Customer Reviews

Dark Moon

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Marcus Stiller has stepped into the global spotlight. During a routine observation, the astronomer finds a dark red blemish on the lundar surface, and it's growing. Soon, Stiller and his 'Stiller Enigma' are the most popular topic on the planet - stirring up both political and religious debate.
Even more disturbing than the 'Stiller Enigma' is what I call the 'Gansky Enigma'. That is, how can an accomplished author actually publish something like this? Far too much time is spent on meaningless conversation and monologue. Overabundant detail is dedicated to a plot that goes absolutely nowhere. As the plot (what there is of one) reaches its' ridiculous 'conclusion' in the EPILOGUE, one can't help but wonder if this book did in 20 chapters what could have been done in 3.
If you're new to Gansky, do NOT read this book! He is (usually) an incredible writer. Go read one of his others.
If you're a Gansky fan...you MIGHT be able to stomach this book.
I wouldn't suggest it though...I suffered for you.

Marcus Stiller, along with two of his students, finds a growing, red spot on the moon. As the world wonders what the cause might be, Stiller struggles with the truth of science and faith - two worlds he thought stood alone, but now is not so sure.

We are introduced to Julie Waal, a character surrounded by deception, and the reader is taken on a journey through mental illness and horrors involved. Add a three-named-professor-stalking-nutcase and you have some serious plots to intertwine. Not an easy task.

I think Gansky's only flaw with this novel is creating a story so big, no ending would suffice. I would have liked another hundred pages or so...

I give the novel five stars, because even though I felt the ending was a little drab, ninety-percent of the book was awesome.

I look forward to my next Alton Gansky novel.

www.therunninggirl.com

I would recommend this book, however I must say that I was a bit dissappointed. 'Dark Moon' was an enjoyable read, however after reading the awesome book 'The Prodigy' I was expecting this book to be just as good. In many ways that was a mistake on my part. Often times we are dissapointed when we are expecting the same quality product every time.

That being said 'Dark Moon' is a story that kept me interested throughout most of the book, however there were a few unanswered questions. The resolution was not as satifying as I wanted. I was quite interested in the story's main characters, however as the book went on there seemed to be too many other lesser characters and subplots introduced that took away from what should have been the main focus of the story. Perhaps Gansky should have made the book longer so that all of the themes and issues of science, faith and family could have explored more fully. It seemed as if most of the book was spent setting up the big climax that never really seemed to happen.

I do not want to reveal to much of the book's plot. I will say that despite some of Gansky's failings with this book, I still enjoyed it. He has created characters that I was able to identify with and care about. That in many ways is so much important than the plot of a book. I could have read more and this is not a short book at 352 pages. I would not have minded if it were 500 or more pages. Gansky is a skilled writer who I will continue to read in the future.

This was my first Gansky novel. As one earlier reviewer noted, this book should not be your first if you have never read Gansky before. Too late for me. But this will not hinder my desire to read more of this author's work.

This book cover and summary gave the impression that it was a story of some End-Times classification, with some form of Prophetic Alliteration. Not so. This was a great detective story, with no detective.

The story focuses mostly around a female mental hospital patient and her escape from the mental ward. This happens after an astronomer discovers a red discoloration on the surface of the moon. Gansky succeeds in throwing in a little story with the Moon discovery, but mostly writes about the escapades of this escaped patient.

I didn't mind this story, in fact I found it very page-turning. But it is not the story I was expecting from the name of the book and the description on the back cover. But rest assured, I will continue to read the works of Mr. Gansky with awe-filled expectation. Next time, I just hope I get a story in the advertised genre.

There are some great characterizations in this story. Gansky's ability to bring us into the mind of Gordon, the wayward mental hospital orderly was masterful--especially for overtly Christian novel. Also, Ms. Waal's mental struggle was excrutiating and most insightful. Dr. Stiller's personal struggles with the love of science vs. faith, vs. the love of teaching were on-track. Those with similar struggles must have resonated with the writing.

For all the interesting subplots, Gansky made a bold gambit: building up the "main plot" intrigue of a growing red spot on the moon, with all its potential political and spiritual implications...only to remind us that in the end, it is people and how we treat them in the midst of life's tragedies and normalities that really matters. Most readers, however, will feel cheated by the wrap up of the story. Yes, in most ways it was gratifying. However, many big questions were raised, only to be dismissed.

The bottom line: It's worth the read if you enjoy characterizations and human insights. Prophecy buffs and action-oriented readers ought to look elsewhere. Three stars for a decent but less than Stiller (sorry!) novel.

Gansky's writing is unique and keeps your interest. But at the end of the book, I felt as if the story was not complete. Read Vanished or Distant Memory to get a better sense of his creativity.

Humble astronomer Marcus Stiller discovers a red splotch on the moon in the Plato Crater and shares his news with the world and interesting results follow. I grew very attached to Marcus and his wife Lucy. I was definitely fascinated by the science in the story as well- the facts and anomalies of the moon and other tidbits from astronomy. The novel felt very real and well-researched and I readily flipped pages to read more about the Stiller's and the enigma (both their personal lives and the fascinating main topic- the Dark Moon).

Meanwhile, Julie Waal is trapped, a prisoner, in a mental hospital and suffers visions of the moon and blood. I also identified with her story and was equally enthralled by it. Her situation is a terrifying one indeed and I was amazed at how easy it was to lose myself in the pages written about her. I was her champion the entire time and I appreciated unraveling the mystery behind her story as well, which was much less of an enigma and much more of a standard situation.

There were a lot of plot devices that allowed you to think and ponder about science and Christianity, but I appreciated that it wasn't "in your face" nor did it overwhelm the story itself. The messages are subtle and thought-provoking. For example, Marcus, a scientist, struggles with the connection he made with his father over religion, as his father was a preacher. To balance this message, we have a religious character, a Catholic, in the story who struggles with his own memories of not connecting with his father, who was a scientist. In this way, the balance of messages felt very even and really allowed me to come to my own conclusions.

Sometimes I shy away from Christian writers because I feel their stories can get overwhelmed by The Message. (I loved The Shack, for example, but the last portion of the story really felt awkward within the context of the rest of the book. Just tacked on, for example, simply to illustrate The Message.) I feel that Gansky really found the appropriate balance between writing a mysterious and suspenseful book while still make it a thought-provoking piece. He's definitely found a fan in this reader!

I really wanted to give this book 5 stars because I loved it so much. I had to take off one star for the ending in relation to the enigma. As I was reading the book I felt the pages remaining getting thinner and thinner and even thought "How in the world will he explain all this in this small amount of pages?" And, well, the answer is, he didn't. Well he did, but it wasn't satisfying. I actually had unanswered questions as well. Another reviewer suggested that perhaps he built up such a HUGE idea and didn't quite know how it end it. Then again, perhaps he did that on purpose.

This book, by the way, would make an excellent movie. In my mind, Joe Morton was Marcus Stiller, Vivica A. Fox was Lucy Stiller and Rebecca de Mornay was Julie Waal. I'd have her be a little older than her age in the book- I just think it would make more sense within the story line.

I really enjoyed "Dark Moon". I've enjoyed all books by this author. I love sci fi and he writes sci fi with a Christian twist. Could not ask for better.

The lost faith of a college astronomy instructor is examined in this original and rich Christian thriller where he struggles with the conflicts of science and faith, the death of parents, and the need to help another in pain. This novel has ideas on almost everything including astronomy, science & faith, UFOs, demagogy, end times (in a sense), mental hospitals, psychiatric drugs, marriage, mentorship, and death. I am reminded that each one of us is of utmost importance to God.