J.M. NORTHUP

Hot Moon by Alan Smale
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Don’t Be Scared By The Page Count – It’s Fabulous!

Yes, I was initially thrown by the page count, but I’ve read short stories that felt like they’d never end because they were so bad. Then there are novels like this one, which are so good they fly by. I was blown away – this story just kept giving more.

The author’s knowledge base was authentic and accurate while creating an alternate reality. This story is amazing historical fiction brought into the realm of sci-fi. The details are what made this book thicker, but they’re also the reason it’s believable.

The characters are well formed. The author did a wonderful job showing the best and worst of individual personalities as well as politics and ideologies. I was impressed by the way he fully represented the shades of truth and the varied responses people had to it – their perceptions and reactions.

Svetlana was my favorite because she was a good person, flawed, hard, and sometimes ruthless. Svetlana was loyal, honest, and unafraid. She struggled with duty, following orders even when she hated them, but knew when to draw the line.

I adored Vivian, too. I wish I had her stamina, determination, and guts. However, I think more people are like Svetlana, Ellis, and Peter than they are Vivian or Markarov, including me. I might just be Okhontia. LOL

There’s not really anything I didn’t like. Nothing pulled me out of the story. The author’s writing style was staccato at times, and though I prefer more complete sentences, his choice is appropriate for this genre. Plus, it worked well. The action described was immense – had it been visual, it would’ve happened in the blink of an eye. His pacing was wonderful.
Clearly, I enjoyed this book. Even the things I don’t prefer were pleasant and welcoming. LOL

This story has great adventure, thrilling action, splashes of humor, and realism. It has amazing technical knowledge that is brilliantly written, and presented in an entertaining manner. It will appeal to many readers across various genres. There’s really something for everyone!

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