Luna: Wolf Moon

Setting

In the future, a near-feudal colony has arisen around the Moon's industrialization, where technology holds back the deadly environment but the four essentials—air, water, carbon, and data—are metered by tiny eye implants called chibs. Everyone has a holographic familiar that serves as a network interface.

Only contract law exists, with no criminal law, and elite culture features polyamorous relationships, designer drugs, and 3D-printed vintage couture. Five families control the Moon under contracts from the Lunar Development Corporation: the Mackenzies (mineral extraction), Asamoahs (agriculture), Vorontsovs (transportation), Suns (technology), and Cortas (helium-3 mining). In the previous novel, the Corta empire was destroyed by the Suns manipulating the Mackenzies and Cortas.

Plot

Lucas Corta, recovering from a near-fatal Moon-run escape, seeks allies on Earth despite the physical danger of extended stays there. He enlists Dr. Galina Volikova on the Vorontsov orbiting cycler Saints Peter and Paul, then journeys to Earth, knowing a stay over four months will kill him. There he meets his cousin Alexia Corta and recruits her. Eighteen months after the Cortas' destruction, the Mackenzie family gathers for patriarch Robert's 105th birthday on their smelting train Crucible.

The facility's mirror array destroys the compound, killing nearly two hundred; Robert is left to die by his wife Jade Sun, whom he kills before perishing. Sun matriarch Cixi takes Robert and Jade's son Darius under her protection. Robert's son Bryce learns the destruction was caused by a Trojan horse linked to the Cortas.

Robson Corta, a hostage, flees Bryce's revenge and joins his uncle Wagner Corta in hiding. Bryce seizes Mackenzie helium-3 operations and establishes Mackenzie Helium; his brother Duncan reopens the original Mackenzie smelter. Wagner rescues Duncan's son Denny, who agrees to protect Robson. Bryce's knives come for Robson, but he flees.

Reception

Publishers Weekly called the novel compelling, noting that each viewpoint character is made human in fascinating and occasionally disturbing detail, and the 22nd-century solar system is wonderfully delineated. Niall Alexander of Tor.com compared the remaining Cortas to the Starks of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, describing Wolf Moon as impossibly taut and profligate with plot, with relentless pacing that is exhilarating but also exhausting.

Did You Know?

• The cover art is by Victor Mosquera.
• An excerpt was released at Tor.com on 6 March 2017.
• McDonald said on Twitter in January 2016 that 'volume goes to 11 on this one'.