It's funny how having an association affects your perception of things ... The first time I read Monstrous Regiment I didn't like it at all – so much so that it put me off Discworld for a while. After I read Going Postal I got back into it and started re-reading the entire series but left out MR because of the previous disappointment. Then I heard a song which reminded me of it, and when I acquiesced to read it again it became one of my favourites – in part, I think, because the song gave me a sort of emotional key in which to read it, a window through which its strengths were visible which I hadn't had before.



It's a polarising book, I find – people either love it or don't care for it at all. That's understandable to some degree, as it's very different from the rest of the series both in content and tone, and quite dark. But I'm very glad I picked it up again.