Nation

Great book

Terry Magic is strong in this one. Nation is all about rebuilding after a global pandemic and a local tsunami that destroys the pacific islands which is the location for the book. Even tho in postscript he makes it clear it is not fictionally located in Pacific. What I loved about all of Terry's books when I read them upon publication, was how relevant they were to that moment in time. He echoed the problems of the day, contemplated them in dialogue and narration, pointed out the senseless human drama and ignorance by making a parody of it in the characters and plot and dialogue, and best of all, discussed the metaphysical causes and possible forward actions. I'd forgotten the plot of this book, and was amazed all over again when I read it again. Here he is talking to us in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic and a society that needs to be re-imagined and re-created with radically different perspective, goals, intentions and most of all, an all-inclusive social structure and leadership. The old forms have been washed away by the tidal wave of unrest and corrupt politics of exclusion, racism and 1% greed. What's next? A new Nation. Terry was a Modern Day Prophet and a Motley Fool all wrapped up in his mask of a black hat and leather jacket. And he wondered why his Death character was a favorite? Because he spoke to us from the center of the universe and gave us insight into our collective psyche. Thanks again Terry, as your legacy of books are always relevant.

Fantastic story, wonderfully written. This book immediately jumped into my top 5 of all time, up there with the Vonnegut. Pratchett is best known for his Discworld books which are pretty great. This is not one of those, but if you want to see why everyone loves Sir Terry without getting into a 30-something series of books you should read Nation. If you've read the Discworld books then I don't need to tell you you should read Nation.

Nation is one of the finest books ever written for young readers. It may be Pratchett's masterpiece.What sets this apart from other good reads is the sophisticated way the characters grapple with nationhood, empire, religion, culture, and personal responsibility. They are forced to consider such issues critically, raising questions about the kind of orthodoxies for which people go to war and conquer empires. Yet, like all Pratchett's books, it raises such serious issues while being at times laugh-out-loud funny.And like all the best children's literature, Nation simultaneously entertains both child and adult readers. In my recent experience of reading it with a seven-year-old and a twelve-year-old, we were all engaged by the story despite our very different levels of understanding, experience, and sophistication.Nation has lovingly drawn and lovable characters as well as villains who are all too real. There is plenty of adventure to keep the pages turning and the children asking for more.The main characters—the boy Mau and the girl Daphne—are heroic in their way but fully human, on the cusp of adulthood and faced with the kinds of problems that adults struggle with. Everything resolves into a happy ending, but not AT ALL of the Disney happily-ever-after variety. Still, I teared up as I read the final pages.

I was at first surprised by the seriousness of the first part of Nation, unusual for a Terry Pratchett book, and I didn't know if I would enjoy it. But because it is a Terry Pratchett book I decided to keep reading, and I'm so glad I did! This story is exceptionally good, and there is humor to be found at some points in the story. The story itself is nothing like I've ever read before, Nation is a book about despair, hope, honor, love and so much more when the Nation is almost destroyed by a great wave. Mao, who returns to the Nation after a quest to prove his manhood, a tradition and rite of passage, is not in the Nation when the wave hits, and his return to home and what he finds waiting for him are almost too much to bear. This is just the beginning of Nation, but by now I am absolutely hooked on Mao's life, his hopes for the future, and slowly, the rebirth of the Nation. I'm so glad I read it. There are important, but not preachy, lessons to learn hidden in this gem of a book.

Terry Pratchett was a literary god. The only reason I put my book down (I'm halfway through in one sitting so far) was to give it a five star review! He has a way with words that just makes me smile- he is able to balance descriptions of things and characters beautifully. It's almost poetic but not in anyway stuffy or forceful. It flows so naturally that I forget I'm reading a book and actually live in the Nation for the time being. Many people compare it to Lord of The Flies, the only similarity is that they all have to survive, and they all happen to be on a beach, all similarities end there. LoTF is about descending from civilisation, Nation is about re-inventing structure and a new order. I love both books, but they don't compare.