Jingo (A Discworld Novel)

A mysterious island, Leshp, rises up from the ocean depths leading to conflicting territorial claims and the onset of military opposition. Jingo is one of the most witty looks at the interaction of nationalism, racism & patriotism. In the beginning: "Why are our people going there?" said Mr. Boggis of the Thieves' Guild. "Because they are showing a brisk pioneering spirit and seeking wealth and... additional wealth in a new land," said Lord Vetinari. "What's in it for the Klatchians?" said Lord Downey. "Oh, they've gone out there because they are a bunch of unprincipled opportunists always ready to grab something for nothing."... The Patrician looked down again at his notes. "Oh, I do beg your pardon," he said, "I seem to have read those last two sentences in the wrong order..." The wily and unscrupulous Lord Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, seeing no way to avoid war, lets events take there course while Commander Sir Samuel Vimes, Duke of Ankh-Morpork & Lord Vetinari's more principled but frequent, if often reluctant, ally (and underling) extends the reach of law to the very shores of Klatch itself and Captain Carrot organizes a football game between the two sides! Of course, in the lower ranks, patriotism is brewing: "Lot of cowards, the Klatchians said Colon. "The moment they taste a bit of cold steel they're legging it away over the sand"... "And of course they're all mad for fighting," said Colon. "Vicious buggers with all those curvy swords of theirs." "You mean, like... they viciously attack you while cowardly running away after tasting cold steel?" Then an attempt on the life of the Klatchian ambassador brings the conflict to a boil. Of course, just as in the real world, the causi belli are not what they seem. Surrender is victory and victory is pyrrhic. And of course, there is, as usual, the strange interaction between Vimes - the descendant of the man who killed the last King of Ankh-Morpork for the latter's brutality, Vetinari - the Patrician who is able to balance the dangerous mixture of groups and individuals who form Ankh-Morpork's elite, and Captain Carrot - apparently the descendant of the last King and who is well-liked enough to topple Vetinari but who prefers to be Vimes' loyal captain. As always, the Discworld is a place worth visiting!

What can I say? I finished reading this book about a year ago and still pick it up again to read it. I absolutely adore this book. The character development is fantastic and we finally get to see Lord Vetinari on a much more *human* level. In some rather funny circumstances, as well. Vimes is a pleasure to read about, as well. I love all AMCW (Ankh-Morpork City Watch, for the uneducated) books and am a huge fan of Mr. Pratchett. I've read over the other reviews and am frankly rather surprised that people thought it was weaker than 'Feet of Clay.' I thought this was funnier and more attention-grabbing than 'Feet of Clay.' Overall, a good read and well worth the money.

This was the novel that got me hooked on the Discworld and the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. It's very very funny and also wickedly intelligent. Someone here pointed out that Terry Pratchett is actually a philosopher masquerading as a funny man. Perhaps the reason why some people don't like "Jingo" is that the philosophy is a bit more overt here than in other Discworld offerings. Those of us who were around when Maggie (excuse me, Baroness Thatcher) launched her little homage to the 19th century in the Falklands/Malvinas will probably enjoy "Jingo" a little more than others I suspect, but the book itself rings true on so many different levels that it transcends such a particular interpretation. This is Pratchett on the subject of nationalism, militarism and racism with Sam Vimes as usual cast in the role of ironic observer and moral center.I actually liked seeing Vetinari out and about more, and it's clear that this novel marks the beginning of a more three-D presence in the Discworld universe for both Sergeant Colon and the ambiguously human Corporal Nobbs. Leonard of Quirm needs more work though. Once you got the initial conceit, he became tiresome quite quickly.Captain Carrot, Sergeant Angua and Corporal Detritus do their usual sterling service. I had hoped for more from Constable Visit-the-Infidel-With-Explanatory-Pamphlets given that the conflict between Klatch and Ankh-Morpork was partly a religious one, but you can't have everything.Perhaps my favorite things in the novel were the face-off between the city nobles and Vimes, the Demon Pocket Organizer, and Vimes' precise and beautifully-articulated exposition of the differences between soldiers and policemen. Vimes, I suspect is an old-fashioned copper who believes in justice, rather than merely protecting and serving the law. Too bad the LAPD doesn't read Terry Pratchett.

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.

Simply stated, this is one of Pratchett's best. He brilliantly skewers politics, warmongering, racism, engineering, time management, navigational terms, police work, and foreign customs, for a start. He then manages to poke fun at (as opposed to ridiculing) humans, werewolves, dwarves, trolls, gnomes, Curious Squid, and the odd orangutang. His treatment of the temperature-sensitive intelligence of Corporal Detritus is well done, and the habit he gives of Commander Vimes returning to his old habits as a street copper even in the middle of ceremonial events had me rolling on the floor.The demonic organizer and the temporal slip-up was a very nice touch... although the reeling off of the appointments in the alternative final defense (which I shall skip for those who haven't read this yet - I envy you people! ) I found honestly to be as chilling as anything Stephen King ever wrote.I don't believe I've ever read a bad book of his. Some may have been better than others, but not one of them have I put down and said, "My God, why did I read this?" Pratchett writes with a compassionate eye to his characters, keeping them comical without making them ridiculous.These are books that I'll still be re-reading 20 years from now, and I'll wager I'll still find something new to laugh at each time.