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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN SCIFINOW MAGAZINE
https://www.scifinow.co.uk/reviews/luna-new-moon-by-ian-mcdonald-book-review/
The way that Ian McDonald flawlessly adapts his writing to the relevant culture and country at hand is ingenious, and he showcases this perfectly in his much-lauded previous work.
In Luna: New Moon though, McDonald has clearly perfected this skill. He exhibits an inherent ability to wide range of them together.
More impressively, he does all this while switching seamlessly between the perspectives of members of the Five Dragons – the ruling corporations of the Moon.
It’s not a flashy piece of science fiction; there are no lasers, alien species or gratuitous amounts of spaceships. There is only the truth that the Moon is truly brutal, where everything is for sale or contracted.
The price of air changes daily, like the stock market, and there is an overarching fear of death lingering through each of the characters going beyond the dread of running out of oxygen.
This is the power struggle of the Five Dragons that runs deep into conflicts within each family itself – among the Cortas of Corta Helio, the Mackenzies of Mackenzie Metals and so on – cementing the harshness of the Moon.
McDonald has done well here to delve into so many members of each family without being overly confusing. It’s an intimidating character list at first, and frankly we found some of the secondary characters a bit monotonous.
But that aside, McDonald certainly shows off the well-developed Cortas to illustrate his knack for creating dynamic human relationships that encompass the whole Moon.
Luna: New Moon is a world that has been intricately woven together by its author. It’s compelling and thought-provoking, and all without relying on overbearing sci-fi clichés. Brilliantly done.
https://www.scifinow.co.uk/reviews/luna-new-moon-by-ian-mcdonald-book-review/
The way that Ian McDonald flawlessly adapts his writing to the relevant culture and country at hand is ingenious, and he showcases this perfectly in his much-lauded previous work.
In Luna: New Moon though, McDonald has clearly perfected this skill. He exhibits an inherent ability to wide range of them together.
More impressively, he does all this while switching seamlessly between the perspectives of members of the Five Dragons – the ruling corporations of the Moon.
It’s not a flashy piece of science fiction; there are no lasers, alien species or gratuitous amounts of spaceships. There is only the truth that the Moon is truly brutal, where everything is for sale or contracted.
The price of air changes daily, like the stock market, and there is an overarching fear of death lingering through each of the characters going beyond the dread of running out of oxygen.
This is the power struggle of the Five Dragons that runs deep into conflicts within each family itself – among the Cortas of Corta Helio, the Mackenzies of Mackenzie Metals and so on – cementing the harshness of the Moon.
McDonald has done well here to delve into so many members of each family without being overly confusing. It’s an intimidating character list at first, and frankly we found some of the secondary characters a bit monotonous.
But that aside, McDonald certainly shows off the well-developed Cortas to illustrate his knack for creating dynamic human relationships that encompass the whole Moon.
Luna: New Moon is a world that has been intricately woven together by its author. It’s compelling and thought-provoking, and all without relying on overbearing sci-fi clichés. Brilliantly done.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was to just to confused with all the different terms for things and spent to much time flipping to glossary at the back that I got confused what was happening
Absolutely stunning, I loved this more than I can express.
From the first page, you are plunged into the world of the moon and its five ruling families (the Five Dragons). The moon wants to kill you, the cover provocatively says, but it doesn't mention the people and the people are perhaps equally dangerous, if not moreso. We follow, primarily, the Corta family members and those involved with them. The Corta are the youngest of the Dragons and their matriarch is Adriana Corta, who built her family's legacy and business on the moon from the ground up through grit and determination alone. But power is ever shifting amongst the Dragons, and this upstart's rise is not universally well-received by the more established families. When it's as dangerous inside as it is outside, who do you trust and how cutthroat is too far?
I've seen New Moon referred to as Game of Thrones in space, but I'd disagree. Certainly, you have the scheming Dragons and their subtle machinations, but it doesn't achieve the same levels of grimdark that I found with ASoIaF which was a relief. The characters are equally compelling, though, and given such depth and diversity that I found myself disappointed every time POV was switched, only to be pleased at the new perspective I was introduced to. The plot accelerates very quickly when an assassination attempt is made on the Corta 2IC, and the pace doesn't stop. Its breathtaking end left me torn between wanting more immediately and taking a break to turn over everything that had happened in my brain.
I simply adored this book. Its pacing was amazing, but the characters are what made it for me. They're all flawed and moral and conflicted and oh so human. I loved and was taken aback by each and every one of them and their actions. McDonald tackles family and politics and how who and where you are can change so much, yet leave other things exactly the same, so eloquently through them.
The names and details come hard and fast in the first third of the book and if you're not used to intense information upload, you might get whiplash or be discouraged. I know that level of immersion doesn't work for everyone. Personally, I love it when it's done artfully and McDonald is careful to give you enough to find your feet and then continue to sprinkle in the details as the story moves along. This book snuck its way into my heart and although I put it down several times to catch my breath, it's so intense at times, I always had to pick it up again and keep going.
I can't recommend this book highly enough for its diversity and clean prose, for its stunning world and its incredible characters, for its daring and intensity and strange beauty.
From the first page, you are plunged into the world of the moon and its five ruling families (the Five Dragons). The moon wants to kill you, the cover provocatively says, but it doesn't mention the people and the people are perhaps equally dangerous, if not moreso. We follow, primarily, the Corta family members and those involved with them. The Corta are the youngest of the Dragons and their matriarch is Adriana Corta, who built her family's legacy and business on the moon from the ground up through grit and determination alone. But power is ever shifting amongst the Dragons, and this upstart's rise is not universally well-received by the more established families. When it's as dangerous inside as it is outside, who do you trust and how cutthroat is too far?
I've seen New Moon referred to as Game of Thrones in space, but I'd disagree. Certainly, you have the scheming Dragons and their subtle machinations, but it doesn't achieve the same levels of grimdark that I found with ASoIaF which was a relief. The characters are equally compelling, though, and given such depth and diversity that I found myself disappointed every time POV was switched, only to be pleased at the new perspective I was introduced to. The plot accelerates very quickly when an assassination attempt is made on the Corta 2IC, and the pace doesn't stop. Its breathtaking end left me torn between wanting more immediately and taking a break to turn over everything that had happened in my brain.
I simply adored this book. Its pacing was amazing, but the characters are what made it for me. They're all flawed and moral and conflicted and oh so human. I loved and was taken aback by each and every one of them and their actions. McDonald tackles family and politics and how who and where you are can change so much, yet leave other things exactly the same, so eloquently through them.
The names and details come hard and fast in the first third of the book and if you're not used to intense information upload, you might get whiplash or be discouraged. I know that level of immersion doesn't work for everyone. Personally, I love it when it's done artfully and McDonald is careful to give you enough to find your feet and then continue to sprinkle in the details as the story moves along. This book snuck its way into my heart and although I put it down several times to catch my breath, it's so intense at times, I always had to pick it up again and keep going.
I can't recommend this book highly enough for its diversity and clean prose, for its stunning world and its incredible characters, for its daring and intensity and strange beauty.
I really enjoyed the cross cultural diversity of characters and language found within the pages of this novel but I especially enjoyed the political intrigue that brought the entire story together.
That being said I have a caveat and a warning.
Ian McDonald definitely just wanted to write erotica in space, but along the way created this story so that his characters would have some plot for the reader to follow in addition to the ample plot provided by the autor's description of the characters.
Also this is a line from the text that my friend opened to when they asked to see it once I recommended it for its science-fiction qualities: An archipelago of dried semen lies across the perfect hollow of Lucasinho Corta's left ass cheek.
Take this with a grain of salt, or moon dust as the book would have it.
That being said I have a caveat and a warning.
Ian McDonald definitely just wanted to write erotica in space, but along the way created this story so that his characters would have some plot for the reader to follow in addition to the ample plot provided by the autor's description of the characters.
Also this is a line from the text that my friend opened to when they asked to see it once I recommended it for its science-fiction qualities: An archipelago of dried semen lies across the perfect hollow of Lucasinho Corta's left ass cheek.
Take this with a grain of salt, or moon dust as the book would have it.
Initial reaction: Wow!
Second reaction: Seriously...Wow!
Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" melded lovingly with equal parts Gibson and Cherryh's Foreigner and a soupçon of Moran's "Emerald Eyes" and "The Long Run".
Second reaction: Seriously...Wow!
Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" melded lovingly with equal parts Gibson and Cherryh's Foreigner and a soupçon of Moran's "Emerald Eyes" and "The Long Run".
3.5 stars. Lots of elaborate ideas; fantastic world-building. Too many of the characters are really unlikeable for me :( Really wonderful climax.
3,5 Una gran història, complexa plena de personatges i amb un clar in crescendo fins al final. Llegir-lo en anglès no ha sigut la millor opció.
DNF - around page 150.
I think I read this at the wrong time. Too many characters and fractions, and I didn’t really get into any of them.
Cool concept though, so I may start over some time in the future.
I think I read this at the wrong time. Too many characters and fractions, and I didn’t really get into any of them.
Cool concept though, so I may start over some time in the future.
This is a really interesting story about one of 5 families that dominates industry on the moon. They are helium miners, and the mother has gone from poorest of the poor all the way to the leader of one of the families. She is old and dying the next generation of her kids is getting ready to take over, with all the resulting power struggles and spoiled entitlements that you would expect. The book really immerses you in their Brazilian heritage, and contrasts that with the Chinese, South African, etc heritages of the other 5 families. Very well done. Lots of political intrigue, power struggles, and back stabbing occurs.
Unfortunately, the book never warns you that this is the first book in a new series. Therefore, the story ends on a huge cliff hanger, with no resolution. I don't like to get caught in the middle of series that are ongoing, so this was disappointing to me, and cost it a star. If I'd known, I would have held off until the series was complete, since these things can drag on or drop off in quality. Reader beware.
Unfortunately, the book never warns you that this is the first book in a new series. Therefore, the story ends on a huge cliff hanger, with no resolution. I don't like to get caught in the middle of series that are ongoing, so this was disappointing to me, and cost it a star. If I'd known, I would have held off until the series was complete, since these things can drag on or drop off in quality. Reader beware.