Confession Time.
The first time I ever read a Terry Pratchett Book, I hated it.
I was about seven or eight at the time and someone, probably my Grandad, had bought me 'Truckers' at the school book fair; after perservering with it for several chapters I quietly put it back on my bookshelf, never to be looked at again. Maybe I wasn't ready for it, or maybe 'Truckers' just didn't grab me in the way the Discworld novels would later on, but whatever the reason I'd made up my mind: thanks but no thanks, Mister Pratchett, sir, your books are not for me.
Fast forward to sixteen year old me in the library, three years into my desperate crusade to read every high-fantasy and/or vampire book in existence. Arms laden, I wandered down the shelves like a woman possessed (which, incidentally, is pretty much still the way I react in libraries or indeed book shops), eyes peeled for anything which might grab my attention. One title, ‘Carpe Jugulum’ made me giggle; picking it up, I started reading the first couple of pages. That was it. I was hooked.
Now I read an awful lot (and an awful lot of dross, I’m sure some people would point out) and, like most people, I have particular favourite authors which I return to over and over again. I also have particular books or authors which I recommend to as many people as I can, like some bizarre kind of Book Doctor dispensing Literary Prescriptions. Feeling a bit blue? Pull out William Goldman’s ‘The Princess Bride’ and I guarantee you’ll be smiling within the first chapter (this was of course Before Chapters…) In the mood for a political thriller with added dragons? Allow me to introduce Mr George R.R Martin and his 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series. Searching for a fairytale with a kick-ass female lead instead of a simpering princess? Neil Gaiman's 'The Sleeper and the Spindle' is the book for you. Like your vampires to be a bit more apocalyptic rather than Gothic or (god help us) sparkly? Justin Cronin's 'Passage' trilogy will meet your needs. I could go on and on and on; you need a book recommendation, you come to me, ok? I'll fix you up reeeeeal good...
There are only two authors I've ever recommended to people "just because". Just because they exist, I mean. The first was JRR Tolkien. The second, naturally, was Terry Pratchett...
Yes, after our slightly inauspicious start (incidentally, I never did go back to Truckers) I became slightly hooked. If a book appeared with the name "Terry Pratchett" on the spine, I was there; whether it was a Discworld novel, a collaboration with Neil Gaiman or the 'Long Earth' series with Stephen Baxter. The Discworld series, however, became my favourite of his creations, and with good reason. Only Terry Pratchett could take something serious like feminism ('Equal Rites'), Shakespeare ('Wyrd Sisters'), the music business ('Soul Music') or politics (take your pick, really) and make them side-splittingly funny. Maybe I just wasn't ready at eight to appreciate his sheer genius-ness, or maybe it's just because the 'Truckers' trilogy isn't quite the same as Discworld, but once I started reading them I couldn't stop. And not only did I find myself laughing hysterically, I learnt things as well.
Obviously my favourite character is Death, although given recent events I may have to reassess his position in my affections, but I loved the Witches too and occasionally found myself wondering if Granny Weatherwax ever fancied an apprentice. But while there may be some books I love more than others the Discworld has always been a place I found solace, laughter, tears and the occasional "say-what-now?!!" And it genuinely hurts to know there won't be any more.
Sir Terry Pratchett wasn't only a great literary light, he also seemed to be a thoroughly bloody nice bloke and was a tireless campaigner for Alzheimer's awareness. It's a truly horrible disease, robbing people of their very Self long before it takes their life, and I know I wasn't the only person rendered desperately sad when he announced he had been diagnosed with the condition. I watched the two-part documentary he made about his "embuggerance" in 2008 and was touched by both his compassion for fellow sufferers and his absolute determination to do everything he could to assist with finding a cure. Now, alas, it is too late for him, but perhaps his outspoken campaigning on the subject - not to mention the substantial financial donations he made - will one day be instrumental in finding a cure for others.
My heart breaks for his family and friends, although I rejoice somewhat in the news that he died peacefully at home, hopefully with Thomas Tallis playing in the background as he wished. It may seem odd to weep for someone you never knew but I did, just the same, when I heard the news. I wept for the loss of a great gift to the world of literature, and to the world in general, and for the death of a man who still had so much to offer before Alzheimer's and death itself intervened. And I wept, selfishly, for the fact that barring a few already-finished, to-be-posthumously-published books, there will be no more.
To quote from 'Mort': "People don't alter history any more than birds alter the sky, they just make brief patterns in it."
Thank you, Sir Terry, for the brief patterns you made in my sky, and for the many, many hours of joy your books have bought me over the years. You will be sorely missed but you will never be forgotten...
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