Moonwar

By: Ben Bova

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 15 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Ben Bova’s extraordinary Moonbase Saga continues with a breathtaking near-future adventure rich in character and incident.

Seven years after the indomitable Doug Stavenger has realized his cherished dream of establishing a colony on the inhospitable lunar surface, Moonbase is a thriving community, a marvel of scientific achievement created and supported by nanotechnology: virus-sized machines that can build, cure, and destroy. But nanotechnology has been declared illegal by the home planet’s leaders, and a powerful despot is determined to lay claim to Stavenger’s peaceful city - or obliterate it, if necessary. The people of Moonbase, a colony with no arms or military, must now defend themselves from earthborn aggression with the only weapon at their disposal: the astonishing technology that sustains their endangered home.

About the author: Ben Bova, six-time winner of the Hugo Award, is the author of over one hundred futuristic novels and nonfiction books. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation in 2005, and his novel Titan won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for the best science fiction novel of 2006.

©1998 Ben Bova (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Ranks up there with Mars as one of Bova’s very best.” ( St. Petersburg Times)

“An exciting high-tech adventure…Spies, fanatics, sexy women, and broad expanses abound as technology and good planning overcome brute force and canny capitalists…Exciting and fun.” ( Publishers Weekly)

“Veteran SF author Bova remains one of the genre’s best at creating suspense-filled high-tech dramas…[A] top-notch story.” ( Library Journal)

Even better than the last one

I am listening to the series, and this one turned out really well. The narrator is excellent and he does a great job.

Classic Bova

Scientists and engineers vs a small army. Live through the characters struggles and enjoy cleverness vs power.

Thrilling, smart, kinda prophetic

Great book. incredible attention to detail and use of communications and technology to build tension and create drama. Even some of the slightly dated bits (no smartphones, etc) are quaintly ironic in that it's really more about people's lack of communication or empathy rather than the kind of devices Bova envisioned. Readers should know that this has stereotypes, idioms, and some imagery that maybe wouldn't pass muster today in terms of cultural sensitivity and inclusiveness, but those elements actually work to show how racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, and intolerance make ignorant, hateful people (and sometimes the "good guys") think and behave.

Great Sequel!!

What did you love best about Moonwar?

The inventiveness of the characters in a tough situation is both funny and believable!

Another great Bova book, like moon life

If you like outer syfy then Bova is your author. Great story line about life on the moon.

The future in text.

We all talk about Mars but the moon is actually within reach. With technology We are there.

Hubris

The second in the series, it kept me listening and interested for a long while. I couldn't wait for the book to end. But, alas, it did. The book contains a mix of megalomania and sci fi. Some, is almost believable.

Let loose the nanodogs of war

Ben Bova's Moonwar is the sequel to his earlier Moonrise. Taking place seven years later, the UN has pressured all nations to sign the nanotechnology prohibition treaty and attempts to bring Moonbase under their control. This first foray is a miserable failure for the UN and the bulk of the story is the lead up to a more forceful takeover. There's lots of creative non-lethal approaches to dealing with an invasion force. On Earth, the politics becomes murky as the rival Japanese corporation is partly behind the UN, but with slightly different motives.

Bova crafts an engaging and compelling story that moves along quickly. It has a bit of cinematic flair that requires a suspension of belief. For example, while the fanaticism against nanotechnology is reasonable with a religious fervor, for the vast general public to blissfully ignore the medical benefits is a bit stretched. In addition, although a common theme at the time, the notion of all nations including the US as well as the media buckling under to the UN is also a stretch. The most believable aspect is the religious zealotry.

The narration is excellent with solid character distinction and smooth, rapid pacing.

As good as the first moon book

I’ve become a big fan of Ben Bova. Interesting characters and a good story. Hope there will be a sequel to this one.

Good story poor quality

As with the rest of this series mostly awesome story, with a few times of monotonous moments. Will continue to listen to series wanna see how it ends.
Con= bad audio quality during last hour plus of book. The reader went from about .7 speed to 1.2 speed almost on a cyclic basis. I tried to adjust settings and yada yada, but it was the compression I believe. Hope they fix that.