Albert (Discworld)

Albert is a character from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of novels, first appearing in Mort

Albert, known as Alberto Malich when he founded the Unseen University, tried to perform the Rite of AshkEnte backwards in order to gain immortality. It worked, in a way, since Malich was sent to Death's Domain, where Time does not flow the same as on the Discworld. Death now employs him as his butler. He had 91 days, three hours and five minutes of Time left on the Disc, which he spent shopping and using the soap and bath at the Young Men's Reformed Cultist of the Ichor-God-Bel-Shamharoth's Association (Death is not very good at making plumbing).

After an incident with his hourglass of life, which Albert always brought along when visiting the Disc, he has approximately 5 seconds left. When Death was missing in Soul Music, Albert tried to find him on the Disc but got robbed and his hourglass was broken. After this incident, Albert cannot return back to the world of the living anymore, as Death cannot make his life longer. The remaining sand is now kept in a bottle in Albert's bedroom.

While Death and Albert seem to get on, it is a very fragile relationship. In Mort Albert returned to the world to help Death, but seemed ready to attack him when it looked like he had got his former job as Archchancellor back. He also seemed not to trust Death with his life-timer, which is why he took it with him in Soul Music. Frequently Albert finds himself trying to keep Death "on course" when his master is becoming too human. He and Susan do not get on.

Albert is also a highly idiosyncratic cook, believing everything needs fried to get rid of the germs, including porridge.

Albert is said to be named after philosopher and theologian Albertus Magnus.

Other Media

In Cosgrove Hall's 1996 animated Soul Music, Albert was voiced by Bryan Pringle. In BBC Radio 4's 2004 adaption of Mort, he was voiced by Philip Jackson.