"Once There Was Fire" definitely leans more heavily on the history side of historical fiction with the way it's structured. However, writing as someone who has an occasional strong niche interest in Hawaiian history (particularly that of its indigenous peoples), I found this to be very, very enjoyably informative.

Stephen Shender does a great job in writing a book about Hawaii. It had everything that I was looking for from the description. The story was everything that I was hoping for and thought it was a beautifully done story. It had everything that I was hoping for and hope to read more from Stephen Shender.

Great historical fiction read! Highly recommend it to fans of the genre and those looking to expand their reading circle. Purchasing for library.

It's nice to read about the history of places. It's also interesting to know the history of places like Hawaii, some times so close but yet so far, like this archipelago.

I just couldn’t get on with fictionalised history of Hawaiian King Kamehameha. For one thing there were just too many multisyllabic names all beginning with K. Not the author’s fault, admittedly, but it made for some very confusing reading. And although learning about Hawaii’s history in the 18th and 19th centuries with the encroachment of the modern world is of course a worthwhile activity, endless battles, political machinations and predictable encounters with foreigners and the subsequent conflict between tradition and the new soon became tedious. The book is interesting as a historical document, but I didn’t find it an entertaining or engaging novel and I failed to relate to any of the characters. In the end I simply gave up.

Interesting historical fiction story of Hawaii. I've never been to Hawaii, but have read many books on the state. This one has lots of info, tho' as it's not a scholarly work, the facts in it may or may not be correct. i am hoping they are as they sound like they should be. Mr. Shendor seems to have done his homework! it's a good solid read for anyone wanting to learn more about Hawaii's history.

I teach world literature, and we were recently discussing Polynesia and the effects of European colonization activities on the native cultures. This book came at the perfect time, and I have discussed it in class and recommended it.

Life moves in cycles and in this cycle I find myself immersed in historical fiction. Not the sort of story that uses (loosely) the manners and mores of an era to bring an extra bit of piquancy to a romance but the type that tries to share with you the lives and times of its cast and inform and enlarge your knowledge of the past. "Real" history, fictionalized, such as this well-researched biography of King Kamehameha and history of the Hawaiian Islands. I can hear the island lilt in the dialogue as the ways and practices of the times before the invasion by the haoles are described. Despite being at a neolithic stage of development (largely, I would imagine, due to lack of available metals), the society was diverse, multi-layered and as nuanced as the iron age James Cook's; a complete and complex civilization. The story itself moves along well despite confusion caused by so many similar musically multisyllabic names (abbreviated for our convenience wherever possible--and quite probably by the people at the time, in the manner of nicknames, despite a certain formality required by court etiquette and very strict laws).

I've been to Hawaii and enjoyed its beauty and became intrigued by its people and history so when I saw this listed in the Netgalley offerings I requested a copy. Many hours later (this is a large, meaty book!) I am feeling enriched by my selection.

Very slow moving but interesting in it's information about Hawaii

Visitors think of Hawaii as a place of surf, sand, and flowing lava, but Stephen Shender's new book is a keen reminder that 'once there was fire'--the fire of culture that had grown for 1400 years prior to its first encounter with Europeans, and one which reached its apogee in the reign of King Kamehameha (I) the Great (1758-1819). The central figure in <i>Once There Was Fire</i>, Kamehameha, would unify the islands under his rule, but he would also sow the seeds that brought native culture there to the brink of destruction.

The first half of the book describes Kamehameha's youth. A "golden child" of sorts, he is initially hidden from the <i>ali'i</i> or chief of the island in response to a prophesy that he--not the chief's lineage--would unify the Hawaiian Islands. Another portentous event, Kamehameha's overturning of a stone, also bodes him well. It is in this section that Shender describes the chiefly rivalries and disunity among the nobles of the Big Island, Hawaii, as well as the various <i>kapus</i> or traditions, which regulated relations between women and men, and between commoners and the chiefly/priestly class.

The book really takes off, though, with the arrival of Captain James Cook in 1798, a time when Kamehameha has risen to the role of priest under his uncle, Kalaniopu'u. The Hawaiians are amazed by tools and items made of iron, but Kamehameha recognizes the superior English technology. While his countrymen are dazzled by nails and pots, Kamehameha is laying plans to get his hands on muskets and cannon. Once he does--with the help of a stolen ship and a couple of kidnapped English sailors--conquest will be his.

The book rightfully focuses on the lives of native Hawaiians, resisting any temptation to shift to European perspectives once the <i>haole</i> arrive. Shender has used the voice of a Hawaiian noble to tell the tale, which helps him to stay focused on the Hawaiian court. A final chapter, set in the days after Kamehameha's death, shows European/Christian values moving in and overthrowing long-held Hawaiian traditions.

At 524 pages, this book won't be read on the plane ride to Honolulu, but it is a great book for those whose visit to the islands will take in native culture and who wish for some background. Readers fascinated by other great Native Americans like Crazy Horse or Chochice will want to make room in their libraries for Kamehameha.

I fit into the latter category. I have never been to Hawaii, but every year I teach about <a href="http://speak.bisonscribe.com/2017/01/writer-cited-richard-kurin.html">the incredible feathered cape</a> of Kamehameha's son, who took on the name, Kamehameha III. When I spotted this title on NetGalley, I couldn't resist the chance to learn more. It was a great choice for me. I learned a lot.