Pratchett

Pratchett, full name Sir Terence David John Pratchett, commonly known as Terry Pratchett, was an English writer best known for the Discworld series of satirical fantasy novels. Born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, on 28 April 1948, he developed an early interest in reading and writing and published his first novel, The Carpet People, in 1971. He worked in journalism before turning to full-time writing.

The Discworld novels, beginning with The Colour of Magic (1983), are set on a flat, disc-shaped world supported by four elephants and a giant turtle. The books mix fantasy adventure with social satire, parody, and thoughtful commentary. The series features recurring characters such as the wily detective Sam Vimes, the anthropomorphic personifications of Death, and the witches Granny Weatherwax and Tiffany Aching. Over the decades, Pratchett published more than 40 Discworld titles, and the works have achieved broad popularity worldwide.

Beyond Discworld, Pratchett co-authored Good Omens with Neil Gaiman (1990), and later collaborated with Stephen Baxter on The Long Earth series (beginning 2012). His later standalone and young adult works include The Shepherd’s Crown (2015). Themes across his fiction often revolve around humanity, ethics, belief, and the nature of power, explored with humor and warmth.

In 2009 Pratchett was knighted for services to literature. He disclosed a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in 2007 and became an advocate for dementia research. He died on 12 March 2015, leaving a lasting influence on fantasy fiction and popular culture.