Hunter's Moon

by James Byron Huggins

It Lives to Kill. He Lives to Hunt.International bestselling author James Byron Huggins returns with the sequel to his novel Hunter, delivering a story of primal terror, relentless pursuit, and ultimate confrontation.

A brilliant but twisted Army scientist has done the unthinkable. He has become the beast, an ancient, prehistoric monster powerful enough to survive anything, even death itself. Buried beneath ice for ten thousand years, it was meant to stay forgotten. Now it walks again, leaving a trail of blood and destruction across the English countryside.

No conscience. No mercy. No weakness.

Only one man has faced the creature and survived. Hunter. Once again, he is called to do what no one else track and destroy the unstoppable before it consumes everything in its path.

Driven by duty, haunted by memory, and pursued by the past, Hunter must go beyond fear, beyond pain, and beyond human limits to end what began in a time before history.

The battle has begun. The world hangs in the balance.

This time, there may be no return.

Genres: Horror

334 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 19, 2025

About the author

A veteran novelist and best-selling author, James Byron Huggins' life story reads more like fiction than fact. His career as a writer began normally enough. He received a bachelor's degree in journalism and English from Troy State University, and then worked as a reporter for the Hartselle Enquirer in Hartselle, Alabama.

Huggins won seven awards while with the newspaper before leaving journalism in 1985. With a desire to help persecuted Christians in eastern Europe, Huggins moved to Texas to work in conjunction with members of the Christian underground in that region.

From the Texas base, Huggins helped set up a system used to smuggle information in and out of Iron Curtain countries.

In 1987, Huggins was finally able to leave the United States to offer hands-on assistance in Romania. As a jack of all trades, Huggins photographed a secret police installation, took photos of people active in the Christian underground, and also continued his work as an orchestrator of smuggling routes.

Huggins was instrumental in smuggling out film and documentation that showed the plight of Christians in Romania. He even found time to create a code that allowed communication with the United States. As in Texas, Huggins' life had few creature comforts. To survive, he would often remain hidden in the woods or in secure basements for days at a time.

After his time in Romania, Huggins returned to the United States and took up journalism once more. He again worked for a small newspaper and won several awards as a reporter. Later on, he worked at a nonprofit Christian magazine before becoming a patrolman with the Huntsville Police Department in Huntsville, Alabama.

After distinguished service as a decorated field officer, Huggins left the force to pursue writing novels. His first three novels--A Wolf Story, The Reckoning, and Leviathan--achieved best-seller status in the Christian marketplace.

From there, Huggins broke into mainstream science fiction with Cain and Hunter, both of which were optioned for film rights. Huggins then released Rora, a historical novel depicting the harrowing life of a European martyr. His following book, Nightbringer, was met with critical acclaim and is in production for a movie.

Reviews

[Bret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, well defined characters and full of suspense but seriously, we can’t even hire someone to proofread it? Little things like the wrong tense of a word or misspelled words and even words left out stood out and distracted from the story. I'm just keeping it real here.

[HUD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ya know, I first heard about Hunter on the internet back around the year 2000. Then later the same year, randomly, I found a used copy of it at a resort we were staying at. I asked if I could buy it from them, but they just let me take it — no charge. I read through it, all of maybe 14 years old, and thought it was awesome. I read it one or two more times, but I don’t think I’ve picked it up in maybe 15, 20 years. My memories are still good, but reading this I wonder if it’ll hold up.

Hunter’s Moon feels sort of like a greatest hits rehash — not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but it is very familiar. The problem is, it doesn’t really do all that much new. And while it is entertaining, it’s also very formulaic. And I suspect, were I to go back and revisit Hunter, I might see a lot of the same traits. Hunter is both the best and the luckiest guy in the world. He befriends wild beasts — first a wolf, now a grizzly — and makes them so faithful to him that they’ll literally die to protect him. Somehow, despite just how monstrous and badass and unstoppable these nemeses are, he always just squeaks by. Not unscathed — he takes plenty of damage — but never the kind of damage that will put him out of the game, out of the hunt. His instincts frequently save him from certain death. He knows all about all the animals, but really you’re only going to hear about the predators everyone already knows about, and you’ll hear about them a lot. One of my biggest gripes — and its really more of a nitpick but its a nitpick that’s indicative of the overall quality of the books — is that even within each story, some of the plot points and conversations become repetitive: if I have to hear something like “this thing has the strength/speed/viciousness/etc of a lion/tiger/bear/oh my!, but its also got human intelligence and its bulletproof and it can leap tall buildings in a single bound…” I’m pretty sure Hunter has thar conversation, conservatively, 47 times in this book.

The best I can compare this book — these books — to are the macho action movies of the 80s: your Schwarzenegger and Stallone vehicles. (Which makes sense, seeing as once upon a time Stallone wanted to buy the rights to Hunter and adapt it as a new Rambo movie. That’s right: Rambo vs a genetically engineered/resurrected super Neanderthal-werewolf-thing. And I woulda planted my butt in those theater seats, but I digress.) Hunter and Hunter’s Moon are action/thriller/sci-fi/horror power fantasies. They’re junk food. They’re fun, they’re entertaining, but high art, they are not. Did I love this? No, but neither did I hate it: it was a fun read that kept me engaged and sometimes that’s just fine.

However, someone desperately needs to do some proofreading before sending these manuscripts to press: the number of typos was honestly a bit baffling.

I feel like I’m ranting (I am) and coming across like this was a train wreck (it isn’t), but really I’m just trying to set proper expectations. These books are the Temu version of Predator. If you’re good with that, dive in and have fun. Just keep in mind the concept of diminishing returns. If it weren’t for those pesky things — and all the typos — I might’ve given this one 4 stars.

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5

Faster-paced and pulpier than the first book.

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I found this book online, I was excited to read it as I enjoyed Hunter enough to have revisited that book several times. When my copy arrived in the mail, I immediately read it. Now, I find myself a little disappointed after having finished it.

I felt like the story was a weaker version of the first story. Granted, based on the nature of the Scimitar, I don't know how you can make subsequent versions of the creature truly stronger than the original version. I say that because in the first story, Luther takes on an entire military base, wiping most of the soldiers out before fleeing whereupon the remnants of Hunter's H/K team and two U.S. Marshals track Luther down and kill him in some caverns deep underground. And Luther was supposed to have been "an accident" having used an impure strain of the serum being created; the strain in this book is supposed to be purer and more potent than that original strain. One would think, then, that the person who worked on the serum and created this newer strain would have "done a better job" and made this new iteration of the creature that much more deadly, more dangerous, than the original creature. Luther did not do too shabby of a job killing those who were sent after him in general. Perhaps this purer strain did not give its user the same level of “saved memories” that the original, impure, incomplete strain gave Luther?

I felt like this story was a weaker version of the first because this new Scimitar (i.e. – Vang) has three ... "dire wolves" (don't remember their "name" - something like "Amphycion"? - I'll correct that later when I am home and have the book in front of me) that are working with this creature. Nobody can see the wolves or Vang in the dark of night; the rifles and shotguns barely seem to hurt these mutated hybrid creatures at first. You'd think even greater havoc would be wreaked, that being the case! NOPE! Nothing at all like the body count in the first book! I think a party of ... 4-5 hunters are discovered in the moor, some police officers are killed, and .... two family members? Maybe three?

Hunter is worried about being able to survive this new battle because he has not fully recovered from Alaska and this new Scimitar is “different” than Luther; it is smarter and faster and stronger and supposedly has a better healing factor. And yet, despite not having any heavy machine guns or heavy ordinance or any highly trained soldiers to assist him, he is able to prevail over these new modern-day monsters by the end of the book. We keep being told that this new version of the Scimitar is “better, stronger, faster, deadlier” than Luther, but it does not appear to be the case based on how (relatively) easily Hunter disposes of Vang (especially at the end) in comparison to the first book. There is a lot of talking going on, and Hunter goes into the moor a couple of times, but this book did not have nearly the amount of suspense or tension the first book had. What was the point of having the three "dire wolves" if they had so very little to do and were not utilized better?

I suppose the case could be made that they were to terrify "the Major" to the point that he readjusted his will like he did. It just seemed like a waste of material, so to speak, that these wolves were supposed to be this giant "threat" that failed to materialize. I never felt like anybody was truly ever at risk from these giant creatures, and anybody who died was a non-entity to the story. Perhaps if more "important" people had died, I might have felt there was more of a threat. Considering how most of his team from the first book was killed in conjunction with the multiple military personnel, science teams, and the random civilians, the low body count in this book actually worked against the Scimitar and its coterie of dire wolves feeling like a "bigger threat" than Luther in the first book.

I was wondering what kind of animal would replace Hunter's wolf Ghost in this book - I half expected another wolf, not a grizzly bear. That was an interesting change for the story dynamics! On the one hand, it makes sense that Hunter needs something larger than Wolf to counter the three dire wolves and the Scimitar. However, he really does not "use" the grizzly bear as much as I expected him to do (especially in light of how much he relied upon Ghost). "Ben" is used more for defensive purposes, to "defend the manor from attack" (and even then, he does not seem to do a very good job of that).

Perhaps "the issue" is that both Hunter and Ghost were more "superhuman" (even though Ghost was a giant wolf himself) in the first book, and in this book Nathaniel Hunter and Ben are "more normal" and not so "superhuman". In the first book, Hunter seemed crazy-strong and had "beyond human endurance" to the point that he seemed almost like a demigod himself. Which is probably par for the course in terms of the heroes in the late 80s and early 90s action movies (especially when it came to Stallone and Arnold). Hunter and Ben seem "more grounded" in this book, more "normal", and I think it shows. That being said, it did not seem like the threat was as bad as it was implied to be in this book when compared to the first book. And that ending in the first book - when the memories of the dead race lead Luthor to the cavern deep beneath the earth filled with the bones of the species after they wiped each other out! That was nuts! This book did not have any kind of ending like the first one did. It was fairly anticlimactic, to be honest.

Chaney makes off-page “cameos” in the story, which was fun-but-disappointing. And where was Bobby Jo?!? I missed her in this book! I was really hoping Chaney and Bobbi Jo would show up to help Hunter take down this monstrosity of science. That would have made the book feel more connected to the first book. I cannot believe Bobbi Jo wouldn’t have been there for him the way their relationship developed in the first book (as rough as it was). Nor could I believe that Hunter did not have any thoughts about her throughout this book as much as he remembered the mission in Alaska. Not only that, but Wolf is barely mentioned (if at all) in this book; not even a reference to how even though Ben could never replace Wolf Hunter found himself developing a fondness and love for the Grizzly he adopted as much as he loved Wolf.

I did find myself wondering if the first “hunter” who “failed” to find Vang and suggested the British find Nathaniel Hunter was one of the survivors from the “failed” Alaska team that Hunter led? I’d have to find my copy of the first book and compare names of those who survived and see if the Brit’s name was included in this book, but it seems odd for this British guy to have suggested Hunter like he did unless they had worked previously together? Or there was some kind of shared history? I don’t know. It just makes me wonder.

That secret room with the altar and bones and … whatever, was probably the part of the book that actually impacted me the most because of how creepy it was. Its description felt truly “evil” and, sadly, that part had the biggest emotional impact upon me because of how much it creeped me out.

I realize I haven’t said much about the characters, and that’s because none of them really stood out to me. Not even the Grizzly bear Ben. Maybe the youngest daughter because of how odd she was. I kept expecting the Major to be the villain, to be honest, because of the blurb I read about the book, hahahah! The Major’s sons and daughters by and large were not very memorable. They pretty much “stood there” and made a lot of noise, yelling and blathering without being of much use to the story. If they had had more of an impact in the story than they did, maybe I would remember more of them? Or something that made them stand out as individuals instead of some kind of amorphous “blob” that made them irrelevant? Even the daughter who was working with Vang was fairly pathetic and did nothing to stand out. I realize the point can be made she was trying to hide her evil plan, but she still did not stand out amongst her siblings or the servants in the house.

The British police officer assigned to the case and working with Hunter was a good egg, overall, but still fairly pointless to the story. Well, other than seeking out Hunter and asking for Hunter’s assistance in finding the killer(s) and disposing of the monstrosities. Hunter constantly tells him to stay back, to not do anything unless Hunter tells him to do so, and that is what he does. He does nothing to stand out in the story like some of the characters did in the first book (mostly Brick, Chaney, and Bobbi Jo, I guess, but Takakura was also pretty bad-to-the-bone in that book, too, until he died).

It was alright. It was a weird mix. As much as I was disappointed by it, I still enjoyed it. Not nearly as much as the first book, but it’s a plus I didn’t not enjoy it, I guess. It just felt like it was “by the numbers” without actually generating the amount of peril and suspense the first book still generates each time I read that book. I would say 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars as I liked it enough to rate it more than 2 stars. Ah, well. I am awaiting the third book with nervous trepidation, to be honest, but will read it in hopes it provides a strong finish to this unexpected trilogy.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read.

Another great body of work from one of my favorite authors. Thrilling, suspenseful, frightening and loaded with lots of action. My only disappointment was that Bobbi Jo wasn't even mentioned. And Marshall Chaney's part was like an afterthought.

[Amys Bookshelf Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ Stars
James Byron Huggins writes a magnificent thriller and suspenseful tale

In Hunter's Moon, the reader is brought into the life of Nathaniel Hunter, who is in pursuit of a predator. I am a big fan of James Byron Huggins, he is one of my favorite authors, and I want to read whatever this author writes. This author has a grand imagination, and talent for showing the story. The story is filled with suspense, drama, and high emotions, both fear and survival. What a grand world Huggins created, which is filled with danger, mystery, and unforgettable characters. Hunter is not just a man, but someone to be reckoned with. Add Emily and Ben, a grizzly type of man, that is one of the perfect characters, flaws, and all. This story is so good, you slow down to read it, and your heart pounds with every single word that is read. A grand sequel to Hunter and look forward to reading the next one in the series. A thriller that is yes, thrilling, chilling, and a bit poetic. There is magic in Huggins’ pen. It's unpredictable, with twists all the way to the end. This book deserves 5 plus stars, so that's what I'm giving it. The other Hunter books are soon on their way with the review. Hunter's Moon is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book also write a review.

[Keith Putnam · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing surprise!

I read the first book years ago and loved it! So well written and original in it’s own way. For a while I kept an eye out for a sequel but after so long I figured it was a stand alone and was ok with that. But then I randomly came across this while browsing for something different from my usual werewolf addiction. Did. Not. Disappoint! The bear, the link to the original monster and science. I only put it down to sleep and it still took me a few days to finish it. It is a perfect flow of reading. To top it off Hunter’s favorite rifle is also my favorite rifle that I like to hunt with as well. I really hope Mr. Huggins continues this character’s story, I’ll keep an eye out for even longer if I have to.

[Calvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Scimitar Returns

There's a 26 year break between books 1 and 2 being written.... and time did not make this better. I remember loving Hunter when it first came out. This book was just a weak imitation of it. The dialogue was atrocious, even for proper British folk. Normal people don't launch into 5 minute exposition dumps in real life. There's a secondary mystery as to who is helping the creature, but by the end, I didn't care. Hunter seems to change his mind every few minutes. Ben the bear is borderline human. Ghost the wolf from the first book is never mentioned. There's just so many weird random sentences that were tossed into this book it feels like the author just published his first draft.

[Bob Cantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wild ride

This was a wild ride. There were twist and turns a plenty. I like the two main characters, the rugged American hunter and the staid British policeman. They worked well together and we can't forget Ben. Then there was the enemy within the ranks of the good guy. The helpful scientist was a good touch. This all made for an action packed story in the horror genre.

[Sandy Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the second book in the series ... Nothing compares to the first book , but the story line was just as good .. I do wish he had carried thru some of the characters from the first book to this book though, but His writing style and story lines make these so easy to read you will not want to put them down .. I can't wait for the final book to come out !

[STEVE G MCCORMICK · Rating 5 out of 5]

suspense

Mr Huggins is an excellent writer and keeps you in suspense through the whole book. His characters are well formed and fit the story uniquely. I’ve enjoyed many of his books and will continue to read his books in the future.

[David James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well said

I really like the first book in this series so I figured I’d give this a try. Very glad I did. Although I didn’t like it as much as the first one, it’s definitely worth reading. Interesting characters, plenty of action, and a good mystery element too.

[Larry Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, another fantastic read.

Great story, well written and easy to get into. I read the entire thing in less than 10 hours. Thank you sir for another great read.

[jane brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story, great action.

You will not get bored reading this book. The characters are what makes this book work. Lots of action and never dull.

[David Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love thrillers from Huggins! Especially a sequel to Hunter (one of my top all time thrillers)! And another Hunter book in another month or so!

Action, suspense, part horror, all thriller!