Going Postal: A Novel of Discworld

Although I gave "Going Postal" 5 stars, I found myself wishing that the store allowed a rating of "6", so much did I enjoy this latest entry in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. I will admit that I had found "The Monstrous Regiment" less appealing than many of the earlier volumes, so I approached "Going Postal" with just a little concern. But no worries! This newest book easily ranks with the best of what has come before.

"Going Postal" returns us once again to Ankn-Morpork, but is not directly connected to the set of City Watch novels or any of the other groupings of Discworld book. Instead, like "Moving Pictures" or "The Truth", this new book stands by itself in the universe of Discworld. Only Lord Vetinari among the characters of earlier volumes plays a major role in this novel (and what a part he plays!), although a number of familiar names do pop up from time to time. The story principally centers around Moist von Lipwig, a skillful con man, to whom Lord Vetinari makes an offer he can't refuse. Well, not at least refuse and go on breathing. For reasons known only to the clever tyrant, Lipwig is appointed Postmaster of the long-defunct Ankh-Morpork postal service, a position whose recent history has largely featured drastically shortened lives. Among Lipwig's more obvious challenges is the rivalry of the long-distance "clacker" service that does not look kindly upon the rebirth of a rival. But the Discworld being Discworld, not all problems are human or even, in the strict sense, posed by living enemies.

Von Lipwig is a thoroughly engaging character who sometimes - well, most of the time - has a difficult time forgetting his criminal past. But he has help in keeping, more or less, on the straight and narrow from a watchdog golem who has been assigned by Vetinari to make sure that his new postmaster stays on the job (and in Ankh-Morpork). And just in case Lipwig hopes to take advantage of the well-known principle that a golem mustn't harm a human being, Vetinari reminds him of the lesser-known next bit: Unless Ordered To Do So By Duly Constituted Authority.

Characters and situations are full of humor, the dialogue is sparkling, word-play abounds. But in with the humor are thoughtful points made about corporate corruption and practices that sacrifice people for suspect profits. In other words, another excellent Discworld novel.

It's autumn, which must mean it's time for a new Terry Pratchett book. Now that I'm caught up with the old ones, I must admit this yearly wait is very agonizing. So when I finally got my hands on Going Postal, I was almost drooling. Thankfully, I didn't drool all over the pages, but I could have! The good thing is that Pratchett made it well worth the wait. A bit of dragging in the middle couldn't keep me from saying it is yet another wonderful book.

Moist Van Lipwig (don't laugh) is a con man who's at the end of his rope. Literally. However, he doesn't hang from the rope for long enough to kill him, just long enough for his various aliases to die. He is then whisked to the office of the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, Vetinari. Vetinari is his guardian angel, giving him two choices: get the long-abandoned Ankh-Morpork Post Office up and running, or walk out the door behind him. Since Moist knows what awaits him outside that door (or, better yet, what *doesn't* await him, like a floor), he chooses the first option. Of course, he doesn't do it completely willingly. He has a golem guarding him, willing to track him down however far he runs if he does so. Moist shows up at the Post Office to find it almost buried in old letters, some as old as a hundred years. However, letters speak, and letters that are put together into sentences and put onto paper speak even more. They speak to Moist of their desire to get to where they are supposed to have gone. As Moist begins to make the Post Office more and more of a success, the conglomerate running the Clacks system into the ground becomes very interested. The Clacks are a series of towers that stretch from one city to another so that messages can be sent quickly. Can the power of the Post ever beat the power of electronics?

Once again, Pratchett makes wry observations about the human condition and writes a very amusing story around it. As time has gone on, Pratchett has avoided doing parody and instead takes a modern day situation and turns it just enough on its head for it to be funny *and* speak to the reader. It's yet another book (like The Truth) that has one man start up something that exists in our world but doesn't exist (or, in this case, hasn't for some time) on the Discworld. In this case, it's the Post Office. Some have seen a parallel to the telegraph as far as the Clacks are concerned, but I almost see it as more of an email thing. I think that also makes the book more timely, as the whole "mail vs email" contrast is a real issue. People complain that nobody writes letters anymore when they can just send an email.

However, this is not a book that demonizes the Clacks. It's actually about power corrupting ruthless businessmen who will do anything for control. The Clacks company was taken over (stolen is more appropriate) by a group of men who will do anything for money. Yes, it's the evil businessmen again, which is getting old but it's something that Pratchett has avoided until now, so I'll forgive him. It's also a novel about the human quality of hope. Moist, in his past as a con man, has used that hope to further his schemes. He ends up using that hope for the good in this book as he finds himself actually doing what's right for a change.

The characters are all wonderful as usual. Moist is a man who is torn between his previous self and the person who he seems to be becoming. He keeps thinking about running away, but he doesn't. In fact, he ends up using his abilities for the Post Office instead of his own greedy needs. Miss Adora Bell Dearheart is probably the best character in the book. She's an advocate for Golem rights, and she is steely on the outside. She's used to protecting herself and not allowing anybody in. Moist wants nothing but to worm his way underneath the stony exterior. Watching these two interact is one of the highlights of the book. The other characters are also winners, but especially Vetinari. He is as devious as ever, a benevolent tyrant (and aren't those the best kind?) who will do anything for the good of the city that he runs. Watching his mind work is a treat.

The only bad thing I can say about this book is that it does drag in the middle. At least it did for me. I can't put a specific place to it, but the pace just seemed to dip a little bit. It quickly picked up, though, and the last eighty pages are a real treat as Moist challenges Glint (the head of the Clacks consortium) to a race to see who can get a message to Genua, two thousand miles away. The pace is frenetic here, and the end result is wonderfully done.

There are a couple of oddities in this one, and while I'm sure they are intentional, I'm not sure what those intentions are. First, there are actually chapters, which don't exist in Pratchett books besides the young readers series (Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky). Secondly, these chapters have short little teasers sub-headings before the chapter actually starts. These take a bit of getting used to, but they actually work out really well.

This is definitely a must read for any Pratchett fan. It's also a book that can be read by almost anybody. The social commentary is wonderful, the writing and wit has to be seen to be believed, and it's just an enjoyable book.

David Roy

To be a non-violent successful conman, people skills may be the greatest asset. But will they be enough of a talent to succeed in reviving the moribund postal service of Ankh Morpork? Moist von Lipwig, aka. Albert Spangler, had run out of luck in his "business" and was sentenced to death. And Albert died. Moist, however, was transported to the palace of Lord Vetinari, the city's powerful ruler. There, he was given a second chance at life in the form of a job with a few strings attached: Get the ancient postal service working again! Given the decades of accumulated mail filling the Post office and a rather dubious collection of helpers, this task seems almost insurmountable.

To add to his problems, the postal services have been replaced by an ingenious new communication system, based on semaphores and "clacks towers", a Discworld version of the Internet. The Grand Trunk Company, created by some shady characters to take over the message sending system, has started to suffer from monopoly symptoms. The Lord is not amused! Responding to his investors' jitters, company director, Reacher Gilt, has been applying several time-proven capitalist schemes... ever so costly, and not only for the consumers. If these fail, he is prone to rely less on people skills than force, usually indirectly. It becomes quickly apparent that Gilt and Moist, competitors at some level, are bound to get into some form of dispute over the postal services... As Moist delves deeper into the intricacies of the Post Office and unearths its many secrets, his resolve becomes difficult to shake. To find out how the two protagonists match up in their battles, you have to read the book.

You can find pearls of wisdom on the human condition or satirical comment on the business affairs of our "round" world. Pratchett has outdone himself in wit and satire with this tale. Terry Pratchett's imagination knows few limits. At the same time, there is a gentle touch and his characters are very much alive. A great advantage for newcomers to the series, you can jump right in as the main characters are new. Old-timer Lord Vetinari, the benevolent, self-declared tyrant, comes into his own and in a new way. Enjoy it! If you have not done so already, you will want to read more books in the series. [Friederike Knabe]

There are lawyers, artists and wordsmiths. Wordsmiths use language as a tool, nay, they use words to paint. Paint the world with colours not really visible, with movement not really detectable and with smells not really there. Well... Not until the wordsmith uses his magic and makes you see, makes you feel and even makes you almost touch a faint aroma. Now... There's different kinds of wordsmiths on the discworld. Different in the sense of good and bad. And then there's the wordsmiths that are in charge (actually that just the one: the Patrician). And when he gets hold of you, turns your wordsmithing past against you, puts you in charge of delivering words to their destination... Well... That's basically wordsmithing that this discworld adventure is about a man. A man put in charge of delivering the post. Haunted by the Patrician (actually, not the Patrician himself but a gollem in his service). And being in charge of delivering the mail isn't just any job. Not in the world of fast moving clacks, the discworld's version of the telegraph (fast moving in the sense of ownership, value, cashflow and other such speculative wordsmithed capacities - not in the actual moving messages from here to there). So... In a sense it's about Terry himself. Living in a dangerous world, manipulated by the man in charge, tasked with bringing home The Message and in the end basically torching the place down, saving the cat and marrying his sweetheart. Isn't that lovely...? And what, pray thee, is an angel doing on the discworld?

This is not your typical discworld novel. Terry is saving the fun, excitement, optimism for his kids stories. Bloody good ones, by the way. This one is about Enron, capitalist crooks, the disappearance of pride from your work and basically a call to definitely no longer vote for Tony Blair. And it doesn't even talk about the war... So: it's no fun. But a jolly good read.

...and better. Terry Pratchett has done it again. He has returned to his famous world on the back of a giant turtle and delivered another gem. This time a hanged con man has been given a job by the Patricion to run the defunct post office. Moist von Lipwig decides to cut out only to find that he has a golem as both his personal body gaurd and parole officer, so he has to stay and perform his duty. To me, the explanation of why a golem is the perfect parole officer is one of the high points of the book. Pratchett once again manages to make an incredibly complex book easy and fun to read. He manages to have a main character that the story revolves around, but it is the supporting cast that is the true focus with their true life idiosyncracies. Once again the Patrician's character is filled in a bit more, but he is still a work in progress. A tyrant that truly cares for the well being of it's citizens. Go Figure.

Pratchett's discworld is also becoming more subtle and complex. He has managed to write in this world for more than twenty years and it is still fresh. He adds new characters so he can use them later in following books. Many of his characters from previous books make appearences and it is fun for those of us that have been long time readers to recognize these characters. It is not important if you have not read him before, this book stands nicely on its own. It is just like an inside joke that you would miss, but without knowing it. This book is both fun and a delight to read. Highly recommended.

This Discworld episode centers around a convicted con man, Moist von Lipwig, who is publicly executed but secretly given a chance at redemption. He's assigned as Postmaster of the unbelievably defunct Post Office of Ankh-Morpork. The book of course takes every satirical potshot at the Postal service one could imagine. Yet under the remarkable and non traditional leadership of Postmaster Lipwig, the Service and the bizarre characters who work there quickly become the underdog heroes miraculously taking on the corrupted Grand Trunk clacks communication service.

The first third of the book moves pretty slowly and generally doesn't sparkle with Pratchett's usual level of humor. After that though, the story finally gets moving and also gets funnier.

"This is by far, my favorite one," is what I almost always seem to say whenever I finish a novel by Terry Pratchett, and this time I think I really do mean it. You know a book is going to be wonderful when it has both a 9000 year prolog and a one month prolog. Moist Von Lipwig, a con man extraordinaire is "hired" by Lord Vetinari to reopen the failed postal service. The only option is the noose, but there are always options, and this gives Moist hope of one day escaping from his fate. The postal workers are a bit off the beaten path, there is a machine in the basement built by Bloody Stupid Johnson (using an incorrect value of pi, which broke down the reality around the machine) which sorts mail, bends time and space, and dices up people, and there is fierce and deadly competition between the Grand Trunk Clacks Company and the post office. There are lots of moments of great human insight in this book, a bit of humor any techie will find pleasing, and the Times makes yet another appearance. Could this signal the next leg of our journey with Pratchett? It seems like he is setting up new groups and locales, pumping new blood into a series that already has so much life that the rocks (trolls) and the dead (zombies) are commonplace citizens. As Lord Vetinari would say, "Well done Mr. Pratchett, well done indeed."

I'm a long-time, old-school Terry fan ... but his last few books have fallen a little shy of the mark for me. The endings have been very pat, and the themes were treated with more panache in his earlier tomes. But even so, I'd heartily recommend them because really -- a bad Terry P. book is like a bad day off work. It's still pretty damn good.

So I say all that to say this: *Going Postal* is a step back in the right direction. Multi-layered, multi-themed, and funny as hell, GP is a real stand-out -- a return to Pratchett's masterful treatment of serious subjects handled lightly but thoroughly. I was glad to see a more in-depth treatment of golem subculture (my first Pratchett read was *Feet of Clay*), and I was delighted by the socio-economic dissection of the Clacks. I was overjoyed by the terribly fine lines that separate the villains and the heroes, and I was once again impressed with Pratchett's command of satire.

Even if you've skipped the last few Discworld novels or were let down by the "easiness" of *Monstrous Regiment*, pick this one up. It doesn't disappoint.

Going Postal was the first novel of Terry Prachett's I read, and I had more fun with it than any book in many years. The books of Christopher Moore and Carl Hiaasen come close in tone to Going Postal, but Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide is the correct comparison to Prachett's Discworld.

Going Postal centers on a con game played by an "ethically-minded" burglar, who has been made Postmaster following his "execution" by hanging. This Post Office, set in Terry Pratchett's Discworld, has been made obsolete by an old-fashioned internet of sorts, called the Grand Trunk, which works by relaying flashing light signals through shutters from one lighthouse to the next. Turns out the Grand Trunk is a big business, in a sense well known in the 21st century.

The question of the book is how the old fashioned Post Office, relying on (amazingly steadfast) people, horses and wagons can compete with the new-fangled technology of the Grand Trunk. Magic and fireworks are in order for Going Postal, but are secondary to the story. Prachett does an amazing job--better than in any of the other (first) six Discworld books I've snatched up since--in keeping the story well-grounded, and not relying on magic for plot solutions. There are numerous surprises in Going Postal's story, and the finish is very satisfying.

Going Postal is full of amazing characters, and a fascinating and hilarious character study this is. We can see little pieces of ourselves and people we know in each of the many characters; we like these people (who are--while amazingly grounded--a completely whacky and hilarious group). We even like the nonhumans, especially the clay-fired Golems central to Going Postal. These Golems run along the same theme as sci-fi stories with evolving, intelligent robots. Prachett gets the Golems just right.

Going Postal is the best of the Discworld books I have read, and I recommend it as an introduction to the series, even though the first two books, The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic, are excellent. Going Postal is an amazingly fun and interesting book for any reader, and displays clearly Prachett's brilliance in story telling, character development, and humor.

or so it is said. terry pratchett may only be terminally irked. which is wonderful for those of us who enjoy barbed wit, parody, satire and ridicule. in this book, as in all of the disc world books, he skewers stupidity, selfishness, ignorance and white collar criminal behavior and other unethical habits--all while providing some of the best humor in print. comic dialogue, comic action, puns, obscure references (the chapter headings in _going postal_, for those who don't read a lot of 18th and 19th century literature, are take-offs), if there's a form of humor he's missed, i can't think what it is.

one review quoted on the dust cover of _going postal_ compares him to chaucer. i think he's closer to mark twain and will rogers. he's more subtle than douglas adams.

while there's not a disc world novel i haven't enjoyed, i laughed out loud more often reading this one than i did with some others. it would be a good choice for someone who has been culturally deprived (i.e., hasn't yet read pratchett) and a treat for those who have.

I've decided he's too good and too prolific for me to write a brand new review every single time I read one of his books. Discworld currently has 34 titles and every one of them will probably knock your socks off. His mind bubbles and flashes like a boiling pot of electric eels, and I simply can't get enough of his writing.

A reviewer has compared him to Geoffrey Chaucer. He reminds me more of Douglas Adams, or perhaps S Morgenstern. Great company, isn't it? He's an extremely skillful and imaginative writer, damn funny, clever and observant to boot. He's also very easy to read. A master of characterization, and if there's anything else you like about reading that I didn't mention here, assume I simply forgot. He's awesome.

Another reviewer mentioned Jonathan Swift and PG Wodehouse. Why such hallowed company? Because Pratchett belongs there! Truly, I'm enjoying my quest to read every book in the series. You should do the same, and begin your quest at the library because he's got to be there. He's awesome!

Yet another reviewer said Jerome K Jerome meets Lord of the Rings. Yeah, that works too.

Why do we, as reviewers, compare authors to other authors? Because it's easier than thinking. In the case of Terry Pratchett, it's probably because we'd otherwise wind up quoting the guy. He's so unique that we just don't know how else to cope with his greatness. Even this paragraph sounds like foamy drool raving, doesn't it? That's how all readers react to Pratchett. Reviewers simply don't have the good sense to keep it to themselves.

I could call his writing fantasy, but I could likewise call what Douglas Adams wrote science fiction. In both cases, I wouldn't be wrong, but I'd be neglecting so much and just totally missing the point. A rare few authors transcend a genre to such a degree that you know they're shouting out, loud and proud, a big fat "Bite me!"

I love Terry Pratchett's writing, and I completely understand why some folks refer to him as their favorite author. Or favourite, I should say, since we're being British. He's one of those authors that makes you want to grab whoever's in hearing range and start reading passages aloud. I'm simply thrilled that there's such an extremely talented and prolific author who's been working for years without me being aware of him. Now I have much catching up to do, and I will love it.

Moist von Lipwig is a confidence trickster par excellence. Unfortunately he is also in prison and about to be hanged. But after he drops through the trapdoor of the hangman's platform, he finds himself still alive and being offered a second chance by the Patrician. All Moist has to do is reopen the Post Office and put it back in business. Never mind that the clacks has made the Post Office even more obsolete than when it first closed. Moist decides to take the position thinking that he can run away at any time. A golem bodyguard has different ideas.

But within the massively cluttered shell of the old Post Office, Moist meets characters common to the Diskworld and confronts problems in a unique way that only a master con man could ever hope to pull off. But somewhere along the way Moist discovers that there are bigger games being played and he will have to keep the momentum going. Before he knows it the Post Office is the latest fad and his new ideas are popular indeed. But his success can not be seen as good for the clacks company and the two forces will have to clash very publicly before the story ends.

In this latest Diskworld novel we are introduced to one of the best new characters in a while. Moist von Lipwig is truly memorable. Many old favorites get their cameos and we see the Patrician in greater detail than we have seen him for some time. The action is fast and furious. Unlike most Diskworld books, this one is split into chapters. Each chapter is highlighted with an Ankh-Morpork postage stamp and a synopsis of the chapter. This lent a slightly different feel to the book but still seemed to work well. I would have to rate this volume as one of the best in recent years. Check it out.

When Terry Pratchett's Discworld series first started, although they were immensely popular I always thought that you needed a certain sense of humour to get the best out of them "weird" would be a good word to describe it. Now I feel Mr. Pratchett has made a subtle change in his writing style to appeal to even more readers (if that is possible).

I believe that the large national organisations are probably quaking in their boots wondering if they are going to be the next subject he picks on. Will it be the Railways, Airlines or even the Government themselves. Perhaps Mr. Pratchett should be the Prime Minister, he certainly seems in a humorous way (or is he serious), to be able to put his finger on the problems that abound in these national industries.

Perhaps a few old ladies in black pointed hats walking around Westminster and a few Werewolves pounding the beat in police uniform would be of enormous benefit to the nation.

Going Postal is a joy to read. What an incentive for career criminal Moist von Ludwig. Put Ankh-Morpork's ailing postal service back on its feet or face being hanged. Perhaps that's the kind of incentive all bosses of national institutions should have (only joking, I think). It certainly makes the old grey cells start to tingle. Perhaps a criminal has the sort of devious mind that could turn things around

If you have read the others you will know what to expect. If you haven't, well its high time you started to read the funniest and most innovative writer in Britain today.

This is the 29th Discword novel, but can be read as a stand-alone.

26-year-old Moist von Lipwig is a talented con artist. Or used to be: this morning he (well actually his "Mr Spangler" identity) was hanged. At least that's what the citizens of Ankh-Morpork witnessed. In truth, Moist von Lipwig was secretly and discreetly "rescued" by the Patrician, Lord Vetinari, and proposed a unturndownable challenge: to become the city's new Postmaster.

The book tells of how he'll get Ankh-Morpork's ancient postal service up and running again, with the help of Mr Groat the old postman, of Stanley the pinhead and keeper of the Rules, of Miss Adora Belle Dearheart of the Golem Trust, and of his parole officer Mr Pump.

Of course he'll face many obstacles, especially in this modern world where clacks can deliver a message in the blink of a shutter tower... yes, but there's been an unusual number of deaths on the clacks lately... Could he outrun them?

Going Postal hooked me right from the start. It was so exciting to explore the Post Office's old building, literally packed with old, undelivered mail, and to witness the invention of stamps... Of course Death makes his usual appearance (or apparition?), and the punny references (to The Lord of the Rings, the Internet, etc) are legion. The final race reminded me of an old film, the title of which I can't for the life of me remember, where some old fashioned service competes against the modern one... oh well. With this book, as well as with Monstrous Regiment and the Tiffany Aching sub-series, it seems to me that Sir Terry Pratchett is finally back on track after some years at half throttle.

Moist Van Lipwig, a notorious criminal, finds himself before Lord Vetinari who provides him with a couple of choices: die or become postmaster general. His choice to live sticks him with reviving a post office that has languished for decades. He also inherits a mad old postman and his bumbling apprentice.

This is one of those books where delightful madness, lighthearted jokes, and masterful parody swirl into a wonderful tale. Hats off to Mr. Pratchett.

The characters are fully developed and possess amusing quirks. I especially liked Lord Vetinari who is a most malevolently benevolent and brilliant despot. I think it helped that I listened to this as an audiobook. The voices of each cast member was excellently done.

If you haven't read a Pratchett, this is a good one to pick up. If you have read Pratchett and enjoyed him, this is definitely one you shouldn't miss.

Going Postal" is the latest addition to Terry Pratchett's ongoing Discworld series. The novel is set in Ankh-Morpork and deals with a con man who is forced to take over the management of the city's defunct postal system. I was pleased to see that my favorite DW character, Havelock Vetinari, plays a significant role in the story. Just like in "Monstrous Regiment", most of the cast of the novel is new, except for a short appearance by Captain Carrot, the undead lawyer Slant, and a few other returning characters who are only mentioned by name (Nobbs, Vimes). A fun treat: artwork of 'authentic' Ankh-Morpork postage stamps decorates every chapter. There are also a number of mentions of "Thud", the DW-themed strategy board game. The plot of the novel is adequate but maybe a bit predictable if you are familiar with Pratchett's style. This one is recommended for fans of the series, but probably not the best place to start for newcomers, despite the fact that this as much of a stand-alone novel as you'll find in the series.

What I really love about Terry Pratchett is how warm his fiction is. Funny is good; I like funny. But more than that I like how much I care about his characters. That's not always easy to pull off in comedy, particularly prose. In a visual medium, you can soften the edges of slapstick or repartee with body language. In prose, it takes skill and subtlety to pull it off without undermining the humor.

I found _Going Postal_ particularly engaging. There is a sense of urgency to this plot that kept me flipping pages. Pratchett is always a light read because of his style (not for lack of substance), but I finished this one in record time.

For the most part, I imagine I'll be preaching to the choir, but on the off chance that someone unfamiliar with Pratchett should stop by I'll note that this particular book should present no great challenges to readers unfamiliar with the Discworld series. I have read them piecemeal myself, picking certain characters I admire most and following their stories, so I know what it is to encounter a concept or a character that is unknown. I believe most readers could get quickly up to speed in this story, though of course fans familiar with the series will enjoy textures that escape you. If this is your first Discworld novel, don't let it be your last. They build on each other to form an alternate world as rich as it is funny.

Going Postal is an excellent Disc World novel. It's funny, well written and over-all it's a lot of fun. It reminded me of some of the earlier books in the series, which is definitely a good thing. Going Postal pokes fun at stamp collecting, at government institutions, but mostly at Enron-style corporate corruption.

The book tells the story of a con-man that finds himself pressed into service by Lord Vetinari to run Ankh-Morpork's rundown post-office. The book has many fun new characters and some cameos by some long running characters such as members of the city guard, the press and even some wizards (how about another wizards novel by the way?)

Disc World fans will love this book, it is everything we have come to expect from Pratchett. After the horrible "Monstrous Regiment" fiasco I was starting to think that Pratchett lost his touch, but Going Postal shows that the Disc World universe still has a lot of mileage left. Keep `em coming!

Going Postal is an absolutely brilliant book, one of the most imaginatively conceived and artfully written novels I've ever come across. And funny to boot. Often very funny. Not to mention thought provoking and, here and there, quite moving. Pratchett is a spectacularly gifted writer. Not one sentence of Going Postal was out of place, not one characterization off. Though I had zero expectations going into this book, having never read Pratchett before, I emerged from it a total convert. Can't believe I didn't stumble on this writer sooner. But I couldn't be more delighted to learn that in addition to being a master story teller, he is also prolific. I much look forward to wending my way through his other novels.

Going Postal is Terry Pratchett's 29th book. A professional and generally shady con man Moist Van Lipwig has been caught, and is sentenced to die by hanging. But surprisingly, after the hanging, he wakes up in the chamber of Lord Havelock Vetinari, self-proclaimed tyrant of Ankh-Morpork. He is told he will live if he decides to take over the operation of the Ankh-Morpork post office. He says he'll take the job, but runs off. Found by a golem, he is dragged back once more to Lord Vetinari. So, he accepts the assignment. He gets helped by the exact same golem, Mr. Pump, to clear up the post office. The post office has stopped delivering mail for a long time, and the whole place is filled with undelivered mail. Gradually, Moist feels compelled to actually re-start the mail service with the help of Stanley, a pin-obsessed boy, and "Junior" Postman Groat (he's been stuck there for quite a long time.) Moist begins to put a lot of effort in, and invents the first stamp. The news of the post office reaches the ears of Reacher Gilt, the owner of the semaphore towers, the Discworld equivalent of a telegraph. Gilt doesn't want to be put out of business by the extremely low-priced post service run by Moist, and starts sabotaging the post office. Thus begins the war between clacks and the post!

I place Going Postal in the same class as The Truth. Books that can stand alone in the Disc World universe and be enjoyable for someone who has not read some of the other novels. Both are very enjoyable books with great characters and situations.

Some people say that the book lacks the humour of other Disc World novels and that may be the case but the story is enjoyable non the less. I just love how Terry Pratchett can take a modern situation like the Post Ofice versus faster and more exciting ways of communication and puts a little tweak and drops it into the Disc World to be experienced by the characters. The challenge of a con man to turn around a hugh lumbering entity like the post office and how he goes about getting the job done with the distractions that the Disc World universe throws into the mix.

Every Pratchett fan probably already has this book, and I hope they enjoyed it as much as I do, everytime I reread it. I do suggest that if you have never read Pratchett you may want to start with one of the paperbacks because the books are different from anything else I have found so far.

I decided to pick up a Terry Pratchett book after hearing an excerpt read on the Grammar Girl Podcast as part of Audible.com's plug. I ended up with this one as an almost random pick.

This was one of the most enjoyable comic novels I have read in a long time. Pratchett's dialogue is laugh out loud funny at times--I had to call up some friends to read excerpts to them. I especially appreciated his razor sharp wit and the alternate world he has created.

I didn't give this five stars because I was slightly disappointed with how everything wrapped up at the end. While this is true of most comic novels, I will say that this novel has a more coherent and cohesive story than the vast majority in the genre.

This book is one that will rekindle your enjoyment of reading.

The saddest part of reading this book is having to write a review to convince you to buy it. Actually, having to finish the book was pretty low point as well, as I'll have to depart from the wonderous setting known as the Ankh-Morphok Post Office, who's guano-covered halls need some desperate cleaning.
Now, go order/download your copy eight now in a new tab or something. I can wait. Take your time.

Going Postal follows the story of Moist von Lipwig (pronounced 'lipvig'), AKA Jack Spangler among many other aliases (Anybody else get the surname pun?), is hanged after a series of robberies, thiugh he does maintain that he never used brute force to steal money when trickery, pickpocketing and forgery were an option. I'm serious, HANGED only a few pages in.

Of course, this would make a very short, pointless novel, and if you weren't aware that the Patrician Vetinari has him still alive you would find yourself wondering what the many other pages were for.
But Vetinari doesn't do favours, and as usual there is a catch; He has to run the now long-abandoned Post Office of Ankh-Morphok, much to Moist's distain. Of course, the Patrician isn't completely monstrous - Moist could always choose to throw himself down a very deep hole may he feel the need for an alternative.

After finding out about his 'Parole Officer', a golem named Mr. Pump quite soon after after attempting to escape, in not quite the most charming way, he realizes that he may have to do some work, and he may have very well decided the alternative above were it not for the two remaining employees, Junior Postman Groat (Who is well into his senior years), and Stanley, a truly eccentric pinhead (No, as in somebody who collects pins. PINS!!!!). I'm not going to spoil the rest of the novel for you as you should aready have a copy on the way. And the novel IS so full of stuff, I thought I would barely be able to carry the book (I could, mind).

Terry Pratchett's novel truly is insane, and if you were to mix Tolkien and Adams (As in Douglas) in a disk-shaped pot you may have the faintest idea as to his writing style, and I tell you, I was falling out of my chair of laughter every page (Which I can tell you hurts after a while). And as this reviewer's personal entry into the brilliant series, it is a highly reccommended entry for those too frightened to dip their toes into the mighty Discworld pool.

The only thing I can fault this novel about is the progression was a bit slow, though the book was full of enough wacky characters to entertain. So, if you haven't got the book, you mustn't be mad. Because - "You don't have to be mad, but it helps".
[Sorry if you ordered a physical copy of the book - the suspense of waiting is not something I envy, and I understand. (Crazy person who borrowed the book in the library before me and brought it back late...)]

Wowser, what a great ride. Fun-(to the 2nd power)-nnny! I laughed out-loud (odd thing to do on a quite flight, makes you feel a bit like one of the characters in this fabulous novel.

Highly recommend to those who enjoy great British humor, a whimsical other dimension historical plot, and oddly lovable characters.

Warning: If you do not understand why 17 different kinds of Cabbage meals would be uproariously funny, you probably will not enjoy the humor of this book.

On the other hand, if you love Monty Python, Faulty Towers, Benny Hill, and other great British comedic gods, you must add this to your bible verses immediately and read it religiously.

This book was a pleasure to read: genuinely funny, some insightful social commentary, and the plot kept me guessing.

There are a couple of levels of enjoyment here. As comedic social commentary, there are parodies of capitalism, enlightened despotism, and over-zealous obsessive-compulsive collectors. There are also two con men in top form trying to out-sucker each other -- something I've always had a soft-spot for.

If you're a fan of the Discworld milieu, Going Postal will not disappoint. If you're new to Pratchett, the book is still enjoyable (even if a lot of the jokes won't make as much sense without the continuity context from knowing the setting.)

Highly recommended.

It's always nice to see a new face in the Discworld. I mean, I'm just as happy to see another story about Commander Vimes or Rincewind the wizzard as the next guy, but there's something refreshing about a brand new character. In "Going Postal" this new character is Moist von Lipwig, who begins the book about to be hanged for stealing and fraud. An angel appears, and offers him Hope: instead of certain death, he can take a government job and try and get the Ankh-Morpork Postal Service back up and running again.

Going Postal is a great book to introduce new readers into the Discworld universe. It's a book about people, rather than strange situations or magic or monsters. Chronologically, the story takes place during the height of Ankh-Morpork's renaissance, and the focus remains on the smaller scale: technology, businesses, people, and how they all come together.

Moist himself is a charismatic and engaging character to root for. He's a con-artist given a second chance, and his character arc is one of the strongest in the series. The story reminds me quite a bit of the early Night Watch books, where Vimes goes from a gutter-drunk to Commander of the Watch. Going Postal starts with glass and turns it into diamonds. And like Moist, the villain of the story is more grounded: a bigger con-artist, who tricks people out of entire businesses.

The book is of course hilarious. Pratchett's writing style is always a pleasure to read, adding witty jabs and silly descriptions that spice up, but don't distract from, otherwise serious situations. It's the kind of humor that twists reality just slightly, like a curved mirror that distorts reality in silly ways. It's the kind of humor that, when you finally finish laughing, makes you stop and think.

If you're new to the Discworld series, Going Postal is a great starting point. You can jump right in without worrying about any of Discworld's backstory. That being said, there are quite a few cameos and subtle references to other books for veteran readers to pick out. Either way, it's a fantastic book.

The trouble with clever characters, is that the author typically needs to be just as clever. This is why books like "Silence of the Lambs," are much better than books like "Hannibal." If the author isn't as smart as his characters, then he shouldn't risk making his prized creation the main protagonist.

"Going Postal" doesn't have just a clever protagonist, it also has a supporting Patrician, whom one can argue, can give Hannibal Lecter a run for his money when it comes to intellect. On a few occasions, "Going Postal" finds itself in danger of being too clever to have a satisfying ending. But rest assured future reader, you will not be disappointed.

Pratchett's storylines are funny and can stand on their own. However, I became a fan because of his satires and metaphors, which bubbles underneath his stories. Since I work with internet technologies, I find the clacks metaphor hits close to home. The fact that "Granddad" is only 26 years old is a hilarious detail. Pratchett books are usually riddled with gems like these.

You don't have to be familiar with the Discworld series to appreciate this book. I have read all of the Discworld novels and this one is definitely the top ones on my list. For Pratchett readers, you can gauge my review's usefulness by what books I liked and disliked.

My top ones are:

Reaper Man

Witches Abroad

Feet of Clay

Mens at Arms

Books low on my list are:

Monstrous Regiment

Maskerade

Lords and Ladies

Eric

Last word: Enjoy.

I finally decided to check out Terry Pratchett. I'm usually weary of fantasy books, as it sometimes gets a little too Dungeon and Dragony for my tastes. However, this book is quite an interesting little taking on the workings of the economy and the postal service.

This book turns out to be quite a page turner. The main character is forced to operate the post office, a place not run in decades. What turns out to be a seemingly useless endeavor turns out to be a huge success. What follows is a clever microcosm of business, economics, and entrepreneurship.

The fantasy level is turned down a notch, making it a great novel that flows well. I highly recommend this book.

My boss at work introduced me to Terry Pratchett and the Discworld series. Most all of the books are enjoyable. All of them are humorous. And on more than one occasion, Pratchett manages to make a striking point with a character in his books.

This was my first introduction to Discworld. After this I borrowed book after book. Two months and a dozen books later, I was a little burnt-out. I still love most of these books, but I'll need some time away.

This book is responsible for getting me into light fantasy. Vetinari is a great character, as is Lip Vig (probably spelled both those wrong). Going Postal is still my favorite of all the Discworld books. Well worth the read.

I know of no other author who has written so many books in the same setting and yet kept them from getting old. Pratchett has figured out for a while now that he can't keep himself entertained writing about the same characters over and over. So he has spread his sights to new characters, new settings, new circumstances, and new audiences.

In his young adult Discworld books, "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents," "The Wee Free Men" and "A Hat Full of Sky" he sought out new audiences.

In "Monstrous Regiment" he persued an new setting, while giving us some of the characters we have loved for years.

In "Going Postal" Pratchett expands in another direction. Not only does he give us a new main character, but for the first time we have to warm up to him. The hero of "Going Postal" starts out with the most selfish of intentions and we spend the entire novel rooting for his conversion to the side of good.

Don't fear, this book is full of familiar Ankh-Morporkh settings and references to familiar people. There are footnotes, and laugh out loud moments. All in all a humorous novel, and satisfying parody of modern economic parasites. As others have said there are other books to begin with if you've not read Pratchett before. But kudos to Terry and Lynn Pratchett for another great read.

Mr. Pratchett's wide wild world is full of hilarity. It is a universe filled with new names, extraordinary beings, fantastic characters, supernatural occurrences, and old-fashioned greed. The play on words is marvelously clever. The story moves along smoothly. There are no hidden surprises or late introduction of new events for a twisty conclusion in the end. Luck seems to pursue Lipwig, the main person. Together with his treacherous nature, he builds a new life that is fated upon him by a tyrant. Mr. Pratchett's honest method of relaying a happening results in a mirthful read, for example, when kissing a woman who is a chain smoker, it is simplified as if kissing an ashtray in a special way. Amusing dialogues wittily adorn the already entertaining tale. Cheers to the author and his cunning technique of story telling despite several typos throughout the novel.

Going Postal is a fine example of why Terry Pratchett is my favorite living author. This book brings a new character into the impossibly functional Ankh-Morpork. Moist Lipwig is a natural in the Discworld multiverse, a con man forced by the Patrician to revive the long defunct post office. As with any Pratchett there is a heck of a lot going on between the covers, among other things a commentary on corparate business practices and the lost art of letter writing. Another nice thing about Going Postal is that it truely is a stand alone novel, so even if you've not read any other Pratchett books you will not get lost in it. I don't want to reveal too much, so I'm just going to finish by recommending you to buy this book!

He is a thief, a con-man, and an embezzlerand the law finally catches up to Moist von Lipwig when is arrested. He refuses to tell anyone where he hid the $150,000 in ill-gotten gains. He is hung, but awakens in the Patrician Lord Vetinari's office. The despot had the hangman cut off the criminal's air supply so that everyone would think he died and now he has a proposition for Moist. The postal system in Ankh Morpark does not work; if Moist wants to live, he will make the post office a viable enterprise.

His parole officer, Pump the golem, makes sure that Moist performs his duties. The post office is a mess piled up with decades of undelivered mail. Then there is the successful rival, the almost instantaneous communication service clacks run by Mr. Gilt, who has let the system deteriorate with many delays while prices have turned astronomically inflated. Mr. Gilt tries to drive Moist out of business, but the felon has become a hero to the common folks. Moist challenges his opponent to a delivery duel to see who can bring the mail faster to a specific spot. Of course this is Moist's game but the antagonist is no ignorant fool when it comes to illegal activity. May the best thief win!

This is a fun fantasy that takes the so-called ineffectiveness of the postal service to extremes. Moist finds that he gains as much satisfaction fixing the process as he does running a scam. Terry Pritchett has once again delivered an overnight reading experience filled with hyperbole, an insane setting and wild antics by the fantastic cast. GOING POSTAL lampoons many sacred cows, elephants, and donkeys without offending anyone except postal employees as Mr. Pritchett provides another superb satirical fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

My favorite Terry Pratchett book. Moist's character is a man is truly good at heart, but tries very hard to make others around him believe that he is bad. He tries the hardest with himself. Moist's character is very much like the lovable scamp Morris the cat, in Morris and his amazing Rodents. Once you read one Moist book you'll read them all.

Such a great book. It's funny yet prompts you to think. It could stand all on its own but if you have read the other Discworld books it's even better. I've read this book at least a dozen times. Never gets old. Now onto Making Money.... again

This was the first Discworld novel I've read, and it's still my favorite. Dialogue is sharp and the text flows easily. Pratchett is phenomenal at bringing the characters and their motivations to life. I've reread the book several times and each time I encounter some subtleties I'd missed before that enrich the story. Be sure to check out the sequels to this book as well (Making Money and Raising Steam).

Going Postal tells the story of Moist von Lipwig, a convicted con artist who has been given the choice of either running Ankh-Morpork's moribund post office or of dying (long-time readers of the Discworld series may recognize the hand of Lord Vetinari in giving Moist this choice of career paths). Accompanied by Mr. Pump, a golem parole officer who can hunt him down unerringly should he try to escape, he reluctantly takes on the former task. Upon taking the job, Moist learns that the Post Office is a run-down mess almost completely filled by undelivered letters, and that the previous four Postmasters had died on the job (all in the preceding five weeks). But Moist is an optimist, and he's back in the game, so he can't help but raise the stakes in reviving the post office. He soon finds himself taking on Reacher Gilt, the no-good owner of the clacks (the equivalent of the telegraph) in delivering people's messages. Moist also starts wooing Miss Adora Belle Dearheart, the chainsmoking daughter of the inventor of the clacks, who lost ownership of the company to a group of oily investors led by Gilt. Along the way Moist invents postage stamps.

Going Postal is certainly one of Pratchett's better works. Characterwise, Moist isn't the best-developed (e.g., Polly Perks in Monstrous Regiment was better in that sense), but there's certainly enough there for you to empathize with. The other postal workers are entertaining -- Groat especially has more about him than a standard stock character. And Vetinari is as inscrutable as ever.

The plot is well-conceived and appears completely consistent. Even though you know where the book is heading, the enjoyment comes in how Pratchett gets there. In this case, it's with style. Clever wordplay all over the place (don't worry -- the name Adora Belle is surely the least funny), delightful Discworld equivalents to our world, and outrageousness that works. The only quibble I have with the plot is that although the book is chock full of entertaining concepts tied to a Discworld post office, some of those concepts are inadequately drawn out.

This is probably my favorite Discworld book so far. It has that great British humour I love so much with excellent characters and fun jokes. I've skipped a few book in the series to get to this one, so I'm looking forward to seeing how Pratchett handled the previous ones.

This was my introduction to Terry Pratchett. I listened in the car while driving. After my wife and kids started listening in the car with me, I noticed that the disks kept disappearing. Soon the whole family was listening and addicted. Now the whole family (ages 21-55) listen. I have most of the books in my library.

Moist Von Lipwig, is my favorite of all Pratchett's characters. Or, maybe the Golem Parole Officer, or the Ware-wolf Police officer, or the 6'6" dwarf, or ape librarian. No, it's Moist.

Not always laugh out loud funny. Certainly chuckle out loud. Now I eagerly await for the promised third Moist book.

It's been a while since I picked up a TP novel, and as always, he did not disappoint. Funny, fast paced, and full of Pratchett's keen insight, I read it all in one sitting. Always worth a visit to the Discworld, not only do you meet new and interesting characters, but some of your old favorites pop up in brief cameos. Lord Vetinari fans won't be disappointed. And the others, well, it'll be a surprise. No need for a plot summary. Like to laugh? Like banter? Satire? Fantasy/mythological characters written with humour and attitude? If you haven't read Pratchett before, this is as good a place to start as any ;)

He is a thief, a con-man, and an embezzlerand the law finally catches up to Moist von Lipwig when is arrested. He refuses to tell anyone where he hid the $150,000 in ill-gotten gains. He is hung, but awakens in the Patrician Lord Vetinari's office. The despot had the hangman cut off the criminal's air supply so that everyone would think he died and now he has a proposition for Moist. The postal system in Ankh Morpark does not work; if Moist wants to live, he will make the post office a viable enterprise.

His parole officer, Pump the golem, makes sure that Moist performs his duties. The post office is a mess piled up with decades of undelivered mail. Then there is the successful rival, the almost instantaneous communication service clacks run by Mr. Gilt, who has let the system deteriorate with many delays while prices have turned astronomically inflated. Mr. Gilt tries to drive Moist out of business, but the felon has become a hero to the common folks. Moist challenges his opponent to a delivery duel to see who can bring the mail faster to a specific spot. Of course this is Moist's game but the antagonist is no ignorant fool when it comes to illegal activity. May the best thief win!

This is a fun fantasy that takes the so-called ineffectiveness of the postal service to extremes. Moist finds that he gains as much satisfaction fixing the process as he does running a scam. Terry Pritchett has once again delivered an overnight reading experience filled with hyperbole, an insane setting and wild antics by the fantastic cast. GOING POSTAL lampoons many sacred cows, elephants, and donkeys without offending anyone except postal employees as Mr. Pritchett provides another superb satirical fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

My favorite Terry Pratchett book. Moist's character is a man is truly good at heart, but tries very hard to make others around him believe that he is bad. He tries the hardest with himself. Moist's character is very much like the lovable scamp Morris the cat, in Morris and his amazing Rodents. Once you read one Moist book you'll read them all.

Such a great book. It's funny yet prompts you to think. It could stand all on its own but if you have read the other Discworld books it's even better. I've read this book at least a dozen times. Never gets old. Now onto Making Money.... again

This was the first Discworld novel I've read, and it's still my favorite. Dialogue is sharp and the text flows easily. Pratchett is phenomenal at bringing the characters and their motivations to life. I've reread the book several times and each time I encounter some subtleties I'd missed before that enrich the story. Be sure to check out the sequels to this book as well (Making Money and Raising Steam).

Going Postal tells the story of Moist von Lipwig, a convicted con artist who has been given the choice of either running Ankh-Morpork's moribund post office or of dying (long-time readers of the Discworld series may recognize the hand of Lord Vetinari in giving Moist this choice of career paths). Accompanied by Mr. Pump, a golem parole officer who can hunt him down unerringly should he try to escape, he reluctantly takes on the former task. Upon taking the job, Moist learns that the Post Office is a run-down mess almost completely filled by undelivered letters, and that the previous four Postmasters had died on the job (all in the preceding five weeks). But Moist is an optimist, and he's back in the game, so he can't help but raise the stakes in reviving the post office. He soon finds himself taking on Reacher Gilt, the no-good owner of the clacks (the equivalent of the telegraph) in delivering people's messages. Moist also starts wooing Miss Adora Belle Dearheart, the chainsmoking daughter of the inventor of the clacks, who lost ownership of the company to a group of oily investors led by Gilt. Along the way Moist invents postage stamps.

Going Postal is certainly one of Pratchett's better works. Characterwise, Moist isn't the best-developed (e.g., Polly Perks in Monstrous Regiment was better in that sense), but there's certainly enough there for you to empathize with. The other postal workers are entertaining -- Groat especially has more about him than a standard stock character. And Vetinari is as inscrutable as ever.

The plot is well-conceived and appears completely consistent. Even though you know where the book is heading, the enjoyment comes in how Pratchett gets there. In this case, it's with style. Clever wordplay all over the place (don't worry -- the name Adora Belle is surely the least funny), delightful Discworld equivalents to our world, and outrageousness that works. The only quibble I have with the plot is that although the book is chock full of entertaining concepts tied to a Discworld post office, some of those concepts are inadequately drawn out.

This is probably my favorite Discworld book so far. It has that great British humour I love so much with excellent characters and fun jokes. I've skipped a few book in the series to get to this one, so I'm looking forward to seeing how Pratchett handled the previous ones.

This was my introduction to Terry Pratchett. I listened in the car while driving. After my wife and kids started listening in the car with me, I noticed that the disks kept disappearing. Soon the whole family was listening and addicted. Now the whole family (ages 21-55) listen. I have most of the books in my library.

Moist Von Lipwig, is my favorite of all Pratchett's characters. Or, maybe the Golem Parole Officer, or the Ware-wolf Police officer, or the 6'6" dwarf, or ape librarian. No, it's Moist.

Not always laugh out loud funny. Certainly chuckle out loud. Now I eagerly await for the promised third Moist book.

Rather than giving particulars about the story, I'm going to focus more on who might enjoy reading this book.

I bought Going Postal based on the recommendation of a few friends who were talking about it on facebook. One in particular has never steered me wrong on book recommendations, so I decided to give it a shot.

Once I started reading, it was extremely difficult to put down! It's one of Terry Pratchett's 'discworld' books, so I expected to be completely lost, having not read the many other books in the world. Rather than relying on those other books, this was a great, self-contained story. I'm a big fan of fantasy and science fiction, both serious and comedic. Going Postal comes down on the 'fantasy comedy' side of the fence. And is the better for it!

The writing is very smooth, and Pratchett has a way of writing that seems to alternate between understated and over the top. The characters are enjoyable, and their interactions often got a chuckle from me.

If you like reading fantasy stories with a focus on the players, and a mix between realistic characters and larger-than-life caricatures, this is the book for you! It's a quick read, and the story is well paced and surprising. I'm used to being able to predict major plot elements in fiction, but I was able to guess less than usual for this book, which made it all the more enjoyable.

This has encouraged me to look up more of Pratchett's works!

It's been a while since I picked up a TP novel, and as always, he did not disappoint. Funny, fast paced, and full of Pratchett's keen insight, I read it all in one sitting. Always worth a visit to the Discworld, not only do you meet new and interesting characters, but some of your old favorites pop up in brief cameos. Lord Vetinari fans won't be disappointed. And the others, well, it'll be a surprise. No need for a plot summary. Like to laugh? Like banter? Satire? Fantasy/mythological characters written with humour and attitude? If you haven't read Pratchett before, this is as good a place to start as any ;)

When I started reading this, I realized that I had read this years ago, soon after it was first published. I remember loving it then and so decided to continue reading. After all, with many of Pratchett stories you can always find new surprises and gems each time you read one.

I was not at all disappointed. Pratchett's world-building skills are always a pleasure to experience, as well as his quirky characters and his sharp, witty pokes at societal values.

This recent work of Terry Pratchett is yet another fine example of the subtle beauty of the Discworld universe slammed up tight to the horrors of life in modern times.

The main character, Moist von Lipwig starts off the story on the way to the noose. In splendid Vetinari fashion he doesnt die there. He is given another chance to correct his misspent life with running the Ahnk Morpork post office. The characters you meet in this beautifully written satire of modern technology are as diverse as any in the DW universe. Who will win when its snail mail vs. the clacks? Who knows, but when the wizards get involved the path is sure to be fun and fast. Very good ending to a great story.

You know how you start to smile as you're reading, then a small snort escapes, you look up to see if anyone noticed, then you go back to reading and soon you're chuckling and shaking your head, then you look up again hoping someone noticed so you can describe the scene that has you contorting between the calm demeanor of the adult reader you wish to portray (my, that Mr. Pratchett does have a wit) and the wild gyrations of a six-year-old on a sugar high two hours after coming in from trick-or-treating (and-then-this-happened-and-then-that-happened-and-no-I-don't-need-a-nap.)

Reading this book is like that, only much, much better.

Terry Pratchett's ("TP") legions of fans do not need a review of Going Postal. They have no doubt already purchased Going Postal or eagerly await its arrival in paperback. This review is for those new to TP.

Background:

Terry Pratchett: Rafael Sabatini begins his swashbuckler "Scaramouche" with the line "he was born with a gift for laughter and a sense that the world was mad and this was his patrimony". TP shares this patrimony. It is accomplishment enough to produce the sheer volume of work put out by TP. However, to combine this volume with a consistently high level of brilliant, funny, and original prose is simply amazing.

Discworld: Discworld is the alternate universe created by TP in his many books on the subject. Although this universe may share about 95% of our genetic code it is populated by a series of characters not really known to us here on this planet (at least as far as we know). TP's world travels through space like a frisbee, supported by four giant elephants standing on the back of a giant turtle. Living amongst the mere mortals is a cast of characters that include trolls, dwarfs, zombies, and more than a few wizards. They are not thought of as being particularly unusual, they are just there and live and work just like everyone else. The capital of Discworld is Ankh-Morpork ("A-M"), ruled by a rather witty despot known as the Patrician Vetinari. There is a recurring cast of characters. Although the books do tend to reflect the development of these characters each book does stand on its own and does not need to be read in any particular order.

Going Postal:

Going Postal is TP's most recent effort. It is hilariously funny. Think of the movie The Sting with Redford and Newman as if it had been directed by Hunter S Thompson and you will have some idea of the plot. A very successful, if generally low level con man named Moist Van Lipwig has been caught, sentenced to die by hanging, and been hung. However, he did not quite die. He wakes up to find himself in the chambers of the Patrician Vetinari and told he may live if he decides to take over the operation of the A-M post office. Understandably enough, he accepts the assignment. His work is overseen by the A-M equivalent of a parole officer, a clay Golem (an ancient life like monster in medieval and Jewish mythology). Moist has never spent an honest day in his life and does not really intend to begin now. The postal service has basically ceased operations for years and the post office headquarters is drowning in undelivered mail. Gradually, Moist feels compelled to actually re-start the mail service. Gradually, and more than a bit grudgingly, Moist's rather narcissistic view of the world changes a bit as well. Moist's effort is not well received by the owners of the Grant Trunk clack system, the semaphore-based message delivery service run by Reacher Gilt. The last thing Gilt wants is competition. While Moist may see himself as a low-level con artist, Moist sees Reacher Gilt as a master of the con and evil on a scale far grander than anything ever accomplished by Moist. The story unfolds and turns into a battle of the con men: David (Moist) against the Enron-like Goliath (Gilt). Revealing anything more would spoil the story.

As with all Discworld books the main enjoyment to be had lies in the journey and not the destination. It is hard to explain how enjoyable it is to turn the page and find a sentence that is either down right funny or else contains some sharp observation on human nature. It is hard to be too glowing in this regard.

As mentioned, the Discworld series does follow some loosely structured order. However, Going Postal is as good a place to start as any. First, only one recurring character, Vetinari, plays a significant role in the book. The others make only cameo appearances. Second, the story set out in Going Postal does seem very self-contained.

I very much enjoyed this book and have no hesitation at all in recommending it to anyone whether they are new to Pratchett or old hands.

Is there such a thing as a bad Discworld novel? Not by Terry Pratchett, or at least not in my book (or in any of his). This is not my favorite, but it was fun to read and quick. It's true there's nothing as funny in it as sapient pearwood luggage, but the general story is amusing, and I enjoyed the characters.

Lord Vetinari sets a scoundrel the task of reopening the Ankh Morpork postal service, and much treachery ensues. Lots of golems in this one. This book is sort of a take-off on corporate corruption, and it's fun to see how Lord Vetinari handles the problem. Recommended.

The back cover blurb says Pratchett is like "Chaucer." I think he's more like Jonathan Swift. He slams everything from corporate bureaucracy to Government coercion, to the evils and isolation of the internet. The book is funny and thoughtful at the same time. And pure satire.

Stephen Briggs gives a great performance, using various accents (Scottish, Standard British, Irish, Cockney, and a touch of Boris Korloff), he conveys the characters with complete believeability. This was a great book, and a great "read." I'll certainly read more!

--Mykel Board

I enjoyed this tale of Disc World! The main character was as believable as any on Disc World, and the book showed his growth as an individual. The main plot line was well developed, and was believable (in the mind-bending way that any of the Disc World books can be).

The secondary plots and characters were sadly shorted (but that's normal for secondary plots and characters). Perhaps they'll be the subjects of their own works some day.

Moist von Lipwig has a choice. Everyone has a choice, but this one is very pressing for him in particular. He can choose certain death, or uncertain death.

He chooses the one that makes him a postman, and now he has to battle the evil corporation of Clacks operators to provide the favoured means of communication throughout the city.

The secret to Prachett's success I think, is his ability to create new characters that draw in the reader. Moist von Lipwig is my favourate character of them all.

What really stands out about Prachett is his mad, slap-stick humour. He is SO funny that by the time you reach a weak gag (and there aren't many of them!) you're in the mood to laugh at anything!

Even if you don't like fantasy, give this book a try. It's a great take on the importance of the mail, even in an age when the post office seems a quaint leftover from older times. The characters are complex and interesting, and even though the setting is not on this earth you'll recognize the big city, political wrangling, and insider peeks into industry. People are people everywhere, even if sometimes they aren't strictly human.

I've read all the Discworld books up to this one. This isn't one of the best, but the story is still worth a read and Pratchett's word mastery is always present.

Taking some more recent themes of hacking/cracking and telecommunications makes it a little more enticing to someone who likes technology. However, these particular topics are somewhat obvious, no great insights here.

Good read if you like Discworld, but don't expect a great one.

This book is one of the very best Terry Pratchett has written. The plot is tight, flows from one event to the next effortlessly, the characters are believable and enjoyable. The new characters make it even more of a treat. More people we get to know in that marvelous city! It is at the same time a hilarious look at the foibles and strengths of individuals and a critical look at the world and how some people try (and often times succeed) to use it to satisfy their own desires. It's great when they get thwarted in such a subtle and creative way. Loved every minute of it!

Terry Pratchett is a wonderful writer who can take events and social problem right out of today's headlines and turn them into funny, surreal commentary. If you enjoyed Douglas Adams and morn his loss Terry Pratchett will ease the pain.

It's fun but don't miss the chance to examine the world we live in through Mr. Pratchetts' eyes. I believe the oil companies are his target here - altho many other corporations will fit the bill. Where are the men/woman of vision who can bring competition back to the American work force?

I have always been a profound fan of the lovable rogue as a protagonist (Disney's Aladdin, Ferris Bueller, Clooney's Ocean, all four of Dumas's musketeers e.g.). Pratchett took a stab at the genre with Moist von Lipwig, a condemned con artist offered a second chance by Vetinari.

And, as he tends to do, Pratchett made a masterwork example that also fits neatly within the framework of his Discworld series. This is a wonderfully entertaining story, along with its spiritual sequel, Making Money (Discworld Novels).

I didn't really enjoy Night Watch; it was a little bit too dark for me. For some reason my sister loved it though.
This book on the other hand really captured me. I love the characters (in particular Moist's chain smoking girlfriend, and her golem friends), the places, the weird technology that the discworld engineers fabricate, and even the wizards who should NEVER be trifled with.
This is a wonderful book for pretty much anyone. I would highly recommend it. Especially if you collect stamps;).

hadn't enjoyed the last three or four Terry Pratchett books at all, but I picked this one up when I couldn't find what I was looking for at the book store. Fortunately, this one was much better. I didn't get a chuckle or more per page like when Equal Rites or Small Gods, but it was funny. Chatper four did offend me, because it used variants of three three jokes I was planning on using. After I forget what they were, I'll use them, anyway.

Pratchett tries all sorts of innovations in this book, such as the aforementioned "chapters." After seeing their effect on the story, however, I must conclude that I'm against them. It's not that they hurt anything, but they really didn't add anything, either. Chapters are deadweight, and an efficient, productive Terry Pratchett book shouldn't employ them.

The basic plot is that a con-man gets a reprieve if he agrees to run the post office in Ankh Morpork (Pratchett's dysfunctional city of choice), and the greedy industrial pirate who runs the semaphore lines between cities (like a telegraph system) tries to shut him down. There are a couple of fantasy elements in the book, but none of them are integral to the plot, and so if this weren't a funny book, it shouldn't have been a fantasy novel. It was funny, however, and so such minor sins are forgiven. Pratchett also kept down the number of cameos of characters from other novels, the proliferation of which has been a problem that has plagued his more recent novels. They were there, but they weren't as dense as in the recent Guard novels, which almost seem like they're all cameos and no story.

A fun little novel.

The last few sentences of the Epilogue will forever haunt me. (In a good way!) I was shocked speechless by them for a good while, which was broken by random fits of laughter.

The first 100-200 pages were difficult for me to get through, but always intriguing enough to continue. Then the book REALLY picked up and I couldn't put it down. I didn't like the crude humor, innuendos or swearing, but as an accountant I LOVE going inside the mind of a fraudster. Fascinating and witty book. I cannot decide if it is a book without heroes or if the heroes are odd outcasts who never quite rise and a couple of scumbags who use their evil gifts for good. I loved it!

Yes, I liked the book.

Why? because I cannot think of a single sacred cow that escaped Pratchett's attention. A revolving door justice system that turns out criminals onto the streets. The cliche that technology can always save the day. How only Heroes can save the world, never the Villians. The ways in which the rich get richer, and bankers are shown to be as intelligent as grapefruit when it comes to protecting their shareholder's interests. Managers too concerned with short term profits to consider the need for preventative maintenance or worker safety.

Any of this sound familiar?

It is in the way that he twists things that you find courage, you see hope for making something better of humanity's lot. The practicalities of a revolving door justice system that turns out criminals who actually serve society with their criminal skills. Soulless golems who have more morality than so-called people. C-commerce -- the DisWorld's answer to e-commerce -- get sent up like a lot of other things. All delightfully written and you find yourself watching for how Pratchett is going to go around the bend next.

Ho boy. Bought this book yesterday and read it in one sitting. It is extremely funny. This time around Pratchett avoids alll of the cliches that has become a bit tiring. Sentences like "He saw the look in her eyes and stepped aside." seems to have been turning up a lot lately. This time Pratchett does not write about angry people. He is angry himself.

Pratchett has not written a book as *angry* as this since Small Gods. I have long suspected that Pratchett is a true believer in the power of private enterprise. Recent events on Earth has shown how private enterprice may be corrupted and Pratchett does not like it one bit. And he pours scorn over these people as only he knows how to do. Pratchett has always shown admirationj for people who comes up with bright ideas. Venture capitalists are describede as vultures.

This is a refreshing book. It does my heart good to see a bunch of people with no redeeming features ripped to shreds while you can laugh out loud at the same time.

The book starts with classic Pratchett humour, the laughs coming fast and hard with the idiosyncracies of Vetinari playing particularly well off the character of Moist. It's terribly funny, but for the first hundred or so pages it doesn't really get beyond that.
Then, it turns out, the book isn't about Moist at all, it's about the Railroad robber barons, it's about the vulture -- sorry, venture -- capitalists of Silicon Valley, and most particularly it's about the engineers who fuelled both eras. Pratchett must have some close friends who are engineers to capture the enthusiasm, dedication, mania, and gullibility of those fine folks so well. From the character of Pony to the Smoking Gnu, any geek will find a tremendous amount to relate to.
I would definitely rate this as Pratchett's best work of the past few years. Non-geeks may not find as much to relate to, of course, but even then it's still one of his top works to date.

One aspect of Terry Pratchett's genius as a writer is innovation. Lately, he's turned away from what might have become a rut - for both reader and writer - to launch a string of stand-alone books. We've had the introduction of a newspaper to Ankh-Morpork, a man falling through time to encounter himself, and an army of females ["women" would hardly be appropriate, here]. With this book, yet another declaration of independence has been issued. It's still the Discworld. A few known characters flit through cameo appearances - even if only virtually or even silently. One new persona emerges who will capture your attention, your sympathy, and, if you're not careful, your wallet.

If Moist van Lipwig has a personal Hell, its label is "Honesty". He's a confidence trickster, but we mustn't judge him too harshly for that. It's a career that any "businessperson" will identify with. Good Things are: a growing economy, minimal government interference while providing essential services and avoiding violence. Bad Things are: officials poking into private affairs, low profits and a soiled public image. Moist takes advantage of the Good Things while simply avoiding the Bad. He's been on the run for years, even while accumulating a stash of ill-gotten gains. A means of avoiding capture is being someone else. As this book opens one of his persona is facing hanging - which takes place.

Yet it wasn't Moist that died, but one of his aliases - Albert Spangler. With Spangler gone, it would seem Moist has a clear path to elsewhere to make a new start. Unfortunately for Moist, Ankh-Morpork's Patrician, Lord Vetinari, has other plans for him. Part of the scenario includes Moist being employed by Vetinari. Not only must he assume the mantle of honesty, he's now a Civil Servant! The job is the restoration of the defunct Ankh-Morpork Post Office.

The PO's laggardly pace has been outstripped by a new technology - a form of semaphore known as the "clacks". Owned and operated by the Grand Trunk corporation, the firm incorporates the philosophy of Good and Bad Things listed above. As we all know, or are often told, "downsizing" means "efficiency". The businessman's mind equates "Overhead" with "Profit Loss" and there is no worse sacrilege found in the balance sheet. "Overhead" includes "maintenance", which becomes the key to this story. How many have died or been damaged due to faulty views of how much must be spent on "Overhead"? How important is "Overhead"? Is it important at all.

Pratchett's genius goes beyond innovative thinking. He has penetrated the financier's mind and practices, exposing them to public view and assessment. This, he shows us, is a necessary and ongoing task. He further exhibits that there is but only one social force capable of the task - an enlightened government with the power to enforce. It takes a government interested in the public good, which remains an elusive goal. This is hardly the stuff usually found in "fantasy", but that label's never been appropriate for Pratchett's work in any case. Read this for entertainment first, returning to see how adroitly Pratchett has mirrored, once again, the world around us. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Very much in the spirit of Hitchhiker's Guide with regular illogical quips and satirical observations about government and society. Also a lot of fantasy elements: vampires, wizards, and magic which still find themselves grounded in the world.

I tried reading this the day Terry Pratchett passed. Every time he made me laugh, I almost cried. I had to finish it the next day.

This is an incredible read; his references to software engineering, hackers, and startups through the discworld was fresh. I read many lines to my wife. Once I even woke her on accident to tell her an especially good bit.

The initiation into the post office had me howling.

While I am a massive Discworld fan, I acknowledge the fact that they vary greatly in quality (with the possible exception of the Watch-centric books, which are all great in my eyes). But this one outshines many of them. The brand-new main character makes his debut as a perfect citizen of Discworld--he's trying so hard not to be good! The only recurring character we get much of in this book is Vetinari, and we get lots of Vetinari, which again only raises the book's status in my eyes.

In this msot recent installment in the discworld series. Terry has discovered chapter, pins, philately, the postal service etc. It centers around a con-man going straight within the bound set by Lord Vetenari (the Patrician), and is set in Anhk-Morpork (a loose analogy of early London). the storyline flows smoothly and the book is a pleasure to read. If I could I would give this installment 6 stars.

While all of Terry Pratchett's recent books have been terrific, this one is a cut above even its recent predecessors. If you aren't already addicted to the delights of Discworld, this is a great place to start. If you're already a fan, don't hold your breath waiting for the usual cast (Angua, Carrot, Vimes, et. al.) to reappear. This new cast is so colorful and charming, odds are you won't miss them too much.

Very enjoyable read. Moist is a superb character, and the plot, rebuilding of the Post Office service and competition against "The Grand Trunk", is a work of genius. Great humour, great characters and great fun.

Terry Prachett seems to improve w/every book he writes, so by now he's beyond tterrific. This time, he's taken on the Post Office ... & the 'clacks' .. & overpaid, over-scrupulous, beyond-greedy executives who seem to do nothing but suck the life out of corporations.

Terrific! If only we had a Lord Vetinari here...

The books was my first introduction to the world of Terry Pratchett. I had heard great things about his work and was told this would be as good a place to start as any.

The story line was compelling and his writing at times is nothing short of brilliant. However, by the last thirty pages or so I felt that it was a chore to get through to the finish line and I thought the ending, although somewhat charming, was a bit anti-climactic.

I don't want to discourage others from reading it as it did have it's moments.

I miss the guards in the novel, they are so well writen and a pleasure to read about. Even having the Patrician in the story (what a guy) doesn't make up for their lack of inclusion. But that said, this is an enjoyable read, especially for fans of the novels. Pratchett's cleverness is a joy to follow in the novels of Discworld; how can he make you laugh and be so cunning at the same time? Some of the action is a little far fetched, stretching what passes for reality on a world of magic a little tight. but it is still a pleasure to read. I hope he keeps writing them for years to come, if he does I will find it impossible to resist buying them.

I have not read every book written by Terry Pratchett, but I think this may be my favorite so far. It was a little more grown up than some of the Discworld novels. The social commentary was spot on and the characters were an absolute hoot. Honestly, who names their protagonist "Moist", it's just so darn silly, but it works. I was rooting for Moist from our first glimpse of him.

A good friend told me to start with Going Postal after I had tried to start the Discworld books with Colour of Magic (which is dead boring).

Pratchett wicked humor, 3-dimensional characters, and exquisite world building will keep me coming back for more.

I admit I am biased because I am a huge Terry Pratchett fan, however I do have to say that out of all the Discworld novels I have read so far this one is one of my favorites and would be a good read even if you have never read any of the author's other books before. Moist is a delightfully fun character, and it is interesting to see how the world this book takes place in -the Discworld- changes. I would highly recommend this book!

I just checked my list and I've read 13 of Terry Pratchett's books so far. And (so far) this is the best of the bunch. Thoroughly entertaining from start to finish with a powerful message and more of a history lesson than you'll get from any history book. Nice job all around.

If you look through the reviews here you will see that many people here say this is as good as his others, but i fear the words "as good" should be substituted with the words "the same", and the word "others" replaced by "recent books". Unfortunatly though, the humour which made TP's earlier books entertaining seems to no longer be the focal point in afore mentioned recent books, which lets down the whole thing.

What nowadays you have is a parallel and parody of the real world, in this case the decline of the postal system due to new technology, and a moralistic angle, this time where a one time bad guy can change, albeit utilising his bad guy brain to attain personal repentance and morality. And thats it.

Its a shame really, as the scope for these type of books is massive, but with a fan base who will buy a book just because of the authors name, there is no real need to worry about the content anymore, but there does appear to be a drive to make sure at least one hardback and one paperback come out a set amount of months apart.

On the whole for new readers, they may well enjoy this. For readers who've read all of TPs offerings i can't help but think they will feel a sense of regret that the days of Rincewind and Weatherwax have passed, fallen into the abyss named marketing exploitation, and i wouldnt blame them for eyeing this offering with as much trepidation as say, one of Mr Dibblers sausages... onna stick!!

I could say that this is one of the best books I have ever read, but I won't because it isn't. Nevertheless, you really should read it. Unless of course you don't want to. Then by all means you really shouldn't. Don't take my word for it. Think for yourself.

I've been a Pratchett fan for years, have read all his books, and own all the Discworld novels. I enjoyed all of them, and Going Postal is no exception. Accepting that the novels are going to be of a high standard to begin with, I'm unwilling to give the book a glowing review when it strikes me in some ways as a step backwards from the previous two Discworld novels. Pratchett is at his best when crafting philosophical drama--a character believing in one view of the world meets another with equally fervent and diametrically opposite views, they clash, and one view is shown to be superior. We saw this in Night Watch, with Vimes and Carcer; Monstrous Regiment took two ideas, placed them in opposition, and framed the novel around that conflict.

The problem I have with Going Postal is the lack of that central conflict. Gilt and Lipwig have little of the power of Vimes and Carcer, and as a conflict of ideas, the clacks and the post don't really do anything for me. The argument that the traditional post is valuable because it is personal is a good point, although cliched and not very original. Other than that, what exactly is the message of this novel? That criminals can be reformed? That there's more than one type of conman? That capitalism is a bad system? For perhaps the first time in my exposure to Pratchett, I haven't managed to grasp the message of one of his novels.

Going Postal may be lighter in tone than, say, Night Watch, but I for one don't welcome the change. Earlier novels, such as Witches Abroad, were equally light, but did not sacrifice a coherent and strong message to achieve it. I enjoyed Going Postal, and will probably read it a second time--by any other author, this would merit 4 or 5 stars. Pratchett is capable of much better.

Going Postal is my all time favorite Terry Pratchett book. His characters are funny, relatable, and interesting, and his stories always have a plot that you can't get away from. Even if you've never read a book from the Discworld series, Going Postal is a great stand alone!

Wow, and I say it again, Wow. This book was absoulty fantastic. Terry pratchett is the master of wry humor. The way he puts together his stories is pure genius. This book is just great! If you want something slightly slanted and start to finish entertaining than check this book out! For anyone with any sense of humor even if fantasy is not your normal thing you will enjoy this book.

This book was recommended to me so I bought it without knowing what it was about. I just respected the person who recommended it and that they knew what I liked. I loved how this book took my imagination on a journey unexpected. The fantacy fantastical.

...but PTerry has topped himself again. This book was a fabulous, inventive, gripping, belly-laugh inducing, sharp-witted, must-read-in-one-sitting-even-if-it's-three-in-the-morning masterpiece. The fact that he pulled this off with a nearly entirely new cast of characters (with some cameos from earlier favorites) makes it all the more astounding. Congratulations to him on bringing this wonderful series to a new height.

This book is written well enough that at times you forget its a comedy. The characters are real and the situation is interesting. However, it is definitely a comedy and a good one as well. Its a short book and an easy read.

A typically funny Terry Pratchett novel satirizing the Postal Service. The Patrician of Ank-Morpork figures the only way to reform/modernize the postal service is by putting a devout thief/con-man in charge. Great fun.

I am one of those fans that counts down the days until Pratchett's next release. Monstrous Regiment left me a little disappointed, but all is forgiven with Going Postal. It's one of the best discworld novels to date. The characters are new, but you will feel as if you've known them forever. If you haven't read any of the discworld novels, dive on into this one.

Terry Pratchett is a great author who seems to have endless ideas for stories. This one is good but gets seriously bogged down in the clacks plot. We only needed to know a little bit about the Smoking Gnu. Too much time is spent on them and the signaling towers etc. Overall a good book Would give it 3.5 if I could.

Going Postal is definitely Discworld back in fine form. Moist and the other characters are hilarious and you simply don't see imagination and creativity in many writers like this today. Do yourself a favor and get into the series and this book in particular. You'll have a great time.

For me, Pratchett has nearly single-handedly steered genre fiction into deeper and theme-ier waters. I love his guards and witches and Nac Mac Feegle, but the last couple of books to come out of his head, Monstrous Regiment and Going Postal have forced me to construct a dais on top of the old one for his new throne.

I saw this book at a grab-a-book, leave-a-book cafe. I hadn't read Pratchett before, but I had heard the name around and decided to give him a try.

I thought the author had a basic gift for storytelling - this was basically a fun read, the plot moved along smoothly, the main character was interesting and I wanted to see him succeed, and there were a few funny, memorable turns of phrase. So I hope to have a look at a few more of the Discworld Novels.

However I just have to believe there's other Discworld Novels, better than this one - the story here was often very sloppy. Plot points were just dropped, or were given far too much attention, or just shouldn't have been there - perhaps as a well-established author he feels he doesn't need an editor, but I'd have to strongly disagree.

A few examples: the whole bit about letters talking didn't fit and was embarassing, really, and then he ditched that in the middle of the book by having a fire wipe out all the old letters anyway. The whole part about GNU and crackers needing to crack and so forth was probably appreciated by his target audience of nerds, but wasn't funny and felt forced. The clacks system was basically an interesting idea, but he concentrated on its details way more than I cared to read about. And after setting up the climax very well, it didn't really amount to much, and the story just sort of quickly petered out.

Junior High School students, who would probably best enjoy this novel, may find the satire of the novel very insightful - basically, he calls businessmen and politicians liars and crooks a thousand times. But there's no meat behind any of this, because the bad guys are all somewhere between one-dimensional and character sketches. So it comes off as prattling, more than anything.

Oh, and the fact that the author has a website where he sells Discworld fanboys Discworld postage stamps is truly pathetic, on too many levels to properly discuss here.

Rather than giving particulars about the story, I'm going to focus more on who might enjoy reading this book.

I bought Going Postal based on the recommendation of a few friends who were talking about it on facebook. One in particular has never steered me wrong on book recommendations, so I decided to give it a shot.

Once I started reading, it was extremely difficult to put down! It's one of Terry Pratchett's 'discworld' books, so I expected to be completely lost, having not read the many other books in the world. Rather than relying on those other books, this was a great, self-contained story. I'm a big fan of fantasy and science fiction, both serious and comedic. Going Postal comes down on the 'fantasy comedy' side of the fence. And is the better for it!

The writing is very smooth, and Pratchett has a way of writing that seems to alternate between understated and over the top. The characters are enjoyable, and their interactions often got a chuckle from me.

If you like reading fantasy stories with a focus on the players, and a mix between realistic characters and larger-than-life caricatures, this is the book for you! It's a quick read, and the story is well paced and surprising. I'm used to being able to predict major plot elements in fiction, but I was able to guess less than usual for this book, which made it all the more enjoyable.

This has encouraged me to look up more of Pratchett's works!

There is a lot (comparatively) of Vetinari, my favorite Discworld character. You have to love a character (and the author that created him) that prefers to listen to music by reading the sheet music.

And we are introduced to Moist von Lipwig. A great example of transformational and charismatic leadership. And con artist. They often co-occur in real life too.

Discworld is my favorite series of sci-fi fantasy. Postal is the best of the series. Satire of finance, the gullibility of most people and of course the post office. Clacks? I think the internet is in here too. Pratchett spins a fantasy that is so convincing I keep looking for trolls.

Why did PTerry need to burn all these letters? Just as if he needed to get rid off an inconvenient story line he didn't know what to do with. They were alive, for Om's sake!

Or was it a size constraint imposed by the publishers? I demand to see the "author's cut" in the next edition!

Moist von Lipwig is a crock that has been punished by becoming the head postmaster; a real job is something a con never wants. The wit of Terry Pratchett is timeless and funny, but this book as a whole was missing the full package. Moist starts out in trouble and running from the law. He quickly finds his way to the local post office and in a world that holds letters that are older than he is. These undelivered letters begin to talk to him and he feels the pressure to get the post office back up and running. The clacks are a mechanical method for transmitting messages and have taken over for the post. Moist spends him time chatting up the papers and press to try and get the post office back on top.

The characters are lovable and quiet human. The government bureaucracy will ring true regardless of time. The story line however, is not one of Terry's best.