Going Postal

I liked going postal i am finding now that as the new books come out there is more time to refine caractors and give you a new veiw on them past and present.Aswell as introducing new faces.I also found the johnny maxwell books a good stating place for teen readers but still good enough to steal and read myself
 
I agree, much as Carpe Jugulum was very similar to Lords and Ladies
 
Just re-read it, when you consider real life the Grand Trunk is a little close to home, but it was nice seeing the baddies done over at the end. I just hope that TP has something tuly horrible lined up for Slant in the near future as he gives lawyers a bad name. To be honest, I liked the way that the golems seem to be developing as viable members of society, actually becoming people rather than tools. Only Pratchett could have come up with literally buying your freedom, though. I didn't really find the book preachy, but that was probably because I agreed with its sentiments and I'd really like to see more of Moist von Lipwig and Killer.
 
its cool isnt it? some people dont like it much but i think all t.p's books are the best!
 
Haven't read a Pratchett for a few years now but read Going Postal this week - thought it was a really great book - well written and well executed. Smooth and fast reading from beginning to end.

The con-artist character was quite superb - the way he constantly ups the stakes simply for showmanship, then struggles on how he's going to make the impossible, possible.

I liked the ending, too - the decision to change tact I think was a clever one.

And while Pratchett is obviously railing at stereotypes, the trouble is, it's easy to see truth in what he says. Which is all the more important in comedy.
 
Postal was great, one of the best. (With TP's work that's high praise).

I'm glad terry defied his publishers and strayed from the rincewind only books. It makes for a lot more variety and some great parodies. Although does anyone have a list or something of the books and what they're mainly a parody of?
 
Joel007 said:
Postal was great, one of the best. (With TP's work that's high praise).

I'm glad terry defied his publishers and strayed from the rincewind only books. It makes for a lot more variety and some great parodies. Although does anyone have a list or something of the books and what they're mainly a parody of?
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I herby submit a trial list. Since every book drifts off subject, makes social or literary comments outside its main theme, and doesn't nescessarily avoid themes covered in other books, and everyone gets his or her personal message out of each book, and some subjects (like Bloody Stupid Johnson) recur frequently while never becoming principal subjects; well, just about everyone will disagree with me, and every single one of them be right.

1. The Colour of Magic-----General Fantasy clichés
2. The Light Fantastic------Idem, speciality heroic fantasy
3. Equal Rites -------------Witchcraft, wizardry, sexual roles
4. Mort--------------------Death ,
5. Sourcery----------------High wizardry
6. Wyrd Sisters ------------Shakespeare, witches. rural life
7. Pyramids----------------Egyptology
8. Guards! Guards!---------Heroism, Dragons,
9. Eric---------------------the Faust legend
10. Moving Pictures---------Hollywood, racism
11. Reaper Man-------------Death, indutrialisation and beaurocracy
12. Witches Abroad --------Witches, travel documentaries, fairy stories
13. Small Gods ------------- Religion, Nationalism
14. Lords and Ladies--------Witches (again) the little people, celtic mythology
15. Men at Arms------------Racism, detective novels, city
16. Soul Music--------------The music business
17. Interesting Times--------Oriental stereotypes, barbarian invasions
18. Maskerade ------------- Mainly opera and travel, cookbooks
19. Feet of Clay--------------Racism, detective novels, city
20. Hogfather----------------Christmas, ex-pagan festivals in general
21. Jingo---------------------Nationalism. racial stereotypes
23. Carpe Jugulum------------General horror, particularly (evidently) Vampire fiction
22. The Last Continent-------Australian stereotypes, time travel paradoxes
24. The Fifth Elephant--------Outdoor horror + aristocracy, monsters
25. The Truth----------------The press
The Last Hero----------------Heroic fantasy, invention, polytheism
26. Thief of Time--------------Eastern mysticism, time travel, chocolate
27. Night Watch--------------Revolution, civil war
28. Monstrous Regiment-------War, sexism, nationalism.
29. Going Postal --------------Big business, tradition vs. innovaton
30. Thud! --------------------Racism, deeply rooted prejudice
***Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents-Con men, progress
***The Wee Free Men-------------------------Fantasy vs quantum
 
Thanks for your thoughful list! That makes a lot of sense to me, I always wondered if he targeted specific books or just "life issues" as well.

Never heard of the Faust legend though.
 
Actually, it was an interesting question. I expected to find an exposé in L-space, so I could just paste it across, but it seems nobody classifies his works like that; by character, or location, or chronologically, but not by subject parodied.

I actually work with a dance professor called Faust, who originates in the same village as Goethe's hero.

Faustus was born into lowly circumstances. He studies hard and masters all the knowledges known to man, but he is still dissatisfied. Faustus determines to study magic, the one knowledge that can break the limits of all others. He engages two master magicians to teach him. While he awaits their arrival, a good and an evil angel appear. The good angel urges him not to go through with his plans, but Faustus is determined. He learns quickly and for his first act calls up Mephistophilis, Satan's messenger. Faustus is very pleased, thinking he has control over the forces of evil, but Mephistophilis says he only showed up because Faustus had rejected God. Faustus offers to give his soul to Lucifer if Mephistophilis will wait on him for twenty-four years. Lucifer agrees.

Faustus is not troubled by this pact because he does not believe in eternal life. With Mephistophilis' help, Faustus makes a great career for himself. He amazes the Pope by becoming invisible and stealing things from his hands. He calls forth the spirit of Alexander the Great for the Emperor. As his twenty-four years draw to a close, he begins to fear Satan and nearly repents. Instead, he asks Mephistophilis to bring him Helen of Troy to be his lover in his final moments. Just before his end, he reveals to his fellow scholars how he gained his powers. He is then carried off by a group of devils.
 
Just re-read this again:

When I originally read Terry Pratchett, I remembered Going Postal and Making Money as the author at the height of his creative powers. After some disappointment with recent Pratchett books I wasn't sure what to expect. However, Going Postal still delivers.

What we have is a tightly-written story with a very interesting character who constantly pushes the plot forward. This isn't the case of a character ambling through events like in Small Gods, but instead of cleverly and creatively moving things forward at every turn.

For most of the book I would have given it four stars, but the end climax really is clever and well-thought out.

Overall, this is one of Pratchett's best, and it still holds up well after all this time.
 
Brian G Turner said:
What we have is a tightly-written story with a very interesting character who constantly pushes the plot forward. This isn't the case of a character ambling through events like in Small Gods, but instead of cleverly and creatively moving things forward at every turn.
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I don't remember the plot too well, but I think you might be right. I hadn't noticed this before as a difference with other Pratchett books I didn't enjoy as much.
 
When you write so many stories about the same place and often involving (to a greater or lesser extent) the same characters and written in the same style with the same sense of humour I suppose you are bound to get stories that don't seem that much different to each other. Happened with Cornwell and the Sharpe series, and to a lesser extent many of King's later works are not dramatically different.

But from a commercial perspective that is what is wanted; fans of a writer/series want something that is familiar and I suppose publishers want tried and tested guaranteed sales rather than something which is different and riskier.
 
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