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Hollow Moon

by Steph Bennion (Goodreads Author)

3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 · rating details · 6 ratings · 6 reviews

Novel, approx. 110,000 words: A kidnapping, a school band competition and an electric cat that eats everything in sight! HOLLOW MOON is a fast-paced and witty space opera mystery that tells the tale of Ravana, a teenage girl who has to grow up fast when she and her father become embroiled in a plot of interstellar intrigue. Having fled civil war sixteen light years away, R...more

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Published May 28th 2012 by WyrdStar

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Aug 17, 2012 Chris Bullock rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, books-reviewed, 5

Excellent! I really enjoyed this story - it reminded me of the style of Anne McCaffrey and her characters in the 'Pern' novels.
There was more emphasis on the characters than the technology, which made it a pleasure to read, and avoided the complications of many modern SF novels. It also read as a complete story, and not as a part of many - even though it could easily build into a number of sequels.
I felt that the plot was well laid out with many side interests, and the twists and turns kept me w...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Tahlia Newland rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, sci-fi

Hollow Moon is a terrific read with just the right amount of wit to give a light touch to a highly original dramatic science fiction story. The beginning grabbed me, then the pace slowed and for a while I wasn’t sure where the book was going, but it soon came together and a surprise twist (the first of several) grabbed me again and held me until the end. There is nothing predictable about this book. At the beginning, I thought it was a fairly simple story, but the plot kept thickening as I read,...more Hollow Moon is a terrific read with just the right amount of wit to give a light touch to a highly original dramatic science fiction story. The beginning grabbed me, then the pace slowed and for a while I wasn’t sure where the book was going, but it soon came together and a surprise twist (the first of several) grabbed me again and held me until the end. There is nothing predictable about this book. At the beginning, I thought it was a fairly simple story, but the plot kept thickening as I read, with new layers of intrigue coming in just when you thought you had it all worked out. Even the characters sometimes surprised me with their unexpected allegiances.

Blurb: Hollow Moon is a witty space opera mystery that tells the tale of Ravana, a teenage girl who has to grow up fast when she and her father become embroiled in a plot of interstellar intrigue. Having fled civil war sixteen light years away, Ravana and her father now live in the sleepy commune of the hollow moon, a forgotten colony ship drifting around Barnard's Star. Yet what began as a minor escapade to rescue her electric cat soon leads to an incredible adventure into the shady dystopian world of politics, kidnappings and school band competitions. Hollow Moon is an adventure for all who relish a dose of humour and practical astrophysics with their fantasy...

Perhaps the most wonderful aspect of this book is the freshness of the author’s voice, a product of her unique vision, the astrophysical basis of the work and the well-modulated light touch that provides wit without making the work frivolous. Hollow Moon a refreshing change from the dark paranormal, dystopian and urban fantasies that populate the YA shelves. Our heroine is no simpering female who needs someone to rescue her, but neither is she of the hard-nosed bitch mould seen so often in urban fantasy. She has a healthy and endearing mix of intelligence, guts, compassion and vulnerability.

Apart from Ravana, my favourite characters were her electric cat, who eats the insides of machines, and the brilliant and besotted son of her tutor when he’s in his birdman suit.

Bennion’s world building is excellent. The plot is well constructed and her characters are well-rounded, easy to relate to and entertaining. As in all good novels, the characters grow from their experiences and the end sewed things up nicely while leaving open the possibility of more to come. The underlying theme is how the politics of profit, power and religion can create the kind of corruption that has politicians saying they want peace while actively working to prevent it. A good reminder not to take politicians at face value.

The main issue I had with this work was that it had a severe case of head-hopping that flung this reader from the thoughts of one character into another and back again in quick succession. We even went into minor characters points of views for one sentence here or there. This often had me rereading passages to work out whose point of view (POV) I was currently following, an action that dragged me out of the story.

The only other issue is that the author also overused the word was. Some simple restructuring so that, for example, was sprinting became sprinted, would make such sentences more immediate and therefore more engaging.

If you don’t mind a bit of head-hopping, then buy the book, because even with it, it’s a great read. 3.5 stars.
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Jul 07, 2012 Christopher Gerrib rated it 4 of 5 stars

Steph Bennion, the author of Hollow Moon, knows how to write an interesting blurb. Her book is a tale of “A kidnapping, a school band competition and an electric cat that eats everything in sight!” Targeted at the YA market, the story is of Ravana O’Brien, resident of the asteroid / spaceship Dandridge Cole, which is in orbit around Barnard’s Star. The inhabitants live inside the hollowed-up asteroid, which is spun to produce artificial gravity. Chapter 1 starts with Ravana trying to retrieve he...more Steph Bennion, the author of Hollow Moon, knows how to write an interesting blurb. Her book is a tale of “A kidnapping, a school band competition and an electric cat that eats everything in sight!” Targeted at the YA market, the story is of Ravana O’Brien, resident of the asteroid / spaceship Dandridge Cole, which is in orbit around Barnard’s Star. The inhabitants live inside the hollowed-up asteroid, which is spun to produce artificial gravity. Chapter 1 starts with Ravana trying to retrieve her electronic cat, and in the process witnessing a kidnapping.

Chapter 2 takes place on the planet Ascension, also orbiting Barnard’s Star, and highlights the exploits of the local high school band (all three of them) while on a field trip. There they discover the spaceship used in the kidnapping in Chapter 1, and eventually they meet up with Ravana. Hijinks ensue, taking place on several planets in two star system.

Hollow Moon is a fast-paced book, full of action. Characters don’t seem to spend much time catching their breath between adventures, of which there are a number. The tone of the novel is “Boys and Girls Own Adventure,” with more than a touch of British understatement, fitting for a British author. Despite the death-defying nature of some of these adventures, the book as a whole works due to the speed of events. I will also say that Ms. Bennion’s teenagers are very believable, and generally engaging.

The book is not without its flaws, however. First, I found the omniscient point of view a bit jarring. There’s nothing wrong with omniscient per se, but if you’re going to use it, it needs to be established firmly at the start of the book. Second, and more of a personal pet peeve, are the subject of aliens in science fiction. Basically, if you have aliens in your story, you should either establish fairly early on that aliens exist and are known or the story needs to be about the discovery of the aliens. Hollow Moon doesn’t follow either of those conventions, rather it tosses the aliens into the mix somewhat in the middle.

The last flaw is somewhat more serious. Without giving too much away, you can’t hide forever in a space ship. Sooner or later, every part of the ship will be visited by the crew. Critical areas, and power supply is always critical, will be visited more often and more carefully monitored.

Having said all of that, I found Hollow Moon a very enjoyable read. Ms. Bennion spent a good deal of time thinking about how her future world came to be, which is reflected in the names of planets and the cultures on them. Her characters are believable and interesting, and I look forward to more from her.
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Nov 01, 2012 Victoria Gaile rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, ya

I was disappointed in this book. The protagonist, Ravana, is presented as a girl who is in training to be an engineer. Yet, after a fairly strong start in the introductory scene in which she saves the day, she rarely acts like one: for the most part, the (view spoiler) functions as if it is magic (view spoiler). I was looking for a strong protagonist: but...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Mary Fan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

Ravana O’Brien is a vivacious teenager living in a quiet life in a hollow asteroid on the fringes of humankind’s interstellar society. One day, while chasing her troublesome robotic pet cat, she witnesses the kidnapping of a young exiled prince, heir to a throne lightyears away. Meanwhile, on another world, a three-member high school band sets out to participate in a galactic music competition that is to take place at a peace conference intended to settle a decades-long civil war. The band membe...more Ravana O’Brien is a vivacious teenager living in a quiet life in a hollow asteroid on the fringes of humankind’s interstellar society. One day, while chasing her troublesome robotic pet cat, she witnesses the kidnapping of a young exiled prince, heir to a throne lightyears away. Meanwhile, on another world, a three-member high school band sets out to participate in a galactic music competition that is to take place at a peace conference intended to settle a decades-long civil war. The band members—Bellona, Philyra, and Endymion—stumble into the conflict when they come across an abandoned ship that had been used to kidnap the prince.

Hollow Moon follows the antics and adventures of these four teenagers, plus Ravana’s brilliant and eccentric friend Zotz, who will stop at nothing to impress her, as they find themselves more and more entangled in the political machinations and corporate intrigue behind the kidnapping. As Ravana investigates these plots, she ends up learning secrets about her own past that her father, the starship pilot Quirinus, had kept from her

The world-building in Hollow Moon is an impressive display of technological and societal conjecture. The mechanics of the main technologies—such as AI processors and artificial gravity—are described in detailed but understandable language. The futuristic society is similarly well thought-out. In this rendition of the 23rd century, China and India have become two of the more prominent interstellar superpowers, and thus many of the planets have Chinese names (such as Taotie and Daode) while the kidnapped prince belongs to an old-fashioned Indian monarchy that had been set up on one of these worlds.

Although the story takes place in the future, the characters speak and behave in a contemporary (early 21st century) fashion, using variations of present-day colloquialisms in their dialogue. This makes them easy to relate to and sympathize with, as they come across as familiar and likable. Their witty chatter and everyday concerns keep the story light-hearted even as it delves into some of the darker subjects of bioethics and civil war.

With its twists and reveals and colorful sense of humor, there is never a dull moment. The juxtaposition of a high school band competition against the backdrop of dangerous, change-the-world circumstances makes this an enjoyable and unique story with many memorable moments.

[This is a condensed version of a full review on my blog: zigzagtl dot blogspot dot com]
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Dec 19, 2012 Forrest Kyle rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a really fun read! Hollow Moon is a light-hearted sci-fi adventure with some comedy, some endearing characters, and a plot stuffed with intrigue. I enjoyed touring the star systems of the future, and reading about young Ravana and her friends. I left the rating at four stars because, for me, a five star book has to blow me away, but a four star book can still be very good and super enjoyable. Hollow Moon was both good, and enjoyable. It deserves a solid, emphatic four stars.

As an aside,...more

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Shelves: fantasy-cookie

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About Steph Bennion

Steph Bennion is a writer, musician and reluctant civil servant in Westminster, born and bred in the Black Country but now living in South London, England.

Her science-fiction stories are written as a reaction to the dearth of alternative heroes amidst bookshelves swamped by tales of the supernatural. For every aspiring vampire or wizard, the world needs an astrophysicist, an engineer, or at the ve...more

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