I’ve read and re-read the story, and I think this: It is intriguing, beautifully-crafted, moving and poetic, in form at least seeming an extension of your poem 'History of Anchors'. It brings the knowing eye of elephants to bear on the reader, creating the feeling of injustice I always have when I'm close to them. It’s a parable of imperialism. For all these reasons and more, I loved it. Alex’s perspective is unusual. This gives his stories their outstanding quality: they are original. I have not read stories like this before. If one of the objects of good writing is to move the reader to a different place, then he succeeds very well
Bruce Ansley
one of New Zealand's pre-eminent storytellers, and author of A long Slow Affair of the Heart, A Fabled Land, and Coast: A New Zealand Journey, winner Best Illustrated Non-fiction Book at the New Zealand Post Book Awards
Sometimes his rendering can be so singular, so startling, that you'll hear yourself exclaiming aloud.
David Hill
Kete Books
Meet Hannibal Solo, Biligiri, Tant-Meisie and Pulmulla, the majestic stars of four narrative threads which knock us over and pull us into a world of magic realism. It is an absolute blast – a triumph of writing of the imagination, skilfully mashing together magisteria – of orders of life, time, ecology, colonialism and the damage it does – without losing the reader or taking the easy route. Most remarkably of all, the voices are those of elephants, and Taken’s greatest feat is to let you in on their secrets so utterly, you begin to feel like one. Superb!
Jenny Nicholls
Weekender
BUY THIS BOOK