Musings of Two Creative Minds

*****5 BIG Smiley Stars***** Mr. Pratchett's latest offering to us is a wonderful read, in my opinion. I've seen other reviews where people lamented that his declining health was clearly showing in this book saying things like "it wasn't as funny..." or "...it felt like this was his farewell to the fans..." etc. A lot of this is understandable considering the rare form of alzheimer's he is fighting. But for me, this book felt more like a wonderfully wild ride that took us to various parts of the Discworld, just as the invention of the first train in Ankh-Morpork intended. Pratchett uses the invention of the first steam engine to take us all over and reintroduce us to a number of old and familiar faces and places. We go back to Uberwald to visit Lady Margolotta, The Low King of the Dwarves, Bonk, the goblins, Harry King "King of the Golden River" (a river you would not want to swim in by the way folks), Commander Vimes and the ...

The Bank of Ankh-Morpork has gone to the dogs... or rather the dog of the now deceased chairman of the bank.  When Topsy Lavish died, she willed her controlling shares in the bank to her dog Mr. Fusspot, who she in turn bequeathed to the least trustworthy man in all of Ankh-Morpork, Moist Von Lipwig former con artist and now "reformed" character. Soon our dear Mr. Lipwig finds himself trying to deal with the entire Lavish family who all want Mr. Fusspot dead, while at the same time he has Lord Vetinari the city's Patrician, breathing down his neck to give the city a loan to fund some much needed infrastructure improvements.   But the Bank and the Mint both run on the gold currency, and there's only so much gold to go around.   Soon Moist is in mischief and high finance up to his ears.  Wheeling and dealing, talking a mile a minute and selling the idea of paper currency to the inhabitants of Ankh-Morpork.  Can his fast talk and silver...