Nation by Terry Pratchett

[Michelle]

I think an important thing to say before my review is that I

[Kell]

I got this one with birthday vouchers last weekend and am SO looking forward to a getting a chance to read it!

[Kate]

This book will be going on my Christmas list I think!

[Michelle]

Kell, have you read his other children's books? I started a couple a while back, but didn't really get into them. I'd be interested to find some similar to Nation though.

[Kell]

I've read his children's Discworld books (the Tiffany Aching books and also Amazing Maurice), but I'm not so bothered about the Johnny books. I loved the Bromeliad (the Nomes books) and also The Carpet People which isn't technically a kids' book, but he originally wrote it when he was just 17 and re-worked it in his 40s. Pratchett is incredibly versatile.

[Weave]

I just added it to my wishlist Michelle, it sounds a great read

[Raven]

I don't know why, but this doesn't appeal to me at all.

I've been reading his Discworld books since the late eighties (I was nearly there at the beginning, I came in just before Sorcery was published!), and I love them, but this just doesn't sound very interesting - I'm not sure why.

I will read it at some point, when it comes out in paperback I suspect, but I'm just not that fussed . . .

[Mia]

I'm fighting the temptation to buy it at the moment - I don't buy hardbacks unless I really have to. But I'm not sure I can wait until it's out in paperback!

[Kell]

I got the gorgeous black cover version that's exclusive to Waterstones.

[Colin Jacobs]

I just cannot get into the Books. Whether it is my sense of humour or that the books just dont gel with me I dont know. I would love to read them all but I just cannot get past a few pages.

Very annoying

[Michelle]

I'm fighting the temptation to buy it at the moment - I don't buy hardbacks unless I really have to. But I'm not sure I can wait until it's out in paperback!

 

Yikes - I hope you don't buy it, decide you don't like it, and send me the bill!

[Lilywhite]

I've been trying to ignore this book since it came out as I have soooo many others to read at the moment but it sounds too good. I love Pratchett and whilst I admit, some books are better than others, I still love them.

I've been trying to read the Discworld novels in some kind of order (difficult, I know) but seen as this one is a stand alone novel, maybe I can bump it up to the top of my list.

[NiceguyEddie]

I "discovered" Terry Pratchett at 43 and I have a considerable number still to read. I am currently reading Monstrous Regiment.

[Mia]

Yikes - I hope you don't buy it, decide you don't like it, and send me the bill!

 

Hey, what a good idea Michelle! I'd never have thought of that if you hadn't mentioned it. But I think your money will be safe - it's Pratchett, and I've never read one I've really disliked.

[Charm]

I'm thinking of buying some Terry Pratchett novels for my teenage son. Is there any particular one I should start with or is there a series of ones like the Lord of the Rings type of story that you would recommend. I hate buying a book and realising I should have read this or that first!

 

[~Andrea~]

There is a TP thread on here somewhere which discusses the order and the series within the series.

[Charm]

There is a TP thread on here somewhere which discusses the order and the series within the series.

 

Thanx I didn't even think to look! But thank you for the answer

[Mia]

Michelle said earlier in this thread that she hoped I didn't buy the book on her recommendation, dislike it and send her the bill, to which I replied the following:

 

Hey, what a good idea Michelle! I'd never have thought of that if you hadn't mentioned it. But I think your money will be safe - it's Pratchett, and I've never read one I've really disliked.

 

Ha! How wrong can a person be?! Michelle, one bill coming your way!

 

Well, I finally finished Nation last night, after taking about three months to read it, which is an unheard of time for me to take to read a Pratchett book. I can't say I really enjoyed it.

 

I loved all the characters, especially Daphne and Mau. I also loved finding out about the island and the traditions. But I think the main problem for me was that I just found the way the story was written boring. Every time I put the book down, I didn't want to go back to it. Reading it seemed like a chore rather than something enjoyable. I thought Terry had toned down his humour rather too much, perhaps in order to make us think and beat us around the head with the book's "messages". Yes, it made you think, but perhaps it could have been done in a less boring way?

 

I found it a relief when I finally finished the book, and this is from someone who loves Pratchett's work. Perhaps I just prefer his Discworld novels. Although they have more humour, they still make you think about things, but he achieves this with what appears to be a throwaway line, rather than taking pages of dull soul-searching to get the point across.

 

And for some reason, the grandfather birds and the continual references to them really, really annoyed me.

 

Oh well. Even Terry can't win 'em all!

[Michelle]

If I remember correctly, the reviewers on amazon who weren't so keen were those who were big Discworld fans. I'm not particularly, so maybe that's something to do with it? I know I described the humour as 'subtle', but I wasn't really looking for that aspect.. it might make a difference that I didn't have any preconceptions, because I'm not really used to his style, so I liked it for what it was..?

[Mia]

I think that's very probably right, Michelle. Maybe I'm so "stuck" in the Discworld style that when he does something different I don't like it. As you say, you were able to go to it with no preconceptions.

 

That's interesting what you said about the big Discworld fans not liking it so much. I thought I was the only one that didn't like it!

[Ben]

I'll be getting this soon as I can make my way to a bookshop.