How much do we ever really know about the authors we love? It’s not as if we must learn about their lives to appreciate their work. Of course, some writers become more than their books. Terry Pratchett is one of those people. Over the course of his career, Pratchett was responsible for creating Discworld and all of the colourful characters we’ve come to love. He became seen as a jolly, bearded man in a fedora. However, there is so much more to him than that. As Neil Gaiman once wrote, “Terry Pratchett isn’t jolly. He’s angry”. As great as this snippet might be as a headline, it’s definitely not the full picture of the author but there is certainly more to the author than meets the eye. So, when I got the chance to read his official biography, I jumped at the chance to learn more about Terry Pratchett’s life outside of Discworld. Of course, that was months ago and I’ve only just finished it. Do I feel guilty about it? Yes but better late than never, right?
I’ve had such a dreadful reading week that I wasn’t even sure I’d get this book finished for my review today. I was reading right up to the last minute but I did it. And it was a suitable October read to boot. Okay, so it’s not scary but it’s got witches in it. I’ve read a few Terry Pratchett novels over the years but there are still loads that I’ve not got round to yet. My TBR is already longer than I can remember and there are so many Discworld novels out there. So, I’m slowly trying to make my way through them. Very slowly. I like Terry Pratchett but sometimes he does get a bit distracted in whimsy. It’s why I think Good Omens works so well. Neil Gaiman keeps him on track and Terry brings a lighter touch to Neil’s normal style. It really is the best of both of them. Not that either of them are bad writers but nobody is perfect.
Yipee ki-yay, motherbooker 