"Tell me, Mr. Lipwig, would you like to make some real money?" Moist von Lipwig has already done wonders for Ankh-Morpork's postal system (see the review here). Now Lord Vetinari would like him to do the same to the city's Banking/Minting institution. And when Vetinari makes you an offer such as this, you are well-advised to accept.
What's To Like...
After some dithering, Moist accepts the challenge (you knew he would) and you (and Moist) are introduced to a whole slew of new characters with secrets, eccentricities, and nefarious intents. The old crew (DEATH, Sam Vimes, the Night Watch, etc.) are here as well, although for the most part, they are relegated to cameo roles.
Moist rapidly gets entangled in monetary matters. Meanwhile, his GF, Adora Belle Dearheart, is leagues away investigating golem artefacts. As usual, Terry Pratchett moves both storylines (and their various complexities) deftly along; tying them neatly together at the end.
Making Money starts a tad slow - the tour of the bank drags on as we wait for something to happen. But that's just a device to get you acquainted with all the new faces, and once that's done, things pick up nicely.
Kewlest New Word...
Plangent : beating with a loud, deep, and often mournful sound.
Excerpts...
"A banker? Me?"
"Yes, Mr. Lipwig."
"But I don't know anything about running a bank!"
"Good. No preconceived ideas."
"I've robbed banks!"
"Capital! Just reverse your thinking," said Lord Vetinari, beaming. "The money should be on the inside." (pg. 23)
Whenever possible, Lavishes married distant cousins, but it wasn't uncommon for a few, every generation, to marry outside, in order to avoid the whole "three thumbs" situation. The women found handsome husbands who did what they were told, while the men found wives who, amazingly, were remarkably good at picking up the petulance and shaved-monkey touchiness that was the mark of a true Lavish. (pgs. 126-127)
Quia ego sic dico. ("because I say so") (pg. 378)
Making Money is typical of Terry Pratchett's recent Discworld offerings. There's not as much slapstick humor and mangled metaphors as in the early books, but the writing is more skillful, and you are still treated to an ample amount of chortles.
Stylistically, it is very similar to the first Moist von Lipwig book - Going Postal. So if you liked that one, you'll enjoy this one equally well. 8½ Stars.
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