“The true alchemists do not change lead into gold; they change the world into words.”
—Novelist William Gass
Daughters of Fire
Daughters of Fire is a journey into the deeper beauty and hidden turmoil of America’s 50th state, a gripping adventure of romance, intrigue, myth, and murder set amid the cultural tensions of today’s Hawaiʻi.
Three Hawaiian women—an activist, an anthropologist, and an aging seer—call forth their deepest traditions to confront an extravagant resort development. A visiting astronomer stumbles into their world, falls in love with the anthropologist, and enters a Polynesian realm of volcanoes, gods, and revered ancestors. But a murder on the lava and an impending eruption expose deep rifts in paradise.
Winner Benjamin Franklin Silver Finalist Award
PRAISE for Daughters of Fire
“James Michener meets Alice Hoffman here, with a salting of Paulo Coelho and Sidney Sheldon thrown in . . . this is one highly recommended thrill ride of a book.”
“Daughters of Fire keenly captures the boiling point of long-simmering tensions between [Hawaiʻi’s] traditional lifestyles and Western development.”
“An engaging saga of suspense, crafted with a deep understanding and appreciation of Hawaiʻi’s unique history and culture, Daughters of Fire is highly recommended .”
“This is a book about power and justice . . . one of the most factually aware novels I’ve come across.”
“Daughters of Fire offers a window into the complex reality of life in contemporary Hawaiʻi . . . This is a terrific read.”
“An enthralling ride that introduces the reader to virtually all the forces at work in Hawaiʻi today . . .This carefully researched thriller MUST be made into a film!”
“A page-turning thriller on the surface, a deep meditation on culture one level down, a spiritual tour-de-force at the core.”
More than a decade in its research and writing, Tom’s mystical and provocative novel picks up Hawaiʻi’s story where James Michener left off. Daughters of Fire illuminates how the islands’ transformation into a tourist mecca and developers gold mine sparked a Native Hawaiian movement to reclaim their culture, protect sacred land, and step into the future with wisdom and aloha.
The novel includes beautiful pen and ink illustrations by renowned nature artist John D. Dawson and stunning cover art—Pele, Goddess of Volcanoes—by celebrated Hawaiian artist, historian and author Herb Kawainui Kane.
The critically acclaimed novel, now in its fourth printing, is published by Bess Press in Honolulu. The book is popular with islanders and visitors alike and has been used by US colleges and universities in their literature, American studies, anthropology and environmental studies courses.
John D. Dawson’s illustration of the 1801 eruption of Hualalai in the novel’s historical prologue.
Compelling eruption documentaries featuring Tom:
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