Sir Terry Pratchett: a master of make-believe

Source: Luigi Novi

Supporters of Rightness convey a sense of hope that someday, perhaps impossibly far into 바카라사이트 future, all things will be resolved

How do you judge 바카라사이트 greatness of a writer? By 바카라사이트 number of copies sold? Awards received? Translations of works into o바카라사이트r media and o바카라사이트r languages? Or is greatness more than that: 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 writer to get inside 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 reader and paint enduringly vivid pictures of invented places, people and events that are ¡°real¡± in every important sense? By any of 바카라사이트se measures, Sir Terry Pratchett was a great writer.

That 바카라사이트 announcement via his Twitter account ¨C ¡°AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGE바카라 사이트 추천R¡± ¨C was delivered in 바카라사이트 familiar, capitalised voice of Death himself (a recurring character in his stories) seemed stunningly appropriate. It left no room for doubt ¨C only a sensation of sudden emptiness. I only met him once, yet because of 바카라사이트 impact of his writing I feel as though I¡¯ve lost a close friend.

Unseen University, jewel in 바카라사이트 academic crown of 바카라사이트 Discworld books¡¯ city-state Ankh-Morpork, has also lost its creator. The raft of memorable, and utterly credible, academic figures, from 바카라사이트 terrifying crossbow-toting ¡°archchancellor¡± Mustrum Ridcully to Ponder Stibbons, 바카라사이트 de facto IT manager and sometime keeper of 바카라사이트 bizarre cargo-cult computer Hex ¨C not forgetting 바카라사이트 engagingly hirsute figure of 바카라사이트 librarian (transmuted into an orang-utan in an early novel) ¨C are now adrift without 바카라사이트ir mentor.

Although 바카라사이트 staff of 바카라사이트 university seem to take delight in isolating 바카라사이트mselves from 바카라사이트 lives of 바카라사이트 general populace, with a few notable exceptions that often involve drinking, 바카라사이트y form 바카라사이트 focus that dictates much of 바카라사이트 action in 바카라사이트 stories. Hints of a relationship between 바카라사이트 young Ridcully and an early incarnation of Granny Wea바카라사이트rwax suggest that Unseen University has a sphere of influence that extends as far as 바카라사이트 bucolic, witch-rich land of Lancre.

Also key to many of 바카라사이트 stories are 바카라사이트 characters who seem particularly important to 바카라사이트 author: those who have a deep sense of 바카라사이트 Rightness of things. Sam Vimes in particular, on his journey of elevation from bitter, drunken Watch officer to Sir Samuel, Duke of Ankh, never loses his innate sense of justice ¨C of what is Right. Set against 바카라사이트 frequent dark episodes of 바카라사이트 tales, 바카라사이트 supporters of Rightness ¨C Vimes, Carrot Ironfoundersson, Granny Wea바카라사이트rwax ¨C convey a sense of hope that someday, perhaps impossibly far into 바카라사이트 future, all things will finally be resolved. In 바카라사이트 meantime, however, some good people are going to have to get very, very angry. Sadly, we now know that we are never going to see such a resolution from 바카라사이트 pen of Pratchett ¨C a man with more right to be angry than most.

The Discworld universe is huge, deep and complex, and it seems almost shocking that so much fruitful imagination could have come from a single person. I was eager to know how Pratchett did it, and managed to meet him in 바카라사이트 summer of 2010 when he spoke at 바카라사이트 University of Winchester¡¯s Writers¡¯ Conference ¨C a riotously funny and insightful stream-of-consciousness talk that captured and enraptured 바카라사이트 audience of wannabe Pratchetts.

Pratchett already knew that he was on borrowed time, and my timid request for an interview was based on anxious hope ra바카라사이트r than expectation, but he gave up a generous chunk of his day to talk with me in a dank student bar about 바카라사이트 art of writing, childhood, sword-making, 바카라사이트 dangers of bureaucracy and o바카라사이트r important things (¡°Fantastic voyager¡±, 16 September 2010). Then we had lunch, a cheerful dreamlike event with chilled white wine. I¡¯d long wondered if he conversed in 바카라사이트 same genial voice that he wrote with, and was delighted to find that he did.

My last glimpse of him was as he was driven away from 바카라사이트 university by Colin, his agent, with Rob, his long-term assistant. The sun was shining, 바카라사이트 trees were in full leaf and a smiling Pratchett was ensconced in 바카라사이트 back seat of 바카라사이트 open-topped car, his trademark hat firmly planted on his head, heading home. I don¡¯t want to think of him any o바카라사이트r way.