Review: The Moon the Sun Forgot by B.J. Wagner

Disclaimer: I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley.

When it comes to action and suspense, pacing is everything. It can make or break a story. If the pacing is too slow or inconsistent, the story can feel like a slog. If it’s too quick, it can feel like it’s trying to get to the good bits too quickly. Pacing is difficult to master and not everyone gets it right.

The Moon the Sun Forgot by B.J Wagner is a science fiction adventure set on Europa. It’s about Max Danzing, a newly re-minted detective from Earth who is on the hunt for a fugitive who has eluded authorities for decades. On Europa he meets Kassia, a fiery redhead who’s on her own hunt for revenge, and sees an opportunity in Max. Together they have to navigate Europa’s underworld on Kassia’s ship the Hyperion, and in the process discover some hard truths about each other and possibly fall in love.

From the jump, The Moon the Sun Forgot pulled me in. The prose flows well and the setting of the oceans of Europa is unique enough that I was intrigued by it. Descriptions of characters and places are handled with an expert hand. They don’t feel too heavy, nor do they slow down the action. They do just enough to let your mind fill in the rest, but are well crafted enough to be appreciated. Wagner handles suspense and danger well. I was on the edge of my seat at parts, excited about what might happen next. The stakes are well handled and the characters are realistic and well-rounded.

The one thing I felt let this book down was the overall pacing. The pacing in individual scenes was great, but for the novel as a whole it was inconsistent. For the first third of the novel, the stakes ramp up and the action increases. Things are moving into place. Max and Kassia are on the run and making waves. Then the plot grinds to a sudden halt as it spends multiple chapters developing their romance. Here, we learn a bit about the characters’ fears and aspirations and they learn to have an appreciation for each other, but nothing else really happens. I would have liked to have seen the romance and character development peppered throughout the action. Slowing down to develop characters is fine, but there’s a balance.

All that being said, the novel kicks off again and the action reaches even greater heights as the novel barrels towards its resolution. The romance feels natural and the novel has the unique ability to draw you back in, even when you need to do some chores. It feels a lot like a spy thriller and Max reads like a sci-fi James Bond and I do hope to see more of him in the future.

Book Details

Author: B.J. WagnerGenre: Science FictionSeries: StandaloneThe Moon the Sun Forgot releases on March 4th from Mythic Road Press.