Now this is my idea of a quick summer read (in other words, I bought it yesterday afternoon). In my experience you are either a Pratchett fan or you aren't, and there are good arguments on either side. I concede that the Discworld books are formulaic (you try and write 900 books in the same universe and keep them all fresh) but I enjoy them. About 90% of them fall in to the "fun, a couple of out-loud laughs, quick read" category, while the other ten percent are split between amazing (Soul Music, Small Gods, and in my opinion any of the Rincewind books) and the utterly unreadable (Pyramids and Moving Pictures).
This book is in the safe 90%; it made me laugh a bunch of times, particularly when the covert gossip organization turned out to be called The Smoking Gnu. Heh. Basically Our Hero is out to save the Post Office, so on the one hand it's about letters vs. email, and on the other hand it's about the role hope plays, and on the third hand there's something confusing about Angels. None of these books are especially character-driven (by which I mean, no one has a complex story arc; they are one thing, and then they become another, or they are one thing, and then they realize that's who they are and just embrace it) but I really liked the main character in this one and his love interest.
The more of these I write the more I realize I really enjoy universes with lots of Hey It's That Guys who appear and reappear throughout the series. I admit to cheering when Ridcully and Carrot showed up, and being disappointed at the lack of Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler.
Oh, and for those of you who've read these, this one has chapters. I know! That's how I managed not to finish it last night; there were stopping points!
Grade: B
originally posted 2006 -- the made-for-tv version of this book is one of my faaaaaaaavorite things to watch
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