Title: Moon Luck
Author: Wayne Scott Harral
Publisher: Outskirts Press
ISBN: ‎1478788062
Pages: 339
Genre: Science Fiction
Reviewed by: Nicole Olson

Read Book Review

Author Wayne Scott Harral’s murder mystery on the moon takes readers on a scientific exploration among 30 other astronauts. With so many characters to keep track of, the book is brimming with action and adventure. Harral’s novel is realistic and well- researched. His love and passion for science shines through on every page.

The mystery begins right in the prologue – an astronaut has been found dead. This short teaser hooks the reader leading them on the hunt to find out more about the mysterious death. I found the first chapter to contain the most lovable character – and favored the chapters including his split life between his family back home and his career up on the moon.

Harral’s book hands the reader a telescopic view to life on the moon. We see a variety of characters and their roles in the space station. They are all dedicated to their work, some are ruthless while others are kind friends. Harral includes a commentary on government operations – every character has their own views as well.  I found his inclusion of commentary on authority an interesting addition to the book. The frontier of space comes with its own political climate between foreign leaders, internal conflicts and opposition from citizens – it is interesting to see the characters’ various view points on the given situation within the space station.

I found it interesting that in the very beginning of the book Harral acknowledges the fact that life on the moon is in civilization’s near future, however after reading the ending we see that moon life maybe farther away. I found this to be a refreshing and informative read, incredibly well-written storyline with a colorful cast of characters. It is a pleasure to meet each one of them and learn about their backgrounds and families – they are relatable without being stereotypical. While there are quite a few it is not difficult to keep track of them – Harral includes a glossary and character list at the end of the book which makes it easy to quickly reference who is who.

This book is a fun and captivating read for any age. It’s a perfect thriller to read in any season of life and draws the reader in to want more and more – until there isn’t any left. Arriving at the end of the book was exciting though I found myself wondering what could continue to happen next. Harral would give his fans a treat with a sequel.