text: It is interesting to see how golems evolve from Pratchett's Discworld novel, "Feet of Clay" (1996), where they are speechless slaves of clay, to "Going Postal" (2004) where a well-educated but humorless golem serves as body guard and lecturer-in-morals to the new Post Master.  This is where it all begins...
  
  Commander Sir Samuel Vimes, of Ankh-Morpork's Night Watch pays a visit to the Dragon King of Arms at the urging of his new wife, who thinks Sam needs his own coat-of-arms now that he's been knighted.  Unfortunately, one of Sam's ancestors was a regicide so his descendent is denied an armorial bearing by the College of Heralds.  He does learn that one of his watchmen is actually the Earl of Ankh:  the inimitable Corporal Nobbs, who is forced to carry around a piece of paper signed by Ankh-Morpork's Patrician certifying that he's really human.
  
  Well, this is a bit of a come-down for Sir Sam, but he's got more important matters on his mind, including the murders of two harmless old men. One of them was beaten to death by a loaf of Dwarf bread.  His body was discovered by Captain Carrot and Corporal Angua, the only werewolf in the Night Watch, when they visited the Dwarf Bread Museum on their day off.
  
  The only link between the two corpses is a trace of white clay at both murder scenes.
  
  Subplots zigzag every which-way through "Feet of Clay."  Corporal 'Earl of Ankh' Nobbs is being courted by a group of well, nobs who haven't given up on the notion that Ankh-Morpork should be ruled by a king.  Captain Carrot, hereditary king of Ankh-Morpork who wisely refused the crown in "Men at Arms," is busy tracking murderers and emancipating golems.  Sargeant Colon is about to retire if he lives through a trip through the sewers with Wee Mad Arthur.  Corporal Angua helps a new dwarf recruit come to terms with her yen to wear lipstick.
  
  Death, who has at least a walk-on role in all the Discworld fantasies is still working on his sense of humor:  "I AM DEATH, NOT TAXES.  I TURN UP ONLY ONCE."
  
  If this sounds confusing, it isn't.  It's brilliant.  All of the story lines tie together according to character.  I don't know how Pratchett digs through the sewers and stockyards of Ankh-Morpork, and rubs together a monarchist plot with a bit of animated clay to create such a gem.
  
  I think he must use magic.
  