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Nation | 
 enlarge | Author: Terry Pratchett
Publisher: Doubleday
Category: Book
List Price: £16.99
Buy New: £7.99
You Save: £9.00 (53%)
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Rating:  47 reviews
Sales Rank: 40
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 300
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.5
ISBN: 0385613709
EAN: 9780385613705
ASIN: 0385613709
Publication Date: September 11, 2008
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| Customer Reviews: Read 42 more reviews...
 Island of Hope? November 11, 2008
Friederike Knabe (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)
Pratchett's books for young people have a tendency to reach beyond the intended age group and are just as enjoyable and relevant for adults. His latest novel, "Nation", is no exception. Anybody who has read his Tiffany Aching books will also know that Pratchett also has a fondness for headstrong young girls, delighting in exemplifying how they grow more or less smoothly into maturity. In this delightful novel Daphne, or Ermintrude as she was named by her family, is another example. Just for the pleasure of meeting her, the book would be worth reading... but there is so much more to explore here.
Thirteen-year-old Daphne is pretty, smart and well-educated, and loved by her aristocratic father. After the death of her mother, she was brought up by her strict grandmother, who instils in her a sense of values and responsibility but also, unintentionally, inquisitiveness and independence of mind. She is the counter part to Mau, also thirteen, and the actual hero of the story. His Nation, a small island in the South Pelagic Ocean is a traditional, pre-industrial society where gods reign and the spirits of the grandfathers maintain the ritualistic order by communicating their instructions to the selected few. While on "Boy's island", where he had been preparing for the rites of passage into manhood ceremony, Mau was oblivious to the tsunami of unheard of proportion that swept over lands and islands. The village had assembled on the beach for his return and celebration when the wave swept them away, leaving a trail of destruction. He reaches Nation in the aftermath of the disaster and discovers that he is all alone. Well, not quite... The ship that was to bring Daphne to her father in Port Mercia stranded on Mau's island leaving her with only a talkative parrot for company.
The story follows the two young people from worlds apart - without a common language and even gestures - who have to overcome their mutual suspicion and distrust and grow individually and together to become the centre of a new community as survivors from surrounding islands and from further afield seeking refuge with them. With great sensitivity and imagination, Pratchett explores the coming of age process in both. He exquisitely tackles the conflicts in Mau's mind between his old society steeped in mythology and hierarchy and the new reality where beliefs and rituals have to be questioned and new codes of morality be established. Daphne also has to develop a new understanding of society where class and privilege have no meaning. There are any number of challenges the young people have to face, starting with finding food and milk for a baby. There are pirates and renegades to deal with and much more... Can they, together with the diverse collections of refugees build a better and more hopeful Nation?
Pratchett's style is as always fluid and smooth, his imagery perceptive and innovative. His sense of humour, mostly subtle, shines through many sections. There are a few slow sections that a young person might skim over searching for the action on the next page. For adults the novel has many layers of narrative, food for thought on our perceptions of cultures, traditions and communication. [Friederike Knabe]
The new Terry Pratchett November 10, 2008
Mr. Robert Davis (Bristol ,UK)
This new book is definetly not Diskworld it seems that Terry has moved away from his usual writing and produced yet another great book with his talent,
This book follows a tale of devistation from what seems to be a tsumai on an island a boy arrives back to his island after being away to find everything he has known wiped out and sets out on building his island up again.. without giving away the plot and ultimatly the end this book is a bit morish , Has what I think chapters that tend to be far too long at times, and a very tear jerking end to the story BUT could of done without the very end chapter which makes me think this book was made to be made into a film (Though if it was then this book if acted by very good actors would make a very good film)
If your reading this Mr Pratchett
Well done Terry I enjoyed it!!
 His best book so far November 5, 2008
Christine Lindars (Cheshire, England)
Terry is one of those who understands the meaning of life - which can't be put into words, it can only be hinted at through story - it can't be grasped by the conscious mind, it can only be felt through the spirit. This book contains more of his wisdom than any previous book, while still being a thoroughly entertaining read. It makes you feel really alive. The prologue alone filled me with joy - it is the best creation story I have read for a long time - full of truth.
 Hmmmm November 4, 2008
Stig (Deep south UK)
Well
The first putdownable Pratchett for me
Took me a few sessions to get through this one (usally one session of about 8hrs for a new TP book)
Nice idea but just not up to usual standard imo
Really hope that this isn't the end for TP and that Unseen Academicals (or whatever the next Discworld book is called)see's a return to form.
mikee's thoughts November 4, 2008
Micron (Sudbury - Suffolk)
Nation
Having an " almost" complete collection of Pratchett I was not surprised by this book.
It has been described as 'juvenile' but I cannot accept that as it introduces many concepts that would not be of interest to juveniles.
I enjoyed the book, but it did not keep me reading until 4am as some SCI FI does. 'DUNE'first edition, and Cherryh's Foreigner series hold the record for this.
In general a well written, interesting book, worth the cash and a worthy addition to a Pratchett collection.
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