Nation

Title: Nation
Author: Terry Pratchet
Genre: Fantasy, Alternate History
Publication: September 11, 2008

     Nation is set in an alternate 1860's. Britain rules the world, France tailing it and Prussia steadily unifying the German Confederation. Charles Darwin has just published his book The Origin of Species and completed his journey round the globe. In the Great Pelagic Ocean (in our world the Pacific), a small archipelago of islands will soon become the centre of world affairs. On one of these islands is Mau, a boy who is about to complete is passage in to manhood. He builds a canoe, upon which he must row for a week before returning home. Aboard the Sweet Judy, Ermintrude(she likes to be called Daphne) and her father are sailing across the Ocean to S.America. Daphne's father is governor of the Pelagic Territories. Back in Britian, a horrific disease has wiped out much of the population, including all of the royal family. According to the Magna Carta and societal hierarchy, Daphne is the next heir to the throne of the British Empire, but she doesn't know it. A volcano suddenly erupts in the Pelagic Ocean, causing a massive tsunami. The tsunami shipwrecks Daphne's boat and destroys Mau's island. Upon returning home, all Mau finds is a wasteland, barren of life... Aside from Daphne, who survived the shipwreck. The two have nothing in common, but have no way of getting Daphne home or of communicating with each other. Together they must survive the terrors of island life, and Mau must learn the manhood is more than just becoming a man.
     The book Nation explores two basic themes. Growing up and Man vs. Society / Nature. Mau has to learn that alongside being bigger and stronger, he has a knew sense of responsibility for those around him, and is expected to be a leader. Both Daphne and Mau end up together, and face an influx of sometimes not the friendliest islanders and the nature around them. Storms, food shortages and lack of fresh water are common on an island ravaged by nature's most spectacular event. So far I am really enjoying the book, and hope it continues being just as brilliant.