I received an early Christmas present a few weeks ago: an autographed copy of Liz Bullard’s New Moon. I’ve just finished it and I’m very happy.
Bullard has been experimenting with the series and kicked everything off by publishing Book 2, Portal, on Kindle Vella. I read it there and was intrigued by the story and her writing. Mostly, though, I had questions. Even though you can read Portal as a stand-alone, it will be a much richer experience with the background New Moon (Book 1) provides.
We start immersed in a battle between the Zodai and the Ox Nation. It’s a bloody, ugly, battle full of swords and magic. We get to see Eli and Talia at their warrior finest. It gives us a nice grounding into their love. The battle ends with some heroics that the Elders of Zodai will find questionable and exact a price from Eli. He’s already paying a price for the war.
Bullard does an exceptional job of subtly looking at how war can follow the warrior into peace and home. It’s an insightful look into PTSD without ever using the term. The reader never gets slapped in the face with it. Instead, you end up with a haunting unease and increased empathy for Eli.
He gets sent to Earth via a portal to find the Chosen One. The problem is, it’s a big planet and the Elders of Zodai don’t give him much of a map. No magic compass, no flashing neon sign.
Tabatha is the Chosen One. I know this from reading Book 2 before Book 1. What I didn’t know from Book 2 was what prompted Tabatha to go with Eli. We learn this and it fits nicely.
New Moon is Book 1 of the Prophecy Trilogy. It’s fantasy, not sci-fi, so no science rating. On the Feral Scale, the story is a strong 8. Book 2 promises to take everything from what Bullard learned from the Kindle Vella version and the fan feedback and flesh it out into a meatier novel. It’s scheduled to come out in May of 2024. I’ve pre-ordered mine and discovered that Bullard also has a novella coming in February that is a side story in the Prophecy universe. Also available for pre-order.
Thanks Pat! I so love that you enjoyed it and get the mental health themes I tried to highlight.
Liz, I’m glad you wrote it and appreciate your deft hand at introducing the mental health themes.