Blaze1616 he/him Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that Sir Terry Pratchett has passed away. May he rest in peace. As a side note to this solemn post, it seems it might be true that celebrities die in threes. First Nimoy, now Pratchett. Hopefully the third is not another SFF icon. Edit: Here's the news article. Edited March 12, 2015 by Blaze1616 3
Argent he/him Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 I am setting a really bad precedent with my last couple of posts in this forum, but another one of the brightest stars of popular entertainment has winked out. Terry Pratchett, one of the best fantasy authors, has - in his words - left early to avoid the traffic. The man was one of the best things to happen to not only the fantasy genre, but to literature in general - so passionate, so entertaining, yet poignant and real. It is a sad world which has lost sir Terry Pratchett, but not as sad as a world which has never had him. 12
Left he/him Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 Wow, I hadn't heard about this.... I've only finished one of his books, but storms Mort made me laugh. He seemed like a pretty cool guy and he really was funny as has been said. Another star that I'm actually sad to hear has gone. 2
Zea mays Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 A sad day. Nothing more to say. A fantastic writer in every sense of the word. 2
Argent he/him Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 I've only finished one of his books, but storms Mort made me laugh. They are all like this. He could make readers laugh and cry genuinely, his insight into the human condition was incredible, and so was his ability to write in a way that touched people. 2
Andarist he/him Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 Devastated. I came across his books at an important juncture in my life and I learnt more form them than I have ever learnt in class 2
king of nowhere Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 It is a sad world which has lost sir Terry Pratchett, but not as sad as a world which has never had him. I was trying to think of something deep to say, but the only thing that came to my mind was "pit". Thanks for filling the gap for me. This expresses exactly how I feel 2
vandar he/him Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) He was one of the most important authors in the last 30 years. I feel really really bad. First Jordan, now Pratchett. He was still pretty young, why do nice people die young when there are such bad people who live even more than 90 years? Rest in peace Terry, I had to read more of your works. Edited March 12, 2015 by vandar 2
Wyrmhero he/him Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) He was one of the most important authors in the last 30 years. I feel really really bad. First Jordan, now Pratchett. He was still pretty young, why do nice people die young when there are such bad people who live even more than 90 years? THERE'S NO JUSTICE. THERE'S JUST US. It's kind of ironic that Death is the most human of all his characters. That quote from Mort pretty much sums up how I feel about this. He's been a massive part of my life, my dad's life, my godfathers' lives, my friends' lives... He's just touched upon and improved so many people's lives with his books - And that's not even considering his more recent work to help combat Alzheimer's. His humour may have been sort of quintessentially British, but he had fans everywhere, and his is a loss that is felt by the entire world. I will miss Terry Pratchett. Edited March 12, 2015 by Wyrmhero 3
Cheese Ninja he/him Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 The author I respected more than any person who wasn't family. I'd give a quote, but there are far too many to choose from, each perfect for different aspects of his life and work. His books have shaped the way I think about myself, the rest of the world, and even the very act of thinking. RIP 2
Delightful Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Wow I don't really know what to say. The man was just a wonderful genius and I can't really believe that the world has lost him. We need his brilliantly funny and brilliantly true commentary on life. I'm really lost for words. 1
Quiver he/him Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 I don't have the words to sum up my feelings on this- if a figure like Terry Pratchett can be "summed up" to any justice. So I'm going to use his words instead. AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER.Terry took Death's arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night. The End. 1
traceria she/her Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Alas, I finished up Good Omens (with Neil Gaiman) only a few days before he passed. So sad...
Argent he/him Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Scott Lynch (author of The Gentleman Bastard) wrote a really wonderful post on Tumblr. I felt it captured who Terry was very well.
ChocolateRob he/him Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 I've been reading his books so long that I can't remember when I started, early nineties probably, around the start of my second decade. The paperbacks belonged to my big sister and I would get her the next whenever Christmas or birthdays approached. I started buying myself the hardbacks from Jingo onwards. My favourites were Hogfather then later Thief of Time. Good Omens has been my Cousin Saskia's favourite book for many years, so much so that whenever she sees a copy with a different cover she buys it straight away (though lately I've spotted them first and bought them for her). So long Pterry, as someone commented on Tor.com - 'Death used the sword for this one'
KamorianKandra he/him Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Unfortunately, I have never read Sir Terry Pratchett's books. In fact, I am embarrassed to admit that I haven't actually heard of him, until yesterday. After reading a bit about his books, I have decided to read some of his Discworld books. I probably won't read all of them, as there are so many, but I plan on reading some. I wondered if you guys could give me any suggestions on where to start. Also, what is the usual length for his books? 1
Left he/him Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 They're medium length books in general, 400 pages or so. Mort is the best! 2
KamorianKandra he/him Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 You don't have to read Discworld in order, correct?
Andarist he/him Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 There are a number of sub-series within Discworld revolving around a character or a set of characters. Rincewind: Colour of Magic-Light Fantastic-Sourcery-Eric-Interesting Times-Last Continent-Last Hero-Unseen Academicals The City Watch:Guards Guards-Men at Arms-Feet of Clay-Jingo-Fifth Elephant-Night Watch-Thud!-Snuff The Witches: Equal Rites-Wyrd Sisters-Witches Abroad-Lords and Ladies-Maskerade-Carpe Jugulum Tiffany Aching: The Wee Free Men-A Hat Full of Sky-Wintersmith-I Shall Wear Midnight Death: Mort-Reaper Man-Soul Music-Hogfather-Thief of Time Moist von Lipwig: Going Postal-Making Money-Raising Steam Also there are a few standlaone books like Pyramids, Small Gods, The Truth, Monstruous Regiment. Please note that the chronological order of the series should be regulated by publication order. The Lipwig books are set towards the end of the Watch Arc, that is from after Fifth Elephant onwards. This is important becasue they take place in the same area and have crossover characters. The Tiffany Aching books are all set after Carpe Jugulum 2
Delightful Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 Scott Lynch (author of The Gentleman Bastard) wrote a really wonderful post on Tumblr. I felt it captured who Terry was very well.That was amazingly beautiful.
king of nowhere Posted March 15, 2015 Posted March 15, 2015 Unfortunately, I have never read Sir Terry Pratchett's books. In fact, I am embarrassed to admit that I haven't actually heard of him, until yesterday. After reading a bit about his books, I have decided to read some of his Discworld books. I probably won't read all of them, as there are so many, but I plan on reading some. I wondered if you guys could give me any suggestions on where to start. Also, what is the usual length for his books? What andarist said. Plus, there is technologica innovation and social change going on in the discworld, so for example by one of the medium books a system of long-distance communication with semaphore towers is devised and it progressively spread throughout the books until by the last ones it is as ubiquitous as internet is nowadays. So, that could be a bit confusing if you don't read the books in order. discworld books can be read out of order and each can work as standalone, but they are better when read in order and seeing the connections. A bit like the cosmere, actually, except that in discworld the fact that all those books happen in the same world and some characters are the same is openly acknowledged 1
Blaze1616 he/him Posted March 16, 2015 Author Posted March 16, 2015 (edited) Unfortunately, I have never read Sir Terry Pratchett's books. In fact, I am embarrassed to admit that I haven't actually heard of him, until yesterday. After reading a bit about his books, I have decided to read some of his Discworld books. I probably won't read all of them, as there are so many, but I plan on reading some. I wondered if you guys could give me any suggestions on where to start. Also, what is the usual length for his books? Open spoiler for a very nice map of the connections of the books. Edited March 16, 2015 by Blaze1616 2
Eilemelie Posted March 18, 2015 Posted March 18, 2015 I've only ever read Good Omens, having kept pushing of reading Discworld because of its sheer vastness. Nevertheless, I'm sad to hear of Sir Terry's passing, and am sure the world will be a duller place without him.
LouiseSparrow she/her Posted April 11, 2015 Posted April 11, 2015 I've read all of them, but I read them in order so it is difficult to say whether you really lose anything by not knowing the background. Except for the first two (Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic) They are all stand alone novels with enough about the characters to enjoy them individually, but as has already been said some of the characters cross over, especially the later ones so it enhances the story if you know their backgrounds. The style also changes as it goes along. If you're going to dip in, rather than start from the beginning I think I'd actually start with Guards Guards!
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