Fun, but I expected better than this. . . .

Moonrise is good science fiction pulp, but pulp nonetheless. If you paid full cover price for it, I think you got ripped off. I picked up my copy on the bargain table, and I feel cheated.

Character Short List:
Paul Stavenger: a former astronaut, and now the CEO of Masterson Aerospace, Paul's dream to see humanity flourish at Moonbase, and beyond.

Joanna: Paul's husband, and after his death, Masterson's new CEO.

Doug, our protagonist and Paul's son, is born after his father's death. Doug is as driven as his father was to see humanity on the moon and in space.

Greg, our antagonist and Joanna's son from her previous husband, is selfish about his mother's attentions and being groomed to one day become the head of Masterson Aerospace.

Brief Plot Summary: Moonbase is a small research and manufacturing station, on (guess where?) the moon, struggling to survive and maintain economic viability. What keeps Moonbase operational and in the black is it's reliance on nanotechnology. Paul Stavenger has visions of grandeur for the little lunar station, dreams of growth and economic independence. Unfortunately, he never sees this dream realized, murdered by an devious and unknown rival. Fast forward twenty years. Doug, young and idealistic, fills his father's shoes as a champion for Moonbase. However, world popular opinion has since turned and the impending outlaw of nanotechnology threatens the future existence of Moonbase. Greg is continuing on his path to be the head of Masterson, with the termination of Moonbase as a top priority. Greg and Doug are on opposite sides of the Moonbase debate, and Joanna tries to keep some semblance of civility and peace between the two. Sadly, that is not to be, and the two siblings shall eventually meet in a final showdown, with the survival of Moonbase fully dependent on the outcome. (Yes, that was LONG, but that was also a brief summary of the events.)

What stuck out about Moonrise?
Predictable Plot: About halfway through, I could see where this story was headed. Doug, totally pro-Moonbase, dreams of future growth and expansion. Greg wants to shut the base down. As the novel progressed, I was able visualize these two titans, slowly drawing closer and closer to each other, in anticipation of some last and final battle. To Bova's credit, it took me until half way through to see where he was headed. The first section of the novel, was written by alternating between two different timelines, slowly revealing a tidbit of the past as we struggle though the present, but eventually all became clear.

Varied, but Cardboard Characters: There wasn't a whole heck of a lot of depth to the characters. The good guy is the good guy. The bad guy is the bad guy. The evil accomplices is the evil accomplices. Not much character development, everyone just plays their parts. There were a couple of interesting characters, but they were as one-dimensional as the rest. To me, the two that stick out are: Foster Brennart, the dashing astronaut / explorer who risks his life for the greater good of Moonbase (very noble, yes); and Bianca Rhee, the short stumpy (and shy) astronomer (and ballerina) who somehow catches the attention of the young Doug. Though you do meet some quaint people, they are all just as flat and monotonous as everyone else.

Happy Ending and Motivational Conclusion: Of course it has a happy ending, the good guys always win. :-} The story ends with a hint of optimism and dreams of humanity's future conquest of space. Doug finishes the novel off by reminisceing about words which his father had begun the novel with: "If it is to be, it is up to me."

This ending left me with a feeling of, "Well that's all fine and dandy, but 'now what?'" There is just the possibility of so much more, of better things to come, but at that point, it just stops. I finished with a feeling of emptiness and inconclusion.

On a scale from 1 to 10, Moonrise rates a 3, at the very best, a 4. If you read this novel, this fine and dandy, enjoy the light read. If you don't, well, you're not missing too much. Of the time I spent reading it, I want it back. Gimme a refund.



Recommended: