Shit. I’ve never actually cried at a celebrity death before. Terry Pratchett basically shaped my childhood. There were many, many points in my life where I was closer with his characters and his world than with reality. Meeting him was always somewhere on my bucket list. Not near enough to the top, I guess. Goodbye Rincewind. Goodbye Lord Vetinari. Goodbye Foul Ole Ron, goodbye Susan, goodbye Tiffany, goodbye Carrot, goodbye Moist and Nanny Ogg and Greebo and Cheeri . . .
“No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away…” – Reaper Man
Pterry will live as long as there are words to be read and imaginations to be challenged.
You know what I’m disappointed we won’t see? It’s kind of morbid, but at the same time, appropriate: I’m disappointed that we won’t get to see the death scenes for Granny Weatherwax, Vimes, Carrot, Vetinari, Rincewind, and several other major characters. I’m disappointed because Pratchett’s death scenes are all just so good, and make DEATH out to be such a, well, nice guy, and I’d love to see just how he and those other characters interact.
I met Pterry at SF cons a couple of times. As you might have expected, he was likable, charming, cheerful, and a very funny and entertaining speaker. I remember he did a bit about how scientists have finally translated the songs of whales into human speech, but it turns out all they’re saying is “I’m going for a swim today! Swim! Swim!” Mere words cannot convey the impact, he did a real funny whale.
Of course, Granny and Rincewind (and many of the UU wizards) have met Death before. Vetinari has not (AFAICR) but has often . . . fed him, or employed him, whichever you prefer.
Yes, this one hurts. And I was – am – in the middle of a reading spree of Pratchett. To lose him in the midst of enjoying his books, chuckling as I read, then sighing, then staying up too late because, damn it, with no chapters, it is too easy to keep going and going… what a marvelous world he created, and such sharp observations of our own in it. When I saw the news flash from the Guardian today, I put my head down and cried. This one hurts.
And can I say thank you to the Dope? I never, ever would have read a book about elves and dwarfs and suchlike, if not for reading these boards, and figured I’d give it a try. I picked up “Lords and Ladies” and it hooked me from the first paragraph.
Such pleasure I’ve had, so many happy hours reading his books. And re-reading! The good stuff, you can re-read with as much joy. I’ll be doing some bittersweet re-reading this summer.
As an assassin by training if not by trade, I expect Vetinari would muse that Death and him share crucial aspects in their respective work : trying to impose a semblance of order upon the terminally (heh) disorderly, and meeting interesting people in interesting circumstances.
Going Postal has chapters: some idiot reviewer sniffed at him as an amateur because he didn’t even have proper chapters, so Pratchett happily wrote chapters complete with deadpan 19th Century “In which” headers:
I came pretty late to this party; my step son gave me his vast Pratchett collection a couple years ago. I do not know how I overlooked these gems for so long.
Not merely a funny and charming story teller, Pratchett was an expert in headology and the human condition. I found Granny Weatherwax, Vimes, Tiffany Aching and his many other protagonists inspiring and refreshing studies of what it is to stand up, be strong and face the tasks at hand. Heroes indeed.
I’ve been crying all day long. Every nice thing I read just sets me off. I’m having a really hard time with this, which is kind of weird in that I knew he was sick and I’ve only been reading him a few years.
I’ve been re-reading along with MarkWatches (a guy who reads/watches stuff for the first time and it’s really amazing when you’re familiar with the work, to watch someone discover your favorite things just like you did) and it’s going to be hard to do that, to not start sobbing every time I pick one up.
I think of it more as “It took him a while to find his voice”. Whatever order you read them in, you have to read The Light Fantastic right after you read The Color Of Magic, as they’re really ONE book that the publisher divided into two. Or at least, that’s my call on them.
The biggest contribution that Terry Pratchett made to my life was teaching me that it’s okay to laugh at professors and academia. In fact it’s not just okay, sometimes it’s required.
I could be imagining this, but I believe Vetinari met Death when he was ill in Feet of Clay.
Gods, that was a great book. Now I’m thinking about Drumknott knocking on the Watch’s door in the rain and it’s setting me off again. When I was 13, I wrote a piece for English class talking about how my role model in life was Lord Vetinari because of his skepticism and impeccable fashion sense. I can’t remember crying like this in a long time. Gah . . .
I recall one situation where their paths crossed and they agreed the outcome would be resolved by a hand of cards. Death conceded the hand when Granny’s pair of fours (I think it was) beat his pair of… ones. Which book was that, anyway?
