It’s the year 2047 and the colonization of the Moon is well underway. The nation of China has the largest settlement, concentrated at the Lunar south pole while the United States and other nations are based around the north pole. The colonies are concentrated at the poles because of the availability of water there in the form of ice that has lain for millions of years at the bottom of craters that never see the light of the Sun.
Such is the setting for ‘Red Moon’, a new novel by celebrated science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson. Highly regarded for his ability at ‘world building’ Robinson gives a very detailed and convincing picture of the Moon twenty-five years from now as well conditions back on Earth.
The story begins with two passengers aboard a spaceship on their first trip to the Moon. Fred Fredericks is an American ‘quantum engineer’ who is delivering a ‘quantum entangled’ phone to the chief administrator of China’s main base at the south pole. Ta Shu is a Chinese TV travel Guide, feng shui expert and poet who is planning to record several episodes of his program from the Moon. The two men meet and take a liking to each other on their flight and at the hotel where the stay.
The action begins when Fredericks goes to deliver the phone to Governor Chang. Now a quantum entangled phone can only communicate with one other phone, we’re not told who possesses the other phone. Any attempt to tap into the connection will break the entanglement and sever the connection so an entangled phone is the most secure means of communication. Before meeting the governor Fredericks is introduced to two other officials and then, as he shakes hands with Chang both the governor and Fredericks collapse, poisoned.
Fredericks is accused of murdering Chang even though he was also poisoned and nearly died, but the local head of security believes that Fredericks is an innocent patsy and arranges for the American to be sent back to China in the company of Ta Shu. Also being sent back is a young woman named Chan Qi, the daughter of China’s Finance Minister and a known troublemaker.
As you might guess by now the plot of ‘Red Moon’ is one of political intrigue centered in China but really dealing with globalization and control of the world by financial interests. Really, plot wise the novel could easily be taking place in China during the reign of Kubla Kahn with Marco Polo taking the place of the American Fredericks. In many ways ‘Red Moon’ is a story of court intrigue and murder that could be placed in many times and places.
Robinson is an SF writer best known for his ability as a ‘world builder’ however and he shows off his talents throughout ‘Red Moon’. Whether on the Moon or in Beijing of 2047 the descriptions bring a real sense of concreteness to the local settings, and to the personalities of the characters as well. The descriptions also help to make ‘Red Moon’ a fast paced, easy reading story.
I do have a few criticisms however. One is that the first time we meet the young Chinese woman Chan Qi we are told that she is obviously pregnant and you just know that the baby is going to come at the most inappropriate moment. I don’t think I’m giving away any spoilers here because as I said, you just know, you just know.
Also, I know I’m becoming more and more critical of SF novels turning into series and ‘Red Moon’ is the first in yet another series. In Fact the novel ends with Fred and Qi, and the baby having just escaped one attempt on their lives and flying off on a space ship to, they don’t know where!
Even so Robinson’s ability as a wordsmith shines through making ‘Red Moon’ a story worth reading. And I’ll be sure to let you known when I’ve read the sequel!