Status
Available
Call number
Publication
New York, NY : HarperCollins, c2007.
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Humor (Fiction.) HTML: Postmaster general Moist von Lipwig, former arch-swindler and confidence man, has exceeded all expectations in running the Ankh-Morpork Post Office. So it's somewhat disconcerting when Lord Vetinari summons Moist to the palace and asks, "Tell me, Mr. Lipwig, would you like to make some real money?" Vetinari isn't talking about wages. He's referring to the Royal Mint of Ankh-Morpork that has run on the hereditary employment of the Men of the Sheds, who do make money in their spare time. Unfortunately, it costs more than a penny to make a penny, so the whole process seems somewhat counter-intuitive. But before Moist has time to fully consider Vetinari's question, fate answers it for him. Now he's not only making money, but enemies, too; he's got to spring a prisoner from jail, break into his own bank vault, stop the new manager from licking his face and, above all, find out where all the gold has gone�??otherwise, his life in banking, while very exciting, is going to be really, really short . . .… (more)
Media reviews
For all the economic theory in play here, Pratchett makes everything look easy - you get the sense that he's one of the smartest people writing fantasy out there, but he just doesn't feel like showing it off. He is always unbelievably fluid in his prose and the comic aphorisms that seem to flow out
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of him. Every once in a while he cues his punchlines too noticeably, with an "after all," or an "oh all right then." But it's hard to complain - he also uses the word "hopefully" correctly. Also: "charivari." Show Less
When Pratchett is at his best, he matches the greatest satirists in piercing the veil of shared illusion. In a time when money's absurdities puzzle even those who purport to possess it, we need him to do better.
User reviews
LibraryThing member joannasephine
Pterry, no! Who really wrote this?!
I've been an avid fan of Terry Pratchett since I discovered Discworld in the late 1980s. I've watched the series evolve, from the early, laugh-out-embarrasingly-loud books, through to the more dark, satirical ones. (I know a lot of people don't much like the
I was initially ambivalent about the first Moist von Lipwig book, "Going Postal". It had too many similarities to the plot and structure of “The Truth”. But I grew to appreciate it, and not mind the similarities. Ultimately its Enron-echoes were too apt, too sharply highlighted, for me to ignore. It rang true! And the characters were – almost without exception – well drawn and interesting. You remember Mr Pump, and Stanley, and Toliver. And Reacher Gilt was a fine villain. And no one was either completely goo, or completely evil, or completely successful It was actually a really good Discworld book; holding this “world, and mirror of worlds” to modern life.
So why did it all go wrong for this one? You had the (real, current) international banking wobbles happening (could the timing have been more fortuitous?). You had a rascal hero, his tough girl, the whole city of Ankh Morpork to play with. How could you lose?
For starters, the plot recycles that of “Going Postal” to a ridiculous degree. Yes, I know there are only a few über-plots in existence, but this is ridiculous. Moist gets railroaded by Vetinari into taking over an ailing AM institution. Moist meets the staff, who are either acidic female spinsters, or peculiar, social leper men. Oh, and there’s a golem who hangs around him. Moist becomes convinced that he can make things better. Enter villain. Moist goes up against villain semi-publicly. Moist almost loses everything, but turns defeat and humiliation into triumph. Vetinari makes a witty comment. Drumknott loses his pencil. At least one of the (make) staff members has a secret trigger which makes them act violently. And there’s an odd, possibly eldrich piece of equipment which provides a small victory. Adora Belle shows affection. The End. Sound familiar?
It’s lazy. Lazy plotting, and even more lazy writing. The minor characters are barely even sketched – normally that’s one of Pterry’s real strengths. But Cosmo is barely a cardboard cut-out, let alone a decent villain. Mr Bent is barely given any effort, and he’s a major character! The only satisfyingly depicted minor character is Harry King, and even that’s largely due to the fact that we already know a lot about him! The dog? Professor Flead? What’s going on? What’s this collection of paper dolls doing, masquerading as Discworld characters?
Great chunks of the book are little details that would normally be explored and developed. But again, in this book, they are nothing more than throwaways. Extreme sneezing? WTF? Why wasn’t this given more? It’s a very Discworld thing, but it’s just tossed in as a couple of references. The Glooper is barely touched on, despite being a big part of the minor plot. (Compare it with descriptions of Hex, or even the New Pie in GP.) Other bits are just bizarre – the entire “dog with vibrating rubber object” sequence is just stupid. It’s vulgar, gratuitous, and reads like something written as a dare. (No, I’m not a prude. But there’s a time and a place, and this just isn’t either!)
I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone. For heavens sake, if this is your introduction to Terry Pratchett PUT IT DOWN IMMEDIATELY, and get one of the other books. (Any one of the other books! He’s (usually) worth it, I swear!)
Did we get the initial drafts of the book instead of the real thing?! Or was this a “collaborative” effort?
I know every author writes the odd dud. I am hoping this book is just a blip.
I've been an avid fan of Terry Pratchett since I discovered Discworld in the late 1980s. I've watched the series evolve, from the early, laugh-out-embarrasingly-loud books, through to the more dark, satirical ones. (I know a lot of people don't much like the
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shift, but for me it's what makes him our equivalent of Charles Dickens.) He’s been my author of authors, with barely a step wrong. But this book is terrible.I was initially ambivalent about the first Moist von Lipwig book, "Going Postal". It had too many similarities to the plot and structure of “The Truth”. But I grew to appreciate it, and not mind the similarities. Ultimately its Enron-echoes were too apt, too sharply highlighted, for me to ignore. It rang true! And the characters were – almost without exception – well drawn and interesting. You remember Mr Pump, and Stanley, and Toliver. And Reacher Gilt was a fine villain. And no one was either completely goo, or completely evil, or completely successful It was actually a really good Discworld book; holding this “world, and mirror of worlds” to modern life.
So why did it all go wrong for this one? You had the (real, current) international banking wobbles happening (could the timing have been more fortuitous?). You had a rascal hero, his tough girl, the whole city of Ankh Morpork to play with. How could you lose?
For starters, the plot recycles that of “Going Postal” to a ridiculous degree. Yes, I know there are only a few über-plots in existence, but this is ridiculous. Moist gets railroaded by Vetinari into taking over an ailing AM institution. Moist meets the staff, who are either acidic female spinsters, or peculiar, social leper men. Oh, and there’s a golem who hangs around him. Moist becomes convinced that he can make things better. Enter villain. Moist goes up against villain semi-publicly. Moist almost loses everything, but turns defeat and humiliation into triumph. Vetinari makes a witty comment. Drumknott loses his pencil. At least one of the (make) staff members has a secret trigger which makes them act violently. And there’s an odd, possibly eldrich piece of equipment which provides a small victory. Adora Belle shows affection. The End. Sound familiar?
It’s lazy. Lazy plotting, and even more lazy writing. The minor characters are barely even sketched – normally that’s one of Pterry’s real strengths. But Cosmo is barely a cardboard cut-out, let alone a decent villain. Mr Bent is barely given any effort, and he’s a major character! The only satisfyingly depicted minor character is Harry King, and even that’s largely due to the fact that we already know a lot about him! The dog? Professor Flead? What’s going on? What’s this collection of paper dolls doing, masquerading as Discworld characters?
Great chunks of the book are little details that would normally be explored and developed. But again, in this book, they are nothing more than throwaways. Extreme sneezing? WTF? Why wasn’t this given more? It’s a very Discworld thing, but it’s just tossed in as a couple of references. The Glooper is barely touched on, despite being a big part of the minor plot. (Compare it with descriptions of Hex, or even the New Pie in GP.) Other bits are just bizarre – the entire “dog with vibrating rubber object” sequence is just stupid. It’s vulgar, gratuitous, and reads like something written as a dare. (No, I’m not a prude. But there’s a time and a place, and this just isn’t either!)
I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone. For heavens sake, if this is your introduction to Terry Pratchett PUT IT DOWN IMMEDIATELY, and get one of the other books. (Any one of the other books! He’s (usually) worth it, I swear!)
Did we get the initial drafts of the book instead of the real thing?! Or was this a “collaborative” effort?
I know every author writes the odd dud. I am hoping this book is just a blip.
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LibraryThing member surreality
Plot: For a Discworld novel, there's surprisingly little of it, and a lot of set-ups never quite play out. The story is straightforward and doesn't come with a lot of twists. It takes a while to get moving in the beginning, then putters along, but does come to a good ending.
Characters: The
Style: It's all about finance and economics, and those two topics mostly fall flat (too much for anyone never forced through macroeconomics classes, not intricate enough for anyone who was). There are some good in-jokes, but the parody of the banking system never quite takes off. Of course there are the usual bizarre sequences and one-liners, but on the whole it lacks sarcasm compared to other Discworld books.
Plus: Postmortem Communications, lots of Vetinari. IS-LM, Discworld style.
Minus: Something about the story feels off. The central parody never quite works.
Summary: It's not one of the worst Discworld novels, but it's not among the best either.
Characters: The
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established ones are fun, though Adora Belle still hasn't had much depth added to her. The new ones are trickier; the Lavishes are all rather average, and Cosmo doesn't live up to previous villains. Seeing the wizards show up again is nice - it's been a while since they really got to play a role, and this time even HEX got to play again. Style: It's all about finance and economics, and those two topics mostly fall flat (too much for anyone never forced through macroeconomics classes, not intricate enough for anyone who was). There are some good in-jokes, but the parody of the banking system never quite takes off. Of course there are the usual bizarre sequences and one-liners, but on the whole it lacks sarcasm compared to other Discworld books.
Plus: Postmortem Communications, lots of Vetinari. IS-LM, Discworld style.
Minus: Something about the story feels off. The central parody never quite works.
Summary: It's not one of the worst Discworld novels, but it's not among the best either.
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
Not one oof Pratchet's best - maybe because the arcane would of economics wasn't fully understood by him, or maybe because it just isn't funny.
Featuring again our stars from Going Postal the improbably named Moist von Lipwig and the Adora Belle Dearheart, this is rather a sudden hotchpotch of ideas
Unfortunetly although reasonably well packed with jokes - and the clowns feature again so some of them are visual which is a good trick in a book! - none of the biting satire and undertones that enhance previous works for an adult, really comes through. There isn't much to be said other than a very superficial overview of the banking industry, which was issued in dribs and drabs by Moist musing to hinmself rather than in any groundbreaking speaches. The only other theme of note was international politics by intimidation, but again this only get s short shrift. Perhaps the most noteworthy comments are further insights inot the working of Vetinari.
Fun but much lighter than his best work.
Featuring again our stars from Going Postal the improbably named Moist von Lipwig and the Adora Belle Dearheart, this is rather a sudden hotchpotch of ideas
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thrown together. Vetinari s concerned about Moist in Dearheart's absense and so transfers him to the Royal Mint. This raises the hackles of the various Lavis family members who seek to retain control.Unfortunetly although reasonably well packed with jokes - and the clowns feature again so some of them are visual which is a good trick in a book! - none of the biting satire and undertones that enhance previous works for an adult, really comes through. There isn't much to be said other than a very superficial overview of the banking industry, which was issued in dribs and drabs by Moist musing to hinmself rather than in any groundbreaking speaches. The only other theme of note was international politics by intimidation, but again this only get s short shrift. Perhaps the most noteworthy comments are further insights inot the working of Vetinari.
Fun but much lighter than his best work.
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LibraryThing member lavender81
In this latest offering, Pratchett delivers a comic caper centred around a hero/anti-hero oozing with character. Moist von Lipwig, former con-man extraordinaire, appears in a new incarnation - this time, as a banker. Similar to his previous exploits in Going Postal, where he turns around the
The only thing I didn't like about the book is that it makes Lord Vetinari appear almost human. While it is good that Lord Vetinari is given such a central position in the book, I much prefer his stoic and almost sinister appearances in the Sam Vimes series.
Although it's a little slow-paced, it's a worthy sequal to "Going Postal". At the very least, it'll make you google "history of the gold standard".
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fortunes of the postal system in Ankh-Morpok, this time he manages to turn around the fortunes of a large bank. This action-filled caper also features other favourite Discworld characters, including Lord Havelock Vetinari and Commander Sam Vimes. The only thing I didn't like about the book is that it makes Lord Vetinari appear almost human. While it is good that Lord Vetinari is given such a central position in the book, I much prefer his stoic and almost sinister appearances in the Sam Vimes series.
Although it's a little slow-paced, it's a worthy sequal to "Going Postal". At the very least, it'll make you google "history of the gold standard".
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LibraryThing member RobertDay
Praqtchett's early Discworld novels were great funny books that made me laugh out loud, and frequently. Later, his work turned more to Comedy (with a capital 'C') which reflected on the human condition and gave you a wry smile. More recently, though, I've found myself laughing more and harder at
There are added bonuses. Tha Lavish family are obviously based on the Medicis, though the epilogue with mad Cosmo in the Vetinari ward is as chilling in its own way as the closing pages of Orwell's '1984'. The Igors are revealed as the hidden force behind a likely future industrial and technological revolution in the Discworld. And perhaps one of the oddest things in the book, the Glooper, is completely true. A British economist, in the 1970s and 1980s, built a hydraulic model of the British economy which dealt with 'cashflow' literally. Truth can be stranger than fiction.
If there is a weakness, it is the removal of Cribbins. His comeuppance is too much of a deus ex machina and looks as if it was pitched in at the end to tie up a loose end. I was also a bit unsure about the Mr Bent subplot, but seeing as I read it just after seeing the League of Gentlemen's latest television offering, 'Psychoville', which features a psychotic clown with a disability (his act is called 'The Hundred Hands of Mr Jelly'), I was quite satisfied at the outcome, especially the Guild of Fools.
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his work, and this book is a return to top form, with the added bonus of it being about the Way We Live Now.There are added bonuses. Tha Lavish family are obviously based on the Medicis, though the epilogue with mad Cosmo in the Vetinari ward is as chilling in its own way as the closing pages of Orwell's '1984'. The Igors are revealed as the hidden force behind a likely future industrial and technological revolution in the Discworld. And perhaps one of the oddest things in the book, the Glooper, is completely true. A British economist, in the 1970s and 1980s, built a hydraulic model of the British economy which dealt with 'cashflow' literally. Truth can be stranger than fiction.
If there is a weakness, it is the removal of Cribbins. His comeuppance is too much of a deus ex machina and looks as if it was pitched in at the end to tie up a loose end. I was also a bit unsure about the Mr Bent subplot, but seeing as I read it just after seeing the League of Gentlemen's latest television offering, 'Psychoville', which features a psychotic clown with a disability (his act is called 'The Hundred Hands of Mr Jelly'), I was quite satisfied at the outcome, especially the Guild of Fools.
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LibraryThing member Uffer
Much though I hate to say it, this was something of a disappointment. It's not that the book is not entertaining, because it is. It's not that the characters are any less themselves, because they're not. It's more as though you have a recipe that looks like it's going to be absolutely incredible,
We have here all the individual ingredients that make a Discworld novel, but there's just something in the balance of things that I can't put my finger on, which means it isn't one of the /great/ Discworld novels. That said, in places it is laugh-loudly-on-the-train funny. It's just... not quite the great Discworld novel it could have been.
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and you've gone out and bought all the ingredients especially for the occasion, and for some reason the damned thing just didn't rise.We have here all the individual ingredients that make a Discworld novel, but there's just something in the balance of things that I can't put my finger on, which means it isn't one of the /great/ Discworld novels. That said, in places it is laugh-loudly-on-the-train funny. It's just... not quite the great Discworld novel it could have been.
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LibraryThing member kmaziarz
The Discworld fun continues with Making Money, featuring reformed con artist Moist Von Lipwig, the man who reorganized the post office in the city of Ankh-Morpork in 2004’s Going Postal. This time around, city ruler and benevolent despot Lord Vetinari has tapped Von Lipwig to reform the city’s
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banks. Having inherited guardianship of the bank’s majority shareholder (an elderly terrier named Mr. Fusspot), Von Lipwig serves as Master of the Mint, trying to wrest control of the city’s finances out of the hands of Ankh-Morpork’s Old Money families, inventing paper money on the fly, and making a host of new enemies along the way. A subplot involving Miss Adora Dearheart, Von Lipwig’s cantankerous sweetheart, and her crusade to free the city’s golems from servitude adds another layer of complication, with the two plots coming together neatly at the end. Throw in a bank manager with some funny business in his past and a wealthy aristocrat obsessed with Lord Vetinari and you have the recipe for another wild Discworld romp! Show Less
LibraryThing member imnotsatan
I didn't like Making Money. The plot is okay, but parts of it seemed extraneous (the whole thing with Cribbens seemed like it was only there to set up Lipwig admitting to being Spangler, which could have been handled more efficiently) and the ending seemed rushed. Bent was a disappointment; I was
The Cosmo-as-Vetinari subplot was frankly bizarre. It almost, almost redeemed itself with the Epilogue, but not quite. I think I've realized what's wrong with it- it's not funny. Pterry does do serious, even scary plots very well; Carcer comes to mind, but Night Watch was a serious, sometimes creepy book with jokes in. This is a silly book with creepy in, and it doesn't work that way (that scene with Gladys cooking? What was that?).
I just can't stand Vetinari in general in the Lipwig novels. The reason Vetinari is interesting is because of his interaction with Vimes. All the books where he's most effective are Watch books, because his game of cat and also cat with Vimes is fascinating. We're seeing a side of Vetinari that's always been there- but not a very interesting one. In the Watch books, he's a tyrant without really being a tyrant, but in the Lipwig stories, he's just a regular tyrant. This character decay is one of the reasons the Cosmo plotline falls flat; new!Vetinari just doesn't seem that special.
I feel really bad, because if I didn't know that Terry Pratchett had Alzheimer's, I'd think he was just off his game with the Lipwig modernisation storyline; since I do, I have to wonder if he's starting to slip, and that makes me feel like a horrible person.
I still hold out hope for the series in general, but I'm just not a fan of this arc.
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convinced he was going to turn out to be an Auditor, which would have been a Crowning Moment of Awesome despite being highly unlikely. I just don't care for Moist or Adora, and especially not for their relationship.The Cosmo-as-Vetinari subplot was frankly bizarre. It almost, almost redeemed itself with the Epilogue, but not quite. I think I've realized what's wrong with it- it's not funny. Pterry does do serious, even scary plots very well; Carcer comes to mind, but Night Watch was a serious, sometimes creepy book with jokes in. This is a silly book with creepy in, and it doesn't work that way (that scene with Gladys cooking? What was that?).
I just can't stand Vetinari in general in the Lipwig novels. The reason Vetinari is interesting is because of his interaction with Vimes. All the books where he's most effective are Watch books, because his game of cat and also cat with Vimes is fascinating. We're seeing a side of Vetinari that's always been there- but not a very interesting one. In the Watch books, he's a tyrant without really being a tyrant, but in the Lipwig stories, he's just a regular tyrant. This character decay is one of the reasons the Cosmo plotline falls flat; new!Vetinari just doesn't seem that special.
I feel really bad, because if I didn't know that Terry Pratchett had Alzheimer's, I'd think he was just off his game with the Lipwig modernisation storyline; since I do, I have to wonder if he's starting to slip, and that makes me feel like a horrible person.
I still hold out hope for the series in general, but I'm just not a fan of this arc.
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LibraryThing member readermom
I didn't like this one as much as Going Postal. It sort of has the same main character, Moist Von Lipwig, but the plot isn't as tight and it rambles a bit. But I think the main character is really the person working behind the scenes in the book, Lord Vetinari. He manipulates Moist in very specific
I liked it, but it wasn't nearly one of my favorites.
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ways and is more of a protagonist than the obvious hero. There were some bits I really enjoyed, the glooper, the four gold? (no that word isn't gold, its thousand!) golems and some normal Pratchett phrases that stick with you. There was an unfortunate running joke that was too crude for my tastes.I liked it, but it wasn't nearly one of my favorites.
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LibraryThing member WinterFox
I've been a big Pratchett fan for a long time, but I don't feel bound to any of the old series (even my favorite one, the Guards books). I thus find it very nice to get the second of the Moist von Lipwig books, looking at a con man turned to the straight and narrow by the Patrician and made to
I liked this one quite a lot, really. There's the regular Pratchett writing style, with all the puns, wordplay and wittiness, and with the plot twists to boot; many of them, I didn't get, and it's nice to see the story roll along. The characters were pretty interesting and easy to sympathize with; I do like Lipwig quite a lot, and you get to see more of the Patrician in these books, as well. Pratchett is still in fine form, and it's a fast, fun and enjoyable read. The plot doesn't come together quite as elegantly as some other of his books, but it's still very well done. It's not the best place to start the series, but if you know and like it already, you won't be disappointed at all here.
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reform various institutions in the city. At the end of the last one, it was heavily hinted that he'd be made to clean up the banks and mint next, and that's exactly where this book goes.I liked this one quite a lot, really. There's the regular Pratchett writing style, with all the puns, wordplay and wittiness, and with the plot twists to boot; many of them, I didn't get, and it's nice to see the story roll along. The characters were pretty interesting and easy to sympathize with; I do like Lipwig quite a lot, and you get to see more of the Patrician in these books, as well. Pratchett is still in fine form, and it's a fast, fun and enjoyable read. The plot doesn't come together quite as elegantly as some other of his books, but it's still very well done. It's not the best place to start the series, but if you know and like it already, you won't be disappointed at all here.
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LibraryThing member actonbell
Making Money (2007) is the lastest installment of The Discworld Series, and is really a continuation of Going Postal (2004)*, in which we meet Moist von Lipwig, a man sentenced to hang as a cheat, con, and thief, until Ankh-Morpork's dictator, Lord Vetinari, realizes that his talents could be put
Actually, he was hanged. But--that's another tangent of the story for the former Albert Spangler, who survives to have a new lease on life as Moist von Lipwig, a man whose talents include the charm, gift of gab, quick thinking, and outright sneakiness that somehow allow him to mezmorize people--okay, con people--into doing whatever he needs them to do. And Lord Vetinari has a job for him. In Going Postal, the job is to somehow rescue a failing postal system and make it run efficiently, which Lipwig pulls off with ingenuity, luck, and style. (Style is important.) This time around, though, Lord Vetinari has another job. "Tell me, Lipwig, how would you like to make some real money?" That is, how would Lipwig like to take over the Bank of Ankh-Morpork and The Royal Mint? At first Lipwig refuses, but of course, we know that he will be forced into the position in the most comically way possible.
Actually, Lipwig's job as Postmaster General has gotten a bit too easy and boring for this former man of danger. In fact, this tale opens with Lipwig trying to break into his own office. He still has a criminal mind, and in his restlessness, he's taken up Edificeering** and Extreme Sneezing*** as leisure pursuits. Well, especially when his fiance, Adora Belle Dearheart, is away for extended lengths of time. Her presence, it seems, provides enough danger for him.
As usual, the variety of characters is not missing--Igors, golems, trolls, vampires, werewolves, and insane rich people populate Discworld, and these books are always fun to read. Actually, the chairman of the bank is Mr. Fusspot, a delightful terrier. Lord Vetinari has the chairman eating out of his hand, by the end of the book.
And Lipwig? Oh, he'll run the mint and the bank for awhile, but--Lord Vetinari knows that one day, Lipwig will again become a danger to himself and the city and--just how old is the taxmaster? .......
I enjoyed Making Money very much (it's not usually this fun), and my only reservation about this novel was that I found myself missing the Watch, or the cops of Ankh-Morpork. I particularly enjoy Commander Vimes, and was a bit disappointed that he was barely in this novel. The Watch is a most diverse group of characters who add splash to any occasion and I think they should always be invited to the story.
* ..which is still my favorite Discworld novel (so far, of the ones I've read) despite the fact that it's not about the Watch
**Involves scaling the highest, steepest, trickiest and most difficult buildings in the city.
*** I have no idea, but Lord Vetinari says it's potentially lethal, and I believe him.
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to very good use.Actually, he was hanged. But--that's another tangent of the story for the former Albert Spangler, who survives to have a new lease on life as Moist von Lipwig, a man whose talents include the charm, gift of gab, quick thinking, and outright sneakiness that somehow allow him to mezmorize people--okay, con people--into doing whatever he needs them to do. And Lord Vetinari has a job for him. In Going Postal, the job is to somehow rescue a failing postal system and make it run efficiently, which Lipwig pulls off with ingenuity, luck, and style. (Style is important.) This time around, though, Lord Vetinari has another job. "Tell me, Lipwig, how would you like to make some real money?" That is, how would Lipwig like to take over the Bank of Ankh-Morpork and The Royal Mint? At first Lipwig refuses, but of course, we know that he will be forced into the position in the most comically way possible.
Actually, Lipwig's job as Postmaster General has gotten a bit too easy and boring for this former man of danger. In fact, this tale opens with Lipwig trying to break into his own office. He still has a criminal mind, and in his restlessness, he's taken up Edificeering** and Extreme Sneezing*** as leisure pursuits. Well, especially when his fiance, Adora Belle Dearheart, is away for extended lengths of time. Her presence, it seems, provides enough danger for him.
As usual, the variety of characters is not missing--Igors, golems, trolls, vampires, werewolves, and insane rich people populate Discworld, and these books are always fun to read. Actually, the chairman of the bank is Mr. Fusspot, a delightful terrier. Lord Vetinari has the chairman eating out of his hand, by the end of the book.
And Lipwig? Oh, he'll run the mint and the bank for awhile, but--Lord Vetinari knows that one day, Lipwig will again become a danger to himself and the city and--just how old is the taxmaster? .......
I enjoyed Making Money very much (it's not usually this fun), and my only reservation about this novel was that I found myself missing the Watch, or the cops of Ankh-Morpork. I particularly enjoy Commander Vimes, and was a bit disappointed that he was barely in this novel. The Watch is a most diverse group of characters who add splash to any occasion and I think they should always be invited to the story.
* ..which is still my favorite Discworld novel (so far, of the ones I've read) despite the fact that it's not about the Watch
**Involves scaling the highest, steepest, trickiest and most difficult buildings in the city.
*** I have no idea, but Lord Vetinari says it's potentially lethal, and I believe him.
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LibraryThing member MikeFarquhar
Making Money is the umpty-tumpteenth Discworld novel, and continues the adventures of Moist von Lipwig, ex criminal and conman who when last we saw him had just finished revolutionising the Ankh Morpork Post Office. This time out the city's benevolent dictator, Lord Vetinari, decides to set Moist
Making Money continues Pratchett's recent trend of writing slightly more complex and intricate stories for the Discworld; recently, you have to remember what's happened in the previous books to make complete sense of the new ones, which isn't entirely a bad thing.
As ever though, Pratchett continues his satirical assault on various concepts - this time banks and financial systems in general. In the nicest possible way, Pratchett must have been cackling with glee at the Northern Rock's problems, as there are several scenes here which read far funnier in the wake of the scenes of people queueing to rescue all their money from the evil banks...
It goes without saying that as well as all of that, Making Money is funny - Pratchett remains the master of what he does. Whilst he seems to be paying more attention to characters as opposed to caricature he doesn't forget that people read the Discworld for a laugh, and he's perfectly happy to oblige. Also, I love Vetinari, and the more he features in the novels the better as far as I'm concerned.
There's also a funny scene with a dog pogoing backwards with a vibrating dildo in his mouth.
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about the task of reforming the financial systems of Ankh Morpork, so manipulates him into a role as Chairman of the city's most influential bank. Unsurprisingly, there are complications.Making Money continues Pratchett's recent trend of writing slightly more complex and intricate stories for the Discworld; recently, you have to remember what's happened in the previous books to make complete sense of the new ones, which isn't entirely a bad thing.
As ever though, Pratchett continues his satirical assault on various concepts - this time banks and financial systems in general. In the nicest possible way, Pratchett must have been cackling with glee at the Northern Rock's problems, as there are several scenes here which read far funnier in the wake of the scenes of people queueing to rescue all their money from the evil banks...
It goes without saying that as well as all of that, Making Money is funny - Pratchett remains the master of what he does. Whilst he seems to be paying more attention to characters as opposed to caricature he doesn't forget that people read the Discworld for a laugh, and he's perfectly happy to oblige. Also, I love Vetinari, and the more he features in the novels the better as far as I'm concerned.
There's also a funny scene with a dog pogoing backwards with a vibrating dildo in his mouth.
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LibraryThing member stnylan
This is the latest Discworld book from Terry Pratchett, and is once again set in Ankh-Morpok. It mostly revolves around the character of Moist von Lipwig, who was the star of Going Postal.
In many respects this is a very similar book to Going Postal - just as that book sent up Royal Mail / The Post
The style is also very similar to Going Postal, though my own opinion is that it is not quite as strong an outing. There are elements that don't quite click now and then, and the whole book is slightly looser than say Thud! or The Truth. Despite this, it remains a very enjoyable read. The villain is nicely characterised, and there are some nice cameos of the usual suspects, including Vetinari.
Overall, if you want a nice light-hearted read, and a chance to laugh a little, you will not go wrong with this book.
B
In many respects this is a very similar book to Going Postal - just as that book sent up Royal Mail / The Post
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Office, this book sends up the Bank of England/The Royal Mint. In this it fits very nicely into the latter series of Discworld books that have quite clear and specific targets. The style is also very similar to Going Postal, though my own opinion is that it is not quite as strong an outing. There are elements that don't quite click now and then, and the whole book is slightly looser than say Thud! or The Truth. Despite this, it remains a very enjoyable read. The villain is nicely characterised, and there are some nice cameos of the usual suspects, including Vetinari.
Overall, if you want a nice light-hearted read, and a chance to laugh a little, you will not go wrong with this book.
B
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LibraryThing member craigim
This is the second of the Discworld novels that concern Moist von Lipwig, a former thief pressed into service by Lord Venitari to clean up one of the city bureaucracies. One thing I like about the Discworld novels is that while there are a lot of them, you don't need to read them in order to enjoy
In Making Money, MvL is tasked with modernizing the bank and the mint, moving Ankh Morpork off of the gold standard. It was a fun read, with a brief cameo by DEATH, but I thought that the ending came together too quickly with more than the usual dash of Dues ex Machina and, uncharacteristically, several loose ends.
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them, but they do loosely build on each other. Technologies and social advancement established in previous books (ie the Clacks telegraph system or the integration of the City Watch) feature as background details in subsequent books. Unfortunately, with 25+ novels in the series, Ankh Morpork has become quite a modern city, and the magic and fantasy aspects of the plots have faded into the background. There are Discworld analogs of cameras, movies, telegraph, express mail, computers (both at the University and now at the bank), PDAs, etc., and I am finding that I am enjoying the later books less.In Making Money, MvL is tasked with modernizing the bank and the mint, moving Ankh Morpork off of the gold standard. It was a fun read, with a brief cameo by DEATH, but I thought that the ending came together too quickly with more than the usual dash of Dues ex Machina and, uncharacteristically, several loose ends.
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LibraryThing member edgeworth
Every year Pratchett writes a book, and every year I get it for Christmas and then read it while I'm camping. It's like seeing an old friend again. Making Money continues the adventures of one of his most recently-introduced characters, Moist von Lipwig, a conman-turned-entrepreneur who was
It's not really Pratchett's best work, largely because it lacked the dramatic climax most other Discworld books have. This is one of my favourite aspects about the Discworld series; while the books are satirical, usually zany and always funny, they also have serious plots underpinning them, which always come to a head in matters of life and death (most noticeable in the City Watch books). Much like the average sitcom, they reflect real life - or perhaps my own view of life - in a far more accurate way than stories that are purely drama: amusing and funny most of the time, sobering up into seriousness when the situation demands. While still present to a degree in Making Money, this trend is still diminished somewhat, and the conclusion was disappointingly abrupt.
Nonetheless, even when Pratchett's major plot is weak his writing remains excellent, brimming with awful puns and dry observations on every aspect of society. Perhaps I'm just prejudiced against his fresher characters.
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responsible for re-establishing the Ankh-Morpork Post Office in previous novel Going Postal. In Making Money, he is appointed head of both the city's largest bank and the royal mint, and oversees a switch from gold standard to fiat currency (I had to look both those words up).It's not really Pratchett's best work, largely because it lacked the dramatic climax most other Discworld books have. This is one of my favourite aspects about the Discworld series; while the books are satirical, usually zany and always funny, they also have serious plots underpinning them, which always come to a head in matters of life and death (most noticeable in the City Watch books). Much like the average sitcom, they reflect real life - or perhaps my own view of life - in a far more accurate way than stories that are purely drama: amusing and funny most of the time, sobering up into seriousness when the situation demands. While still present to a degree in Making Money, this trend is still diminished somewhat, and the conclusion was disappointingly abrupt.
Nonetheless, even when Pratchett's major plot is weak his writing remains excellent, brimming with awful puns and dry observations on every aspect of society. Perhaps I'm just prejudiced against his fresher characters.
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LibraryThing member mattries37315
The financial sector of Ankh-Morpork is dire trouble and Lord Vetinari looks to his Postmaster General to solve the problem, however he doesn’t want the opportunity but somethings are out of his hands. Making Money is Terry Pratchett’s 36th Discworld novel and the second to follow the
With the Post Office running as smoothly as possible and facing plain paperwork every day, Moist von Lipwig is looking for thrills and excitement in a variety of ways including scaling the outside of the Post Office and breaking into his own office. Lord Vetinari attempts to sell Moist on taking over the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork and the Royal Mint, but Moist is satisfied with his life. However Bank chairwoman Topsy Lavish changes her will to make Moist guardian of her dog, Mr. Fusspot, to whom she leaves her controlling interest in the Bank to. Suddenly Moist is taking care of a dog and running the Bank and Mint much to his annoyance and that of the Lavish family and Mr. Bent, the head cashier. Moist begins thinking about changes to the banking system but then is inundated with numerous challenges first from Mr. Bent, the Lavishes including one that wants to become Lord Vetinari (not Patrician just Vetinari), a former partner blackmailing him about his conman past, missing gold from the bank vault, and finally his fiancée arranging for an army of golems to arrive in Ankh-Morpork. Soon Moist past is exposed, though no one cares, after saving the city from the golems as well as using them to base his new paper currency and is still alive at the end of the book which is the least he wants out of each day.
Moist is one of the most original characters that Pratchett has come up with and like Going Postal, I enjoyed following his story. However, like the previous mentioned book this one is not up to the quality that Pratchett is known for. While Moist, Vetinari, and Adora Belle Dearheart were well written, the overall plot and the numerous subplots just seemed to meander. Pratchett attempted to avoid Moist doing exactly what he did in Going Postal by having him deal with other challenges, but they were a mishmash of ideas that didn’t seem to come together and pages were wasted with the Cosmo Lavish subplot that took up pages without really accomplishing anything.
Honestly, it was hard to rate Making Money because while I enjoyed reading Moist’s point-of-view, the overall plot of the book was just serviceable as it twist and turned based on the questionable subplots intertwined with it. If you are a first time Discworld reader, don’t read this book until you’ve sampled some of Pratchett’s other better quality writing. If you are a veteran Discworld reader then focusing on enjoying the point-of-view of Moist even though the book’s quality is just okay.
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conman-turned-civil servant Moist von Lipwig who is beginning to pine for thrills and suddenly finds himself in the midst of them.With the Post Office running as smoothly as possible and facing plain paperwork every day, Moist von Lipwig is looking for thrills and excitement in a variety of ways including scaling the outside of the Post Office and breaking into his own office. Lord Vetinari attempts to sell Moist on taking over the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork and the Royal Mint, but Moist is satisfied with his life. However Bank chairwoman Topsy Lavish changes her will to make Moist guardian of her dog, Mr. Fusspot, to whom she leaves her controlling interest in the Bank to. Suddenly Moist is taking care of a dog and running the Bank and Mint much to his annoyance and that of the Lavish family and Mr. Bent, the head cashier. Moist begins thinking about changes to the banking system but then is inundated with numerous challenges first from Mr. Bent, the Lavishes including one that wants to become Lord Vetinari (not Patrician just Vetinari), a former partner blackmailing him about his conman past, missing gold from the bank vault, and finally his fiancée arranging for an army of golems to arrive in Ankh-Morpork. Soon Moist past is exposed, though no one cares, after saving the city from the golems as well as using them to base his new paper currency and is still alive at the end of the book which is the least he wants out of each day.
Moist is one of the most original characters that Pratchett has come up with and like Going Postal, I enjoyed following his story. However, like the previous mentioned book this one is not up to the quality that Pratchett is known for. While Moist, Vetinari, and Adora Belle Dearheart were well written, the overall plot and the numerous subplots just seemed to meander. Pratchett attempted to avoid Moist doing exactly what he did in Going Postal by having him deal with other challenges, but they were a mishmash of ideas that didn’t seem to come together and pages were wasted with the Cosmo Lavish subplot that took up pages without really accomplishing anything.
Honestly, it was hard to rate Making Money because while I enjoyed reading Moist’s point-of-view, the overall plot of the book was just serviceable as it twist and turned based on the questionable subplots intertwined with it. If you are a first time Discworld reader, don’t read this book until you’ve sampled some of Pratchett’s other better quality writing. If you are a veteran Discworld reader then focusing on enjoying the point-of-view of Moist even though the book’s quality is just okay.
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LibraryThing member melannen
I am really intrigued by how this book built on Moist's character - and situation - as developed in Going Postal. It does work as a stand-alone, but I think it's a lot stronger in conjunction. Of course, the story about what happens to a rogue-gone-good *after* being trapped in respectability is
He really does feel like a fit successor to Vimes, who was the first character Pratchett really allowed to grow over the course of several novels. I suspect that when Vimes told pTerry that he was absolutely never going to be Patrician under any circumstances whatsover, pTerry created Moist instead. (I also suspect that Moist will have a similar surprise in store for the author if Vetinari tries to make him successor.)
...er. It's also really funny, well-written, smart and entertaining satire on modern society through an increasingly steampunky lens. But it's a recent Discworld book, so you knew that already, right?
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one of my favorites; and too often, the conclusion is that he runs away and goes rogue again. I love that pTerry shows how Moist is chafing, and how ambivalent he is about the changes in his life and himself, but at the same time has him coping and adapting and actually making it work for him.He really does feel like a fit successor to Vimes, who was the first character Pratchett really allowed to grow over the course of several novels. I suspect that when Vimes told pTerry that he was absolutely never going to be Patrician under any circumstances whatsover, pTerry created Moist instead. (I also suspect that Moist will have a similar surprise in store for the author if Vetinari tries to make him successor.)
...er. It's also really funny, well-written, smart and entertaining satire on modern society through an increasingly steampunky lens. But it's a recent Discworld book, so you knew that already, right?
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LibraryThing member hjjugovic
Terry Prachett gives us another genius satire via Discworld's new banking system. As usual, the characters are great, the world is imaginative, the plot is tight, and the jokes keep coming...but the real charm is the way Pratchett has human nature absolutely nailed.
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
I really enjoyed the first part of this book, but the last half, was a bit rushed, and didn't hold up to the carefully created world of the bank from the first half. I am a big fan of Terry Pratchett, but this book was below par, but still better than most :)
LibraryThing member tronella
As much as I love Discworld, this one fell a bit flat for me. I'm not sure what it was, but the story just didn't seem to have as much depth as usual, and I still don't really care too much about Moist von Lipwig.
LibraryThing member grizzly.anderson
Making Money sees Moist von Lipwig, hero of Going Postal, becoming bored with the day-to-day business of the now smoothly running Ankh-Morpork Post Office, just as Lord Vetinari needs someone to take over running the Royal Bank and provide a base for all sorts of civic improvements.
Throw in the odd
Throw in the odd
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deceased wizard, the possible secret of the origin of Golems, and an Igor and you have all the necessary ingredients for a classic tale of Ankh-Morpork. Pratchett does his usual skillful job of mixing humor, satire, and wit into the story. Unfortunately it doesn't work as well as some of the best Discworld books; fortunately it works as well as most and better than the worst. Any fan of the series will certainly enjoy it, as will anyone likely to become a fan of the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member wfzimmerman
I was absolutely thrilled when this arrived the evening before I was leaving on a three-day business trip. What perfect timing! What a splendid antidote to airport boredom! It did the job, too, as my outbound trip was terrific. I finished reading the book in the hotel room the first night.
The second in the Moist von Lipwig series is very good Pratchett, perhaps not quite his best but still very enjoyable. The protagonists' gf Adora Belle spends too much time off-screen, and the villain is too delusional to be quite as frightening as possible.
Must reading for Pratchett fans, but not the book to start with.
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Unfortunately, I didn't have any other new Pratchetts to read on the flight home, which was horrendous with a two-hour runway delay followed by a turbulent flight.The second in the Moist von Lipwig series is very good Pratchett, perhaps not quite his best but still very enjoyable. The protagonists' gf Adora Belle spends too much time off-screen, and the villain is too delusional to be quite as frightening as possible.
Must reading for Pratchett fans, but not the book to start with.
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LibraryThing member psiloiordinary
The master does it again. Narrativium resists my predictions of becoming just too predictable.
The human condition twisted just enough to bring it into even sharper focus than reality normally grants. Ventinari continues to undermine my faith in democracy, as he says "Do I need to wear a badge
A particularly lovely set piece at the end and lots of food for thought on the meaning of freewill.
Surprisingly little material taking the mick out of Banks - but then, working in one, I have perhaps more raw material at my fingertips than Pterry did.
I want a Golem.
All too brief - barely a days read - come on Pterry where is the next one?
The human condition twisted just enough to bring it into even sharper focus than reality normally grants. Ventinari continues to undermine my faith in democracy, as he says "Do I need to wear a badge
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marked 'tyrant'?"A particularly lovely set piece at the end and lots of food for thought on the meaning of freewill.
Surprisingly little material taking the mick out of Banks - but then, working in one, I have perhaps more raw material at my fingertips than Pterry did.
I want a Golem.
All too brief - barely a days read - come on Pterry where is the next one?
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LibraryThing member dcoward
Thud was a dud, but this book restored my faith in Terry Pratchett. Brilliant!
LibraryThing member swanroad
Moist von Lipwig is bored after his flaming success revamping the Ankh-Morpork post office. Fortunately, the city's tyrant, Lord Vetinari, forces Moist to take on the royal mint. Like Going Postal, this novel is wickedly satirical and damn funny. The only disappointing factor is the lack of
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progress in Moist's relationship with his fiance, Adora Belle Dearheart, the chain-smoking chair of the Golem Trust. What's next? Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2008)
Locus Award (Finalist — Fantasy Novel — 2008)
Language
Original publication date
2007-09
Physical description
394 p.; 23.6 cm
ISBN
9780061161643
Copy notes
First edition.
Inscribed "To Nick / More [wishes]" on title page by author.
Inscribed "To Nick / More [wishes]" on title page by author.
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