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Moonstone Hero
“The swiftly paced novel deftly emphasizes themes of fear, compassion, and self-actualization…The story’s greatest strength lies in its portrayal of how diverse lives intersect during an emergency...fast-paced, contemplative" — Kirkus Reviews
"In the intriguing novel Moonstone Hero, two men help a stranger, resulting in pain but also new relationships. " — Foreword Clarion Reviews
How far would you go to save someone you barely knew, if it put your own life in danger? When Andrew, an American medical student, decides to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with a group of international travelers, he’s looking forward to the adventure. But when the climb takes an unexpected turn, it forces the climbers to confront their deepest fears—and each other. In the middle of the night, just a few hours from the summit, Barry, one of Andrew’s fellow climbers, becomes deathly ill. As the only one with medical expertise, Andrew feels responsible for Barry’s fate. Saving Barry means risking his own life, but failing to act will compromise his values as a healer and human being. It doesn’t help that he’s falling for Barry’s climbing companion and girlfriend, a beautiful Peace Corps volunteer whose free spirit makes methodical, meticulous Andrew feel alive. All of the climbers are haunted by their choices during that terrifying night and its aftermath…but Andrew, most of all. Torn between descending Africa’s highest peak in the dark to save a near-stranger, or fulfilling his dream of reaching the summit, Andrew must choose. And in the wake of his choice, his life will change forever.
"In the intriguing novel Moonstone Hero, two men help a stranger, resulting in pain but also new relationships. " — Foreword Clarion Reviews
How far would you go to save someone you barely knew, if it put your own life in danger? When Andrew, an American medical student, decides to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with a group of international travelers, he’s looking forward to the adventure. But when the climb takes an unexpected turn, it forces the climbers to confront their deepest fears—and each other. In the middle of the night, just a few hours from the summit, Barry, one of Andrew’s fellow climbers, becomes deathly ill. As the only one with medical expertise, Andrew feels responsible for Barry’s fate. Saving Barry means risking his own life, but failing to act will compromise his values as a healer and human being. It doesn’t help that he’s falling for Barry’s climbing companion and girlfriend, a beautiful Peace Corps volunteer whose free spirit makes methodical, meticulous Andrew feel alive. All of the climbers are haunted by their choices during that terrifying night and its aftermath…but Andrew, most of all. Torn between descending Africa’s highest peak in the dark to save a near-stranger, or fulfilling his dream of reaching the summit, Andrew must choose. And in the wake of his choice, his life will change forever.
254 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2022
6 people are currently reading
831 people want to read
About the author
David Sklar
30 books13 followersDavid Sklar, MD is the author of “La Clinica,” a memoir of his experience as a volunteer in a rural Mexican clinic and “Atlas of Men,” an award-winning novel about a secret research project. He is an emergency physician, professor at Arizona State University and medical researcher who has authored or co-authored more than 200 articles about medical education, emergency health care, and global health. He is former editor-in-chief of Academic Medicine, the leading medical education journal in the US. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona. To learn more about his life and work, visit www.davidpsklar.com.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 24, 2023
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this narrators voice, it was very soothing and easy to listen to. I honestly had no idea what I was getting into with this book and I was pleasantly surprised! I thought it was all about a rescue mission on Mount Kilimanjaro but there was so much more to the story. There wasn’t a whole lot of backstory for the characters but it was fairly easy to get an idea who everyone was. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes romance with with thrilling and surprising elements, and is not so straight forward.
I really liked this narrators voice, it was very soothing and easy to listen to. I honestly had no idea what I was getting into with this book and I was pleasantly surprised! I thought it was all about a rescue mission on Mount Kilimanjaro but there was so much more to the story. There wasn’t a whole lot of backstory for the characters but it was fairly easy to get an idea who everyone was. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes romance with with thrilling and surprising elements, and is not so straight forward.
October 26, 2022
While hiking up Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the hikers (Barry) becomes severely ill. Andrew takes it upon himself to forego the hike and get Barry down the mountain and to a hospital.
I really wanted to love this one, but ended up with it being just an ok read. Truthfully, I almost DNFd a couple of times. The story is supposed to be about a man who does everything he can to save someone he barely knows, but that felt more like an afterthought.
Early in the book, I could see where this was going and it's why I almost DNFd. I don't want to say what that is, because it would essentially be a spoiler. If this is on your radar, I would say read it and see where you fall after. This one just wasn't for me.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Books Forward for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
True rating is 2.5 rounded to 3
I really wanted to love this one, but ended up with it being just an ok read. Truthfully, I almost DNFd a couple of times. The story is supposed to be about a man who does everything he can to save someone he barely knows, but that felt more like an afterthought.
Early in the book, I could see where this was going and it's why I almost DNFd. I don't want to say what that is, because it would essentially be a spoiler. If this is on your radar, I would say read it and see where you fall after. This one just wasn't for me.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Books Forward for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
True rating is 2.5 rounded to 3
October 7, 2022
This book was inspired in part by the author's own experiences as a med student, but much of it is fictionalized as well. I don't want to say too much for those who haven't read it yet, but I think this will be a good conversation-starter!
June 20, 2023
Narrator: Michael Gallagher
Published: 11/04/22
Thank you NetGalley and Volcano Cannon Press for accepting my request to read and review Moonstone Hero.
A definite miss. I felt the story was written by an older middle grade to immature high school boy. There are lines that require some adult knowledge, but even those spots were basic, no depth.
The story centers around a group of mostly strangers who set out to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Immediately I think smart, athletic, organized, and resourceful people. Selfish entered my mind as well. Enter the synopsis -- how far would you go to save someone you barely know? I remember laughing, these people live for themselves; that is my experience. What if it put your own life in danger? With that I picked up the book. (They'll eat each other.)
The book is a mess. This is a boy's fantasy of petal pulling: does she love me, does she not. An American medical student midway to the top is faced with the dilemma, continue on or return to the base. The others in the group move up the mountain (Without detailing spoilers).
I will say the most intelligent part of the book was beneficial to life as I live it in the US. The Sherpa pretended not to understand English (SMART) because in a nut shell, he didn't want to fight with stupid people (SMART). They will let him be the expert until it is not convenient. That was his experience, as well as what he was taught to do.
After the mountain, the author continues to dumbdown. Marathon racers do not shake hands, carry on conversations and reminisce about holidays while on the starting line with their coaches looking and waiting. That was not enough, a seasoned runner took a new pair of shoes to immediately put on for the race because a man he met on a mountain told him to.
I've addressed the petal pulling, however, I failed to mention there was international travel involved to locate one of the strangers because it might be love.
I don't recall any profanity. Sadly, I was so turned around I can't confidently say.
Enough said.
The narrator's voice oddly fit my feelings of the book. It lacked maturity, authority and confidence.
March 14, 2023
3.5 rounded up
Good character driven story.
Good character driven story.
August 25, 2022
Ehhhh this book was not for me. I don’t think it was bad, but it felt very thrown together. I thought the whole plot was about the mountain, but that was only like half of it. The other half was our main character trying to steal someone else’s girl, which is a no no. Anyway, the epilogue was probably the best part of this book.
September 22, 2022
This book is going to be hard to forget. A publicist reached out over email asking if I would review a novel based on a doctor's lived experiences on Kilimanjaro and having to make decisions about how far his character would go to save another life. I insightful books and thought this could take me some interesting places as a reader and a climber. It left me a little uncomfortable.
The book is Moonstone Hero, a novel written by David Sklar, and is being released on or around October 25, 2022. The back of the paperback, focuses on the first half of the book, where the lead character Andrew must choose between going with the rest of his party to the mountain's summit or descending in the dark to save a stranger, when no one else will. However, this is only a snippet of what I read in the novel's 243 pages. The climb (or descent, really,) is just the start of what turned into a romantic story; Andrew pursues Eve, the girlfriend of Barry, who Andrew attempts to rescue. The back of the book did not give this theme the proper weight.
The story starts in Tanzania in 1974 and follows Andrew's life starting on the verge of summiting Kilimanjaro, when Barry comes down with a serious case of pulmonary edema. It is dark when Barry's condition worsens; Barry needs to get down just when the group of climbers and their guide were leaving the camp to make the final push. (Apparently it was unsafe to descend in the dark by not to ascend to the summit.) Andrew, is a medical student, and puts Barry's condition first. The lead guide, Salaam, insists Andrew and Barry wait until morning when its light and they return from the top, but finally relents to Andrew and his opinion, as a medical student, and allows Andrew to descend with Barry immediately. Andrew is joined by the leader's younger cousin, Koba. The others press toward the top.
I enjoyed Sklar's character Koba, but I worry that I may be appreciating some Western stereotypes of African males unnecessarily without knowing the perspectives. Sklar shared his fears, their origin from his mother and songs they sang in school, his work ethic and how that approach to his job was, in part, to keep him save from the white man. He had a back story that seemed, as a reader, to be authentically African. Koba pretended not to understand Andrew or Barry on the descent, because he knew that if he spoke it would encourage more questions, and he was being cautious with these white men, and didn't want to be hypnotized by them. It's likely that Andrew wouldn't have completed this leg of the journey without him, and Koba learned to admire Andrew. Koba's honorable character helped set Andrew as the stories honorable hero.
From this point, the climbing portion of the story is a descent, and the rest of the story all goes down hill. Andrew saves Barry's life and while Barry recovers in the hospital, he takes Eve on an out of place beach vacation. I was sincerely curious about where Sklar would go once Barry reached the hospital, but by this conversation I lost interest, but I plodded on to the end to see what surprises the book had.
I think the story has greater potential with some rewriting. The third person omniscient perspective left too few, if any, conceal-and-reveal moments. It limited Andrew and Eve to being one-dimensional. In good stories, you feel like the character or understand their worries, fears, and what excites them, and these things you can see the mistakes they make and how they overcome their flaws to become heroes. For Andrew, he just seemed like a nice guy doing the right thing but not getting what he wanted out of life. There were mentions about how he was longing for or obsessed with Eve, but I never felt or understood why, only that the perspective indicated that it was destiny, without saying explicitly so.
I was also perplexed by various little things that could have been omitted and that didn't move the story along. Why did I need to know Eve was wearing eyeliner on the day of the ascent to the summit? (For that matter, why was she wearing eyeliner on the day of the ascent to the summit?) There was a lot of detailed discussion about travel details that were too instructional, such as how one would visit someone by flying in and whether they took a bus or train. And when things did move the story along, details were too often revealed in long answers of dialogue, which is how we learned that Eve, even on the mountain, was ready for the beach, because she said, in thinking aloud about whether to go, that she did in fact pack a bathing suit in her bag.
Moonstone Hero is about Andrew finally getting together with Eve. It only marginally covers climbing Kilimanjaro. And the conflict, drama, and ethical issues that were promised about choosing to do the right thing over going to the summit and peer pressure, never gets much deeper than what was said on the back of the book.
The story needed some more challenges and the book description needs to be honest. I also think that the fate of Barry was an opportunity to inject more conflict that might have challenged Andrew more and maybe even the circumstances around he and Eve. Andrew could still be a hero, deal with some greater adversity, and he and Eve could still go off into the sunset.
This review was originally published on SuburbanMountaineer.com
The book is Moonstone Hero, a novel written by David Sklar, and is being released on or around October 25, 2022. The back of the paperback, focuses on the first half of the book, where the lead character Andrew must choose between going with the rest of his party to the mountain's summit or descending in the dark to save a stranger, when no one else will. However, this is only a snippet of what I read in the novel's 243 pages. The climb (or descent, really,) is just the start of what turned into a romantic story; Andrew pursues Eve, the girlfriend of Barry, who Andrew attempts to rescue. The back of the book did not give this theme the proper weight.
The story starts in Tanzania in 1974 and follows Andrew's life starting on the verge of summiting Kilimanjaro, when Barry comes down with a serious case of pulmonary edema. It is dark when Barry's condition worsens; Barry needs to get down just when the group of climbers and their guide were leaving the camp to make the final push. (Apparently it was unsafe to descend in the dark by not to ascend to the summit.) Andrew, is a medical student, and puts Barry's condition first. The lead guide, Salaam, insists Andrew and Barry wait until morning when its light and they return from the top, but finally relents to Andrew and his opinion, as a medical student, and allows Andrew to descend with Barry immediately. Andrew is joined by the leader's younger cousin, Koba. The others press toward the top.
I enjoyed Sklar's character Koba, but I worry that I may be appreciating some Western stereotypes of African males unnecessarily without knowing the perspectives. Sklar shared his fears, their origin from his mother and songs they sang in school, his work ethic and how that approach to his job was, in part, to keep him save from the white man. He had a back story that seemed, as a reader, to be authentically African. Koba pretended not to understand Andrew or Barry on the descent, because he knew that if he spoke it would encourage more questions, and he was being cautious with these white men, and didn't want to be hypnotized by them. It's likely that Andrew wouldn't have completed this leg of the journey without him, and Koba learned to admire Andrew. Koba's honorable character helped set Andrew as the stories honorable hero.
From this point, the climbing portion of the story is a descent, and the rest of the story all goes down hill. Andrew saves Barry's life and while Barry recovers in the hospital, he takes Eve on an out of place beach vacation. I was sincerely curious about where Sklar would go once Barry reached the hospital, but by this conversation I lost interest, but I plodded on to the end to see what surprises the book had.
I think the story has greater potential with some rewriting. The third person omniscient perspective left too few, if any, conceal-and-reveal moments. It limited Andrew and Eve to being one-dimensional. In good stories, you feel like the character or understand their worries, fears, and what excites them, and these things you can see the mistakes they make and how they overcome their flaws to become heroes. For Andrew, he just seemed like a nice guy doing the right thing but not getting what he wanted out of life. There were mentions about how he was longing for or obsessed with Eve, but I never felt or understood why, only that the perspective indicated that it was destiny, without saying explicitly so.
I was also perplexed by various little things that could have been omitted and that didn't move the story along. Why did I need to know Eve was wearing eyeliner on the day of the ascent to the summit? (For that matter, why was she wearing eyeliner on the day of the ascent to the summit?) There was a lot of detailed discussion about travel details that were too instructional, such as how one would visit someone by flying in and whether they took a bus or train. And when things did move the story along, details were too often revealed in long answers of dialogue, which is how we learned that Eve, even on the mountain, was ready for the beach, because she said, in thinking aloud about whether to go, that she did in fact pack a bathing suit in her bag.
Moonstone Hero is about Andrew finally getting together with Eve. It only marginally covers climbing Kilimanjaro. And the conflict, drama, and ethical issues that were promised about choosing to do the right thing over going to the summit and peer pressure, never gets much deeper than what was said on the back of the book.
The story needed some more challenges and the book description needs to be honest. I also think that the fate of Barry was an opportunity to inject more conflict that might have challenged Andrew more and maybe even the circumstances around he and Eve. Andrew could still be a hero, deal with some greater adversity, and he and Eve could still go off into the sunset.
This review was originally published on SuburbanMountaineer.com
November 10, 2022
The book’s back cover presents the premise: Andrew, an American medical student, decides to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with a group of international travelers, a climb that “takes an unexpected turn” when another would-be hiker, Barry, takes ill, and is confronted with the dilemma whether to attempt saving Barry and risk his own life.
We learn early Barry, a young Peace Corps worker, described multiple times as having been a Stanford student, “suddenly became ill.” Without spoiling the entire plot, there are six major episodes to the book: 1. The ascent. 2. The descent. 3. Andrew’s post-ascent trip to the Malindi seaside for some well-needed R&R. 4. His trip six months later to visit fellow hikers Klaus and Kara in Copenhagen, seeking their understanding and advice about his self-described “obsession.” 5. Nearly two years later his participation in San Francisco’s Bay to Breakers race. 6. The epilogue update, about a decade later, of Andrew’s life in Albuquerque in 1986.
Less than half the book is devoted to the ascent and the descent of Kilimanjaro. It is a tough slog, the weight of that journey, borne out in gruesome detail: more than two hundred references to Barry’s health (“cough,” “breathing,” “phlegm,” “blood,” “vomit,” “pink froth”). But stay with it, for the rest of the story makes this book worthwhile. It is in this balance of this tale that Andrew wrestles with the dilemmas of life: paths taken and not taken in love, career, and friendship, and confronting what matters, what is meaningful, and, at times, the way one betrays and advances one’s own best interests.
Thrown into the mix are bits of magic, not the least of which includes Andrew first encountering a stranger, a shaman-like African woman on a bus who single-handedly thwarts scoundrels from harming Andrew after their bus ride ends. She takes off in the crowd before he can thank her or know her name, but later, when Andrew enters a café in Malindi, Grace, the owner of the café, reappears where she provides a gift: a translucent moonstone. Reconnections with three separate individuals he’d known from his Kilimanjaro adventure also appear in San Francisco, but here the magic of “coincidence” seems more predetermined.
The ascent and descent, through the muck and mire of the bitter cold and Barry’s descending health, are sparse on dialogue, not unlike scenes from “The Revenant” with Leonard DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, filled with author Sklar’s take on Andrew’s silent introspections. But it is Andrew’s trip to Malindi, and the spirited dialogue with his love interest and others where the reader will be drawn in to what then develops into a real page-turner. As good as “Moonstone Hero” may be as a book, I think it would fare even better as a movie.
We learn early Barry, a young Peace Corps worker, described multiple times as having been a Stanford student, “suddenly became ill.” Without spoiling the entire plot, there are six major episodes to the book: 1. The ascent. 2. The descent. 3. Andrew’s post-ascent trip to the Malindi seaside for some well-needed R&R. 4. His trip six months later to visit fellow hikers Klaus and Kara in Copenhagen, seeking their understanding and advice about his self-described “obsession.” 5. Nearly two years later his participation in San Francisco’s Bay to Breakers race. 6. The epilogue update, about a decade later, of Andrew’s life in Albuquerque in 1986.
Less than half the book is devoted to the ascent and the descent of Kilimanjaro. It is a tough slog, the weight of that journey, borne out in gruesome detail: more than two hundred references to Barry’s health (“cough,” “breathing,” “phlegm,” “blood,” “vomit,” “pink froth”). But stay with it, for the rest of the story makes this book worthwhile. It is in this balance of this tale that Andrew wrestles with the dilemmas of life: paths taken and not taken in love, career, and friendship, and confronting what matters, what is meaningful, and, at times, the way one betrays and advances one’s own best interests.
Thrown into the mix are bits of magic, not the least of which includes Andrew first encountering a stranger, a shaman-like African woman on a bus who single-handedly thwarts scoundrels from harming Andrew after their bus ride ends. She takes off in the crowd before he can thank her or know her name, but later, when Andrew enters a café in Malindi, Grace, the owner of the café, reappears where she provides a gift: a translucent moonstone. Reconnections with three separate individuals he’d known from his Kilimanjaro adventure also appear in San Francisco, but here the magic of “coincidence” seems more predetermined.
The ascent and descent, through the muck and mire of the bitter cold and Barry’s descending health, are sparse on dialogue, not unlike scenes from “The Revenant” with Leonard DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, filled with author Sklar’s take on Andrew’s silent introspections. But it is Andrew’s trip to Malindi, and the spirited dialogue with his love interest and others where the reader will be drawn in to what then develops into a real page-turner. As good as “Moonstone Hero” may be as a book, I think it would fare even better as a movie.
February 14, 2023
First: I liked it - I may not have been blown away by it as a whole, but it was an interesting coming-of-age moment in a young man's life that helped shape him at a rather pivotal time. After reading the description, I did think that we would have a little more time on the mountain itself to learn about the dangers, what had led all of the people there and how much of a struggle it would be to make the choices that he did on the mountain, but just as I assume for most people, it really wasn't a difficult choice to make. I was hoping for a real life or death desperation, but perhaps I've been engaging in a bit too much heightened melodrama these days and should have tempered my expectations.
It was a nice story full of flawed people doing the best that they could in a world possibly seen through some fairly rose-colored glasses. I can't fault someone for recreating a history as seen through the haze of time and fleeting memory.
Personally, these days, I find it hard to relate to characters such as these, though as a child I can say that I might have aspired to be a medical intern/student/doctor with the privilege to attempt climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, meeting a beautiful person to kiss, and saving another man's life. Times change, tastes change, and this isn't my aspirational cup of tea these days, but a quick read and I have more fodder for small talk in the future.
The narrator, Michael Gallagher, provided an admirable effort to bring to life the dialogue and doing his best to convey some sense of urgency in action and inaction.
Thanks to Volcano Cannon Press for the advanced audiobook copy to review via NetGalley.
It was a nice story full of flawed people doing the best that they could in a world possibly seen through some fairly rose-colored glasses. I can't fault someone for recreating a history as seen through the haze of time and fleeting memory.
Personally, these days, I find it hard to relate to characters such as these, though as a child I can say that I might have aspired to be a medical intern/student/doctor with the privilege to attempt climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, meeting a beautiful person to kiss, and saving another man's life. Times change, tastes change, and this isn't my aspirational cup of tea these days, but a quick read and I have more fodder for small talk in the future.
The narrator, Michael Gallagher, provided an admirable effort to bring to life the dialogue and doing his best to convey some sense of urgency in action and inaction.
Thanks to Volcano Cannon Press for the advanced audiobook copy to review via NetGalley.
November 26, 2022
Know the author - read the book..."A book is a Mirror to the Soul?"
I've never personally known a published author before David Sklar. I would recommend two things, and you can do them in any order: 1. Get to know David (you don't have to live next door), and, 2. Read the novel. It's amazing what the people you know (or don't know) can do! This author is a multifaceted individual. It helps to know he is a practicing physician, a teacher, a mentor, an advisor, and who knows what else? I now know in addition to being able to provide clinical insights into his characters battles with death threatening illnesses, he is a romantic and a story-teller of some repute! And yes, I see you Deborah somewhere there in Eve...
I've never personally known a published author before David Sklar. I would recommend two things, and you can do them in any order: 1. Get to know David (you don't have to live next door), and, 2. Read the novel. It's amazing what the people you know (or don't know) can do! This author is a multifaceted individual. It helps to know he is a practicing physician, a teacher, a mentor, an advisor, and who knows what else? I now know in addition to being able to provide clinical insights into his characters battles with death threatening illnesses, he is a romantic and a story-teller of some repute! And yes, I see you Deborah somewhere there in Eve...
March 1, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook.
I thought the narration of this book was excellent, and I really enjoyed listening to it.
Story wise, it wasn't what I expected it to be. I was expecting a lot more detail in terms of the mounting climbing aspect, which is why I chose the book. In reality the mountain was less than half the story.
There were times when I did really question the thoughts and choices of the MC. He was very one-track minded, and the way his thoughts were presented sometimes came across lacking in emotion for me. But I still did end on the epilogue with a smile. I think this book would appeal to those who enjoy a romance which takes many turns, with the mountain climbing being a side plot and not the main line of the story.
I thought the narration of this book was excellent, and I really enjoyed listening to it.
Story wise, it wasn't what I expected it to be. I was expecting a lot more detail in terms of the mounting climbing aspect, which is why I chose the book. In reality the mountain was less than half the story.
There were times when I did really question the thoughts and choices of the MC. He was very one-track minded, and the way his thoughts were presented sometimes came across lacking in emotion for me. But I still did end on the epilogue with a smile. I think this book would appeal to those who enjoy a romance which takes many turns, with the mountain climbing being a side plot and not the main line of the story.
February 6, 2023
I don’t write many reviews, but I have to recommend Moonstone Hero. I listened to it on Audible and loved it. The narration was great and that important to me for audiobooks. On to the book, it first it takes place on a African mountain trek that turns into a life and death journey for those involved. That experience then shapes the lives of all those involved. And the books follows how the decisions made on that journey would follow them for the rest of their lives.
April 14, 2023
I'm grateful to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this audiobook. This book jumped around to the most unbelievably random plots. The beginning of the book the main character is helping a fellow climber on the mountain, then he goes with that climber's girlfriend and does acid, they meet a psychic who gives them necklaces , then he becomes a runner and coincidentally runs into all of these people that he met on the mountain. It was awful and probably the worst book I have ever read.
August 23, 2022
A group of strangers from all across the world is thrown together in their quest to summit the mountain. When danger arises, the characters all react differently. The story is about those choices and how this one experience ripples across everyone's later lives. I liked how different each of the characters were.
I received a copy of this book from Books Forward.
I received a copy of this book from Books Forward.
October 24, 2022
I have to say that I have helped many a people over the years. Just this past weekend we saw someone having a panic attack and got them help. But the lengths that the characters in this story went for this person they didn't know was much further than I think I would ever go. I enjoyed seeing the outcome of these characters. It was a strong story that is very eye opening.
October 4, 2022
What do we owe to others? This is a book that poses some very timely philosophical and moral questions. I'll need to think on this a bit more, but I like just how much there is to unpack here, and that there are no easy answers.
October 4, 2022
In "Moonstone Hero," we're asked to consider what makes a hero. Is a hero a supernatural being, a one-in-a-million rarity? Or are heroes human too? David Sklar seems to argue that anyone, even with their flaws, can do something heroic.
October 12, 2022
This book was super interested and has definitely stayed with me! Sklar poses many moral questions about what it means to be a hero and what we owe others. I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it!
September 18, 2022
Great at start, was disappointed by the finish. Full review to come.
October 4, 2022
Gripping! A thought-provoking book on the choices we make
October 4, 2022
I found this fascinating! For an adventure story, there's a lot of underlying meaning, especially with relation to Covid-19 and the medical professionals who put their lives on the line for others.
October 4, 2022
Really enjoyable!
October 5, 2022
This was an interesting look at the nature of heroism. What does the title "hero" mean, and who gets to claim it? Highly recommend, and I'm a fan of this author's previous work as well.
October 17, 2022
An interesting story based on an actual event.
The first half of the book drew me in with the idea of experiencing the memories of a mountain climber, especially one who may have to not accomplish their goal in an effort to help another in need. I wish the full book would have been more focused on this and perhaps what happens next for this person's goals.
Instead, the second half became a romance of sorts. I wasn't expecting this in the story and didn't fit with the expectations I had or even with what the book summary focuses on.
It would be great if the Book Summary could be updated. I think readers will be able to judge the story and complete reviews better.
The first half of the book drew me in with the idea of experiencing the memories of a mountain climber, especially one who may have to not accomplish their goal in an effort to help another in need. I wish the full book would have been more focused on this and perhaps what happens next for this person's goals.
Instead, the second half became a romance of sorts. I wasn't expecting this in the story and didn't fit with the expectations I had or even with what the book summary focuses on.
It would be great if the Book Summary could be updated. I think readers will be able to judge the story and complete reviews better.
December 3, 2022
Wonderful storyline that held my attention throughout
March 3, 2023
Oh my gosh, this book is not what I expected. The adventures that Andrew has and the things he goes through. I loved the story and the near death experience. I also loved how Andrew kept I touch with everyone and that their stories were still a part of the book. I especially loved the ending. What a great way to end the book.
November 13, 2024
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for my honest rating and review.
This book was just okay for me. I was immediately draw in at the beginning, but by about halfway through I was no longer invested. Once the climb was over, I lost a lot of interested. None of the characters were overly compelling. There were a few parts that got my mind spinning, but overall, this was just okay.
This book was just okay for me. I was immediately draw in at the beginning, but by about halfway through I was no longer invested. Once the climb was over, I lost a lot of interested. None of the characters were overly compelling. There were a few parts that got my mind spinning, but overall, this was just okay.
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