The Reaper Man Comes for Us All: Goodbye Terry

Death and Death of Rats

Sir Terry Pratchett was my favorite author for many years. I read his books obsessively, distributed them like an evangelist. I bought the Discworld novels again and again to re-read and then give away to friends, because if only more people could be exposed to his brilliance!

In the past 5ish years my passion for his work has cooled. I grew up got older, Vimes mellowed, Corporal Carrot became Commander Carrot, and my favorite characters stopped appearing with the same regularity. I still bought and read the books, of course. But for me the classics are Small Gods, Feet of Clay, and (especially) Reaper Man.

Recently I had to call my 401(k) provider for tax information and the authentication protocol required that I identify my favorite character in literature. I had supplied this information in the distant past and had no idea what my original answer was. Complicating matters is the fact that I like to read, I read a lot, and my tastes evolve over time (see previous paragraph). There was a quiet moment on the line while I thought about it, realized the obvious answer and said,"Death." The operator paused and said, "Yes, that's what it says here. I'll get that information out to you immediately."

Terry Pratchett died on Thursday, 13 March after a battle with Alzheimers. He was 66. His stories will live on indefinitely, although I see that Reaper Man is sold out on Amazon right now. Let me know if you want to borrow my copy.