Stars: 4

Author: Billie Sue Mosiman

Title: Red Moon Rising

Publisher: DAW

Year: 2001

ISBN: 0-88677-955-3

Distribution: MMPB

Pages: 320

The cover blurb of Red Moon Rising hits the highlights of Dell Cambian's experience of becoming a vampire -- victim of a hereditary variation of porphyria in her senior year of high school -- and of the danger posed by billionaire industrialist Charles Upton, whose determination not to die leads him to the truth behind vampire legends. But although Dell's effectual coming of age (perhaps one should call it coming of blood) and Upton's machinations are the foci that the novel's action rotates about and flows from, the real texture comes from Mosiman's world-building, and particularly her skillful use of a character with a view so comprehensive it approaches that of a third-person narrator: Mentor.

Mentor has nearly godlike insights and perceptions. He sees into the soulworld that governs vampires' nature; his psychic sensibilities enable him to respond with superhero-worthy timing to emergencies in the lives of those he considers his wards. And all this is on top of his standard-for-a-vampire superhuman physical senses, speed, and strength. In the hands of a lesser author, Mentor would be a deus ex machina for herding plot and characters alike according to dramatic convenience. Mentor himself, however, is a character as much as other characters, his occasional forays into zen master-like aplomb balanced by his heartfelt concern not only for vampires but for the humans whose world his kind shares.

Predators, Naturals, Cravens: of the three types of vampire, Mentor considers the human-mimicking, non-killing Natural condition and lifestyle the best; he guides vampires toward it insofar as he can. Mentor's foil and complement is Ross -- more than just a Predator, Ross controls the area blood supply that non-Predators are dependent upon for survival. Despite a certain amount of mutual disapproval, Ross and Mentor enjoy a tacit symbiosis. Their relationship, however, becomes strained after the irregularities entailed in Ross's business draw human attention. If lab specialist Bette Kinyo were the only one to notice untested blood inexplicably leaving a Dallas blood bank, it would be easy enough to take care of -- by Mentor erasing her memories, or by Ross killing her. Bette, however, calls the strange transfers to the attention of blood specialist Dr. Alan Star, who has an unusual project: find a vampire to keep Charles Upton from dying of garden-variety porphyria.

Star is initially skeptical, but the proverbial offer he can't refuse from a man who has "more money than God" sets him in search of real vampires -- and following up on Bette Kinyo's suspicions puts him on their trail. The story threads follow Bette with her strange abilities and almost casual acceptance of the supernatural; Dell's search for an independent lifestyle and her choice of life companion; and Alan Star's growing realization that vampires are a reality, and there will be hell to pay if he doesn't get Charles Upton in contact with a pliable one.

Red Moon Rising gives insight into both the physical and metaphysical (or spiritual) aspects of vampirism: how vampires absorb blood, the limitations of their "immortality," and the implications of their dealings with humans. Much of this is revealed through Dell's experience as a new vampire; some is also shown through flashbacks of Mentor's long existence. The novel gains richness not only from Dell's self-discovery, as we might expect, but from the relationships between Bette and Alan and, surprisingly, Bette and Mentor.

Mentor's control of -- or mere contact with -- so many strings comes dangerously close to being a contrivance, his saving depth of character notwithstanding, and Dell's YA-type experiences are at times a doubtful balance against Upton's search for eternal youth and unlimited power. Ross is a contrivance, a cardboard caricature evil vampire; that he gets some comeuppance at the end -- and that Mentor pulls his fat out of the fire -- is hardly a surprise. In fairness, however, I should add that Red Moon Rising doesn't try to use surprise as a major selling point; its focus is on the journey, not its end, whether the journey is Dell Cambian's, Bette Kinyo's, Alan Star's, Charles Upton's, or even Mentor's. Probably the most important journey is of course the reader's, deeper and deeper into the intricacies of Mosiman's universe through each character's eyes and adventures.

Reviewed by Catherine B. Krusberg