Very sad news indeed

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I also have no doubt that it wasn´t assisted suicide.

The last entry on his facebook page was from March 9. and neither this entry, nor any entry before that gave any hints at his imminent death or an assisted suicide.

What would you be expecting to see, as a hint?

Every one of his Facebook entries since January uses "we" rather than "I", and most are signed by his wife. He wasn't writing them.

[Proteus_MST]

What would you be expecting to see, as a hint?

Every one of his Facebook entries since January uses "we" rather than "I", and most are signed by his wife. He wasn't writing them.

Of course, he didn´t write most things on his own, duringhis last time ... but rather had someone else (aside from his wife and perhaps his daughter) assisting him ... Rob Wilkins (which is why Terry Pratchetts twitter-Account is @terryandrob )

I´m also sure that Pratchett wasn´t directly involved in the administrative messages with regards to any competitions, or advertisings of new discworld products.

But I think many messages on his Twitter and Facebook account were made upon his wishes ... for example the Twitter message in Dec. 3. about the year 2015 being the discworld year of the mouse ... or the Feb. 25. Facebook excerpt from Truckers.

I´d just assume that Terry would take the chance (in case of an assisted suicide) to send a final message prior to his passing ... and/or that there would be any other indications in his Twitter and Facebook accounts that give a hint prior to this happening, but there is nothing.
Therefore I rather go with the official explanation, which is that he died from a chest infection in connection with his Alzheimer disease, instead of wasting thoughts on speculations about an assisted suicide

[Proteus_MST]

RIP

I just hope his daughter won't continue the series.

She will:

In an interview in 2012, Sir Terry reassured fans about the future of the Discworld series. His daughter Rhianna, already an author, will take over the novels as Sir Terry said he was happy for her to write on after he was no longer able to. "The Discworld is safe in my daughter's hands," he said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11467688/Sir-Terry-Pratchett-dies-aged-66.html

I don´t think that it has changed since then

[Hauldren Collider]

She's a reasonably competent writer. I've enjoyed both of the games I played whose plots she wrote, particularly Mirror's Edge.

[regexcellent]

The plot for mirror's edge wasn't that great though even if the game was fun.

[Jon Miller]

My understanding is that recent books have been effectively co-written.

This was obvious to me in Unseen Academicals, the last Discworld novel I bought.

He was a favorite author, but I don't understand people treating it as a bigger deal than if Tolkien or Morrison had died.

JM
(I personally think that he would have wanted to go, based on what I read, and I support such decisions in cases like his.)

(Thinking about it they are treating it as if Tolstoy had just died, and Pratchett was no Tolstoy.)

[Jon Miller]

Best Series: Guards
Best Book: Small Gods

JM

[Hauldren Collider]

Pratchett had a very profound effect on my personal thinking and philosophy, more so than any other author. I think this is true of a lot of people my age and slightly older. That's why it is a big deal to a lot of people.

[Jon Miller]

See, that amazes me.

Not to say that he isn't an author who makes an impact. It is just that there are so many others who are better writers and address deep subjects better.

JM
(All his best books were written before I graduated college.)

edit: The above is slightly wrong, Monstrous Regiment is from after I graduated college ( 1 year after), but it is close to correct

edit: Small Gods made an impact on me.

[Jon Miller]

I guess it is better than you saying Ayn Rand.

JM

[Hauldren Collider]

I never liked Ayn Rand. I read The Fountainhead because there was a really ****ing hot girl who liked it who was my prom date and I wanted to impress her. I have to emphasize that she was really hot.

I think Terry Pratchett's books got better as he got older and just acquired more writing skill. His books are fun, and I honestly think they do tackle serious issues without being too serious.

[Dinner]

No sane person ever liked Ayn Rand.

[Jon Miller]

I think Terry Pratchett's books got better as he got older and just acquired more writing skill.

I am not that old, only 25% of his published novels are from after I graduated college.

30 The Wee Free Men (Doubleday, 2003) * didn't read
31 Monstrous Regiment (Doubleday, 2003) * good
32 A Hat Full of Sky (Doubleday, 2004) * didn't read
33 Going Postal (Doubleday, 2004) * OK
34 Thud! (Doubleday, 2005) * not sure if I read
35 Wintersmith (Doubleday, 2006) * OK
36 Making Money (Doubleday, 2007) * OK
37 Unseen Academicals (Doubleday, 2009) * bad
38 I Shall Wear Midnight (Doubleday, 2010) * didn't read
39 Snuff (Doubleday, 2011) * didn't read
40 Raising Steam (Doubleday, 2013) *didn't read

I read all of the books before that but
28 The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents (Doubleday, 2001)

JM
(I consider Unseen Academicals the only bad Pratchett book (That I read, the placement made me fear any after 2008) and most of his books were OK/good and a few were great.)

[Proteus_MST]

My understanding is that recent books have been effectively co-written.
...

Yes, according to this nice article about Rhi and her daddy there may have been a lot of influence of her in his later discworld stories

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/11471323/It-was-like-having-a-full-sized-hobbit-for-a-father.html

According to the same article we might expect a TV series about Ankh Morporks Watch in the near or far future (a project that was started by Rhi and her daddy before his death)

[Hauldren Collider]

I really liked Thud, Going Postal and Monstrous Regiment. Haven't read Making Money. The later watch books are much much better than the earlier ones. I contend that the best Discworld book is Night Watch, followed by Thief of Time.