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Going Postal
Moist von Lipwig was a con artist and a fraud and a man faced with a life be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork's ailing postal service back on its feet. It was a tough decision. But he has to see that the mail gets through, come rain, hail, sleet, dogs, the Post Office Workers' Friendly and Benevolent Society, the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer. Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too. Maybe it'll take a criminal to succeed where honest men have failed, or maybe it's a death sentence either way. Or perhaps there's a shot at redemption in the mad world of the mail, waiting for a man who's prepared to push the envelope...
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Published January 1, 2005
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About the author
Terry Pratchett
681 books46.2k followersSir Terence David John Pratchett was an English author, humorist, and satirist, best known for the Discworld series of 41 comic fantasy novels published between 1983–2015, and for the apocalyptic comedy novel Good Omens (1990), which he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
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May 21, 2025
With Going Postal, Terry Pratchett delivers one of the most delightful, poignant, and intellectually sharp tales in the Discworld canon. (If you're new to the Disc, some of the concepts may seem disorienting—but really, that’s on you; nearly three dozen books precede this one.) Drawing on classic literary tropes, Pratchett offers yet another masterclass in storytelling. The reader doesn’t merely observe a “conman turned hero” — one lives through him, empathises with him, and ultimately, admires him. And all the while, one has a thoroughly splendid time.
Moist von Lipwig, a quintessentially Pratchettian figure (a gem among the many the late Sir Terry bequeathed to literature), evolves from a charming opportunist with a penchant for fraud — a euphemism, let’s be honest, for a man who makes a living stripping others of theirs without a hint of guilt — into the appointed head of Ankh-Morpork’s dilapidated Postal Service. And that is where the magic begins: the magic of transformation, of hope, and of second chances. Naturally, Moist does not leap toward the “light side” with alacrity; he must first be persuaded that resistance, as they say, is futile… And here lies Pratchett’s genius: this evolution never feels contrived. It unfolds with such plausibility and nuance that one scarcely notices the gears turning — a feat many authors strive for and few achieve.
At the height of his literary prowess, Pratchett bridges absurdity with truth. Going Postal stands as a biting commentary on bureaucracy, mass communication, and the power of image — all rendered with his trademark satire, dry wit, and profound humanism.
The plot is relentless in pace, the characters exquisitely drawn, and the dialogue sparkles with the kind of electricity usually reserved for the theatre. The… Adora Belle Dearheart, Lord Vetinari (whose name, for some inexplicable reason, always conjured in my mind a veterinarian for small mammals), and even the secondary figures such as “Pump 19” — a towering and taciturn golem tasked by Vetinari with ensuring Moist fulfils his postal duties (and, more importantly, doesn’t abscond) — all feel vibrantly alive. Despite his intimidating exterior and unwavering dedication to protocol, Pump 19 proves unexpectedly philosophical and emotionally layered for a creature composed of clay and parchment. And yes, even the postage stamps themselves are endowed with personality and symbolism.
Going Postal is not merely “a clever fantasy novel” — that would be rather like saying “the sea is somewhat damp.” It is a deeply human work, exploring the ethics of choice, the weight of responsibility, and the value of trust. All this, within a world populated by golems, banshees, and courier missions involving stamps.
This is one of those rare books that make you laugh, reflect, and — almost without noticing — believe again. A genuine masterpiece from a writer who understood that even in the most ludicrous of systems, there are moments of startling truth.
The irresistibly capable Moist von Lipwig — who journeys from criminality to conscience — returns in the brilliant Making Money and the more tragic Raising Steam (a work bearing Pratchett’s signature, though one suspects not always his pen, as Alzheimer's increasingly dimmed the clarity of his voice).
Moist von Lipwig, a quintessentially Pratchettian figure (a gem among the many the late Sir Terry bequeathed to literature), evolves from a charming opportunist with a penchant for fraud — a euphemism, let’s be honest, for a man who makes a living stripping others of theirs without a hint of guilt — into the appointed head of Ankh-Morpork’s dilapidated Postal Service. And that is where the magic begins: the magic of transformation, of hope, and of second chances. Naturally, Moist does not leap toward the “light side” with alacrity; he must first be persuaded that resistance, as they say, is futile… And here lies Pratchett’s genius: this evolution never feels contrived. It unfolds with such plausibility and nuance that one scarcely notices the gears turning — a feat many authors strive for and few achieve.
At the height of his literary prowess, Pratchett bridges absurdity with truth. Going Postal stands as a biting commentary on bureaucracy, mass communication, and the power of image — all rendered with his trademark satire, dry wit, and profound humanism.
The plot is relentless in pace, the characters exquisitely drawn, and the dialogue sparkles with the kind of electricity usually reserved for the theatre. The… Adora Belle Dearheart, Lord Vetinari (whose name, for some inexplicable reason, always conjured in my mind a veterinarian for small mammals), and even the secondary figures such as “Pump 19” — a towering and taciturn golem tasked by Vetinari with ensuring Moist fulfils his postal duties (and, more importantly, doesn’t abscond) — all feel vibrantly alive. Despite his intimidating exterior and unwavering dedication to protocol, Pump 19 proves unexpectedly philosophical and emotionally layered for a creature composed of clay and parchment. And yes, even the postage stamps themselves are endowed with personality and symbolism.
Going Postal is not merely “a clever fantasy novel” — that would be rather like saying “the sea is somewhat damp.” It is a deeply human work, exploring the ethics of choice, the weight of responsibility, and the value of trust. All this, within a world populated by golems, banshees, and courier missions involving stamps.
This is one of those rare books that make you laugh, reflect, and — almost without noticing — believe again. A genuine masterpiece from a writer who understood that even in the most ludicrous of systems, there are moments of startling truth.
The irresistibly capable Moist von Lipwig — who journeys from criminality to conscience — returns in the brilliant Making Money and the more tragic Raising Steam (a work bearing Pratchett’s signature, though one suspects not always his pen, as Alzheimer's increasingly dimmed the clarity of his voice).
Displaying 1 of 1 review