Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages
English language
Published Sept. 20, 2005 by HarperTorch.
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. 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, …
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. 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.
One of the last truly great books in the Discworld series. Funny, insightful, and charming.
Reread 6/15/13
Every time I reread Going Postal I like it even better. This is indeed Pratchett at his finest.
As a conman is running for US president again, and the true faces of billionaires are exposed, Going Postal also becomes more and more relevant.
This time I listened to the new audio edition, narrated by Richard Coyle and it was very good.
I must admit that I had trouble with my previous attempts to listen to the new audio editions. I may be getting old and cranky, almost 50. But there was always at least one character I found it hard to listen to. Be it Nanny Ogg in the witches novels, or Vorbis in Small Gods. Nanny should always sound like she is smiling, and planning something, Vorbis has a calculating quiet evil soul, he will condemn you to death without showing emotion. He would not sound like he is …
Every time I reread Going Postal I like it even better. This is indeed Pratchett at his finest.
As a conman is running for US president again, and the true faces of billionaires are exposed, Going Postal also becomes more and more relevant.
This time I listened to the new audio edition, narrated by Richard Coyle and it was very good.
I must admit that I had trouble with my previous attempts to listen to the new audio editions. I may be getting old and cranky, almost 50. But there was always at least one character I found it hard to listen to. Be it Nanny Ogg in the witches novels, or Vorbis in Small Gods. Nanny should always sound like she is smiling, and planning something, Vorbis has a calculating quiet evil soul, he will condemn you to death without showing emotion. He would not sound like he is planning something nefarious.
I think the actors hired to read the new editions are too good. Most of the Discworld novels have characters that are suited to more exaggerated acting. I think Going Postal is different because it is so well written, it works with more subtle acting and Coyle understands the essence of all the main characters.
I'm also having trouble with the footnote sound effects in the new audio editions. They break the flow; I end up forgetting what they refer too. It's kinda like the effect you get when entering a room and finding that you've forgotten why you went there.
Yet again the footnote sounds didn't bother me as much this time. Perhaps I'm getting used to them.
Luckily, I still own the older versions and can listen to the edition I prefer.
Rant over.
I highly recommend this edition of Going Postal.
Going Postal is Pratchett's first journey with Moist von Lipwig, a notorious criminal hanged within an inch of his life. Conveniently, he's notorious under other names and may resume a new life as...head of the Post Office? Lord Vetinari works in mysterious, but undeniably effective, ways.
This is probably the 7th or 8th discwolrd novel I'm reading... have loved them all.. but Moist von Lipwig is definitely one of the most interesting discworld characters i've read...
