Very good sequel to Moonrise as Earth rises up to declare war on the Moonbase.

Bova, Ben. Moonwar. Harper, 1997. Grand Tour 6.
Over time I have read many of Ben Bova’s Grand Tour novels, but I have read them out of order with lots of gaps. So now, I am picking up the loose ends of Bova’s future history of the space age. Moonwar, the sixth stop on the tour, is a close sequel to Moonrise (1996). Moonbase is now a successful colony with an economy based on nanotechnology that is banned on Earth. Trouble is afoot when the secretary general of the United Nations and a fanatical Luddite cult attack the base, either because they want the technology for themselves or because they want to destroy it all. Can a colony that has no purpose-made weapons defend itself? Moonwar is a page-turner with all the strengths and weaknesses of Bova’s work, which is always good but never quite as good as one hopes. Still, worth a read. 4 stars. ( )

[b:Moonwar|267298|Moonwar (The Grand Tour, #6; Moonbase Saga, #2)|Ben Bova|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388458682s/267298.jpg|2457689] finishes the story of [b:Moonrise|267287|Moonrise (The Grand Tour, #5; Moonbase Saga, #1)|Ben Bova|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388458689s/267287.jpg|1932646], really establishing Moonbase as a power in the solar system in its own right and a refuge from the growing New Morality movements on Earth--especially when it comes to developing nano-technology.

There are certainly parts of the story that are hard to believe--particularly just how much control the UN has over ... well, anything, but especially the media. It's just... strange and feels like a manufactured threat. On the other hand, the idea of a religious far right growing to power and working to completely ban 'unnatural' technology (like nanomachines) feels altogether too prescient.

Really, the best part of the book is the action, especially towards the end, where the people of Moonbase have to fend off a far, far more powerful adversary without having any weapons of their own and without releasing the one weapon they know they could never use directly: the nanomachines. And with that comes worldbuilding that I only expect is really going to lead the way towards conflict throughout the solar system in books to come.

Because it bears mentioning: This book and Bova in general really could still do better in terms of writing minorities and women. At this point though, that's really not something I'm expecting to see better from Bova, but perhaps some day... ( )

Ben Bova tells a very good story - and is wonderful showing the actions and reactions of humans in the face of greed, dis/misinformation, and fear of the unknown. Human nature doesn't change even in the face of future "science fiction" advancements. ( )

Picking up fairly recently after the events of Moonrise, the citizens of Moonbase continue to live and operate their colony while fighting (politically and ultimately physically) the forces of the U.N. back on Earth, which is trying desperately to shutdown their base due to their fear of nanotechnology, among other motivations. This is an excellent tale of how the people of Moonbase use their wits and courage to repel the bigger and stronger forces of the U.N. Peacekeeping soldiers to survive and eventually live on their own on the moon as an independent nation. The conclusions of this book ultimately set in motion many of the future tales of Bova's Grand Tour, which makes this book a real critical pivot point in this saga. ( )

The second in the series, it kept me listening and interested for a long while. I couldn't wait for the book to end. But, alas, it did. The book contains a mix of megalomania and sci fi. Some, is almost believable. ( )

Moonwar jumps right in to the action, following on from the scenario laid out in Moonrise. Once again Douglas Stavenger, the man in symbiosis with nano-bots, is protecting his father's dream, now his own, of a sustainable colony upon the moon. Bova weaves a tale of a political as well as conventional warfare, with Moonbase on the short end of the stick. As Doug tries to rally support the scientists upon the moon must create a way to prevent disaster, without any weapons at their disposal. A clever story, entwined with treachery and betrayal, continues to deliver the action right until the end. There are some leaps of faith required along the way as Bova puts his hero through the motions and there are a few plot elements that will raise an eyebrow in bewilderment, yet on the whole Moonwar in inventive in the right ways and for all the right reasons. An enjoyable sci-fi blast and a decent entry in the Grand Tour series. ( )

This is a solid follow up to Moonrise. After finishing the first book in the two-part story, a war with Earth seemed inevitable. I was a bit disappointed by the "fight" scenes (but Mr. Bova is no Travis Taylor). And I was a little perturbed at the women in the story. They all seemed to be clones of one another, especially when it comes to using sex to get what you want. Maybe that's the real world within the wealthy and powerful. Maybe I'm just naive. This is a must read for readers of Moonrise. ( )

http://yet.org/2009/01/moonwar.html ( )