Sad News about Terry Pratchett

[Alex]

This is from his website:

Folks,

I would have liked to keep this one quiet for a little while, but because of upcoming conventions and of course the need to keep my publishers informed, it seems to me unfair to withhold the news. I have been diagnosed with a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer's, which lay behind this year's phantom "stroke".

We are taking it fairly philosophically down here and possibly with a mild optimism. For now work is continuing on the completion of Nation and the basic notes are already being laid down for Unseen Academicals. All other things being equal, I expect to meet most current and, as far as possible, future commitments but will discuss things with the various organisers. Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful, because I think there's time for at least a few more books yet )

PS I would just like to draw attention to everyone reading the above that this should be interpreted as 'I am not dead'. I will, of course, be dead at some future point, as will everybody else. For me, this maybe further off than you think - it's too soon to tell. I know it's a very human thing to say "Is there anything I can do", but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry.


Tis very sad news, I used to be a huge fan of Pratchett's, and whilst I haven't read any of his new books recently, I re-read Wyrd Sisters earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I just hope that he manages to go on as long as he can without being in too much distress...

[Si Hunt]

One usually seeks comfort from the fact that apparently if you keep your brain fit and active you avoid Alzheimers and the like. It's therefore quite concerning that even someone who has used his brain and imagination all his life to write is not immune.

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

That is sad news, not least for his family. I know Terry is a prolific writer (even if I haven't read any of his output) & I hope he is foresighted enough to tie up all loose ends of his serials (if any) before the inevitable happens.

[SiHart]

That's quite a shock, as he seemed very lucid and with it in his recent interview in Death Ray.
I'm not a huge fan of his work, and haven't really read a great deal of his prolific output, but this isn't something I'd wish on anyone.

Si xx

[Rob McCow]

Alzhimers seems to be a bit of a mystery disease, in that I don't think it's known what causes it.

Very sad to hear this happening to Terry Pratchett though. I'm not a fan of his books, but he's always come across as wonderfully genial and intelligent in interviews. Hopefully the early diagnosis is a good sign.

[WhiteCrow]

Yes this is very sad news. I've read some of this work. He's one of those people I put down one of his books and am itching to get another one.

This is a terrible blow, but as I learnt from my grandmother, it can still be the best part of years before it takes any serious toll.

Ever to form ...

I know it's a very human thing to say "Is there anything I can do", but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry.

Seeing as he's very big amongst students/University/professors, he might be surprised ...

[Captain Tancredi]

Again not having ready any of his books, but he's surely one of the most prolific authors around today and has always seemed very accessible to his fans, so it sounds very much as if he's planning to complete his current projects as time and circumstances allow. Alzheimer's seems to be one of those conditions where sufferers can have good days and bad days, so he may well have the opportunity to get a fair bit of work done yet.

[Si Hunt]

Everyone agrees he's good, though no-one has read any of his books. People at Old Work used to like him though. He seems to be one of those authors who you have to have read the previous 23 books to get what's going on. Like Asimov, whose "Foundation" Dad tried to get me to read once.
"What's going on here then?" said I.
"Oh, you'll understand it when you've read Foundations: Genesis, Foundations: Apocalypse and Foundations: Eclipse of the Cloven Ram said he.
"Cheers," said I. "I want to enjoy this book NOW, not in forty years time! I think I'll have a cup of tea instead."

Si.

[Jon Masters]

I've read all of his books and he's bloody good. Its also been very rewarding to see him develop from a 'Douglas Adamsesque' writer of fantasy, to just a very good writer. Many of his later books could be transposed to a non-fantasy setting and would be just as powerful because he's just using the fantasy elements as a hook to hang the story on.
He sets himself a punishing schedule of two books per year, so maybe he can afford to slow down a bit and look after himself a bit more

He seems to be one of those authors who you have to have read the previous 23 books to get what's going on.
Si.

While that's true for just the first few books, he's been very careful to avoid that in general - any recurring characters you learn enough about in each individual book to understand them, and any little cameos are there more as nods to the long term reader than being essential to the plot.
Of course, each one may concentrate on a certain batch of characters (the Witches, the Guard, the Wizards, DEATH) but that just means when you've read one you can go back and catch up with the ones you've missed.

As a first time reader I recommend something like Mort, or Thief of Time, or if you want something seasonal try Hogfather

[WhiteCrow]

Yes - I read his books in a haphazzard way, and there's only the most tenuous connection between them. They are superb for that, they're based in the same place, but each is 300 pages of magic, an ideal read for a summer bank holiday.

[Paul Clement]

Everyone agrees he's good, though no-one has read any of his books.

I know, it's terrible. Read his books, people. They are the best books that have come out in years. I've read all bar Making Money, which I'll hopefully get for Christmas. I hope he gets to write a few more, as he's an annual institution, with a new discworld book coming out September or October of each year. Each year I get the book for Christmas and have read it by New Year.

[Pip Madeley]

"What's going on here then?" said I.
"Oh, you'll understand it when you've read Foundations: Genesis, Foundations: Apocalypse and Foundations: Eclipse of the Cloven Ram said he.
"Cheers," said I. "I want to enjoy this book NOW, not in forty years time! I think I'll have a cup of tea instead."

Sounds like the early New Adventures.

[Dirk Gently]

I know, it's terrible. Read his books, people.

I will...just as soon as I finish all the Doctor Who books I've got. 2030 would be my guess.

[Pip Madeley]

And by then you'll be wearing bottle glasses.

[WhiteCrow]

The thing is Terry Pratchet has managed to tap into something I wish a lot more in fantasy would try, a 300 page book which is a stand alone tale. Rather than the all too often 3/5/12 book epic saga of 500-900 pages in length.

Terry is singlehandedly responsible for getting my brother to enjoy reading. My brother hated books, until he came accross Pratchets collection.

We're so concerned sometimes about multi-book epic sagas, which are a measure of endurance to read, we've forgotten that reading should be FUN. Something Terry managed with his often quite intelligent fables.

[Stuart Wallis]

We're so concerned sometimes about multi-book epic sagas, which are a measure of endurance to read, we've forgotten that reading should be FUN. Something Terry managed with his often quite intelligent fables.

Quite! Even for someone who reads a fair deal, LOTR was a test of endurance for me, I was glad when I finished it. One thing I've noticed with Essex Libraries is that they don't always order the end of a series for a while, when they order it at all, unless it's in a more generally-read genre (ie non-cult). With Terry, there's strands that can be followed if you want, but you can dip in and out of them as Mr. Crow says. Terry's very literate himself, part of the fun for readers is to spot the historical and pop-culture references - and if you miss them, they're done in such a way that you don't notice that there's more than just the one level to the joke.

[WhiteCrow]

Terry's very literate himself, part of the fun for readers is to spot the historical and pop-culture references - and if you miss them, they're done in such a way that you don't notice that there's more than just the one level to the joke.

It's this which makes the Discworld such an intelligent series. There are some clever ideas which drive his books, increasingly they've been really looking at multiculturalism, with Ankh-Morpork a London style metropolis.

[Stuart Wallis]

Thud! being the most obvious recent example of course, with Vimes having to tread carefully so as not to offend either side, using methods not a million miles away from those used by the Met.

[Andrew Curnow]

I've only dipped in and out of them, but I always enjoy them. And the first one, "The Colour of Magic" is in fact one of only two books I've ever bought just because it was on the shop shelf and sounded interesting, rather than because I knew something about it.

The one thing that used to niggle me was the lack of chapters in his books, but even that isn't an issue now as I believe the recent ones are chaptered (if that's a word). Like Douglas Adams, there are some really strong and imaginative ideas running through Pratchett's books, which make them thought-provoking as well as hilarious. There aren't many books that make me really laugh out loud, but some of Pratchett's prose does (there's a line in the first book with Carrot ("Guards, Guards" I think) which runs something like "ask her how to stop spelling impregnable" which had me in fits; and then there's the peerless "Death is missing, presumed... gone" blurb from the back of "Reaper Man").

Sad news, but I daresay he'll take it with his usual dry humour as far as possible.

[Brian]

This is sad news

He is not only a brilliant writer but a thoroughly nice bloke.

I met him at one of the cheap (tents not hotel) conventions, he bought me a beer when I said that I'd never tried real ale before. It tasted awful

Like he says though pity and sadness will do nothing, he will have left a hell of a legacy when he eventually is gone (whether in mind or not) and millions of people will know him and his thoughts and imagination.

Viva la disc

[SiHart]

I've not read a great deal of Pratchett, but I'm giving him another try in May when my book group is doing Going Postal. Is this a good choice? It seemed to get good reviews, but then most of his books seem to get good reviews. I was just wondering what Pratchett fans make of it...

Si xx

[Dirk Gently]

I was watching the making of Colour of Magic the other day & the interview with Pratchett was quite interesting. He looks an eccentric type of chap but also good fun. I actually missed the show itself but I'm sure it'll be repeated as they did with Hogfather which I thought was good fun & probably nothing like the book.

[WhiteCrow]

I've not read a great deal of Pratchett, but I'm giving him another try in May when my book group is doing Going Postal. Is this a good choice?

Yes a very good choice. As with all his books it can be read on it's own, and most of the characters here are completely "from new".

One I'd particularly recommend is Thud! as it deals with aspects relevant to todays society namely cultural differences etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thud%21

[SiHart]

I have to say that I really enjoyed Going Postal. It was more satircal and clever rather than laugh out loud funny, but I don't think that's a bad thing, and there were lots of things in it that made me smile. I think Moist Von Lipwig was a great character and it just goes to show that only a reformed crook can make the post office work the way it should... maybe the Royal Mail should take note.
I still wonder what my ladies at the Reading Group will make of it... I'll report back on that!

I think at some point I'm going to return to Discworld and catch up with what's been going. Can anyone recommend what I should read? I've done Reaper Mna, The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic in the past, and now Going Postal. Does Going Postal have a sequel yet?

Si xx

[WhiteCrow]

As far as I know not yet Si.

Terry's work really started off as "comedy fantasy" in the 80s and he was called "the Douglas Adams of fantasy". It's now an awful tag for him, because he's something quite different from that.

As you've found he uses the Discworld to look at themes really quite closer to home, and it's become as you've found a satirical way to look at the world, over just dumb comedy for it's own sake. I always find him an intelligent read, but he has his own view on how the Universe works and it's a common theme time and time again.

I would really NOT recommend the earlier Discworld books to someone, because simply his style has improved greatly as he's written, and he's written a lot.

I'd suggest in a similar thread to Going Postal works like "Thud!" (looking at race relations), "The Truth" (looking at papers).