Locus Amoenus: All By My Shelf

"There should be a word for that brief period just after waking when the mind is full of warm pink nothing. You lie there entirely empty of thought, except for a growing suspicion that heading towards you, like a sockful of damp sand in a nocturnal alleyway, are all the recollections you’d really rather do without."

Pratchett is always such a delight, and has some of the best descriptions for random everyday sensations I've ever read (see above). Mort's story is a coming-of-age tale, set within an unusual apprenticeship for which he soon realizes he might not be an ideal candidate. His clash against the idea of inevitability sets off a chain of events that make for a great adventure as he tries to set things straight again. In the meantime, Death is taking a vacation and perhaps becoming too close to humanity. In the end, order is restored, though in an unorthodox manner, and history can continue on its course.