British author Terry Pratchett, best known for the Discworld series of fantasy novels, has died at the age of 66. Pratchett was diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's in 2007, following his diagnosis he donated to Alzheimer's charities and became a public face of the disease.
Pratchett spoke out for the right of an individual to assisted suicide. However, Larry Finlay, of Pratchett's publisher Transworld, said that the author did not die of suicide but of natural causes at home "with his cat sleeping on his bed, surrounded by his family".
British Prime Minister David Cameron paid tribute to Pratchett. He said "Sad to hear of Sir Terry Pratchett's death, his books fired the imagination of millions and he fearlessly campaigned for dementia awareness."
A writer since his teens, Pratchett first came to prominence with the Discworld novel The Colour of Magic in 1983, and at his peak was publishing three books a year, writing over 70 in total. Alzheimer's slowed but did not end his writing, with a final novel, the fourth book in the Long Earth series due in the summer of 2015. He was knighted for services to literature in 2009.
News of Pratchett's death was made via his official Twitter account in the persona of Death, a character in many of his novels, with the tweet: "AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER."
Related news
- "Good Omens to be made into BBC radio drama" — Wikinews, September 7, 2014
- "Discworld author films his battle with Alzheimer's" — Wikinews, January 31, 2009
Sources
- Sir Terry Pratchett, renowned fantasy author, dies aged 66 — BBC News, March 12, 2015
- Caroline Davies. Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld series, dies aged 66 — The Guardian, March 12, 2015
Source & Attribution
Originally published by Wikinews on March 14, 2015. Original author: Wikinews.
CC BY 2.5. Photograph: Terry Pratchett's at a book signing in 2007.
Image: Robin Zebrowski. Photo: Robin Zebrowski Terry Pratchett, Powell's Source file. CC BY-SA 2.5. CC BY-SA 2.5.
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