Jingo!

Please note that the kindle version that the Amazon listing has defaulted to is a stage adaptation, a playscript, with a severely abridged plot. It is not the novel and should not be included on the page as an equivalency to the paperbacks/hardbacks which ARE the novel.

Note that there actually is a kindle version of the novel ‘jingo’ but you must search for it on the amazon site via google which direct links back to this page with the proper novel version of ‘jingo’ selected; do not refresh the page as that will reset to amazon’s default selection of the playscript.

Amazon, if you are reading this: please remove the ‘stage adaptation’ (ASIN: B00F943AL8) from the novel’s listing. Relist it separately and ensure to legally and properly credit the playwright Stephen Briggs as the author or co-author in the new listing.

For some reason, this book hasn’t been done as a recorded book.

Well, it had been, but it hasn’t been released on Audible in the U.S. for some reason.

I wonder if it’s all the warry overtones. See, this is about a war with a group that’s fairly Arabic looking. And that might not fly with an American audience in this generation.

Which may have more to do with squeamishness than politics. Not sure about that one. Because Arabic means more than Muslim, and Muslim means more than terrorist. So there is that to ponder.

Glad to read rather than listen to this book. I mostly listen to Pratchett. The dudes they had doing the audio are top shelf. It brings an exquisite dimension to Pratchett to hear the British timing in the lines. But after listening to most of the rest of Mr. Pratchett’s work, I liked reading one. I liked populating the book with the performers I like for the roles. Vimes as played by Jason Statham–Vetinari presented by Benedict Cumberbatch (possibly the least original casting in history)–my preferred casting of David Jason as Corporal Colon instead of as Albert.

Just a different experience than listening to the books.

And entirely biased.

More Pratchett. Which means fun.

Not much else to say, really. All Pratchett books are fun and a little bit chaotic. He’s an author with a unique capacity to deliver a consistently on-brand performance.

The first time I read the Night Watch series I read them in order. This time I’m reading them in reverse order, and seeing new connections. “Jingo” is about the foolishness of war, and takes its title from an old song: “We don’t want to fight but by jingo if we do,We’ve got the ships, we’ve got the men, and got the money too!” It has hilarious moments: seeing Vetinary playing his shell game among the Klatchians is, as they say in tvtropes, a crowning moment of both awesome and funny. But it also has moments of almost unbearable poignancy, as when the Disorganizer reports on events from the alternative timeline down the other leg of the Trousers of Time. A similar idea is later used to heartbreaking effect in the book “Night Watch”.

In “Jingo” we get to see our old friends from the watch show some surprising sides: Nobby as feminist is especially fun. And once again Sam Vimes tries to make sense of a world where sometimes the crimes are so big you can’t arrest everyone involved. Or can you?

I love this book (same as most of Sir Terry’s works), but as another review noted: sometimes you click on the Kindle link and it takes you to a stage adaptation. Previous comment was in September and this is Dec. 24th; problem still not resolved. I’d give the book itself five stars, but the issue with the links taking so long to fix…four stars until that’s fixed. It’s unkind to people who want to read the full novel, to have the links messed up. (That said, if you’re not sure which version you’re looking at? The digital stage adaptation showed as $9.01 to me, where the novel showed as closer to $10, and the cover of the stage adaptation SAYS it’s a stage adaptation. Read carefully.)

I just love Terry. Every book is a gem. I am going to have to buy a full set to have at the beach for everyone to read. There is truly something for everyone in his books, and his writing is exemplary. While there is some violence it of the cartoon variety, and not meant to make anyone squirm, which personally, I can not abide in the least. (I am a wimp on that account). There are bon mots in every book -these are seriously quotable quotes, even if some of them are hysterically funny. This is entertainment, escapism, satire, and a serious read all wound up into one.

I miss, miss, miss him.