Monstrous Regiment

By: Terry Pratchett

Narrated by: Stephen Briggs

Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

War has come to Discworld...again. And, to no one's great surprise, the conflict centers around the small, insufferably arrogant, strictly fundamentalist duchy of Borogravia, which has long prided itself on its ability to beat up on its neighbors. This time, however, it's Borogravia that's getting its long-overdue comeuppance, which has left the country severely drained of young men.

Ever since her brother Paul marched off to battle a year ago, Polly Perks has been running The Duchess, her family's inn, even though the revered national deity, Nuggan, has decreed that female ownership of a business is an Abomination. To keep The Duchess in the family, Polly must find her missing sibling. So she cuts off her hair, dons masculine garb, and sets out to join him in this man's army.

Polly is afraid that someone will see through her disguise; a fear that proves groundless when the legendary Sergeant Jackrum accepts her without question. Or perhaps the sergeant is too desperate to discriminate, which would explain why a vampire, a troll, a zombie, a religious fanatic, and two uncommonly close "friends" are also eagerly welcomed into the fighting fold. Soon, Polly finds herself wondering about the myriad peculiarities of her new brothers-in-arms. It would appear that Polly "Ozzer" Perks is not the only grunt with a secret.

©2003 Terry Pratchett (P)2003 HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

Critic reviews

"Terry Pratchett's hilarious prose is significantly enhanced by the narrative skills of Stephen Briggs....Briggs and Pratchett are magnificent." (AudioFile)
"Thoroughly funny and surprisingly insightful." (Booklist)

A Real Treat

I'm a fan of many of Terry Pratchett's books. This one is unique, even within his collection, and it is full of depth, wit, meaning but also levity, joviality, and fun. Enjoy!!

Happy sigh

This is a wonderful stand-alone Terry Pratchett novel, engagingly read by Stephen Briggs. Terry Pratchett is my favorite author, so I tend to take it for granted that OF COURSE you would want this book in your collection. However, for any listeners who aren't familiar with Terry Pratchett's Discworld, while this book stands on its own and does a great job of presenting social commentary in a very funny way, it was also one of his later books. There are several minor characters who are actually major characters in his previous books and so may not be well understood by a listener who is new to Discworld. I should also add that a fun (and rather unique) trait of Terry Pratchett's books are the hilarious footnotes that he peppers throughout the text, which are usually not included in narration or it's not clear that they are footnotes. He also plays with words in a way that doesn't come through in reading. In another book, for instance, Vimes despises his gold-edged armor, and Pratchett later in the paragraph uses the phrases "gilt by association" and "his gilty armor." I do think that reading his books first and then listening to them in Brigg's delightful British accent is the best way to fully enjoy Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

#Clever #Witty #Satire #FemaleProtagonist #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

The twist

It was a little slow getting started but 100% worth it. The twist is drawn out in a very fun and satisfying way.

battle of the sexes

i wouldnt dream of spoiling any of the reveals in this book. but suffice it to say i enjoyed all of them.

Sigh. The only thing that could make it any better

the only way to make me happier would have been to somehow have Nanny and Granny too.

Complex and Hilarious

I listened to this a year ago, and then again last week, and again this week. I keep finding more in it. This past-middle aged feminist loved every minute (except for the bit about older women...), but loved the message about how much more could have been accomplished if they had known each other... The cover picture is way off. A better one would have been a disheveled Polly in a tattered corporal uniform or Igorina in a laundrywoman's clothing. I think this is my favorite diskworld novel. You really need to listen to it/read it a couple of times--or pay very close attention--to get all the foreshadowing. Very well crafted. And lots of fun.

the music at the start of chapters was unpleasant

I really wish they had cut the music out for audible. it's very jarring and unnecessary. The story was good though.

One of his best

As usual, Terry Pratchett managed to see into another world. This time he gives us a bird’s eye view of a bunch of male impersonators. Actually, young women who have joined the army disguised as men.
One of my favorites that I play again and again.

Excellent in every way.

Such a wonderful book, its got everything a Terry Pratchett fan would love plus a story that keeps you thinking about in between listens and long after you've finished.

Wonderful

This was the first book I listened to by Terry Pratchett, and I have been hooked ever since. There are 3 narrators in the Discworld series. I don't care for Celia Imrie's voice and prefer to read the paper version of the 3 she narrated. That could be because I am hearing impaired and find her voice difficult to understand. Stephen Briggs and Nigel Planer are both wonderful narrators.

Pratchett has a way of voicing everyday things in a very different way. His books have laugh-out-loud humor and true insight into the human condition. You can't ask for better than that. I have listened to several of these books more than once.