In the year 2039, several groups across the world have developed the technology to travel to the Moon and have created research settlements there, most prominently the Moon Exploration Team, or MET. MET has been on the Moon for a couple of years without major incident, but then, an explosion kills one astronaut, Bruce Holmann, shaking the Moon’s scientific community to its core. At first the explosion is deemed an accident, but upon further inspection, they uncover evidence that suggests it was purposeful. Therefore, Bruce’s death is the first outer-space murder. A thrilling, serpentine investigation ensues.
The first several chapters of Wayne Scott Harral’s MOON LUCK introduces many major characters in quick succession. Among the industry members of MET are NASA and the European Space Agency, and their corporate partners include Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin. The Chinese National Space Administration also has a station on the Moon, though political and scientific obstacles have stifled their competitive capabilities. A handful of the extensive members of each group play a pivotal role in the story, and while there are nearly too many characters to keep track of—over forty people from just as many countries across the globe—each individual has their own backstory and unique, consistent personality. Their roles, both in their respective companies and in the story, help distinguish them from each other with ease. The character list at the end of the book is useful, as well. Harral handles the diversity of his international cast, of varying political and cultural dynamics and beliefs, with an empathy and understanding. The story shows how people of countless national origins can cooperate and thrive in an environment where they share values and goals.
The realities of life on the Moon and Earth in the year 2039 are explored in extraordinary and plausible detail, from low gravity’s effect on plant growth to innovative futuristic technologies to the complex politics of the world nearly twenty years from now. While the comprehensive scientific details slow the pace of the book in parts, they are both fascinating and necessary to fully grasp MET’s goals and actions, as well as the implications of the disaster that killed Bruce. These specifics, too, fill in and round out the world of the story, making MET and its crew feel authentic and their story not just believable but totally immersive. Occasional passive voice, a few grammar errors, and some instances of repetition distract momentarily. Dialogue is concise and straightforward, with word choice that evokes appropriate emotions for its respective scenes. Conversations do double duty, furthering character development while progressing the plot. Terminology is explained through precise, accessible language and blended seamlessly into the story to entertain and inform without resorting to didacticism.
Fans of Andy Weir’s bestselling (and originally self-published) “The Martian” will enjoy Wayne Scott Harral’s MOON LUCK for its captivating science, thrilling plot, comprehensive world-building and heart-pounding suspense.
~Aimee Jodoin for IndieReader