SF English Category:  Science Fiction Publisher: New Concepts Publishing ISBN-10:  1586089633 Pages: 280 Copyright: Oct. 2006 When a bomb threatens San Francisco the unlikely heroes are an indentured servant and a rock star. In a world teeming with the results of centuries of indiscriminate breeding, Grace struggles to rebel against the government's programming, dares to reach for those things she has yearned for that have been denied her-the lowest of the classes, an indentured servant who must serve until she has paid the fine for her illegal birth. Terrorists, the government claimed, destroyed Old Detroit, but who gained from the deaths of millions? And it isn't terrorists planting the biological time bombs set to destroy San Francisco, but government programmed cyborgs. Caught up in the race against time to save the people of the city, Grace discovers within herself strengths she never knew she had, courage and determination … and love for a man she isn't at all certain she can trust-Thomas Dane, a man used in a secret government experiment that went terribly wrong…. Excerpt Chaos reined. Over a million people were dead. Detroit, as the world once knew it, was gone. Footage played on a television screen, which was located in Grace Sullivan’s head, behind her eyes. A slight glitch in the picture caused Grace to pull the 4-inch rod from a hole near the inside of her ear. Frowning at the new headset, she blew on the end of the metal rod, an old trick a teacher once showed her.

Ck2S Kwips and Kritiques
Old Detroit was destroyed by terrorists, or so the government claims. Now the same danger threatens San Francisco, unless a motley crew of unlikely heroes can stop the deadly cyborgs intent on destroying all life in their path.

Indentured servant Grace finds herself teamed with the handsome celebrity Thomas Dane, who she doesn’t want to like, and isn’t at all sure she can trust. But all is not as it seems, and the longer she spends on the run with him, the more she comes to care for him, in spite of the programming that dictates her place in the lowest of classes. But someone like Thomas could never love someone like Grace – could he?

Shadows Across the Moon is author S.F. English’s first published novel, and is quite an introduction for a new writer! When an author comes out of the gate with such a strong showing, it guarantees I will be eagerly awaiting their future releases!

English’s first novel deftly satisfied the Apocalypse loving Science Fiction fan in me. At times reminiscent of the rigidly controlled society George Lucas created in his 1971 movie, THX 1138, Shadows Across the Moon is decidedly more of a three dimensional world, where George Lucas’ story tended to be a mite 2-D.

English easily teaches us the intricacies of her futuristic society, unraveling the information necessary to the plot naturally as the story unfolds without ever making the reader feel as if they are being taught.

Although this story does have a happy ending, it is a story that earns its happy ending only after the leading and supporting characters suffer many trials along the way. As with most things earned the hard way, the end is all the more satisfying after the tribulations we endure along with the authors’ characters.

Reviewed by Jennifer