National Library of New Zealand - Te Puna Mātauranga O Aotearoa Services to Schools - Supporting literacy and learning

Create Readers

We want to help create motivated and engaged young readers. This blog is about children's and YA literature (especially New Zealand), literacy research, and ways to get, and keep, kids reading.

Lords of the Pacific by Grant Hyde

Revenge and romance in late eighteenth century Tonga

Man of WarThis swashbuckling tale set in and around Tonga has just the right ingredients (action, adventure, love, revenge etc) to attract young adult readers.

The struggle for justice by Tongan Sevesi and his friends intersects with the adventures of teenage Nat on a British man-of-war sailing ship. The story reflects a time (1793) of recurring civil war in Tonga and increasing European engagement in the Pacific.

Sevesi is forced to flee Tongatapu to the rival centre in the northern Ha’apai group while the lovely Foueva remains under the control of the evil King. Meanwhile there is an uprising of convicts on board Nat’s man-of-war sailing to Norfolk Island. The two stories come together and build up to a tense, but satisfying conclusion.

Grant Hyde’s website features this book and its sequel.

review by Rob

image by mharrsch

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