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 News about the death of Pratchett - who campaigned during his
final illness for legalizing assisted death - came on his
Twitter account in a series of tweets written in the style of
his Discworld novels, where Death always talks in capital
letters.
"AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER," said the first
tweet on @terryandrob. "Terry took Death's arm and followed him
through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless
night," said the second, while a third read simply: "The End".
Pratchett died at home surrounded by his family with his cat
sleeping on his bed, Transworld Publishers said. The BBC
reported that his publisher had said Pratchett's death was
entirely natural and unassisted, despite his campaigning for the
right of terminally ill people to be helped to commit suicide.
The author, who wore a trademark broad-brimmed black hat, was
diagnosed in 2007 with posterior cortical atrophy, a progressive
degenerative condition. Continuing to write, he completed his
last book, a new Discworld novel, in the summer of 2014 before
succumbing to the final stages of the disease.
Pratchett gave numerous interviews and lectures in which he
spoke frankly about his disease - and his love of 16th century
English composer Thomas Tallis.
"I would like to die peacefully with Thomas Tallis on my iPod
before the disease takes me over and I hope that will not be for
quite some time to come, because if I knew that I could die at
any time I wanted, then suddenly every day would be as precious
as a million pounds," he said in 2010.
"If I knew that I could die, I would live. My life, my death, my
choice."
GIANT TURTLE
Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter: "His books fired
the imagination of millions and he fearlessly campaigned for
dementia awareness".
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Literary figures also expressed their sadness. Canadian author
Margaret Atwood wrote: "I vastly enjoyed his playful, smart
Discworld books."
His publishers said the world had lost "one of its brightest,
sharpest minds". "In over 70 books, Terry enriched the planet like
few before him," said Larry Finlay, managing director at Transworld,
a division of Penguin Random House.
"As all who read him know, Discworld was his vehicle to satirize
this world. He did so brilliantly, with great skill, enormous humor
and constant invention," he said.
A unique creation, Discworld is a circular world set on the backs of
four elephants standing on the shell of a giant turtle, populated by
a vast and colorful cast of characters inspired by the worlds of
fantasy, folk tales and mythology.
Pratchett used Discworld to parody those genres, but also to send up
aspects of modern life by drawing often incongruous connections
between his imaginary world and things ordinary people living in
20th century Britain would recognize.
Selections of Pratchett's quotes quickly appeared on British
newspaper websites while fans exchanged their favorite quips from
Discworld characters online.
This was one popular example:
"DON'T THINK OF IT AS DYING," said Death. "JUST THINK OF IT AS
LEAVING EARLY TO AVOID THE RUSH."
(Editing by Michael Holden, Guy Faulconbridge and David Stamp)
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