Maka's MH370 book 'gripping read' says US reviewer

Scott Maka

A former Napier author's controversial book on Malaysia Airlines MH370 has been praised by an American publication.

Scott Maka's book MH370: A Novella was called a "gripping thriller" by the New York-based Daily Beast.

In his review, senior culture editor Tim Teeman noted that the e-book had been released to a storm of controversy and - after having read it - expressed surprise that it was not "terrible and creepy".

Instead, it was "a gripping thriller". The book was slammed earlier this month by the widow of New Zealander Paul Weeks, who was on the Malaysia flight when it vanished.

Danica Weeks said the book, released on the three-month anniversary of the jet's disappearance, was absolutely shocking.

Mr Maka, who attended Westshore School and Napier Boys' High School, described the book as a thriller and was an account of what may have happened.

Mr Teeman said the book's subtext included a "far-from-dumb interrogation of faith and fanaticism" and said Mr Maka had "perhaps bravely" included passages with comedic value.

He also praised the author's turns of descriptive phrase for being: "evocative, like the mountain the plane almost flies into, a 'primal black mass, its flanks were veined with razored rocks'."

Mr Maka's family moved to Napier when he was 5, and later to Bay View.

Mr Maka said he was "really pleased" with the review after having endured a difficult week in the press.

"I knew it was going to be reviewed in the States and was a bit nervous about it but I'm utterly stoked at the positive comments."

The book was also drawing strong reader reviews on Amazon.com's Kindle e-reader site, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.0 as of yesterday.

Mr Maka's book is the first fictional account of the MH370 mystery to be published. It was officially released on June 8, as an e-book only.

However, he said he was interested in having it published as a printed book.