“Nation” by Terry Pratchett

From Chapter One: “Light died in the west. Night and tears took the Nation. The star of Water drifted among the clouds like a murderer softly leaving the scene of the crime.”

Mix “Swiss Family Robinson” with the Michael Dorris book “Sees Behind Trees” and you have Terry Pratchett’s award-winning book “Nation.” It *could* be Historical Fiction – it’s not, but that’s fairly immaterial. In a departure for the hard-core fantasy writer of the Discworld series, this book is set in the islands of a mythical Pacific around 1900. A natural disaster lands two young teens from different worlds together as they try to rebuild a community. The point of view between them flows freely from sentence to sentence. Leave it to Pratchett not to adhere to the current style of flipping voice-over from one chapter to the next. The large book (which I whipped through … of course) is the story of the ties that bind – to people, objects and gods. Like all Pratchett books, there are questions about religion, faith and belief, and death is personified. The dry, subtle wit, which takes a few gentle shots at British aristocracy is a hallmark of a gifted writer who is smart and clever and makes you think. Terry Pratchett is, without doubt, one of my most favorite authors. I kept this book for the end of my summer reading because I knew it would be like a delightful dessert – and it was. Terry Pratchett is also suffering from early-onset Alzheimers. Read his announcement at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1986843/posts. It’s like one of his storylines. Once the struggling little shlub finally makes it, the fickle gods strike him down in a stroke of apathetic irony. Except it isn’t a story, it’s real, and it is hugely sad and unfair. Nation is not Pratchett’s last book but it does feel like it in a way. An adorable epilogue not only wraps up things as they should (instead of how I wish it…) but seems to be a letter to his faithful fans to keep on dreaming. It was incredibly touching. For those who love his work or those who have never experienced it, read this novel before the fire goes out.