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Nation | 
 enlarge | Author: Terry Pratchett
Publisher: Doubleday
Category: Book
List Price: £16.99
Buy Used: £5.91
You Save: £11.08 (65%)
New (28) Used (35) Collectible (5) from £5.91
Avg. Customer Rating:  34 reviews
Sales Rank: 19
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 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 29 more reviews...
 A Large Diamond Among Gems October 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
More than 20 years ago now, a good friend pressed a copy of "The Colour of Magic" into my hands that launched a love affair with Terry's books that lasts to this day. Like most frustrated authors who lack the talent to deliver themselves, I read a lot, and I think I have read pretty much all that Terry has written since 198whatever, and yes some of it is quite a lot better than some other bits, but his work has never once been a disappointment.
So I was delighted to see Nation appear on the shelf last week and have just used a rainy Sunday morning to finish it.
A quick summation, of the important points; this is not a Disc World novel, it is a book aimed at anyone over about 9 who can read. It deals with the not inconsequential questions of being us, whoever or wherever that may be, and it does it by telling a good story. It is in fact, very good indeed.
I think this is a book Terry has wanted to write for a while, it has a highly polished feel to it, and I have to say represents a stand out piece of work even for his well known if remarkable talent to make us laugh and ponder for a while.
This should be essential reading for all youngsters who might go on to rule a nation, guard a border, expand our knowledge of the universe, join the priesthood or just decide to go fishing.
It certainly will be in my house.
Thanks (again) Terry
Trev Harvey
 Not as good as I had hoped October 4, 2008
I had high hopes for this book, possibly too high. Despite the majority of readers giving this rave reviews I'm afraid I'll have to stick with the opinions of the few nay-sayers. I really couldn't get into this book as much as I had hoped - it meanders along at a fairly gentle pace and has a very different 'feel' to Pratchett's other works, but it rarely engaged my emotions or imagination and I didn't feel like I could 'connect' to any of the characters. There are good moments of course, but it really does feel like it's lacking something.
Maybe I'll enjoy it more when (if) I ever re-read it. You can't please all the people all the time. I generally love Pratchett's books and thoroughly look forward to the next one.
Wonderful - and this is a kids book??? October 4, 2008
What a fantastic book, I had already read the pre-amble when I ordered the book so I wasn't expecting a discworld novel. This is fabulous though and in it's own way as good as or better than the discworld books. Rather than ride just the frothy waves of humour, this book often dives below the surf into the deeper darker world of real emotions.
The storytelling is magical and I could easily have read this in one sitting but instead I made it last 4 days :)The characters were fantastic and you really get to know and care about Mau and Daphne.
This book will sit on my bookshelf forever and every so often I will take it down and go and vist Mau and Daphne again.
I cannot reccomend it enough, just don't ruin it for yourself by expecting a discworld novel - it's better even that that in it's own way :)
A Classic in the truest sense October 2, 2008
I want to add my review here of Nation but it's actually an extraordinarily difficult thing to do. The reason is that I don't want to appear to be `gushing' with praise for it. If ever I read such a review, it normally has the effect of turning me off the book completely, as it's obviously written by a fan who hasn't read a different author or genre since they left primary school. In view of this, here's what I genuinely thought of it:
I finished the book last night and my immediate thought was `Oh my gosh, this is a classic'. This is a book that will be discussed, debated and written about for years to come. It's a bit like being around when a new Dickens or Jane Austin novel came out.
The plot has been mentioned here already, so I won't repeat it again. I see that some reviewers have said that Nation is pitched at older children in their teens, but don't be fooled. This book has so much depth and can be read at so many levels, there's enough here to keep 10 year old Harry Potter fans to Academic Philosophers happy. The writing style is as clear and sparkling as cut crystal and while reading it, Pratchatt takes your conscious mind out of this world and into his. You become each character, looking through their eyes, thinking their thoughts and feeling their every emotion. It is a fully immersive experience. The book also engages the brain by making you think about how societies and belief systems are created and our place in them. It is also a book to make you think about what makes you, you. If ever there was a book that could provide software upgrade for your brain, this is it.
Terry, I'll probably never meet you in person, but thank you for such a special gift.
One of those feel-good experiences October 1, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Every so often you come across a book that just makes you feel good. The first time I read "The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency" was like that, and even though I've been reading Terry Pratchett's books for many years now, this book was another of those experiences.
That's not to say that this is all warm, fuzzy stuff. Indeed, there's death aplenty (and since this isn't a Discworld book, no DEATH) but the way that Pratchett handles all the less palatable aspects of life and death still gives you a good feeling. (I read somewhere recently that he'd had an experience where he suddenly felt that all was right with the world and there was no reason to worry - not something he would describe as a religious experience, but similar in some ways. I wonder whether that was before, after or while he was writing this book, because a lot of it seems to seep through).
Highly recommended both for people who are already Pratchett fans, but also for those who have never read him or avoided him - stop being snobby because he's a popular author and find out WHY. This is a fine piece of work.
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