The bone tiki by David Hair
HarperCollins, 2009.
ISBN 9781869507343.
(Age 11+) Recommended. Very reminiscent of The Dark is Rising
by
Susan
Cooper,
this powerful novel stretches the reader's imagination in a fascinating
way. For readers not familiar with the
Maori stories there is an added layer, a little like the Australian
dreamtime
stories. To share the parallel words in
New Zealand, then and now, makes for a fast moving, many times bloody
and
gruesome journey for Mat. He made his
parents a pendant, the Maori half for his father and the Celtic knot
for his
mother. Mat lives with his lawyer father,
his mother now lives in Taupo. Through a
convoluted series of incidents, Mat has the man shaped tiki which
Puarata wants
for his evil dominance. Mat Wiri, Kelly
and a dog (who has other forms) called Fitzy embark on a quest to free
Wiri
from the hated Puarata. The creatures,
people and towns from an earlier time give the reader a
realistic feeling for another time, through Mat's
eyes. It's
an exciting time travel, with well rounded characters, both good and
evil.
Sue Nosworthy.