Moonwar

by Ben Bova

Paper Book, 1998

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Publication

London : New English Library, 1998.

Description

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.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member SonicQuack
Moonwar jumps right in to the action, following on from the scenario laid out in Moonrise. Once again Douglas Stavenger, the man in symbiosis with nano-bots, is protecting his father's dream, now his own, of a sustainable colony upon the moon. Bova weaves a tale of a political as well as
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conventional warfare, with Moonbase on the short end of the stick. As Doug tries to rally support the scientists upon the moon must create a way to prevent disaster, without any weapons at their disposal. A clever story, entwined with treachery and betrayal, continues to deliver the action right until the end. There are some leaps of faith required along the way as Bova puts his hero through the motions and there are a few plot elements that will raise an eyebrow in bewilderment, yet on the whole Moonwar in inventive in the right ways and for all the right reasons. An enjoyable sci-fi blast and a decent entry in the Grand Tour series.
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LibraryThing member buffalogr
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.
LibraryThing member utbw42
Picking up fairly recently after the events of Moonrise, the citizens of Moonbase continue to live and operate their colony while fighting (politically and ultimately physically) the forces of the U.N. back on Earth, which is trying desperately to shutdown their base due to their fear of
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nanotechnology, among other motivations. This is an excellent tale of how the people of Moonbase use their wits and courage to repel the bigger and stronger forces of the U.N. Peacekeeping soldiers to survive and eventually live on their own on the moon as an independent nation. The conclusions of this book ultimately set in motion many of the future tales of Bova's Grand Tour, which makes this book a real critical pivot point in this saga.
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LibraryThing member PallanDavid
Ben Bova tells a very good story - and is wonderful showing the actions and reactions of humans in the face of greed, dis/misinformation, and fear of the unknown. Human nature doesn't change even in the face of future "science fiction" advancements.

Awards

Prometheus Award (Nominee — Novel — 1999)

Language

Original publication date

1997

Physical description

583 p.; 18 inches

ISBN

0340682515 / 9780340682517
Page: 0.2125 seconds