Going Postal (Discworld, #33; Moist von Lipwig, #1) (2024)

Reading for the 400th time. I needed the comfort, and the escape, and the world which has a lot of darkness so you can see the light better. God I miss Pratchett.

Check out my YouTube channel where I show my instant reactions upon finishing fantasy books.

4.5 stars. The best plot of any Discworld book thus far, but falls short on the comedy.

When you have read 32 Discworld books, you pretty much know what you are going to get by the 33rd. A short book which an ingeniously unique plot, some surprisingly philosophical takes, and fun comedic value from start to finish.

This book however, I was not prepared for. This book was significantly longer than the previous entries, coming in at about 100 pages longer than the average Discworld book, and while many books in this series suffer by being on the longer end as the story tends to drag on with no great conclusion (kind of like a Saturday Night Live sketch), this book somehow combined a longer length and an absolutely wonderful story from start to finish.

Moist von Lipwig (a new main character, which is unique for a series that typically sticks to the same 4-5 people over and over again) is a con artist that is suddenly tasked by the patrician to take charge of the post office - and to his dismay he realizes that the mail has not been sent out in decades and has been piling up from floor to ceiling in virtually every corner of the building. Thus begins a fantastic tale of getting the mail back on track, and somehow trying to compete with the Discworld equivalent of the telegraph.

It's a devilishly fun plot that I could not put down from start to finish. Unfortunately the jokes fell a bit flat for me, and were not nearly as memorable as many of the other Discworld books. Overall though, I thought this was a great book that has rightly gone down as one of the best in the series.

You can easily pick this book up and read it without any knowledge of Discworld and be able to appreciate it, but you may benefit by reading a few of the "Nights Watch" subseries so you can get to know some of the characters that show up a little bit better.

3.5 stars

This is only my 2nd Discworld book, so technically, I've skipped over 32 books to get to Going Postal. I didn't care for the 1st book in the series, but this one kept getting recommended to me over and over again, so I thought I'd give the audiobook version a shot.
The first several hours were kind of boring and unfunny (to me) so I ended up giving up on it and listening to a few romance novels and a Sherlock Holmes story before I came back and finished it out.

Basically, I ran out of other stuff to listen to and was forced into it.
BUT.
Amazingly, the story got a lot better!
It wasn't necessarily what I would personally call 'funny' but it was clever. And on the upside, you really don't need to have read any of the other books in the series to understand what is going on. I mean, I'm sure I missed out on a lot of inside jokes, but since I didn't think the regular jokes were particularly hilarious, I'm 100% ok with that.

The gist is that this lovable con artist gets executed for his crimes...but not really. Lord Vetinari recruits him forcibly into the role of Postmaster. At which point, Moist von Lipwig finds himself saddled with crazy co-workers, shadowed by a golem parole officer, stuck in a rundown building with some sort of reality-warping machine at its core, harassed by corporate villains who are trying to kill him, and almost unconsciously chasing after a strangely sexy golem placement agent/advocate who smokes like a chimney.

I honestly think that once you get past the first 3d of the book, this thing really picks up. The short version is that this sucker is a cautionary tale about corporate monopolies set in a fun alternate universe.
The long version is...well, much longer.
Recommended for fans of Discworld.

Stephen Briggs - Narrator
Publisher: HarperAudio
Edition: Unabridged
Awards:
Audie Award Nominee
Margaret A. Edwards Award

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.

Who knew?

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.

But now...

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

Going Postal (Discworld #33), Terry Pratchett

Going Postal is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, the 33rd book in his Discworld series, released in the United Kingdom on 25 September 2004.

Unlike most of Pratchett's Discworld novels, Going Postal is divided into chapters, a feature previously seen only in Pratchett's children's books and the Science of Discworld series.

These chapters begin with a synopsis of philosophical themes, in a similar manner to some Victorian novels and, notably, to Jules Verne stories. The title refers to both the contents of the novel, as well as to the term 'going postal'.

As with many of the Discworld novels, the story takes place in Ankh-Morpork, a powerful city-state based on the historical and modern settings of various metropolises like London or New York City.

The protagonist of the story is Moist von Lipwig, a skilled con artist who was to be hanged for his crimes, but saved at the last moment by the cunning and manipulative Patrician Havelock Vetinari, who has Moist's death on the scaffold faked.

In his office, Vetinari then presents Moist with two options: he may accept a job offer to become Postmaster of the city's rundown Postal Service or he may choose to walk out of the door and never hear from Vetinari again. As exiting through the door in question would lead to a fatal drop, Moist decides to accept the job.

After a thwarted attempt at escape, Moist is brought to the Post Office by his parole officer Mr Pump, a golem.

It turns out that the Post Office has not functioned for decades, and the building is full of undelivered mail, concealed under a layer of pigeon dung. Only two employees remain: the aged Junior Postman Tolliver Groat and his assistant Stanley Howler. ...

This book introduces an entirely new and refreshing cast of characters. I particularly liked the main character and felt he was very well-developed.

تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز چهارم ماه فوریه سال 2020میلادی

کتاب سی و سوم از دیسک ورلد : (گووینگ پستال)؛ نویسنده: تری پرچت (پرتچت)؛

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 16/12/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی

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.

****Mañana vlog en el canal hablando muuuucho sobre este libro (entre otras cosas)*******

El libro MÁS VICTORIANO de Terry Pratchett. Claremente un libro hecho para mi.
Obviamente, me ha encantado, me lo he pasado pipa y Húmedo es uno de esos protagonitas que se van a quedar conmigo. Es cierto que quizás es un poco demasiado buenista y el villano se me quedó un poco a medias pero todo lo demás lo he gozado, tanto el cachondeo que se trae Pratchett con LA ADMINISTRACIÓN y su burocracia como las apariciones estelares de personajes como Vetinari (No puedo ser más fan), los magos o los agentes de la Guardia.
Es el primero de tres libros protoganizados por Húmedo, y por supuesto leeré los siguientes. No hace falta haber leído ningún libro del Mundodisco antes y de hecho puede ser una buena puerta de entrada para este autor.
Lo he disfrutado mucho, no se ha convertido en uno de mis preferidos, pero ha conseguido hacerme pasar muy buenos ratos que ya es mucho.

Dysfunctional bureaucracy and state owned companies get shown how it´s not to be done by a frivolous trickster.

Light before dark
It´s one of the best and last really easygoing and not partly dark and grim novels Pratchett wrote, with a level, quality, and density of laughs I can hardly remember from many other works, even his own. The reason for that is the big conflict between

The weak spots of strong state and free market
Officialism and beadledom vs turbocapitalism, as if one of them alone wouldn´t be already ridiculous enough. But it once again shows the flaws of all systems, go too far left and one ends up in a sloth ruled socialistic utopia without anything going on and moving forward, too far right and neoliberal and the contemporary US suddenly appears as a fictional state. The best, intelligent way
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_...
would of course be too boring, so

Bureaucrats have to deal with the creativity of how to privatize best and most radical
The protagonists struggling with that are all freaking hilarious, but still, representatives of many of the real life stereotypes these jobs are associated with. As icing on the cake, the big business motives and the power of monopolies meta lines behind the giggles are even spiced with some techy elements that make my sci fi nerd heart happy, such as

Robot laws, the internet, hacking, and some science history
That´s outstanding for Pratchett, who often preferred to focus on soft science, humanities, and the effects of these on the protagonists. By getting some more plot material into the already great characterization, the innuendos and hidden meanings of the Chekhovs and MacGuffins, drools, are even more delicious. I wish Pratchett would have continued this road toward comedic science fantasy instead of becoming darker fantasy tragicomedy.

This one is added to all Pratchettian reviews:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheibe...
The idea of the dissected motifs rocks, highlighting the main real world
inspirational elements of fiction and satire is something usually done with so called higher literature, but a much more interesting field in readable literature, as it offers the joy of reading, subtle criticism, and feeling smart all together.

Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...

HOPE OF DELIVERANCE as this Postman rings at least three times or probably more!

Every time I reread this book, I fall in love with it even more.

Ankh Morpork is hiring!
WANTED: Postmaster General
Employer: Lord Vetinari , Patrician (former Assassin's Guild member, tyrant & whatnot)
Salary includes danger bonus and a Golem bodyguard, as the former 4 postmasters died mysterious or suspicious (or both) deaths in quick succession within 1 month.

And Lord Vetinari's choice of the perfect man for the post?
...
'Oh, all right. Of course I accept as a natural-born criminal, habitual liar, fraudster, and totally untrustworthy perverted genius.'
'Capital! Welcome to government service!' said Lord Vetinari, extending his hand. 'I pride myself on being able to pick the right man.'

And the CLACKS... Discworld's answer to the Internet! :)

And the moral of the story?: “Speak softly and employ a huge man with a crowbar.”

Lord Vetinari gives conman Moist von Lipwig a choice. He can either take charge of the failed Ankh-Morpork Post Office, or he can choose the death penalty as punishment for his crimes. Moist chooses the Ankh-Morpork Post Office, thinking it will give him the chance to leave town as quickly as possible. But Lord Vetinari is smart enough not to trust a conman blindly.

There is a lot to love about this one. First and foremost, it’s a redemption story. You have Moist von Lipwig who uses his talents as a hated conman to his advantage to quickly become a respected businessman. And the post office itself also gets a redemption story as it was failing the people horribly. Under the leadership of Moist, people finally start getting the service that’s to be expected of the post office.

Apart from redemption, there’s a few other themes worth mentioning. We have an emotional connection to words and letters in particular. A romantic subplot I couldn’t help but enjoy, the dance scene in particular is such a surprise and yet a joy to read. There’s the confrontation between new and old technology as there’s a technological revolution. There’s the competition between rival companies as the post office clashes with the clacks, which is like a system of telegraphs.

Then there’s the difference between Moist von Lipwig and Reacher Gilt as entrepreneurs, as they are very different in how they run their company and spend their money. This ranges from the importance of creating a positive, safe and healthy work environment, to dealing with customers, identifying their needs and catering to them. And so much more.

We also see how the world building in the Discworld has evolved and how stories from the past have made a lasting impact on the Discworld as a whole. While earlier books have dealt with themes such as racism for example, here we clearly see that the Golems are slowly but surely gaining their freedom. Moist even treats them with respect as he sees them as his employees here.

While the plot and the themes are at the heart of this story, it’s the characters that help take the story to the next level. I’ve already talked about Moist’s brilliant character arc and his natural talent to con people into believing in him really does steal the show here. But there are a few other characters worth mentioning. Like the antagonist Reacher Gilt and the staff at the post office. And last but not least: the golem-rights activist Adora Belle Dearheart. She refuses to go out with Moist because she sees through his conman charms and realizes that he’s not a good person.

The only thing that could have been better is that this story has quite a slow start. It simply takes a while for the story to shift gears. But when it does, it’s clear that it was worth the wait.

Introducing a new subseries with a new main character so late in the series might seem bold but it honestly feels quite refreshing. It’s like a fresh gust of wind blowing some new energy and life into the series, while still focusing on the core elements of what makes the Discworld books so great.

For the longest time, Going Postal has been my best known unread book. Having watched and rewatched the SkyOne TV adaptation, I had sort of tacitly decided that actually reading the book was not high on my list of priorities. Plus, Charles Dance is the quintessential Lord Vetinari as far as I'm concerned. Sorry GoT fans, the Discworld was here long before you.

Moist von Lipwig has dedicated most of his life to perfecting the intricacies of con-artistry, but his unparalleled streak of luck is about to meet a rather definitive ending. Or is it? Lord Havelock Vetinari is in need of a new Post Master for Ankh-Morpork's long deceased Post Office. A truly impossible job even for Lipwig, but our hero's had plenty of experience in slinking off. Unfortunately for him, the Patrician has had plenty of experience preventing said slinking off.

And since no request from Lord Vetinari ever comes with just one catch, Lipwig soon realizes that any possible failure may have some truly fatal consequences. And that's not just due to Vetinari's retaliation.

So with no other alternatives, and a parole officer immune to any forms of bribery, Lipwig decides to just... fake his way through the Post Master job. And against all odds, our hero becomes an instant success.

So how was the reading experience, you may ask? As predictable as I suspected, but also... not that much. The generic idea remains, of Lipwig managing to surround himself with some of the most capable people in order to achieve his goals, especially when said people had no idea of their own capabilities. Except for Ms. Dearheart of course, who should just be declared a Goddess, so we can all bow down to her officially.

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

“That was an important rule of any game: always make it easy for people to give you money.”

“And you just hoped something would turn up? What made you think it would?"
"It always has. The only way to get something to turn up when you need it is to need it to turn up.”

So what's better: book or movie? Honestly, I liked both.

The TV adaptation has turned Adora Dearheart into this absolutely kickass heroine, who doesn't just command the Golem Trust, but also dabbles in Clacks Tower experiments, tames crazy horses, and is generally up for saving the World any time and anywhere.

The book on the other hand gives you awesome bonus scenes like:
- Moist getting inducted into the secret Postal Workers' cult
- Miss Macalariat the ferocious office manager of the Post Office, intent on proper bathroom etiquette even for golems
- and of course Grandad Lipwig's many teachings back in Uberwald, the building blocks of Moist's survival strategies.

All I can suggest is not to reread/rewatch either so much, as to be able to anticipate each and every twist and turn. It'll take away from the excitement of discovering Lipwigs next crazy scheme.

Score: 3.8/5 stars

Surprisingly entertaining, in spite of all my initial misgivings.

======================
Other books starring Moist von Lipwig:
Review of book 2: Making Money
Review of book 3: Raising Steam

Welcome to the Industrial Revolution! Well, technically we already had three books belonging to that sub-series (though I only really consider two of those truly to be of that subject), but this one is full of ... industry. And not as in factories but as in a man's industrious efforts.

Meet Moist von Lipwick. No, his parents really didn't think it through when naming him. He is up to no good, cheating people out of money (though always without using any form of violence) and he is about to pay the price at the beginning of this book. Because Lord Vetinari has ordered his death. So he's hanged ... until an inch of his life ... literally.
(I really love the Patrician.)
Afterwards, he has an audience with Vetinari where he is voluntold to be the next Postmaster of Ankh-Morpork. You see, the industry (there is that word again) that has formed around the Clacks towers is getting out of hand, the moguls becoming almost unruly, which is something the Patrician certainly cannot stand. However, previous attempts at reinstating a postmaster and re-starting the regular delivery of mail for some much needed competition have all ... failed. It takes a swindler to get ahead of the crooks (incl. their pirate boss).
So Lipwick gets a very special parol officer, Ankh-Morpork gets stamps and mailmen, and the letters that have waited decades to be delivered finally get to rest.

Technically, there is no reason for me to like a stinking big metropolis like Ankh-Morpork. And yet ... every time I read a book that takes place there, I'm loving every minute of it. Everyone trying to get one over the citizens there deserves what he's going to get. *lol*
I also love the diversity. This time represented by the wonderful golem Mr. Pump (Pump 19).

And how could anyone not love the fact that this installment of the series centers around stories and unfinished life stories at that! Personally, I love writing and sending and receiving letters so reading an entire book that was crafted around the notion that mail means communication and connection and HOPE, was rather magical indeed!

The writing is top notch, there is no denying it and no need to go over all the glory that is Pratchett's mastery. Just look at the highlighted quotes or read almost any of my other reviews for more on that. But his newest character addition, Moist, is a masterpiece! I love a number of characters in the series but this

Out of all the books in the Discworld series, this is the first one that made me truly go from a fan to a diehard fan. I enjoyed them all, to be sure, but this is the one that made me downright giddy and pleased.

It’s a heist!! Um. Kinda. When a heist meets becoming an avatar for a god of incomplete stories meets confidence trickery meets MAIL DELIVERY.

I mean, this is Discworld. It makes perfect sense. Who other than a successful (albeit caught by Lord V) thief to run the biggest government con job in Discworld?

All hail the Postmaster General. Beloved of all the gods and the crookedest personality in all of Pratchett’s works. :)

So funny, so magical, and so freakishly... real.

If you don’t steal enough, you’re hung as a thief. You steal enough, they call you The Government or a Hero.

One of my very favorites of this wonderful series! I can imagine reading this again and again and enjoying it every bit as much as the first time. Favorite lines:
"Go and make her some tea or something will you?" said Moist, patting his jacket, "I'll just go & pull myself together." Where else but England would you expect to hear someone say this?! I find it completely endearing and somewhat nostalgic of my years growing up in the Middle of England.
"Moist was pretty sure doctors kept skeletons around to cow patients. Nyer nyer we know what you look like underneath....." I laughed out loud at the author's dry wit, which may have an inkling of truth in it ;)

Update 1/1/24: listening again with my hubby and daughter. This is the first in the Moist von Lipwig Series. We are listening as we travel to Brookfield Zoo, and later to the illuminations at Morton Arboretum. So much fun!

Completed 1/2/24: This remains a favorite for me and as a bonus, my family love it also.

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 few 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 -- fantasy comedy, never!) 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.

Check out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller

[3.5/5 stars] Okay I’ll admit it… I read a Pratchett and liked it.

I’ve long lumped Pratchett in with Piers Anthony and Douglas Adams as the type of over-the-top humor writers or stories that are just too ridiculous for me to enjoy. I just assumed I wouldn’t like his works… I’m glad I was wrong.

I realize this is like the 30-something book in the Discworld Saga and I read it considerably out of order. I normally balk at even the idea of breaking continuity like that. But the subject-matter of a low-stakes fantasy where a convicted criminal is put in charge of a run-down postal office appealed to me considerably.

And you know what? I actually thought it was funny.

I tend to prefer dry humor, but in this case the humor worked for me because the jokes and situations were CLEVER. Very intelligently written and prevalent enough to keep me feeling a bubbling fondness for the book the entire way through. I feel like I had to work to get some of the jokes (in a good way) and that subtly somehow made them funnier. I had such a good time with this book that I plan to read more from Pratchett at some point.

The last 20% of Going Postal lost me a little, as it became more about (I imagine) bigger-picture series conflicts than just the post office drama, but that didn’t bother me too much. One thing I liked while reading was how many random “moments” occurred with what I can only guess as cameos from characters from other books in the series. I got the sense everything weaved together, and I truly love stuff like that in series. It makes me want to pick up more books to learn more about everyone.

Overall, I held out for such a long time, but I’m glad a weird impulse drove me to pick up Going Postal on a whim. It was truly delightful, and I am now a Pratchett believer.

Recommendations: if like me you’ve been hesitating to read Pratchett because Discworld seems too ridiculous, I can assure you that at least this one book never falls over the edge into “downright stupid.” It was very clever, loads of fun, and I’d recommend it if you need something to brighten your mood.

Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Melissa, Derek, Tonya, Betsy, Mike, and Jen! <3

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com

Other books you might like:

I haven't read a lot of Pratchett -- I think this is only my second one -- but I do enjoy reading him for the color and the metaphor. The way he turns a figure of speech on the lathe will frequently leave you just sitting there in your chair with a table leg in your hand, and your wife says, "Hey, what's with the table leg." And I say, "I'm reading."

Це одна із найкращих книг, які я читала у Пратчетта.

Пройдисвіт Мокр фон Губперук отримує “другий” шанс на життя, але за умови, що він буде працювати та відновлювати Поштамт Анк-Моркпорку. І з цього починається найцікавіше — головний герой фактично перенаправляє всі свої здібності, таланти та набуті навички шахрайства у, можна сказати, добру справу.

Історія дуже динамічна, кожний день — це якась добротна кількість викликів та клопотів для Мокра, читала до кінця затамувавши подих (і місця посміюючись) та з цікавістю, як же він виплутається з цього всього.

Ця книга, як і всі інші Пратчетта, наповнена іронією, добрим та в той же час саркастичним гумором, алюзіями, висміюваннями стереотипів, різними посиланнями на культуру, історію, політику та загалом суспільство. А легка романтична лінія нікому ніколи не завадить. Кожний раз я дивуюсь, наскільки треба було мати гострий розум, щоб створити Дискосвіт та написати стільки книжок🧙🏻‍♂️

Monetary Relativity

No better theory of money exists than Pratchett's: money is founded on postage stamps that got out of control. Understanding that fact helps to explain the world better than relativity theory.

Still my favorite Discworld book of all time

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.

Що ж, любі друзі, це ��дна з найкращих книжок Дискосвіту. А з певного погляду взагалі найкраща.

Otras reseñas de Mundodisco en mi blog.

«Cartas en el asunto» es la novela número 33 de la hilarante saga de Mundodisco; uno pensaría que a esta altura al gran Terry Pratchett no se le podrían ocurrir más personajes y que la calidad de la saga podía disminuir, pero con este libro demostró que todavía le quedaban excelentes ideas para rato.

Esta novela da comienzo a una nueva saga que lamentablemente Terry no pudo terminar; presentó un nuevo arco argumental iba a estar protagonizado por Húmedo Von Mustachen, un estafador que es... ejem, amablemente persuadido por Lord Vetinari para poner su gran habilidad para el engaño y las estafas al servicio del estado, y por lo tanto iba a servir como parodia de los servicios públicos. Lamentablemente, Pratchett solo pudo escribir una novela más protagonizada por Húmedo Von Mustachen antes de morir y por esta razón todos estos nuevos personajes no son tan reconocidos como los demás.

Lo primero que me llamó la atención de este libro es que, a diferencia de otras novelas de Mundodisco, está dividida en capítulos. Cada capítulo tiene una especie de enumeración de los sucesos más importantes que se desarrollarán más adelante, aunque sin ningún spoiler significativo.

El título original de esta descacharrante novela es Going Postal, una expresión idiomática que en inglés significa «volverse loco» o «perder la cabeza», lo cual resulta sumamente adecuado porque todos los personajes que se encuentra Húmedo Von Mustachen a lo largo del libro están jodidamente locos.
Desde el señor Ardite, un veterano cartero que se mantiene aferrado a las viejas tradiciones (como el ser perseguido por perros, por ejemplo); Stanley, un joven cartero con una afición poco saludable por los alfileres; hasta el antagonista de esta historia: Asidor D'Oropel, un pirata que al igual que Húmedo es un maestro del engaño (de hecho nadie sospecha que es un pirata a pesar de que va por ahí con un loro sobre su hombro todo el tiempo):

«Húmedo había invertido mucho esfuerzo en su profesión y se consideraba un buen practicante de la misma, pero si hubiera llevado puesta su gorra no habría dudado en quitársela. Se encontraba en presencia de un maestro. Lo notó en la mano, lo vio en aquel único ojo lleno de autoridad. De ser distintas las circunstancias, suplicaría humildemente a aquel hombre que lo aceptara como aprendiz, le fregaría los suelos y cocinaría para él solo para sentarse a los pies de la grandeza y aprender a hacer el truco de las tres cartas usando bancos enteros. Si la opinión de Húmedo valía algo, si valía lo más mínimo, entonces el hombre que tenía delante era el farsante más grande que había conocido en su vida. Y encima lo anunciaba a los cuatro vientos. Aquello era... estilo. Los rizos de pirata, el parche del ojo y hasta el maldito loro. Doce y medio por ciento, por todos los dioses, ¿es que nadie lo había pillado? Él les estaba diciendo lo que era y ellos le reían la gracia y lo amaban por ello.»

Como es de esperar, Pratchett no desperdicia ninguna oportunidad para burlarse de todos los clichés y prejuicios que existen en el imaginario colectivo con respecto al mundo del correo: el miedo irracional de los carteros hacia los perros, la absurda función de los sellos postales y la burocracia de las oficinas de correos, por poner algunos ejemplos.

«Cartas en el asunto» es además una excelente sátira del eterno conflicto entre la tecnología y medios de comunicación más tradicionales, lo cual se expresa a través del enfrentamiento entre la decadente oficina de correos de Ankh-Morpork y la corporación de las Torres de clacs, que vienen a ser el equivalente de los correos electrónicos en Mundodisco.

A lo largo del libro Pratchett muestra de diversas formas las diferencias que existen entre un medio de comunicación más frío e impersonal como los clacs, en comparación con las cartas, revindicando las viejas costumbres:

«—Se me ocurre que ahora tenemos los clacs.
—¿Los clacs? —replicó Húmedo—. Yo le diría que los clacs son maravillosos si se quiere conocer los valores del mercado de gambas de Genua. Pero ¿acaso puede usted escribir S.C.U.B.A. en un clac? ¿Puede sellarla con un beso amoroso? ¿Puede derramar lágrimas sobre un clac, puede olerlo, puede incluirle una flor prensada? Una carta es más que un simple mensaje. En todo caso, los clacs son tan caros que el hombre medio de la calle solo puede permitírselos en momentos críticos: ABUELO MUERTO FUNERAL MARTES. ¿El salario de un día de trabajo para mandar un mensaje que es tan cálido y humano como lanzar un cuchillo? Las cartas, en cambio, son reales.»

Como siempre, estas reflexiones se esconden dentro de una aventura sumamente divertida, llena de personajes maravillosos, situaciones extremadamente absurdas y paradojas espacio temporales; sin embargo, creo que es un libro recomendable para lectores que ya han experimentado por lo menos alguna otra novela de Mundodisco.

No considero que sea bueno comenzar la saga por este libro porque algunos personajes y tecnologías son presentados de forma más detallada en libros anteriores. Me parece mejor leer (por lo menos) «El Quinto Elefante» o «Regimiento Monstruoso» antes que este libro porque en ellos se presentan las torres de clacs, que juegan un papel central en esta historia.

En resumen, «Cartas en el asunto» es una bocanada de aire fresco para la divertidísima saga de Mundodisco. A través de estos nuevos personajes Pratchett demuestra que todavía le quedaba mucho por contar, es una lástima que solo hayan dos novelas de Húmedo Von Mustachen. Destaco además la excelente traducción que tienen las ediciones "Debols!llo", en este caso el traductor se lució adaptando muchos chistes, nombres de personajes y juegos de palabras que son bastante complicados.

Тіко Пратчетт може змішати магію, інтригу, сатиру та фінансові махінації в одній каструлі і зварити шедевр. Лорд Ветинарі❤️

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?

Ну всьо, Ветінарі мій ледь не найулюбленіший персонаж 🤣 шахіст жеж!

Why I always gotta review these five-star Terry Pratchett books???

Unlike with a lot of Pratchett books I give five stars to, I can't really justify this one with much of a deeper meaning. I just had a really good time with it, and the premise and main character really tickled me. Our "hero" is Moist Von Lipwig, a con man and thief who starts the novel being hanged for his crimes. He manages to survive the hanging, and the tyrannical Lord Vetinari offers him a choice, be hanged again, or revive the basically dead Post Office. Surprise, Moist, you are now the Postmaster.

The Post Office is a mess. Letters fill the huge structure from top to bottom, and because it's Discworld, that many letters all together in one place for such a long time (decades!) are making things go funny. The last four Postmasters have ended up dead. There's a THING in the basem*nt.

So Moist, a career criminal and inveterate runner-awayer, now is a public servant and he finds himself . . . liking it?

This was one of the funnier Discworld books for me, and I liked the satire of government institutions and corporate greed (here in the form of the Clacks, which as been taken over by a heartless and unscrupulous man named Reacher Gilt, a truly great name). And of course, Moist is a showman, so he can't just revive the Post Office, he has to make a spectacle of it while doing so. It was very entertaining.

Chipping Away at Mt. TBR, July 2022—Book 9/31

I struggled to get into this Discworld novel. I've been enjoying the Tiffany Aching series and this is so different that I found myself floundering, trying to find the commonalities. I had to push myself to get to about the 150 page mark, but once I made it there, it felt less like wading through molasses.

Finally, I was seeing the social commentary that I have come to expect from Sir Terry. Laughing at the amount of work that con men like Moist von Lipwig are willing to put in to avoid work. Giggling when the greedy businessmen get taken by a Ponzi scheme. Snorting at the silliness of the Igors, the cynicism of Adora Belle Dearheart, the fanatic collector Stanley, among others. Some of them resembling people that I recognize from my own history.

I frequently find written humour to be a bit opaque, but this was accessible even to the humour-handicapped like me. Probably an audiobook would be the best way for me to appreciate Pratchett's books, but I haven't mastered that medium yet.

Book Number 454 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

“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.”

“Some tasks needed an honest hammer. Others needed a twisty corkscrew.”

Lord Vetinari finds his corkscrew to fix the post office in Moist von Lipwig. It doesn’t get much twistier than him - so to keep him in line, he assigns the golem Mr. Pump as the honest hammer. Moist unexpectedly takes to the job, surprising himself and everyone else, except, of course, Vetinari, who always knows what levers to apply to get what he wants. His target is really the clacks system, that has been legally, but very viciously, taken over by unscrupulous businessmen, lead by Reacher Gilt, who are running it into the ground and murdering everyone who challenges their monopoly.

On re-read, this one is still one of my favorite Discworld books (I admit that a lot of them are favorites). This is one of his most mature works, meaning that he has a good, well-paced story resulting in a very satisfactory conclusion, on top of the wit, brilliant parody and slew of comedic characters. Also, uncharacteristically, it has proper chapters, even with little chapter summaries at the beginning of each. I am not sure if this is the first one, but the first time I noticed.

Pratchett takes business greed, hostile takovers and disregard of worker’s safety under his microscope. On my first read, I somehow missed this brilliant passage, delivered by Reacher Gilt after being forced to mend ways, that could have been directly taken from the slides of the consulting firm I used to work for:

“Spurred by the competition, we are investing in a challenging, relevant, and exciting systemic overhaul of our entire organization, focusing on our core conpetencies while maintaining full and listening cooperation with the communities we serve. We fully realize that our energetic attempts to mobilize the flawed infrastructure we have inherited have been less than totally satisfactory, and hope and trust that our valued and loyal customers will bear with us in the coming months as we interact synergistically with change management in our striving for excellence. That is our mission.”
An awed silence followed.

Yep, this bullsh*t is real, I remember it from work.

I loved how Moist’s natural risk-taking is turned to good use here. Stanley’s pin-obsession gives way to the archetypal stamp collector and enthusiast. We also delve into what makes a golem a person and not just a hammer (time off, apparently), and I now recognize the snark in describing clacks operators as ones who stay in their towers just so they can press keys because they like it (I can identify with that), and calling those who submit codes that break the equipment “crackers”. My least favorite character was Adora Belle - I do not find smoking like a chimney in any way attractive. But I would not be picked by Vetinari to run the post office, either.

As usual, Sir Terry puts the truth out there the most amusing ways. Here are some of the greatest gems from this work:

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

“Speak softly and employ a huge man with a crowbar.”

“If you kept changing the way people saw the world, you ended up changing the way you saw yourself.”

“Steal five dollars and you're a common thief. Steal thousands and you're either the government or a hero.”