Terry Pratchett dies aged 66

panixs · 12/03/15 - 16:30

This news has completely floored me wonderful author and human being.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31858156

Brass Drag0n · 12/03/15 - 16:50

Very sad news.

"What can the harvest hope for, if not the care of the reaper man?"

I'm sure Death and Binky turned up in person.

Verence · 12/03/15 - 17:13

Brass Drag0n wrote: »

Very sad news.

"What can the harvest hope for, if not the care of the reaper man?"

I'm sure Death and Binky turned up in person.

As well as the Death of Rats

Relly · 12/03/15 - 18:08

It's not often that the death of a well-known person affects me, but I genuinely feel really sad about Terry. I know I didn't know him personally, but still. I wonder if it's because we won't have any more of his brilliance to read.

panixs · 12/03/15 - 18:35

Relly wrote: »

It's not often that the death of a well-known person affects me, but I genuinely feel really sad about Terry. I know I didn't know him personally, but still. I wonder if it's because we won't have any more of his brilliance to read.

I think this is why im so sad at the news not only have we lost someone who brought magic and silliness into our lives but we have also lost Sam Vimes, Nobby Nobs, Carrot, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Tiffany Aching, Death, the Wizards and many more its too much to cope with at once. As a small child I was given The Colour Of Magic as a present. It was the first fantasy book I ever had and I was hooked from the first page. I would save up my pocket money to buy the next book and was so disappointed when I came to the end of the published books at the time. So I found myself in the sc-fi and fantasy section with nothing more by Prattchet to buy so decided to pick up the wheel of time. So not only did Sir Terry introduce me to his world he opened the doors to many more from Robert Jordan to Tolkin to Peter Hamilton to David Eddings to George RR Martin to Frank Herbert and many more. I will be eternally grateful to him for that and am pleased that I was able to meet him and tell him that.

TeganRhan · 12/03/15 - 18:51

The only comfort I find is the knowlage that IF there is a paradise after death, we know he'll be in the Disc. Greeted by all his creations.

syramu · 12/03/15 - 19:04

I actually started crying at the news, which took me by surprise. Last week Leonard Nimoy's death made me sad, but I didn't cry. Maybe it's the combined impact of their deaths that hit me. What a terrible loss, but Terry Pratchett was so prolific in his writing and such a good person, we were truly blessed by his presence for as long as he was here.

CLL Dodge · 12/03/15 - 20:05

Goodbye, Sir Terry.

I'm glad he died a natural death at home with his family and cat.

"“No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away” ~ TP

moonlily · 12/03/15 - 20:19

To be honest, I'll miss his work, but he had Alzheimer's, so I'm not sorry he's dead, it's such a terrible disease that death is a mercy.

Nailz · 12/03/15 - 20:31

THERE IS NO HOPE FOR THE FUTURE , said Death.
“What does it contain, then?”
ME .
“Besides you, I mean!”
Death gave him a puzzled look. I’M SORRY ?
The storm reached its howling peak overhead. A seagull went past backwards.
“I meant,” said Ipslore, bitterly, “what is there in this world that makes living worthwhile?” Death thought about it.
CATS , he said eventually, CATS ARE NICE.

RIP Sir Terry. Probably my favourite author.
I am currently reading Sourcery and it's such a good book.

SonOfPurple · 13/03/15 - 00:10

Although it's been a wee while since I read one of his, or anyone's, books - frantic hand-to-mouth life not leaving a lot of time to sit down and read - Pratchett's books were part of my life for a substantial chunk of my younger years.

It all kicked off when CITV did an adaptation of Truckers, following which I picked up the book. Finding myself enjoying it - it wasn't your typical sci-fi, Pratchett could cram more wry wit into his footnotes than some authors can fit into their whole book - I went back to the fountain for its followups Diggers and Wings, and from there onto other titles including Carpet People and the Discworld series. For a time, family summer holidays weren't complete without calling into a bookshop to pick up the latest paperback.

I met the great man just once, when he did a signing at Bluewater. This was back when I used to wear hats quite often, and no stranger to headgear himself Terry complimented my simple titfer. Still count that as one of my great encounters, and mum may still somewhere have the Disc cookbook (yes, that happened) I had him sign for her...

Thankfully, though the maverick is gone his works will live on - his 70+ books hopefully still be in circulation for many years to come, with the various works of fiction having been supplemented last year by 'A Slip of the Keyboard', a collection of columns, articles and other non-fiction from across the Pratchett years, worth checking out even if the Discworld type of thing isn't your usual bag.

And the various telly adaptations are presumably still in the archives (if CITV does another oldskool weekend for ITV's 60th maybe Truckers will make a reappearance, there's also C4's animated Wyrd Sisters and Soul Music, and the more recent Sky1 live-action productions, which will hopefully filter down to Pick in good time...)

TeganRhan · 13/03/15 - 00:31

SonOfPurple wrote: »

Although it's been a wee while since I read one of his, or anyone's, books - frantic hand-to-mouth life not leaving a lot of time to sit down and read - Pratchett's books were part of my life for a substantial chunk of my younger years.

It all kicked off when CITV did an adaptation of Truckers, following which I picked up the book. Finding myself enjoying it - it wasn't your typical sci-fi, Pratchett could cram more wry wit into his footnotes than some authors can fit into their whole book - I went back to the fountain for its followups Diggers and Wings, and from there onto other titles including Carpet People and the Discworld series. For a time, family summer holidays weren't complete without calling into a bookshop to pick up the latest paperback.

I met the great man just once, when he did a signing at Bluewater. This was back when I used to wear hats quite often, and no stranger to headgear himself Terry complimented my simple titfer. Still count that as one of my great encounters, and mum may still somewhere have the Disc cookbook (yes, that happened) I had him sign for her...

Thankfully, though the maverick is gone his works will live on - his 70+ books hopefully still be in circulation for many years to come, with the various works of fiction having been supplemented last year by 'A Slip of the Keyboard', a collection of columns, articles and other non-fiction from across the Pratchett years, worth checking out even if the Discworld type of thing isn't your usual bag.

And the various telly adaptations are presumably still in the archives (if CITV does another oldskool weekend for ITV's 60th maybe Truckers will make a reappearance, there's also C4's animated Wyrd Sisters and Soul Music, and the more recent Sky1 live-action productions, which will hopefully filter down to Pick in good time...)

The only issue I found with the Wyrd sisters (C4 animation) is when it came onto VHS (yes it's that old and I'm that old people -blows raspberry -) is they brought out part 1 intending to sell part 1 then part 2....but instead they sold part 1...then did a box set. So you could only get part 2 by re buying part one lol
So I never got to see the end of it

I actually got into through my brother and the PC games too. Disc world 1, 2 Disc world Noir etc. I always struggle reading books cause of my dyslexia so if anyone asked me to orally name a character it'd not be pronounced as others would say it. I did however fall in love with working out what it was Pratchett was mocking, hinting at or taking reference from. When you work it out you're like "ooooooh you cleaver cleaver sod! I get it now!"

Tourista · 13/03/15 - 01:45

panixs wrote: »

I think this is why im so sad at the news not only have we lost someone who brought magic and silliness into our lives but we have also lost Sam Vimes, Nobby Nobs, Carrot, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Tiffany Aching, Death, the Wizards and many more its too much to cope with at once. <snipped for space>.

Brilliant post, and so agree about how it led to you expanding your reading. TP has that effect on many, and like Rowling with the Potter books have led to children wanting to read.

One of my nephews had problems reading as he has various problems including ADHD but one day he was visiting and was bored so I gave him my copy of "Only you can save Mankind" and he was hooked. Since then he has become a massive TP fan (like me) and has all of his books in hardback and now Kindle. He did meet TP a few years back and treasures his signed copy of "Unseen Academicals" so know he too will be deeply saddened by this news.

Thanks TP for your words and worlds.....

elliecat · 13/03/15 - 13:13

I just love the idea of a world on the back of four elephants on top of a turtle. One man's imagination is millions of people's pleasure. Such a sad day.

Jellied Eel · 13/03/15 - 18:22

I loved the way he took reality and twisted it. Especially his rather scathing takes on politics, bureaucracy and football. He also convinced me that a somewhat benevolent dictator is perhaps the most expedient form of government. If only more politicians would take note of-

Si non confectus, non reficiat

And his books were educational. Take Snuff-

"navigate their way around the ha-ha, keep their distance from the ho-ho and completely ignore the he-he."

I'd seen ha-ha but didn't know what they were called until I read that book. And only someone like Pratchett could take a feature like that and run with it.

platelet · 14/03/15 - 00:10

18,000 and counting petition politely asking Death to reinstate Terry

https://www.change.org/p/death-bring-back-terry-pratchett

Jellied Eel · 14/03/15 - 03:25

I'm sure he'd appreciate that. This also gave me a chuckle-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankh-Morpork_Assassins%27_Guild

The Library is the largest in Ankh-Morpork outside that of Unseen University, though it probably surpasses the latter in "certain specialist areas"[citation needed].

memmh · 15/03/15 - 15:53

panixs wrote: »

I think this is why im so sad at the news not only have we lost someone who brought magic and silliness into our lives but we have also lost Sam Vimes, Nobby Nobs, Carrot, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Tiffany Aching, Death, the Wizards and many more its too much to cope with at once.

The world will definitely be a sadder place without Terry Pratchett, and with no new adventures to read about our favourite Discworld characters

Hey there!

Quick Links

Terry Pratchett dies aged 66

Comments