Customer Reviews
Heir to Wodehouse and Waugh - By: J. Brooke, 19 Nov 2008 
Anybody who thinks Pratchett is a lightweight populist should read the first chapter of Going Postal. It's a tour de force from somebody who I consider to be one of the great humorous writers, combining the ability of P G Wodehouse to draw sympathetic characters with the darker edges that you would find in Evelyn Waugh's novels. To write a chapter like this, which centres around an execution, requires skill of a high order.
Ankh-Morpork is one of the fictional universes I like to retreat to, along with Blandings Castle & McCalll Smith's Gaborone; the characters have human flaws, various unpleasant things happen, but somehow you finish up feeling comfortable in the world that Pratchett paints & care about what happens to the characters.
Excellent - By: lydia, 28 Oct 2008 It seems to me that nothing Terry Pratchett writes can be bad. Every time I read another of his books, I say, 'No, that one was the best I've ever read'. He disguises his excellent observations on our everyday life & our history in a comic fantasy world & it works *so* well. The ones where he tackles every day institutions such as the post office are the best, in my opinion. This is a great book.
(audio cd .) just ok really - By: S. bennett, 10 May 2008 
I think there must be an awful lot missed out in these audio books. Although I listen to them several times & 'get it' I dont find them very fullfilling somehow.
Perhaps I ought to try reading the books instead
Going great guns! - By: Binro The Heretic, 07 Apr 2008 As a long-time Pratchett devotee I am bound to be positive about `Going Postal' but I have to say that I think it is one of his best yet. With television adaptations of `Hogfather' & `The Colour of Magic' successfully transferring the magic of Discworld from page to screen, I would love to see this book get the TV treatment next.
The (anti)hero of the story is the brilliantly named `Moist Von Lipwig', a petty crook & forger who is given the opportunity to avoid the galllows if he will take on the now-defunct Ankh Morpork post office. Little does Moist know that this will bring him into contact with a murderous banshee, a fatallly obsessive pin collector, an octogenarian postal worker with a fetish for `herbal medicines' & a chain-smoking femme fatale who only wants to see him dead. These are just a few of Pratchett's latest creations as he treads his usual fine line between the macabre & slapstick comedy.
Pratchett's real talent though, lies in his ability to build on previous novels without becoming a slave to continuity. Going Postal reminds the reader of different aspects of the Discworld's regular cast - from Captain Carrot to Lord Vetinari & Golems to the Assassin's Guild. Having said this, the book works fine as a stand-alone novel, & those unfamiliar with the Discworld series will find this as good a starting point as any.
CLEVER.......................................... - By: L. Hay, 04 Apr 2008 
Moist Von Lipwig, is a wonderfully colourful character. Lord Vetinari (an outstanding character & one of my favourities), spares Moist from hanging in order that he can save the Post Office which has lapsed into decay. Through Moist, a competition arises with the Clack System which is run by corrupt business men. There is an abundance of fabulous Golems, Post Office employees, & Moist finds romance.
The Gnus working serepticiously to spread a Clack type virus through the system, is an outstanding idea.
Though this book is far from being one of Mr Pratchett's best, it is an enjoyable read. However, I did find the ending rather predictable & disappointing.
