I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Blue Moon Rising
by
Simon R. Green
fantasy in Paperback edition that was published by ROC on May 7, 1991 and has 476 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Something From the Nightside, Mean Streets, Agents of Light and Darkness, Nightingale's Lament, Paths Not Taken, Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth, Hell to Pay, Just Another Judgement Day, The Good, the Bad, and the Uncanny, A Hard Day's Knight, Hex and the City, The Unnatural Inquirer, The Bride Wore Black Leather, Home Improvement: Undead Edition, Hex Appeal, Man with the Golden Torc, Daemons are Forever, The Spy Who Haunted Me, From Hell with Love, Live and Let Drood, Casino Infernale, Tales of the Hidden World, Blood and Honor, From a Drood to a Kill, The Dark Side of the Road, Dead Man Walking, Very Important Corpses, Moonbreaker, Dr. DOA, Property of a Lady Faire, The House on Widows Hill
First in the Forest Kingdom fantasy series and revolving around Prince Rupert and Princess Julia.
My Take
Ohh, the snark of it all, ROFL. Green has way too much fun with this. The story starts like a fairy tale and quickly ripens into the adult version. No, LOL, it’s not sex, it’s a realistic look at fairy tales, and you won’t be able to stop laughing at most of it. The rest is sad in its truth.
I wasn’t sure if I was reading one of Piers Anthony’s Xanth stories or what, although Blue Moon Rising does have more adult finesse to it with that sense of satire Anthony uses to get his message across. In this case, Green is mocking fairy tales and myths with his reluctant hero trope, the knight on his quest, braving the dark and horrifying forests followed by the dragon in his den, rescuing the princess dragon, bringing the light of truth to his “loving” family, being “cured” by the love of a good man, and rescuing the day, er, night. It’s a scream and bloody brilliant with all the satire stitched together and poking fun at tried-and-true clichés.
“He’d fight to the last drop of everyone else’s blood.”
All with that mocking irony of a spare heir who doesn’t care.
Horrendous action, unyielding expectations, betrayal everywhere.
I adore, absolutely adore that unicorn. Snarky and self-serving with a heart of gold. As for Rupert’s adventures, well, I always did wonder what it was truly like having to haul all that armor around. The princess is the antithesis of what you’d expect with her preference for fighting and ignoring those silly dresses and makeup and manners. As for the dragon, how can you not love one who collects butterflies instead of gold? Besides, he’s retired now…*grin*
And Rupert is the epitome of a hero. A man who does what needs to be done, no matter how terrified he is.
The Story
Prince Rupert is a second son and the spare heir for the Forest Kingdom. And the king wants him dead. Hence this trip to kill a dragon. Rupert is meant to die and not return. And he keeps coming back…!
The Characters
Prince Rupert, a second son, no longer believes in minstrels, for they never relate those important details about a quest. Breeze, the unicorn is both mount and partner, a very sarcastic and practical one who hides at every opportunity. Grandfather Eduard was another “action hero”, but Rupert learns some interesting truths about him while on his quest.
Princess Julia of Hillsdown, the youngest of seven, is rather headstrong and determined, much preferring leather leggings and a sword to dresses. She ran away rather than marry the man her father chose for her. I want to lash out with Julia!! Dragon doesn’t have a name either than Dragon. The High Warlock has been exiled by the king and lives in the Dark Tower.
The Forest Kingdom Court
Sir Champion is loyal only to the good of the Realm and the king. Prince Harald is the eldest son and Rupert’s jerk of a brother. King John IV is their father; Thomas Grey is the Court Astrologer and a sorcerer as well as the king’s best friend. Lady Cecelia is a bitchy lady of the court married to Lord Darius, the King’s Minister for War, but bedding Gregory the guard.
The Seneschal is valued for always knowing where he is in the castle and where the constantly-changing rooms are located as well. Now, if they could only find the South Wing… Bodeen is one of the guard. Lord Vivian is Sir Champion’s second-in-command. Chane is a man-at-arms without much of a memory. Rob Hawke is a Bladesmaster, and one of the very few who returned from their journey to collect the High Warlock.
Madoc Thorne leads a band of twelve farmers who have come begging the king’s help against the demons and plague that are overrunning their farms.
The inept band of murdering goblins never did get names. The Night Witch is evil in her quest for immortal beauty until felled by love.
The Demon Prince is all that’s awful, but at least he’s honest about it.
The Barons
Three Landsgraves have been sent to treat with the king: Sir Blays, an old friend of the king, speaks for the Gold Barons; Sir Bedivere, the new Landsgrave of Deepwater Brook who’s barking mad, represents the Copper Barons; and, Sir Guillam, a quiet-seeming man but a Bladesmaster, is the new Landsgrave for Birchwood, speaking for the Silver Barons. Baron Oakeshoff is ticked because Harald won’t be marrying his daughter.
The Tanglewood is a nasty bit of forest that acts as a barrier between the Forest Kingdom and the Darkwood, which are terrifying, think Mirkwood! Rainbow’s End is a state of mind.
Curtana is the Sword of Compulsion. The Infernal Devices are also swords: Rockbreaker, Wolfsbane, and Flarebright.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a deep royal blue textured background with an inch-thick strip of white across the top for the blurb and the author’s name. At the bottom a thin strip of metallic red displays sales information with a wider band of black for the title. Encased between the two are pen-wide bright blue lines stretching to encase the center graphic of the four partners battling evil: the unicorn, Prince Rupert, the dragon, and Princess Julia.
It’s the Blue Moon Rising that causes the panic, for magic is especially powerful for both white and dark magics.
