The Hills of the Moon

by Carleton Chinner

Jonah Barnes didn't think he'd end up on the Moon with no job and his brother's ashes in his hand luggage. Chang'e lunar base couldn't care less about its newest arrival and that suits Jonah fine. All he wants is to escape his dark past and start a new life mining Helium, until a chance meeting in a bar sweeps him into the raging undercurrent of the Moon's racial tensions and politics. Now, Jonah is on the run and wanted for murder. With his new friend Lucien, he must grope his way through the pitch-black tunnels of abandoned mines to reach the oppressed Moon Folk's secret colony. When he gets there, Jonah must fight to overcome his past if he is to have any chance of saving his new friends from a madman who will stop at nothing to enslave the people of the Moon and seize control of the incredible wealth that comes from supplying the world with energy.

Genres: Science Fiction

318 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2017

About the author

Carleton Chinner is the author of the Cities of the Moon series of science fiction novels and a reviewer for the Australian Speculative Fiction Review. He is an Australian born writer who grew up on a remote farm in South Africa, where the trip to the town library was the highlight of his week. He devoured anything science fiction, fantasy and horror. And, when that wasn’t enough, turned to urban legend and traditional tribal histories which combined to provide a heady brew of stories.

He settled in Australia as an adult but not before turning up unarmed at a gunfight, discovering dead bodies and fighting off sharks while spearfishing. When not writing, he works as a project manager on large corporate programs

Reviews

[Austin Sheehan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carleton Chinner's debut novel 'THE HILLS OF MARE IMBRIUM' has very recently been re-released with a new cover and title, 'THE HILLS OF THE MOON.'  
Jonah is on a mission to spread his brother's ashes on the moon's surface and if he can, he'd like to get a job working the Helium mines from Chang'e base.  When he arrives at  the Lunar Peoples Republic of Jiangnan he befriends  Lucian Jones.  Lucian is one of the Moon Folk, the son of a family who has been on the moon for so many generations that their bodies have adapted to the low gravity.
After spending all day almost begging for work at the mining companies employment offices, Jonah meets Lucian and a friend for dinner.  An explosion rocks the dining room, and Jonah and Lucian find themselves running through the complex underground web of sub-lunar tunnels, escaping from the security forces of Wei Meng, the moon's head of security, who is insistent on crushing the Free Moon movement and has plans of becoming the next administrator himself.
In THE HILLS OF MARE IMBRIUM, Chinner has weaved together an interesting and imaginative tale of rebellion, of humanity (moonanity?), of redemption and hope.  There's a lot of engaging sci-fi elements and fight scenes that were done really well, I especially enjoyed the details of transport between Earth and the Moon.  The culture and history of the Moon Folk was also presented well.
It's a really good debut novel and paints a new picture of what a colony on the moon might look like.  There are some elements that I think were taken a little too far, challenging the believably of the piece.  The names Jonah and Jones are also similar, and occasionally I had to re-read passages for clarity.  And someone really needs to look at tightening security around the Chang'e prison.  I look forward to reading the sequel, PLATO CRATER, and seeing what happens next.  
To find out more, go to Carleton Chinner's website.  And for more excellent Aussie spec fic releases, go to the Aussie Speculative Fiction website.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is engaging sci fi rebellion.

Jonah lost his favored brother to the wrong crowd in a mess that left Jonah tainted and a liability to the family. Now Jonah has been exiled to the Moon where he has no real prospects. He makes a new friend, Lucien, not realizing that he will soon be caught up in rebellion.

Yesha is the niece of the Moon’s governing authority. She doesn’t agree with his oppressive style that shows no rights or respect of the Moon folk. Yesha was born of earthers but was modified by her mother to become a child of the Moon. The head of security, Wang Mei is more than happy to brutally abuse the Moon workers. He has his own plans to enslave them even if he has to destroy their cities to beat them into submission. Wang Mei has abusive plans for Yesha too.

Yesha agrees to have dinner with Lucien and Jonah. But that night events spiral out of control putting her on the run from Wang Mei and destined for an unexpected future leading the rebellion.

There are secondary characters who are fun. The characters are nicely developed and the story is told from alternating perspectives which helped to keep it engaging. The pacing was good after a little slow start. The lunar rebellion and production line reminded me of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I enjoyed the human implants and the manipulation of the droids. I recommend this to those who enjoy sci fi colonization stories.

I received this title through NetGalley.

[J C Steel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jonah Barnes is a rich-kid junkie, sent to the Lunar Peoples Republic of Jiangnan to get him out of his family’s hair - and to scatter his brother’s ashes. With no plans for his future, he falls in with the first friendly face he finds, Lucien Jones, one of the Moon Folk. With the current Lunar administrator close to retirement, the pressure on resource production and bias against the Moon Folk has reached new heights, and when violence nearly kills both Jonah and Lucien, Jonah discovers that Lucien is more than he seems.

The Hills of Mare Imbrium is a strong debut sci-fi thriller with some clear homages to the Heinlein classic, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Author Carleton Chinner has set the story in a Lunar future where China has taken charge of the Moon, and those who have adapted to Lunar conditions, the Moon Folk, are a discriminated-against sub-population. I found the story concept and some of the settings were a very strong point in this book; the characters would have drawn me in more with a little more development, and the Moon Folk dialect tended to waver between scenes, but the backdrops to the adventures were richly-imagined and well-written. I would recommend this book to sci-fi fans and especially to those folk who enjoy both sci-fi and RPG gaming.

Reviewed for By Rite of Word.

[David Hearne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story opens with Jonah, escaping loss and tragedy from Earth via a ticket to the moon. Yet the oppression awaiting inside the domes on the desolate landscape under the rule of a tyrant named Chen means things are about to get a whole lot worse for him. On a collision course with Jonah and the moonos is Wang, Chen's ruthless head of security who is determined to crush any opposition that dares challenge the Lunar Palace.

In an interesting twist, Chen's niece Yesha ends up spearheading the resistance, working with Jonah to take on the authorities in the quest for liberty.

Both join the local Moon Folk to try and turn the tables on the evil consortium running the show. Profiteering has come before people long enough. Can they wrestle control of the mines off Chen or will they die in the attempt?

Featuring an interesting political landscape, memorable characters and an intriguing story set against the harsh backdrop of the moon, it's an enjoyable read.

[Lucretia · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Jonah goes to the moon to scatter his brother’s ashes, he finds himself drawn into a revolution that is simmering just under the surface of relations between mooners and the government. There is a lot of unrest and political intrigue amid this lunar setting.

The story unfolded in several alternating perspectives. I enjoyed that and found it propelled me forward. I liked that the pace and feel of the threads were distinct even as they started to wind tighter together. The group Jonah finds himself bonding with was filled with great characters. Lucian and Doaran especially drew me in. There were a lot of characters I enjoyed, but Jonah and Yesha were my favorites, as I believe was the intention.

The book has a nice mix of action and drama. I enjoyed both the fighting and training, as well the conversations and plotting. I will be looking forward to reading more.

[Janine Pestel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book for a first-time author. The story starts with Jonah arriving on the moon with a special package - his late brother's ashes. All he wants to do is spread his brother's ashes on the moon and find work. He meets, and befriends, Lucien, a Moon Folk, and Yesha, the Administrator's niece. He soon becomes aware of a "Free Moon" movement, and before he knows it, he is involved. From there, the story picks up, as we learn about the penal system that's in place, and how oppressed the Moon Folk are by the Earthers. Soon, a revolution begins, with Jonah and Yesha leading the way. Mr. Chinner has written a very imaginative, and action-packed first novel. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this free from NetGalley and the publisher.
I really enjoyed this book. It is reminiscent of Heinlein and Bruno. A young man, Jonah, goes to the moon to spread his brothers ashes. Meets a couple of locals from very different parts of moon society. And through no fault of his own his thrown in to a revolution. I really liked the characters of Jonah, Yesha, and Lucien. Wang is a villain you love to hate and hope he gets just what he deserves. Yesha's uncle Chen I just felt sorry for. This is full of interesting action and adventure. Both on the moons surface and underground. I hope there is a sequel.

[Peta Culverhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hills of Mare Imbrium was an action-packed sci fi thriller. Jonah is a likeable character and Yesha holds her own in a world dominated by mechs, tech and male domination. It is a solid reminder of our own cultural history which has been embroiled in the disaffection of other peoples. Well worth a read.

[TJ Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hills of Mare Imbrium dragged me in from the first chapter and I became quite invested in this little rebellion on the moon! The characters, while vibrant, aren’t the star of the show but the moon itself and the rich history that Chinner has developed keep you engaged throughout the story. Definitely recommended!

[Marianne Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Science fiction at its best! The unrest between the moonos and the government unfolds in this suspenseful sci-if page-turner. There is no shortage of action, honor, and deceit as the protagonists hold tight to their moral compass and fight to save the moon people.

[L.E. Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who was raised on Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury, I love a sci fi with an epic setting, factions of strong characters, certain contemporary relevance, and a good bit of turmoil. The Hills of Mare Imbrium takes you there. Looking forward to the next installment!

[Bear Reads Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

SF is not usually my thing, and I am not sure The Hills changes that, but a good story, well told nonetheless.

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hills of Mare Imbrium provided a nice trip outside of my usual universe. Author Carleton Chinner writes with an attention to detail that creates an interesting world, imagining future life on the moon. The main character was likeable enough, with an uncommon reason for being in space.

I appreciated the diversion this book offered me and would gladly read another adventure from this author, in space or on earth.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an ok story, but nothing about it really stood out to me. The pace was a little slow and the story at times a little chaotic. Overall just very mediocre.

[Claire Fun · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was alright, but I didn't love it. Jonah goes to the moon to scatter his brothers ashes and gets involved in the local rebellion by the moon folk who are born on the moon but treated like inferiors by Earthers who came up from earth for jobs. Jonah, Lucien and Yesha have to fight to survive.
I didn't really feel much for the characters or their reasons for fighting and the battles mostly felt a bit anticlimactic. Wang was a BadGuy and a bit silly. My favourite part was Yesha in an old abandoned mine but it was fairly short lived and held no apparent relevance.
All in all it was fine to read a moon based rebellion against our oppressors kind of story but I probably won't bother reading any more.