All reviews are the opinion of the individual reviewer, and do not imply any endorsement from On Spec.
January 26, 2025
The Moon the Sun Forgot
B.J. Wagner
Mythic Roads Press Available March 2025
B.J. Wagner is no stranger to the world of speculative fiction; his résumé includes a three year stint owning a comic book and collectible shop in the fantastic city of Banff, Alberta. The Moon The Sun Forgot is his debut novel, but he has had years to imagine the lawless underworld under the Europa ice, and it is evident in his gorgeous worldbuilding.
Here is the marketing blurb from the back cover:
In the vast, lawless ocean beneath the thick surface ice of Jupiter’s moon Europa, independent undersea miners compete against mega-corporations for natural resources, and pirates hunt for unwary prey.
Kassia McCullough will stop at nothing to enact revenge on Pretorious Grant, the man she holds responsible for her father’s suicide. When Grant’s half-brother escapes from prison, Kassia may just have her chance to capture her elusive and powerful enemy.
Earth Detective Max Danzig has his own reasons for pursuing the nefarious siblings. The newly escaped convict, Somerled Rhone, murdered his partner, and Max is determined to bring him in alive.
Brought together by their mutual quest for vengeance, Kassia, Max and an outlawed AI named Alex embark on a perilous journey, dodging bounty hunters, corporate mercenaries, and dangerous undersea creatures along the way.
There are some authors who know the beauty of sci-fi, and B.J. Wagner is one of those. This is not a story pasted onto an undersea world, this is a story of the people of Europa, the bold pirates, the gritty underdogs, and the renegades of the ocean colonies; and of two people with secret histories thrown together in separate vengeance quests.
What Wagner delivers in addition to the worldbuilding… is action! And not just action, but ocean action in a water-world covered by ice. Right from the start Kassia McCullough battles undersea creatures for her life, and Max Danzig, the detective from earth, is thrown into uncertainty as his life is in danger and his earth-tech falters in the archaic world of Europa.
The best part of the book was following Kassia and Max through the diverse landscapes of the underworld. Massive mining ships, modern cities, cave mushroom farms, hidden seamounts, and phosphorescent light gardens make for wonderful reading.
The villains are truly evil, however TMTSF is also full of complex characters who act like real humans do, with their heart and not always in the logical way. Revenge drives the passionate protagonists, Max and Kassia, and results in a fierce and sexy tension between them.
Overall, The Moon The Sun Forgot is a beautifully crafted novel of heartbreaking vengeance that transports us into the anarchic world of undersea Europa. Renegade AI’s, deep sea colonies, intricately built hydrovessels and stunning ocean life are a backdrop to mystery, tech-augmented action, and romance in this ocean-wide chase. Wagner is a master worldbuilder and this is a world I wanted to stay in, prepare to be engulfed!
Lareina Abbott
January 22, 2025
