I really tried to make this book last. It's the last Discworld novel, written by Terry Pratchett in the last days of his life, as his death from a tragic, unfair, ghastly early onset Alzheimer's stole up on him. But I couldn't help myself. I read it, read it all. I wept. Then I read it again.

Well, The Shephed's Crowd (a Tiffany Aching book) is out in the UK, anyway — (idiotically) the US release will be Sept 1.

In this episode of The Sword and Laser podcast, we share our final thoughts on The Goblin Emperor, kick off our April pick, Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett, and we discuss why some author names are bigger than their titles. — Read the rest

Terry Pratchett, a treasure of a writer, a gem of a human being, and a credit to our species, has died, far too soon, at the age of 66.

Neil Gaiman's introduction to A Slip of the Keyboard, a collection of Terry Pratchett's nonfiction essays, exposes a little-known side of the writer than many think of as a "twinkly old elf" — the rage that is Pratchett's engine, driving him to write deceptively simple stories that decry unfairness and make virtue from bravery.

This long-running series of essays by Australian fantasy author Tansy Rayner Roberts combine real affection for Pratchett's marvellous Discworld books with sharp critical insights on the portrayal of women in fantasy; historically, one of the more problematic genres for the portrayal of women.

A compendium of some of my most popular novel reviews from the past year, from 'My Real Children' to 'Raising Steam.'

Terry Pratchett's Raising Steam, the 40th Discworld novel, comes out in the US today. I reviewed it back in November for the UK release; here's what I had to say then: it's a tremendous synthesis of everything that makes Pratchett one of the world's most delightful writers. — Read the rest

Deep among the Carpet fronds, where the wild snargs prowl, the Munrung tribe has known peace for decades. But now the old order is unraveling, and a new story is in the making. A story of Fray, sweeping a trail of destruction; of villainous mouls, hungry for power; and of two noble brothers on the adventure of a lifetime. — Read the rest

Terry Pratchett's Raising Steam is the 40th (!) novel in the Discworld series. It's just come out in the UK (the US edition comes out in March) and it's a tremendous synthesis of everything that makes Pratchett one of the world's most delightful writers. — Read the rest

Cory Doctorow and the famed author discuss building worlds, the legitimacy of authority, and the future.

Snuff, Terry Pratchett's latest Discworld novel is an absolute treat, as per usual. It's a Sam Vimes book (there are many recurring characters in the Discworld series, whose life stories intermingle, braid and diverge — Sam Vimes is an ex-alcoholic police chief who has married into nobility) and that means that it's going to be a story about class, about law, and about justice, and the fact that Pratchett can make a serious discourse on these subjects both funny and gripping and never trivial is as neat a summary of why we love him as much as we do. — Read the rest

Terry Pratchett's latest book, Snuff: A Novel of Discworld, is out now. Don't miss Cory's review. — Boing Boing

Neil Gaiman: Where did the idea for Snuff originate?

Terry Pratchett: I haven't a clue, but I think I started out by considering the character of Sir Samuel Vimes, as he now is, and since I find his inner monologue interesting I decided to use the old and well tried plot device of sending a policeman on holiday somewhere he can relax, because we all know the way this one is supposed to go. — Read the rest

Beloved science fiction and fantasy writer Terry Pratchett has terminal early-onset Alzheimer's. He's determined to have the option of choosing the time and place of his death, rather than enduring the potentially horrific drawn-out death that Alzheimer's sometimes brings. But Britain bans assisted suicide, and Pratchett is campaigning to have the law changed. — Read the rest

Terry Pratchett's newly released I Shall Wear Midnight is the fourth volume in the Tiffany Aching books, about a young girl born to be the witch of a chalky, sheep-farming area called, simply, The Chalk (the other three volumes being Wee Free Men, Hatful of Sky and Wintersmith). — Read the rest

Having been knighted by the Queen, Sir Terry Pratchett decided he needed a sword, so he made one. He mined the ore from a field near his house, chucked in a bunch of meteoric ore ("thunderbolt iron, you see — highly magical, you've got to chuck that stuff in whether you believe in it or not") and then got a local blacksmith to help him fashion a silver-chased blade out of it. — Read the rest

Daniel sez, "I made an Undertaking (subway) map for Ankh-Morpork [ed: Terry Pratchett's imaginary city, from the Discworld books], set about 50 years in the future (from canon 'now'). I took some liberties with names of places, given the time gap. — Read the rest

Three cheers for Terry Pratchett on receiving a knighthood, joining the ranks of genre authors like Sir Arthur C Clarke who've pleased the Queen enough to get daubed with the magic scimitar.

Author Terry Pratchett has been knighted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace for services to literature.

Terry Pratchett's latest novel is Nation and it's like nothing else he's ever written — except that like many of his books, it is fantastic and brilliant.

Nation is the story of two children: Ermintrude may just be the Queen of England now that a plague has struck down most of the royal family. — Read the rest

A famed Chinese meat-bun seller calls his product "Goubuli" — "Dog would ignore it." As Con points out, this guy's a real-world version of Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler, the notorious sausage-inna-bun seller from Terry Pratchett's wonderful Discworld novels.

The steamed "Goubuli" buns filled with a mince of meat and vegetables are the pride of Tianjin, a gritty port city near Beijing.