Terry Pratchett, acclaimed fantasy author, dies
Pratchett is the author of such works as 'Wyrd Sisters,' 'Night Watch,' and 'The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents.' He was knighted in 2009 and was the bestselling author in Britain in the 1990s.
Terry Pratchett is the author of such books as 'Good Omens.'
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Fantasy author Terry Pratchett has died at age 66.
Pratchett was the author of the "Discworld" series, among other works, which began with his 1983 book 鈥淭he Color of Magic鈥� and also includes such titles as 鈥淲yrd Sisters,鈥� 鈥淪mall Gods,鈥� 鈥淭he Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents,鈥� and 鈥淣ight Watch.鈥� He released the book 鈥淩aising Steam鈥� in 2013 and he recently released a collection, titled 鈥淒ragons at Crumbling Castle,鈥� of some of his early stories.
The author鈥檚 novels are known for their satire of fantasy tropes and of other well-known works (for example, parts of Pratchett鈥檚 book 鈥淣ight Watch鈥� are his take on 鈥淟es Mis茅rables鈥�). The author was the bestselling author in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, according to the聽.听Nancy Pearl, called 鈥渢he country鈥檚 most famous librarian鈥� by Monitor writer Rebekah Denn, selected Pratchett as one of her favorite writers in a 2011 interview.听
According to the , Transworld Publishers managing director Larry Finlay said of Pratchett in a statement, 鈥淭he world has lost one of its brightest, sharpest minds. In over 70 books, Terry enriched the planet like few before him. 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.鈥�
He was knighted in 2009 and his book 鈥淢aurice鈥� won the Carnegie Medal in 2001. He received the 2010 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement. His books have received and been nominated for such awards as the Prometheus Award, which is given to libertarian science fiction novels, and the Locus Award, which are given out by the science fiction and fantasy magazine of the same name.听
According to the Guardian, Pratchett had finished a new 鈥淒iscworld鈥� book this past summer.
The figure of Death appears often as a character in Pratchett鈥檚 books, one who speaks all in capital letters, and Pratchett鈥檚 daughter Rhianna referenced this character when tweeting about Pratchett鈥檚 death.