More 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.

• Going Postal Terry Pratchett Epub

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.

Buy, download and read Going Postal ebook online in EPUB format for iPhone, iPad, Android, Computer and Mobile readers. Author: Terry Pratchett. Sir Terry Pratchett is the author of numerous books and series. Terry Pratchett eBooks. Going Postal. Terry Pratchett.

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.

Sinc 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 Glom of Nit.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.

This was the first book I read in the Discworld series and I wasn't lost. Most of these books are standalones or series that all take Not really.

This was the first book I read in the Discworld series and I wasn't lost. Most of these books are standalones or series that all take place in the same universe. It does make occasional references to things that happened in other books, but nothing very important or essential to your understanding of this one. I would really recommend this as a good starting point to get into the series.

The mail must get through! He was part of the government, wasn't he? Governments took money off people. That's what they were for. Turns out, years spent scamming and conning the public have excellently prepared Moist von Lipwig with the skill set needed to run a vast corporation. My Discworld-reading for the Humour Club has had its ups and downs.

Some books I loved, some bored me to tears, one I didn't finish. I thrilled to the adventures of the witches, laughed at the exploits of the Nig The mail must get through! He was part of the government, wasn't he?

Governments took money off people. That's what they were for. Turns out, years spent scamming and conning the public have excellently prepared Moist von Lipwig with the skill set needed to run a vast corporation. My Discworld-reading for the Humour Club has had its ups and downs. Some books I loved, some bored me to tears, one I didn't finish.

I thrilled to the adventures of the witches, laughed at the exploits of the Night Watch and frowned upon the know-it-all wizards (Seriously, could they be more pompous? It's like reading a book where every single character is my mother-in-law!). Yet, I've never rated anything less than three stars because I laughed, at least once, while reading each book. I'm in love again, and the spring is comin' I'm in love again, hear my heart strings strummin'. This one is EVERYTHING a Discworld book can be - funny, touching, clever and thrilling. If you're looking to start the series, this is a perfect place to jump in. Moist's efforts to revive the floundering postal service should make you grin and require absolutely no knowledge of previous tales.

ADDED BONUS - Pratchett has invented possibly the nicest euphemism ever for describing old age - It's good to know I'm not decrepit, I'm just rich in years. A perfect pick-me-up of a read!. Cole Porter.

I love it when one work of art makes me think of another and my enjoyment of both is enhanced. The executive office meeting subsequent to the gallows made me think of Mel Brooks’ hilarious 1974 film Blazing Saddles and Harvey Korman’s portrayal of Hedley LaMarr. So throughout the rest of the novel I eschewed the British aristocratic drawl of Lord Vetinari and replaced with Korman’s robber baron prose for full comedic effect. Granny Weatherwax is still my favorite, but Sir Terry has succeeded again I love it when one work of art makes me think of another and my enjoyment of both is enhanced.

The executive office meeting subsequent to the gallows made me think of Mel Brooks’ hilarious 1974 film Blazing Saddles and Harvey Korman’s portrayal of Hedley LaMarr. So throughout the rest of the novel I eschewed the British aristocratic drawl of Lord Vetinari and replaced with Korman’s robber baron prose for full comedic effect. Granny Weatherwax is still my favorite, but Sir Terry has succeeded again in making a GREAT Discworld novel that is funny, thought provoking and entertaining all at once. While Moist von Lipwig is a worthy and fun protagonist, once again the real hero is Pratchett himself.

The author’s pithy prose and world wise narration keeps this skipping along at a good clip and the Pratchett Smile O’ Meter was bouncing in a lively manner throughout. Describing a picaresque tale about erstwhile con man and ne’er do-well Lipwig, Pratchett shows how a second chance after the hangman’s noose is a win-win for all involved, especially the readers. Parolee Lipwig must recreate the Ankh-Morpork post office into a going concern. We revisit many of our Discworld favorites, meet some new friends, and a rousing good time is had by all. Besides being a great entry into the Discworld mythos, this is also just a good book; Pratchett, getting better like a fine wine, spins a good yarn.

One of the best Discworld books, a MUST read for fans. This book was an excellent surprise; I love the Discworld series but was getting tired of seeing the same characters again and again in every book. But this book introduces an entirely new and refreshing cast of characters.

I particularly liked the main character and felt he was very well-developed. Pratchett's books are funny precisely because he has a very firm grasp of human nature. His best work feels surprisingly profound even though you're also laughing so hard you're afraid you might brea This book was an excellent surprise; I love the Discworld series but was getting tired of seeing the same characters again and again in every book. But this book introduces an entirely new and refreshing cast of characters.

I particularly liked the main character and felt he was very well-developed. Pratchett's books are funny precisely because he has a very firm grasp of human nature. His best work feels surprisingly profound even though you're also laughing so hard you're afraid you might break a rib. In some of the later novels I was getting more of a reused-joke feeling, and while it was still pretty funny, all the depth was gone.

In this novel it's back, and I would rank Going Postal pretty high among the Discworld novels. Highly recommended, especially to Pratchett fans who think Discworld has gotten a little stale. This was really surprising, actually.

Perhaps it shouldn't have been, given how many people whose opinions I respect are Pratchett fans, but I haven't read a fantasy novel since giving up on Robert Jordan's painstakingly prolonged The Wheel of Time (somewhere in book 5, I think) long before college. Actually, I suppose I read a bunch of the Harry Potters in the interim, but in some ways that felt more like keeping up with pop culture than reading actual fantasy. In any event, Going Postal was pur This was really surprising, actually. Perhaps it shouldn't have been, given how many people whose opinions I respect are Pratchett fans, but I haven't read a fantasy novel since giving up on Robert Jordan's painstakingly prolonged The Wheel of Time (somewhere in book 5, I think) long before college. Actually, I suppose I read a bunch of the Harry Potters in the interim, but in some ways that felt more like keeping up with pop culture than reading actual fantasy.

In any event, Going Postal was purely a pleasure. Compared to the grueling epics I recall from years ago, Pratchett's style was brisk and entertaining, his humor completely suffusing the tone of the book in a way that reminded me of Douglas' Adams' approach to science fiction. But whereas Adams' plotlines can be meandering and perhaps secondary to his constant seeking of the absurd, Pratchett's were elaborately coiled, well-paced, and compelling, and his characters, amusing and strange as they often were, had a certain sincerity that kept me interested in their welfare. Ridiculous name aside, Moist von Lipwig's reluctantly scrupulous con artist (emphasis on 'artist', as his maneuvering definitely deserves such a word) was exceedingly entertaining to follow.

Pratchett's underlying thoughts and satire also seemed fairly spot-on. His commentary on the nature of hope suggests that he would understand why so many under-privileged Americans tend to vote Republican against their best financial interests (besides its application in many other areas of human nature), and the bits about personal momentum were sufficiently commanding as to grant even the reader a resounding sense of motion and possibility from time to time. I suppose Pratchett may not be to everyone's taste (and I was not sure he would be to mine) but he seems to be very skilled in his particular niche. Yes, this was very good.

Mostly just at being a fun diversion, but also perhaps as well thought out and gracefully executed literature. I picked up this book to read on a 15 hour flight from Chicago to Vietnam, on the assumption that it would be a light, pleasant way to pass the dreary hours (after one flight to China during which I watched the first X-Men film three times, I decided it was best to err on the side of having too many books rather than too few). My assumptions proved correct, and I enjoyed the book quite thoroughly.

Three things struck me: 1) Pratchett's use of language is always fun, and he occasionally makes wond I picked up this book to read on a 15 hour flight from Chicago to Vietnam, on the assumption that it would be a light, pleasant way to pass the dreary hours (after one flight to China during which I watched the first X-Men film three times, I decided it was best to err on the side of having too many books rather than too few). My assumptions proved correct, and I enjoyed the book quite thoroughly. Three things struck me: 1) Pratchett's use of language is always fun, and he occasionally makes wonderful jokes that can't be read aloud with the same effect, like the store owner who turns up whose speech suffers from greengrocer's apostrophes.

2) Pratchett typically writes in a third person limited point of view, but he's extremely good at getting inside the heads of his characters and changing the voice up. The unfortunately named Moist has his own clear-eyed perspective on the world that differs from the other denizens of Discworld.

3) He manages to weave in quite a bit of history about the postal service. I wouldn't have considered it to be an interesting topic for inquiry (I mean, come on; post offices mostly exist to aggrivate people who hate standing in queues, right?) but I was wrong.

Best vocabulary word gleaned from the text: 'frank', meaning to stamp something. I am probably the last person on earth to read Terry Pratchett, but I'm glad I finally did. People have been recommending his books to me for years and although I had planned on starting with book 1, Color of Magic, the bookseller recommended I start with Going Postal instead (they were also out of stock of CoM). Every time I picked this book up I laughed out loud, it has a refreshing wit combined with a sharp perception of people and their funny habits. I ate this book up and bought copy of 'Gu I am probably the last person on earth to read Terry Pratchett, but I'm glad I finally did. People have been recommending his books to me for years and although I had planned on starting with book 1, Color of Magic, the bookseller recommended I start with Going Postal instead (they were also out of stock of CoM). Every time I picked this book up I laughed out loud, it has a refreshing wit combined with a sharp perception of people and their funny habits.

I ate this book up and bought copy of 'Guards, Guards' before I finished. What's your favorite Terry Pratchett?

“What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.” This was really a funny, fun book.

Lots of digs at corporations, lotteries, and just life. “People flock in, nevertheless, in search of answers to those questions only librarians are considered to be able to answer, such as 'Is this the laundry?' 'How do you spell surreptitious?' And, on a regular basis, 'Do you have a book I remember reading once?

It had a red cover and it “What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.” This was really a funny, fun book. Lots of digs at corporations, lotteries, and just life. “People flock in, nevertheless, in search of answers to those questions only librarians are considered to be able to answer, such as 'Is this the laundry?'

'How do you spell surreptitious?' And, on a regular basis, 'Do you have a book I remember reading once? It had a red cover and it turned out they were twins.”. Going Postal definitely ranks among my top 3 Discworld books.

Going Postal Terry Pratchett Epub

That is to say, Equal Rites will ALWAYS be my favourite, as it was my first, and the one that got me into Terry Pratchett to begin with. After that, the list gets blurrier, but nevertheless, Going Postal is among best. I saw the Going Postal movie no fewer than 3 years ago and I loved it. Which was my reason to postpone reading this book after I suffered from a severe Terry Pratchett fatigue Going Postal definitely ranks among my top 3 Discworld books. That is to say, Equal Rites will ALWAYS be my favourite, as it was my first, and the one that got me into Terry Pratchett to begin with. After that, the list gets blurrier, but nevertheless, Going Postal is among best.

I saw the Going Postal movie no fewer than 3 years ago and I loved it. Which was my reason to postpone reading this book after I suffered from a severe Terry Pratchett fatigue.

Now I'm back, and I'm happy to be here. Going Postal is essentially a book about hope. Whatever else is happening in this book, it's actually a wide frame of the story of hope.

'And this was known as the greatest of treasures, which is Hope. It was a good way of getting poorer really very quickly, and staying poor. It could be you. But it wouldn't be.' And then later in the book: 'Welcome to fear, said Moist to himself. It's hope, turned inside out.

You know you can't go wrong. You're sure it can't go wrong. But it might.' Moist, as a character, is a personification of the efforts to be good.

Or to be better. The struggle against the easy way out, which is to just take what you want (and not even need), as opposed to struggling and fighting for what's worth it.

I found Moist mightily gratifying to read about. He was just my type of a main character, crooked and wicked, but motivated to achieve more; aware of his flaws, morally ambiguous, willing to take a wild chance; Attempting to do the impossible, because where is the challenge, otherwise? I liked the secondary characters a lot too. They were all cleverly constructed and very interesting.

I know that many would say that this is always the case with Terry Pratchett, but I have grown to feel a gap between his books. As in, same author, same world, and yet there are ones that I loved, like Going Postal, and ones that I really, truly hated. And usually, I can set the difference with the witches (whom I adore) and everyone else, most of all the guards, who don't interest me in the slightest. However, in Going Postal the characters are definitely not magical, but are awesome nevertheless.

I also found something else I was afraid I would never experience again: marveling at Pratchett's cleverness. It's just that whenever I dislike the story, I fail to pay attention to the details, and while this is a character flaw, I feel that it is more or less justified with the idea that you can't force yourself to like something, and the more you dislike it, the more you dislike everything about it. Going Postal has given me a new push into the Discworld, and I'm excited to read to the end of the series sometime in the not-so-distant future. What happens when Ventari becomes an angel and puts a con man in charge of the decrepit Post Office? Nothing one expects, of course. There was a silence.

In that silence, Moist tried out a variety of responses, from 'Pull the other one, it's got bells on' to 'That's impossible', and decided they all sounded stupid. Groat looked deadly serious, so instead he said: 'How?' - There are many, many characters in the What happens when Ventari becomes an angel and puts a con man in charge of the decrepit Post Office?

Nothing one expects, of course. There was a silence. In that silence, Moist tried out a variety of responses, from 'Pull the other one, it's got bells on' to 'That's impossible', and decided they all sounded stupid. Groat looked deadly serious, so instead he said: 'How?' - There are many, many characters in the Discworld that I adore. And it is very hard to read the Discworld series without being at least fascinated by Vetinari (as evidenced by the 'Vetinari for president!' Stickers I often see around).

But once in awhile, Pratchett likes to remind people that while Vetinari, while he has style, is, well, a dick. 'While this is happening, moreover, no person concerned with the Grand Trunk Company or any of its employees is to leave this room.' Greenyham: 'You can't do that!'

Vetinari: 'Can I not? I am a tyrant. It's what we do.' (If anyone else likes Vetinari, Guards, Guards is rather essential reading, since it gives the reader some pretty Important Information on how Vetinari go to where he is now.). I have only read the Discworld books featuring the City Watch, and the related follow-up books featuring a spin-off character in this book, Moist Von Lipwig. That's because I'm afraid Pratchett's other books will not be my cuppa.

As a writer, he walks a fine line, approaching my personal barrier — too much punnery and parody. I like the City Watch series (see ) because Pratchett toes the line, proving parody in a neatly plotted mystery with the feeling of film noir, and I love the I have only read the Discworld books featuring the City Watch, and the related follow-up books featuring a spin-off character in this book, Moist Von Lipwig. That's because I'm afraid Pratchett's other books will not be my cuppa.

As a writer, he walks a fine line, approaching my personal barrier — too much punnery and parody. I like the City Watch series (see ) because Pratchett toes the line, proving parody in a neatly plotted mystery with the feeling of film noir, and I love the rich character development in Sam Vimes. For the same reasons, I liked this book, Going Postal. It's got a good mix. I enjoy Pratchett's brand of satire, but sometimes the narrative gets a bit preachy and/or teachy. Also, sometimes there are so many puns and parodies that the plot becomes secondary, momentarily. Some allusions and references are unknown to me.

These are all minor quibbles and didn't detract from this book. In fact, having said all that, I loved this book! It's fantastical suspense, with humans and golums mainly, but also werewolves, dwarves, trolls, etc.

GOING POSTAL is a joy on several counts, but especially character development, plot, humor, and historic references (it's set in a guild-controlled city much like Hamburg or London, around 1400 - a fictional city, on a flat magical planet called Discworld). The suspense is primarily wrapped around the clacks towers, semaphores, telegraphs.

Someone is up to no good on the Grand Trunk. The anti-hero is Mr.

Albert Spangler (aka Moist Von Lipwig). Spangler is an expert con-man from Uberwald, a clever operator with a fairly good heart. He is about to be executed for theft when Lord Vetinari, the city dictator (goes by the title Patrician), offers the charming swindler a way out. Will he take it? Will he succeed at setting up a working postal system - despite ignorance, interference, and outright sabotage? Here is Lord Vetinari, offering Spangler a new lease on life: Albert Spangler is dead, Mr.

Three hundred people would swear they saw him die.' He leaned forward.

'And so, appropriately, it is of angels I wish to talk to you now.' Moist managed a grunt. 'The first interesting thing about angels, Mr. Lipwig, is that sometimes, very rarely, at a point in a man's career where he has made such a foul and tangled mess of his life that death appears to be the only sensible option, an angel appears to him, or, 1 should say, unto him, and offers him a chance to go back to the moment when it all went wrong, and this time do it right. Lipwig, I should like you to think of me as.

This is the first book in the Moist Von Lipwig series, which is linked to the City Watch series, which is a stand-alone branch of the Discworld mega series. Not a romance series, but there are some love interests. Moist meets his match, for example. There are several books in the Moist Von Lipvig sub-series and 8 books in the preceding City Watch series - not all 39 books of the Discworld series apply, many being for children or YA. These two sub-series actually begin with the book Guards! But one could just start with Going Postal, where we first meet Moist. See my review of Guards!

(A good starting place): The Series: In reading order, books featuring Sam Vimes (CW = City Watch series) Guards! - 1989 CW Theatre of Cruelty - 1993, CW (4 pages, free, ) Men At Arms - 1993 CW Feet of Clay - 1996 CW Jingo - 1997. CW The Fifth Elephant - 1999 CW The Truth - 2000 (minor character) Night Watch - 2002 CW Monstrous Regiment - 2003 (minor character) Thud! - 2005 CW (and children's book Where's My Cow?) Unseen Academicals - 2009 (minor character) Snuff - 2011 CW Raising Steam - 2013 (supporting character) (City Watch book links at ) Related 'Modernization' (some say 'Industrialization') books: There are some spin-off books that cross-over with the 'City Watch' sub-series. These books introduce some modernization to the twin cities of Ankh-Morpork.

The books feature con-man turned hero, Moist Von Lipvig, and a few characters from the City Watch. Describes the invention and proliferation of postage stamps (loved it) and, depicts the creation of paper money to replace gold (also very good). Then there is, where Lord Vetinari makes Moist Von Lipvig ensure that the newly invented locomotive is profitable and safe for the City (this is the last book written for Discworld).

Also, depicts the invention of a printing press and the subsequent introduction of widespread newspapers into society. Satire deals with the wholesale acceptance of lies when ink-validated. William de Worde (he-he) is the city's first investigative journalist, sleuthing out possible murder and a plot to overthrow Lord Vetinari. This book does not feature Moist Von Lipvig, but it has some City Watch characters. Finally, introduces the film industry to the eager citizens of Ankh-Morpork. This book does not include Moist Von Lipvig.

I didn't care as much for it, but it's brimming with satire and some scenes are great.!!! This chart is great for finding your way around the sub-series within the multitude of Discworld novels.

Okay, so this wasn't brilliant or incredibly original or anything that a 5-star novel should normally be, but it was funny and fast-paced and hugely entertaining. Pratchett's Discworld, with its hodge-podge of technologies, cultures, and magic, into which he shoehorns whatever anachronistic notion works for the story, shouldn't work as well as it does, but somehow you suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride. Starting with the cringeingly-named protagonist 'Moist von Lipwig,' Going Postal i Okay, so this wasn't brilliant or incredibly original or anything that a 5-star novel should normally be, but it was funny and fast-paced and hugely entertaining. Pratchett's Discworld, with its hodge-podge of technologies, cultures, and magic, into which he shoehorns whatever anachronistic notion works for the story, shouldn't work as well as it does, but somehow you suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride. Starting with the cringeingly-named protagonist 'Moist von Lipwig,' Going Postal is a farce with a heart.

Lipwig is drafted into running Ankh-Morpork's moribund Post Office, finds himself in competition with the evil Grand Trunk clacks company, and uses all of his evil, swindling, scheming tricks to do good, quite against his will. The book takes shots at government employees, private corporations, finance, hackers, university politics, and all sorts of other things, all in the guise of being a humorous fantasy novel. I'm not usually a big fan of humor, though I am a fan of satire, and I hate puns, but Pratchett's puns actually made me laugh. So do his clever wordplays, even when he's being self-indulgent.

And underneath the satire and the tongue-in-cheek worldbuilding, it's a good old-fashioned 'bad guy makes good, saves the day, and gets the girl' romance. Highly recommended as a good, fun, light read.

The length of time it took to read this book is not a reflection upon its quality. I just haven’t been very good at switching between books lately due to a number of distractions. This one includes two things I have soft spots for: a talented con artist and the postal service.

As I’ve commented in other reviews, such as The Lies of Locke Lamora, I’m fascinated by a well-executed con. Moist von Lipwig (one of Pratchett’s most deliberately awful character names) is one grade-A con artist. He brilli The length of time it took to read this book is not a reflection upon its quality. I just haven’t been very good at switching between books lately due to a number of distractions. This one includes two things I have soft spots for: a talented con artist and the postal service. As I’ve commented in other reviews, such as The Lies of Locke Lamora, I’m fascinated by a well-executed con.

Moist von Lipwig (one of Pratchett’s most deliberately awful character names) is one grade-A con artist. He brilliantly plays people as if he were a virtuoso and they were violins. But he isn’t, after all, a heartless bastard, which makes him someone to root for. Although Lord Vetinari, the tyrant of Ankh-Morpork, is also a con artist in his own way. The man is a genius, several moves ahead of his opponents; and while he may be ruthless in some ways, I also have to admire him. While I use e-mail and sometimes text messages, I still enjoy writing and receiving old-fashioned paper letters. There’s a personal element to a letter that electronic communication lacks.

It makes me sad that a large portion of the current population under 20 years old has never handled a postage stamp. Anyway The plot hinges on Moist being forced by Vetinari to take over the post office, which has fallen into disrepair, in part due to a new way of sending messages called the clacks.

The clacks uses towers and a type of semaphore and light method of passing along messages; the description of the clacks towers at night struck me as quite beautiful. The clacks service is also suffering from problems, due to its unethical owners. Pratchett works his narrative magic yet again, managing to satirise and also humanise. While there is a rivalry between the post office and the clacks, neither is held above the other in the end; both serve a purpose, both employ good people. I won’t get into the intricacies of the plot.

Elements of it are familiar, but there are some wonderful twists and turns. There is also a satire of fanatical collecting, starting with pins-and represented by young postal employee Stanley-and turning to stamps. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the young woman who catches Moist’s eye. If he has one of the most cringeworthy character names in Discworld, she has one of the cutesiest-Adora Belle Dearheart.

Of course, this being Pratchett, she is smart and steely and embittered, chain-smokes, and works for an enterprise that hires out golems. She has a particularly fun scene involving use of her high-heeled shoe to deal with an overly-friendly drunk. Definitely worth reading, whether you’re already a Pratchett fan who just hasn’t gotten to it yet or someone who’s never tried any of his other works. It works well as a stand-alone despite its connections to other Discworld books.

Going Postal is the first book in the Moist von Lipwig subseries of Discworld, which is also associated with the Industrial Revolution subseries. In the case of this book, it’s maybe a little more of an “Industrial Counterrevolution”. The post office in Ankh-Morpork has effectively been out of commission for a while, with tons of undelivered letters sitting around.

Meanwhile, over the past several books, we’ve seen the development of a faster and more efficient method of communication called the Going Postal is the first book in the Moist von Lipwig subseries of Discworld, which is also associated with the Industrial Revolution subseries. In the case of this book, it’s maybe a little more of an “Industrial Counterrevolution”. The post office in Ankh-Morpork has effectively been out of commission for a while, with tons of undelivered letters sitting around. Meanwhile, over the past several books, we’ve seen the development of a faster and more efficient method of communication called the “Clacks”. However, lately there have been issues with the Clacks - mismanagement, downtime, and maybe even murders. The main character, Moist von Lipwig, was a fun character of the “lovable rogue” archetype. I wasn’t too sure about him at first, but he grew on me as the book went on.

Vetinari also had some good moments in this book. The story itself held my interest really well. In fact, I think this may be the first Discworld book for which I actually stayed up a few minutes past my bedtime one night because I wanted to know what would happen next. I only stayed up about 15 minutes late, but I take my bedtime very seriously so this isn’t a common occurrence for me.:) I enjoyed the ending, and I particularly liked the choices Moist made it the end. To be more specific, I liked that he looked at the bigger picture and considered the greater good. He backed off from his original plan that would have effectively destroyed the Clacks until they could be rebuilt, realizing that they fulfill a vital role and also that there were a lot of good people involved in the industry who would suffer.

Instead, he found a way to deal with the corrupt management that was the root problem. In this rich complex and darkly humorous story Terry Pratchett takes us to a side of Anke Morpork that the disc-world series had not previously visited; it's post office. Moist von Lipwig is a con man of major proportions whose last fraud has come to haunt him, caught and about to hang he believes it is all over for him.

Saved from permanent death, the Patrician of Anke Morpork, lord Vetinari offers him a job; to revitalise the wrecked and useless Post Office. To do so Moist must use all his ski In this rich complex and darkly humorous story Terry Pratchett takes us to a side of Anke Morpork that the disc-world series had not previously visited; it's post office. Moist von Lipwig is a con man of major proportions whose last fraud has come to haunt him, caught and about to hang he believes it is all over for him. Saved from permanent death, the Patrician of Anke Morpork, lord Vetinari offers him a job; to revitalise the wrecked and useless Post Office. To do so Moist must use all his skills as a con artist and many other skills he probably never thought he had. This is a later discworld story, and while I loved the earlier ones when I first came across them, in these later series I think PTerry's writing really came of age. If the early ones are young slightly fizzy wine, then this is a mature dark red, ages for years in oak and with aftertastes that last for hours.

Pratchett's distictive brand of social commentary and persistent trend of poking fun at humanity are strong in Going Postal but they do not overwhelm the story, which I think is a perfect page turner. The suite of characters is sizable and well developed, but never out of control so one always knows who is who. Also, I believe that this book could very well be read as a stand alone without losing much: There are many well known characters of the discworld that briefly appear or are mentioned but most of the active characters are new and developed within this story. The exception to this would be Lord Vetinari, whose omnipotence is the cumulative layering of many, many books worth, he has layers, like oysters possibly pearls, or other molluscs, if you will forgive me a little in-joke. Also posted on my blog. Real Rating = 4.5. What can I say about Terry Pratchett & Discworld that hasn't been said before?

His fantasy has layers inside it's layers. BOOK DETAILS: Going Postalby Terry Pratchett, read by Stephen Briggs, published by HarperAudio (2005) / Length: 11 hrs 27 min SERIES INFO: This is the first Discworld book about Moist von Lipwig, and is one possible (among many) starting point for newbies. There are two additional books, Making Money & Raising Steam in Also posted on my blog. Real Rating = 4.5. What can I say about Terry Pratchett & Discworld that hasn't been said before? His fantasy has layers inside it's layers.

BOOK DETAILS: Going Postalby Terry Pratchett, read by Stephen Briggs, published by HarperAudio (2005) / Length: 11 hrs 27 min SERIES INFO: This is the first Discworld book about Moist von Lipwig, and is one possible (among many) starting point for newbies. There are two additional books, Making Money & Raising Steam in this sub-series, but they were sadly affected by the author's extended illness. SUMMARY: Terry Pratchett is in a category all his own.

His writings can be nothing more than a fun romp, or they can be insightful statements on the human condition, depending on what you're looking for and willing to invest. I especially like this one for two main reasons. First, unlike many other Discworld novels, there aren't multiple intertwined plots. I've never been a big fan of those.

Second, because of the way he deconstructs the 'harmless conman' character (I have always had a problem with making criminals out to be heroes). A favorite scene is where Mr.

Pump tells Moist (who has always insisted he is just moving numbers around): “You Have Stolen, Embezzled, Defrauded And Swindled Without Discrimination, Mr Lipvig, You Have Ruined Businesses And Destroyed Jobs. When Banks Fail, It Is Seldom Bankers Who Starve. Your Actions Have Taken Money From Those Who Had Little Enough To Begin With. In A Myriad Small Ways You Have Hastened The Deaths of Many.

You Do Not Know Them. You Did Not See Them Bleed. But You Snatched Bread From Their Mouths And Tore Clothes From Their Backs. For Sport, Mr Lipvig. For The Joy Of The Game.” CHARACTERS: Moist von Lipwig: A conman who has based his career on the fact that nobody ever really sees or notices him. A main theme of the book is that he must learn to see himself for what he truly is (never a comfortable thing). Adora Belle Dearheart: Don't let the name her parents gave her fool you.

She is fondly known as Spike, or even Killer. A chain smoking & foot piercing stiletto wearing misanthrope.

She sees through Moist's patter and calls him on it. Moist & Adorabelle: He himself isn't quite sure what he see in her, but I think it's the fact that she actually sees him. She is someone with whom he can be himself. My favorite supporting character is Mr. Pump, the golem. WORLDBUILDING: Discworld is a large world consisting of more than 40 books, many of which take place in the city of Ankh-Morpork as does this one.

Those who have read other books in the series will be rewarded with many in-jokes & cameos. However, new readers will still be able to get along just fine.

Moist is not a native citizen, and that makes it possible to comment on the various quirks of the city without it seeming awkward. The main setting of the book is the abandoned Post Office. It is wonderfully atmospheric (and inhabited by extremely quirky character). PLOT: Some books/movies have many endings. The book has many beginnings. It has a 9000 year prologue, a 1 month prologue, and then introduces Moist and his situation. Although some of this material might be viewed as unnecessary or could have been placed elsewhere, it serves as on-ramp into the sideways world that is Discworld and an analogy for the layers in the writing.

Although there are additional books, this one has a complete ending with no cliffhanger. HIGHLIGHTS / CAUTIONS: So many little things, there are endless great quotes & scenes.The whole concept that words have actual power and letters want to be delivered -Moist contemplates an alternative future before choosing -Sly Lord of the Rings reference I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: Minor swearing / Some innuendo & vulgarity / Adora's cigarette habit OTHER CAUTIONS: Discworld is not a fluffy fantasy setting despite being extremely humorous. The underworld is often the standard world. NARRATION: Character voices differentiated = Yes, but it is done mostly via subtle accents & speaking style / Opposite sex voices acceptable = Yes / Phrasing, Pacing & Pronunciation = Good / Emoting = Good / Speed = listened on 1.25, my usual He handles the footnotes really well. And I especially enjoyed a scene when we were getting bits & pieces of various undelivered letters; he did a great job of giving each letter a different tone based on the sender & content. Unlike practically every GoodReads reviewer, I really struggled with this book.

The style seemed different somehow than the previous books and I wasn't engaged by the story or characters. A good idea and I should've loved it, but it suffers from the same problems as Monstrous Regiment. Extreme wordiness, a lack of lightness and quickness. This just isn't the Pratchett we've seen in his many previous books.

His illness was a real shame and it is showing here. This is the end of the line in my Unlike practically every GoodReads reviewer, I really struggled with this book. The style seemed different somehow than the previous books and I wasn't engaged by the story or characters. A good idea and I should've loved it, but it suffers from the same problems as Monstrous Regiment. Extreme wordiness, a lack of lightness and quickness. This just isn't the Pratchett we've seen in his many previous books.

His illness was a real shame and it is showing here. This is the end of the line in my Pratchett-in-order adventure, which I enjoyed thoroughly. In Going Postal, the enlightened despot of Ankh Morpork, Lord Vetinari, rather forcibly recruits a con man, Moist von Lipwig, to take over the running of the venerable and deserted post office, where letters have been accumulating for years - if not decades - without delivery. Moist steps reluctantly into the moldy shoes of the Postmaster, only to discover that the previous three occupants of the position died grisly deaths in the execution of their duties (and I use the term 'execution' advis In Going Postal, the enlightened despot of Ankh Morpork, Lord Vetinari, rather forcibly recruits a con man, Moist von Lipwig, to take over the running of the venerable and deserted post office, where letters have been accumulating for years - if not decades - without delivery. Moist steps reluctantly into the moldy shoes of the Postmaster, only to discover that the previous three occupants of the position died grisly deaths in the execution of their duties (and I use the term 'execution' advisedly). Complicate the situation with a Golem parole officer trying to buy his (not its) own freedom, a chain smoking female advocate of Golem rights, and the corrupt owners of the 'clacks' system that can send messages across great distance very quickly by semaphore, and you have an ingenious showdown that has to be read to be believed.

Terry Pratchett brings his characteristic humor to the story, so you're guaranteed a good chuckle - if not out-loud belly laugh - every few pages. A forger is trying to escape his cell before his hanging, and discovers it is carefully set up to look possible. So the next morning, they hang him, and the next face he sees is the Patrician's. Who gives him a job offer: to get the Post Office up and running again. He finds that it is stuffed with letters decades old, never delivered, and staffed by an old man and a young one who's obsessed with pins.

And, it turns out, that several men have recently died in his post, and he's the rival of the A forger is trying to escape his cell before his hanging, and discovers it is carefully set up to look possible. So the next morning, they hang him, and the next face he sees is the Patrician's. Who gives him a job offer: to get the Post Office up and running again. He finds that it is stuffed with letters decades old, never delivered, and staffed by an old man and a young one who's obsessed with pins. And, it turns out, that several men have recently died in his post, and he's the rival of the clacks, which are suffering from breakdowns. The story winds on with a visit to the Lady Sybil Free Hospital, an appeal to gods, asking a woman out to dinner before riding off on a horse, the Golem Trust, an exceedingly old messenger, the way the mail coaches still were in business, fraud that's too hard to prove, and Discworld style hackers. Con man Moist von Lipwig is about to be hanged for his various crimes, until Patrician Havelock Vetinari, tyrant of the Discworld city of Ankh-Morpork, gives him a new lease on life.

He can hang (literally) or he can take over the defunct Post Office of Ankh-Morpork and use his considerable skills of persuasion and deception to fix things up postally. Just to make sure that von Lipwig doesn't go on the lam, he's given his very own Golem to watch over him and bring him back if he gets lost.

This Con man Moist von Lipwig is about to be hanged for his various crimes, until Patrician Havelock Vetinari, tyrant of the Discworld city of Ankh-Morpork, gives him a new lease on life. He can hang (literally) or he can take over the defunct Post Office of Ankh-Morpork and use his considerable skills of persuasion and deception to fix things up postally. Just to make sure that von Lipwig doesn't go on the lam, he's given his very own Golem to watch over him and bring him back if he gets lost.

This is the 33rd of the Discworld series, but the first book in which Moist makes his appearance. I thought it was quite enjoyable, and look forward to then next book in which von Lipwig stars:. I was reading this to my son when that train crashed and burned in Quebec, destroying so much property and killing all those people. I watched the news and listened to the new owner of the company in question defend his methods of making more money by cutting expenses - specifically, expenses like having two engineers on a shift when you could get away with only having one.

In fact, it was probably safer to have just one person doing the safety check, because if there were two people, they were I was reading this to my son when that train crashed and burned in Quebec, destroying so much property and killing all those people. I watched the news and listened to the new owner of the company in question defend his methods of making more money by cutting expenses - specifically, expenses like having two engineers on a shift when you could get away with only having one.

In fact, it was probably safer to have just one person doing the safety check, because if there were two people, they were more likely to distract one another! All of which was creepily appropriate to have as a background to reading this book. Sir Terry Pratchett sold his first story when he was thirteen, 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, Sir Terry Pratchett sold his first story when he was thirteen, 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. There are over 40 books in the Discworld series, of which four are written for children. The first of these, 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). In 2008, Harper Children's published Terry's standalone non-Discworld YA novel, Nation.

Terry published Snuff in October 2011. 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 honorary doctorates from the University of Warwick in 1999, the University of Portsmouth in 2001, the University of Bath in 2003, the University of Bristol in 2004, Buckinghamshire New University in 2008, the University of Dublin in 2008, Bradford University in 2009, the University of Winchester in 2009, and The Open University in 2013 for his contribution to Public Service.

Of 2007, Pratchett disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. On 18 Feb, 2009, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

He was awarded the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award in 2010. Sir Terry Pratchett passed away on 12th March 2015.