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| Their storyline (and that of their daughter ]) is continued in the later Discworld novel ]. | Their storyline (and that of their daughter ]) is continued in the later Discworld novel ]. | ||
| ''Mort''is the second novel to feature Ysabell (she was introduced in '']'') and introduces Death's manservant ]. It also features a brief cameo by ]. | ''Mort'' is the second novel to feature Ysabell (she was introduced in '']'') and introduces Death's manservant ]. It also features a brief cameo by ]. | ||
| In the ] ] of ''Soul Music'', Mort is voiced by ]. | In the ] ] of ''Soul Music'', Mort is voiced by ]. | ||
Revision as of 00:29, 14 September 2004
Mort is a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett and also the name of its main character. Published in 1987, it is the fourth Discworld novel and the first to focus on Death, who only appeared as a side character in the previous novels.
A teenager, as we would call him now, Mort's personality and temperament make him rather unsuited to the family farming business. In his father Lezek's opinion he thinks too much, which prevents him from achieving anything practical. Thus, Lezek takes him to a local hiring fair, hoping he'll be picked up as an apprentice by someone; not only will this provide a job for his son, but it will also be someone else's problem to knock him into shape.
As time ticks by, all of the prospective masters pass him up, but Mort stubbornly holds out to the end, refusing to leave until midnight has passed. Just before the clock-bell rings for the 12th time, a man concealed in a black cloak arrives on a white horse. He says he is looking for a young man to assist him in his work and picks up Mort. The man turns out to be Death, and gives Mort an apprenticeship to his "job" of ushering souls into the next world (though his father thinks he's been apprenticed to an undertaker).
It is believed that Death chose Mort partly because Death himself has the nickname Mort (he is called this by the other members of the 4 horsemen), Mort being the French word for death, and the origin of several English words (e.g. mortal, post mortem).
The pressure of the job (and a crush on a princess who is due to die) forces Mort to make a few mistakes, but like all good heroes, he grows some spine, gains some self control, challenges Death to a duel and waltzes away with the girl...
He marries Death's adopted daughter Ysabell and they live relatively happily ever after as the duke and duchess of Sto Helit.
Their storyline (and that of their daughter Susan) is continued in the later Discworld novel Soul Music.
Mort is the second novel to feature Ysabell (she was introduced in The Light Fantastic) and introduces Death's manservant Albert. It also features a brief cameo by Rincewind.
In the Cosgrove Hall animation of Soul Music, Mort is voiced by Neil Morrissey.