Evocative and beautifully written

A brave book...he shows with this novel, he intimately understands the Western condition, its complexity and fragility

Enormously powerful... fiercely intelligent... a gripping and ambiguous novel

A rapidly unfolding mystery that hints at suicide, murder and madness, and builds to a wrenching climax... haunting and accomplished... The finale is unexpected and terrifying

In the tradition of British writing about India, this novel is a rich, unexpected variation, and a considerable addition

This is a brilliant evocation of the teeming back streets and bazaars of Delhi and the gulf between Indian life and western logic

With his constant switching of viewpoint, tense and emphasis, Parks, an extremely skilful storyteller, makes sure the novel's intensity never falters

An engaging story

This probably won't get within a bull's roar of the Booker shortlist. It should.The complexities of Dreams of Rivers and Seas are not the product of contrivance, but simply those of experience

A love story (or rather several love stories), an oblique and engrossing mystery, but above all a story about language and its limitations

Ambitious and compelling

In his latest novel, Parks demonstrates a seemingly effortless mastery of biochemistry...a fast paced thriller with sex and relationships at its heart

Entirely convincing. He is a highly skilful writer and this is an absorbing story

Parks competently handles the themes of secrecy and communication

This is Pratchett operating at the peak of his powers. Nation's often very funny, the characters are adorable, the plot intriguing... Nation is wryly hilarious throughout.

It's a wonderful story, by turns harrowing and triumphant, and Mau and Daphne are tremendously appealing characters. It's a book that can be read with great pleasure by young readers-and not a few of their parents, I suspect-as both a high-spirited yarn and a subtle examination of the risks and virtues of faith.

Gr 7-10-A tsunami has hit Mau's island home and washed away everyone he has known. Daphne is from the other side of the globe and is the sole survivor (or so she thinks) of a shipwreck on the island. The two come together and each of them brings wisdom, intelligence, and sense of humanity to their dire situation. An absorbing novel of survival and discovery liberally infused with Pratchett's trademark wit.

This culture clash comedy gives way to growing understanding and there is much to ponder on the merits of faith and tradition.

... a unique, exhilarating tour de force

... a very funny and well-written story. The characters and plot are both imaginative and thought-provoking.

A South Seas island adventure with an assured comic edge from Pratchett... This culture clash comedy gives way to growing understanding and there is much to ponder on the merits of faith and tradition.

I think this is - just possibly -the best book Pratchett has ever written.

This is a novel for all ages from (say) 11 to (say) 90, and its narrative exuberance will lure its younger readers to 'strange seas of thought'.

Pratchett writing at the height of his powers.

A serious work, but one written with humour and a lightness of touch that embraces big questions...it is a book about the faith of our times.

Terry Pratchett's use of language here is funny and exciting. This book delivers adventure, philosophy and satire. Pratchett has written of a very different world from his Discworld series. This is one of the cleverest novels I have read in years.

Nation is a modern tale of enlightenment that can be enjoyed by teenagers and aduls alike. An exceptional read, highly recommended.

An ebullient and entertaining novel of ideas.

Nation, published in 2008 (this year's award catchment runs from August 2008-September 2009), is an extraordinarily complicated tale about God, tradition and loss. Yet it is told with beautiful simplicity and rollicking readability.

Funny and profound, Nation is much more than an adventure story, pitting reason against religion and offering an alternative perspective on world history and culture.

As Pratchett says: "Thinking. This book contains some. Whether you try it at home is up to you." His wit is on every page; his world surpasses ours, his writing is weird and wonderful. No, weirdly wonderful. It is gripping but put the book down to ponder the thoughts inside to unearth a parallel universe. Terry Pratchett is worth more than his idiom; his teachings contain more philosophical thought than I would have ever thought possible.