This week started All-Con in Dallas - a four day multimedia convention.
On our way home from the first day of working in the dealers' room, my daughter was checking her facebook page when she saw the news - Terry Pratchett has passed...
We all have weird quirks. Some are not even consistent. For me, it was avoiding Disc World. Everyone loved it! People couldn't stop talking about it. But I had no interest.
Luckily for me, several years ago, they gave away a bunch of new books at the World Fantasy Convention. One of the ones in my grab bag was "Thud" by Terry Pratchett.
I figured I'd held off enough, I'd try one of his books - it was free and it looked interesting. Decided I'd finally take the plunge and find out what all the fuss was about.
Oh, OH, OH!!!!
Commander Vimes, the Night Watch - the concept of using the simple book "Where's My Cow?" - the children's story book he read to his son everyday and his yearning to see and not disappoint his son even as a darkness tried to use him to create chaos and drive the world to war....
It took but this one book filled with great storytelling, satire, and a bottomless wit to make me fall in love. Then the hunt began. I couldn't get enough of Commander Vimes and Lord Vetinary. And when I was done with them, I expanded to the rest of his Disc World books and beyond.
So thank you, Mr. Pratchett. Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous world with us. And sorry it took me so long to see the light.
Sir, you will be missed!
I haven't read any of his work either. I don't know why. No particular reason, but you've convinced me I'm missing some great stories. Thanks.
ReplyDelete