Hongi Hika’s invasion of the Rotorua area in 1823 is one of the most dramatic and daring assaults in New Zealand history. Armed with muskets, Hongi’s forces had roamed the North Island seeking utu (revenge) for past slights. Te Arawa, inland and with their island stronghold of Mokoia on Lake Rotorua, felt impregnable. They did not count on Hongi’s determination – which led to an epic portage of canoes to the lake shores, from which an attack on Mokoia became inevitable. This book not only tells the story with Stafford’s flair and sense of drama, but is also richly illustrated, including modern photos of the locations depicted. Launch of the book in 2007 occasioned a major meeting of Ngāpuhi and Te Arawa that aided reconciliation for the past conflict.