back to article Terry Pratchett knighted for services to literature

Terry Pratchett has admitted he's "flabbergasted" to be awarded a knighthood for services to literature in the New Year Honours list. The 60-year-old Discworld scribe told the BBC: "There are times when phrases such as 'totally astonished' just don't do the job. I am of course delighted and honoured and, needless to say, …

COMMENTS

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  1. David Webb
    Thumb Up

    Yay!

    Wonderful news, I recently finished reading Sir Terry's book, Nation, and it was a fantastic novel (non-discworld). I'm an avid fan and am really pleased that he now shares the same title as Sir Wogan....

    Congratulations Sir Terry, may you write lots more books because genius like you is really once every several generations.

  2. Nic Brough
    Thumb Up

    About time

    What took them so long?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    He was a verray parfit gentil knyght

    Hurrah! Occasionally, just very, very occasionally, "the establishment" do something right. About time too.

  4. iamapizza
    Thumb Down

    Undeserved...

    What, for showing the world that you can still sell even if you lack talent? We have Britney Spears, Robert Ludlum and 50 Cents for that.

  5. Tom Cooke

    Well deserved

    Well done, richly deserved. Who was the last fantasy/sci-fi author to be so honoured? I can only think of Arthur C Clarke, knighted ten years ago. A positive move for all fantasy enthusiasts and goes to reinforce that SF is not just for a minority but deserves a place in mainstream literature.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Title required? buggrit!

    I first learned of his Alzheimers on the Reg, and now it's also the first place where I've heard of his knighhood. It's well deserved (the knighthood that is, not the alzheimers).

    I for one welcome the arrival of our new knighted creator of discshaped worlds.

  7. richard
    Happy

    and...

    I'd bet Sir Samuel would be proud ;)

  8. Neil Greatorex
    Happy

    And well deserved :-)

    If long overdue.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    About time!

    Arise Sir Terry Pratchett Note Spelling Of Broadchalke!

  10. Efros
    Thumb Up

    He deserves it

    Purely on the basis of how many smiles and laughs his work generates. Sir Terry indeed!

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Dead Vulture

    WELL DESERVED

    GLAD THEY GOT TO HIM BEFORE I DID.

  12. bothwell
    Happy

    Hooray!

    This is the only gong I've ever been genuinely happy to see awarded. Good on ya, Mr Pratchett!

  13. Chris G
    Thumb Up

    Bugger the open, where's the unseen ?

    Time for a decent university. No-one deserves a knighthood more than Terry Pratchett the only bad? thing he is guilty of is making some of the corniest jokes ever, otherwise all he has ever done is make people laugh and be happy. Well done Sir Terrence!

  14. Jemma
    Joke

    Buuursaaar!

    Ye gods... was this article penned by the Bursar or something?

    "a voice for all those who cant shout so loud...." - because they are stoned out of their heads on the nursing home equivalent of dried frog pills perchance?

    ...so and so chipped in... so that'll be the tezumen suicide note reference then

    TP is one of my favourite writers and its sad he has this condition but £500k wouldnt even run a decent sized lab for 15 minutes... you've got alot more money than that laying about, and, unless you are the Agatean Emperor you cant take it with you....

    Knowing TP I wouldnt put it past him to use one of these classic quotes on his tombstone...

    ++?????++ Out of Cheese Error. Redo From Start.

    -or- (and this is my personal favourite)

    Morituri Nolumus Mori (We, who are about to die, Dont want to...)

    I think the last one would be apt for NASA's new logo

  15. Jabran Ali

    Good on him

    Well deserved achievement for writing many wonderful books :)

  16. Andrew Moore

    Is that...

    Sir Pterry?

  17. Skinny
    Thumb Up

    Ooook

    Oook, Oooook, Ook, Ooooooook, Ooooook, Ok, Ooookkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

    * Well done Terry, much deserved, now please pass the peanuts the shows about the start...

  18. Jez Lawrence

    @ iamapizza

    Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

    And mine, sir, is that you must be telling the truth in at least one part of your comment because surely only someone who is, in fact, a dough-filled heart-attack-in-waiting could possibly be of the opinion that SIR Terry Pratchett has no talent.

    You are, in fact, a pizza.

    In fact, your crust must surely be stuffed with something unbeleivably bland. Something, you might say, which has absolutely <i>no taste at all</i>.

  19. Mike Arthur

    About bloody time!!

    nuff said!!

  20. michael

    about time to

    his books vertuley alone are the only reasion I learnt to read

    @iamapizza

    I can aonly assume you have never read any of them the last thing he is is lacking in talent

  21. Paul

    RE:iamapizza

    Odd that... Most of the litterary establishment disagree with you, as do educators, his books sales and the Queen. Most people, both those in the know and not think he is one of the best authors of our time.

    Good on him.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Oh dear God

    Humour for the humourless.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Maybe this will please him

    And he can stop being bitchy about JK Rowling and Tolkien.

    The glow he got from being the highest paid and most shoplifted librarian's favourite went bitter on him when Harry Potter got popular ad when the LoTR films worked where his did not.

    Hopefully he can settle down and work on enjoying his matbles while he has them, he hs my sympathy, it is a hellish thing to have

  24. Mike

    @iamapizza

    >What, for showing the world that you can still sell even if you lack talent? We have Britney Spears, Robert Ludlum and 50 Cents for that.

    50 Cents?

    At least his bad spelling and grammar was deliberate, you have no friends here, go away fool.

  25. Tony

    @iamapizza

    Yes..... Yes, I believe you are sir.

    Probably one of those strange American ones with the funny little fish on, that everyone takes off before they eat it. Possibly a faint smell of frying onions as well.

    I had the pleasure of meeting TP once (very briefly) - a true gentleman. Long may you continue to point out the absurdities of life.

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Re: Undeserved...

    iamapizza, your complete lack of talent in any arena is obvious by your jealousy.

  27. Anders Halling
    Heart

    There is some justice left in the world

    Thankfully.

  28. Shane Orahilly
    Thumb Up

    Well deserved indeed

    I second/third/fourth that emotion. Hopefully his few words with HMtQ will be along the lines of "Buggerem, Millenium hand and shrimp..." or a rousing chorus of "A sceptre has a knob at the end".

    Next up - Iain Banks, one would hope. Another class act.

  29. RW
    Gates Halo

    @ iamapizza

    Come, come, now. Maybe *you* don't like Terry Pratchett's writings but a lot of us think very highly of them. Not only for their sheer corny entertainment value, but for the sly commentary they make on modern times.

    To contrast Pratchett-fantasy with Tokien-fantasy: who cleans the sewers in Gondor? Is there a garbage dump in Rivendell or in The Shire? Do elves and hobbits use condoms to control their fertility and if so, who makes them? The dwarves? Or are they gray-market imports from Mordor?

    I admit that the same criticism applies to every other fantasy writer I can think of, bar Sir Terry of Ankh-Morpork. Let's have three cheers for infrastructure fantasy.

    Icon of Gates-with-halo: is that the one ring to rule us all?

  30. Aditya Krishnan
    Thumb Up

    Excellent

    Wonderful news... Sir Terry's books will one day be considered classics..

  31. Steve
    Thumb Up

    I trust he has a set of dented and well-used armor for the ceremony.

    And $5 American to anyone who can convince him to show up late, shouting "Where's My Cow?"

  32. Douglas Smith
    Happy

    At last

    Finally some great news on the last day in 2008

    Couldn't happen to a better chap

    ... and Mistress Weatherwax was nowhere around honestly

  33. Graham Marsden
    Thumb Up

    Three cheers for...

    ... Sir Terry!

    And, iamapizza, if you think Terry Pratchett "lacks talent" or could be compared to those you mention, just stick to the books with the big pictures and the short words and don't bother trying to engage your brain (which you obviously didn't do in the first place).

  34. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    great

    Well done, that man, you have brought me alot of happiness,

  35. John B

    @iamapizza

    Lacks talent? I take this is the usual "If loads of people like stuff, it must be rubbish" thing. I can assure you that real authors don't think so. Terry has taken over from where Dickens left off, holding up a mirror to the world. Ignoring the "fantasy" setting, which is now just an amusing background and plot device, the Discworld novels are one of the best humanist oeuvres of the last 100 years. I particularly like the line "You think the world is divided into good and bad people? There are, always and only, the bad people. But some of them are on opposite sides."

  36. ratfox
    Thumb Up

    Congratulations to the Discworld

    Even if, as is often the case, they gave it to him because his sand seemed to be running dangerously low...

  37. youvegot tobejoking

    Congratulations to Sir Terry, very well deserved

    I have always enjoyed his books (even the ones meant for kids) and Sir Terry Of Ankh-Morpork has a certain ring (or possibly a clang).

    I was saddened to hear of his alzheimers and hope that he gets all the support he can to make his life (and his familys) as bearable as possible for as long as possible.

  38. Dave
    Heart

    I bow to Sir Pratchett

    I had the great pleasure of meeting him once at a book signing, and managed to have a small lil 5min chat with him. He was a wonderful fellow & a more kind, generous and rumour filled fellow I tihnk it would be impossible to find.

    He thought me a new word too, Cornucopia. Reading his book is always a pleasure & I was greatly saddened by the news of his condition, it is good for the whole world he is carrying on his works.

    Well deserved and by far too long delayed.

    Well done Sir Pratchett :) You are the greatest & hopefully long may you continue.

    p.s. I do so hope you get to tie up Death in knots & riddles, hopefully you can get Binky on your side ;)

  39. SaneAlex
    Coat

    A well deserverd knighthood

    Marry, t'will keep his ears warm in bed, forsooth. </mangled quote>

  40. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    @michael

    "about time to - his books vertuley alone are the only reasion I learnt to read..."

    ... and some day hopefully someone's books will provide you with 'reasion' to learn to write

  41. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    Re: Well deserved indeed

    Agree.

    Time for Banks and Hamilton now.

    Especially Hamilton with his portrait of post-apocalyptic Nu Labour as the prelude to the Mandel trilogy.

  42. The Mighty Spang

    i'd send back a gong

    they make no sense. They're giving pratchett a gong as he's going to die soon, despite all his talent (not my cup of tea but hey they seem ok) and yet 2 years ago

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Sarpong

    was given an MBE for "services to telvision presenting". makes no bloody sense at all.

  43. Graham Marsden

    Alzheimers is not a death sentence!

    One of the things that Terry Pratchett has been trying to get over to people is that he Aten't Dead Yet and probably won't be for a long time!

    Regrettably, as some comments on here suggest, there is still widespread ignorance about Alzheimers which, coupled with the lamentable lack of funding that the condition receives, means that many sufferers, whilst they still have their faculties, feel abandoned or get treated as if they have one foot in the grave already.

    This doesn't have to be the case, but only if those who research into Alzheimers and treatments for it get the support that they need.

  44. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    @madra

    Michael is dyslexic.

    Even if you didn't know that, it should have crossed your mind as a possibility. Then again, you don't seem to have bothered to engage your brain before putting your mouth in gear.

    As far as Terry Pratchett goes, I've enjoyed his writing immensely, I'm just not sure that a knighthood is warranted for doing your job well. I've been making sure you get electricity on demand for the last 35 years, but I'm not expecting an award for it.

  45. Stuart Butterworth
    Thumb Up

    A well-deserved award...

    for services to shop-lifting... ;)

    But seriously - I've read just about every single word this man has published, and he is quite possibly the greatest living British author - his social commentary is most certainly on a par with Dickens and the like, but his humour lifts his work to another level entirely.

    Well done, Sir Pterry of Ankh-Morpork

  46. A
    Thumb Up

    Congratulations!

    I think Terry Pratchett richly deserves his knighthood. Happy New Year Terry!

  47. Alan Fisher

    It's about time!

    I enjoy Sir Terence's novels immensely, no-one else manages such amusing satire quite like he does....Michael Moore perhaps but maybe he learned from Sir T? We also have him to thank for some of the best works of Neil Gaiman, among others; truly he is the John Peel of the Literary world (he even looks a bit like him now lol)

    I also met him at a book signing many moons ago and was amazed by the way he dealt with his fans. The signing was due to end at 12 o'clock I think but the queue was huge and it was clear that not everybody would get even into the shop by that time, me among them. I was ready for disappointment then at five past, someone came out and told us that he was going to stay until he'd seen us all and bugger the schedule (I later spoke to his events manager who was in a fluster about in his words "that stubborn old bugger", they had to reschedule signings a lot it seemed as he made quite a habit of it!). I even asked terry about it when my turn came and he said that his fans bought his books and made him famous so the least he could do was see all of them when turned up to see him! I wonder how many other famous figures would do that? He saw every last person too, and had time for a quick chat with each one, a true gent in every sense!

    an honour well deserved and let's ignore the fick trolls who are just trying to stir up an argument eh?

  48. Beardyman
    Thumb Up

    I can't wait to see...

    ...TP's coat of arms! Or is this not high enough up the honours scale to get one?

    If he is eligible can you imagine it? Elephants, a turtle, an orang-utang, luggage...

    Totally and thoroughly disapprove of the honours system normally but I'm more than happy to make an exception on this occasion when finally somebody deserves it. As for those who are just trying to start a fight (AC @ 16:15 on 31st), the only reason his books haven't made it into film (I exclude the "made for-TV" adaptations) is because he has integrity and won't let Hollywood meddle with the story. I mean, seriously, how can anybody except a Hollywood producer suggest losing Death in a film of Mort?

  49. Why
    Thumb Up

    Well Deserved

    enough said.

  50. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    I don't think I've ever seen...

    ..such a universally positive, unflamey and happy response to a story on the Reg. Rightly so, as well. He has made so many people nearly piss themselves laughing, and underneath it all he seems to have a humanitarian streak a mile wide. He really is a much-loved figure.

    My respect for him only increased when he proved what a stubborn bastard he is in the face of Altzheimers, I really think he's doing sterling work to increase understanding of dementia- a lot of other people would just have wallowed in private. His bloodyminded and very public response to it made me grin. All-round good bloke, innit?

    So yay, big ups to Sir Pterry. Raise a glass of apple-based* drink to a real one-off. Nice hat, too.

    - The Invisible Opera Company

    *Well, mostly apples.

  51. Phil
    Thumb Up

    Hurrah!

    nuff said

  52. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Congrats...

    An honour I thoroughly agree with, as someone else said, I'm sure Sir sam would be proud.

  53. Lol Whibley
    Thumb Up

    Outstanding

    And about time too.

    Have been reading these books to dead people for ages and it always raises a laugh. Long may he continue to write what amounts to the best satire and fantasy in a rich and varied genre. He Aten't Dead yet!

    Aside: Does anybody know when he's scheduled to get the Dubbing or whatever the actual process is called?

    @ iamapizza.. don't touch yourself too much over the attention you've recieved.. you are entitled to your own opinion and i would suggest in future, keep it to yourself. As for an attempt at trolling, you obviously didn't have the hat with the little cooling fans on, did you.

  54. Dr Patrick J R Harkin

    Pratchett... Pratchett... Pratchett...

    Rings a vague bell. I think I may have read one of his books...

  55. Cortland Richmond

    What we make of it

    IMO, his knighthood improves the award.

  56. Mike Crawshaw
    Thumb Up

    Met him twice...

    And on the second occasion, approx a year or so after the first, he remembered my name and the book I got signed the first time. Even asked how the dog was doing (I'd just got a dog the first time, which was why I was replacing Sourcery on that occasion....). Of course, the response had to be "BAD DOG!!!" (a slightly-chewed coconut Quality Street to anyone who can name the book & character....)

    That, folks, whether you like his writing or not, is the mark of a true gentleman. IMO, Good Omens is, partly due to the sheer brilliance, and partly due to it being a collaboration with one of my other favourite authors, amongst the top 3 of my all-time favourites, and he makes quite a few other appearances in my top 50.

    Well done, Sir Terry. I'll cook up some old boots & mud for a celebratory feast!

  57. Simon B
    Heart

    Excellent

    Excellent news, well deserved and a tribute to a top writer!

  58. Svein Skogen
    Joke

    @Beardyman

    Didn't you know? His coat of arms design is in jet black, on a sable shield.

    //Svein

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