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List Price: $4.99 | | Publisher: Roc
Salesrank: 920609
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| Used Price: $0.01 |
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| Media: Paperback |
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Editorial Review:
In this sweeping fantasy saga-a prequel to the sensational Hawk & Fisher series-a young prince wages a war against a demonic force of darkness spreading across the country....
Praise for the fantasies of Simon R. Green...
"Delightful."-New York Daily News
"Mr. Green turns fantasy... delightfully topsy-turvy. A bevy of fascinating characters...fantasy adventure readers will savor and enjoy for a long time to come."-Rave Reviews
"Intrigue and magic...interesting and well-conceived."-Science Fiction Chronicle
Blue Moon Rising (Hawk & Fisher) Reviews:
One of the Best Fantasy Novels Ever 
2008-03-24 - This book is simply one of the best fantasy books that I have ever read. Simon R. Green creates a world that makes the reader anxious to revisit time and time again. I just wish he would write more books in this series.
Good concept poor follow through 
2008-02-27 - Blue Moon Rising by Simon R. Green is a fantasy novel set in a world of Mr. Green's creation. This is also a stand-alone novel so that allows the reader to jump right into this novel without having to have read any previous novels. This is the first book I have read by Mr. Green so I really went into this book with an open mind.
The plot of this book is riddled with clichés, I think this was done intentionally to play off those clichés and almost build a story around them. The plot centers around the second son of the king, who since he is the second son doesn't really matter much at court. He is told to go kill a dragon, once he leaves the kingdom (hopefully to die says the king) a series of events that lead to somewhat interesting consequences. There is an undertone of a more serious event that may take place. This book seems to be written in sections, or acts if you will. I realize that other books are written in this manner, but it has rarely seemed this obvious to me. It almost feels as though his is a novel written with successive short stories. The overall plot of this book is passable, but nothing really that stands out to me.
The characters of this book are again riddled with clichés. From Rupert to the rescued princess to his noble mount (a unicorn none-the-less). To me when reading this book, almost every character seems one dimensional and flat. The characters did not do anything that made me connect with them, nor wanted me to connect with them. There re several times in this book where a character will launch into a two page (or more) diatribe on varying subjects. I don't mind a speech here or there, but some of them didn't seem to make much sense. The characters have a ton of potential, but the actual execution of those characters and tapping the potential falls flat.
Some of the things I didn't really care for about this novel.
I love humor in fantasy novels, when done correctly. It adds a different element to the story. Through the first 100 pages of this book the humor was entertaining. However, it seemed that after the 100 page mark, the humor was the only thing carrying the novel and it quickly becomes stale. The adage of too much of a good thing can ruin it, certainly applies here.
I don't mind if an author intentionally writes a parody of sorts and uses time old clichés, but some imagination and just better development of both plot and characters would have been beneficial.
Also, I don't know if this is a Mr. Green tendency or not, but there seems to be too much description. Those large descriptions seemed to halt the story and made it become a plodding experience.
I do believe that this could have been a good story, and the characters could have been solid and interesting. However, the end result was just bland and uninteresting. It's a shame, because I really wanted to like this book.
For fantasy fans looking for a book that is riddled with clichés and uninteresting characters that can kill a couple hours of boredom, I would hesitantly recommend this book. For all other fantasy fans, you may want to avoid this book as there are much more interesting novels out there to be discovered.
Just One Thing After Another
2008-01-20 - Blue Moon Rising (1989) is the first novel in the Blue Moon series. It is also a precursor to the Hawk and Fisher series.
In this novel, Prince Rupert of the Forest Kingdom and his unicorn are hunting for a dragon. His father King John IV has sent him out on this quest in hopes of him taking off and never coming back. But Rupert feels duty bound to find the dragon.
Rupert is searching for the Night Witch, whose home is within the Darkwood. They encounter a huge cobweb, a demon and goblins in the Tanglewood even before entering the Darkwood. Within the Darkwood, only blue phosphorescence lights their way in their trek to the Night Witch's cottage.
Luckily for Rupert, the Night Witch was in love with his grandfather. She presents him with a map to the Dragonslair. Rupert continues through the Darkwood to the other side. He keeps feeling like someone -- or something -- is watching him.
When they break through to the light again, Rupert heads toward the Dragonslair. The mountain is too steep for the unicorn, so Rupert goes on alone, over scree and up almost vertical slopes. Finally he reaches the mouth of the cave where the dragon dwells.
Rupert calls out to the dragon and the creature comes forth. The dragon is thirty feet from snout to tail, with dozens of very sharp teeth and wickedly clawed hands. Unfortunately, the dragon isn't interested in any fighting that day and invites Rupert back into his lair. There Rupert discovers that the dragon's hoard is a huge collection of preserved butterflies.
Rupert also encounters the princess who is staying with the dragon. Julia is not quite what Rupert expected in a princess. She has a strident voice and an overbearing manner. The dragon is hoping that Rupert will rescue her just to get her out of his cave.
In this story, the dragon agrees to return to the Forest Kingdom with Rupert and the princess. After they reach the bottom of Dragonslair, Rupert calls the unicorn, but he doesn't want to come out where the dragon can see -- and catch -- him. Yet Rupert finally coaxes him into the open and they head back to the Darkwood.
Rupert hesitates before entering the Darkwood again, but still goes on. This time, however, the demons are waiting for them. They have to fight thousands of the demons. Finally, the dragon performs some magic to allow Rupert to make the Rainbow Run. He runs and runs and finally reaches a clearing, where he finds a magic sword. He returns to his companions with the sword and calls the Rainbow.
The Rainbow not only kills demons, but it melts away their bodies. Moreover, it heals the companions wounds and returns life to the unicorn. But it doesn't restore his horn.
Upon returning to his home castle, Rupert learns that the Darkwood is spreading. Demons are raiding villages and surrounding the castle every night. Something has to be done and Rupert is selected to do it.
This story relates the maturing of Rupert. He has always been known for doing his duty, but he is now acquiring a degree of cynicism and a much greater skill with the sword. His brother Harald used to be able to defeat him with ease, but not any more.
Julia is also maturing. She now can go for weeks without punching out some wisecracking courtier. Of course, some of that comes from her new reputation, but she also has developed a degree of patience.
The unicorn begins to display a trace of bravery, but maybe that comes from being raised from the dead. On the other hand, the unicorn doesn't have much choice in the matter, since it is fight or die . . . again. His coat is beginning to look like a much repaired garment from all the scars, not to mention the stub of the horn.
The story has a degree of humor as well as violence and betrayal. The unicorn and Rupert have an ongoing discussion about honor and duty, with the unicorn disparaging Rupert's attitude. Julia and Harald also have an ongoing discussion, but about marriage; she keeps saying "no" and punching him out.
The story has more twists and turns than a mountain road. Moreover, it has a well foreshadowed, but surprising solution to the Darkwood problem. The ending is also surprising, but not quite unexpected.
Highly recommended for Green fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magic, close combat and political intrigue.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Great Book
2008-01-08 - This was a great novel for those into sword and sorcery. If you like it check out the, Hawk and Fisher series its just as good.
Easily one of the best fantasy novels of all time.
2006-12-16 - This prequel to Green's "Hawk and Fisher" series is, in my opinion, the best fantasy novel of the last twenty years.
Green's serious talent manages to be both the epitome of classic high fantasy and its lampoon all at the same time.
"Blue Moon Rising" professes to be a satiric take on all the mores and folkways of fantasy literature, with the protagonist, Rupert, an unwanted second son in a bankrupt kingdom who doesn't fight honorably combined with a terribly unfeminine and somewhat average-looking princess, Julia, going through what really IS a wonderfully-done classic fantasy story.
If you like fantasy in any form, you have to buy this book. It's that good.
Unfortunately, Green's other work suffers from the same problem that Frank Herbert has with "Dune"- "Blue Moon Rising" is such a good book that it overshadows most of his other work.
Part of what makes "Blue Moon Rising" such a good read is that it's not just a sarcastic comedy, although it is that as well, Rupert is a very real character. He is both the ideal fantasy knight-in-shining-armor and the antihero at the same time. There's a lot of comedy, but be prepared to laugh at one page and then be quiet in a sort of awe at the haunted horror of the next page.
Green is a master of blending both emotions into what is my favorite sci-fi/fantasy novel of all time- and I've read a lot of them.
