Wellington author Paul Gilbert’s debut novel The Sovereign Hand was
released on 21 August, and early reviews have been extraordinarily positive.
Paul, who began working on the novel in 2004, has previously seen
success with his writing in the form of two awards in the biannual Pikihuia
Awards for Māori
Writers. “Completing this novel has taken a
while. It's a labour of love, really – learning how I wanted to
write, how to make that writing into a novel, making that novel say exactly
what I wanted to say. Through all that, it's been the story driving me, the
belief that I had something important to offer in a new and enjoyable way.”
The story is set in a fantasy world, but it is one stripped of the
traditional fantasy standbys of dragons and elves – in their place, The
Sovereign Hand is full of political tension and the kind of
extra-legal government activity which would make a modern politician
blush. Paul's degrees in politics and anthropology have fuelled a
keen interest in all aspects of society, and this is reflected in the detailed
and complex world he has created.
New Zealand sci-fi and fantasy reviewer Jacqui Smith has praised The
Sovereign Hand’s “clever and carefully measured prose... meticulous
setting, and memorable characters” and said that the book was “definitely
recommended, and quite possibly one of the best works of fantasy ever published
in New Zealand.” Author Bernard Beckett called it “a truly ambitious novel,
both in scope and subject matter” and noted that Paul has “created a hero for
our times, at once passionate and reluctant, fragile and courageous” – he went
on to describe The Sovereign Hand as “a celebration of form
and expression.”
“We’re
extraordinarily excited to publish this book,” says Stephen Minchin, publisher
at Steam Press. “This is the eighth book we’ve released, but the first fantasy
novel – and I think it’s been well worth the wait.”
The Sovereign Hand is available
now from all good booksellers.
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