Justice and Utu

Aotearoa #4

by David Hair

Justice is not enough. Aotearoa demands utu.

Matiu Douglas is used to his father Tama’s job as a defence lawyer creating stress, but when Tama takes on a case in magical Aotearoa - the defence of Mat’s old enemy Donna Kyle - family tensions run high. But that is only the beginning of Mat’s worries. A jail-break becomes a man-hunt, and strange new alliances must be forged if justice is to be served.

From the streets of early Auckland to wild and lawless Kororareka, the 'Hell-hole of the Pacific', and on to the trackless ocean, the lines between hunter and hunted will blur and dissolve. Old friendships and new loves will be tempered and tested. In the end, a price must be paid: good for good, and ill for ill.

Genres: Young Adult

310 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

David Hair is the author of The Bone Tiki, winner of Best First Novel (Young Adult Fiction section) at the 2010 NZ Post Children's Book Awards. The Bone Tiki and its sequel The Taniwha's Tear are fantasy novels set in New Zealand. David is a New Zealander, who has worked primarily in financial services. He has a degree in History and Classical Studies. He has lived from 2007 to 2010 in New Delhi, India, but usually resides in Wellington, New Zealand. Apart from writing, he is interested in folklore, history, and has a passion for football.

Reviews

[Lemurkat · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the Aotearoa series, Hair has just gone from strength to strength. This latest installment is darker and more emotionally affective than the earlier volumes. Matiu is now 17, and has matured along with the prose. He is now a powerful sorcerer in his own right, but that doesn't make the challenges any less difficult. The latest challenge is having to stand witness at Donna Kyle's trial - the people of Aotearoa are baying for her blood, and she has chosen Matiu's dad to stand as her lawyer. Once again, Matiu finds himself dragged into the events of the ghost world of Aotearoa, events that could turn deadly. Edge of the seat action, interspersed with characters you have grown to know and like, and a few new ones added to the mix, a spattering of New Zealand folklore (and history) and a few unexpected turn of events, make for a wild ride indeed!

[D.C. Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed David Hair's Aotearoa series and powered through the first three but somehow I missed the release of the 4th in the series Justice and Utu so was delighted to find that not only had there been a 4th but a 5th as well. Mat is back with a new character called Evie who displays powers of fortune-telling due to an encounter with Donna Kyle, Mat's old enemy. When Mat's father is called upon to defend Donna in Aotearoa, things rapidly deteriote and Mat is called upon to help out. This book twists and turns as new and old foes clash with one another, a few history lessons thrown in and lots of battles. I like that the author didn't shy away from the violence inherent in confrontations of this nature so don't read this book if you are squeamish, however preteen and teen boys will love it!

[St Stephen's C C]

Matiu Douglas's father, Tama, is a defence lawyer, a job that has cost him the love of his wife. Mat is used to his father's job creating stress, but when Tama takes on a high-profile case in magical Aotearoa - the defence of Donna Kyle and her father, Asher Grieve - family tensions run high. Then Asher and Donna escape, and Mat and his friends find themselves drawn into a man-hunt, the consequences of which are deadly. In lawless Russell, the 'Hell-hole of the Pacific', strange alliances will be forged, deadly rivalries emerge, and death will stalk the Ghost Worlds.

[Shannonigans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, interesting lots of plot twists to hook you in