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Going Postal: A Novel of Discworld (Discworld, 33) Mass Market Paperback – October 28, 2014
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“[Pratchett’s] books are almost always better than they have to be, and Going Postal is no exception, full of nimble wordplay, devious plotting and outrageous situations, but always grounded in an astute understanding of human nature.” — San Francisco Chronicle
The 33rd installment in acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, a splendid send-up of government, the postal system, and everything that lies in between.
Suddenly, condemned arch-swindler Moist von Lipwig found himself with a noose around his neck and dropping through a trapdoor into . . . a government job?
By all rights, Moist should be meeting his maker rather than being offered a position as Postmaster by Lord Vetinari, supreme ruler of Ankh-Morpork. Getting the moribund Postal Service up and running again, however, may prove an impossible task, what with literally mountains of decades-old undelivered mail clogging every nook and cranny of the broken-down post office. Worse still, Moist could swear the mail is talking to him. Worst of all, it means taking on the gargantuan, greedy Grand Trunk clacks communication monopoly and its bloodthirsty piratical headman. But if the bold and undoable are what's called for, Moist's the man for the job—to move the mail, continue breathing, get the girl, and specially deliver that invaluable commodity that every being, human or otherwise requires: hope.
The Discworld novels can be read in any order but Going Postal is the first book in the Moist von Lipwig series.
- Print length480 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarper
- Publication dateOctober 28, 2014
- Dimensions4.19 x 1.08 x 7.5 inches
- ISBN-100062334972
- ISBN-13978-0062334978
- Lexile measure760L
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“British fantasist Pratchett’s latest special-delivery delight, set in his wonderfully crazed city of Ankh-Morpork, hilariously reflects the plight of post offices the world over.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Pratchett’s joy in his creations, in jokes, puns, the idea of letters and language itself makes Going Postal one of the best expressions of his unstoppable flow of comic invention.” — London Times
“With all the puns, strange names and quickfire jokes about captive letters demanding to be delivered, it’s easy to miss how cross about injustice Terry Pratchett can be. This darkness and concrete morality sets his work apart from imitators of his English Absurd school of comic fantasy.” — The Guardian
“Deeply satisfying . . . Sharp-edged humor—and wonderfully executed.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Delightful . . . a surprisingly complex character study in addition to the usual hilarious satire.” — Locus
“Read it and laugh, but don’t forget your brains.” — Locus
“Going Postal is two books in one; an eerie tale of an office huanted by its post, and a searing attack on corporate corruption . . . . The more literal minded might have preferred Pratchett to write about our world directly, rather than in a fantastical mirror, but while such a book may have contained more facts, it would not have been so true.” — Birmingham Post
“Like many of Pratchett’s best comic novels, Going Postal is a book about redemption . . . . There’s a moral toughness here, which is one of the reasons why Pratchett is never merely frivolous.” — Time Out London
“[Pratchett’s] books are almost always better than they have to be, and Going Postal is no exception, full of nimble wordplay, devious plotting and outrageous situations, but always grounded in an astute understanding of human nature.” — San Francisco Chronicle
From the Back Cover
Suddenly, condemned arch-swindler Moist von Lipwig found himself with a noose around his neck and dropping through a trapdoor into . . . a government job?
By all rights, Moist should be meeting his maker rather than being offered a position as Postmaster by Lord Vetinari, supreme ruler of Ankh-Morpork. Getting the moribund Postal Service up and running again, however, may prove an impossible task, what with literally mountains of decades-old undelivered mail clogging every nook and cranny of the broken-down post office. Worse still, Moist could swear the mail is talking to him. Worst of all, it means taking on the gargantuan, greedy Grand Trunk clacks communication monopoly and its bloodthirsty piratical headman. But if the bold and undoable are what's called for, Moist's the man for the job—to move the mail, continue breathing, get the girl, and specially deliver that invaluable commodity that every being, human or otherwise requires: hope.
About the Author
Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) was the acclaimed creator of the globally revered Discworld series. In all, he authored more than fifty bestselling books, which have sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he was the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal. He was awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to literature in 2009, although he always wryly maintained that his greatest service to literature was to avoid writing any.
Product details
- Publisher : Harper; Reprint edition (October 28, 2014)
- Language : English
- Mass Market Paperback : 480 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0062334972
- ISBN-13 : 978-0062334978
- Lexile measure : 760L
- Item Weight : 9.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 4.19 x 1.08 x 7.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #79,351 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #626 in Humorous Fantasy (Books)
- #876 in Humorous Fiction
- #3,370 in Fantasy Action & Adventure
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Terry Pratchett sold his first story when he was fifteen, which earned him enough money to buy a second-hand typewriter. His first novel, a humorous fantasy entitled The Carpet People, appeared in 1971 from the publisher Colin Smythe. Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, including his first Discworld novel, The Color of Magic, in 1983. In 1987 he turned to writing full time, and has not looked back since. To date there are a total of 36 books in the Discworld series, of which four (so far) are written for children. The first of these children's books, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, won the Carnegie Medal. A non-Discworld book, Good Omens, his 1990 collaboration with Neil Gaiman, has been a longtime bestseller, and was reissued in hardcover by William Morrow in early 2006 (it is also available as a mass market paperback (Harper Torch, 2006) and trade paperback (Harper Paperbacks, 2006). Terry's latest book, Nation, a non-Discworld standalone YA novel was published in October of 2008 and was an instant New York Times and London Times bestseller. Regarded as one of the most significant contemporary English-language satirists, Pratchett has won numerous literary awards, was named an Officer of the British Empire “for services to literature” in 1998, and has received four honorary doctorates from the Universities of Warwick, Portsmouth, Bath, and Bristol. His acclaimed novels have sold more than 55 million copies (give or take a few million) and have been translated into 36 languages. Terry Pratchett lived in England with his family, and spent too much time at his word processor. Some of Terry's accolades include: The Carnegie Medal, Locus Awards, the Mythopoetic Award, ALA Notable Books for Children, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Book Sense 76 Pick, Prometheus Award and the British Fantasy Award.
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Moist is a talented and clever conman who has had a very successful criminal career on a sort of "middling" level. That is to say, he's a step up from pickpocket but a step down from the clowns running multinational corporations. He's spent a vast majority of his life playing alter egos that suit his various (and less than altruistic) endeavors. So much so, that you realize a fair way through, that the man does not really know himself. He's been so busy playing make-believe in order to earn a fast buck that he really hasn't ever figured out who he really is or what he cares about. And in that, we see the true genius of Terry Prachett's writing. The story of the protagonist is a redemptive tale that is wrapped up in the polka dotted humor and witticism of a very clever satirist. We manage to care very deeply for Moist and his struggles, which are both outward and inward.
The story primarily centers around the city of Ankh-Morpork and its communications system. The book opens with the protagonist being saved from death, by a benevolent tyrant--the city patrician--Lord Vetinari. Although Vetinari is a dictator, he seems to be shrewd enough to care about the well-being of his citizens. Vetinari has identified a troubling problem with the mode of communication in the city; in which the majority of the story takes place. Swift communications between the citizenry are being conducted through a privately run utility known as the "Clacks," which is basically a system of visual telegraph towers (semaphores) that translate messages across distances using coding. Apparently, the Clacks system was "legally" taken over through a series of questionable financial maneuvers by a collective of investors known as "The Grand Trunk" who are headed by Reacher Gilt (a min of ill repute--and probably a pirate to boot!). Since the takeover, fees have gone up and service has gone down. Vetinari attempts to correct the situation by talking to The Grand Trunk and is rebuked for his efforts. The problem is that the Clacks are now the only game in town and everyone relies on them exclusively to get things done. Too big to fail....
So Vetinari schemes to even the playing field by resurrecting the ancient, defunct postal system. To do this, he conscripts our protagonist. Moist agrees to go along with the plan for appearances, until he can bide his time and figure a way to escape and return to his old scamming ways. However, the endearing, odd ball cast of characters which Moist encounters while working in and around the post office slowly start to wear him down and he develops an interest in things beyond his own selfish needs.
The cast of characters that Prachett dreams up are brilliant and memorable. Whether it's the fire-eyed Golem parole officer who must keep tabs on the protagonist; the old-guard of anal-retentive postal workers; the slick zombie-faced lawyer; the mostly-sane former Clacks workers turned code-crackers and rabble rousers; the boisterous and bumbling stuffy-robed wizards of the Unseen University; the sulking and skulking Igor butler henchman; the disturbing pigeon-eating banshee; or the chain-smoking golem-rights activist/love interest--you fall in love with them all. Everyone comes alive. An unforgettable cast. Sometimes there are heartfelt moments of kind and generous acts, other times you revel in the satire that floods through the streets of Ankh-Morpork. Everyone is a character and a caricature and always faintly familiar.
Moist is quick-witted and all to willing to up the stakes. A bad habit from his scheming days, but it serves him well in his new career as postman as he finds himself pitted against the biggest conman of them all--the head of the Clacks--Reacher Gilt. This is where we see real character growth as Moist is both awed and repulsed by the story's chief antagonist. He is facing a distorted and much crueler mirror image of himself in dealing with Gilt. The more he learns, the more he is intrigued, and the more he is distressed. Upon meeting a truly great connoisseur of the trade (i.e. master conman) in Gilt, he sees that it is not so great a thing to aspire to. Then he questions himself and the life he has led and he wonders if there is much difference between him and Gilt. This is great character growth and the stuff of good story making.
Another great thing in this book is the inherit magic of the post office (A decidedly untraditional magical reagent). But Pratchett's description of the place--even in its pigeon-dropping-covered-piles-of-old-letters--have all the intrigue and captivation of a haunted castle. A wonderfully original setting.
Other commentators have pointed out how well Pratchett does with word-play (even the title of the book lends itself to this). They also point out how you don't get tired of it. It's true. This book has many levels of humor from word-puns to deep satire pointing out the absurdities that are abundant in a capitalistic society. The Clacks system and The Grand Trunk have innumerable alliterations to phone companies and investment banking. Indeed, this book was written before the recent financial crisis that raked the world's economies and is disturbingly prescient in many of its aphorisms. He makes you think as well as entertains you (as truly great authors do!).
Prachett really hits the spot. He is refreshingly funny and a good storyteller. The world can be a very awful place sometimes, when you look at all the problems one can suffer through during a lifetime. Yet, it is books like this one that help to put all the grim things in their proper place of absurdity.
Podcast: If you enjoy my review (or this topic) this book and the movie based on it were further discussed/debated in a lively discussion on my podcast: "No Deodorant In Outer Space". The podcast is available on iTunes or our website.
If I were to suggest the first book for someone dipping their toe into the Discworld, I would be hard pressed to find a better choice than Going Postal. Humor, drama, thrills, and insight - it's the whole package.
You might like the book even more if you work for old and decrepit companies or recently acquired startups. I highly recommend you join their ranks now, so you can appreciate the book properly.
So you send a businessman to get the old post office running again. He dies in an accident. You send another one. He dies in an accident. You send another one. Another accident. You send a deadly trained assassin disguised as a businessman. Another accident. Well now what?
In this book, we follow the Patrician's next attempt: an unwilling master thief living on borrowed time and a 2000 pound tireless golem that serves both as bodyguard and parole officer (to make sure the master thief fixes the post officer rather than, for example, running away to another continent).
The story takes place in Ankh-Morpork. There are appearences by some discworld regulars but mostly this is a tale with all new characters, possibly Pratchett's best yet, and that's saying a lot. The story is great and the humor is classic Pratchett. Easily 5 stars.
As for the "stand-alone" value, you'll be a bit better off if you're already familar with Discworld but if you've never read a Discworld book you shouldn't have any trouble, since all the major players are new anyway (although I personally suggest "Guards! Guards!" as the first Discworld book to read).
Top reviews from other countries
Not exactly spoilers, but hints ahead...
I read both Making Money and Raising Steam before Going Postal so, although I'd pretty much worked out the references to Angels in the later books, I enjoyed reading the origins to that particular thread in the Von Lipwig series.
Spike is tolerable in this novel, too (I would gladly drop her from the Tower of Art in the later books).
I'm also glad that the consequences of Moist's former occupation were touched on, as it did bother me that fraud scams seemed to be brushed over, as if they were victimless crimes, in the later books.
It probably is better to read a series in order, if possible!
Sul libro non ho molto da dire, è Pratchett, un genio indiscusso del fantasy ironico.
In questa nuova serie, iniziata proprio con going postal, Pratchett ha portato nel suo mondo le innovazioni di una Inghilterra vittoriana, con "telegrammi" e la sfida tra il nuovo e il vecchio.
Una storia avvincente e interessante, di intrighi, sfide politiche, amori e molto altro.