“Chainbreaker” by Izaz takes you to the sugarcan fields of Fiji, where the Pacific Sugar Company holds sway over the lives of its farmers. Dive into this gripping tale of resiliance.
The Indian-Fijian workers spend hot days in the sun, just as their ancestors did, brought to Fiji as indentured servants. Not much has changed over the generations.
Death has become a regular part of their lives. Akbar Khan loses one too many friends to murder and starts to fight back against the shackles of his life.
Ted Chambers, the local white lawyer in Ba Town, fights day after day to help the Indian and native Fijians. The colonial government and nearly every other white person in Fiji don’t seem to care if they live or die.
The dangers are great when the two men unite to form the first Fijian farmers’ union, to help give the farmers some peace and security.
But hate lives at the heart of power.
And murder is a means to silence any opposition.
5 STAR Readers Favourite Award – Reviewed by Essien Asian
Izaz Khan tells a story about honor and revenge set in Fiji over a century ago. He includes the little details we might miss, such as the distinct differences in cultural background between the Muslims and Hindus in the Indian community. Combining these with the unique banter between the characters in this story gives you the perfect mix for an immersive tale. Khan’s attempt at highlighting the racism that was the order of the day at the time and the subtle inferences of the influence of black magic creates an authentically accurate atmosphere in that era. Akbar’s relationship with Tawfik sets the tone for unfortunate events. Chainbreaker is a unique blend of history and fiction that is as educational as it is interesting.
Izaz was born in a small sugar town called Ba on the main island of Fiji. He attended Catholic primary and secondary schools in Ba before going to Charters Towers in North Queensland to finish his secondary education at Mt Carmel College, a Christian Brothers school. He matriculated to the University of Queensland where he graduated with a BA degree in 1967. Izaz then returned to Fiji and taught at a number of high schools. While there, he married and had two children, but one died in 2010. He soon returned to Australia with his wife and young children and completed a law degree at the UNSW. Hired by the prestigious firm of Allen Allen and Hemsley, now known as Allens, he worked for two years as a solicitor and went to the NSW Bar in March, 1980, where he was till 2012. Izaz became one of the foremost barristers in the field of property law.
He is also a former judge of the Fiji Court of Appeal. He sat for four weeks at a time, four times a year between 2008 and 2012. Between 1980 and 1991, Izaz became a part-time lecturer in Conveyancing and Property Law at the Law School of UNSW and wrote numerous articles in his field for the Law Society Journal.
