Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

Alan Smale (https://www.alansmale.com) is the author of nearly 10 novels. Hot Moon was published last July, and it is the first book in his Apollo Rising series. It is the 70th book I completed reading in 2024.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

This story setting is an alternative timeline to our own. The US pulled out of Vietnam earlier than in our timeline. The Contest in this alternate reality is the space race between the US and Russia. The story opens in 1979 with Apollo 32 on its way to a Moon landing. The US has a small space station, Columbia, in orbit around the Moon, as well as Hadley Base, a small settlement, on the Moon. The Russians had reached the Moon first. They now have a small base on the surface as well.

US astronaut Vivian Carter is in command of Apollo 32. On their way to the Moon, they stop at Columbia. Four Soviet Soyuz craft suddenly appear. The Russians board Columbia, and the crew are taken prisoner. Carter makes a risky, untethered spacewalk back to Apollo 32 but is shot in the back by one of the Russians. Apollo 32 narrowly escapes the Russians and is ordered to land near Hadley Base.

At nearly the same time, US personnel are forced to abandon small stations orbiting the Earth. The Russians destroy the stations, leaving themselves as the only country with orbital platforms around the Earth.

Once at Hadley Base, the danger is not over for the crew of Apollo 32. Carter’s injuries from the gunshot are minor, and she helps with planning the defense of Hadley. Within a short time, the Russians assault the American installation. Through their clever preparations, the US force manages to beat back the Russians, but with losses.

During a second attack on Hadley by the Russians, Carter is captured and taken to the Russian base. The Russians adamantly believe that the Americans have weapons on the Moon, weapons that threaten the Russian homeland. Carter is ruthlessly questioned by the Russians. Her hope for the future seems dire.

Colonel Peter Sandoval reaches Hadley and is one of the top-ranking officers. He and Carter have begun to get romantically entangled. After Carter has been captured, he makes a solo raid on the Russian base, hoping that the ensuing chaos gives Carter the distraction she needs to escape.

As sirens wail in the Russian base, Carter recognizes the chaotic activity by her captors as the only opportunity she will have to escape. An unexpected source assists her, and she manages to escape. After an arduous solo journey across the Moon’s surface, she is finally approaching Hadley Base, only to see it destroyed by a Russian nuclear weapon.

Are there US survivors? With Hadley Base destroyed, how will Carter manage? Will this abrupt escalation of the Cold War mean war on Earth?

I enjoyed the 20 hours reading this 680-page alternative history science fiction novel. I had the opportunity to read two other novels by Mr. Smale a few years ago. Those were Clash of Eagles and Eagle in Exile. All of his books have been good. This novel incorporates a lot of science in the story. Carter uses her ingenuity and improvisation skills to survive in the deadly environment of space. Carter’s story is filled with one harrowing experience after another. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.5 (rounded to 5) out of 5.

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Hot Moon by Alan Smale is a gripping alternate history thriller set in 1979 where the Cold War has escalated into outer space. The novel follows a crew of American astronauts on a routine mission that is abruptly interrupted by a surprise Soviet attack. Stranded on the Moon with limited resources and facing overwhelming odds, they must fight for survival while the geopolitical tensions on Earth reach a boiling point. With multiple perspectives shifting between the Moon, Earth, and space, the story delivers a thrilling blend of action, suspense, and political intrigue as the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

I could not finish this book. It seemed like a total ripoff of the “For All Mankind” television series. For that matter, I believe that the television series was done much better!