Terry Pratchett, fantasy author and creator of the enormously acclaimed Discworld series, died at the age of 66 on March 12, after battling an eight year struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Pratchett was one of the most illustrious and popular British authors of all time. With over 80 million copies worldwide, Pratchett’s immense success knew no bounds. In today’s age, his success can only be compared to that of JK Rowling, the creator of the Harry Potter series. His exquisitely written, wildly inventive brand of comic fantasy was so stunningly well-crafted that even mainstream readers who usually strayed away from science fiction or fantasy found his novels to be an addictive addiction to their literary diets.
Over 40 of his books were set in Discworld, a flattened earth that was supported by elephants on the back of a very large turtle. The beauty of Discworld was in his ability to keep the theme but constantly evolve it to create a world that was much more complex but still had his innate knack for puns and a contagious silliness.
As the only child to Terence Pratchett, Terry was born in Buckinghamshire. His childhood was ordinary, with his love for books being attributed to his grandmother who made him explore the writings of H G Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle. Although an average student, his first short story was published at the age of 13 in the school magazine. He later sold this commercially to buy his first typewriter.
He was a voracious reader of science fiction and often bought under-the-counter books to feed his hunger. He quit school before his A levels and got into journalism, working for three local newspapers. His big break came in 1971 when he published his first book, The Carpet People. A critical rather than commercial success, his next two books, The Dark Side of the Sun and Strata, comprising the first version of Discworld was what sealed his place in the literary world.
He sold his first few books during his time as a publicity officer for Central Electricity Generating Board, and later went into full-time writing in 1987 when he was offered the deal for three of his next books. His career was illustrious but unusual – it was shocking how an unheard of writer snagged so many book deals in such a short time period.
At the end of 2007, Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. In 2010 he made a passionate plea for “the right to die,” in an hour long BBC documentary Choosing to Die.
His death was announced on his Twitter account with his daughter Rhianna writing,“Many thanks for all the kind words about my dad. Those last few tweets were sent with shaking hands and tear-filled eyes.” He leaves behind his wife Lyn and Rhianna, his daughter along with numerous fans.
