172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad Review

Title: 172 Hours on the Moon
Author: Johan Harstand
Publisher: Little, Brown BYR
Publish Date: April 17, 2012
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
Page: 355
Source: Publisher

It's been decades since anyone set foot on the moon. Now three ordinary teenagers, the winners of NASA's unprecedented, worldwide lottery, are about to become the first young people in space--and change their lives forever.

Mia, from Norway, hopes this will be her punk band's ticket to fame and fortune. Midori believes it's her way out of her restrained life in Japan. Antoine, from France, just wants to get as far away from his ex-girlfriend as possible.

It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but little do the teenagers know that something sinister is waiting for them on the desolate surface of the moon. And in the black vacuum of space... no one is coming to save them.

NASA has decided to re-open its space exploration program. This time, it's different though. It's been a long time since anyone has visited the moon, and NASA has opened a worldwide lottery for teens and children to experience space firsthand. Mia is certain that her place is in punk rock, but her parents have other ideas. Midori wants freedom and believes a taste of fame will get her to America. Antoine wants nothing more to disappear and get away from his ex. It's the perfect chance to reinvent themselves and have a one in a million experience. The opportunity is so amazing, it might just be to die for.

I'm a sucker for horror, but allow me to delve a little deeper into that statement, please. I'm the girl that sat through Paranormal Activity after pushing to have it released in Utah, only to watch the entire movie through my fingers with my ears plugged THEN "sleep" with the light on for three days straight. Yes, I'm a hero. Well, needless to say, when I saw the reviews for 172 Hours on the Moon were mentioning an eerie, creepy and altogether horrific vibe, I obviously had to read it. Johan Harstad has crafted an ingenious blend of action, suspense, mystery, sci-fi and a touch of horror - just frightening enough to keep you awake at night wondering...what if? With a rich, vivid cast of characters and an explosive plot, it's sure to meet readers of a host of different genres.

172 Hours on the Moon is a bit of a different novel for me in that it was first published in the author's native Norway. Now, this can often lead to plot complications, mild language/content relationship and meaning mishaps, or in severe cases, an actual failure in story execution. This novel, however, didn't fall prey to these common ailments. There was something so eerily fantastic about the plot of the book that kept me riveted. While, at times, there was a touch of predictability in what was to come, the foreboding and foreshadowing was just strong enough to keep me tangled in the web of the story. Mia, Midori and Antoine were all fantastic characters. The fact that they were so vastly different from one another really enhanced the plot because we get to see the actions from three distinct viewpoints, which is a true asset. I loved that the three teenagers added just enough naivety to offset the distinct and tangible tension surrounding the veteran astronauts and the mission, furthering that horror-like feel for when the action really took off. While yes, parts were a bit too convenient or predictable, I'll bet that 172 Hours on the Moon will have you in its vice-like grip, too.

Overall, despite its flaws, 172 Hours on the Moon was a solid, engaging read. I think it's one that I'll let stew for awhile then read again, and I hope that readers will give it a chance. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy sci-fi and horror.

I received this book free of charge from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.