# I just finished Reaper Man: Or Why I'm a Pansy (spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546 "2003-11-27T07:40:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/1 "2003-11-27T07:40:51Z")
So I just read Terry Pratchett’s Reaper Man, and, damnit, I cried. Not really crying, but just sort of a few tears here and there. It started when Death went to visit Miss Flintsworth for the last time and then got heavier as he dropped her off at her Final Destination. It let up during the Wizard’s comedy relief, but came back when Windle Poon finally meets Death. Terry Pratchett’s such a great writer. I’m going to read his collaberative work, Good Omens, next followed by The Last Continent. I can’t wait! ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/2 "2003-11-27T09:15:58Z")
Remember men, wild uncontrolled bursts! Good Omens. I half expected Pterry and Neil Gaiman to sort of cancel each other out, but no it won’t disappoint. ---
**Author:** ![evilhomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/43a26b/32.png) [@evilhomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhomer)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/3 "2003-11-27T14:34:52Z")
I agree, Terry Pratchett is an excellent writer. Your reaction to the end of Reaper Man shows that he’s not just good at humor, but he’s capable of much more. I never get tired of re-reading his books because I always seem to pick up something I missed before. “WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN?” One of Death’s finest lines. ---
**Author:** ![CadburyAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@CadburyAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CadburyAngel)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/4 "2003-11-27T14:41:23Z")
Last Continent is… solid. If you want to have a lot of somethings in your eye, I vote Night Watch. It took my breath away. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/5 "2003-11-27T14:46:59Z")
Hell _all_ the Guards series are sublime. I’m with you though **CadburyAngel** - Night Watch is my favourite Prattchett up until i read that i never thought that _anything_ could (in my mind) beat Jingo. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/6 "2003-11-27T17:34:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CadburyAngel \* > \*\*Last Continent is… solid. > > If you want to have a lot of somethings in your eye, I vote Night Watch. It took my breath away. \*\* I second Night Watch. Jeez, it’s mostly SERIOUS, it’s got Vimes coming out the ears, and it’s a great story. And as a bonus, it’s got quite a bit on Vetinari, who’s one of my favorite characters. One of my favorite books. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/7 "2003-11-27T22:36:08Z")
IIRC, **Witches Abroad** has a bit with Magrat and a dress that almost caused me to lose it. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/8 "2003-11-27T23:15:12Z")
I love **Night Watch**. I just finished the Guards series- I’ve been reading them all out of order. I like his later stuff better than the earlier ones, but that may be because I’m in love with Vetinari and maybe Commander Vimes as well. And Death. I think the only one I’ve got left to read is **Moving Pictures**. And I cried during **Night Watch** and **Reaper Man**. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/9 "2003-11-28T01:11:37Z")
I just finished **Monstrous Regiment** and I think William de Worde is going to make it into my Favorites pantheon soon. ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/10 "2003-11-28T15:54:43Z")
Mmm\*\* Reaper Man\*\* one of my all time favorite fiction books. \*\*Moving Pictures \*\* is good but I didn’t much like the end. I guess I better get my butt in gear and read the Guards series… _so many books… so little time to sleep_ ---
**Author:** ![audreyayn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@audreyayn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audreyayn)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/11 "2003-11-30T04:02:23Z")
William’s in Monstrous Regiment? You made my day. **The Truth** is my favorite book writing wise, and I was hoping the newspaper would become a permanent feature of Ankh-Morpork. I love how the guards, the wizards, the beggars, all become a part of the city that adds to its variety and depth. I love PTerry, though he has a knack for killing off minor characters I like and saying things I wanted to say before I can say them and much better than I would have. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/12 "2003-11-30T05:09:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by audreyayn \* > \*\*William’s in Monstrous Regiment? You made my day. **The Truth** is my favorite book writing wise, and I was hoping the newspaper would become a permanent feature of Ankh-Morpork. I love how the guards, the wizards, the beggars, all become a part of the city that adds to its variety and depth. \*\* To be fair, he and Otto are in it for maybe half a second, but they ARE in it. And Otto taking pictures is still the funniest thing in the whole book. ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/13 "2003-11-30T05:47:12Z")
Yeah the idea of a vampire photographer just never loses its comedic value, especially one so upbeat and cheerful about turning to dust for his craft 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/14 "2003-11-30T06:43:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Priam \* > \*\*Yeah the idea of a vampire photographer just never loses its comedic value, especially one so upbeat and cheerful about turning to dust for his craft 😃 \*\* Especially the swearing. My god, I lose it every time he takes a picture. I think the only time I laughed more is when Colon slips and calls the Librarian a monkey in one of the Watch books. ---
**Author:** ![\_xiao\_wenti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b782af/32.png) [@\_xiao\_wenti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_xiao_wenti)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/15 "2003-12-01T00:03:54Z")
I would urge all of the novice Pterry-ophiles to read the thematic novels in order. It doesn’t spoil the books reading them out of order, but it does bring some depth into the characters – their maturation, if you will. I also enjoy reading them aloud to Eiren de xiao. Pterry rarely has a sentance that doesn’t flow effortlessly. If he had more artsy topics, he would be more accalimed, but less loved and poorer. I enjoy the guards novels prob the best. Feet of clay makes me feel good. ---
**Author:** ![c\_carol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@c\_carol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_carol)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/16 "2003-12-01T00:17:24Z")
I agree, Otto’s cameo appearance is one of the coolest things in MR. I wasn’t expecting William and Otto at all, but it makes perfect sense if you think about it. xiao\_wenti, how do you deal with footnotes when reading Pterry aloud? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/17 "2003-12-01T03:07:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilhomer \* > \*\* I never get tired of re-reading his books because I always seem to pick up something I missed before. > > “WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN?” > > One of Death’s finest lines. \*\* Well, it’s competing with: Miss Flintsworth: Can you dance? Death: FAMED FOR IT, MISS FLINTSWORTH. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-finished-reaper-man-or-why-im-a-pansy-spoilers/215546/18 "2003-12-01T18:54:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by c\_carol \* > \*\*I agree, Otto’s cameo appearance is one of the coolest things in MR. I wasn’t expecting William and Otto at all, but it makes perfect sense if you think about it. > \*\* Indeed. Otto makes me laugh every single time. 😃 I will second the statement about reading the books in order - everything will make much much more sense.