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crossover_chickNot that I mind after the total rush/brainfry that was yesterday. All caught up on the stuff I missed (more or less), and actually doing tags and stuff. Good life. Mom's still sick, though, so I've got to be on my guard for bad cold things. Bleh. (Said she's feeling better tonight, though. Let's hope so!)
I promised you some talk about Monstrous Regiment the other day, so let's do that now:
Even though I was not aware of the famous quote that the novel apparently takes its name from, it was pretty easy to guess the twist that pretty much everyone in Polly's little squad was female. I related it to Nuggan's Abominations and figured "they're monstrous for a different reason other than having a vampire, Igor, and troll." I also guessed that Jackrum was a woman, though it kept me wavering til the very end. However, for all that, I was still surprised at one reveal -- I'll leave that a secret for those wanting to read the book.
It was a really good book, as usual. Polly was delightful as a protagonist, and her supporting cast was great. Maladict's "flashsides" to a Vietnam war movie, Wazzer the creepy woobie Joan of Arc, Jackrum the badass, and Blouse -- oh, I liked Mr. Nerdy the moment I saw him. And to my delight, he turned out to be full of hidden depths! Not much of a fighter, and prone to doing some silly things, but the man can strategize beautifully. And the bit where he figures out the clacks AND OFFERS IMPROVEMENTS in front of William de Worde -- oh man. I think I mentioned there that he'd probably make a good computer programmer in our world?
Also, speaking of William, it was good to see him and Otto again! And of course Sam Vimes and his group. I actually spotted an interesting bit of Fridge Brilliance that I'm surprised those at TV Tropes didn't catch. You see, when Polly and her comrades meet up with Vimes, they don't realize who he is -- they think he's a sergeant. Vimes says he used to be, but not anymore. Yeah, he did used to be.
In the last book. Granted, his official title was Sergeant-At-Arms, but still -- this is the next one in line from Night Watch! I don't know if it's meant to be a continuity nod, but it's still cool.
I also had a thought about Jackrum -- at one point in the book, he says that his line in the sand is that he always shows himself in uniform. He never hides the fact that he's a Borogravian soldier -- he won't dress up or hide himself. He stays in his coat and that's that.
I wonder now if that was her way of making up for all the other lies in her life. A way of saying, "I can't be honest about anything else, including my own sex. I can be honest about this."
Anyway, good book, and I quite liked the ending, with Polly determined to make her country a lot more equal -- at least in the army. Although, hun, while you might want to keep your uniform's skirt (they get specifically feminine ones at the end), I'd lose the bustle. Seems a liability in war.
Anyway, I ought to get back to the tagging business -- later!
I promised you some talk about Monstrous Regiment the other day, so let's do that now:
Even though I was not aware of the famous quote that the novel apparently takes its name from, it was pretty easy to guess the twist that pretty much everyone in Polly's little squad was female. I related it to Nuggan's Abominations and figured "they're monstrous for a different reason other than having a vampire, Igor, and troll." I also guessed that Jackrum was a woman, though it kept me wavering til the very end. However, for all that, I was still surprised at one reveal -- I'll leave that a secret for those wanting to read the book.
It was a really good book, as usual. Polly was delightful as a protagonist, and her supporting cast was great. Maladict's "flashsides" to a Vietnam war movie, Wazzer the creepy woobie Joan of Arc, Jackrum the badass, and Blouse -- oh, I liked Mr. Nerdy the moment I saw him. And to my delight, he turned out to be full of hidden depths! Not much of a fighter, and prone to doing some silly things, but the man can strategize beautifully. And the bit where he figures out the clacks AND OFFERS IMPROVEMENTS in front of William de Worde -- oh man. I think I mentioned there that he'd probably make a good computer programmer in our world?
Also, speaking of William, it was good to see him and Otto again! And of course Sam Vimes and his group. I actually spotted an interesting bit of Fridge Brilliance that I'm surprised those at TV Tropes didn't catch. You see, when Polly and her comrades meet up with Vimes, they don't realize who he is -- they think he's a sergeant. Vimes says he used to be, but not anymore. Yeah, he did used to be.
In the last book. Granted, his official title was Sergeant-At-Arms, but still -- this is the next one in line from Night Watch! I don't know if it's meant to be a continuity nod, but it's still cool.
I also had a thought about Jackrum -- at one point in the book, he says that his line in the sand is that he always shows himself in uniform. He never hides the fact that he's a Borogravian soldier -- he won't dress up or hide himself. He stays in his coat and that's that.
I wonder now if that was her way of making up for all the other lies in her life. A way of saying, "I can't be honest about anything else, including my own sex. I can be honest about this."
Anyway, good book, and I quite liked the ending, with Polly determined to make her country a lot more equal -- at least in the army. Although, hun, while you might want to keep your uniform's skirt (they get specifically feminine ones at the end), I'd lose the bustle. Seems a liability in war.
Anyway, I ought to get back to the tagging business -- later!
