Jingo

Inhoud

Discworld goes to war, with armies of sardines, warriors, fishermen, squid and at least one very camp follower.
As two armies march, Commander Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch faces unpleasant foes who are out to get him... and that's just the people on his side. The enemy might be even worse.
Jingo, the 21st in Terry Pratchett's phenomenally successful Discworld series, makes the World Cup look like a friendly five-a-side.

Bespreking

Discworld at war

When miraculously the Island of Leshp emerges from the depths of the Circle Sea, the diplomatic relations between Klatch and Ankh-Morpork are at stake. Both parties are convinced that Leshp is theirs, so the long period of peace between the two nations seems to come to a sudden end. At least that is what would happen if Commander Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch decided look the other way. So now, it's up to Vimes to choose the right trouser of the pants of Time and deal with the overwhelming consequences of his decision. His ever faithful disorganizer will surely remind him what would have happened if he had selected the other option.

Often the strongest part of a Discworld novel that features the City Watch is the whodunit aspect of the story. Sadly enough this feature is rather scarce in this episode of the Discworld saga. The concept of war is clearly not the ideal starting point for a detective novel. But having said this, Jingo has a power that goes far beyond the storyline: it shows with a vengeance the absurdity of war itself. Terry Pratchett is his most sharp-witted self, when he, in his own unprecedented way, explains the basic tactics and philosophy of a Discworld war. The funniest part of this is that it is immediately applicable to our own world. A news broadcast with the current powers of the world will never look the same after this book. Indeed, who would be our Lord Vetinari?