po silvertop the rogue
10-13-2004, 08:37 AM
"Your Laugh is in the Mail"
Going Postal by Terry Pratchett (Harpercollins)
Reviewed by the SwashBOOKlin' Rogue... (originally for the Weekender)
Set a thief to catch a thief.. Sounds like a good idea right? Moist Van Lipwig (yes, That's his name.. you can start giggling now-), former con-man, forger, and general white-collar criminal is about to become a hero. (*Not* by choice, you understand- it's more of a "take the job or face certain death" sort of situation). Moist will put on the uniform and face some of the worst dangers in fantasy- No- not dragons and wizards and trolls ("oh my!") - I'm speaking of angry dogs, bureaucracy, free enterprise and the razor sharp package slot. In short, Moist is about to deliver the mail.
You’re asking yourself what’s so dangerous about “Going Postal”? Ever stop to think about how fantasy characters communicate? If dwarves write home to the old home mine and ask mom & dad for more allowance, or dragon-slayers use catalogs to order replacement arrows or sharper swords- who carries the message? In Ankh-Morpork, the Discworld’s most impressive city, Moist is about to get lost in the mail...
This stand-alone novel does happily reunite the reader with some of Ankh-Morpork’s recurring characters, (but does so so subtly that newcomers will never notice the transition)- but primarily introduces new characters, new situations and -best of all- new laughs. New (and twisted) straight lines, newer (and more twisted) punch lines... and <gasp!> *Chapters*! (Yes, dear fans- instead of an unbroken addictive narrative- Terry has left chapter divisions to allow room for belly laughs, cliff-hangers- and images! Collectible Ankh-Morpork *stamps*!)
Welcome back to the Discworld- Terry Pratchett’s (and fandom’s) favorite comedy playground. For all it’s differences (being a large flat disc supported by 4 enormous elephants who stand atop a gigantic space-faring turtle lazily swimming through space- being the universe at the far end of the probability bell curve, where magic works and all the million to one chances always seem to dependably come to pass.)- the Discworld seems to eerily reflect this “round ball of a world” we travel on. Wars, diplomacy, affirmative action, Hollywood, rock and roll, and many more- all manage to seep through the cracks between universes and infect the universe next door.
Go On! Laughing at (or with) the Postal Service never felt so good!
Northeastern PA readers can call the Weekender at 570-831-7325 and mention this review for a chance to win one of two free copies of "Going Postal"!
-The SwashBOOKlin' Rogue...
Going Postal by Terry Pratchett (Harpercollins)
Reviewed by the SwashBOOKlin' Rogue... (originally for the Weekender)
Set a thief to catch a thief.. Sounds like a good idea right? Moist Van Lipwig (yes, That's his name.. you can start giggling now-), former con-man, forger, and general white-collar criminal is about to become a hero. (*Not* by choice, you understand- it's more of a "take the job or face certain death" sort of situation). Moist will put on the uniform and face some of the worst dangers in fantasy- No- not dragons and wizards and trolls ("oh my!") - I'm speaking of angry dogs, bureaucracy, free enterprise and the razor sharp package slot. In short, Moist is about to deliver the mail.
You’re asking yourself what’s so dangerous about “Going Postal”? Ever stop to think about how fantasy characters communicate? If dwarves write home to the old home mine and ask mom & dad for more allowance, or dragon-slayers use catalogs to order replacement arrows or sharper swords- who carries the message? In Ankh-Morpork, the Discworld’s most impressive city, Moist is about to get lost in the mail...
This stand-alone novel does happily reunite the reader with some of Ankh-Morpork’s recurring characters, (but does so so subtly that newcomers will never notice the transition)- but primarily introduces new characters, new situations and -best of all- new laughs. New (and twisted) straight lines, newer (and more twisted) punch lines... and <gasp!> *Chapters*! (Yes, dear fans- instead of an unbroken addictive narrative- Terry has left chapter divisions to allow room for belly laughs, cliff-hangers- and images! Collectible Ankh-Morpork *stamps*!)
Welcome back to the Discworld- Terry Pratchett’s (and fandom’s) favorite comedy playground. For all it’s differences (being a large flat disc supported by 4 enormous elephants who stand atop a gigantic space-faring turtle lazily swimming through space- being the universe at the far end of the probability bell curve, where magic works and all the million to one chances always seem to dependably come to pass.)- the Discworld seems to eerily reflect this “round ball of a world” we travel on. Wars, diplomacy, affirmative action, Hollywood, rock and roll, and many more- all manage to seep through the cracks between universes and infect the universe next door.
Go On! Laughing at (or with) the Postal Service never felt so good!
Northeastern PA readers can call the Weekender at 570-831-7325 and mention this review for a chance to win one of two free copies of "Going Postal"!
-The SwashBOOKlin' Rogue...