The Starless Crown (Moonfall #1), by James Rollins

  The Starless Crown is the first book in the Moonfall series. It is a beautiful world, with complex layers and many interesting characters. However, it felt too much like most of the things happening just had to happen to move the story forward or to add the necessary drama or danger. Or maybe I wasn't in the proper mindset. At any rate, I don't think I will continue reading the series. I am curious of where the story is going to go, but the thought of reading thousands more pages to get there doesn't appeal to me.

  James Rollins describes an Earth in the far future when the planet is tidally locked with the Sun, so only a "crown" of its surface is inhabitable, stuck between the hot side facing the Sun and the freezing side in forever dark. There are people, but also weird animals, plants, magic, religions and nationalities. A dark prophecy announces the end of the world: the Moon is falling. An unlikely group of people with their own skills and motivations are forced together by events, and destined to become the last chance of the planet to survive.

  The writing was good, I liked the characters and the storyline. I just felt that the author was stringing events one after the other, with little concern for consistency. It just made me not connect to the characters. Nyx is almost a Mary Sue and the other characters find the skills or the ancient bloodline required like any number of deux ex machinas. I can recommend the book, it was very nice and I am sure many will love it.