Nation

I just finished reading Terry Pratchett's new standalone novel Nation. Although it's not as funny as his Discworld series of books, it was an enjoyable read. What I really like about Pratchett novels is that he has something to say in every book--a view on politics or nationalism or racism or social class or something else that is implied but never spelled out and that makes the books more than just silly adventure stories. The theme in Nation is an old but important one: the difficulty of religious belief in the face of scientific fact. Here's the back of the book description from Amazon. If you haven't read any Terry Pratchett, you really should.

"Alone on a desert island — everything and everyone he knows and loves has been washed away in a storm — Mau is the last surviving member of his nation. He’s 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 that 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, that all she has for company is the boy and the foul-mouthed ship’s parrot, until other survivors arrive to take refuge on the island. 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.Encompassing themes of death and nationhood, Terry Pratchett’s new novel is, as can be expected, extremely funny, witty and wise. Mau’s ancestors have something to teach us all. Mau just wishes they would shut up about it and let him get on with saving everyone’s lives!"