It’s 1985, and Jon Childes is a computer teacher at a school for girls in the Channel Islands. He fled there after psychically aiding a police investigation three years earlier, causing his wife to divorce him, because it’s the ’80s and the “in sickness and in health” clause of the wedding vows doesn’t apply to mental breakdowns, at least not when you have a job at a real estate firm that’s really taking off. And while it’s not exactly complaint #1 with this book, it’s a major complaint: his dumb ex, whats-her-name, is totally unrealistic. Their next-door neighbors’ child is abducted, her psychically-attuned ex-husband says the kidnapper was after their daughter, and he urges them to come out to the isolated and safer islands where he now lives, and her reply is “I have to work, and she has school.” I’m sorry, what? In the face of murders, arson, mutilation of corpses, and the kidnap of your daughter’s best friend, and you’re still even contemplating going to work, let alone sending her to school?! Mr. Herbert, have you ever met a woman?Which leads me to what actually was my first complaint: the women. I just got done reading Mary Renault’s Theseus Duology, and while her Grecian hero is “highly-sexed” (according to the back blurb), even he doesn’t spend a quarter of the time Herbert does on breasts. And it’s just Herbert, without any help from his protagonist. Although Childes has a girlfriend he’s with two or three times in the course of the book, plus a “meaningless hook up” with his ex-wife that I found repugnant, most of the breast talk occurs in the omniscient third-person narration. Basically, if it’s got boobs, you can be sure James Herbert dedicated a paragraph or two effervescing about them — from “budding schoolgirls” to the spinster principal — I’m honestly surprised the pet cat Mrs. Puddles didn’t get a line or two about her feminine charms. I’ve never read the word “breast” so many times in one book before. Although Herbert’s preoccupation explains why the predominantly female cast of characters (protagonist’s ex-wife, daughter, girlfriend; female coworkers, girl students; prostitute victims, the cat, the girl next door…) behave in ways no female has ever behaved, even British ones.The book was gory, far more so than I was expecting, and I’d had it in my head that the paranormal element would be more werewolf or vampire related than psychic intuitions. I’m not squeamish by any stretch, but I just found it shocking how slimy this book was for a British novel written in the 1980s. I guess Queen Victoria really is dead. And I was tired of corpse mutilation and over-detailed psychic visions of blood and guts by the second description.As I always find thrillers boring, I can’t blame my boredom on the book itself; there were chases, escapes, an excruciatingly long scene about a fire, and a final showdown complete with ghosts trailing all their viscera. I found the ending unsatisfying, the body count uncomfortable, the sexiness confusing and unwarranted. Mostly, the female behavior was so off-putting, the main character inaccessible, and the whole thing a strain. Make that one flop so far for this year’s challenge.This review via Hundredaire Socialite
In December 2007 I purchased a box-set of six James Herbert novels for five of your English pounds (the books in question 'The Magic Cottage', 'The Spear', 'Haunted', 'The Fog', 'Creed' and 'Moon'). At that price I somehow couldn’t afford not to buy them. I read 'Creed' at the start of the year, and have now tackled 'Moon'.The plot concerns a reluctant psychic with a link to a killer, who tracks him down and tries to ruin his life. It holds the interest – with some good horrifying descriptions – but I had the same problem with it that I have with a lot of Herbert’s work, namely that there’s not much humour in it. Yes, he is dealing in horror and bleak subjects, but there’s never a moment taken to lighten the tone. The reader forced to plod on through ever gloomier terrain.This book also had a lot of clumsy exposition designed as dialogue, in the mouths of some very thinly drawn characters. (The descriptions of 1985 computers also dates it somewhat.) However, if you are looking for an undemanding horror read for a train journey, then you could actually do worse.
Do You like book Moon (1987)?
Years ago I read Once by Herbert, which I didn't particularly care for and it sort of turned me off the author. Now I've decided to give Herbert a second chance with Moon and I'm so glad I did, cause this was a very good book. At its heart it was a murder mystery wrapped into a supernatural horror and I liked the ending revelation, but what particularly stood out was the writing. Herbert weaves a tightly plotted, intense story with well fleshed out realistic characters, excellent vivid descriptions and non stop page turning spooky action. Very impressive. Highly recommended.
—Bandit
Jon Childes ran to the Channel Islands to escape his past - literally. Visions of child murders meant he helped the police track down a vicious killer, but also brought suspicion, fear and the break up of his marriage. Now he just wants peace. But when the visions start up again, he finds that he can't easily ignore what they are telling him. Unlike before though, the killer in these visions is aware he is being watched and relishes the chance to perform...and soon starts seeking victims that will hurt Childes all the more.I love Herbert's stories and this was no exception. Creepy and violent, with a really spooky ending and a great little twist. Well worth the read.
—Dark-Draco
Moon Moon is a story about knowing ones self and accepting yourself for who you are. In the end we control our destiny, we have the power within ourselves to be all we can be; we just have to learn to guide this source and not let it guide us. Jon Childes has created a new life for himself on an Island off the coast of England. His dark secrets from the past are shared only with his new girlfriend as he tries to create a safe haven for himself and forget the events from the previous year. This is not to be so, Jon has a certain power that has surfaced once again, and it brings evil, which threatens everyone Jon has become close to.
—Kevin
