Renowned fantasy author Sir Terry Pratchett has died at the age of 66.
His publishing company announced the news via Twitter on Thursday morning.
Pratchett, who was diagnosed with an early-onset form of Alzheimer's disease in 2007, was a British writer credited with over 70 books. Pratchett is perhaps best known for his DiscWorld Series, which started in 1983. And, by the turn of the century, he was Britain’s second most-read author, behind only Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.
He continued to write even after his diagnosis and published several works about his disease.
NPR noted that last year, Neil Gaiman wrote an essay on Pratchett with whom he collaborated with for the book Good Omens.
"I suppose that, if you look quickly and are not paying attention, you might, perhaps, mistake it for jolly," Gaiman wrote. "But beneath any jollity there is a foundation of fury. Terry Pratchett is not one to go gentle into any night, good or otherwise."
The writer leaves behind his wife Lyn and daughter Rhianna.