Making Money

 

Making Money by Terry Pratchett 394 pp.

Moist Lipwig, Ankh-Morpork's favorite conman turned Postmaster General is awarded a new position in the city's mint by the despotic Lord Vetinari. Moist must then deal with the elderly Royal Bank chairman who keeps two loaded crossbows on her desk and the Mint manager who is a small dog. There's also the chief clerk who is possibly a vampire and tries to block all of Moist's plans. Upon the death of the chairman, the dog is made the one in charge with Moist running things for him. While he tries to implement a paper money system, he must also figure out where the gold has disappeared to, creating many enemies that want to see Moist gone. Throw in a bunch of Golems, one who is transgender, if that is possible in a sexless clay being and a very inflexible accountant who was born a clown and it becomes Pratchett at his Pratchettiest.  In spite of, or maybe because of, the silliness there is a fairly solid plot in this book although it isn't quite as good as its predecessor, Going Postal.  

Thud!

Thud! A Novel of Discworld by Terry Pratchett  439 pp.

Long ago in the Koom Valley of Ankh-Morpork a huge battle took place between the dwarves and the trolls. There has been animosity between them ever since. A dwarf named Grag Hamcrusher has been attempting to incite unrest between the trolls and dwarves until he is found bashed to death with a troll club left by his side. It is up to Commander Sam Vines of the City Watch to solve the murder before there is another war. What he discovers is a secretly built labyrinth of mines beneath the city which holds mysterious clues to the killing. While busy solving the murder, Vines insists on being home promptly at 6 p.m. every night to read "Where's My Cow" to his young son. This is classic Pratchett with all the strangeness and humor you expect. It's not my favorite of the series but it is still good. If you are keeping track, this is book 34 in the Discworld series and book 7 in the City Watch branch of the series.