This month, in 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted New Zealand from his flagship the Heemskerck – a momentous event that features in the historical adventure New Zealand: A Novel by Lance Morcan.  

An appropriate excerpt from the novel follows:

(It’s Dec. 13, 1642). The Heemskerck responded slowly in the heavy seas and several tense minutes passed before she was safely sailing north and parallel to the coast. At the same time, the squall eased and the clouds and mist lifted to reveal a rugged, forbidding coastline. Dark, green, bush-covered hills rose steeply beyond the rocky shore, and beyond them fleeting glimpses of majestic alps could be seen through breaks in the cloud. There was summer snow on some of the higher peaks.

Tasman was immediately struck by the majesty of the new land he’d discovered. It seemed prehistoric, but beautiful at the same time. The captain could see his men had been similarly affected. They lined the starboard rail, oblivious to the light rain that still fell and seemingly lost for words as they gazed at the coastline.

It was some moments before it dawned on Tasman that he had achieved his expedition’s main goal: he’d discovered the Great Southern Continent, or so he believed, for he was convinced the shoreline he was now looking at was that continent’s western edge. The realisation almost brought him to tears, and thoughts of great reserves of gold and other treasures flashed through his mind. He wondered whether the land was inhabited. First impressions were that this was virginal land, uninhabited and unoccupied. If he was right that would mean Holland would have unobstructed and unrivalled access to its resources.  

The captain thought how proud his family and friends would be back in his home province of Zeeland when they learned of his discovery. Looking at the coastline beyond the starboard rail, he murmured, “I name this new land Nieuw Zeeland.”

Tasman would soon learn – to his cost – that the land he’d discovered was occupied by warlike peoples who called themselves Maoris. However, he would go to his deathbed mistakenly believing the new land was the Great Southern Continent.

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New Zealand: A Novel is available now from Harvard Book Store, Mighty Ape NZ, Waterstones UK & Europe bookstores, Barnes & Noble, Kete Books NZ, Amazon and via public libraries.

The audiobook version is available via Amazon (listening time: 11hrs. 25mins.).

Amazon paperback link: https://www.amazon.com/New-Zealand-Novel-Lance-Morcan/dp/0473728524/

Goodreads review rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

Amazon review rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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