Review: Better Than Black Moon, But Trying to Be Too Much in a Novella
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 28, 2012
Black Moonintroduced us to the concept of "The Committee".  In "Amber Moon", we get to meet more employees of the committee.  What we don't get is an explanation of what an Amber Moon is.Within the "Moon" universes, there are three items needed to bring about the end of the human plane of existence.  In "Amber Moon", the committee sends Jack and Mirie, to find the "Eyes of the Amber Moon" which according to a seer can be found near Anarion, a half human/half elf son of an Elfan King.  When the Elves become aware of Jack's and Mirie's spying they retaliate which leads to Mirie becoming critically injured.  When Anarion gets close to Mirie, he realizes that  she is his "Amaias" or other half.  Then comes murder and mayhem and a little romance.  And that is the problem.Other reviewers have said the Trilogy should have been put in as one book.  I'm not so sure that is what is needed.  My issue is that there are so many subplots that things get truncated.  Although there is romance between Mirie and Anarion, this doesn't feel like a romance story.  Although there is a murder mystery, the denouement isn't a voila like a Christie or Holmes story.  While we have elves and committees it doesn't have the scope of a full blown fantasy.  In essence it is so many things, yet nothing.  It is a good outline of what could be an epic.In my Black Moon review I said that the couple had sex too quickly.  In this we get very little romance and no bedroom action, which isn't a criticism, just an inconsistency.  In the first story we get wham bam and in the 2nd we get passionate kisses and a disappearance where we assume they are doing the horizontal mamba. It is the extreme change in style that is confusing.In Black Moon, we only heard of "The Committee", while in this book we learn more, I am still not clear exactly who makes up "The Committee".There is a third story which I haven't read YET.  I will be reading it.  However, I wonder if the author can go back to the drawing board and create a more complete picture of this universe.  If I thought that these were supposed to be short eroticas, I wouldn't expect more from the universe, however, there is so much universe building and so little sex that I feel a bit cheated of a fleshed out story.In conclusion, I think it is a nice little tale.  However, I think if the story was fleshed out it would be a fantastic fantasy.edited for additional information