Making Money is a humourous novel by Terry Pratchett. Making Money was published in the UK on the 20th September 2007, and is the 36th novel in the Discworld series, and the second novel which follows Moist von Lipwig.
Moist von Lipwig is bored with his job as the Postmaster General of the Ankh-Morpork Post Office, so the Patrician tries to convince him to take over the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork and the Royal Mint. Moist refuses. Yet, when the existing chairwoman, Topsy Lavish, dies, she leaves 50% of the shares in the bank to her dog, Mr Fusspot (who already owns 1% of the bank, giving him a majority and making him chairman) - and she leaves the dog to Moist.
''Well, I can't force' you to ' well, clearly I can force you to, but on this occasion I don't think I will' Mrs. Lavish was very impressed with you' Give him the memorandum to sign, Drumknott'' said Vetinari.'
Moist takes over the bank and his changes include making paper money. Cosmo Lavish, a relative of Topsy, who is attempting to replace Vetinari, by trying to look and act like him, doesn't agree with Moist's position of authority in the bank.
Moist's fianc'e, Adora Belle Dearheart, is working with the Golem Trust in the meantime to uncover golems from the ancient civilization of Um. She succeeds in bringing them to the city, and to everyone's surprise the "four golden golems" turn out to be "four thousand golems" (due to a translation error).
''Every golem in the city just stopped moving.' said Adora Belle. Their gazes met.
'They're coming?' said Moist.''
Moist von Lipwig comes originally from 'berwald, and lost his parents at an early age. At school Moist was bullied, so ran away and became a travelling conman. In Going Postal (the first book on Moist), he is described as 'Between 5 foot 9 and 6 foot 2' and Moist admits that he is 26 years old. At the beginning of Going Postal, Moist's name was Albert Spangler, and he was hanged for theft. Vetinari arranged for Moist to survive his hanging, and then gave Moist the job as Postmaster General. Terry Pratchett predicts that Moist's next project with be saving the tax system in 'Raising Taxes,' due to be published some time in 2010.
Moist is a very amusing character, and his plights are quite humourous and seem challenging to his character's personality. Moist is the main character in Making Money.
Vetinari is the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork. As a youth, Vetinari was enrolled in the Assassin's Guild, the school for all high class boys. In making Money it is implied that Vetinari may in fact be a vampire, which is a rumour spreading through Ankh-Morpork. Vetinari succeeded Mad Lord Snapcase, who had been the previous Patrician. Vetinari is described to be tall, dressed all in black and around 50. When Moist compares Cosmo Lavish to Vetinari, he notes:
'It was, technically, a goatee similar to that of Lord Vetinari. A thin line of black hair ran down each cheek' and met in a black triangle just below lip, thus giving' a look of menacing elegance. And' on Vetinari it was.'
Vetinari is an excellent character with a brilliant personality. He is sarcastic and cynical, and rules Ankh-Morpork, as Moist says, like a 'tyrant.'
Adora Belle Dearheart is described as cynical and angry, and Moist gives her the nickname 'Spike' and says that she is not a 'Dearheart.' She previously worked in the bank, until Moist got her fired, and now works for the Golem Trust. Moist is described as being 'madly in love' with Adora Belle, and they are engaged by Making Money. Adora Belle is a very busy person, as this quotation suggests:
'It [the wedding] was going to be' some time in the near future, when Mrs. Dearheart finally lost patience with her daughter's busy schedule and organized the wedding herself.'
Making Money may be read on two levels. It may be read merely as leisure reading, or knowledge of the historical characters that the protagonists are based on may enlighten the reader to the more philosophical and allegorical nature of the novel. On a lighter note, Making Money is an excellent read, and what may be described as a 'laugh-out-loud' novel.