Remembering Sir Terry Pratchett, author of the “Discworld” book series, who has passed away at the age of 66.

It is with a heavy heart and teary eyes that I write this article about the life and loss of Sir Terry Pratchett. Writing an obituary is always a sad time but in this case, it’s akin to the end of an era. I first read The Colour of Magic in late 1983, shortly after it was published. I was fairly new to the fantasy genre, having read the first book or two of David Edding’s Belgariad and the first book of Raymond E. Feist’s “Riftwar Saga.”

What I found in that first “Discworld” novel was something that not every author, regardless of the genre, understands. What I found was a wit so cutting that you were almost taken aback. The book was pure, unadulterated fun! Lots of novels are good, but not many will keep you smiling throughout the entirety. And that fun never ended, not once in the forty “Discworld” novels that he produced for my enjoyment. Well, it never ended until today, that is.

As some of you might be aware (but I was not) there is a Lego site where you can go and vote for your favorite themes/characters/shows/etc. to hopefully be one day turned into a Lego set. But before you go dragging your thirty-year-old building blocks out and attempting to build a massive homage to whatever it is you feel deserves to be immortalized, know this: there are A LOT of ideas out there. Some are approved, while others are not. There are so many that it’s difficult to choose just one that I would want to highlight. Oh wait, no it isn’t. I know exactly which one I want to show you: Terry Pratchett‘s Discworld!

Not only did GlenBricker submit the idea, he also managed to create a pretty awesome Discworld resting on the back of four elephants who are standing on the shell of a giant turtle called Great A’Tuin. Of course, if you are a Pratchett fan you already knew that. But this is a worthy endeavor, in every sense of the word. How better to pay tribute to one of the finest fantasy authors of our time than by building his world and characters out of legendary Legos? Check out the photo below for a look at the mock up.

Maybe you are a newcomer to the wondrous writings of Terry Pratchett. Or maybe you’ve been reading Discworld novels since the 1980s, like yours truly. Either way, at some point you have probably wondered which book is next in the great timeline of all things Terry, or maybe you’re curious how they all tie in together. Well, friends, have I got a treat for you!

The Discworld Reading Order Guide 2.21 is newly updated and features virtually every book in an easy to understand chart. Krzysztof Kietzman is credited with creating the chart, though it seems that others have contributed to it as well.

Check out the chart here below!

Part of today’s Kindle ebook deal is a sale on 5 of Terry Pratchett‘s Discworld titles for only $1.99 each.

– The Color of Magic
– The Light Fantastic
– Mort
– Equal Rites
– Sourcery

Part of today’s Kindle ebook deal of the day over at Amazon today is the 2011 Discworld novel Snuff by Terry Pratchett for only $1.99 (that’s 80% off the regular price of $9.99.) If you’d like to purchase a physical copy of Snuff, the book is also available in paperback.

Note – this deal is valid only for today, Tuesday, April 2, 2013, until 11:59pm PST.

Be sure to check out this month’s Kindle deals: 100 Kindle Books For $3.99 or Less, which includes two novels by Joe Hill: Heart-Shaped Box and Horns.