RIP Terry Pratchett
- Thread starter glunark
- Start date
cayman shen
Master Member
So young 
This is such terribly sad news. Of all the authors whose most wonderfully imagined creations I've shared over decades of reading Discworld has been the most enjoyable, clever, funny and wise series I have ever come across. And Sir Terry wrote so many brilliant ones !! I reread some of them every year and can still pick out something new and humorous. Loosing Douglas Adams early was shocking, but this, this feels like loosing a very close friend. RIP TP.
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cayman shen
Master Member
I've somehow never read any of his books. I'll have to check them out. I've heard nothing but praise.
Angelus Lupus
Sr Member
Dammit, this one hits hard. I still remember being engrossed by the very first book of his I read, Pyramids. After that I read everything of his I could, all of Discworld, the Nomes trilogy, Johnny Maxwell.... He could go from high fantasy, to biting satire, to flat-out-slapstick and still keep a gripping story. The only author I've ever read where I had to physically put the book down because I couldn't breathe for laughing too hard. I never knew crying with laughter was a real thing before his book, and he could do it with something as simple as "oh, bugger!". I was only recently listening to the BBC radio adaptation of Good Omens, and it was just as brilliant as the book.
I'm glad I was lucky enough to get to a book signing when I was at uni, I have fond memories of how approachable and willing to chat he was. I'm usually shy, but he put me at my ease as he signed my books, even telling me the story of how they'd had a Nanny Ogg make an appearance for one of the signings (after I'd cheekily said it was a shame the 'author' of Nanny Ogg's Cookbook couldn't show up), and patiently explaining the meaning of 'schmultz' after he'd written it in my copy of The Fifth Elephant. So glad that the lady behind me in the queue offered to snap a photo on her camera in exchange for me doing the same.
RIP Sir Terry, I hope the Anthropomorphic Personification really did turn up for you, it seems fitting.
I'm glad I was lucky enough to get to a book signing when I was at uni, I have fond memories of how approachable and willing to chat he was. I'm usually shy, but he put me at my ease as he signed my books, even telling me the story of how they'd had a Nanny Ogg make an appearance for one of the signings (after I'd cheekily said it was a shame the 'author' of Nanny Ogg's Cookbook couldn't show up), and patiently explaining the meaning of 'schmultz' after he'd written it in my copy of The Fifth Elephant. So glad that the lady behind me in the queue offered to snap a photo on her camera in exchange for me doing the same.
RIP Sir Terry, I hope the Anthropomorphic Personification really did turn up for you, it seems fitting.
Maybe Death will take another day off now, because he´s got so much to talk about with Terry ...
Listened to this http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00944ry Terry’s Desert Island Disks. It was recorded back in 1997. It’s a grey miserable day here today but hearing him talk about himself and the Discworld has strangely cheered me up.
If you want to start reading the Discworld series I suggest you start with “Mort” which is where, at least for me, his unique style, imagination and characters really begin to shine through.,and its a particularly good introduction to one of the Discworlds greatest characters " DEATH ". The earlier novels before that tend to be a bit referential to existing fantasy, ie Dragons of Pern, Swords in the ……(Fritz Lieber) series, Conan ,Tolkien etc. They are good but really anything after them with The City Watch and The Witches is usually quite brilliant.
I personally would recommend “Guards, Guards,”,” Men at Arms,” “Feet of Clay, “ “Jingo”, “The Fifth Elephant“, "The Nightwatch" and "Thud"in the Sam Vimes series ,and “The Wyrd Sisters“, “The Witches Abroad“ and “Lords and Ladies“ with Granny Weatherwax and co. And then you’ve also got “Going Postal”, “The Truth” and “Reaper Man” to rejoice in as well. All of those I found to be outstandingly entertaining stories . The rest vary between fair and quite good and only a very,very few of them didn't ever hit the mark with me, though with the the last few ,as that horrible illness took its toll on him , did became a bit repetitive plotwise.
I’d try to read them by publishing date as it helps to watch the characters and places, particularly the Patrician and Ankh Morpork ,evolve wonderfully . For anyone with younger family members the Tiffany Aching series is an excellent witching in training alternative to "Harry Potter". Sadly it looks like the final one in that series “The Shepards Crown” will now not be finished, but there is some hope his daughter might complete it.
Oh and please give "Good Omens" a go. Its a very clever riff on the horror films by the same name about what would happen if there was a terrible mix up and "Damien" got a more rural and human up bringing. It was written with Neil Gaiman and the adapted radio series was on at Xmas and they did a brilliant job with it!!!!
Its some comfort to think that although the man is now gone so much of his imagination, thoughtfulness and great humour will still continue to exist and light up peoples minds through his stories. "Mr Shine, he be diamond!!!!"
If you want to start reading the Discworld series I suggest you start with “Mort” which is where, at least for me, his unique style, imagination and characters really begin to shine through.,and its a particularly good introduction to one of the Discworlds greatest characters " DEATH ". The earlier novels before that tend to be a bit referential to existing fantasy, ie Dragons of Pern, Swords in the ……(Fritz Lieber) series, Conan ,Tolkien etc. They are good but really anything after them with The City Watch and The Witches is usually quite brilliant.
I personally would recommend “Guards, Guards,”,” Men at Arms,” “Feet of Clay, “ “Jingo”, “The Fifth Elephant“, "The Nightwatch" and "Thud"in the Sam Vimes series ,and “The Wyrd Sisters“, “The Witches Abroad“ and “Lords and Ladies“ with Granny Weatherwax and co. And then you’ve also got “Going Postal”, “The Truth” and “Reaper Man” to rejoice in as well. All of those I found to be outstandingly entertaining stories . The rest vary between fair and quite good and only a very,very few of them didn't ever hit the mark with me, though with the the last few ,as that horrible illness took its toll on him , did became a bit repetitive plotwise.
I’d try to read them by publishing date as it helps to watch the characters and places, particularly the Patrician and Ankh Morpork ,evolve wonderfully . For anyone with younger family members the Tiffany Aching series is an excellent witching in training alternative to "Harry Potter". Sadly it looks like the final one in that series “The Shepards Crown” will now not be finished, but there is some hope his daughter might complete it.
Oh and please give "Good Omens" a go. Its a very clever riff on the horror films by the same name about what would happen if there was a terrible mix up and "Damien" got a more rural and human up bringing. It was written with Neil Gaiman and the adapted radio series was on at Xmas and they did a brilliant job with it!!!!
Its some comfort to think that although the man is now gone so much of his imagination, thoughtfulness and great humour will still continue to exist and light up peoples minds through his stories. "Mr Shine, he be diamond!!!!"
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firesprite
Master Member
As an author myself, the specter of Alzheimers is a personally terrifying one. I live SO much of my life in my own mind that the idea of such a fundamental betrayal of your brain is the stuff of absolute nightmares.
Rest in Peace, sir. You will be deeply, deeply missed.
Rest in Peace, sir. You will be deeply, deeply missed.
Alzeimers and dementia in general scares the crap out of me after seeing my grandma and great grandma vanish in a short time and can only imagine what he was going thru from seeing them fade. I think i'll break out my playstation and play the discworld games and maybe watch the discworld movies on youtube this weekend.
Angelus Lupus
Sr Member
I've been remembering my chat with him at the book signing, in retrospect he'd probably heard all my questions a thousand times, but for those few minutes he made me feel like I had his full attention (especially when he noticed the Death pendant I was wearing).. After he'd signed my books I cheekily asked if he'd sign my Death card from a Tarot deck (this one looked particularly like his character), he was happy to, and I asked if it was the weirdest thing he's been asked to sign (secretly relieved that he hadn't thought I was crazy for asking).. Without needing to think, he told me someone had once brought along a scythe for him to sign... never thought to ask if it was a sharp one, it was probably in the days before tightened security
Blaxmyth
Sr Member
Blaxmyth
Sr Member
Just downloaded it. Thanks so much for posting this.
