RIP Terry Pratchett

[pcstru]

Very sad news. His ripples will live on to the end of mankind or time, whichever happens first.

[Dos_Box]

This is beginning to do the rounds. I found it on Facebook and very fitting it is too:

 

The following has been circulating on the intertubes..."I would like my pudding now nurse. And then I think I'd like to... write... something... I don't remember what."

Standing in the corner, he waits. The sand slowly flows, but it nears its end. The old man still glows, as thousands of threads spread away from him.

SQUEAK.

I AGREE. IT IS A SHAME TO SEE HIM THIS WAY.

SQUEAK.

NO. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.... BUT I CANNOT WAIT TO ASK HIM HOW IT ALL ENDS.

The old man looks up, through them at first... and then he sees them. For once, the smile on the hooded figure's skull is genuine.

"I... I remember you. The anth... ant..."

ANTHROPOMORPHIC PERSONIFICATION.

"Yes, that. We knew each other?"

ONCE. AND WILL AGAIN, SIR.

He so rarely said it, and these feelings... remembering his young apprentice, and beloved daughter. The beautiful child they have.

"There... is a girl, yes?"

SHE IS SPEAKING TO THE AUDITORS, SIR. THEY ARE UNWILLING TO LISTEN.

"Well then. You know what they say, two things you cannot avoid. Taxes and..." He looks into the fiery blue eyes, and becomes aware.

SQUEAK.

"Quite right. Is it time already? I have so much left to do."

YOU HAVE GIVEN ALL YOU CAN SIR.

"No, not cancer. Alzheimers."

I AM AWARE.

"So, where is the boy? I remember a boy."

CARRIAGE ACCIDENT.

"Ahh. Never much trusted cars. Or horses."

THEY GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.

"Must I?"

SOON. BUT WE MAY SIT HERE AWHILE.

SQUEAK

DO YOU HAVE ANY BISCUITS?

"No. Shame really."

YES.

"Is it truly turtles?"

ALL THE WAY DOWN. I HAVE SEEN THEM.

"Ahh. I would love to see it. Perhaps a small trip before?"

IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE.

"The light is slower there... and there's a monkey...."

ORANGUTAN. SAME PRINCIPLE.

"Yes... will they remember me?"

SQUEAK.

"What was that? I could not hear you."

HE SAYS WE WILL, SIR.

"I never much liked the trouble people had with you. You seem like a nice fellow."

I HAVE MY DAYS.

"Don't we all?"

SOME LESS THAN OTHERS.

"Is it quick?"

YES. AND I BROUGHT THE SWORD. CEREMONY DICTATES IT.

"Ahh. How about a cup of tea?"

I WOULD ENJOY IT. DO YOU PLAY CHESS?

"No. how about checkers?"

And so they sat, two old friends regaling each other, though the old man could not remember all of the details, the cloaked man and his rat filled him in, when it was needed.

- by Nick Mogavero

Edited March 12, 2015 by Dos_Box

[Gatt]

A crowd has started to form in Sator Square..

 

[GrumbleDook]

I went into DW MUD for the first time in a while at the weekend. It is a sad place in there at the moment.

 

I haven't ventured into IRC yet ... just chatting with AFP friends via email and FaceBook instead.

 

Just been digging out photos from CCDE as well.

 

From lspace.org

One day I'll be dead and THEN you'll all be sorry.

-- (Terry Pratchett, 28 Nov 1992, on alt.fan.pratchett)

[JJonas]

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

 

That's from Reaper Man, I believe, a friend posted that on my FB wall with this addition...

 

Our children turning the pages keep the ripples moving

[tmcd35]

Oh, wow - I missed this yesterday. Truly gutted. Before his time.

[elsiegee40]

Terry Pratchett dead: Fans are petitioning Death to bring back Discworld author | Metro News

[Novalee]

Very sad news. I remember getting for Christmas as a teenager, a chunky wrapped book, which I thought was the latest Harry Potter. But it was entitled Bromeliad and was Terry's Truckers, Diggers and Wings trilogy. I adored it and fell in love with his work then and the wonderful humour and cleverness in his writing. I then moved onto the disc world series and really enjoyed that too. As many other people, my favourite character is DEATH. Perhaps, favourite Discworld is Moving Pictures - at least, that's the one which sticks in my most the most.

 

I still don't know how to pronounce Bromeliad though!

[korifugi]

I remember being intrigued by a book my Mother had from the library - It was called Reaper Man. I decided to read it and was hooked instantly, the depth and cleverness of the world appealed to me, to the point of collecting the entire Discworld Series.

 

Later, during my time at secondary school, my English teacher informed me he was in Dillon's bookstore, in Derby - doing a signing until about 5:00.

 

After school I raced home, did my paperound and raided my stash of money - begging my parents to let me go and buy Masquerade and get it signed.

 

I arrived to find a queue that went all the way around the shop, and almost into the Eagle Centre - joining it I found a kindred spirit with the array of people there, a shared love of Discworld.

 

I didn't get to see Terry until about 7:30/8:00 - but it was obvious he loved the Disc as much as his fans, and that he loved his fans even more. Grasping for something to say, my eyes fell upon his opera hat...

 

"Why do you always wear the hat?" I asked

 

He looked up and lifted it slightly off his head and almost conspiratorially said "Because I'm going bald underneath".

 

This was my encounter with the man - Quirky yet practical, with an almost childlike excitement behind his eyes.

[sonofsanta]

I think I'll read a little more of Truckers to my boys tonight at bedtime than I need to, not for them to fall asleep, but for me to say goodbye.

 

And in one of those weird moments, when the Universe seems to wink at you and tip its hat in acknowledgement, this came up in the few brief pages of Truckers that I read to my boys last night:

"You have to interpret these signs," said Gurder. "Once they had one saying Fire Sale, and we didn't see them sell any fire."

"What do ask the other things say?" said Masklin.

"Well that one over there says Everything Must Go," said Gurder. "But that turns up every year. It's Arnold Bros (est. 1905)'s way of telling us that we must lead good lives, because we all die eventually."

 

This is the only time in my life I've ever been upset about someone I don't personally know dying. It's really gotten to me

[witch]

First one I read was Mort. Death is still my favourite character.

 

I like the bit about him meeting death although to be pedantic, his form of Alzheimers did not affect his ability to write or remember most things, strangely.

He could well have died of a serious chest infection because his disease would suppress his immune response.

 

I have all his books - I didn't, until my mum died when her collection was added to mine. I hope she is talking to him somewhere

[sonofsanta]

And this marvellous poem from Reddit:

 

The sun goes down upon the Ankh,

And slowly, softly fades -

Across the Drum; the Royal Bank;

The River-Gate; the Shades.

 

A stony circle's closed to elves;

And here, where lines are blurred,

Between the stacks of books on shelves,

A quiet 'Ook' is heard.

 

A copper steps the city-street

On paths he's often passed;

The final march; the final beat;

The time to rest at last.

 

He gives his badge a final shine,

And sadly shakes his head -

While Granny lies beneath a sign

That says: 'I aten't dead.'

 

The Luggage shifts in sleep and dreams;

It's now. The time's at hand.

For where it's always night, it seems,

A timer clears of sand.

 

And so it is that Death arrives,

When all the time has gone...

But dreams endure, and hope survives,

And Discworld carries on.

[SpuffMonkey]

I thought I might have a another go at reading some Pratchett - where would people recommend I start? I read a couple years ago and didn't think much to them - but perhaps I was just unlucky or not in the right mood?

[sonofsanta]

I thought I might have a another go at reading some Pratchett - where would people recommend I start? I read a couple years ago and didn't think much to them - but perhaps I was just unlucky or not in the right mood?

 

Peronsally I love the City Watch books, so I'd go with Guard! Guards! and then Men at Arms, because they're both late enough that he had settled into his rhythm (early books are a bit rough around the edges) but they're the first two books in that sequence, so they're fairly self-contained - you'll not be missing any backstory as you would with the wizards or Granny Weatherwax.

[localzuk]

I think the first book I read was The Last Continent, followed by The Hogfather. Got me hooked, to say the least!

[themightymrp]

I love the City Watch books, but just as good are the Death series. So start with Mort and Reaper Man

[elsiegee40]

For me, the first book was The Colour of Magic shortly after it was published. The girlfriend of a friend of mine at university was raving about it... that couple have been on the committee for DW conferences because they got so addicted.

 

The witches, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, are probably my favourite characters.

[LosOjos]

I loved the Golems' story in Discworld too - Feet of Clay is one of my favourites.

[salc]

Peronsally I love the City Watch books, so I'd go with Guard! Guards! and then Men at Arms, because they're both late enough that he had settled into his rhythm (early books are a bit rough around the edges) but they're the first two books in that sequence, so they're fairly self-contained - you'll not be missing any backstory as you would with the wizards or Granny Weatherwax.

 

Couldn't agree more, they are my favourites too.

[jamesb]

Oook.

 

Personally I still think Nation was his best work, but have loved every one of his books.

 

There are two more due this year - one from the Long Earth, and one finishing off the Tiffany Aching arc.

[sonofsanta]

There are two more due this year - one from the Long Earth, and one finishing off the Tiffany Aching arc.

 

What have others thought of the Long Earth books? I've just finished the second one, The Long War, and to be honest, both of them have been a bit... underwhelming. It's a great idea, and brings up great questions - when there's plenty for everyone and we can go back to a subsistence lifestyle, do we need to strive anymore? Do we need to push ourselves to progress? - but the plot ends up being spread too thin amongst viewpoints, and never builds to any sort of crescendo, and it always feels a bit... unsatisfying. There was a line near the end of the second one along the lines of And just like that, the Long War was ended without even a shot being fired, and I thought, Ended? I hadn't even noticed it had started!

 

New Tiffany Aching is great news, though! And I very much enjoyed Dodger, of a couple of years back.

[LosOjos]

I have found his recent books a little hard-going to be honest - I don't know if it was just psychological, but I have felt like since he has relied more heavily on ghost writers, they've lost a lot of Pratchett's personality and I haven't enjoyed them as much. I'll give them another go eventually, but I still have plenty of older Discworld novels to catch up on first!

[themightymrp]

I agree, although I've only read The Long Earth so far (I have the other two lined up and ready to go). A great concept but like you say, doesn't really build up in any way. Meh

 

I think the new Tiffany book is going to be called The Shepherds Crown

[unixman_again]

http://www.thepoke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/B_6We-YU8AAlRZz.png

He had a great sense of humour!

[Gibbo]

What have others thought of the Long Earth books?

 

I loved the idea but I agree, very underwhelming.

 

As for his Discworld books I was very disappointed with the Raising Steam. What's happened to Ankh Morpork and the Discworld since the last book? The city seems to have come on leaps and bounds with no detail why. There's now communities outside the city walls and "starter homes".

 

The speed in which the train appeared just defies all logic and engineering. You'd expect the first train to look and operate a little like Stephenson's Rocket, but the book portrays it more like the Mallard, with interiors comparable to the Orient Express.

 

There were far too many references to things like Bradshaw's Railway Journeys, the Railway Children and others, which seemed a little silly. The Railway Children one was just embarrassing.

 

And the thesaurus was out in force (thank God for the Kindle's dictionary) for unused North American slang words, Alpine clothing names and so on. I also saw a couple of references to something called "The Gap". Wasn't this in The Long Earth?

 

Overall, I felt the entire book and the assembling of every key character from the series, to be just a little too forced and becoming too much like our world. The joy of the Discworld was that it wasn't like ours, but this just read like a British Victorian story.