Discworld by Numbers
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This is an enjoyable Discworld adventure that follows on from Going Postal. It sees Moist Von Lipwig put in charge of the Royal Mint with the task of making it some money.
It's a very easy read and has the usual Discworld humour, but I can't help but feel that Terry Pratchett was going through the motions a little when writing this - it feels a little bit like Discworld by Numbers. The story just seems to amble along and there aren't any great twists or surprises. Having said that, Moist is a good character and he is fleshed out more in this book. We also get more insights into the mind of Lord Vetinari. The villian of the piece - Cosmo Lavish doesn't seem quite nasty enough.
Still, Pratchett remains a great observer of modern life and even seems to be able to have foreseen the credit crunch with his musings on the way in which money markets work.
Still a worthwhile read, but there doesn't seem to be much happening in the Discworld of late - a really good adventure that shakes things in Ankh Morpork up a little is required I think.
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A worthy sequel
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Making Money sees the return of the lovable rogue Moist van Lipwig. Going Postal was a hoot and Making Money is almost a remake rather than a sequel. That said, Making Money still delivers; it contains some spot on humour, heaps of entertaining dialogue, bags of originality, a score of new characters and a finale you won't see coming. Pratchett is definitely definitely making the most of Moist, which is no bad thing. It's not his funniest work, it's not his most inventive, but that doesn't stop it being a cracking read. Plenty of cameos to keep the hardcore fans happy, although this is a standalone read. Recommended to everyone.
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Think of the positive aspects
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I found myself laughing a number of times - which I rate highly. True, there were quite long sections which I read with a more funereal expression, particularly when I felt a 'Laugh' sign onna stick was being waved at the readers. The other definite plus was the high key role of Lord Vetinary, which more than compensated for an (improved) Moist von Lipwig and worse, his girlfriend (after her second appearance the thought 'first against the wall when the revolution comes' became irrepressible).
Not near his best but a bit of laughter + Vetinary = Read.
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Good, but not classic Pratchett
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I've read almost all of the first twenty discworld books and loved pretty much all of them. Some of the more recent ones have passed me by, including 'Going Postal', in which the main character of this book, Moist Von Lipwig, first appears. There are enough references to the previous adventure to keep the reader informed but on the whole I found myself not entirely interested. I'm really sorry, Mr Pratchett, as I'm a huge fan of your work, but this book seemed to me to be a re-hash of elements from various classic Discworld novels. Be it the fear of change/something new factor, the bumgling wizards, machines taking on a life force/influence of their own... it all just seemed a little too familiar.
As well as this, it seemed to move very quickly towards the end, and all the thigs biulding up throughout the novel were tidied up very nicely within a few quick chapters.
Maybe I'm being picky, and this IS only my opinion of course. The Discworld series won't be forever tarnised simply because this lateset offering fails to match the high standard of previous titles. I wouldn't say avoid this, but of the more recently published, Nightwatch is a firm favorite, as is thief of time. Try it ofr yourself if you're a big fan of Discworld (assuming you have't already bought it).
If you're new to Pratchett and the Discworld novels, try the earlier stuff first to whet your appetite
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Terry Pratchett and his Discworld series need no introduction
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Indeed, given the fact that the series has sold over 45 million copies worldwide, Pratchett's latest requires very little in the way of hype. By now, when one purchases a Disworld novel, one should know what to expect. And though making people laugh is not an easy gig, the author, somehow, always rises up to the challenge and delivers a book that lives up to the high expectations which are inherent to any Pratchett new release.
Following up on Going Postal, Terry Pratchett lets Moist Von Lipwig, he of the golden suit and new Postmaster General, the man notorious for introducing the commemorative cabbage stamp with the cabbage-flavored glue, once again shine in the spotlight. Naturally, familiar faces from various Discworld novels make appearances throughout Making Money.
When Lord Vetinari informs the Postmaster General that he plans to put him in charge of the Royal Mint, Lipwig is acutely aware that this is a man he can't say no to, and thus his life becomes more complicated. As if this predicament wasn't enough, to his dismay he suddenly finds himself running the bank next door. He soon realizes that the mint runs at a loss. He also discovers that a panoply of people want him dead. And, to add to his woes, he must take the Chairman of the bank, a dog named Mr Fusspot, for walks. But Moist Von Lipwig is always up for a challenge, even though he is about to be exposed as a fraud.
Witty humor permeates the narrative and the dialogues, of course. Which is not surprising, for this aspect has become Pratchett's trademark. Like a majority of the Discworld novels, Making Money is, in light of the current market, "light" fantasy fare. Still, after plowing through Thiong'o's Wizard of the Crow and then reading the first half of Donaldson's Fatal Revenant, I found Pratchett's latest to be oh so satisfying! You will find yourself smirking and chuckling in every single chapter, and there is not a boring moment in this one.
Watching Moist Von Lipwig trying to dig himself out of this hole makes for an enjoyable reading experience. In addition, it was interesting to witness Pratchett's introduction of the paper denominations instead of gold, as well as the parallel between the repercussions this causes on Ankh-Morpork's national economy and our own, if only from an historical standpoint. Though the Discworld installments can at times feel a little absurd, there is an underlying intelligence which pervades every page. This, in my humble opinion, is nothing short of brilliant.
The timing for Making Money's release is perfect. Summer is all but over, and everyone is back in school or at work. Hence, we could all use a few laughs, something that Making Money provides in industrial quantity.
This book should please Terry Pratchett's legions of fans and anyone looking for a light fantasy offering. As is the case with most Discworld books, you can enjoy this one even if you're not familiar with the entire saga.
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