What’s it like to live in a quirky, funky, queer-abundant, intentional community in the middle of a lush, tangled jungle? Well, for the “Hermits” of Hermitville, life is usually pretty good–play music, garden, take care of the goats and chickens, play music, make jam, sell at the Maku’u Farmers Market, garden some more, cultivate a complicated personal life, make art, put on shows for the local community, replenish the jam supply, and so on. That is, until the founder suddenly dies, noxious real estate developers want to take over, Elves appear, and the mysterious Book of Moons knows all but won’t tell all.

The books are set in a “not too distant future,” when the United States has ended its occupation of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and the lawful government is reconstituting itself in earnest. All “transplants” must now decide whether to naturalize as Kingdom subjects or return to their points of origin. The Hermits were facing this choice anyway, but with all that’s going on now, can Hermitville really survive? And–more importantly– should it?

Video: Life in Hermitville. Enjoy!