Terry Prachett's new book, Nation, is not a Discworld book, which is a bit of surprise since it's been, what, 12 years and as many books since he's written a non-Discworld one. (Not that I mind -- I've read them all.) And I suppose that might be a plus for folks who don't want to jump into the middle of a 30+ volume series. Anyhoodle, Nation. Sometime in the late 1800s, a tidal wave destroys a entire island nation, leaving only one native survivor -- a young man just returning from his month on the "Boy's Island" on his journey to manhood. The wave also shipwrecks a young English woman on the island. The situation almost seems like a cliche -- shades of Robinson Crusoe or Blue Lagoon -- but in Pratchett's hands it's anything but. This is a gut-wrenching tale of loss, a nuanced look at growing to adulthood, a questioning look at tradition and religion, and a rollicking adventure.

FuzzyCo grade: A+