Musing on Jingo

My Discworld Book Number

This is my 26^th Discworld book.

Discworld Serial Number Based on Publishing Date

This is the 21^st book in the Discworld series and was published for the first time in 1997.

Introduction to Discworld Series

Discworld is a fictional world created by writer Terry Pratchett. It is a flat world balanced on the back of 4 elephants; they in turn stand on a giant turtle. The turtle’s name is Great A’Tuin. The names of 4 elephants are Berilia, Tubul, Great T’Phone, and Jerakeen.

Pratchett writes stories set in this world. He has written 41 Discworld books. The genre of these books can be broadly said to be fantasy-satire. 

Discworld is a satiric reflection of our own world. The flat world should be the first indication of the satire. Because in this world things are as people (as in flat-earthers) want them to be.

Magic is strong in Discworld. Light travels quite slowly because of thick magic in the atmosphere. 

In this world different humanoid species (combinedly known as sapients) live together, but not necessarily peacefully.

Premise of Jingo

The books of Discworld series are set in different parts of Discworld with different set of characters and different subjects. Present book’s theme is the City Watch or police department of Ankh-Morpork with an office at Pseudopolis Yard (not unlike Scotland Yard).

“Guards! Guards!” is the first book in the Watch series. If one can pay a fee to the Thieves Guild every month to not to be robbed, what’s the role of the Watch? “Guards! Guards!” follows the City Watch as it gains relevance in guilds infested Ankh-Morpork. In this book, the residents of Ankh-Morpork realise that their city can face danger from many sources other than the criminals under the guilds. There comes the relevance of the City Watch!

The second book in the Watch subseries of Discworld series is Men at Arms. Men at Arms explores the struggle of the Watch in face of reconstruction and imminent departure of Captain Vimes.

Feet of Clay is the third book in subseries. The central plot of the book involves the Watch solving a series of murders while keeping the city patrician Lord Vetinari alive. Meanwhile the golems of the city have gone crazy. In a way it can be said this book is about golems and their transition from mere robotic slave to a place in the Watch.

Jingo is the fourth book in the series. In this book the Watch goes out of the Ankh Morpork to save the day. With rise of a long sunken continent (Leshp) in the Circle Sea, things heat up between Klatch (created in shadow of Middle East) and Ankh Morpork concerning the ownership of the island. This incident gives rise to rage towards Klatchians residing in Ankh Morpork, thus increasing the Watch’s work load.

The popular demand was for a war with Klatch. As the Patrician Lord Vetinary refuses to go on a war, many aristocrats mobilises personal armies. They marched towards Klatch.

Meanwhile attack on a Klatchian prince on Ankh Morpork soil escalates the diplomatic situation. While investigating the crime, Angua gets captured. The rest of the Watch must follow her to Klatch on a rescue mission.

Lord Vetinary is of course not someone who would sit quietly. He built up his own army consisting of Leonard of Quirm, Colon, and Nobby; albeit it was not for an open war. They have their own of adventures with an agenda.

A new specie (or are they just a group of humans? I may know more later) named D’reg join the Discworld with this book. They live in the hot deserts of Klatch. They come and go in shadow. Their name literally translates to enemy. They are everyone’s enemies.

Important Characters

CAPTAIN CARROT

Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson is embodiment of all things good in the Discworld. His sense of duty, honesty and loyalty rubs on others in the Watch. He considers himself to be a Dwarf as he was adopted by a Dwarf couple in his childhood, although he is a very tall human. He can literally turn enemies into friends merely with his words. That comes especially handy when he and his colleagues are in a hostile country.

COMMANDER SIR SAMUEL VIMES

The leader and mentor of the Watch Samuel Vimes is busy taking care of the bigots in a troubled time. He is unhappy imagining how predictable he has become. He tries to do something surprising and solves diplomatic issues through policing. Because some time football (soccer for Americans) is more effective than war.

Title wise he has promoted to be a Duke now.

CORPORAL ANGUA

Angua von Überwald faces problem in balancing her double life. Yet she can use her unique position to help in investigations of the Watch.  

SERGEANT COLON

Frederick “Fred” Colon is one of the oldest members of the Watch. His wisdom is at par with people in our world believing every Whatsapp forward. But when the situation arises he always comes through.

CORPORAL NOBBS

Nobby Nobbs is human but somehow everyone treats him like a sub-human. Everyone always expects the worst from him and worst of him. But is there more to him than meets the eyes? Especially the questions he asks are quite uncomfortable for people with rigid ideas. In this book he disguises as a woman and walks in our shoes for a mile. He identifies as a woman for some period with fully empathizing with our gender.

HAVELOCK VETINARI

Patrician Lord Vetinari rules over Ankh-Morpork with iron fist. He gives out a cat stroking super villain vibe but in reality, his most vicious attack has been passing sarcastic remarks (maybe). He is diplomatic, intelligent can gauze next 10 moves of the opponent. He always approaches problems in unique ways. One may disagree with him, but his unique ways always work.

In this book he uses mad genius Leonard to take an unconventional approach to solve the problem at hand.

From this book, I gathered he was educated in Assassin’s School but no one remembers him handling any weapon. I guess his brain is his biggest weapon. And he is also into heavy censoring. He discourages book printing, by all means. Now this is one thing I absolutely dislike about the Lord V.  

My Two Pennies

‘Let’s have no fighting, please. This is after all, a council of war…’

Does not the line sound too familiar!

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the war room! ~ Dr. Strangelove (1964)

I would say there is no bad Discworld book but some Discworld books are better than others. Personally, for me, there have been better Watch sub-series books. Beginning of Jingo is sensational but then it fizzles out. There are many unnecessary parts, which could have been chopped to keep the book taut. I was little confused about the chief theme of the book. The book starts with the theme of hyper-nationalism leading to unnecessary war and mistrusting fellow citizens. But it ends with Lord Vetinary registering win in terms of trade and financial interest over Klatch without any war. Then are we supposed to celebrate win of Ankh Morpork when most part of the book preaches against any kind of nationalistic gestures (You want to know why would I celebrate? That’s because in my mind I am a citizen of Ankh Morpork).

However, these are all my personal views. It should not deter you from reading the book. I enjoy reading the book, when my mind was not busy with deciphering the central theme of the book.

But why there is not much about Jingo, in the book! The name was mentioned maybe twice or thrice time (only as “by Jingo”). There is absolutely no relevance of this minor god to the overall plot.  

In Discworld, India is clubbed with Middle East. I had expected better from you, Terry! When will the West realise zero was invented by Indians not the Arabs!