Series: Discworld, Book 31, Discworld: Industrial Revolution, Book 3
Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 23-02-23
Language: English
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
The audiobook of Monstrous Regiment is narrated by Katherine Parkinson, star of The IT Crowd and Here We Go. BAFTA and Golden Globe award-winning actor Bill Nighy (Love Actually; Pirates of the Caribbean; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) reads the footnotes, and Peter Serafinowicz (Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace; Shaun of the Dead) stars as the voice of Death. Featuring a new theme tune composed by James Hannigan.
‘THAT’S THE TROUBLE ABOUT THE GOOD GUYS AND THE BAD GUYS! THEY’RE ALL GUYS!’
In the small yet aggressive country of Borogravia, there are strict rules citizens must follow. For a start, women belong in the kitchen – not in jobs, pubs, or indeed trousers. And certainly not on the front line.
Polly Perks has to become a boy in a hurry if she wants to find her missing brother in the army. Cutting off her hair and wearing the trousers is easy. Going to war however, is not.
Polly and her fellow raw recruits are suddenly in the thick of a losing battle. All they have on their side is the most artful sergeant in the army and a vampire with a lust for coffee.
It’s time to make a stand.
The first book in the Discworld series-The Colour of Magic-was published in 1983. Some elements of the Discworld universe may reflect this.
My Review
I always enjoyed this book, right from the first time I read it when the hardback came out. Terry Pratchett took on gender in this novel and questioned everything. He acknowledged the complexities of gender and explores the attitudes of societies that have very strict gender roles and hierarchies.
Polly Parks is a barman’s daughter in Borogravia, and she needs to find her brother. He went off to war and nothing has been heard of him since. She joins a regiment, the cheese mongers, who are led by Sergeant Jack Jackrum, a legend in the army. The squad – a few humans, a troll, a vampire, a dodgy, political, corporal and the ebullient sergeant Jackrum – are the very last of Borogravia’s army recruits.
We also see Vimes and the Watch in their diplomatic roles.
I happen to love this book, and this edition of the audiobook is really good. Kathrine Parkinson is a good narrator. I’m not sure about some of the pronunciation but I managed to get into it and really enjoyed it.
Everything Is Better With Dragons 