Beyond the Blue Moon

Rating:
Summary: A mediocre sequel to an outstanding masterpiece
Review: "Blue Moon Rising" is one of the greatest fantasy books ever, a true masterpiece. Of course I was very excited when I heard about it being continued. I was anxiously awaiting the sequel and ordered it the day it came out.

Well, I was in for a disappointment. While the beginning of the book is pretty good, it's rather another Hawk & Fisher book and doesn't have much to do with "Blue Moon Rising". And from the point the plot leaves Haven, things are going downslope. The remaining 3/4 of the book is plain mediocre. While it was certainly not boring and it was mostly enjoyable read, it never lives up to its promise to deliver a worthy sequel to "Blue Moon Rising".

If you're a big fan of Simon R. Green and/or "Blue Moon Rising" (like I am), get this book. Else, it might not be worth the hassle.

While "Beyond the Blue Moon" is certainly better than the overstretched Deathstalker series, it's way behind all other fantasy books Mr. Green wrote this far.

Rating:
Summary: Something of a Disappointmet
Review: Blue Moon Rising is my favorite book. I have read it numerous times, and have recommended it to many people. So, when I found out that Green was writing a sequel to BMR, I was ecstatic. However, this new book simply lacks the punch that the original had.

I felt like Green took the easy way out in the way of character resolution, especially the dragon, the goblins and the high warlock. I could see how the plot resolved a mile away.

There were some interesting new elements in this book, but the writing style is just not up to par with Blue Moon Rising. Blue Moon Rising is snappy and funny at times, with a healthy dose of adventure. Beyond the Blue Moon gets somewhat trite.

I would recommed it only because it is something of a resolution of Blue Moon Rising, but I was still rather disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: You'll never please everyone
Review: But in this case, the only thing that did not please me about "Beyond the Blue Moon" was that it ended. I've heard a lot of praise for "Blue moon Rising", the prequel to the Hawk and Fisher series, but I came upon that book only shortly before "Beyond the Blue Moon". My Hawk and Fisher were in Haven and this seemed like a truly worthy send up of the two dealiest individuals in fantasy writing. My only regret is that Green isn't filling in a few more blanks in the lives of Hawk and Fisher in Haven. I honestly can't get enough of them.

Rating:
Summary: You'll never please everyone
Review: But in this case, the only thing that did not please me about "Beyond the Blue Moon" was that it ended. I've heard a lot of praise for "Blue moon Rising", the prequel to the Hawk and Fisher series, but I came upon that book only shortly before "Beyond the Blue Moon". My Hawk and Fisher were in Haven and this seemed like a truly worthy send up of the two dealiest individuals in fantasy writing. My only regret is that Green isn't filling in a few more blanks in the lives of Hawk and Fisher in Haven. I honestly can't get enough of them.

Rating:
Summary: You'll never please everyone
Review: But in this case, the only thing that did not please me about "Beyond the Blue Moon" was that it ended. I've heard a lot of praise for "Blue moon Rising", the prequel to the Hawk and Fisher series, but I came upon that book only shortly before "Beyond the Blue Moon". My Hawk and Fisher were in Haven and this seemed like a truly worthy send up of the two dealiest individuals in fantasy writing. My only regret is that Green isn't filling in a few more blanks in the lives of Hawk and Fisher in Haven. I honestly can't get enough of them.

Rating:
Summary: Justice to the book
Review: First of all, I'd like to say that Green only surpasses this work in the DeathStalker series, which I have read. Twice. Beyond the Blue Moon was stunningly masterful, if not better. And about this "sentence fragment" and "dissapointing" business; that is a dispassionate attitude that cannot come from an avid Green reader. His style in writing is absolutely unique. In Beyond the Blue Moon, Green easily captivates, and if the reader is willing or able to keep up with the storyline (instead of reading ahead), it is easy to see that Green commands the difference between being able to explain a sequel without having read it's predecessor, and simplicity. Beyond the Blue Moon simply proves that Green is set in a class by himself.

Rating:
Summary: Epic highfantasy at its best
Review: He was a prince, second in line to the throne. She was a princess, a pawn for her father's manipulation. They met during the Blue Moon, a time when evil rules and demons dance in the forest. The humans fled to the heart of the Darkwood where they fought the Demon Prince. They ultimately triumphed but the cost in lives and devastated land is astronomical.

Prince Rubert and Princess Julla, weary from the war, travel to the Southern city-state of Haven, a cesspool of criminal activity. They hide their royal background and become Hawk and Fisher, captains in the local police force. They successfully fought against crime for a dozen years, but the forest calls out to them when someone assassinates the monarch causing the people to slide into chaos. They return to the forest as Hawk and Fisher in order to uncover the identity of the king's killer and defeat the latest threat to the well being of their people.

Roc has reprinted the famous fantasy classic BEYOND THE BLUE MOON so that a new generation of fans can enjoy the action and adventure of a great sword and sorcery tale. What makes this novel stand out among its numerous peers is the lead charcaters whose love and commitment to one another in the midst of epic escapades keeps them grounded in humanity. Simon R. Green's work still holds up as a strong relationship fantasy saga.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Seriously disappointed
Review: I adored "Blue Moon Rising". It was moving, unsual, and had that real sense of myth that the best fantasy works have. "Beyond the Blue Moon", whether in comparison to its predecessor or considered on its own, is trite.
Hawk/Rupert's brother, King Harald of the Forest Kingdom, has been murdered and his Champion comes to Haven to bring back the legendary Rupert and Julia (Fisher) to solve the crime and set all to rights. This immediately establishes this book as a Hawk and Fisher story, which is a problem. While the Hawk and Fisher stories are good for what they are, for me the feel of those books just doesn't fit with the atmosphere established in "Blue Moon Rising". If you want mythic power, emotional power and character insights, you won't find them here. And the whole "We're Hawk and Fisher, we don't take nuthin' from no-one and we're so devoted to each other" shtick is wearing pretty thin by now.
Anyway, Hawk and Fisher destroy half of Haven as their going away present to the city they hate and travel to the Forest Kingdom incognito to solve Harald's murder. Cue a witless succession of cliches, smart aleck conversations, return of old characters, and an overly heavy dollop of religion before the book ends. But worse than the lame and overly lengthy storyline is that ending. EVERYTHING is resolved, tied up, explained, married off, killed off or buried. By the time Green is done with "Beyond the Blue Moon", nothing is left. There's no more room for further stories in the land he created. And I think that's sad.
So why two stars? Some people like their favourites series to end this way, and may have no fault to find whatsoever. I'm not one of them.

Rating:
Summary: Funny, different and interesting
Review: I have not read blue moon raising, before I read Beyond and did not even know it excisted before I read the other reviews. It stands perfectly well on its own and I might still read the blue moon raising.

For mee the best part of this story is the humor in it. Its quite as funny as the Taltos books of steven Brust, probably one of the most funny sci-fi writers around. The story itself is also good, not to much of the stuff you think will come (the aint-I-smart-I-knew-what-would-happend stuff). The story is also quite refreshing in its ability to discuss many of the philosophical questions around gods, interference and free will. There are obviosly hidden references to much and to many historical people here. At the same time the plot itself is good again without falling into to much black and white trap as many fantasy novels tend to do. I also like his gutsy women, its a lot of girlpower in this book.

For the humour I give it a five, for the inventive story behind the story I give it a four, for the story itself a three, all in all a quite good four.

Rating:
Summary: let's see more of these two.
Review: I read the Hawk and Fisher books before I ever knew "Blue Moon Rising" existed, I found it in a used book store and felt like I struck gold. These books are witty, fun, well written, and thouroughly enjoyable, (and it must be said that bad guys getting thier just deserts is always a good thing even if it is just fiction.) Beyond the Blue Moon was not quite as good as Blue Moon Rising, but that's rather like saying that a T-bone isn't as good as a ribeye steak. I think Mr. Green has lots of room to work with Hawk and Fisher, I don't see those two settled down on a little backwater farmstead raising kids and chickens.