Rating: 
Summary: Another Amazing Book from Pratchet
Review: After reading "Nightwatch", I was sure that the next book would be somewhat of a disappointment. No insult to Pratchett meant; I mean just the opposite, in fact, since "Nightwatch" is a stunningly amazing piece of literature which continues to floor me. Thus did I open "Monstrous Regiment" with trepidation and more then a little skepticism since the characters, location, and situation were all entirely new to the Discworld.
Any fears I had previous to this book concerning Pratchett's ability to continually keep the Discworld to it's high standard were brought to rest by this book.I won't comment on the actual plot of the book, but I will comment on what Pratchett has managed to do. For one, he has managed to create yet another amazing character and land within the Discworld, as well as include old and new favorites from other works. The inclusion of William and Otto from "The Truth" as well as Commander Vimes and Sergeant Angua from the various Watch novels brought just enough familiar flavor to keep us from feeling lost without overpowering the new part of the Discworld brought to light. As to Polly and her band...I loved them. They so finely walked the tightrope in so many ways, both within the story and within the mind of the reader, that I simply stand in awe of Pratchett's ability to populate this story with characters the way he does. Jackrum was...there aren't really any words for Jackrum. While some Discworld fans might be hesistant at accepting the new players in their favorite universe and wish for more of Rincewind or the Witches or even Death (who plays a decidedly small role in this novel about War), I feel that the new blood that Pratchett is putting into the Discworld is doing nothing but making it stronger, better, and more rich. Seeing William and Otto was great fun, and their effects on the world being so quickly felt...well, it just SMACKS of Discworld. The book in short is, to me, an amazing novel that I will treasure. It made me laugh out loud more then once, scream out loud many times more then that, and think a great deal more then perhaps any other fantasy writer has the ability to make me. I'd give it five stars if I hadn't read "Nightwatch".
Rating: 
Summary: Ok, but not wonderful
Review: Another disc world book, churned out in the same time scale as the last few. There are a few laughs, though not many, and there is a reasonable story, though not a gripping one.
I think "Ok" sums up the book well! In the same way as sometimes you'll watch a TV program because it's on, it passes the time until something you're really waiting for comes on. Cameo appearances from Vimes and Anguna in the first few and last few pages may make a regular Pratchett reader pick this up hoping for the rest of the Men at Arms squad to be about. They'll be disappointed. The story itself is basically Girl dresses as boy to join army and find missing brother. And that's it. I have a vague notion that this was more of a dig at how women still feel they live in a men's world, rather than a comedy fiction novel. Shame really, as I was left feeling it achieved neither status.
Rating:
Summary: Very well written
Review: As a soldier myself I see a lot of humor in there that I can personnaly relate. I think that it is definately worth reading and any true Pratchett fan should already have it. True this is not the best one written, but it is by far not the worst (That would be "The Unadulterated Cat").
Rating: 
Summary: The Importance of Strategically Placed Socks
Review: Borogravia is at war. Again. Or still. The country has been fighting with its neighbors so long that there aren't very many young men left to be soldiers. So even though a woman dressing as a man is an Abomination Unto Nuggan (garlic, chocolate, ears, rocks and much more at all Abominations unto the crazed Borogravian deity), Polly Perks dresses as a man and signs up for the Ins and Outs, the Tenth Division of the Borogravian army. No one looks too carefully; recruits are getting too hard to find. The title is a play on an obscure John Knox essay, a diatribe against women in leadership positions. Army life, officers, NCOs, patriotism, Army intelligence, institutional religion and especially sexism all get the Pratchett Treatment. More than any of his other books, I was strongly reminded of Mark Twain's later satires. Pratchett is a little gentler than Twain, and his approach is more methodical, but the same simmering anger is evident. Pratchett's distaste for the institutions and respect for the individuals is made completely clear. Stupidity, Polly Perks comes to realize, is simply too dangerous to have around. There are a few wonderful new characters, including Jackrum, a legendary sergeant in the Borogravian army, apparently ageless and, upon his word, "not a dishonest man;" and Maladict, one of Polly's fellow recruits, who has substituted a lust for blood for a lust for coffee (Pratchett is plainly a serious coffee drinker). And there are cameos of greater or lesser extent from Watch characters Duke Samuel Vimes, Corporal Angua, Buggy Swires and Reg Shoe; and William de Worde and his photographer, Otto. But mostly this is about Polly, an intelligent, decent person, placed in the madness and folly of war. She masters the art of impersonating a man - mostly belching and walking differently - practices shaving with a blunted razor and learns the importance of a strategically placed pair of socks. She learns how to tell if it is just the socks talking. She learns that sometimes when you ask, "Are we winning the war?" you might not be asking the right question. And she demonstrates that sometimes the right man for a task is a woman. Or perhaps several women. Pratchett touches on another theme, too, the difference between worship and belief. "Small Gods" focused on that distinction, and it plays a critical role here. Borogravians may worship Nuggan (even if they sometimes ignore the newest Abominations) but they believe in the Duchess, even though she may be dead. And, as events unfold, the difference is critical. There aren't many belly laughs, but this is a mature, amusing and instructive novel. It doesn't hurt that the themes are topical, but it's too much to hope that either Tony Blair or George W. Bush will read, let alone understand, what Pratchett is saying. Don't make their mistake.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing for a Discworld novel
Review: By any other writer, this would have been brilliant. By pterry, it's average.
Rating:
Summary: It's one of those books hat you either love or hate.
Review: I loved this book. I checked it out at the library, and when I had to turn it in, I almost drew in purple all over the pages so I could keep it, like Ramona Quimby. But later I bought it, and I've been quoting random bits ever since then.
So why only four stars? Because, when you get right down to it, it's not very well thought out. You cant even fathom what comes next, because it's all out of order with no real pace.
I cant complain that all of them are women, as much as I'd like to side with Paperdragon's reveiw on that issue. It fits with the plot, and all of us fictional character obsessors can just jump off a cliff, alright? Alright.
Seriously, though. It'a a little bit out there that all of them turned out to be women, but stranger coincidences have happened. And lets remember that this world is shaped like a disk and is being carried through space via turtle transportation. Realistim isn't the most important factor.
Personaly, I think it was as funny as any of his other books. The problem is, everybody steps back and looks at morals and then looks to how funny it was. Sure, there where a lot of morals. But go back and read again, and you'll laugh just as much. You just cant see it in the big picture.
The characters in this book are incredibly well accomplished for this being a stand alone in the discworld series. I've found myself drawing them as lions with enough material from the book that you can pretty much tell who they are, even as lions.
If you've never read Terry Pratchett's books, this is a great book to start on. You dont need to know all Pratchett's usual characters, so there's no confusion. Monstrous Regiment brings fresh blood into the Discworld series which was, to be frank, getting a bit stale.
Rating:
Summary: We Happy Few, We Band of...Brothers?
Review: I've read all of Pratchett's Discworld novels. This one isn't the best--but neither is it, as some reviewers have said, the worst. He continues here in the tradition of Wyrd Sisters, fighting for Female Empowerment on the Discworld, and I think pulls it off rather more successfully than he did with Magrat and the Witches. I'll spare you the plot summary, as it exists elsewhere, and just mention some of the high points: This is one of the more 'serious' of the Discworld Novels. It's not as heavy as, say, Night Watch (which was actually quite a moving book), but it deals with serious themes of the brutalization of women and the tyranny of theocracies. It also deals, at least peripherally, with war, and soldiering, and the tried-and-true-favorite theme of Pratchett's of the underdog. At the same time, he doesn't take the easy outs that he could have, and for that he deserves some kudos. If Pratchett has given us the Keystone Cops of the Discworld in Vimes' Ankh-Morpork Watch, then here we have...well, perhaps the Band of Brothers. Er, Sisters. You needn't feel squeamish; there are no scenes of carnage, there are no brutal deaths, but it is about the esprit du corps of a small unit of (wo)men, and there are some amusing points to be made on military procedure and tolerance amid the Ranks. In terms of the humor, it's subtler this time than in most of his books; much of it comes from the naming-customs of the Borogravian military and from gender-bending issues (as you might expect). A few low-ranking vulgarities crop up here and there, but that's soldier talk for you. Worth a read if you're a Pratchett Fan, and probably worth it even if you're not. Pratchett is nothing if not entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: The least enjoyable Discworld novel yet
Review: I've read, if not all the Discworld novels, then at least 90% of them. This is the least enjoyable yet. Not because it's about the folly of war, or the hazards of stereotyping, but because it just isn't funny. Something's missing here. It reads like a lesser author's failed attempt at emulating Mr. Pratchett.
Rating:
Summary: Women and War in Discworld
Review: If you haven't read the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett, then don't wait any longer! You are in for hours of supreme pleasure. Pratchett's books work equally well on many different levels -- as imaginative fantasy, constant hilarity (particularly for those who like puns and wordplay), and sly satire. Monstrous Regiment is another welcome addition to the Discworld saga, but I wouldn't recommend it to newcomers (who might instead consider one of the Watch books, or those involving our good friend Death). Long-time fans, however, will join me in welcoming the bedraggled army and its unique band of soldiers (complete with a vampire and an always-useful Igor...). Pratchett turns provides commentary on male-female roles, and on war, while keeping the story going without stumbling. The momentum might flag a bit near the end, and some familiar faces (Vimes, Antigua) would be even more welcome if they played larger roles -- but they are really bit players in this chapter of Discword lore -- and long may it continue!
Rating:
Summary: Really a unique turn for Pratchett
Review: If you're a diehard Pratchett fan - I've got some bad news for you: Monstrous Regiment isn't about witches, Rincewind, wizards, Death, or even the Watch (although they play a role.) It's a standalone book like Equal Rites, Soul Music, Pyramids, or Small Gods. So, people - join a support group, wear some armor on the weekends, something ... but prepare yourself for something a little different from a truly creative author. Monstrous Regiment takes place on the outer fringe of the Discworld stories - in Borogravia, a country sandwiched by a score "more civilized" nations which they've managed to aggravate into a constant state of war that has left their land uncultivated, and their popluation dwindling. With all the men missing or killed in the neverending state of warfare, who's the right man for the job? That's right - a woman. Polly Perks has a lot on her mind: her dimwitted, yet gentle brother is missing in action; her father's inn is being overrun by hooligans and old soldiers; and being a woman, she's got a lifetime of swabbing out the privies to look forward to since the nationalized diety has proclaimed every state of existence (except baldness) an Abomination for women. So with a quick haircut, a comic walk and a pair of socks, she enlists in the Borogravian army to at least find her brother. I enjoyed this book a great deal more than some of the more recent books, and in a much different way than some of the earlier books. Pratchett has stripped his style of many of the cheaper puns and sight gags, to reveal a more subversive type of humor - humor based in satire that lacks the punch of a timely toilet joke, but that is more satisfying to me as a reader. Pratchett also prods around the edges of the Disc, and does a pretty adequate job of finding new ways to explore the world he's created. And his thematic conclusions are never easy: there were at least two occasions in Monstrous Regiment where I thought: "Well, that should do it - Polly will be fine now," - Pratchett always seems to have one more twist up his sleeve. Monstrous Regiment presents a quandry, though: a new reader will be muddled, misled, and underinformed about the Discworld; the plot and theme more than compensate for it, however. I feel you should read The Fifth Elephant, Men At Arms, or Feet of Clay first, then you have to read The Truth, and then this one to fully appreciate the presence and role of Vimes, Angua, William de Worde, and Carrot (who is not referred to by name ???!!) - their parts of the story, while critical, are really sketchy and assume a great deal of prior knowledge. But there is plenty of action, invention, and great dialog to keep even a casual fan interested. Put down that Robert Jordan, fanboy! Will Polly find her brother? Will she be able to keep her secret? Why are there never any socks in the regiment's laundry? These are all questions worth answering by reading Monstrous Regiment. New readers will enjoy Monstrous Regiment after a little catch up - fans will enjoy it more by relaxing their tightening expectations on one of fiction's most active and creative satirists.
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