Book review
Considered by many critics to be a master of British humor, Terry Pratchett is one of the foremost satirists in literature today. His novels are frequent installments on bestsellers' lists, and in April 2003, five of his books were named to the BBC's "Big Read" Top 100 Best Loved Novels. Pratchett has satirized everything from consumer crazes to life, the universe and everything, so it should come as no surprise that he's run out of universal truths to reveal through his writing.
His latest efforts have been more concerned with examining corrupt institutions, most exemplified by the not-always humorous eye he turned towards the jingoistic war machine in last year's "Monstrous Regiment."
But the premise of Pratchett's most recent book centers on something a little more letter-perfect: the post office. In "Going Postal," the master satirist takes aim both at the men who deliver our mail and the corporate businesses who try to control everything that moves, exploring the under utilized depths of the post office in order to deliver a satire about bureaucratic inefficiency.
The book represents a first in many ways for the celebrated author. His eccentric style has developed greatly over the years. Where once Pratchett would have poked fun at any target he could, his humor today is much keener, focusing directly on the target of his satire in order to draw more effective parallels to communicate his point.
"Going Postal" follows the story of Moist van Lipwig, a successful young con-artist who until now has made his living by pretending to be anyone but himself. When the government forces him to choose between death and taking over the city's stagnating post office, Moist decides to venture into the abyss of century-old undelivered letters in order to find out what it means to be a real postman.
Moist's universe is uniquely situated for a good satire because while the post office has never really been successful, his city already has a Pratchett version of the internet. The newly-christened Postmaster General does battle with the corporation that owns the worldwide network of the semaphore (or telegraph) towers, and is able to send a message from point to point almost instantaneously.
Plot has never been Pratchett's strong point, and once again, it never quite manages to drive the book. The larger frame of Moist's journey is almost entirely predictable - does anyone really doubt that the career tin-can con man will eventually gain a heart, or that the corrupt corporation will get its ultimate comeuppance?
But, plot aside, the author masterfully adds enough exaggerated circumstances and clever commentary to keep his readers intrigued (though never enthralled). Even with his newly-refined ability to focus his humor on one subject, Pratchett never quite manages to deliver the scathing criticism that really impels a good satire.
The religious undertones of Moist the Great (Letter) Deliver never come to fruition, and much of the tension in the story itself simply drains away without reaching an epiphany. In addition, one is never really quite sure what Pratchett is trying to poke fun at - is it the post office, with its never-ending lines and letter-and-stamp bureaucracy? The unreliable internet? The money-hungry corporation? Many of the barbs fall so timidly short of their targets that it is nearly impossible to tell.
There is simply not enough risk involved in the story. Neither the protagonist nor Pratchett himself ever really puts his head on the line, and it shows in the lack of emotional release at the book's conclusion.
As Pratchett's audience has grown, the focus of his novels has become even narrower. Perhaps his crusades of today simply seem less noble in comparison with the ones that he took up in the past (who would choose to champion the post office when they could be combating jingoism or fighting against overly-organized religion?), but they're also much less daring, and thus lack the emotional hook needed to help the reader sympathize with Moist's plight.
In the end, "Going Postal" just fails to deliver. There may be enough giggles to keep long-time Pratchett fans entertained, but even they will feel like they misplaced a stamp or two when the story reaches its ultimate conclusion.
Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor hail may slow down the mighty postman, but the lack of a driving plot and a fearful lack of any really scathing satirical moments do wonders to drag down Pratchett's latest yarn.
