Hawaiian Rebellions: Book Three of the John Tana Trilogy (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780999032664)

Hawaiian Rebellions, Book Three of the John Tana novel trilogy, completes the dramatic story of the native Hawaiian hero, John Tana, as he tries to comprehend and adapt to the Western takeover of the Hawaiian Islands in the 19th century. It begins when a sugar baron kicks him off his farmland on Maui in 1867. The trilogy records the story of the end of the communal lifestyle of the Hawaiian Kingdom, overthrown by Western capitalists and religion in 1893, and how he turns into a freedom fighter. In the first two books of the trilogy (John Tana, An Adventure Novel of Old Hawaii and Gods, Ghosts and Kahuna on Kauai) the young orphan hero is unaware of the impending destruction of his culture by Western business and religious interests when a sugar baron kicks him off his inherited farmland (kuleana)in 1867. He sails his canoe to Lahaina where whalers and seamen torment him but he also finds distant family - an aunt, and two cousins, David and Leinani. David succumbs to the temptation of liquor. John quickly learns that the new religion forbids romantic relationships with relatives. As he struggles to understand and survive, he meets a Chinese man and wife who he helps, eventually bringing them to the island of Oahu to escape rioting sailors. John is forced to leave Maui when he learns the sugar baron has hired a killer, and an angry sea captain seeks revenge for John's rescue of Leinani.Oahu is more complicated. The new city of Honolulu is growing under the control of the Western business interests which makes it hard for John to survive. He meets a future king, a French girl, studies the forbidden martial art of lua, continues his friendship with Leinani, and helps a Chinese man facing a murder trial. When the sugar baron's hired killer finds John he once again turns to his canoe and sails north to the island of Kauai.In Book Two, Gods, Ghosts and Kahuna on Kauai, John finds work as a plantation security guard and marries Mahealani whose strong traditional beliefs challenge John's new Christianity when death strikes.The swirling clouds on mountain peaks, rainbows, plunging waterfalls, and pounding surf sounding like voices of gods create an air of mystery on the island. John meets a queen, visits the leper colony on Molokai, and raises a family on new farmland.Book Three, Hawaiian Rebellions, completes the well-researched historical trilogy. The late 19th century is a time of increasing political power of Western business interests who push their political agenda to overthrow the Hawaiian Kingdom. John is squeezed between the capitalism of plantations and traditional Hawaiian values of sharing. He accepts the new religion, Christianity, which creates marital tension. John finally succeeds in creating a farm and raises a family. Tattooed men attack his family, the water supply for his farm is threatened, and lepers, mostly Hawaiians, rebel against forced isolation. John witnesses the brutality of artillery used against them in Kalalau Valley on Kauai. Native Hawaiians begin to feel pushed to the brink of extinction and seek to restore the monarchy, an effort John joins. While recovering from wounds, Leinani enters his life again. The John Tana historical novel trilogy will become a classic in Hawaiian literature because it is based on actual events and people overtaken by a complex new world which rejects Hawaiian values and religion but fails to offer a better society. This struggle leads to the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom monarchy and suppression of Hawaiians and their communal values which is still felt in modern times. Based on historical events and characters, the John Tana trilogy fills a void in Hawaiian fiction.

Author: Judith Fernandez, Bill Fernandez
ISBN-10: 0999032666
ISBN-13: 9780999032664
Publisher: Makani Kai Media
Language: English
Published: 09/11/2018
Pages: 236
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.77lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.54d

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 12/15/2018