What do you think?
Rate this book
Luna #2
Wolf Moon
Corta Hélio, one of the five family-corporations that rule the moon, has fallen. Its riches are divided up among its many enemies, its survivors scattered. Eighteen months have passed.
The remaining Hélio children, Lucasinho and Luna, are under the protection of the powerful Asamoahs, while Robson, still reeling from witnessing his parents’ violent deaths, is now a ward—virtually a hostage—of Mackenzie Metals. And the last appointed heir, Lucas, has vanished from the surface of the moon.
Only Lady Sun, dowager of Taiyang, suspects that Lucas Corta is not dead—and that he is still a major player in the game. After all, Lucas always was the schemer, and even in death he would go to any lengths to take back everything and build a new Corta Hélio, more powerful than before. But Corta Hélio needs allies; and to find them the fleeing son undertakes an audacious, impossible journey—to Earth.
In an unstable lunar environment, the shifting loyalties and political machinations of each family reach the zenith of their most fertile plots as outright war erupts.
The remaining Hélio children, Lucasinho and Luna, are under the protection of the powerful Asamoahs, while Robson, still reeling from witnessing his parents’ violent deaths, is now a ward—virtually a hostage—of Mackenzie Metals. And the last appointed heir, Lucas, has vanished from the surface of the moon.
Only Lady Sun, dowager of Taiyang, suspects that Lucas Corta is not dead—and that he is still a major player in the game. After all, Lucas always was the schemer, and even in death he would go to any lengths to take back everything and build a new Corta Hélio, more powerful than before. But Corta Hélio needs allies; and to find them the fleeing son undertakes an audacious, impossible journey—to Earth.
In an unstable lunar environment, the shifting loyalties and political machinations of each family reach the zenith of their most fertile plots as outright war erupts.
382 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2017
217 people are currently reading
3759 people want to read
About the author
Ian McDonald
265 books1,262 followersIan Neil McDonald was born in 1960 in Manchester, England, to an Irish mother and a Scottish father. He moved with his family to Northern Ireland in 1965. He used to live in a house built in the back garden of C. S. Lewis's childhood home but has since moved to central Belfast, where he now lives, exploring interests like cats, contemplative religion, bonsai, bicycles, and comic-book collecting. He debuted in 1982 with the short story "The Island of the Dead" in the short-lived British magazine Extro. His first novel, Desolation Road, was published in 1988. Other works include King of Morning, Queen of Day (winner of the Philip K. Dick Award), River of Gods, The Dervish House (both of which won British Science Fiction Association Awards), the graphic novel Kling Klang Klatch, and many more. His most recent publications are Planesrunner and Be My Enemy, books one and two of the Everness series for younger readers (though older readers will find them a ball of fun, as well). Ian worked in television development for sixteen years, but is glad to be back to writing full-time.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 422 reviews
March 2, 2017
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC!
This is definitely the kind of series where you have to want to pay very close attention to the sharp, precise lines of text, enjoy truly convoluted political machinations, and not mind a lot of weird sex.
What a weird thing to say about a novel, right? But it's true! After so many brilliant and beautiful descriptions of tall towers on the moon, of falling from great heights, both literally and figuratively, we see the grandeur and the decadence and the hubris writ large and upon a grand scale.
It's not just the fall of the moon we have to deal with or it's families squabbling over the remains of a great house that isn't *quite* dead, it's the amazing breadth of the big tale and the sheer oddities of the characters that make this novel -- and the one before it -- shine.
That's not to say I wasn't horribly disgruntled with long passages were things weren't happening to the main plot or when we had to get into all the deviancies of our main characters, in grand detail, making me wonder when the quite ripe core of the tale was going to come to fruit.
I was already thirsting to hell for revenge at the end of the first novel.
The second takes its sweet time getting closer, but alas, even after so much new destruction and close-calls, including a rather traditional (and harrowing as hell) moonwalk in horrible circumstances, we're still not quite ready for the revenge.
Am I alone in wanting a bit of good bloodshed and the turn of the wheel? I hope not! :)
Still, middle novel or not, it's a grand continuance of the buildup of what ought to be a truly stunning tour-de-force of politics, ruthlessness, Great Families, and bloodlust. Godfather Style on the Moon. :)
This is definitely the kind of series where you have to want to pay very close attention to the sharp, precise lines of text, enjoy truly convoluted political machinations, and not mind a lot of weird sex.
What a weird thing to say about a novel, right? But it's true! After so many brilliant and beautiful descriptions of tall towers on the moon, of falling from great heights, both literally and figuratively, we see the grandeur and the decadence and the hubris writ large and upon a grand scale.
It's not just the fall of the moon we have to deal with or it's families squabbling over the remains of a great house that isn't *quite* dead, it's the amazing breadth of the big tale and the sheer oddities of the characters that make this novel -- and the one before it -- shine.
That's not to say I wasn't horribly disgruntled with long passages were things weren't happening to the main plot or when we had to get into all the deviancies of our main characters, in grand detail, making me wonder when the quite ripe core of the tale was going to come to fruit.
I was already thirsting to hell for revenge at the end of the first novel.
The second takes its sweet time getting closer, but alas, even after so much new destruction and close-calls, including a rather traditional (and harrowing as hell) moonwalk in horrible circumstances, we're still not quite ready for the revenge.
Am I alone in wanting a bit of good bloodshed and the turn of the wheel? I hope not! :)
Still, middle novel or not, it's a grand continuance of the buildup of what ought to be a truly stunning tour-de-force of politics, ruthlessness, Great Families, and bloodlust. Godfather Style on the Moon. :)
May 29, 2017
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/05/28/...
Luna: New Moon was a wonder for me, a sensation. And following directly on its heels is this sequel, Wolf Moon, which picks right up from the shocking events at the end of the first book. As such, the usual caveat about potential spoilers for book one applies to this review, in case you haven’t had the chance to start this series yet and would like to approach it with completely fresh eyes (and I would highly recommend doing so as soon as possible!)
In the previous novel, we were introduced to the Dragons: five powerful, dynastic corporate families that control everything on the moon. Among them, the most recent to rise were the Cortas, making their members the newest targets for the four other rivaling families—the Mackenzies, the Vorontsovs, the Suns, and the Asamoahs. Now the Corta matriarch Adriana is dead, her legacy scattered like lunar dust to the winds. Eighteen months have passed, and the surviving Corta children have been divvied up and claimed like so much of the company’s other assets by the four remaining families. Even with the death of a Dragon, nothing has changed; the moon is still a lawless, hostile place to be, ruled by the political machinations of the most cutthroat and corrupt.
Unbeknownst to nearly everyone, however, a major Corta player has survived the destruction, and he is keeping a low profile while attempting to regain his strength in secret. Of Adriana’s children, Lucas has always been one of the most competent and cunning, and he is determined to rebuild Corta Helio to become even more powerful than before. But first, he’ll need to go to Earth—even if the journey itself could very well kill a lunar-born citizen like him, whose physiology has been so altered by the low-gravity environment of the moon. Still, in the war between the Dragons, it’s the children who suffer most. Lucas’ son Lucasinho and niece Luna are still alive, but only because of the protection offered by the Asamoahs, while his nephew Robson has become a hostage of the Mackenzies, and devastation seems to follow him wherever he goes.
It’s no surprise this series has been described as Game of Thrones on the moon. Ian McDonald has achieved something truly impressive here with Luna, creating a tableau filled with multiple subplots and crisscrossing character paths. The ongoing power struggle between the great Dragons is rife with political scheming and intrigue, with alliances constantly being formed and broken, and the character list in the back of the book is a veritable tangle of relationships showing a history of arranged marriages and shady backroom deals between members the five families. This sequel continues the trend that started with New Moon, exploring the twisted fates of those characters who were fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on your point of view) enough to survive past the stunning events of the first book.
Originally, I had thought Luna would be a duology, and I’m glad I found out otherwise before I started this book, or I might have been more frustrated by some of the meandering story threads and lack of real resolutions. Despite being a great read, Wolf Moon felt distinctly like a “middle book”, and it didn’t impact me quite as much as New Moon did. If I were to guess, I would say this was due to the character POVs. First and foremost, with Adriana dead, we lost one of the strongest voices from the first book, and this was a void I felt keenly. Moreover, while Lucas Corta struck me as one of the more important characters, his storyline was often relegated to the background especially in the middle section of the book. Ariel Corta also had a diminished role compared to the part she played in New Moon, while Wagner Corta, whom I admittedly have less of an interest in, got more attention this time around. That said, the two bright points for me were Lucasinho and Robson, and if there’s one silver lining to the loss of so many older Cortas, it’s that the members of the younger generation are finally getting their chance to shine.
As you can see, most of my feelings for this sequel are based off of my personal preferences for the different characters. Certain strengths have remained the same from New Moon though, chief among them the fascinating world-building. I am still in awe of McDonald’s vision of a highly individualistic lunar society, where those who prosper are the strong and the merciless. I also love the multilayered storytelling, and the fascinating lives of the diverse people who bring this rich world to life. Every detail should be savored and carefully digested, simply because everything about Luna is so comprehensive and intricate; blink and you might miss something important.
All told, despite not reaching the height of its predecessor, Wolf Moon is still a solid and worthy follow-up. If you enjoyed the ingenuity and the surprises of the twists and turns in New Moon, then you definitely will not want to miss this sequel.
Luna: New Moon was a wonder for me, a sensation. And following directly on its heels is this sequel, Wolf Moon, which picks right up from the shocking events at the end of the first book. As such, the usual caveat about potential spoilers for book one applies to this review, in case you haven’t had the chance to start this series yet and would like to approach it with completely fresh eyes (and I would highly recommend doing so as soon as possible!)
In the previous novel, we were introduced to the Dragons: five powerful, dynastic corporate families that control everything on the moon. Among them, the most recent to rise were the Cortas, making their members the newest targets for the four other rivaling families—the Mackenzies, the Vorontsovs, the Suns, and the Asamoahs. Now the Corta matriarch Adriana is dead, her legacy scattered like lunar dust to the winds. Eighteen months have passed, and the surviving Corta children have been divvied up and claimed like so much of the company’s other assets by the four remaining families. Even with the death of a Dragon, nothing has changed; the moon is still a lawless, hostile place to be, ruled by the political machinations of the most cutthroat and corrupt.
Unbeknownst to nearly everyone, however, a major Corta player has survived the destruction, and he is keeping a low profile while attempting to regain his strength in secret. Of Adriana’s children, Lucas has always been one of the most competent and cunning, and he is determined to rebuild Corta Helio to become even more powerful than before. But first, he’ll need to go to Earth—even if the journey itself could very well kill a lunar-born citizen like him, whose physiology has been so altered by the low-gravity environment of the moon. Still, in the war between the Dragons, it’s the children who suffer most. Lucas’ son Lucasinho and niece Luna are still alive, but only because of the protection offered by the Asamoahs, while his nephew Robson has become a hostage of the Mackenzies, and devastation seems to follow him wherever he goes.
It’s no surprise this series has been described as Game of Thrones on the moon. Ian McDonald has achieved something truly impressive here with Luna, creating a tableau filled with multiple subplots and crisscrossing character paths. The ongoing power struggle between the great Dragons is rife with political scheming and intrigue, with alliances constantly being formed and broken, and the character list in the back of the book is a veritable tangle of relationships showing a history of arranged marriages and shady backroom deals between members the five families. This sequel continues the trend that started with New Moon, exploring the twisted fates of those characters who were fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on your point of view) enough to survive past the stunning events of the first book.
Originally, I had thought Luna would be a duology, and I’m glad I found out otherwise before I started this book, or I might have been more frustrated by some of the meandering story threads and lack of real resolutions. Despite being a great read, Wolf Moon felt distinctly like a “middle book”, and it didn’t impact me quite as much as New Moon did. If I were to guess, I would say this was due to the character POVs. First and foremost, with Adriana dead, we lost one of the strongest voices from the first book, and this was a void I felt keenly. Moreover, while Lucas Corta struck me as one of the more important characters, his storyline was often relegated to the background especially in the middle section of the book. Ariel Corta also had a diminished role compared to the part she played in New Moon, while Wagner Corta, whom I admittedly have less of an interest in, got more attention this time around. That said, the two bright points for me were Lucasinho and Robson, and if there’s one silver lining to the loss of so many older Cortas, it’s that the members of the younger generation are finally getting their chance to shine.
As you can see, most of my feelings for this sequel are based off of my personal preferences for the different characters. Certain strengths have remained the same from New Moon though, chief among them the fascinating world-building. I am still in awe of McDonald’s vision of a highly individualistic lunar society, where those who prosper are the strong and the merciless. I also love the multilayered storytelling, and the fascinating lives of the diverse people who bring this rich world to life. Every detail should be savored and carefully digested, simply because everything about Luna is so comprehensive and intricate; blink and you might miss something important.
All told, despite not reaching the height of its predecessor, Wolf Moon is still a solid and worthy follow-up. If you enjoyed the ingenuity and the surprises of the twists and turns in New Moon, then you definitely will not want to miss this sequel.
March 6, 2024
Seize your enemy’s fallen weapon and turn it against them.
Check out all my book blogs at http://constantreaderpauloneill.blogspot.co.uk/.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What a fantastic read. The first book, Luna New Moon, was great and this is even better.
As I mentioned in my review for New Moon, this series has been dubbed ‘Game of Domes’ and it feels every bit as epic as George R.R. Martin’s masterpiece.
We follow the fallout from the epic events that concluded New Moon. I can’t much about the plot without spoiling the previous book but McDonald puts on a masterclass in writing and character building.
At its core, this book is about honour, ambition and family.
Characters
What McDonald does best is create very real characters. Whether it’s Lucasinho and his cakes, Lucas and his music or Robson and his climbing, McDonald makes you like each character and their flaws. I’d even go as far to say that McDonald is up there with the likes of King and Abercrombie at building full, real characters.
Writing
In my review of New Moon, I had to knock off a star purely because of the amount of mistakes that were made throughout the book. Such mistakes don’t make an appearance here and as a result, the book is nearly flawless.
McDonald puts on a masterclass with his language. What really stuck out for me were his descriptions. All too often I see writers recycling clichés when trying to paint a picture. The writing is also unique and had me on the edge of my seat or laughing out loud. Here are some of my favourites:
A leather purse of a man at the heart of a pulsing tangle of pipes and lines.
The pod lands soft and solid on its wheels.
…he sleeps because waiting is a dull sick ache, like a tinnitus of the soul.
When words are not enough, stuff suffices.
…an embrace as great as the sky.
…the tendrils of blue Curacao dispersing into the gin like guilt.
The tension that McDonald is able to build from start to finish keeps you on the edge of your seat. The pace doesn’t let up through the whole book, it’s quite an accomplishment.
Final thought
Does anyone know if there will be a third book in this series? It feels like there will be with that ending but I can’t find details anywhere! I thoroughly recommend this series. It might be a good place to start for those who are interested in Sci-Fi but are too intimated by the more hardcore Sci-Fi books out there.
We are such self-absorbed creatures. We think ourselves the measure of everything. Time will take away everything we are, everything we have, everything we will ever build.
Check out all my book blogs at http://constantreaderpauloneill.blogspot.co.uk/.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What a fantastic read. The first book, Luna New Moon, was great and this is even better.
As I mentioned in my review for New Moon, this series has been dubbed ‘Game of Domes’ and it feels every bit as epic as George R.R. Martin’s masterpiece.
We follow the fallout from the epic events that concluded New Moon. I can’t much about the plot without spoiling the previous book but McDonald puts on a masterclass in writing and character building.
At its core, this book is about honour, ambition and family.
Characters
What McDonald does best is create very real characters. Whether it’s Lucasinho and his cakes, Lucas and his music or Robson and his climbing, McDonald makes you like each character and their flaws. I’d even go as far to say that McDonald is up there with the likes of King and Abercrombie at building full, real characters.
Writing
In my review of New Moon, I had to knock off a star purely because of the amount of mistakes that were made throughout the book. Such mistakes don’t make an appearance here and as a result, the book is nearly flawless.
McDonald puts on a masterclass with his language. What really stuck out for me were his descriptions. All too often I see writers recycling clichés when trying to paint a picture. The writing is also unique and had me on the edge of my seat or laughing out loud. Here are some of my favourites:
A leather purse of a man at the heart of a pulsing tangle of pipes and lines.
The pod lands soft and solid on its wheels.
…he sleeps because waiting is a dull sick ache, like a tinnitus of the soul.
When words are not enough, stuff suffices.
…an embrace as great as the sky.
…the tendrils of blue Curacao dispersing into the gin like guilt.
The tension that McDonald is able to build from start to finish keeps you on the edge of your seat. The pace doesn’t let up through the whole book, it’s quite an accomplishment.
Final thought
Does anyone know if there will be a third book in this series? It feels like there will be with that ending but I can’t find details anywhere! I thoroughly recommend this series. It might be a good place to start for those who are interested in Sci-Fi but are too intimated by the more hardcore Sci-Fi books out there.
We are such self-absorbed creatures. We think ourselves the measure of everything. Time will take away everything we are, everything we have, everything we will ever build.
February 12, 2025
Segundo de la trilogía y decae bastante respecto del anterior, pero aun así la doy 7/10.
Tras el final abrupto del anterior en este pasan más acontecimientos relevantes para los Corta.
Tb acaba a saco y te deja con el hype alto.
Voy ya con el siguiente.
Tras el final abrupto del anterior en este pasan más acontecimientos relevantes para los Corta.
Tb acaba a saco y te deja con el hype alto.
Voy ya con el siguiente.
April 23, 2017
A decent second book that follows up on the hanging threads of the first book, New Moon, but without the same punch.
New Moon was dense and original, filled with political machinations and bloody action. Unfortunately, Wolf Moon pales a bit by comparison. I should say up front that McDonald's prose makes for great reading, with short but descriptive sentences that are both sensory laden and impressionistic. At the same time, however, I thought the substantive story was somewhat lacking. While mostly things left hanging at the end of the first book are tied up, it felt like the story as a whole progressed only incrementally.
Overall I was left feeling that while this was a very stylish book, it wasn't all that satisfying.
New Moon was dense and original, filled with political machinations and bloody action. Unfortunately, Wolf Moon pales a bit by comparison. I should say up front that McDonald's prose makes for great reading, with short but descriptive sentences that are both sensory laden and impressionistic. At the same time, however, I thought the substantive story was somewhat lacking. While mostly things left hanging at the end of the first book are tied up, it felt like the story as a whole progressed only incrementally.
Overall I was left feeling that while this was a very stylish book, it wasn't all that satisfying.
March 17, 2019
Reading about testicles, killer bots, baking cakes in microgravity, corporate wars, people falling from 3 kilometer height (for sports) has never been more fun.
I remembered being really impressed with New Moon so obviously I was thrilled when I found out there would be a sequel. When the Coode Street Podcast raved about this, my patience got thinner. I am a sucker for political intrigue, power grabs, coups, intricate conflicts, especially when the characters are unique, grey, and memorable. Spiced with an exciting frontier world, like the moon, this series has it all.
The writing is so rich with details - definitely a book to savor and deserve multiple rereads - on both character studies and the technology. (note to self: I need to reread the parts on how they transport people from Earth to the moon and back) The world building is really cool and so vivid (it would make a great HBO series, BTW). The moon was not controlled by nation states, but by corporations. No police forces, no military to hold the peace. Everything was based on contracts. Everything was negotiable.
The corporation were run by five big families. Imagine Chicago and New York during the Prohibition Era. There were assassinations, political marriages (disregarding age and gender), battles, and wars. The first book ended with a bang and the sequel expanded the conflicts. No family was in peace. Especially, when the decrepit Earth nations wanted a piece of the thriving, resource-rich Moon. Alliances were made, alliances were broken. It's really a game of thrones, on the moon.
While I have fallen in love with most of the characters, Wagner Corta's POV still baffled me. His 'werewolf' thing remains a mystery, which I am still unsure whether I'd like to know more or not. Still, I gotta applaud McDonald for making teenage POVs like Lucasinho, and kid ones like Luna and Robson, very readable and engaging just like the adult ones. Speaking of characters, I liked the powerful women here. A new POV, Alexia Corta, is intriguing and I can't wait to see how an Earthling would claw her way into power, amongst the ruin of her family's home. The formidable Lady Sun. The quiet, powerful Louisika. The loyal, conflicted Marina. And of course Ariel (she's one of my favorite characters); as vain, lonely, shrewd and committed as she was.
You might curious why I mentioned testicles at the start of my review. Well, this series has a lot of unconventional sex, which scenes are laid out meticulously. It's very gender fluid as well. TL;DR If you like normal stuff, you might want to skip the amorous parts.
I can NOT wait for the final book, Moon Rising, coming out soon. There are so much to wait for. It's gonna be an all-out war for power, for resources, for Lady Luna's love, who knows a thousand ways to kill and never made a contract she did not break.
I remembered being really impressed with New Moon so obviously I was thrilled when I found out there would be a sequel. When the Coode Street Podcast raved about this, my patience got thinner. I am a sucker for political intrigue, power grabs, coups, intricate conflicts, especially when the characters are unique, grey, and memorable. Spiced with an exciting frontier world, like the moon, this series has it all.
The writing is so rich with details - definitely a book to savor and deserve multiple rereads - on both character studies and the technology. (note to self: I need to reread the parts on how they transport people from Earth to the moon and back) The world building is really cool and so vivid (it would make a great HBO series, BTW). The moon was not controlled by nation states, but by corporations. No police forces, no military to hold the peace. Everything was based on contracts. Everything was negotiable.
The corporation were run by five big families. Imagine Chicago and New York during the Prohibition Era. There were assassinations, political marriages (disregarding age and gender), battles, and wars. The first book ended with a bang and the sequel expanded the conflicts. No family was in peace. Especially, when the decrepit Earth nations wanted a piece of the thriving, resource-rich Moon. Alliances were made, alliances were broken. It's really a game of thrones, on the moon.
While I have fallen in love with most of the characters, Wagner Corta's POV still baffled me. His 'werewolf' thing remains a mystery, which I am still unsure whether I'd like to know more or not. Still, I gotta applaud McDonald for making teenage POVs like Lucasinho, and kid ones like Luna and Robson, very readable and engaging just like the adult ones. Speaking of characters, I liked the powerful women here. A new POV, Alexia Corta, is intriguing and I can't wait to see how an Earthling would claw her way into power, amongst the ruin of her family's home. The formidable Lady Sun. The quiet, powerful Louisika. The loyal, conflicted Marina. And of course Ariel (she's one of my favorite characters); as vain, lonely, shrewd and committed as she was.
You might curious why I mentioned testicles at the start of my review. Well, this series has a lot of unconventional sex, which scenes are laid out meticulously. It's very gender fluid as well. TL;DR If you like normal stuff, you might want to skip the amorous parts.
I can NOT wait for the final book, Moon Rising, coming out soon. There are so much to wait for. It's gonna be an all-out war for power, for resources, for Lady Luna's love, who knows a thousand ways to kill and never made a contract she did not break.
February 22, 2017
I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. I really do love the near-future universe that Ian McDonald has set up with Lady Luna. So vivid and realistic, yet one thing he really specializes in is flawed characters. I've found that I even care about the ones I don't much like on a personal level.
This does have a middle-book feel, which does make it not quite as good as the first one, but it is still very good on its own too. And what a setup for the third it's leaving us with!
I think this is going to be a great series to reread once it's all available. I can see that there are lots of small nuances that will be more interesting as the whole picture is observed rather than this one chapter. I'll definitely have the third book on my highly anticipated radar.
Wow. I really do love the near-future universe that Ian McDonald has set up with Lady Luna. So vivid and realistic, yet one thing he really specializes in is flawed characters. I've found that I even care about the ones I don't much like on a personal level.
This does have a middle-book feel, which does make it not quite as good as the first one, but it is still very good on its own too. And what a setup for the third it's leaving us with!
I think this is going to be a great series to reread once it's all available. I can see that there are lots of small nuances that will be more interesting as the whole picture is observed rather than this one chapter. I'll definitely have the third book on my highly anticipated radar.
March 27, 2018
I flew through this one. I think I actually enjoyed it more than New Moon. The first book dazzles you with all kinds of new tech, the fabulous underground cities, glittering parties and beautiful people. This book smashes that beautiful city to bits and becomes very dark and gritty.
There’s some character growth and some character degeneration here. Ariel Corta is a raging alcoholic whirlwind of a lawyer. Lucas Corta has done lost his mind. Lucasihno, Luna, and Robson are just trying to survive. We get a deeper look into the inner workings of the MacKenzie family as well as Wagner Corta, the wolf. (The wolf aspect, for anyone wondering, is explained in far more detail this time around.)
Someone is waging war on the Moon. Their precious way of life, contracts without law, murders and assassins without police, is being threatened. The question is- by who?
We also get to meet a new Corta. Her name is Alexia and she is the Queen of Pipes. She takes up the moniker of the Iron Hand after Adriana Corta. She wants a piece of the Moon too, and she’s smart and ambitious enough to take it. I really enjoyed her story and I can’t wait to see where McDonald takes it.
McDonalds writing is excellent. It’s lyrical while maintaining all the dark undertones of crime family life. Overall- I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed New Moon. The third book comes out this summer and I can’t wait!
There’s some character growth and some character degeneration here. Ariel Corta is a raging alcoholic whirlwind of a lawyer. Lucas Corta has done lost his mind. Lucasihno, Luna, and Robson are just trying to survive. We get a deeper look into the inner workings of the MacKenzie family as well as Wagner Corta, the wolf. (The wolf aspect, for anyone wondering, is explained in far more detail this time around.)
Someone is waging war on the Moon. Their precious way of life, contracts without law, murders and assassins without police, is being threatened. The question is- by who?
We also get to meet a new Corta. Her name is Alexia and she is the Queen of Pipes. She takes up the moniker of the Iron Hand after Adriana Corta. She wants a piece of the Moon too, and she’s smart and ambitious enough to take it. I really enjoyed her story and I can’t wait to see where McDonald takes it.
McDonalds writing is excellent. It’s lyrical while maintaining all the dark undertones of crime family life. Overall- I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed New Moon. The third book comes out this summer and I can’t wait!
March 19, 2017
9/10
Creo que lo he disfrutado más que el primero. La fórmula es muy parecida, pero creo que la historia es más entretenida.
Review in english: http://dreamsofelvex.blogspot.com/201...
Reseña en español: http://dreamsofelvex.blogspot.com/201...
Creo que lo he disfrutado más que el primero. La fórmula es muy parecida, pero creo que la historia es más entretenida.
Review in english: http://dreamsofelvex.blogspot.com/201...
Reseña en español: http://dreamsofelvex.blogspot.com/201...
June 22, 2017
3,5 / 5
Un Dragón ha sido destruido. Ahora solo cuatro corporaciones familiares amansan sus riquezas en la Luna, pero han de repartirse sus riquezas. Esto no es nada fácil, y algunas rivalidades y guerras internas surgirán en la Luna. Los supervivientes de Corta Hélio se han dispersado. Algunos están bajo la protección de los poderosos Asamoah, otros son pupilos en Mackenzie Metals y el ultimo heredero nombrado de Corta Hélio, está en paradero desconocido. Así conoceremos como sobreviven los Corta más jóvenes de la familia en la Luna después de lo sucedido, y veremos cómo los Corta intentan recuperar su imperio perdido por cualquier medio. La guerra está a punto de alcanzar su cenit en la Luna.
La Luna sigue siendo un lugar con mil formas de matarte, y en la que cada vez es más difícil sobrevivir, como reza el blurb de la portada. McDonald plantea una segunda parte de trilogía donde sitúa nuevas piezas en el intenso juego político de la Luna, para llevarnos hasta un tercer acto que de nuevo nos deja con ganas de más. Ian descentraliza su relato de la familia Corta y lo extiende con las voces de algunos de los otros Dragones. Este punto ha hecho que la lectura sea diferente que la primera parte, aunque por contra, he sentido bastante lejanía con los puntos de vista. Era difícil conectar con ellos y ninguna voz me resulta tan potente como la de los protagonistas de la familia Corta que ya conocemos.
El punto fuerte de la obra de McDonald sigue siendo su escenario, el cual le saca mucho jugo. Pese a que el factor sorpresa ya está arruinado, Ian se las ingenia para sacar detalles y jugar con su escenario, volviendo hacer de lo más interesante. Como ya la conocemos de sobra, se ahorra de pleno ahondar en detalles para narrarnos unas escenas de acción bastante impactantes. La magia se cuece tras el telón. Mi principal problema con esta segunda parte, y por lo que quizá me ha gustado un poco menos, es que las tramas se desarrollan de una forma demasiado desigual. Algunas de las secundarias enmarañan la trama principal y a veces en el tramo final los personajes reaparecen de la nada. Pese a ello, entiendo que el objetivo de McDonald es dar una visión lo más completa posible de lo que acontece en la peligrosa Luna, en detrimento de focalizarse en ciertos personajes.
Y aunque el cliffhanger final no es tan potente como el de la primera novela, quedan suficientes hilos y personajes perfectamente situados para el que esperemos sea el gran capítulo final de esta trilogía.
Más extenso en: http://boywithletters.blogspot.com.es...
Un Dragón ha sido destruido. Ahora solo cuatro corporaciones familiares amansan sus riquezas en la Luna, pero han de repartirse sus riquezas. Esto no es nada fácil, y algunas rivalidades y guerras internas surgirán en la Luna. Los supervivientes de Corta Hélio se han dispersado. Algunos están bajo la protección de los poderosos Asamoah, otros son pupilos en Mackenzie Metals y el ultimo heredero nombrado de Corta Hélio, está en paradero desconocido. Así conoceremos como sobreviven los Corta más jóvenes de la familia en la Luna después de lo sucedido, y veremos cómo los Corta intentan recuperar su imperio perdido por cualquier medio. La guerra está a punto de alcanzar su cenit en la Luna.
La Luna sigue siendo un lugar con mil formas de matarte, y en la que cada vez es más difícil sobrevivir, como reza el blurb de la portada. McDonald plantea una segunda parte de trilogía donde sitúa nuevas piezas en el intenso juego político de la Luna, para llevarnos hasta un tercer acto que de nuevo nos deja con ganas de más. Ian descentraliza su relato de la familia Corta y lo extiende con las voces de algunos de los otros Dragones. Este punto ha hecho que la lectura sea diferente que la primera parte, aunque por contra, he sentido bastante lejanía con los puntos de vista. Era difícil conectar con ellos y ninguna voz me resulta tan potente como la de los protagonistas de la familia Corta que ya conocemos.
El punto fuerte de la obra de McDonald sigue siendo su escenario, el cual le saca mucho jugo. Pese a que el factor sorpresa ya está arruinado, Ian se las ingenia para sacar detalles y jugar con su escenario, volviendo hacer de lo más interesante. Como ya la conocemos de sobra, se ahorra de pleno ahondar en detalles para narrarnos unas escenas de acción bastante impactantes. La magia se cuece tras el telón. Mi principal problema con esta segunda parte, y por lo que quizá me ha gustado un poco menos, es que las tramas se desarrollan de una forma demasiado desigual. Algunas de las secundarias enmarañan la trama principal y a veces en el tramo final los personajes reaparecen de la nada. Pese a ello, entiendo que el objetivo de McDonald es dar una visión lo más completa posible de lo que acontece en la peligrosa Luna, en detrimento de focalizarse en ciertos personajes.
Y aunque el cliffhanger final no es tan potente como el de la primera novela, quedan suficientes hilos y personajes perfectamente situados para el que esperemos sea el gran capítulo final de esta trilogía.
Más extenso en: http://boywithletters.blogspot.com.es...
Read
April 22, 2017U nastavku Lune uživala sam, začudo, više nego u samoj Luni. Najpre jer sam ušla sa malo nižim očekivanjima a potom jer se Mekdonald ipak odmakao od koncepta "Kum na Mesecu". Ima i dalje sve što volim kod njega, žive likove, lepo diferencirane iako ih ima nepregledno mnoštvo, sjajno piše, sa tehničke strane sve *deluje* uverljivo i promišljeno, ima i dva-tri gotovo samostalna odlomka koja dođu kao klasične purpurne zakrpe - npr. o modalnom i fri džezu i o poslastičarstvu - i završava sa brutalnim, ali brutalnim klifhengerom.
Mane su, kao i u Luni, to što ovo ne spada u red najboljih Mekdonaldovih romana (i da ponovim, nisam fer kad to kažem) ali ovde postoje i bar dve-tri klimavosti na nivou zapleta i jedna ozbiljna na nivou motivacije. Čekam treću knjigu da vidim šta će se i kako razjasniti. I hej, Lukas Korta me mnogo manje nervira otkako je prestao toliko da liči na drugorazrednog Majkla Korleonea.
Mane su, kao i u Luni, to što ovo ne spada u red najboljih Mekdonaldovih romana (i da ponovim, nisam fer kad to kažem) ali ovde postoje i bar dve-tri klimavosti na nivou zapleta i jedna ozbiljna na nivou motivacije. Čekam treću knjigu da vidim šta će se i kako razjasniti. I hej, Lukas Korta me mnogo manje nervira otkako je prestao toliko da liči na drugorazrednog Majkla Korleonea.
April 22, 2017
Reading an Ian McDonald's book it is not an easy endeavour for the science fiction fans, frequently used to more lighter novels. It requires careful attention to not lose the richness and nuances of his prose, and in this case the added difficulty to remember all the dramatis personae. But the effort has its reward. In an unique way the author shows a complex and also a highly believable history about our future Moon.
Of course, to better understand this novel -like all Ian McDonald’s works- a second reading would be necessary.
About the story, I just want to say that an elegant change of plot suggests us new possible ways for the third book, while it maintains our attention for the whole story. Needless to say, I highly recommend this novel.
It disappoints me a bit that the ending is an absolute cliffhanger…but I suppose it is the author's choice in this trilogy (or perhaps his editor).
As Master Yoda says: "Patience! Wait for the third novel we must".
Of course, to better understand this novel -like all Ian McDonald’s works- a second reading would be necessary.
About the story, I just want to say that an elegant change of plot suggests us new possible ways for the third book, while it maintains our attention for the whole story. Needless to say, I highly recommend this novel.
It disappoints me a bit that the ending is an absolute cliffhanger…but I suppose it is the author's choice in this trilogy (or perhaps his editor).
As Master Yoda says: "Patience! Wait for the third novel we must".
March 24, 2017
4,5/5
La capacidad para la narración de McDonald es tremenda. Puede meterte dentro de un caos tremendo, con decenas de puntos de vista, pero en ningún momento te pierdes. Es más, cada personaje tiene su propia voz muy distinguida. Además se permite momentos para deleitarse, por ejemplo, en hacer un símil larguísimo (de varias páginas) con una tarta. También os digo que este tipo de novela no es para el gusto de todos. El agobio y la claustrofóbia de la Luna es palpable en cada página y en el estilo de la novela.
La capacidad para la narración de McDonald es tremenda. Puede meterte dentro de un caos tremendo, con decenas de puntos de vista, pero en ningún momento te pierdes. Es más, cada personaje tiene su propia voz muy distinguida. Además se permite momentos para deleitarse, por ejemplo, en hacer un símil larguísimo (de varias páginas) con una tarta. También os digo que este tipo de novela no es para el gusto de todos. El agobio y la claustrofóbia de la Luna es palpable en cada página y en el estilo de la novela.
February 6, 2017
Disclaimer: I got a free advance reading copy from Gollancz via Netgalley for giving an honest review; which this definitely is.
Luna: Wolf Moon is the sequel to Luna: New Moon and follows the Corta family corporation on the Moon (Luna) and this time back on Earth.
Since the events of the first book the Corta family are in drastically different circumstances. They’ve become more scattered and less of a cohesive unit and are now on the back foot against the other 4 dragons, or families. Their oldest and main rival is the MacKenzie family who caused them trouble in the first book. The decline has now reached rock bottom and it’s now a case of survival of the most ruthless; being the fittest doesn’t really mean a lot on Luna.
The focus is once again not on any one main character. It’s split very evenly over a large cast of people; not all of them are Corta’s either. This took a little getting used to in the main book as the switches between point of views could often be quite sudden. Due to the plot you pretty much have to read the first book so this shouldn’t be an issue in most cases.
The first book was dark; this manages to be darker. Things are about as bad as they ever could be; their worlds are collapsing around them. However there’s still hope and ambition to become greater than you are and have ever been. It’s discussing human nature in many forms, one being it’s lust for power and resources. The downsides and negatives of being this focused on your goals at the expense of others well being is explored rather well.
Once again McDonald explores issues of sexuality, gender and self worth and touches on the political system a little as well which really makes you think. Sexuality is not an issue on Luna and the way this is explored and discussed is fascinating. There’s no discrimination other than your family connections; the traditional blood is thicker than water saying definitely applies here. Though even that can be stretched to the limit at times.
When I read the first book I knew it was meant to be a duology. Wolf Moon does close off most major storyline threads but definitely leaves a big option open for another book, or even two, to be written.
In Summary: A dark and brutal world with great characters exploring very interesting topics like gender and sexuality. It does this without making them seem trivial or somehow side effects to the characters which is frankly impressive. Well worth reading (and the first book Luna: New moon too).
Luna: Wolf Moon is the sequel to Luna: New Moon and follows the Corta family corporation on the Moon (Luna) and this time back on Earth.
Since the events of the first book the Corta family are in drastically different circumstances. They’ve become more scattered and less of a cohesive unit and are now on the back foot against the other 4 dragons, or families. Their oldest and main rival is the MacKenzie family who caused them trouble in the first book. The decline has now reached rock bottom and it’s now a case of survival of the most ruthless; being the fittest doesn’t really mean a lot on Luna.
The focus is once again not on any one main character. It’s split very evenly over a large cast of people; not all of them are Corta’s either. This took a little getting used to in the main book as the switches between point of views could often be quite sudden. Due to the plot you pretty much have to read the first book so this shouldn’t be an issue in most cases.
The first book was dark; this manages to be darker. Things are about as bad as they ever could be; their worlds are collapsing around them. However there’s still hope and ambition to become greater than you are and have ever been. It’s discussing human nature in many forms, one being it’s lust for power and resources. The downsides and negatives of being this focused on your goals at the expense of others well being is explored rather well.
Once again McDonald explores issues of sexuality, gender and self worth and touches on the political system a little as well which really makes you think. Sexuality is not an issue on Luna and the way this is explored and discussed is fascinating. There’s no discrimination other than your family connections; the traditional blood is thicker than water saying definitely applies here. Though even that can be stretched to the limit at times.
When I read the first book I knew it was meant to be a duology. Wolf Moon does close off most major storyline threads but definitely leaves a big option open for another book, or even two, to be written.
In Summary: A dark and brutal world with great characters exploring very interesting topics like gender and sexuality. It does this without making them seem trivial or somehow side effects to the characters which is frankly impressive. Well worth reading (and the first book Luna: New moon too).
March 3, 2017
Muy en la línea del primero. Más contenido y algo más enfocado (en parte porque tiene menos personajes). Sin embargo, McDonald sigue dibujando un fresco de la vida en la Luna mientras los cambios se suceden entre bambalinas (aunque a veces se suceden en primer plano).
Pero lo importante es, ¿dónde está el siguiente?
Pero lo importante es, ¿dónde está el siguiente?
April 12, 2017
Excellent second volume of the Luna series - lots of action, great ending (at a good tbc point), reversals of fortunes, no mercy for major characters, twists, turns and an ending that is in many ways the exact opposite of the one in volume 1
highly recommended and eagerly awaiting where it goes next - still closer to The Moon is a Harsh Mistress than to GOT btw and modern sf the way it should done more often (not particularly daring in concepts but a realistic view of possibilities and power - the mores on Luna are as open minded and liberal as they can get regarding all the contemporary cultural issues like gender, sexual mores, race etc, and society is still a brutal contest for power and no paradise for the weak, the powerless, the poor, the ones without money or connections - here even literally as on the Moon all including air has to be paid for constantly...)
highly recommended and eagerly awaiting where it goes next - still closer to The Moon is a Harsh Mistress than to GOT btw and modern sf the way it should done more often (not particularly daring in concepts but a realistic view of possibilities and power - the mores on Luna are as open minded and liberal as they can get regarding all the contemporary cultural issues like gender, sexual mores, race etc, and society is still a brutal contest for power and no paradise for the weak, the powerless, the poor, the ones without money or connections - here even literally as on the Moon all including air has to be paid for constantly...)
May 23, 2019
3.5 stars. Not as good as the first book. I don't really like most of the main characters in this book (since most of the people I did like are dead now). There were way too many side characters. I had a hard time telling them all apart. Parts of the story were really slow moving. Too many really long descriptions of Robson climbing around on top of the city or Lucasinho talking about cake. So...overall good, but not great. I will read the last book in the series.
November 6, 2019
Misma estructura que en el primer libro pero como Ian McDonald escribe tan bien y consigue mantener la tensión en la trama a pesar de los numerosos cambios que hubo al final del primer libro, le vuelvo a poner 4 estrellas.
Pocas veces un segundo libro en una trilogía que está tan claramente estructurado como una bisagra, porque no tiene ni principio ni final, le he dado tanta nota pero es que consigue mantener muy bien el ritmo a pesar de que a veces se anda por las ramas.
Pocas veces un segundo libro en una trilogía que está tan claramente estructurado como una bisagra, porque no tiene ni principio ni final, le he dado tanta nota pero es que consigue mantener muy bien el ritmo a pesar de que a veces se anda por las ramas.
March 7, 2022
Folytatódik a libertariánus utópia, ahol a piac láthatatlan keze befolyásol mindent. Itt azonban ez a láthatatlan kéz kissé túlságosan láthatóvá is válik, avagy itt már bőven átlépjük azt a határt, ami a kapitalista nagyvállalatok és a maffiacsoportok között húzódik. A könyv folytatása az előző kötetnek, de őszintén bevallom, minden eresztékében egy gyengébb kiadása annak.
Egyrészt már kevésbé érdekesebb a világ, amit bemutat, hiszen mind vertikálisan, mind horizontálisan megismerhettük a gyarmati Holdat, ezért nagyon kevés újonnan bemutatandó táj vagy világ maradt. Ahová mégis elvetődünk, azt a nagy rohanásban alig járjuk körül, éppen csak annyira, mintha másképpen fűszereznénk meg egy ételt, miközben ugyanazt főztük. Ebből úgy tűnhet, hogy maga a cselekmény sodró lendületű, de azért mégsem. Különösen a közepén akadnak olyan fejezetek, ahol mintha nem jutnánk egyről a kettőre. Hogy az oldalakon keresztül tartó süteménykészítést ne említsem. (Ezt nem fogom soha megbocsátani a szerzőnek).
Van ráadásul egy olyan gond is, hogy nehéz az első kötet után fokozni a tétet. Ez kezdődik azzal, hogy rögtön az elején egy tömegkatasztrófába botlunk, amiről azt gondolnánk, hogy szikrát képez a későbbi eseményeknek, de még azt sem teszi. A régi és az új szereplők, akiknek a hangját megismerjük, valahogy végig azt a benyomást teszik ránk, hogy bármi is történjen velük a könyv lapjain, azt túl fogják élni. Emiatt viszont egy szemernyit sem tudtam félteni őket, a legnagyobb veszélyek közepette sem.
Talán kicsit soknak tűnik a dohogás, de tényleg csak azért teszem ezt, mert az első kötetet kivételesen jónak találtam, ezt viszont inkább jó-jó, egynek elmegy kategóriába tenném. Amit szívesen olvastam el, de többet nem hiszem, hogy elővenném. Ezért "csak" négy csillag.
Egyrészt már kevésbé érdekesebb a világ, amit bemutat, hiszen mind vertikálisan, mind horizontálisan megismerhettük a gyarmati Holdat, ezért nagyon kevés újonnan bemutatandó táj vagy világ maradt. Ahová mégis elvetődünk, azt a nagy rohanásban alig járjuk körül, éppen csak annyira, mintha másképpen fűszereznénk meg egy ételt, miközben ugyanazt főztük. Ebből úgy tűnhet, hogy maga a cselekmény sodró lendületű, de azért mégsem. Különösen a közepén akadnak olyan fejezetek, ahol mintha nem jutnánk egyről a kettőre. Hogy az oldalakon keresztül tartó süteménykészítést ne említsem. (Ezt nem fogom soha megbocsátani a szerzőnek).
Van ráadásul egy olyan gond is, hogy nehéz az első kötet után fokozni a tétet. Ez kezdődik azzal, hogy rögtön az elején egy tömegkatasztrófába botlunk, amiről azt gondolnánk, hogy szikrát képez a későbbi eseményeknek, de még azt sem teszi. A régi és az új szereplők, akiknek a hangját megismerjük, valahogy végig azt a benyomást teszik ránk, hogy bármi is történjen velük a könyv lapjain, azt túl fogják élni. Emiatt viszont egy szemernyit sem tudtam félteni őket, a legnagyobb veszélyek közepette sem.
Talán kicsit soknak tűnik a dohogás, de tényleg csak azért teszem ezt, mert az első kötetet kivételesen jónak találtam, ezt viszont inkább jó-jó, egynek elmegy kategóriába tenném. Amit szívesen olvastam el, de többet nem hiszem, hogy elővenném. Ezért "csak" négy csillag.
December 28, 2024
Politics, hostages, wolves.
Luca fled the destruction of Corta Hélio and is set on going to Earth despite it being fatal for Moon-borns. He had seen his family dead, his city crushed, his empire toppling.
Ariel’s bodyguard helped her escape into the Bairro Alto and she is in hiding. The Meridian pack is sheltering Wagner.
The Suns move to steal business for the Solar belt. Alliances are forged and broken. People are stabbed in the back and taken hostage.
This did not suffer from second book syndrome.
We think ourselves the measure of everything. Time will take away everything we are, everything we have, everything we will ever build. It’s good to think beyond our own lifetimes.
We learn more about the wolves is this book. They don’t physically change at the turn of the Earth, but their brain chemistry does. The wolves form a pack to experience togetherness, all of them identifying as bipolar. They do not see it as a disorder despite the mood swings and personality shifts and the rages. Instead, the wolves have given it a social frame, a culture that accepts and supports it. Nourishes it.
I liked that the moon allows the human to create their own society, their own way of living and being which is a lot freer.
This one is slightly shorter than the other two books in the series and this makes it tightly packed, setting up a finale without dragging.
Bookstagram
Luca fled the destruction of Corta Hélio and is set on going to Earth despite it being fatal for Moon-borns. He had seen his family dead, his city crushed, his empire toppling.
Ariel’s bodyguard helped her escape into the Bairro Alto and she is in hiding. The Meridian pack is sheltering Wagner.
The Suns move to steal business for the Solar belt. Alliances are forged and broken. People are stabbed in the back and taken hostage.
This did not suffer from second book syndrome.
We think ourselves the measure of everything. Time will take away everything we are, everything we have, everything we will ever build. It’s good to think beyond our own lifetimes.
We learn more about the wolves is this book. They don’t physically change at the turn of the Earth, but their brain chemistry does. The wolves form a pack to experience togetherness, all of them identifying as bipolar. They do not see it as a disorder despite the mood swings and personality shifts and the rages. Instead, the wolves have given it a social frame, a culture that accepts and supports it. Nourishes it.
I liked that the moon allows the human to create their own society, their own way of living and being which is a lot freer.
This one is slightly shorter than the other two books in the series and this makes it tightly packed, setting up a finale without dragging.
Bookstagram
May 25, 2019
I repeat the review I did in the first reading, because I'm a bit clumsy and I've deleted it
(you can also see my review of the third book "Luna: Moon Rising" in Goodreads).
Reading an Ian McDonald's book is not an easy endeavour for the science fiction fans, frequently used to more lighter novels. It requires carefull attention to not lose the richness and nuances of his prose, and in this case the added difficulty to remember all the dramatis personae. But the effort has its reward: in an unique way the author shows a complex and also a highly believable story about our future Moon.
Of course, like all Ian McDonald's books, to better understand his novel a second reading would be preferable.
About the plot, I just want to say that an elegant change suggests us new possible ways for the third book, while it maintains our attention for the whole story. It is said that the medium book of a trilogy is the most risky, but this is not the case: Wolf Moon maintains the quality of the first novel and needless to say, I highly recommend both novels.
I must comment that, as the previous book, it disappoints me a bit that the ending is an absolute cliffhanger… but I suppose it is the author choice in this trilogy (or perhaps by his publisher, I do not know).
So, as Master Yoda says: Patience! Wait for the third novel we must... (scheduled for next July).
(you can also see my review of the third book "Luna: Moon Rising" in Goodreads).
Reading an Ian McDonald's book is not an easy endeavour for the science fiction fans, frequently used to more lighter novels. It requires carefull attention to not lose the richness and nuances of his prose, and in this case the added difficulty to remember all the dramatis personae. But the effort has its reward: in an unique way the author shows a complex and also a highly believable story about our future Moon.
Of course, like all Ian McDonald's books, to better understand his novel a second reading would be preferable.
About the plot, I just want to say that an elegant change suggests us new possible ways for the third book, while it maintains our attention for the whole story. It is said that the medium book of a trilogy is the most risky, but this is not the case: Wolf Moon maintains the quality of the first novel and needless to say, I highly recommend both novels.
I must comment that, as the previous book, it disappoints me a bit that the ending is an absolute cliffhanger… but I suppose it is the author choice in this trilogy (or perhaps by his publisher, I do not know).
So, as Master Yoda says: Patience! Wait for the third novel we must... (scheduled for next July).
November 1, 2024
This is the second volume of Luna trilogy. It is often the case with middle volumes of series that are just fillers between the initial setting and the final epic battle. This is not the case with this book. It develops the plot and characters of the previous volume as well and introduces new memorable characters and earth (or moon)-shattering events.
The book starts where the last one has ended: the house of Corta, one of the five moon dragons, responsible for harvesting Helium-3 from the Moon to supply clean cheap energy to Earth. Now other dragons scramble for the spoils, and the remaining members of Corta family try to start their new lives… one of them, Lucas, the formal head of the house, who is considered dead is at the orbit, training for a (probably suicidal for him, the Moon-born) visit to Earth, hoping for new allies.
Younger generation continues to seek for a place they will fit, or changing the world around them. And the world around them experiences another shock – the Crucible, a megaproject of Mackenzies, a giant movable smelter that uses concentrated solar light to melt rocks, is suddenly destroyed, killing hundreds. And this is only the beginning.
It is almost impossible to review this book without spoilers, so I’ll stop here… recommended!
The book starts where the last one has ended: the house of Corta, one of the five moon dragons, responsible for harvesting Helium-3 from the Moon to supply clean cheap energy to Earth. Now other dragons scramble for the spoils, and the remaining members of Corta family try to start their new lives… one of them, Lucas, the formal head of the house, who is considered dead is at the orbit, training for a (probably suicidal for him, the Moon-born) visit to Earth, hoping for new allies.
Younger generation continues to seek for a place they will fit, or changing the world around them. And the world around them experiences another shock – the Crucible, a megaproject of Mackenzies, a giant movable smelter that uses concentrated solar light to melt rocks, is suddenly destroyed, killing hundreds. And this is only the beginning.
It is almost impossible to review this book without spoilers, so I’ll stop here… recommended!
November 9, 2018
Don't be deceived by the 4* I've given this book - it still is more a 5* read. Wolf Moon has all the pros of New Moon, and he only reason I'm rating it a 4*, not a 5*, is because that initial "WOW" reaction is gone for me. I know about the moon, I know about all the cultural and marital and business customs, I know that Lady Luna is a harsh mistress and therefore this book didn't amaze me anymore as New Moon did. Please note, that this is probably the only flaw I can think of, while all the merits remain. It's a superbly well written, not too long, not too short, a great tale about loosing the Moon and doing things that a person, in theory, simply could not accomplish physically, to take the Moon back.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm definitely looking forward to see how it all ends in the final part of the trilogy.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm definitely looking forward to see how it all ends in the final part of the trilogy.
May 26, 2024
2.5
Second in sprawling scifi series set on the moon. The scope for this series is large and sprawling, the plot is ambitious and intricate, but the characters are wholly unengaging and their welcome has worn exceedingly thin in the two published books.
The set up and tech is interesting and contains potential. Luna: Wolf Moon is not entirely bad, but it's definitely not enough to keep me reading this series, tho.
Second in sprawling scifi series set on the moon. The scope for this series is large and sprawling, the plot is ambitious and intricate, but the characters are wholly unengaging and their welcome has worn exceedingly thin in the two published books.
The set up and tech is interesting and contains potential. Luna: Wolf Moon is not entirely bad, but it's definitely not enough to keep me reading this series, tho.
January 3, 2018
War comes to the Moon.
October 26, 2021
VALUTAZIONE PERSONALE: 3,8
In questo secondo volume della Luna Trilogy si entra nel vivo dell'azione in una Luna che vede radicalmente sovvertiti gli equilibri del potere e del controllo delle risorse estrattive, preparando il terreno all'esplosivo finale sul quale si svilupperà la trama del capitolo conclusivo.
Mi riserverò di dare un giudizio più organico al termine della lettura della trilogia, in quanto gli elementi di continuità sono troppi e non avrebbe senso esprimersi in questo momento.
In questo secondo volume della Luna Trilogy si entra nel vivo dell'azione in una Luna che vede radicalmente sovvertiti gli equilibri del potere e del controllo delle risorse estrattive, preparando il terreno all'esplosivo finale sul quale si svilupperà la trama del capitolo conclusivo.
Mi riserverò di dare un giudizio più organico al termine della lettura della trilogia, in quanto gli elementi di continuità sono troppi e non avrebbe senso esprimersi in questo momento.
December 13, 2017
64th book for 2017.
I found this 2nd book in McDonald's trilogy disappointing.
I had trouble at times keeping particular minor characters separate in my mind, largely because his characters are so one-dimensional. While I generally enjoyed the first book, I am finding hard to buy into his Lunar culture. It just doesn't seem realistic to me. His five families are so stereotypical as to be ridiculous (the uncouth Australian miners; the inscrutable Chinese; romantic/dangerous Brazilians; the somewhat crude/rough Russians etc).
The whole werewolf subplot just doesn't make any sense. I have no idea what he is talking about there. This seems to come out of nowhere in the first book, and invade what was a fairly hard scifi book with an unexplained fantasy subplot.
The trip to the Earth happens with little explication of what's happening there, and the a central character comes back to rule overall by way (essentially) of magic.
By far the most enjoyable passage was a discussion of cake making in low gravity, but not enough to save the book.
I found this 2nd book in McDonald's trilogy disappointing.
I had trouble at times keeping particular minor characters separate in my mind, largely because his characters are so one-dimensional. While I generally enjoyed the first book, I am finding hard to buy into his Lunar culture. It just doesn't seem realistic to me. His five families are so stereotypical as to be ridiculous (the uncouth Australian miners; the inscrutable Chinese; romantic/dangerous Brazilians; the somewhat crude/rough Russians etc).
The whole werewolf subplot just doesn't make any sense. I have no idea what he is talking about there. This seems to come out of nowhere in the first book, and invade what was a fairly hard scifi book with an unexplained fantasy subplot.
The trip to the Earth happens with little explication of what's happening there, and the a central character comes back to rule overall by way (essentially) of magic.
By far the most enjoyable passage was a discussion of cake making in low gravity, but not enough to save the book.
March 17, 2021
3,5* rounded up
Plot is still good, style is still great but McDonald didn’t manage is pacing as well as in the first book.
The narrative is somewhat fragmented, full of ellipses and it tends to be a tiny bit confusing at times. But I can manage and it’s not uninteresting.
The lunar coup is seen at ground level which means the reader is as confused as the characters most of the time. But I can manage and it’s not uninteresting.
Robson is described wall climbing for pages on end and worst of all Lucasinho gives everybody a headache soliloquing on the subtle art of baking cakes. This I hardly manage and it really is uninteresting.
What? Did McDonald had a page count he didn’t know how to fill up? It really slugs the pacing down for absolutely nothing at all. Robson is a wall crawler, we know that from the opening chapters. Lucasinho is a vapid brainless pleasure-seeker and that’s been hammered down on us way too many times already so what’s the point?
Anyway, as I said the plot is still great. Revenge, double-crossing and betrayal, manipulation. The now 4 families thought they’d deal with the reshuffling of the deck by themselves, up there. It seems they were wrong. The moon is as good a battleground as any other place. And I like McDonald style, rather tense when it doesn’t branch off toward pastry lessons!
The funny thing is that I’m hooked on a story where I don’t really like any of the protagonists. I'd like one side to lose, that’s right, but I don’t really care if the other one wins. A nest of vipers remains the same, whatever the gravity.
Plot is still good, style is still great but McDonald didn’t manage is pacing as well as in the first book.
The narrative is somewhat fragmented, full of ellipses and it tends to be a tiny bit confusing at times. But I can manage and it’s not uninteresting.
The lunar coup is seen at ground level which means the reader is as confused as the characters most of the time. But I can manage and it’s not uninteresting.
Robson is described wall climbing for pages on end and worst of all Lucasinho gives everybody a headache soliloquing on the subtle art of baking cakes. This I hardly manage and it really is uninteresting.
What? Did McDonald had a page count he didn’t know how to fill up? It really slugs the pacing down for absolutely nothing at all. Robson is a wall crawler, we know that from the opening chapters. Lucasinho is a vapid brainless pleasure-seeker and that’s been hammered down on us way too many times already so what’s the point?
Anyway, as I said the plot is still great. Revenge, double-crossing and betrayal, manipulation. The now 4 families thought they’d deal with the reshuffling of the deck by themselves, up there. It seems they were wrong. The moon is as good a battleground as any other place. And I like McDonald style, rather tense when it doesn’t branch off toward pastry lessons!
The funny thing is that I’m hooked on a story where I don’t really like any of the protagonists. I'd like one side to lose, that’s right, but I don’t really care if the other one wins. A nest of vipers remains the same, whatever the gravity.
July 19, 2019
I read this book in the week of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. Back in the 1970s, we were so convinced that before the end of the century, there would not just be a man on the moon, but a whole vibrant community. We are still waiting.
Fortunately, there are superb SciFi authors like Ian McDonald who can bring a fully realised and developed moon colony to life – even if only in our minds.
Ian McDonald is probably the most accomplished world builder in the SciFi genre. So much research goes into every one of his books – taking known facts, present day cultures, languages and political systems, translating them into the near future and then reflecting back on our society (in mathematics, a glide reflection transformation). In his Luna books, the Moon comes to life. The photos taken by Apollo 11 are populated with ingenious purpose-driven cities, mines and factories, filled with varied, but fully developed and believable characters and communities.
The society on Luna is a complex interweaving of Australian mining (MacKenzie), Ghana horticulture (Asamoah), Russian space transport (Vrontsov), Chinese (Sun) and Brazillian (Corta) cultures. The five ruling families form dynastic marriages, plot against each other, and rule Luna as a Capitalist enterprise in its purist form. Ariel Corta explains to Abena Asamoah “We’re not a state; we’re an economic colony. … The problem with democracy … is free-riding. There will always be those who don’t want to participate, yet they share the benefits of those who engage. … You can’t compel people to engage politically – that’s tyranny. In a society with low benefits to participation you end up with a majority of free-riders and a small engaged political caste. Leave democracy to those who wish to practise it and you always end up with a political class. … Right now, we have a system of accountability that engages every single person on the moon. Our legal system makes every human responsible for their life, security and wealth. It is individualistic and it’s atomising and it’s harsh but it is understood. And the limits are clear. No one makes decisions or assumes responsibility for anyone else. It doesn’t recognise groups or religions or factions or political parties. There are individuals, there are families, there are corporations. Academics come up from Earth and tut … about us being cut-throat individualists with no concept of solidarity. But we do have what they would call a civil society. We just believe it’s best left to negotiation not legislation. We are unsophisticated grudge-bearing barbarians”.
At the end of the previous book, the Corta family was almost entirely wiped out by the MacKenzies. Now, we discover that several Cortas still live, and at least Lucas wants to take back what he deems his. The other Cortas (Robson, Ariel, Luna, Wagner and Lucasinho) are just trying to survive.
Soon, it is not only the Corta family that is endangered. The Mackenzies are riven with internecine feuding, leading to Ironfall. It took me a while to fully comprehend the horror of Ironfall. Then there the robotic blades slicing through anyone they meet on the surface, the bulldozers suffocating the Asamoah city of Twé, and the complete shut-down of communications and transport on Luna. Time and oxygen are running out: “The fighters that went down beneath the blades weren’t fighting for shareholder value. They weren’t fighting out of personal loyalty to rich, remote Dragons. No one could fight for such things. They fought for their world, their life, their culture, their right to not be told what to do by aliens”. It is not clear who is responsible – if indeed it is only one person or even one family. But, eventually one thing is certain: Luna has lost its independence.
The language in the book is richly inventive, using vocabulary from Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Yoruba and others. Thankfully, a glossary is provided. But the author goes even further. All LGBTQIA identities are accepted and present on Luna – and many have distinct pronouns. Additionally, there are the Wolf Packs where people (such as Wagner Corta) with potential bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are able to create a supportive tribe, with their light and dark phases ruled by the appearance of Earth in the Luna sky (cf. Werewolves at full moon/dark moon).
There are acts of unadulterated heroism performed by the most unlikely heroes. There is love, hate, indominable will. No character is safe, and you just will your favourites to survive – against all the odds.
There is also some ‘retro’ 1980’s fashion and philosophising. Playboy and master baker, Lucasinho, talks about the value of gifts: “even to make a simple kilo-cake, you are using things and skills that are rarer and more precious than jewels. When you taste cake, you are tasting all of our lives. And that’s why, when anyone can print anything; cake is the perfect gift”. Watching Ariel in her wheelchair ruling the room: “Darius tries to understand the will that chooses disability and authority over ability and anonymity”.
This is SciFi at its brilliant best, taking the genre to the heights of great literature. I recommend this "Luna" series unreservedly to anyone who loves an enthralling, intricate plot line – of any genre.
PS: It is important to start with Book 1 Luna: New Moon
Fortunately, there are superb SciFi authors like Ian McDonald who can bring a fully realised and developed moon colony to life – even if only in our minds.
Ian McDonald is probably the most accomplished world builder in the SciFi genre. So much research goes into every one of his books – taking known facts, present day cultures, languages and political systems, translating them into the near future and then reflecting back on our society (in mathematics, a glide reflection transformation). In his Luna books, the Moon comes to life. The photos taken by Apollo 11 are populated with ingenious purpose-driven cities, mines and factories, filled with varied, but fully developed and believable characters and communities.
The society on Luna is a complex interweaving of Australian mining (MacKenzie), Ghana horticulture (Asamoah), Russian space transport (Vrontsov), Chinese (Sun) and Brazillian (Corta) cultures. The five ruling families form dynastic marriages, plot against each other, and rule Luna as a Capitalist enterprise in its purist form. Ariel Corta explains to Abena Asamoah “We’re not a state; we’re an economic colony. … The problem with democracy … is free-riding. There will always be those who don’t want to participate, yet they share the benefits of those who engage. … You can’t compel people to engage politically – that’s tyranny. In a society with low benefits to participation you end up with a majority of free-riders and a small engaged political caste. Leave democracy to those who wish to practise it and you always end up with a political class. … Right now, we have a system of accountability that engages every single person on the moon. Our legal system makes every human responsible for their life, security and wealth. It is individualistic and it’s atomising and it’s harsh but it is understood. And the limits are clear. No one makes decisions or assumes responsibility for anyone else. It doesn’t recognise groups or religions or factions or political parties. There are individuals, there are families, there are corporations. Academics come up from Earth and tut … about us being cut-throat individualists with no concept of solidarity. But we do have what they would call a civil society. We just believe it’s best left to negotiation not legislation. We are unsophisticated grudge-bearing barbarians”.
At the end of the previous book, the Corta family was almost entirely wiped out by the MacKenzies. Now, we discover that several Cortas still live, and at least Lucas wants to take back what he deems his. The other Cortas (Robson, Ariel, Luna, Wagner and Lucasinho) are just trying to survive.
Soon, it is not only the Corta family that is endangered. The Mackenzies are riven with internecine feuding, leading to Ironfall. It took me a while to fully comprehend the horror of Ironfall. Then there the robotic blades slicing through anyone they meet on the surface, the bulldozers suffocating the Asamoah city of Twé, and the complete shut-down of communications and transport on Luna. Time and oxygen are running out: “The fighters that went down beneath the blades weren’t fighting for shareholder value. They weren’t fighting out of personal loyalty to rich, remote Dragons. No one could fight for such things. They fought for their world, their life, their culture, their right to not be told what to do by aliens”. It is not clear who is responsible – if indeed it is only one person or even one family. But, eventually one thing is certain: Luna has lost its independence.
The language in the book is richly inventive, using vocabulary from Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Yoruba and others. Thankfully, a glossary is provided. But the author goes even further. All LGBTQIA identities are accepted and present on Luna – and many have distinct pronouns. Additionally, there are the Wolf Packs where people (such as Wagner Corta) with potential bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are able to create a supportive tribe, with their light and dark phases ruled by the appearance of Earth in the Luna sky (cf. Werewolves at full moon/dark moon).
There are acts of unadulterated heroism performed by the most unlikely heroes. There is love, hate, indominable will. No character is safe, and you just will your favourites to survive – against all the odds.
There is also some ‘retro’ 1980’s fashion and philosophising. Playboy and master baker, Lucasinho, talks about the value of gifts: “even to make a simple kilo-cake, you are using things and skills that are rarer and more precious than jewels. When you taste cake, you are tasting all of our lives. And that’s why, when anyone can print anything; cake is the perfect gift”. Watching Ariel in her wheelchair ruling the room: “Darius tries to understand the will that chooses disability and authority over ability and anonymity”.
This is SciFi at its brilliant best, taking the genre to the heights of great literature. I recommend this "Luna" series unreservedly to anyone who loves an enthralling, intricate plot line – of any genre.
PS: It is important to start with Book 1 Luna: New Moon
March 18, 2020
Sigue siendo lo bastante variado y entretenido para animarme a leer el tercero. Me gusta la variedad de personajes y no poder identificarme del todo con ninguno de ellos.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 422 reviews