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A review by antonblender
Red Moon by Benjamin Percy
4.0
"Red Moon" imagines a world where werewolves are a very real part of society. Lycans (as they are called in the book) suffer from a disease that can be transmitted through a bite or unprotected sex, or inherited from infected parents. In the United States they must be registered and are required to take a drug that inhibits transformation (it also dulls their senses, forcing them to live their lives in a cloudy haze). Abroad, they have established a nation in Eastern Europe (The Lupine Republic). But since that area is rich in uranium, and this version of the U.S. relies heavily on nuclear power, an American military presence keeps mining operations running smoothly. This leads to acts of terrorism by lycans who want the ‘occupiers’ to leave. One such act (the downing of a commercial airliner by a single lycan) kicks off the novel.
"Red Moon" is equal parts horror story and social commentary. But unlike “True Blood" on HBO, the monsters at the centre of it don’t have a clear parallel in our world. They are victims of a disease and people fear infection, an obvious parallel from sufferers of HIV. But when a militant minority commits acts of terrorism that paint all lycans as dangerous, they become an analogue for Muslims in America. The Lupine Republic seems like Iraq with its military occupation that some say is motivated by American energy dependence, but it was established as a refuge for lycans after World War II like Israel. That’s what I enjoyed the most about “Red Moon"; it’s complex and rejects a simple “werewolves represent __________" formula.
The book shifts through several perspectives, but at its core it has three main characters: a werewolf girl whose parents were once radicals, a human boy whose soldier father is stationed in the Lupine Republic, and a politician whose hardline rhetoric on lycans has him on track to be the next president of the United States. Through their eyes we learn about the world, its history, and the lycans’ place in it.
"Red Moon" isn’t perfect, and I had some problems with the third act especially (one character has an ‘action hero’ moment that seems designed to woo a big name actor to the role should a film adaptation materialize, and a female character is held hostage and sexually abused in graphic scenes that do nothing to advance the plot). But the world Benjamin Percy has created is well realized and feels genuine, and the writing is strong. That it reminded me of “The Passage" is probably the best compliment I can pay it.
"Red Moon" is equal parts horror story and social commentary. But unlike “True Blood" on HBO, the monsters at the centre of it don’t have a clear parallel in our world. They are victims of a disease and people fear infection, an obvious parallel from sufferers of HIV. But when a militant minority commits acts of terrorism that paint all lycans as dangerous, they become an analogue for Muslims in America. The Lupine Republic seems like Iraq with its military occupation that some say is motivated by American energy dependence, but it was established as a refuge for lycans after World War II like Israel. That’s what I enjoyed the most about “Red Moon"; it’s complex and rejects a simple “werewolves represent __________" formula.
The book shifts through several perspectives, but at its core it has three main characters: a werewolf girl whose parents were once radicals, a human boy whose soldier father is stationed in the Lupine Republic, and a politician whose hardline rhetoric on lycans has him on track to be the next president of the United States. Through their eyes we learn about the world, its history, and the lycans’ place in it.
"Red Moon" isn’t perfect, and I had some problems with the third act especially (one character has an ‘action hero’ moment that seems designed to woo a big name actor to the role should a film adaptation materialize, and a female character is held hostage and sexually abused in graphic scenes that do nothing to advance the plot). But the world Benjamin Percy has created is well realized and feels genuine, and the writing is strong. That it reminded me of “The Passage" is probably the best compliment I can pay it.