One boy, one boat, one tiger ...After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra (with a broken leg), a female orang-utan - and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. The scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and best-loved works of fiction in recent years. "* 'Every page offers something of tension, humanity, surprise, or even ecstasy' - The Times * 'A terrific book... fresh, original, smart, devious, and crammed with absorbing lore' - Margaret Atwood, Sunday Times * 'A unique and original story, brilliantly told' - Guardian * 'Full of clever tricks, amusing asides and grand originality' - Daily Telegraph"