Terry Prachett's Unfinished Novels Destroyed

[LadyTevar]

Terry Pratchett's unpublished works crushed by steamroller

A hard drive containing unfinished works by Terry Pratchett has been crushed by a steamroller, as per instructions left by the fantasy novelist.
It is thought up to 10 incomplete novels were flattened at the Great Dorset Steam Fair.
The six-and-a-half tonne Lord Jericho was used to roll over the hard drive several times before a concrete crusher finished off the remains.
Pratchett died aged 66 in March 2015.
The creator of the Discworld series had been battling Alzheimer's disease.
Before vanquishing the hard drive, Rob Wilkins, the writer's long-serving assistant, tweeted that he was "about to fulfil my obligation to Terry".
Richard Henry, curator of Salisbury Museum, said: "The steamroller totally annihilated the stone blocks underneath but the hard drive survived better than expected so we put it in a stone crusher afterwards which I think probably finally did it in".
He said Pratchett did not want his unpublished works to be completed by someone else and released.
He added: "It's something you've got to follow, and it's really nice that they have followed his requests so specifically.
"It's surprisingly difficult to find somebody to run over a hard drive with a steamroller.
"I think a few people thought we were kidding when I first started putting out feelers to see if it was possible or not."
The pieces of the hard drive will go on display in the Terry Pratchett: His World Exhibition at the museum on 16 September.

[The Romulan Republic]

Well, its sad to think that we'll never get to see those unfinished works, but I suppose its right that they honor Pratchett's request. And I never though that rolling something over with a steamroller could actually be kind of touching.

Terry Pratchett still has style, even after death.

[Broomstick]

Although a part of me wishes we could have seen those unfinished works.... Yes, it is right and proper that his last wishes were carried out.

[Simon_Jester]

I am saddened by whatever led him to wish that, since there are at least a few living humorists in the world who are qualified to finish a Pratchett novel.* But I have to say, if it was to be done, the steamroller was an extremely classy way to do it.
__________________________________

*(Pratchett did actually request that Gaiman finish a work they would have collaborated on if he'd been in better health, the TV version of Good Omens)

[Lord Revan]

IIRC Terry Prachett said before his death that his daughter would be the writing more Discworld novels if there were any after his death, so I wonder if this was for her sake, to give Rhianna Practhett her own voice for her Discworld works rather then being burdened with trying to ape her father's style to complete his unfinished novels.

This is speculation on my part though.

[LadyTevar]

IIRC Terry Prachett said before his death that his daughter would be the writing more Discworld novels if there were any after his death, so I wonder if this was for her sake, to give Rhianna Practhett her own voice for her Discworld works rather then being burdened with trying to ape her father's style to complete his unfinished novels.

This is speculation on my part though.

Actually, Rhianna is only in charge of TV and Movies for Discworld. She didn't want to be an author iirc.

[Zixinus]

It is better this way. The only way the books would have stayed true to Discworld if Practhett could have found someone who could have done that. That he didn't is his right as their sole author.

Better the stories die unfinished than someone mangle them and their spirit, child of the author or no (as a really bad possible scenario, look at what happened to Dune). It is much to ask anyone to continue a work that would condemn them to live in the author's shadow.

[Simon_Jester]

I know of at least one person who I am quite sure could do the job, based on his own description of his own collaboration with Pratchett in the past- namely, Neil Gaiman.

On the other hand, Gaiman does such admirable work of his own that one would have to weigh the opportunity cost of "Gaiman spends less time writing Neil Gaiman stories" against the benefit of "More Pratchett-esque Discworld novels are completed."

[cosmicalstorm]

He and Ian Banks passed too Young. RIP
Loved the Long Earth series he did with Baxter the last years.