after the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, one solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue pacific.the crew of the surviving vessel consists of a hyena, a zebra (with a broken leg), a female orang-utan, a 450-pound royal bengal tiger and pi - a 16-year-old indian boy.the scene is set for one of the most extraordinary pieces of literary fiction of recent years.yann martels life of pi is a transformative novel, a dazzling work of imagination that will delight and astound readers in equal measure. it is a triumph of storytelling and a tale that will, as one character puts it, make you believe in god.editorial: canongate books ltd.