Terry Pratchett and Soul Music

The Discworld writer's death was announced on his Twitter profile.

Terry took Death’s arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.

Terry Pratchett (@terryandrob) March 12, 2015

The End.

Terry Pratchett (@terryandrob) March 12, 2015

Among other things that happened not long after his death, over 3,000 people signed a petition asking Death to bring him back. 

That made me think of Soul Music, when Death disappears and his granddaughter takes over. Maybe people are asking the wrong person to bring him back? I'm pretty sure he would be amused by the petition. I  kept hoping we would hear, like from Mark Twain, that the reports of his death were greatly exaggerated. 

And oddly enough I had just shared the first book in the series with my daughter about a month ago. I had shared Soul Music with some of my students when I was teaching. I hope that they will all enjoy his books for a long time to come. 

The edition of Soul Music in the picture was published in May of 2003. Synopsis from Goodreads.com: 

When her dear old Granddad -- the Grim Reaper himself -- goes missing, Susan takes over the family business. The progeny of Death's adopted daughter and his apprentice, she shows real talent for the trade. That is until a little string in her heart goes "twang." 

With a head full of dreams and a pocketful of lint, Imp the Bard lands in Ankh-Morpork, yearning to become a rock star. Determined to devote his life to music, the unlucky fellow soon finds that all his dreams are coming true. Well almost. 

In this finger-snapping, toe-tapping tale of youth, Death, and rocks that roll, Terry Pratchett once again demonstrates the wit and genius that have propelled him to the highest echelons of parody next to Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen.

I don't need to really review it here. Suffice it to say that I really loved the book. And it was one of many of his Discworld books that I found to be so entertaining.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Soul Music:

"The hippo of recollection stirred in the muddy waters of the mind."

"She got on with her education. In her opinion, school kept on trying to interfere with it."

"Be careful what you wish for. You never know who will be listening."

"She had a tall bearing and a tall voice and a tall manner and was tall in every respect except height. Amazingly, she'd apparently been able to keep this a secret from people."

Terry Pratchett will be missed.