Moon Rising

The Upsilon Series

Fiction - Science Fiction
224 Pages
Reviewed on 10/18/2021
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

In Daniel Weisbeck's sci-fi biopunk thriller Moon Rising (The Upsilon Series, Book 1), a young girl is held captive in a basement and forced to live the life of someone she has never met by her captor. Her everyday existence is a nightmare until an unexpected savior gives her a chance at freedom. Now identified as Silon, she and Doctor Bobby Houndstooth, together with Charlie, the eccentric but brilliant bio-robotics engineer, and his dance-loving android, Nutt, have to face enemies who have agendas of their own. As she begins to understand more about herself and what she is capable of, Silon must find a way to protect her new family and be someone of her own choosing.

In a future where technology has greatly advanced, life-like, biological androids are widely developed and can be bought. Human morality is up against corporate greed, power, ambitions, and sinister intentions. The world-building is filled with details tied to the characters' individuation and motivations as the engaging narrative alternates between the first-person point of view of young Silon, the brilliant Bobby Houndstooth, and Charlie's android, Nutt. The first few chapters are not an easy read. A survivor who becomes a fighter and protector, Silon powers through a traumatic experience; her true capabilities start to take shape as Bobby and Nutt provide her with a sense of belonging and camaraderie. The characters' personal conflicts are coupled with controversial ethical sense when it comes to the subject of sentience. Bobby, better known as 'Teacher,' is worth rooting for in her determination to do right versus her responsibility toward her powerful employer. Moon Rising is an immersive story of morality and survival in a captivating but corrupt futuristic world, an excellent start to Daniel Weisbeck's Upsilon Series with a fast-paced plot and high-octane action.

K.C. Finn

Moon Rising is a work of fiction in the science fiction genre and is the latest installment in the Upsilon Series. It is aimed at the adult reading audience and was penned by Daniel Weisbeck. The book follows a young woman named Silon who escapes a stranger’s basement, unable to tell who she really is from who she was forced to pretend to be. With the help of a former teacher and an android companion, Silon starts to put together the picture of who she really is and whether she is defined by others or in control of her own fate.

A clever and innovative story lies within the pages of this book, one which takes body horror to a new level as Silon finds herself with doubt after doubt about who she is and why she’s being hunted. Daniel Weisbeck finds twist after twist to keep the audience as disoriented as Silon herself in trying to get to grips with the world, keeping the story at a fantastic high pace that never allows readers or characters to settle and catch their breath before being plunged into the next story beat. Moon Rising is a seminal start to what I hope will be a long and exciting series of novels by the author. Silon, Charlie, and Nutt have an engaging dynamic that makes me want to see more of them in the future. The pace and quality of the prose leave me keen to dive into the next in the Upsilon series.

Natalie Soine

Moon Rising by Daniel Weisbeck tells the story of Silon, a twelve-year-old girl who wakes up in the basement of a house owned by a man named Finster, whom she calls Sad-Man. The room is stark with only an old bed, lamp, storybook, and a dresser filled with clothes that once belonged to his daughter, Jenna. Every evening Sad-Man takes out a clean outfit for Silon to wear the next day and leaves it on top of the dresser. She quickly learns that all he wants is for her to put the clothes on and read the book before he turns the light off and goes back upstairs. Silon comes up with an idea to try to escape. With the help of “Teacher,” Doctor Bobby Houndstooth, and her friend Doctor Julie Saville, Silon manages to escape from Finster but is pursued relentlessly by Stearn Blakely’s men due to a security breach at an organization called Nomad. Stearn is CEO of Nomad Robotics. Silon and Teacher enlist the help of a very rebellious Charlie who previously worked for Nomad to assist them. Silon finds a new friend in Nutt, one of “Charlie’s Angels.” Discovering the truth has endangered the lives of Silon and Teacher when they are hunted down by Kiko, a secret Chinese government agent. They must escape, and Leroy Brown is their only hope.

A thoroughly enjoyable novel from beginning to end with action, thrills, spills, suspense, and many twists and turns along the way. The plot is well thought out, and I especially enjoyed the descriptive way that Silon’s thoughts are captured. It gives the reader a clear mental picture of the girl and her surroundings. The characters are interesting and have varied personalities, from the serious Teacher to mad Charlie and his lovable Nutt. I particularly enjoyed how the scenes are written from each character’s perspective, telling the story from all angles. The story is fast-paced and smooth flowing as Silon and Teacher travel around the country. I’m glad to see that the author included an index. There are no negative elements to Moon Rising. This is an awesome book.