BOOK: Making Money – Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels have long since evolved from the affectionate fantasy novel pastiches of their early days, but the last few years have shown a definite desire on the author’s part to draw a line between the initial run and a new direction.

Since 1999’s The Fifth Elephant, Pratchett has, on the whole, been producing longer and more intricate novels with a largely new set of players. Granny Weatherwax and her coven of witches have been relegated to Pratchett’s excellent Tiffany Aching books for younger readers, and the incompetent wizard Rincewind has been, it seems, completely retired. In their place we have been introduced to journalist William de Word (The Truth), military recruit Polly Perks (Monstrous Regiment), and saviour of the Post Office, Moist Von Lipwig, whose story began in 2004’s Going Postal and now continues in Making Money. A further shift in the novels has been in the plotting.

Story arcs across multiple novels now seem to be the norm, where before they could stand alone, and rather than the device of aberrations being introduced to Discworld only to be defeated and forgotten (shopping malls, cinema, rock music), the emphasis now is on innovations with lasting consequences. Ankh Morpork – a fantasy city in the Robert E. Howard mould but one where science co-exists with magic, modern inventions collide with Hammer medievalism, and political correctness requires that the undead be referred to as “differently alive” – has become a constantly evolving character in the books, and Moist’s success as postmaster has lead to Patrician Vetinari’s manoeuvring him into position as head of the city’s banking system.

The introduction of paper money to his fictional society allows Pratchett ample opportunity for musing on monetary systems and fiscal policies, and provides some level of philosophical and political backbone to the novel, in the way that quantum theory underscored Thief of Time, and Thud! abstractly reflected our current tense religious climate.

All of which doesn’t quite convey that Making Money is as funny as any previous entry in the series, and better than many. If you‘re not a fan it obviously won’t convert you, but if you’ve been tapping your fingers due to the longer than usual wait (there hasn’t been a proper new Discworld novel since 2005), this should more than make up for it.    Owen Williams

Buy Making Money here.