves’ Guild

The Trousers of Time

Unseen University

Verity Pushpram

Visit-the-Non-Believer-with-Explanatory-Pamphlets “Washpot”, Constable

Wilkins, Butler

Winkle's Old Peculiar