The twenty-first Discworld book starts off with a couple of fishing boats, one from Ankh-Morpork and the other from Klatch, arguing with each other when the strange island of Leshp suddenly rises out of the sea directly in between their respective domiciles, with both sides then immediately claiming it. This is not an ideal situation for cooperation and coexistence but makes for a great plot device.
This book combines the idea of rampant jingoism (hence the name), with the many conspiracy theories around the assassination of JFK. When there's an attempted assassination of Prince Khufurah, a Klatchian dignitary, things take an even darker turn in Ankh-Morpork, as people of Klatchian descent are being insulted and even attacked, which brings our even further expanded watch directly into the story. More dwarves, more trolls, and more undead, including our own Reg Shoe, the zombie dead rights activist from Reaper Man, are all part of the watch now.
The Patrician looms large in this book too, and brings Leonard of Qurim, the genius inventor that was so important to Men at Arms, and his unique genius along as well. To round out our main cast we have 71-Hour Ahmed, a part of the Klatchian delegation to Ankh-Morpork, who ends up being a unique figure, and far more complex than he first appears.
The attempt on the prince's life is a twisted mess of false clues, multiple would-be assassins, and political intrigue. The watch have their work cut out for them with that messy situation, but they are interrupted by the riot act and martial law being declared, which means the nobles are in charge as the Patrician steps down due to the twin cities being at war. The various lords, and especially Lord Rust, are a bit too eager for this war, and are unhappy with Vimes' take on the situation. They're even more upset when he starts to recruit his own troops, as is his right as a nobleman, thanks to his marriage to Lady Sybil. Vimes' mix of cynicism and sense of fair play once again mean that he can't let things be, especially when he knows this whole situation is fishy in more ways than one.
As the two nations plan for war, although mostly badly in Ankh-Morpork's case under Lord Rust's command, it must be said, the Patrician and Vimes have their own plans for the situation. Lord Vetinari grabs Colon and Nobby to join him and Leonard on his special and secret mission. Vimes and his personal army, that consists of most of the watch, seeks to both stop the war and solve the attempt on Prince Khufurah's life. All of them head to Klatch in their own way, and a large portion of the book focuses on the Patrician's and Vimes' groups and their journey through Klatch.
Nobby is especially amusing here. The situation with the Patrician's group is one of the highlights of the entire book, but even then, Nobby steals the show with his unique part to play within that small cadre. This book is one of Sir Terry's more serious volumes, but Colon and Nobby are always great for a laugh, and while the Patrician's mission is quite serious, some of the most enjoyable moments are with this small contingent as the Patrician gets a rare chance to show off some of his skills, instead of just being the imposing and often frightening figure that we see in most other books.
Vimes' group has a run-in with the D'Regs, tribes of raiders that roam the desert and have a reputation for viciousness that is largely accurate, although as always with the Disc, it's not one hundred percent correct, and aptly reflects how such prejudices are a problem here as well. He manages to not only befriend some of them to a degree, but gets them, 71-Hour Ahmed, and some of the regular Klatchian and Morporkian soldiers to work with him. He ends up doing something I wish happened on our roundworld, and the repercussions of his achievement and how Vetinari arrives to make use of Vimes' accomplishment is a stunning moment that heralds the enjoyable resolution of a very dangerous state of affairs that all started over a dispute for a small island rising out of the sea, included the near assassination of Prince Khufurah, and had spiraled out of control to the point where bloodshed was bound to happen had not Vimes done his duty as the commander of the watch.
Once again, Sir Terry makes us think while making us laugh. The way people turn on friends and neighbors, people they've known for years in many cases, just because they are of a different color or cultural background over rampant nationalism and imaginary grievances is far too real and is another serious problem that the Disc shares with our roundworld. There are some slurs that the Ankh-Morporkians use against the Klatchians that are also unfortunately encountered here, while the counter-slurs come off more silly than nasty, probably due to the offensive roundworld connotations of the insults directed against the Klatchians as opposed to what the Klatchians call the Morporkians.
It's obvious that Sir Terry doesn't approve of these attacks, as the people that utter the uncomfortable expressions are either pillocks like Lord Rust or learn that the use of the phrases is not approved by those that we've come to respect, such as Vimes and Carrot. As someone who grew up with many of the adults using some similar phrases and terrible takes on other people, I'm glad that Sir Terry makes it obvious that those using the slurs are a large part of the problem, and those that don't use them and make it plain they don't want to hear such things are the most respectable characters here.
Part political thriller, part police procedural, part lesson about ourselves, part brilliant humor, and all Sir Terry, it's a great book with a lot to love, although not quite as fun as his very best. It's a fascinating look at the Disc and by doing so, our roundworld as well.
3.8125 contested islands rising out of the sea out of 4.
Some fun quotes:
"It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy. You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told the children bedtime stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people. It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was Us, then what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things."
"Were you proposing to shoot these people in cold blood, sergeant?"
"Nossir. Just a warning shot inna head, sir."
"It is a long-cherished tradition among a certain type of military thinker that huge casualties are the main thing. If they are on the other side then this is a valuable bonus."
Morella is a Gen Xer who likes strange things a bit too much.
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