REVIEW: Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

It's been a very long time since I've ready a Discworld novel ... I started buying them and rereading them from the beginning in these lovely smart black covers. However, I've only ever read about a third of them in total, and I remember a friend really liking this one, so I skipped a few.

I also have to add that I've been on a bit of a reading hiatus and there is only one entity to blame: Pokemon. For some reason or another I have become heavily addicted to my Pokemon Black 2 game for the DS, brought on by the revelation that I can connect to the Internet and open up a whole other realm of possibilities, much to the dismay of my Pokemon-hating partner.

Anywho, I did get around to finishing off Going Postal, which I have to say stands up there with the best of the Discworld novels. I mean, pretty much anything featuring Vetinari is a winner for me as he is the epitome of the dry-as-a-nun's-vagina-humour that Pratchett does oh so very well.

"This woman might have been two women. She certainly had the cubic capacity and, since she was dressed entirely in white, looked rather like an iceberg. But chillier. And with sails. And with a headdress starched to a cutting edge. Two smaller women stood behind and on either side of her, in definite danger of being crushed if she stepped backwards."

I have become aware of the fact that most male protagonists of Pratchett's are in essence quite similar, as well as the use of the same humour book to book, and so even though I have loved and admired the Discworld series from a young age, I find myself in constant fear of finding it repetitive and tired. I mean, it hasn't happened quite yet, but no longer do I cry with laughter as I used to (I merely chuckle inwardly).

I did enjoy reading from the viewpoint of Moist von Lipwig, who while also constantly aware of the madness of the world around him, isn't quite so passive and downright petrified as a character like Rincewind. He likes to take charge and make the impossible possible, and if you can't, well it was impossible to begin with right?

The biggest highlight of the book was the use of the best pun I have to say I have ever come across in 'Deliver Us' at which I 'lost my shit'. I was a little disappointed at the turn of events part way through in which said delivering was rendered not applicable, however the thread of the story remained satisfying and relevant.

Even though Discworld is entirely fictional, I can't help but see the mirror that it holds up to the real world - and it's a brutally honest one. I have a feeling that if everyone in the world thought like Mr. Terry Pratchett, then it would be a hell of lot better a place. Not only would we be calling a spade a spade, but the spade would then not be offended by being called a spade (rather than it's preferred name, manual handled digging device); none of this PC bull crap.

So really, a very rambling and non-informative not-really-a-review. Ain't nobody got time for actually analyzing Discworld. Alright, back to Pokemon!