Review: Going Postal by Terry Pratchett (Spoiler-Free)

Money is not a thing, it is not even a process. It is a kind of shared dream.

Netflix's Klaus in book form.

What a delight! This is my first experience with Terry Pratchett's legendary Discworld series. Other than humor and fantasy, I didn't quite know what to expect. I picked Going Postal as my introduction to the universe because the premise specifically appealed to me. I'm a huge fan of the Christmas film, Klaus, which has an extremely similar set-up and tone. Though, ideally, I prefer my fantasy a bit more gritty, I was charmed by the vibes and social commentary of this story. I think watching Stardust before reading also got me in the right headspace.

I know I keep drawing comparisons, but they're my best point of reference to describing why this book worked for me. It was like a lighter Mistborn or Gentleman Bastard story, and by that I mean it takes place in a fantastical city ruled by a tyrannical leader and follows a con-man protagonist. My perfect storm.

Pratchett's command of prose and humor is masterful, and I'm unable to fathom how much he's written and how well he's written it. I also must shout out the new version of the audiobook because it has AMAZING narrators and sound design—including Bill Nighy??? Truly an incredible way to consume the story.

I just picked up Guards! Guards! at a local used bookstore and hope to continue my Discworld experience with the City Watch series.