I have read a lot of Pratchett’s books between high-school and now, either in French or in the original English. Most of my books are in a box or another somewhere back in France. And from time to time, I want to re-(re-re-re-)read some of them. I tried to find them in Japanese as away to improve, but… only 8 of them have been translated (the latest Soul Music in 2006), across 3 different publishers which means they are pretty much impossible to find. And then I also saw that a new edition with covers by Joe McLaren (whereas the most prevalent editions are with illustrations by Josh Kirby) and I realised I wanted to build the collection, as much for the story as for the object.

And I decided the first one had to be Monstrous Regiment.

Clearly, this is not the most well-known of the Discworld books. It’s a bit outside of the main storylines. No Rincewind (and no Librarian), no witches, Death appears as what can only be described as a cameo, the Watch is present but just as background supporting cast.

Still, it’s one of the books I think the most often.

The plot

A small country is at war with its neighbours. Again. So much again that there is barely any conscript left and the country is pretty much collapsing. In that, we follow Polly, a young woman who decided to enlist as a man in order to find her brother and find herself in the last squad alongside a mystic, two escapees, a vampire, a troll and an Igor. All women.

Is that all ?

Yes and no. It’s goes further than “Mulan, but in the Discworld”.

Beyond this simple plot, the book is very human, seriously anti-military, and overall anti-bullshit and down to earth. It’s also one of the first book I ever read which really asked questions about gender roles.

Final word

Well, yes of course.

The plot … exists. But the book just flows from cover to cover.