The Magic Of Terry Pratchett

An in-depth look into the life and writings of the bestselling author of the Discworld novels, Good Omens, and Nation. The Magic of Terry Pratchett is the first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett ever written. Sir Terry was Britain’s bestselling living author*, and before his death in 2015 had sold more than 85 million copies of his books worldwide. Best known for the Discworld series, his work has been translated into thirty-seven languages, and performed as plays on every continent in the world, including Antarctica. Journalist, comedian and Pratchett fan Marc Burrows delves into the back story of one of UK’s most enduring and beloved authors, from his childhood in the Chiltern Hills, to his time as a journalist, and the journey that would take him—via more than sixty best-selling books—to an OBE, a knighthood and national treasure status. The Magic Of Terry Pratchett is the result of painstaking archival research alongside interviews with friends and contemporaries who knew the real man under the famous black hat, helping to piece together the full story of one of British literature’s most remarkable and beloved figures for the very first time. * Now disqualified on both counts. Praise for The Magic of Terry Pratchett "In this encompassing biography of the prolific fantasy and science-fiction author, writer and comedian Burrows details both the writing accomplishments and the personal life of Sir Terry Pratchett. . . . Burrows spoke to friends and family, and this biography has moments of sadness, especially when discussing Pratchett’s fight with Alzheimer’s. But the book is also funny and conversational in tone, and an excellent tribute to a beloved author.” —Booklist “Affable and consistently engaging . . . Burrow’s buoyant, pun-peppered, and aptly footnote-flecked style . . . helpfully marries his subject matter, propelling us through decade after decade of a heavily writing-centric life while illuminating Pratchett’s complexities and contradictions without any drag in the tempo.” —Locus Magazine “An impressively comprehensive, engagingly written biography. ****”—SFX

NAMED AS ONE OF THE BBC'S 100 MOST INSPIRING NOVELS 'It was octarine, the colour of magic. It was alive and glowing and vibrant and it was the undisputed pigment of the imagination . . .' Somewhere between thought and reality exists the Discworld, a magical world not totally unlike our own. Except for the fact that it travels through space on the shoulders of four giant elephants who in turn stand on the shell of an astronomically huge star turtle, of course. Rincewind is the world's worst wizard who has just been handed a very important job: to look after the world's first tourist, upon whose survival rests the peace and prosperity of the land. Unfortunately, their journey across the Disc includes facing robbers, monsters, mercenaries, and Death himself. And the whole thing's just a game of the gods that might send them over the edge . . . 'If you've never read a Discworld novel, what's the matter with you?' Guardian 'Pratchett uses his other world to hold up a distorting mirror to our own' The Times The Colour of Magic is the first book in the Wizards series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.

This is how the Discworld began. Here is the sapient pearwood Luggage, a mobile trunk which launders any clothes put in it and incidentally homicidally defends its owner. Here is Twoflower, an innocent tourist in a world of nightmares and fairy tales gon

A beautiful gift edition of the first two Discworld novels - The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic - stunningly depicted in comic format for the first time - a fun read for established fans and new audiences alike. 'Excellent and wacky as a good Pratchett should be' -- ***** Reader review 'A must-have for any Discworld fan' -- ***** Reader review 'Awesome' -- ***** Reader review ************************************************************* Imagine a flat world, sitting on the backs of four elephants, who hurtle through space balanced on a giant turtle. This is the Discworld - a place (and a time) parallel to our own - but also very different. The Discworld Graphic Novels presents the very first two volumes of this much-loved series (The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic) in graphic novel form. Introduced here are the bizarre misadventures of Twoflower, the Discworld's first ever tourist, and possibly - portentously - its last, and his guide Rincewind, the spectacularly inept wizard. Not to mention the Luggage, which has a mind of its own... A gift like no other, this stunning package expertly conjures up the sights, sounds, people and places of Sir Terry Pratchett's incredible Discworld in ways fans have previously only been able to imagine.

'It's vital to remember who you really are . . . it isn't a good idea to rely on other people or things to do it for you, you see. They always get it wrong.' An eighth son of an eighth son is born, a wizard squared, a source of magic. A sourcerer. Unseen University, the Discworld's most magical establishment, has finally got its wish: the emergence of a wizard more powerful than ever before. You'd think they would have been a little more careful what they wished for . . . As the sourcerer takes over the University and sets his sights on the rest of the world, only one wizard manages to escape his influence. Unfortunately for everyone, it's Rincewind. Once again the cowardly wizard must embark on a quest: to deliver a precious artefact - the very embodiment of magic itself - halfway across the Disc to safety. If he doesn't make it, the death of all wizardry is at hand. And the end of the world, depending on who you listen to. 'One of our greatest fantasists, and beyond a doubt the funniest' George R.R. Martin 'May well be considered his masterpiece . . . Humour such as his is an endangered species' The Times Sourcery is the third book in the Wizards series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.

'Darkness isn't the opposite of light, it is simply its absence . . . what was radiating from the book was the light that lies on the far side of darkness, the light fantastic.' The Discworld is in danger, heading towards a seemingly inevitable collision with a malevolent red star, its magic fading. It needs a hero, and fast. What it doesn't need is Rincewind, an inept and cowardly wizard who is still recovering from the trauma of falling off the edge of the world. Or Twoflower, the well-meaning tourist whose luggage has a mind (and legs) of its own. Which is a shame, because that's all there is . . . 'His spectacular inventiveness makes the Discworld series one of the perennial joys of modern fiction' Mail on Sunday 'Incredibly funny, compulsively readable' The Times The Light Fantastic is the second book in the Wizards series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.

The Discworld, as everyone knows, is a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the shell of the giant star turtle, the Great A'Tuin, as it slowly swims through space. It is also a global publishing phenomenon with sales of over 70 million books worldwide (but who's counting?). The publication of Snuff brought the Discworld canon to 39 books - not including the various guides, mapps, diaries and other side-projects. That's a lot of Discworld to keep track of - more than most people can manage with just the one head - but fear not: help is at hand! If you're looking for the ultimate authority on probably the most heavily populated - certainly the most hilarious - setting in fantasy literature... If you need a handy guide to Discworld locales from Ankh-Morpork to Zemphis... If you want help telling Achmed the Mad from Jack Zweiblumen... If your life depends on being able to distinguish the Agatean Empire from the Zoons... ...look no further than Turtle Recall - the latest Discworld Companion, fully updated and completely up to Snuff!

'DON'T PUT YOUR TRUST IN REVOLUTIONS. THEY ALWAYS COME ROUND AGAIN. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE CALLED REVOLUTIONS. PEOPLE DIE, AND NOTHING CHANGES.' The twenty-fifth of May is an important, sombre day in Ankh-Morpork - the anniversary of one of the city's bloodiest rebellions. But crime stops for nothing, as Commander Sam Vimes of the City Watch knows. When a notorious serial killer emerges from hiding, the chase leads the Watch to the roofs of Unseen University where a magical storm is brewing. It's a case of wrong place, very wrong time. For Vimes finds himself back in his own rough, tough past with only a killer for company and a city on the brink of revolution to contend with. But he must survive, because he has a job to do: track down the murderer and change the outcome of the rebellion. And get back to the future before his wife gives birth, of course. All in a day's work ... 'The best Discworld book in the whole world ever. Until next time.' SFX Night Watch is the sixth book in the City Watch series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.