Going Postal: A Novel of Discworld [Hardcover]

Terry Pratchett (Author)

Book Description

Series: Discworld Novels | Publication Date: September 28, 2004

Arch-swindler Moist Van Lipwig never believed his confidence crimes were hanging offenses -- until he found himself with a noose tightly around his neck, dropping through a trapdoor, and falling into ... a government job?

By all rights, Moist should have met his maker. Instead, it's Lord Vetinari, supreme ruler of Ankh-Morpork, who promptly offers him a job as Postmaster. Since his only other option is a nonliving one, Moist accepts the position -- and the hulking golem watchdog who comes along with it, just in case Moist was considering abandoning his responsibilities prematurely.

Getting the moribund Postal Service up and running again, however, may be a near-impossible task, what with literally mountains of decades-old undelivered mail clogging every nook and cranny of the broken-down post office building; and with only a few creaky old postmen and one rather unstable, pin-obsessed youth available to deliver it. Worse still, Moist could swear the mail is talking to him. Worst of all, it means taking on the gargantuan, money-hungry Grand Trunk clacks communication monopoly and its bloodthirsty piratical head, Mr. Reacher Gilt.

But it says on the building neither rain nor snow nor glo m of ni t ... Inspiring words (admittedly, some of the bronze letters have been stolen), and for once in his wretched life Moist is going to fight. And if the bold and impossible are what's called for, he'll do it -- in order to move the mail, continue breathing, get the girl, and specially deliver that invaluable commodity that every human being (not to mention troll, dwarf, and, yes, even golem) requires: hope.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

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 as they struggle to compete in an era when e-mail has stolen much of the glamour from the postal trade. Soon after Moist von Lipwig (aka Alfred Spangler), Pratchett's not-quite-hapless, accidental hero, barely avoids hanging, Lord Havelock Vetinari, the despotic but pretty cool ruler of Ankh-Morpork, makes him a job offer he can't refuse—postmaster general of the Ankh-Morpork Post Office. The post office hasn't been open for 20 years since the advent of the Internet-like clacks communication system. Moist's first impulse is to try to escape, but Mr. Pump, his golem parole officer, quickly catches him. Moist must then deal with the musty mounds of undelivered mail that fill every room of the decaying Post Office building maintained by ancient and smelly Junior Postman Groat and his callow assistant, Apprentice Postman Stanley. The place is also haunted by dead postmen and guarded by Mr. Tiddles, a crafty cat. Readers will cheer Moist on as he eventually finds himself in a race with the dysfunctional clacks system to see whose message can be delivered first. Thanks to the timely subject matter and Pratchett's effervescent wit, this 29th Discworld novel (after 2003's Monstrous Regiment) may capture more of the American audience he deserves.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School - When petty con man Moist von Lipwig is hung for his crimes in the first chapter of this surprising and humorous novel, it appears to be the end. But this is Discworld after all, a world "a lot like our own but different." Moist awakes from the shock of his hanging to find that the city's Patrician, Lord Vetinari, has assigned him a government job (a fate worse than death?) restoring the defunct postal system. Of course, there is much more to restore than the flow of letters and packages. Justice as well as communication has been poorly served by a hostile takeover of the "clacks" - a unique messaging system that is part semaphore, part digital, and under the monopoly of the Grand Trunk Company. Before Moist can get very far into the job, he encounters ghosts, the voices of unsent letters, and a ruthless corporate conspiracy. In this quickly escalating battle, the post office is definitely the underdog, but, as the author notes, "an underdog can always find somewhere soft to bite." Fortunately Moist has friends: the determined Miss Dearheart, a golem with more than feet of clay, and a secret society of unemployed and very unusual postal workers as well as a vampire named Oscar. The author's inventiveness seems to know no end, his playful and irreverent use of language is a delight, and there is food for thought in his parody of fantasyland. This 29th Discworld novel, like the rest of the series, is a surefire hit for fans of Douglas Adams and Monty Python. - Carolyn Lehman, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Harper; First Edition edition (September 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060013133
• ISBN-13: 978-0060013134
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (138 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #553,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More 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 lives in England with his family, and spends 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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sting: Terry Pratchett Style, October 13, 2004

By 

Leonard Fleisig "Len" (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Going Postal: A Novel of Discworld (Hardcover)

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.

44 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Philately, finance, fraud, and . . . fun!, November 5, 2004

By 

Stephen A. Haines (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Going Postal: A Novel of Discworld (Hardcover)

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]

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the cleverest Prachett books, November 3, 2004

By 

Lori Kadin (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Going Postal: A Novel of Discworld (Hardcover)

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.