I truly hope this is a last, desperate attempt to rally their worst supporters.

This quote took time to make sense to me. When it did, it rewired my brain. I realized that every system of discovering truth is unnecessarily complicated, and making powerful people rich in the process.

You just made me realize that for the first time, and I've been reading these books for over half my life.

The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells. It's one of the classics I felt like I knew from all the references and analysis from other people. Reading it is a very different experience. His ability to paint a picture in your head of how time travel looks and feels is breathtaking.

Exactly. The point is that minors can't deal with the effects it might have on their lives, and only predatory, selfish, immature adults think they should force these things on children.

The way Terry Pratchett imagines Death makes him evolve into a protector of life. He seems to see his function as necessary for life to grow and change. That's far more interesting than it would have been if Death had been given a reason to enjoy ending lives.

He does, in "Going Postal."

My husband. No one else.