Turncoat

by Tihema Baker

I see you’re coming to terms with what it means for a Human to serve the Hierarch.’
‘Well, I know that a lot of Hierarch edicts completely contradict Human values. I was prepared for that when I began here—’
‘Were you?’

Daniel is a young, idealistic Human determined to make a difference for his people. He lives in a distant future in which Earth has been colonised by aliens. His mission: infiltrate the Alien government called the Hierarch and push for it to honour the infamous Covenant of Wellington, the founding agreement between the Hierarch and Humans.

With compassion and insight, Turncoat explores the trauma of Māori public servants and the deeply conflicted role they are expected to fill within the machinery of government. From casual racism to co-governance, Treaty settlements to tino rangatiratanga, Turncoat is a timely critique of the Aotearoa zeitgeist, holding a mirror up to Pākehā New Zealanders and asking: “What if it happened to you?”

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction

295 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2023

Reviews

[Dakvid · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book. On the one hand a light hearted science fiction tale of a half-human half-alien young adult on a colonised Earth finding his way in the world. An easy and amusing read with lots of humour sprinkled throughout, from the Human words being formatted in Comic Sans ("an ancient script highly favoured by pre-assimilation Humans"), to the inspirational ancient anthems ("Never gonna give you up"), to springing a surprise birthday party for an alien and having to apologise and explain every component, to the allusion of the sun sparkling on the sea like when Humans used to pour oil on it and set it on fire.

On the other hand, it's a very thinly veiled satirical analogy of the Māori experience of "post" colonial New Zealand - right down to a Covenant of annexation with three articles in two different languages that don't say the same things. It works as a useful vehicle for explaining and commenting on past and current injustices, and I appreciated being given that removed perspective to reflect on the real life issues. But it's more than just an allegorical history explainer, raising some deeper questions with no easy answer. Some of these are implicit, like the Humans' integration of many Alien physical and cultural aspects and their loss or misunderstanding of much of pre contact culture - they can never go back to how it was before, so what does it mean to be Human now? Others are more explicit, like the protagonist's struggle with how to be a Human serving the Hierach that acts against human interests, and the contemplation of genuinely implementing the Covenant and what that would mean for everyone.

I can only speak from a sympathetic Pākehā perspective, but I greatly enjoyed reading the book and it gave me a lot to think about.

[Michelle Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book of 2023. I laughed. I wanted to cry. I hurled my book at the bedroom window in relatable frustration (I’m a Maori public servant) While part of me wanted the book to end after the “mic drop” moment - a happy ending, Baker leaves us with something both true and hopeful~a reminder perhaps~ we must keep our integrity intact-Rank or no rank

[Andi C Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "alien colonisation of Earth as a metaphor for colonisation within Earth" subgenre is far from new. There are still excellent works being published in this space (Clare G. Coleman springs to mind). Tīhema Bakers _Turncoat_, though, manages to explore it in a way I haven't really seen before.

It's the story of a young, idealistic human who decides to change the situation for his people by working within the system (if you feel like the two survivors in a horror movie have just decided to split up, then yup). I understand it's heavily based on the author's own experience. It's very clever and at times very funny - I think I actually yelped at the projection of New Zealand's most iconic symbol. And at the same time, it's underscored by not just a profound sense of loss, but the sense that its human characters and societies have lost even the ability to comprehend that loss, or to know what they have lost (has been taken from them, to be more accurate). You realise the parts that are so wonderfully funny are only so because they are misunderstandings or ideas divorced from their context. Because so much has been taken from the humans of the story.

There are parts that are brutal and actually quite harrowing. Physical violence, deprivation of the necessities of life, absolutely feature, as do the repeated blows of having your name mispronounced. But it also makes you stop and imagine: in a world where things like road-trips, chips, rick-rolling, all sit in isolation as half understood concepts, and everything that might connect them is gone and you don't even know what should be there, how do you even process that devastation?

Turncoat is unsubtle because it needs to be. While the first part was, as I've said, clever, I don't feel it came into its own as a novel until maybe 2/3 of the way through. What happens to those closest to Daniel, and how he deals with it, takes it up separate notches. There are no easy answers or solutions. This might be a novel about someone trying to find a solution, but it ends up being one about how the problem runs deeper, and across more areas of life and ways of being, than most are prepared to acknowledge.

[Tatjna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, clever, biting, heartbreaking, inspiring, full of relatable cultural references, alternately making me laugh out loud then slapping me in the face with the reality that lies behind the story.

Shamelessly allegorical but somehow not clunky. Worth reading.

My only criticism is that the book literally fell apart in my hands while reading it. One read and it's losing pages. Hopefully the quality of the story will lead to a popularity that finances slightly better publishing quality.

[edit] I was contacted by the publishers after posting this review. They explained that their books are hand made and sometimes not perfect, and kindly offered to replace my copy. In the end I decided that the way the pages came out as I read reflected the nature of the story around the disintegration of colonial structures and was kind of fitting. The book looks like it's been through an ordeal similar to that of the main character and I quite like that. :)

[Ronnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An utterly unique meditation on colonisation, bureaucracy, autonomy and compromise. Turncoat is a damning and clearsighted commentary on historic and contemporary relations (political, legal and personal) between Māori and Pākehā, told via a compelling science fictional allegory. As a non-New Zealander I learned a lot from this novel, yet despite its important metaphorical function it also stands in its own right as a highly readable and often slyly funny yarn.

[Rachel Horwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gratitude Tīhema, what an awesome piece of writing.
Very clever pukapuka, with so many crafty jokes from the stimulating number puzzles to the pre blown pies.
I recognise the modern, affirming literary technique and applaud you.
This pukapuka is set to become a kiwi classic for revolutions to come.

[James Daly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tēnā koe e te kākākura. Me mihi ka tika ki a koe mō tō mahi rakatira. He whakaaro pounamu kai roto kua taka mō kā iwi Māori me kā tauiwi.

Kāore e kore, ina pānui, roko rānei kā Pākehā i tō mātau take, kā intergenerational traumas, te mea te mea, āe ka mōhio ai, ekari ki taku nei wheako, kāore te nuika o kā Pākehā e noho ana i te māramataka ki kā take Māori. Ki ētahi, he alien, pea. Ko te pai o te pukapuka nei ko te whakawhiti whakaaro kai ruka i tō rātau ake mōhiotaka, me kā māramataka. Nā te pukapuka nei, ka hua te māramataka e pā ana ki kā take Māori, tēnā pea.

Nō reira, e maha kā whakaaro kai roto mō kā Māori. Kotahi konei: He uri ahau nō te kura ture Pākehā. Kai te whai whakaaro i ia rā i ia rā, me pēhea ai e whakanuia Te Tiriti kai taku mahi. Me ko Daniel, he rakirua ahau. Tēnā pea mehemea kai te mahi te takata i te mihini o te Karauna, he whīra noa iho ia. Ekari kai te tū tonu te whakatauākī a Te Kooti: 'Mā te ture anō te ture e āki'. Ko te whakaaro kai ruka i te pukapuka ko ahakoa te aha, kaua e wareware ko wai koe, nō hea koe. Maumahara ana au ki te pātai "Are you a lawyer that happens to be Māori, or a Māori that happens to be a lawyer".

He ātaahua te whakahua o kā whakaaro bro, kia ora.

[Sophie Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book of the year. A must read for any public servant.

[Wendy Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my key determinants of a five-star rating is how likely I am to recommend a book to any and all people around me, and this book gets a solid five. The premise of the novel is brilliant: a future where Aliens have colonised the Earth, and Humans are second-class citizens suffering a multitude of injustices due to the persistent disregard of the Covenant of Wellington, the historic agreement signed between Humans and Aliens. Sound familiar? The protagonist is someone with Human and Alien parentage, aiming to improve life for Humans by changing the system from within.

Aside from the lacerating but accurate commentary on Aotearoa New Zealand history - and politics more broadly - Baker also hits the bulls-eye with his depiction of public sector work. I also appreciated the comedic nods to unique bits of AoNZ/Wellington culture (as a migrant I am sure I missed some of them!).

Unreserved and high recommendation for this book.

[Clodagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but I felt like I was being thumped over the head with the allegory. I think if it’s going to help Pākehā understand more what it’s like to be Māori, the allegory needs to be a bit less obvious. I am thinking of the Biblical story of David being a told a story of injustice by Nathan and demanding punishment for the perpetrator, and then Nathan says, “It’s you!” In this story the perpetrator can see what’s coming.

However, I felt that the allegory in Turncoat got stronger as the book went on, and it did give me a glimpse of what it might be like for a Māori public servant - ouch.

Tīhema Baker’s “New Zealander of the Year” was more confronting for me! https://e-tangata.co.nz/reflections/n...

[Tisha Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important read. Literally unable to get an allegory as in your face as this, however it adds to the charm of the book and gives way for the more subtle meanings of the book to have a form of life I guess.

It was definitely an adjustment to read, a lot of world building and a bit of an adjustments when it comes to the vocabulary, but man oh man did it hit my revolutionary sweet spot! Within the first 40 pages my heart was also echoing the sentiment of 'Fuck the system!' The way this novel addresses casual racism, reactionary violence and stereotypical archetypes is beautiful, delves a bit into how sinister those seemingly insignificant instances can be; how each moment stacks from small misgivings to bigoted statements and irrational retribution.

Wish I could get the whole essence of this book and hit a merry round of people with it, actually let them experience the sheer devastation that exists with generational trauma. To inform them of how its not reparations that we seek, we have had decades to deal with the effects of the trauma brought on by colonisation; what we want now is the space to voice our hurt and to continue to develop our own systems of addressing these transcending traumas. That we have existed for so many centuries in a machine and a society that was not of our own making. To address the issues with the treaty is not to lay claim to more money, but to reclaim the identity we lost at the hands of our colonisers.

In particular Daniel's story really hit hard. Because truly it is the speechlessness and inability to feel as if your actions are creating a substantial difference that really burns our whānau out of the political, judicial and health-sectors. I do have a few complaints with how his character arc ended, some of the cynicism he grew to embody felt like failure to his character. While hope when mishandled and misguided can undoubtedly lead to bitterness, part of Daniel's undeniable appeal was that naivete, that reckless hope that empowered him to make stupid decisions. To wash that hope away, to see him succumb to depths he never thought he would succumb to...While it definitely shows a bit of full circle for Daniel's character and leaves us the readers with the hope that from here he can only go up. It just. It feels like a loss. Like the world, the Hierarch was right and that the influence, experience and intelligence Daniel holds is ultimately useless because the Hierarch always wins.

That disservice to his character is the only reason I rated this 4/5, because while I could appreciate that fighting for our own rights (as human and particularly in regards to this novel, as Māori) is a never ending battle, with no perfect, succinct happy end, the true message that I got from this novel was to continue, even against all odds. 'Me whawhai tonu mātou.' And sadly, Daniel didn't end his story fighting, he ended it stagnant, at a crossroads of who he was and what he wants.

Maybe its naive of me to want Daniel to keep fighting, honestly we shouldn't have to fight for our own rights to live fairly and equally, but sadly that isn't a fight Daniel (or any other Māori) can ever really divest themself of; to be indigenous is to have a legacy to live up to and a future to ensure for out next generation.

(Though 👀👀👀 could be perfect leeway into a sequel or companion novella)

[Alastair Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Presenting a lead Māori character as agentic and ambitious, this laugh out loud satirical science-fiction novel is an allegory for contemporary Maori experience as a colonised people of Aotearoa. Aliens have taken over Earth, and, against his mother's wishes, Daniel decides to apply for a job in the alien bureaucracy to make things better for humans - mirroring Māori who work in our Government, and giving rise to the 'Turncoat' of the title. Micro-agressions, such as the main character, Daniel, having to put up with his name misprounced as Daniellle, Dan-yell or sometimes even Denial, help the reader understand what it's like living under the control of polite and organised beings who don't know your culture or language, and aren’t terribly interested. The scene when Daniel tries to give his alien girlfriend a birthday present is a both funny and highly instructive description of a culturally specific behaviour that doesn't translate across cultures. And the language of the book - substance abuse is done through 'cutters' but serious addicts end up on 'cleavers,' 'darkmeal' meaning dinner is impressive. While the context of the Waitangi treaty and the current claims process would need teaching, the obvious allegory makes it a relatively accessible book, although people who who love the sci-fi genre might complain about the lack of lightsabers, starships and exciting battles. The love affair between human Daniel and alien Neekor, with her attractive, glossy mane, models romantic love as a feeling of emotional support, togetherness, curiosity and trust. Daniel resists when he feels affection welling up inside and wants to lean forward and kiss Neekor. He knows, because she’s alien, it would only confuse her. Ka rawe Tīhema! You’ve brought sci-fi through an unknown portal to a new psycho-cultural frontier.

[Saige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok..I'm still reading this but just want to say here and now: grab it read it, teach it, learn from this great book!

This satire needs to be stacked on the shelves of every secondary school in the country.

The author takes colonisation - in this case the aliens have landed and humans are trying to adjust - and shakes the story out of Empire by enabling the reader to identify with the oppressed rather than the oppressor. The story explores greed and the picking away by stealth of every aspect of place and self and community. After reading this the reader will understand how colonisation inflicts damage on those who continue to struggle to exist and thrive when really they are thwarted at every turn.

Cleverly, this is all managed in an accessible way. It doesn't preach but it does bleed.

'Turncoat' deserves to be a classic in Aotearoa and every country where empire has wrought damage, where colonisation continues to oppress the original people, people who did know how to live alongside nature.

Tīhema Baker is a brilliant writer to watch.

[Andrew Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sci-fi setting barely contains the beating autobiographical heart of this novel, a treatise on the struggle of someone who walks between two worlds: the coloniser and the colonised. The allegory is simple but devastatingly effective, placing the reader firmly in the shoes of a people whose language, culture, and way of life has been destroyed, leaving them languishing and adrift, facing poverty and desolation. Over and over we experience the heartbreak of those fighting an impossible fight for recognition, for safety, for existence.

The whole story is a conversation, an argument, a struggle, a joy. A vivid experience shared with us by the author. It is heartbreaking in its sincerity and authenticity. It is clear how much the author has sweated over every page. This book is a generous gift.

I wish everybody in Aotearoa would read it, although the lessons are relevant for people around the world.

[Psyckers · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book detailing the travels and tribulations of a half Human/Alien hybrid as they try and find their place in the vast galaxy. It also details quite well the very real struggles of indigenous identity within a world that is becoming more and more hybridised either from colonial bravado / conquest or from the inter-connectivity of everyone's global reach on Earth.
The author demonstrates excellent world building skill and how the characters exist within it. Plenty of very good and provocative questions are asked throughout the book that allows this reader to stop and think about before continuing.
I certainly found the book enriching, though I believe the ending was a tad too short and tried to tie things up too neatly, rather letting some plot threads lie loose, giving the possibility of following onto a new story.

[Laurence · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a satire of colonisation based on the colonisation of the planet earth by aliens. And the use of the founding document of colonisation being signed by the colonisers and then ignored, leading to negative social and economic outcomes for humans compared to aliens (a comment on Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The decision to place a human in the alien public service and examining his relationship with his human whanau and his alien bosses was inspired; the result is occasionally predictable, but overall an enjoyable and very readable novel

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. I like books that take a 'show don't tell' approach (e.g. you learn about characters, their lives, their thoughts and feelings and the story develops from there and eventually as they go through life a moral of a story develops etc.). This felt like the opposite. The metaphor was being hammered home and the characters were sort of incidental. But take my review with a grain of salt, give it a try if you like the premise and make your own mind up. As I said, I haven't finished the book as the writing and the story just didn't vibe for me.

[Abby Damen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was kinda on the nose in places, but then you just get over it and Tīhema does such a brilliant job of making so many parallels in so many intelligent ways and the comic sans gag gets better and better. Highly recommend. Love the humor and the commentary on colonization, he’s done it in this pretty diplomatic and thoughtful way it’s just brilliant. Highly recommend, especially for Wellingtonians haha.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will hopefully be read in every secondary school in Aotearoa. It can be read literally as a witty parody or read as therapy for those traumatised by colonisation. I can see it being read in other countries too.
This must have been a massive commitment for the author to complete and - once they've recovered and are ready to go again - I very much look forward to seeing what they do next.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

A parody of the Treaty of Waitangi and the British colonists (The Covenant of Wellington and an alien species from far out in the galaxy). As a fifth generation Kiwi,I am finding it hard to relate to the ideas portrayed in this novel, although I can admire the parody.

[Sinead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! Gratitude Tīhema! What a great contrast to our current times and putting it into a context for anyone to understand the impacts of colonization from an alien entity.

Can't help but recommend this pukapuka to everyone I meet.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narrative development is a bit uneven, at times, but the second half of the book really shines.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not finish but its a book I may come back to later. I just think it was one I wasn't in the right mood for at this time. The premise is good so keen to try again.

[Aroha Ihaka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was funny and well thought out. I'm not sure why ut took me MONTHS to finish...

[Liv Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book so funny and awesome and spectacular

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Or maybe 4 stars - hard to decide. It's not subtle. The metaphor underpinning the book hits you like a jackhammer. It is a blunt, brutal (and, for public servants like me, a hilarious, scary, embarrassing) read. Being a Pākeha public servant, I identified strongly with the side characters in the novel - grimacing often as I recognised myself in them. I see the book was published in 2023, and yet it feels like it was written entirely about 2024. It is so pertinent and current that I'll be fascinated to see if it still feels as powerful in a few year's time.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever, funny, and eye-opening.