A dark shape hurtled out of the fog. The bird turned in a curving steep dive, aiming for Tama. The boy was being dragged beneath it, his feet barely brushing the tops of tussocks.

A wild, gripping novel that retells the Waitaha legend of the Pouakai (a brutal, giant eagle creature). The two main characters one a street-smart city kid, the other a studious country boy couldn’t be more different. But after an initial stand-off they learn to work together; they have to.

The story has elements of magic and mystery despite the realistic physical setting the distinctive high country. The setting is underlined by local Maori culture. The two boys learn to act independently to deal with things that adults can’t help them with. As a result they learn to cope, gain self-knowledge and inner-strength.