Going Postal by Terry Pratchett Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Going Postal
Book Review: It's a Good One!
Summary: 4 Stars
Going Postal is an excellent Disc World novel. It's funny, well written and over-all it's a lot of fun. It reminded me of some of the earlier books in the series, which is definitely a good thing. Going Postal pokes fun at stamp collecting, at government institutions, but mostly at Enron-style corporate corruption.
The book tells the story of a con-man that finds himself pressed into service by Lord Vetinari to run Ankh-Morpork's rundown post-office. The book has many fun new characters and some cameos by some long running characters such as members of the city guard, the press and even some wizards (how about another wizards novel by the way?)
Disc World fans will love this book, it is everything we have come to expect from Pratchett. After the horrible "Monstrous Regiment" fiasco I was starting to think that Pratchett lost his touch, but Going Postal shows that the Disc World universe still has a lot of mileage left. Keep `em coming!
Book Review: Just fantastic
Summary: 5 Stars
This was my first Diskworld novel and I was blown away - the characters and story are both real and entertaining and it's hilariously well-written.Book Review: Just hanging around the gallows
Summary: 5 Stars
Of all the Discworld novels, I think "Going Postal" would be the easiest to film. The plot is very Hollywood: plucky Post Master, who also happens to be an ex-bunco artist goes up against murderous big-time capitalists, falls in love with tough, Bette Davis-type babe, saves cat from burning building, and challenges bad guys to a winner-takes-all race.
Think of it as a loopy combination of "It's a Wonderful Life," "The Great Race," and "Psycho" with the technicolour and wit that only Pratchett can supply. The initial zoom-in from Great A'tuin swimming through the multiverse, to the four elephants on his back, to Discworld on their backs, to the gallows of Ankh-Morpork, where our hero is (you might say) hanging around, would almost be worth the price of admission.
As to the background, Ankh-Morpork's post office has stopped functioning. Bad management, too little money, and the invention of the 'clack' have left mountains of decades-old, undelivered mail to be tended by just two men: a broken-down old postman, and his younger companion, a guy who reminded me of the motel owner with a mother problem in "Psycho".
Lord Vetinari, supreme ruler of Ankh-Morpork appoints a new Post Master to get the mail back on track.
Actually 'appoints' is the wrong verb. Arch-swindler Moist Van Lipwig is offered a choice between death, or the position of Post Master, with a golem as his baby-sitter.
After several misadventures wherein Van Lipwig learns that it is impossible to run away from a golem, he catches his first glimpse of his new place of employment. The sign on it reads: "NEITHER RAIN NOR SNOW NOR GLO M OF NI T..."
His first assignment as Post Master is to discover who stole his 'O,' 'G,' and 'H.'
"Going Postal" is a contemporary topic on both Discworld and Earth, but I think I prefer Terry Pratchett's version.
Book Review: Lots of fun to read!
Summary: 4 Stars
I decided to pick up a Terry Pratchett book after hearing an excerpt read on the Grammar Girl Podcast as part of Audible.com's plug. I ended up with this one as an almost random pick.
This was one of the most enjoyable comic novels I have read in a long time. Pratchett's dialogue is laugh out loud funny at times--I had to call up some friends to read excerpts to them. I especially appreciated his razor sharp wit and the alternate world he has created.
I didn't give this five stars because I was slightly disappointed with how everything wrapped up at the end. While this is true of most comic novels, I will say that this novel has a more coherent and cohesive story than the vast majority in the genre.
This book is one that will rekindle your enjoyment of reading.
Book Review: Most fun in years
Summary: 5 Stars
Going Postal was the first novel of Terry Prachett's I read, and I had more fun with it than any book in many years. The books of Christopher Moore and Carl Hiaasen come close in tone to Going Postal, but Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide is the correct comparison to Prachett's Discworld.
Going Postal centers on a con game played by an "ethically-minded" burglar, who has been made Postmaster following his "execution" by hanging. This Post Office, set in Terry Pratchett's Discworld, has been made obsolete by an old-fashioned internet of sorts, called the Grand Trunk, which works by relaying flashing light signals through shutters from one lighthouse to the next. Turns out the Grand Trunk is a big business, in a sense well known in the 21st century.
The question of the book is how the old fashioned Post Office, relying on (amazingly steadfast) people, horses and wagons can compete with the new-fangled technology of the Grand Trunk. Magic and fireworks are in order for Going Postal, but are secondary to the story. Prachett does an amazing job--better than in any of the other (first) six Discworld books I've snatched up since--in keeping the story well-grounded, and not relying on magic for plot solutions. There are numerous surprises in Going Postal's story, and the finish is very satisfying.
Going Postal is full of amazing characters, and a fascinating and hilarious character study this is. We can see little pieces of ourselves and people we know in each of the many characters; we like these people (who are--while amazingly grounded--a completely whacky and hilarious group). We even like the nonhumans, especially the clay-fired Golems central to Going Postal. These Golems run along the same theme as sci-fi stories with evolving, intelligent robots. Prachett gets the Golems just right.
Going Postal is the best of the Discworld books I have read, and I recommend it as an introduction to the series, even though the first two books, The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic, are excellent. Going Postal is an amazingly fun and interesting book for any reader, and displays clearly Prachett's brilliance in story telling, character development, and humor.