Moon Rising

Daniel Weisbeck is a new name to me. However, it seems that he has an IndieReader Discovery Award for Science Fiction under his belt for one of his previous books.

In addition to this, I am pretty new to the Biopunk scene. However, if Moon Rising is anything to go by, I may be delving a little bit further.

The story revolves around an unknown girl trapped in a cellar by a man called Sad Man. Initially, the book is claustrophobic and very tense as Sad Man makes his demands. He keeps her in darkness in the cellar, only allowing her light when he visits her and dresses the girl in what we learn are his daughter???s clothes.

However, aid comes from her former teacher, Dr Bobby Houndstooth (also known as Teach, or Teacher), which sets off a chain of events that includes shadowy organisations, underground tech geniuses and an android that likes to dance, interwoven with a story of a girl who is learning to live in the outside world and her capabilities.

In Moon Rising, Daniel Weisbeck gives us a fast moving Sci Fi action thriller that after the initial set up, takes off as quick as the gliders in the book. The plot is compelling and you cannot help but be drawn into the story. The characters are well realised and have an ability to grow, which is surprising in light of the brevity of the book.

The story is written from the first person perspective. However, what he cleverly does is use each of the three main characters perspectives to flesh out scenes that they have all been involved with, so you are able to navigate how each of the different protagonists feel about the same scene. This works surprisingly well.

As an introduction to both Daniel Weisbeck???s writing and to the series as a whole, Moon Rising is an effective and solid introduction, I enjoyed Moon Rising and I am looking forward to seeing how the series progresses and develops.