Terry Pratchett, RIP

Terry Pratchett died today. I thank him for nearly for literally dozens of very good, often great, books. If you haven't read him, or only a book or two, you should fix that problem. And it is a problem.

Despite the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's Disease Pratchett was still writing until very recently. Except for the last few books, there are no clunkers in the Discworld series. Some I like better than others, but all have moments that will make you laugh out loud. Even in the volumes I like the least he could still whip up characters and scenes that were moving. This from a man who wrote two or three books a year at one point.

Thank you, again, and RIP, Sir Terry.

Ray Bradbury - 1920 - 2012

   I really don't have much to say in the wake of so many better said things said by others today.  I loved much of the man's work.  "The October Country" and its assorted haunts and shivers is probably still my favorite.  Rest in peace, sir, and thank you.

Darrell K. Sweet - RIP

 Scanning Black Gate this evening I saw Darrell K. Sweet had died.  Along with the Hildebrandt Bros., Sweet created the image of fantasy for me and doubtless some many other fans from the seventies and early eighties.  His art is beautiful, detailed and evocative of my youth.
   Like I wrote about a few weeks ago, a friend of mine would buy books simply because of his covers.  I never went that far but I have no idea how many books with his covers fill the boxes of books in the attic.