Hawaiian and Sumerian cultural inspirations elevate this Chosen One tale.
In this middle-grade fantasy debut, an orphan living on ancient Kauai learns about his complex heritage—and that he possesses extraordinary powers.
Thirteen-year-old Moana is an outcast in his village, feared because of his “freakish” height, “eyes that changed from brown to turquoise depending on his mood, and skin the color of sour milk,” as well as the mystery of his parents’ death shortly after his birth. Besides his grandfather Huna and his dog, Hui, Moana’s only friends are the livestock he tends until he rescues an abandoned monk seal pup, naming it ’Opu. One day, he’s defending himself and ’Opu from bullies when he’s hit with a scent worse than rotting corpses—and the premonition that someone is coming. After watching in horror as red-eyed snake men tear the bullies limb from limb, Moana runs to Huna, who sends him to find the anukus, a primordial race of tiny people whose blood—and power over mana, the life force in all things—runs in Moana’s veins. But the teen is also descended from Ush-bara, the king of the snake creatures called ushukus. This combination of bloodlines means he’s the only one strong enough to defeat the ushukus once and for all and bring peace back to Kauai. In many ways, this first installment of a series follows a familiar pattern: youngster discovers his special status, magical abilities, and duty to fight evil. Halemanu refreshes the trope, however, by setting it in his native Hawaii instead of the usual medieval Europe. For his story’s supernatural elements, the author turns to Sumerian mythology and he provides glossaries of both Hawaiian and Sumerian-based terms for curious readers (for example, the Hawaiian list defines kapu as “Taboo, Forbidden”). A twist ending could have been better foreshadowed, but it skillfully sets up new challenges for Moana to face in the sequel.
Hawaiian and Sumerian cultural inspirations elevate this Chosen One tale.Pub Date: Oct. 31, 2016
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 249
Publisher: Blue Coral Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A discerning historical journey that could use more context.
A Westerner recalls his journey into China’s interior in the late ’80s.
Schwartz’s 1987 journey into China’s interior balances “a China of the mind against the stirrings of a culture hungry for modernization.” It’s clear from the outset that his trip is no vacation. In addition to partaking in the calming meditative practice of zazen, he documents the political and economic discord of a nation in transition, while also exploring his own psyche on the 10,000-mile unescorted trek. The excursion, pursued with academic vigor, is a culmination of his early fascination with China. His intense studies also provide a reprieve from strained relations with his father and struggles with sexuality. He achieves varying degrees of success with his objectives: spending a night in a Chinese monastery, ascending a Buddhist holy mountain and a pilgrimage to Lhasa, Tibet, all against a backdrop of dao (the way), te (innate power) and wu wei (effortlessness). In his earnest writing, Schwartz describes people who have often lost their connection to history in favor of consumerism. The lamentation is mostly detached as he insightfully recognizes sociological and cultural constructs, such as an escaped pet bird symbolizing flight from oppression. Refreshingly, Schwartz doesn’t sermonize; readers will be presented with frustrating travel minutiae—he fibs to obtain a better train ticket and gets annoyed with temporary travel companions—rather than arcane lessons in philosophy or religion. The detailed descriptions of frustrating ticket purchases help illuminate the difficulty in reaching the ultimate destination, geographically and psychologically, yet some details, such as the items on food menus, aren’t as intriguing. Other times, Schwartz’s account is (perhaps unintentionally) humorous when it diverges into seemingly mundane observations, as with the amusing anecdote of Schwartz helping robed monks sweep while he wears his Tang Dynasty T-shirt. (The monks recognize that they’ve got “a live one.”) The 25-year-old account could have benefitted from comparisons to China today. As it stands, the scant one-page afterword is hardly sufficient for giving this journey a broader perspective. Still, the astute religious survey and portrait of Chinese–Tibetan relations will make the book useful for historians, travelers, natives and cultural explorers.
A discerning historical journey that could use more context.Pub Date: April 25, 2012
ISBN: 978-1470094898
Page Count: 260
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An entertaining, well-organized account for fans.
A pioneering Latin actor chronicles his life on and off the stage and screen.
Sometimes acting is heart and soul; other times it’s technique. Henry Darrow says he’s given himself over to both, but, perhaps more pointedly, he embraces his roles as work. This “lightning in the bottle” was so dubbed because of his obvious love of labor, as well as his renowned versatility and resilience in the professional and personal realms. His satisfaction in acting derives not only from starring roles, but also from the so-called little parts. The tenacity to “out perfectionist nearly anyone” helped him become the first actor of Puerto Rican heritage to star in a TV series. That gig on “The High Chaparral” was preceded by a 10-year personal climb, an ascension attentively recounted in the first third of the book. The middle section is even more detailed, covering various aspects of the western series that catapulted him to fame. The final third covers his life post-“Chaparral,” including not only his TV roles, but also his role as an activist promoting Latinos in the industry. Darrow and Pippins skillfully intersperse the historical context with thoughtful analyses and often-lighthearted vignettes regarding various gigs and circumstances. Darrow’s contemplation of an Anglo name change, for example, is managed amusingly; however, the deeper subject of ethnic identity is treated with focused consideration. The authors adeptly blend such identity issues with the broader entertainment landscape in which, ironically, Darrow’s career direction was partially the result of the western genre’s decline and a backlash against violent programming. Nonetheless, the biography’s unfolding often reflects Darrow’s penchant for performance. The collection of his quotes can sometimes seem less than remarkable, although a train of thought regarding emotion is particularly inspiring. However, maintaining interest in Darrow’s life after “Chaparral,” including his smaller TV roles, could be a drawback for casual readers.
An entertaining, well-organized account for fans.Pub Date: Feb. 29, 2012
ISBN: 978-1593936884
Page Count: 392
Publisher: BearManor Media
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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