Lies down on the ground.

Jack Jackrum is probably named after the famous folk song Jackaroe (also occasionally called "Jackaroo" or "Jackarum"). Which is my favorite 'woman crossdresses to join the army' folk song of all time bar none.

How did I fucking MISS TH-

Reading a Terry Pratchett book is literally just: Here's a funny little joke Here's something that you can tell is a joke but don't get and will only figure out five years later Here's a surprisingly cool fantasy concept Here's a unique and well written simile Here's a lil guy Here's something that has aged depressingly well into the modern day Here's something that has aged remarkably queer into the modern day Here's a character that you can barely understand what he's saying Here is the most terrifying and deeply disturbing concept you have ever heard, casually mentioned Here is the dumbest fucking pun you've ever heard but in the best way Here is a quote so profound that it makes you view morality and the world in a different way Here is a plot twist that you can't tell if it's genius or stupid Congratulations! You've finished the book! It has fundamentally changed you as a person and you will never be the same!

The back of Discworld novels: wowee terry's whipped another wacky and wild adventure for us this time! there's so many silly shenanigans and witty wordplay in this book that you're sure to have a hilarious time!

Discword novels: a cynical alcoholic navigating and overcoming the pointlessness of his job, a transparent metaphor for racism and gun violence in the police system and in general, an intelligent young girl overcoming the ideas she's been taught by her culture and the media she consumes, just an entire novel made of commentary on war and gender, using talking animals as a way to explore what defines personhood and contrasting stories vs reality, an ex-convict coming to terms with the damage he's caused and fighting monopolies that are trying to do the same thing,

I read a physical copy of monstrous regiment soon after listening to the audiobook, and I noticed two tiny discrepancies between the two editions that make an absolute world of difference. when I found out that these discrepancies existed (you’ll find reddit posts backing me up about them), I felt cheated that my first experience of the book had portrayed a less cohesive arc than pratchett intended

if you’re looking to buy or read monstrous regiment, I strongly recommend the doubleday 2003 version or the corgi 2004 version, which iirc contain the original text. The harper collins publications and audiobook both contain these changes, which imo are confusing and severely undercut the themes the book is trying to get across. if anyone knows the status of other editions of the book pls feel free to add on

obviously the audiobooks and ebooks are more accessible than physical books to some people, so if you read one of those just know that the original text is different in some key ways. I still recommend you read the book because it’s crazy good :)

the changes I noticed, beneath the cut to avoid some serious spoilers:

firstly, the last line of Jackrum’s last scene. in the Doubleday version, this line reads:

“Jackrum had turned her chair to the fire, and had settled back. Around him, the kitchen worked.”

in the harpercollins version, the line reads:

“Jackrum had turned her chair the the fire, and had settled back. Around her, the kitchen worked.”

this pronoun change is actually has huge implications. in the scene in question, jackrum, a transgender man, reveals that he joined the army in disguise. he is referred to as “she” throughout his background reveal. however, he then considers where his future will take him, and in the final line of the scene his pronoun reverts back to “he.” jackrum’s pronoun goes from he->she->he, encapsulating the gendery arc of the scene. however, in the altered he->she->she version of the scene, half of that circle is erased. the neat tie-up of jackrum’s journey is left confusingly unresolved, and the importance of his gender to the book’s overarching themes goes underemphasized

the second change I noticed is how maladict appears in the book’s ending:

in the Doubleday version, maladict appears “in full uniform.”

in the harpercollins version, maladict appears “in full female uniform.”

maladict is the last soldier to reveal [their] true gender, keeping up a masc/ambiguous presentation far after all the rest of the squad has come forward as women. “in full uniform” maintains this ambiguity, allowing the reader to decide for themself whether maladict comes forward and presents as fully female or continues to dress masculinely despite the fact that circumstances no longer require it (in fact I believe that the latter is more likely, as maladict says “thought I’d try again,” which could mean dressing in male uniform again). “in full female uniform” removes that ambiguity, and brings maladict’s arc to a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion. it eliminates the possibility of maladict as transgender or gender-non-conforming, and I’m left wondering, “if maladict presents as female so readily, why make such a fuss of it before now?”

both changes undermine the book’s message by eliminating its space for non-cisnormative identity… which is kinda crucial to the whole idea. im honestly really disappointed that these changes were made in any version of the book, because whoever made them clearly didn’t get the point

you can throw all the “dark and handsome brooding” character you want at me but nothing will ever top the peak and i mean PEAK characterization of that trope in monstrous regiment, where the suave and ✨mysterious✨ vampire spends only the beginning of the book seeming put-together before he plummets deep into caffeine withdrawal, starts vividly hallucinating and is functionally useless for the rest of the plot while ambushes and infiltration plans are going on. 10/10.

monstrous regiment made me uncomfortably aware of the fact that i actually do have half an onion in my fridge all the time

now every freaking time i open the fridge my eyes dart to the designated for half an onion place (i also became aware of the fact that there actually is such a place in my fridge) and it's always freaking there

The first batch of requests by @drunkenfangschrecke, @summoningraziel and @jellymish-art.

Thanks for the suggestions!

You know, I was thinking about Monstrous Regiment as I always do, and I just say, damn, Terry Pratchett sure as shit did the "Female attack drone operator killing children" joke ages before we even got there culturally.

Like, OK, during the climax of the book we find out that half of the Military high command are also women right? Disguised as men and wanting to keep their secret hidden as they live as men yes, but still women.

And here's the thing.

That's not, unlike Jackrum's ending, to be read as a trans allegory.

These are women, who joined the military, a sexist and awful military force who would have killed them had it found out for both being women and for crossdressing, got in a position of power by following the rules and not rocking the Boat (unlike Polly and her squad, who were offered the perfect way out yet still decided to come out as women), and then once they become the high command of the military they do NOTHING.

They do not change those same structures who oppressed them, because now they are in power so who care if other women get hurt.

And they do not stop the war, continuing it instead.

"Women can do the same things man can" is one of the Book's arc words, and it does sound like a pretty neat message, until Terry points out how this very same message can be used to sponsor horrible actions too and passing them for progress.

Women can be war criminals just like man can.

Much like back in the days, cigarette companies sold women cancer on a stick presenting it as freedom and liberation for their gender.

Much like The pilot of the drone that's going to burn your house to the ground has a pride flag pin on their lapel.

You are not immune to fucking military propaganda.

Those newspaper men from Ankh-Morpork

Really quick Monstrous Regiment comic because I miss Wazzer and love her to bits.

I like my female characters strange and unsettling.

Fanart time. Here's my favorite bit from Terry Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment.

My gender is that part in monstrous regiment where they've transed so much that they're in like 5 layers of gender fuckery

the thing about jack jackrum. ok let me back up a bit: i reblogged a post a few days ago talking about how there are plenty of cis people who don't have an innate sense of gender connected to their agab, but don't have dysphoria so they just. vibe. the 'i just work here' of gender identity. borogravian society does not really have an idea of being transgender, so they're entirely working off gender = sex = genitals at birth. if jackrum had been born in a world where his beloved never went off to war, and he never decided to follow him, would he have been happy as a woman? if he'd grown up today, in roundworld, would he have been a trans man? there's no way to know. but what we do know is that he's been (for all intents and purposes) a man for possibly 60 years, and doesn't want to give it up at the end of the novel. maybe that's because he loves being a man, maybe that's because he just doesn't feel a strong connection to womanhood and it's easier. either way, he makes his choice, and i want to know who changed the pronouns in his last scene of the american version of the novel so we can have a chat.

Terry Pratchett is good bc he’ll end his books saying shit like “ and the next day was a great big fish” and my reaction will be sobbing shaking & seeing the world in a better light w a glimmer of hope for a better future constructed steadily, brick by brick, by our own two hands

'Y'see, I'm fat,' said Jackrum. 'People don't think fat men can fight. They think fat men are funny. They think wrong. Gave 'im a chop to the windpipe.' -- Terry Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment