Unfortunately it seemed to be missing some background to the story.

Without giving to much away the hero was supposed to have died jumping from a bridge with no back ground on how or why he was bought back to life.

This left me confused at times.

Overall though this was an easy read.

Author Tom Dyne (https://tomdyne.com) published the novel “Secret Frontier” in 2019. This is his first novel.

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the not too distant future. The primary characters are Darin Armacite and Tera Arkwright.

Armacite died on Earth from suicide. At least that is what his friends and family believe. Instead, he has been clandestinely transported to a secret Moon colony. Armacite meets Arkwright a brilliant young engineer and inventor. She becomes his only real friend. He also finds remnants of a distant relative in the form of an AI.

Everyone in the colony is to contribute to the good of the colony. Armacite tries to do his bit by joining the LDF (Lunar Defense Force). The missions he and the LDF are sent on do not make sense to Armacite. There seems to be a hidden agenda behind them. Armacite finds himself in danger more than once and must in the end take action to save Arkwright.

I enjoyed the 9 hours I spent reading this 338-page science fiction novel. This story was a little on the weird side. I was tempted to call a Rule of 50 on it, but I did complete it. It was like there was a bit of tongue-in-cheek to it just below the surface. The cover art is OK. I give this novel a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Tom Dyne’s novel is a conspiracy theorist’s dream: body snatchers and simulacra, a unified world government funding black budget projects, a secret facility and defense forces combating aliens, gadgets reverse-engineered from alien tech, a coverup about what really happened during the Apollo moon landing, space pirates, and propaganda about settling Mars. Earth in this alternate reality seems to have missed out on global warming and nuclear armageddon but of course has suffered from military adventurism.

Details from our own society seem to have been carried forward in time, perhaps to make the story more accessible to readers new to science fiction. There is a colony on the moon, its population maintained by people who won’t be missed (reminiscent of Australia’s original days as a penal colony). This lunar colony has full-grown oak and pine trees, presumably the source of butcher paper and shoeboxes. Asphalt exists along with hovercraft, shotgun slugs along with beam weapons, chain-smokers and DNA manipulation, baggage claim at the spaceport. In the mix of old and new, a few creative concepts shine through, such as the Still Light Exhibition and amber resin.

Dyne offers up cautions about the dangers of sectionalism, elitism, and factionalism, along with plenty of examples of bad behavior. Though the lunar colony is made out to be a sort of utopia providing the freedoms of the frontier, the humans who populate and govern it are as self-centered and greedy as those who kept Earth in a perpetual state of warfare. Along the way, readers will discover a revenge plot, a love story, and plenty of adventure.

Interesting book about an outpost on the Moon. I enjoyed following the story and the characters in it.

This is a page turner with interesting characters. A good, quick read. The author displays talent, and I look forward to more. A very good risk for scifi fans.

I really appreciate the review copy!!

Secret Frontier by Tom Dyne, an enjoyable read. Darin has died, and been sent to the secret moon colony which has secrets that should never see the light of day.