Mauna Kea
A Novel of Hawai‘i
Mauna Kea is a gripping tale of clashing passions—science and spirituality, vengeance and compassion, fear and courage—set atop Hawai‘i’s 14,000-foot Mauna Kea, realm of revered goddesses and star-wise explorers.
A young vagabond running from America’s turmoil is forced to confront his own grief and rage on an embattled holy mountain in the Pacific. There he encounters a mysterious domain of ancient mountain deities and the Native Hawaiians who revere them, including two wise elders who take him under their wings and a young woman with a world-weary heart akin to his own. Through his startling experiences, he learns the power of aloha and discovers an untapped reservoir of faith and courage that rekindles his hope in himself and in the world we share.
Early Praise for
Mauna Kea
“A compelling, entertaining story that encompasses ancient Hawaiian concepts and American thought patterns . . . a Hawaiian cultural primer, a gift that lifts the spirits high!”
“An authentic, eye-opening novel that lifts the veil on the ancient traditions and modern political intrigues that underlie the longstanding controversy over telescopes on Mauna Kea.”
“This is fiction based on fact . . . the authenticity of the tensions in Hawaiʻi is spot on . . . a story that needs to be told.”
“Peek’s compelling and deftly woven plot lines, keen sense of pacing, and finely-etched, authentic characters combine to bring to life the world of the Mauna Kea Protectors Movement…“
“Here’s a novel that offers a deeper way to think about conflict, a hopeful book sorely needed in these often-disheartening times.”
“Tom Peek is an organic intellectual in the tradition of Mark Twain.”
“This novel is medicine for the world.”
A heart-opening tale that illuminates the power of aloha in an age of polarization and violence.
Mauna Kea is the first novel about the cultural clash over Mauna Kea telescopes, written by an insider involved in the movement to protect the mountain for three decades. Seven years of research, writing, and multiple pre-publication reviews by islanders and other readers went into its creation.
The book includes beautiful pen-and-ink illustrations by renowned nature artist John D. Dawson and evocative cover art—Lilinoe—by longtime Hawaiʻi Island oil painter Catherine Robbins.
The novel’s poignant backstory also includes chapters set on the backwaters of the Mississippi in the author’s home state of Minnesota and significant historical and contemporary references to Upper Midwest culture and politics.
All Night Books is a new fiction imprint of Easton Studio Press, publisher of more than 150 titles of all kinds since 2003. The imprint is committed to “well-written books that tell great stories, engage readers deeply on multiple levels, and help us see ourselves in new ways.”
Available as a trade paperback and in all e-book formats.
Watch the acclaimed Mauna Kea documentary
by Puhipau Ahmad and Joan Lander (in which Tom appears):
Watch this Hawaiʻi News Now Interview
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