Star Gazers

by Duncan Sarkies

The alpacas are nervous. Accusations are flying about a rigged election, a mysterious illness is spreading, the Alpaca News is being censored by higher powers, and skullduggery is threatening the Breeders Showcase.

Amidst a mass of self-interested parties, a forthright vet and a diplomatic engineer strive to protect the herds and restore democracy.

By turns vital, farcical, heartbreaking and chilling, the much-anticipated alpaca novel by award-winning writer Duncan Sarkies is a wild and tender leap – or, more accurately, pronk – into the heart of alpaca breeding, and a snapshot of a world at a crossroads.

Genres: Humor

400 pages, Paperback

Published February 13, 2025

Reviews

[Rosie Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just excellent. And there are alpacas.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's an educational maxim that applies to discipline policy in schools: the discipline system has to work for the weakest teachers, not just the ones who can quell a riot by lifting an eyebrow.  That's true of democracies too: they have to work for the weakest societies and the weak people within them.  Democracies need free and fair elections with robust procedures, accountability and transparency.   Star Gazers, by NZ author Duncan Sarkies, is an eloquent allegory of everything that can go wrong when these processes fail.

And it stars Alpacas!

For the uninitiated, this is pronking:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rGoCdU...

As the battle between the Breeders Party and the Reformers plays out, Star Gazers is a brilliant exposé of characteristics we've all seen in politicians.  Shona Tisdall is the villain: powered by ambition and avarice she has diversified into producing 'health biscuits' which have unexpected effects on the alpacas.  This conflict of interest brings her into conflict with the vet Willemijn, who has science on her side.  But Shona has the numbers because her protégé Caroline has interfered with the vote count in the recent election...

Shona has a compliant (weak) husband and a daughter, Alyssa, desperate to please her forceful mother by breeding a champion — and goes to extraordinary lengths to try to achieve it. The President of  ABONZ is also compliant but Daph and Pat, the editors of Alpaca News try to resist the pressure to suppress Willemijn's warning about the biscuits.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2026/03/22/s...

[Nik Jarvie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m new to political thrillers set in an alpaca breeders society, but this one was great. Layered characters whose light and shade felt familiar, tension threatening to overspill, loveable rogues, and a hideously righteous villain named Shona. Beautiful and beastly all in one.

[Selvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

new fave for sure

[Kylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely thrilling book. I could instantly visualise each character and feel like I knew them. Great engaging storytelling.

[Katie Connors · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad novel!

[Octavia Cade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of this for review. Before anything else, though - isn't that cover amazing? I can't stop staring at it. Love it.

It's a fantastic cover for a fantastic book. I'm sure that most people have been part of a relatively small organisation at some point, whether it's a neighbourhood group or a hobby group or something that like, and I'm equally sure that most of us can recall a time when everything in that group turned to custard because of infighting between the members. Doesn't matter if the issue was large or small of even if it was completely irrelevant, it got people up in arms.

Such is the case with the Alpaca Breeders Organisation of NZ. A rigged election in the ABO sparks off a bitter quarrel of corruption and rebellion and it's shockingly compelling. I wish I could say that I couldn't see parallels and inspiration in real life, but this reads very much like an extended metaphor for what's going on in the world today, and it's simultaneously fascinating and depressing. Just very, very well done. This is the first book from Sarkies that I've read, and I'm going to have to go out and read more of them, because I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Jonathan Scheuer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set among a group of alpaca breeders in New Zealand, the story involves a fraudulent election for the breeders’ association, the emergence of a product-related hazard to the animals’ health, and how undermining the flow of unbiased information leads to disaster. There’s a good level of suspense in the story, but it’s essentially a political satire, whose bite is all the sharper by virtue of its narrow focus on these adorable animals and their keepers.
It's about who you can trust, and how to react when the people you rely on let you down, how the drive to dominate others corrupts communities as well as individuals, how the impulse to smooth over disagreements curdles into cowardice, and how imperfect people can nevertheless be heroes.
Duncan Sarkies excels at getting into the heads of some problematic characters whose destructive tendencies mirror those of various sociopaths who are familiar to us from the worlds of politics and commerce. Even better, there are intermittent chapters told from an alpaca’s POV, a bold device which works astonishingly well here.
I hope that this delightful novel, published by a small New Zealand university press, will ultimately get distributed in the US and worldwide.

[Cassy Kenworthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Very general spoilers]

I was frankly sold on the book from the recommendations alone: from a former deputy prime Minister, and a quote that the book is "succession with alpacas." What more could one want?

50% of this book was deeply familiar to me as representative of small new Zealand organisations run by volunteers, who mean well but perhaps care a little too much about a niche topic, in this case alpaca breeding. I loved the chapters from the alpacas' perspective. Some of it went off the rails, but in the way many satires tend to go. It meant the book went from relatively grounded with some intense characters, to criminal charges quite quickly.

As a warning, there were definitely moments of what I would consider animal abuse by those who supposedly loved the alpacas, though that abuse was not unjustified in the storyline or character's arc.

I would recommend this book, which was at times chaotic, a tad traumatic and a wild ride.

[Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Do I think they'd put a motion to go fuck themselves in the minutes? If you propose it, I'll second it."

Handforth Parish Council, but turn up the drama and lower the stakes. No wait, the stakes are somehow getting very high??!?!! Those poor alpacas.

I was impressed by this allegory's depth and perceptiveness in exploring several post-2016 political archetypes, taking itself seriously despite the wacky premise. Plus, it was perversely satisfying (in a "told you so" kind of way) when things started to unravel completely.

[Aimee Paterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Although seemingly trivial and laughable subject matter (alpaca breeders in nz and the political conflict and corruption unfolding in the club they belong to), serious themes (how hard it is to stand up for what’s right in a rigged system) and a very sad ending. Loved the characters (noticed most of the men seem to be hapless and led along by or contrasted to more determined female characters!), all the NZ references (particularly the baking) and Sarkies economic style.

[Andrea (mrsaubergine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! First of all: alpacas! What's not to love? Second: that cover is gorgeous. Third: the plot is so funny because it's recognisable (albeit a bit over the top by the end). Duncan Sarkies has perfectly nailed the petty machinations of committees, and anyone who has been on one will recognise these characters. The end was sad, and I was slightly miffed that some people didn't get their comeuppance, but Pat absolutely redeemed herself. Delightfully Kiwi, and delightfully bonkers. I highly recommend.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to warm to this book but it grew on me, I should have taken more notice of who was who early on as by the time I got the urge to turn more pages, I’d lost track of the more minor characters. The goodies and baddies and the alpacas were always obvious though.
I haven’t got much in the way of antennae for satire but I’d read more if I could be assured they could all end as satisfying as this does. Definitely worth sticking around to sniff out the just desserts handed to the baddie (pun intended although I did have to check it was actually a pun).

[Clodagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, funny, unique, and one of the scenes at the end nearly made me cry. Would've given 5 stars except halfway through it started to focus more on different characters, giving less attention to those I'd grown attached to and wanted to see how their stories turned out. And what happened to Alyssa after eating the vitamin biscuits?? Does she become patient zero of a new pandemic?

[Jess Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very Tarantinoesque satire on democracy and the initial pandemic response, told through the world of alpaca breeders and showers in rural New Zealand. Hilarious and at times outright outrageous, I cackled in the best way. Loveable and hateable characters, the good vs evil really juiced things up. Highly recommend this for lovers of dark humour and alpacas.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was something a bit different: a satire using the committee of the NZ Alpaca Breeders organisation as a metaphor for society in general. I didn't find it laugh-out-loud funny, but it was entertaining, especially when you recognise bits of people you know in the characters! Very clever writing, and always nice to read a New Zealand novel.

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW: death of animals, dismemberment, descriptions of animal birth, gun violence

What an absolute banger of a book. This has me tense throughout. who knew there was so much political intrigue al paca farming could induce?

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a quirky, fast-paced novel. I really enjoyed the mix of random slice of life moments alongside the momentum of the story line. Really reminds you how helpless we all are underneath those in power

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely devoured this; so, so good. Read in one day. Inciting, searing, insightful prose. Some parts had me cackling with mirth. And, knowing some people who inhabit the breeding worlds; personalities have been captured so well. You must read this.

[Philippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feuds between fanatics - a fun read and food for thought. You can read a lot into this allegory of politics.

[Michele Hider · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read. Humour, so much political skullduggery, wonderfully flawed characters, and in amongst it all a calm, thoughtful alpacaverse. Looking forward to reading more of Duncan Sarkies.

[Julie Daymond-King · Rating 3 out of 5]

The character of Catherine rather unbelievable. But the book is not supposed to be realistic of course.

[Sharon N · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 50%

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intrigue, humour, and darkness in the NZ Alpaca industry. Crazy, but fun.

[Ned Bartlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I've heard of "Don't judge a book by its cover", but this is a case of "Don't judge a book by its blurb".

Election fraud, political drama, propaganda, a pandemic and a shooting. All part of the day-to-day for the the members of the Alpaca Breeders Organisation of New Zealand.

Excellent book, Sarkies is a brilliant writer. The tail wagged a bit, but largely this was an excellent read. Would recommend.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A darkly comedic read that invokes small-town NZ and the weird politics of niche communities. An exploration of power and corruption, with an unsettling realisation of how quickly seemingly low-stakes issues can morph into catastrophe.

Content warning: mistreatment and death of animals.