Jingo
by Terry Pratchett

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Book Reviews of Jingo

Book Review: "Jingo" bingo!
Summary: 4 Stars

A weathercock surfaces in the middle of the sea. Since weathercocks usually don't bob around by themselves, it turns out that it's attached to a new island that rises up out of the sea. Fishermen claim the island -- unfortunately, they are from two different lands: Ankh-Morpork and the desert land of Klatch. Soon both lands are at loggerheads over ownership of the new island, Leshp. (a sign in Ankh-Morpork: GREASY FORANE HANDS OFF LESHP) War is imminent, and unfortunately Vimes and his Watch are about to be dragged into it.

Diplomacy takes a nasty turn when Vimes meets (in his official capacity as a duke) a Klatchian prince and the sinister-seeming 71-Hour Ahmed. Soon the prince is injured, and Klatch is furious. Now the war has gotten personal, and is no longer just about Leshp. Vimes and Co. have to enlist the help of the eccentric Leonard of Quirm, while the Patrician somehow ends up enlisting a pair of unlikely spies: Nobby and Colon.

Any Discworld book that features the unattractive Nobby trying to do an exotic dance is worth checking out. But "Jingo" also has the advantage of lampooning just about everything connected with war: Racism, outdated ideas about how to make war, protests by stupid people, xenophobia foreign cultures (Vimes being offered the sheep's eyeball is a riot), politics, and those little time management computers (here called a "disorganizer").

Don't worry -- Pratchett's dryly goofy humor is quite intact despite the messages woven in. From the Prid of Ankh-Morpork to Nobby's deficient love life, he peppers the story with the strange and hilarious. However, at times it dips a little into slapstick (Nobby in drag, getting in touch with his feminine side), and some scenes are more sitcom than satire. His writing is, as always, spare and clear, not too descriptive, and Pratchett manages to avoid banging readers over the head with his messages.

The crusty, hard-boiled Sam Vimes is back in full, here chafing at the idea of being a duke (especially if it means dressing up). Tough werewolf cop Angua gets to spread her wings a little, and supporting characters like 71-Hour Ahmed skim close to stereotypes, but just to make a point. Not to mention the hordes of weird recruits that the well-meaning, clueless Carrot manages to find.

War satire is a hard thing to write. Usually it just displays a heavy hand and a big loud mouth. But Terry Pratchett dips into this with his usual deftness and humor. Recommended.

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