Calling all epic fantasy friends, historical fiction fans, and readers wanting to learn more about Aotearoa and its people. Kāwai: For Such a Time as This is the first fiction book released by Dr. Monty Soutar, revered historian and respected author in Aotearoa New Zealand. His historical non-fiction books showcase the courage, bravery, strength, and mana of Māori across centuries, and it is here in Kāwai: For Such a Time as This we see that respect shown. Kāwai: For Such a Time as This is not for the faint of heart, but if you want to learn about Māori in the centuries before British colonisation in Aotearoa New Zealand then it is the book for you.

This epic historical adventure tells the story of pre-colonial Aotearoa New Zealand like it’s never been told before. A young Māori man, compelled to learn the stories of his ancestors, returns to his family marae on the east coast of the North Island to speak to his elderly grand-uncle, the keeper of the stories. What follows is the enthralling account of the young man’s tipuna, the legendary warrior Kaitanga, after whom his marae’s whare puni has been named. Tracing the author’s own ancestral line, Kāwai: For Such a Time as This reveals a picture of an indigenous Aotearoa in the mid-18th century, through to the first encounters between Māori and Europeans. It describes a culture that is highly sophisticated with an immense knowledge of science, medicine and religion; proud tribes who live harmoniously within the natural world; a highly capable and adaptable people to whom family and legacy are paramount. However, it is also a culture illuminated by a brutal undercurrent of inter-generational vengeance, witchcraft and cannibalism.

The story is intense from the beginning, and the aforementioned warnings are not to be brushed aside. I understand that reading about cannibalism and vengeance-fuelled war may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but these are the darker aspects of Māori history. Kāwai: For Such a Time as This shares the advanced side of Māori culture and community, the skill, knowledge, and ingenuity that proves Māori were highly sophisticated and cared for the land they were privileged to live on. There is a lot to get from this book, and a lot of people that will be interested in reading it.

Something I am so happy to see in Kāwai: For Such a Time as This which should come as no surprise is the reo Māori. This is undoubtedly a historical fiction book with a Māori setting and characters, so te reo Māori and te ao Māori are prevalent in the storytelling. I just didn’t expect to see it in such high volumes – from the phrases at the start of each chapter, to the dialogue and names of native plants, birds, and places, and even common references to the gods. It makes this feel less like a fiction novel and more like a slice-of-life non-fiction recount of moments in the history of Monty Soutar’s ancestral line. It is no stretch to say that Kāwai: For Such a Time as This feels like a living, breathing tome of history.

This Māori epic will captivate you and engross you in the world of Aotearoa and te ao Māori long after you’re finished it. It’s a good thing too, for then you can relieve your urge to dive back in with Kāwai: Tree of Nourishment, the second book in the planned trilogy. I know I will be jumping right into it seeing as it is on my shelf already, and I encourage you to plan ahead and pick up both books at the same time so you can do the same. I don’t know if there will be another Māori epic quite like what Monty Soutar has created so soon, but I am eagerly keeping my eye out in case a young Māori author proves me wrong.