Blood Moon Rider

by Zack C. Waters

Accelerated Reader Quiz #109073. Level 6.6 "I tried to block the legend of the blood moon—that it signaled the death of someone close to you—from my mind." Harley Wallace has suffered through an incredible run of bad luck. His father died fighting in the Pacific during World War II, and his stepmother abandoned him. The Marines refused to take him, and now he is kicked off a bus in the middle of Nowhere, Florida, where he celebrates his fourteenth birthday as a prisoner in a hick jail. As if that weren't bad enough, Harley is placed in the custody of his unwelcoming old grandfather. As Harley and his grandfather struggle to establish a family relationship and make peace with the demons of the past, the murder of Grandfather Wallace's cowman and best friend leads them to suspect that an evil connected to the war may have taken root on the old man's sprawling cattle ranch. With German U-boats lurking in the placid waters of the Gulf, an old friend enlists Grandfather and Harley in a top-secret operation in the hammocks and palmettos of Florida's Big Bend region. When Grandfather Wallace mysteriously disappears, Harley and his new friend Beth are thrust into a web of danger that reaches far beyond Florida's Gulf Coast. Harley and Beth begin a hazardous quest, racing against the clock in a desperate effort to save the old man. Riding into the marshes under the harsh glow of a “blood moon," they discover peril, new friends, ruthless enemies, and the true meaning of family. > See all of the books in this series

126 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2006

Reviews

[Flyp 2011 Tweens]

Set in Florida

[Daniel DiCenzo]

The Blood Moon Rider by Zack C. Waters takes place during World War II. Harley Wallace is a caring person. There is a black pregnant lady who is on a bus and can't sit because of her color. She looks like death is coming for her, constantly shaking, and moaning, but she wasn't aloud to sit. "I rose and gently took her arm and guided her into my seat."(4) Harley is also very courageous. He sets off on his own to find his grandfather in the middle of woods. "Once we left the ranch, the forest immediately swallowed us up. The two-rut road and widely spaced fences were the only signs of civilization in the virgin woodlands."(83) Finally, Harley is brave. He is willing to go on a mission to save Big Aaron, a fellow soldier. "Finally, he said in a strong voice, 'Harley, do you think you can find big Aaron in the dark?' 'Yes sir, I think so. I'm willing to try anyways.' Harley lives on a Ranch with his grandfather, and all is good, until a friend goes missing. And when the military gets involved due to suspicions of near by German interactions, trying to destroy a airfield, everything gets complicated. In this story, Harley Wallace must try to adapt to a new living, new family, a new home, and other problems that just keep making his life going from bad to worse.

The point of view of this book is first person because it uses words like "I" and "me." But if was third person you would know what everyone else's opinion on the current or present matter. maybe changing the direction of the book entirely. One theme that could be taken out of this book, is to never back down, fight for what you believe in. Harley did, and because of that, (SPOILER) Grandpa Wallace doesn't die. Next, another theme that could be taken out of this book is that when things are hard, and nothing is going right, everything will be okay. At first, Harley had no family, no friends, no home, and no money. But, when he got to grandpa Wallace's house, he loves his life on the ranch. And for the German Commandos, after their struggles, everyone is okay, and there is a happy ending. One important quote is explaining why this book is called the blood moon rider on page 102. "Oh, when the moon turns red as blood.' I tried to block the ancient legend of the blood moon- that it signaled the death of someone close to you." And indeed someone did die, I am not going to say whom due to spoilers. And to Harley, it makes him nervous, tense, scared, alone. Traveling through dark woods with a blood moon over head.

Harley Wallace is similar to me because he is very considerate and caring. He went through many struggles and turns to save his family, and I may never had had to do that, but I wold if I had to. I care for my family very much. Maybe i'm not as brave, but still, considerate and caring. (Spoiler) On page 75 Harley says "I simply reach the conclusion that Grandfather and John were in trouble, and if anyone was going to save them, it would have to be me." I highly recommend this book too any reader who just loves to read for fun, or wants to learn what life was like during World War II. Just when you think their problems are over, more things just keep shoving off their way. A really detailed, action packed book. that will take your mind on a explicit journey. But, the conflict is kind of given. It can be easily predicted once you read enough through the book. And with that, I would rate this book a good solid 8. It would be a 10 if it had a better climax and it was longer, I felt as if the story went by to quick, only 116 pages. So if you are into books like Gone With the Wind, The Book Thief, etc, you will love this book.

*SPOILER ALERT*
The climax of this book is when Harley must confront some Germans and rescue his family with only his wits and his close on his back. And when he gets captured, all hopes are lost, until they arrive of course! Beth, Harley's friend, got reinforcements, some former soldiers and cowmen, to come to their aid, and fight off the Germans. And then, the Wallace family lives happy and peacefully on there simple country ranch. Later on Beth and Harley get married, and right after Grandpa Wallace serve's at their wedding as Harley's best man, he dies from cancer. (116)

[Yasheve · Rating 4 out of 5]

contains a nice little historic appendix