Making Money (A Discworld Novel)

Terry Pratchett
Transworld Publishers (Double Day)

ISBN 9780385611015

The latest book in the ever lengthening Discworld series again concentrates on Moist von Lipwig as the central character. The environment is familiar and Ankh-Morpork is still ruled by Vetinari. Most of the characters though are new. The wonderfully comic Cosmo, who is completely mad, and his relatives, and a small dog all vie with Moist for ownership of the Ankh-Morpork bank. The bank has been under performing for years and requires the same type of transformation as the Post-Office (see the previous book in the series – Going Postal). Then there's the Golden Golem, the Golem Trust, and the possibility of war with the other cities on the Disc. Unseen University, Ponder Stibbons, and the Necromancy department Department of Post-Mortem Communications, are there to help out and avoid catastrophe, or contribute to it. A full cast list can be found in lspace.

We also come across another type of computer this one is water based and the whole area where is is operated is wet. It models the economy (read the book to find out how). When Moist is introduced to it, he says to it's programmer “Hello, I'm Moist”, to which the reply is “I should have put the umbrella closer to the door”. That's my type of quote!

It is clear from this novel that Pratchett does not have a high level of respect for banks. What is there that's of real worth – could it be Gold? As unlikely here as it is on the Discworld, but nonetheless something that people are drawn to. The gold standard is abandoned, as it has been in the sphere world. The story develops with its usual flourish, and a good deal of comedy, but here the characters themselves are more obviously comic in their own right. This is an easy and enjoyable read. Unlike most of the other novels in this series, its pace does not pick up dramatically at the end, which is no bad thing.

My last review of a Pratchett book was Wintersmith.