Earlier this month author M.D. Neu visited The Storytelling Blog on his blog tour to discuss his latest novel, Mu; Legend of a Lost City. Today I’d like to share my thoughts on the book.
The universal purchase link for Mu; Legend of a Lost City is https://books2read.com/Mu-Legend-of-a-Lost-City. (Or click any of the hypertext mentions of the book throughout the post.)
Disclosure: Neu provided me with a review copy of the book. I have a business relationship with Liminal Fiction and Other Worlds Ink, promotion websites for Mu; Legend of a Lost City. (You can reach these websites by clicking the hyperlink highlighted text.)
Mu: Science Fiction and Romance
Mu; Legend of a Lost City is a science fiction thriller, but I found it a sweet romance as well. While the reader asks of the story, “How will the submarine crew and science team solve the mystery?” important relationships are developing.
The third person point-of-view shifts among several characters, but I found the book to be Michael’s story. Michael is financing the undersea quest at the heart of the plot, but his story question seemed to be, “How will Michael make a life with his dream man?” (In his opening scene, he literally dreams of the person with whom he eventually connects.)
Disastrous Pulse from Mu
Five years after a freak electromagnetic pulse upends life along the eastern Pacific Rim, a privately funding research expedition sets out to explore deep undersea. Karen, an avant-garde scientist, theorizes that a previously unknown undersea civilization may be responsible for the attack, whether accidental or deliberate. Michael is her financier and will come along because that’s what billionaires do.
Meanwhile (no spoilers—it’s in the blurb), there is, indeed, an undersea civilization, and it was responsible for the pulse. That phenomenon was the opening salvo, along with the king’s and queen’s assassinations, of a conflict that turned into a civil war. Kaimi, a member of the royal family, lost his spouse during the five years of warfare.
As the research vessel sets out from San Francisco, the large family of Mu royal siblings have only recently reconciled, chosen a new leader, and started to bring their people back to an uneasy peace. Their technology is such that Mu citizens are well aware that the surface dwellers are heading toward them. They fear retaliation for the pulse attack. One problem (among many): the Mu royals have yet to figure out who launched the pulse and started the unsuccessful coup.
Billionaire Porn Star
The characters are great fun, especially Michael in the role of the typical tech billionaire dabbling in science. Typical, except that he made his fortune in the adult entertainment industry. That’s an inspired twist and gives weight to his motivation: he’s disrespected by society, no matter how philanthropically he donates. Besides Michael’s personal decency to do the right thing, he also seems to feel if he does enough right things, he’ll gain societal approval. Maybe. Stranger things have happened.
Mu Setting and Stakes
The science fiction elements have a “gee whiz” wonder: From the amazing submarine vessel to the underwater city, the detailed worldbuilding of the settings sparkle. As a thriller, the stakes start out high and just get higher.
Yet Michael is working through to the realization that the opinion of one special person who truly knows and loves him is more important than political power or social popularity. Such interpersonal issues give the thrills and dazzle a deeper dimension.
If you found this review of Mu; Legend of a Lost City interesting, you might enjoy reading M.D. Neu’s background information on the novel. (Click on the hypertext.) You can also read about it at:
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198333060-mu-legend-of-a-lost-city
Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com) Link: https://www.limfic.com/book/mu-legend-of-a-lost-city/
QueeRomance Ink Link: https://www.queeromanceink.com/book/mu-legend-of-a-lost-city/
Author Bio:
M.D. Neu is an international award-winning inclusive queer Fiction Writer with a love for writing and travel. Living in the heart of Silicon Valley (San Jose, California) and growing up around technology, he’s always been fascinated with what could be. Specifically drawn to Science Fiction and Paranormal television and novels, M.D. Neu was inspired by the great Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, Stephen King, Alice Walker, Alfred Hitchcock, Harvey Fierstein, Anne Rice, and Kim Stanley Robinson. An odd combination, but one that has influenced his writing.
Growing up in an accepting family as a gay man he always wondered why there were never stories reflecting who he was. Constantly surrounded by characters that only reflected heterosexual society, M.D. Neu decided he wanted to change that. So, he took to writing, wanting to tell good stories that reflected our diverse world.
When M.D. Neu isn’t writing, he works for a non-profit and travels with his biggest supporter and his harshest critic, Eric his husband of twenty plus years.
Author Website: https://www.mdneu.com
Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/mdneuauthor
Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormdneu/
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/66488958-md
Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/m-d-neu/
Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/m-d-neu/
Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/M-D-Neu/e/B076FK1S14
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