Author Sir Terry Pratchett passes away aged 66

Broad Chalke author Sir Terry Pratchett, famous for creating the fantasy universe of Discworld, has died at his home aged 66.

Announced irreverently on his Twitter feed, with a series beginning in the voice of his character, Death, it started: “AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER.”

It continues “Terry took Death’s arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.”

The final tweet said simply “The End”.

Larry Finlay, MD at Transworld Publishers said: “I was deeply saddened to learn that Sir Terry Pratchett has died. The 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 humour and constant invention.

Terry faced his Alzheimer’s disease (an ’embuggerance’, as he called it) publicly and bravely. Over the last few years, it was his writing that sustained him. His legacy will endure for decades to come.

My sympathies go out to Terry’s wife Lyn, their daughter Rhianna, to his close friend Rob Wilkins, and to all closest to him.”

Terry passed away in his home, with his cat sleeping on his bed surrounded by his family on 12th March 2015. Diagnosed with PCA1 in 2007, he battled the progressive disease with his trademark determination and creativity, and continued 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.

The tributes have been flowing ever since the news was broken.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Sad to hear of Sir Terry Pratchett’s death, his books fired imagination of millions & he fearlessly campaigned for dementia awareness.”

Comedian Ricky Gervais said: “”It’s not worth doing something unless someone, somewhere, would much rather you weren’t doing it.” RIP the brilliant Terry Pratchett.”

Comedian Jane Godley said: “my husband had never read due to autism he got a #terrypratchett audio book and it literally changed his life – he listened to them all.”

A Just Giving page donating to the Research Institute to the Care of Older People (RICE) has been set up in his memory: https://www.justgiving.com/Terry-Pratchett

“No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away” – Terry pratcehtt, Reaper Man