Going Postal

This book started out slowly, it took a while to care for the main character. The first meeting held by Lord Vetinari with other town representatives took way too long, and I was thinking that he was the main character of this story.

Then the real main character Moist came into the picture, and as the story unfolded, I couldn't believe this was really going to be a book about a postal worker. Were it not for the intelligent style of writing of Terry Pratchett I might have stopped reading the book.

Things started to get interesting when the con artist began to use his skills for the public service. During the book he is confronted with another one like him, but more powerful and really evil. He must find a way to outwit him.

I really liked how he changed his evil ways by forcibly having to interact with common, good, hard-working people. He saw the harm his lies have caused in the past in the lives of so many innocents, when used for selfish interest.

This is not a book that had to be set on the Discworld. That Terry Pratchett does choose to place the unexpectedly likable Moist von Lipwig within the political climate of Ankh-Morpork is quite the flex. It's an author using his considerable world-building to deepen the humour and vibrancy of a polemic on corporations. Pratchett pulls it off with the Discworld's arsenal of guest star's from the Patrician, the City Watch and even Unseen University chiming in to enhance your return on investment. :)

Pratchett is such a master. This story is fun, light, surprising, and fanciful. You don't need to be immersed in the series to enjoy it.

I wish I had read this one before Making Money, though.