New Terry Pratchett book

[Buleste]

Terry Pratchett has released a new book called "Nation". It's not a discworld novel but one set in the "real" world. This is T.P.'s first book since coming out avout his Alzhiemers. The Blurb is a s follows

Finding himself alone on a desert island when everything and everyone he knows and loved has been washed away in a huge storm, Mau is the last surviving member of his nation. He's also completely alone - or so he thinks until he finds the ghost girl. She has no toes, wears strange lacy trousers like the grandfather bird and gives him a stick which can make fire. Daphne, sole survivor of the wreck of the Sweet Judy, almost immediately regrets trying to shoot the native boy. Thank goodness the powder was wet and the gun only produced a spark. She's certain her father, distant cousin of the Royal family, will come and rescue her but it seems, for now, all she has for company is the boy and the foul-mouthed ship's parrot. As it happens, they are not alone for long.Other survivors start to arrive to take refuge on the island they all call the Nation and then raiders accompanied by murderous mutineers from the Sweet Judy. Together, Mau and Daphne discover some remarkable things - including how to milk a pig and why spitting in beer is a good thing - and start to forge a new Nation.

For those in the UK WHsmiths are selling it for £8.49 today and it's not supposed to be released until 11th September.

[Buleste]

I've read the first few chapters and i'm a little dissapointed. The premise is this:


Set in, whilst not an alternate universe, a distant cousin to our own universe in the 1800's (a few years after Darwin published The Origin Of Species) Britain is suffering from an epidemic of the flu which has wiped out the King and several other members of the royal family. The heir to the throne is somewhere in the pacific so a ship is sent out to bring him back as due to some subclauses hidden in the Magna Carta the heir to the English throne must set foot on English soil within 9 months of the Monarchs death. Due to the barons being sneaky bastards it's not enough to send out some soil to the heir so they can step on it as it's stipulated that the English soil has to be in England. Worse than that the French have a copy of the real Magna Carta and if the heir to the throne doesn't step on English soil within 9 months then they have the right to install a king!!!
Meanwhile in the Mothering Sunday Islands Mau is the last member of his island left alive after a Tsunami hits his island (the tsunami also shipwrecks Ermintrude/Daphne (she never did like Ermintrude and being as the only person on the island doesn't even speak English she can call herself what she wants) who is the daughter of the heir to the English throne on the island).


That is pretty much all that's happened so far. It seems to take some ideas from Small Gods and inserts the usual Terry Pratchett humour but unfortunatly so far it seems to go along at a laboured pace. If it improves i'll let you know.

[Harrison]

The story sounds quite interested. I would definitely be interested in reading this if you think the book gets better as it progresses.

Has anyone heard any more about his current health?

[Buleste]

Finished reading the book last night. From some of the notes this may be a childrens book. If it is then kids are a lot more philosophical these days than i ever was. It's not one of TP's best books but is quite readable and it does make you think (if it is a kids book and makes them think then this needs to be on the national curriculum as the one thing we need today is a lot more kids thinking about things). My favortie Pratchett book is Small Gods and this is in a similar vain. All in all i'd say wait for it to come out in paperback or is even cheaper but do get it eventually.

[Buleste]

In relation to TP's "Embuggerance" there's no new update about his condition as Alzheimers is a wonderfully slow disease that slowly strips you of your mind over many years. This means that TP will be writing for another couple of years at least before it becomes too difficult for him to write and then it will be a long, dark struggle for TP. Alzheimers is a disease with no known cure and no hope of recovery. Even if TP's charity work works and a treatment can be found it will be too late for him as there is no way to reverse the damage his brain will have suffered. There are drugs and remedies that may slow down the diseases progress but it is mostly hit and miss as to wether they work. The best thing people can do is give generously to the Alzheimers Society in the hope that you can help prevent this horrible disease affecting the next generation.