With the first film of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy set to open in December, HarperCollins' timing of the launch of the New Zealand version of the Voyager science fiction/fantasy imprint could not have been better. Along with Mike Johnson's alternate-reality thriller, Counterparts, DaleElvy's First Hunter and Shaun Hick's The Army of Five Men, are firmly rooted in a South Pacific fantasy realm.
In First Hunter, Tane is the head hunter of the Gerhan tribe. After his family are tragically slaughtered, Tane teams up with novice Shinto Mage, Sajha. Elvy has created an interesting mythical world which has some intriguing similarities to 19th-century New Zealand and the conflicts between Maori tribes and Pakeha settlers.
First Hunter is the first instalment in the Spirit Shinto; it is a fast-paced, intriguing adventure which promises much for the sequels.
The Army of Five Men is also the first volume in a projected trilogy, but, at twice the size of First Hunter, it is a more ambitious effort, spanning an entire alternative Pacific world. Five warriors stand between their lands and a gigantic invading force. The Army of Five Men requires patience and may appeal more to the hardcore fantasy fan than the general reader.
