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Shadow of the Red Moon
Master storyteller Walter Dean Myers' remarkable fantasy, in a dynamic new POINT paperback.
If it had been up to Jon, he never would have left Crystal City. But the Fen children had finally broken through the city walls. And the Okalian way would survive only if some of the Okalians survived.
So Jon sets out into a strange new world. He's been told to find the Ancient Land, where Okalian civilization began. But he hasn't been told of the horrors he will have to face in the cold Wilderness in order to get there. Now he must face the fact that everything he's been taught might be a lie—a lie he must face for everything to survive.
If it had been up to Jon, he never would have left Crystal City. But the Fen children had finally broken through the city walls. And the Okalian way would survive only if some of the Okalians survived.
So Jon sets out into a strange new world. He's been told to find the Ancient Land, where Okalian civilization began. But he hasn't been told of the horrors he will have to face in the cold Wilderness in order to get there. Now he must face the fact that everything he's been taught might be a lie—a lie he must face for everything to survive.
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
7 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Walter Dean Myers
232 books1,181 followerspseudonyms:
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 14, 2025
This book was hard to find and sat on my TBR a long time, but I finally got to it, having forgotten why I added it! Thus I came to it with no background and found a children's story about a post apocalyptic future where humans have formed into enemy tribes, and most adults have died, leaving one group of children to venture out from their safe city into dangerous lands in search of a future. They discover that the ingrained enmities are learned but that the Okalians and Fens and others are just people. There are also discoveries about the allure of comfort and so on. There is plenty going on in this simplistic tale, which makes a great children's work.
The writing was simple and the story, too, was not very deep. I think it is a type of children's book that is not in vogue these days, but an interesting read and capable of making a big impression on a younger audience. I doubt it would appeal above mid grade and is probably aimed a touch younger.
The writing was simple and the story, too, was not very deep. I think it is a type of children's book that is not in vogue these days, but an interesting read and capable of making a big impression on a younger audience. I doubt it would appeal above mid grade and is probably aimed a touch younger.
Read
September 7, 2025Besides the odd story here and there perhaps, this is the first piece of children's lit I've read... since maybe I was a child.
I didn't remember much of anything about the first time I read it, just under twenty years ago, but I'll never forget the story behind why it came into my life in the first place. I got it as a gift, or reward probably, when I would've rather had something else, so I begrudged it (who am I writing this for? I already know this story), but reading it again now, I can see why it easily won me over. It's dark, ambiguous, existential, with a heavy sense of loss and the awe, and dread, of time; definitely in the school of not sugarcoating the world for children.
I don't know if it's just that it's a children's book (as noted, I haven't read any other children's lit), but it's structurally quite haphazard and meandering, with not much connective tissue for the various elements to make much sense diegetically (where are all the other kids? did Ceb leave before them or something? how come the Compound so easily integrated Fens and Okalians? what's the deal with the Soo?). Myers' super dodgy geography and extremely lenient survival necessities contribute a lot to this - there's no way for these kids to be travelling the kind of distances to make this journey meaningful without water and with only handfuls of berries once every few days. But maybe all of that makes it more accessible to kids.
Even being for kids, I still feel Myers could've built in a few more moments where Jon could understand the Fens as being equally human. And I guess all in all, it's the tone that really sticks, rather than what happens. Which is probably why I didn't remember anything about the story, but never forgot it.
I didn't remember much of anything about the first time I read it, just under twenty years ago, but I'll never forget the story behind why it came into my life in the first place. I got it as a gift, or reward probably, when I would've rather had something else, so I begrudged it (who am I writing this for? I already know this story), but reading it again now, I can see why it easily won me over. It's dark, ambiguous, existential, with a heavy sense of loss and the awe, and dread, of time; definitely in the school of not sugarcoating the world for children.
I don't know if it's just that it's a children's book (as noted, I haven't read any other children's lit), but it's structurally quite haphazard and meandering, with not much connective tissue for the various elements to make much sense diegetically (where are all the other kids? did Ceb leave before them or something? how come the Compound so easily integrated Fens and Okalians? what's the deal with the Soo?). Myers' super dodgy geography and extremely lenient survival necessities contribute a lot to this - there's no way for these kids to be travelling the kind of distances to make this journey meaningful without water and with only handfuls of berries once every few days. But maybe all of that makes it more accessible to kids.
Even being for kids, I still feel Myers could've built in a few more moments where Jon could understand the Fens as being equally human. And I guess all in all, it's the tone that really sticks, rather than what happens. Which is probably why I didn't remember anything about the story, but never forgot it.
July 16, 2024
This book left a deep mark on my memory. And to be honest, I feel like some of the reviewers here are missing the point. It left a deep mark on me precisely because it shows what conflict looks like through the eyes of a child who has not get been "educated" enough to understand why the conflict exists at all.
The fact that we don't know why the conflict happened is part of the point. The fact that we're not clear on why it's important that Jon knows he is Okalian - only that he has been told that it's very important, and that he must preserve the Okalian way - is part of the point.
The point is that there are no essential differences between the Okalian and the Fen, and the children of the two peoples only behave as enemies because they have been taught to do so by their elders. When both are faced with survival challenges, we see how fragile and pointless the differences which they had been taught defined them as people really are.
The fact that we don't know why the conflict happened is part of the point. The fact that we're not clear on why it's important that Jon knows he is Okalian - only that he has been told that it's very important, and that he must preserve the Okalian way - is part of the point.
The point is that there are no essential differences between the Okalian and the Fen, and the children of the two peoples only behave as enemies because they have been taught to do so by their elders. When both are faced with survival challenges, we see how fragile and pointless the differences which they had been taught defined them as people really are.
June 28, 2022
Realistic, yet sad tale of the end of world as we know it. I could easily see this happening in the event of a nuclear war or a meteor strike. Just hopeful that we can learn from mistakes and do better.
July 31, 2025
This book had a very ‘90s vibe for me. Not that it takes place in the ‘90s but the writing and the style reminded me a lot of other books that came out at the time. The book was good but I was a little put off by the prologue
February 4, 2020
Good Book
February 3, 2024
This book smells nice
March 6, 2017
Definitely not something I would have expected from Walter Dean Myers. It was interesting to read.
Read
June 4, 2014this nice little novel is about a boy named Jon who is sent out of the crystal city once he is of age. With the sad faces of his mother and father long behind him, he reaches a fen. Fen, in this novel, are horrible creatures that stay young. Meaning that once they get old enough, they die. But being young doesn't seem to stop them from trying to kill all the people inside the crystal city.
However, Jon is also part fen and even they should normally be killers Jon is not. He was sent out there to find an ancient city that would be safe from the fens.
On his way to the ancient city, he meets two other kids. Lin, a young girl from crystal city and Kyra, Lin's little brother. They had also been told to go outside the walls of the city. however, they where separated from the other kids and attacked by the fens. This leads to Kyra's fear of fens and bad behavior around Jon. Unlike her brother, Lin is very kind and caring to Jon and agrees to stay with Jon to help him get to the ancient city.
Later on, Jon, Lin, and Kyra encounter a unicorn, some people, and fens. Who all give them an equal amount of trouble.
Now, I know hat your thinking. Well no, i don't know exactly what your thinking. But this novel is a really good one. They story line doesn't "Skip a couple of parts" or anything like that. It stays on the story line through out the story. This novel is great, or at least in my opinion. I mostly loved the unicorn. The unicorn was so cool and stayed along side them though everything.
However, Jon is also part fen and even they should normally be killers Jon is not. He was sent out there to find an ancient city that would be safe from the fens.
On his way to the ancient city, he meets two other kids. Lin, a young girl from crystal city and Kyra, Lin's little brother. They had also been told to go outside the walls of the city. however, they where separated from the other kids and attacked by the fens. This leads to Kyra's fear of fens and bad behavior around Jon. Unlike her brother, Lin is very kind and caring to Jon and agrees to stay with Jon to help him get to the ancient city.
Later on, Jon, Lin, and Kyra encounter a unicorn, some people, and fens. Who all give them an equal amount of trouble.
Now, I know hat your thinking. Well no, i don't know exactly what your thinking. But this novel is a really good one. They story line doesn't "Skip a couple of parts" or anything like that. It stays on the story line through out the story. This novel is great, or at least in my opinion. I mostly loved the unicorn. The unicorn was so cool and stayed along side them though everything.
November 16, 2009
Myers is a *great* writer. I loved the contemporary Monster, loved its original method of storytelling. Fallen Angels and The Glory Field are great historical novels.
This novel set in a post apocalyptic time with nothing more technical than fire is just not very good. Jon and the companions he meets on the road from the Crystal City are leaving there for the Ancient Land. The Fen are his enemies, but who are they and why, we never find out. He is an Okalian, I’m not sure what that means either. Blech.
This novel set in a post apocalyptic time with nothing more technical than fire is just not very good. Jon and the companions he meets on the road from the Crystal City are leaving there for the Ancient Land. The Fen are his enemies, but who are they and why, we never find out. He is an Okalian, I’m not sure what that means either. Blech.
October 25, 2009
This is a story about a war between two mythical races- the Fen and the Okalians. The Fen are a merciless, instinctive race who attacked the homes of the other races and caused a 'depression' to overcome their world. It is a Fantasy story about three children trying to survive in a now dangerous world while trying to find a way to save it as well. My opinion on this book is that it is extremely cliche. I do not recommend it.
October 6, 2010
It was like a pre-historic sci-fi book. It's pretty hard to explain, but I feel that it is in prehistoric times, with the inventions of the future. I liked it because it was captivating, that it was a part of everyday life, sort of (work, play, live, survive, all that stuff) and that people can get away and drift in this book. It's good, so read it.
July 1, 2009
Short and simple journey, of the "all we knew is gone and now we must make a new life with those who were once our enemies" kind, with little of the character depth or worldbuilding I like from such stories. It's not bad at all, but it's not life-changingly awesome either.
August 23, 2010
This was a quick read. I enjoyed looking into the life of a kid from Harlam who is trying to better himself by going to a boarding school. And his journey home. A genre I would not have picked up on my own.
May 12, 2012
I'm cheating on this book. I couldn't finish it.
I had a hard time understanding what was going on. I didn't like any of the characters. I didn't like the premise.
It's just really, really bad science fiction. I'm disappointed.
I had a hard time understanding what was going on. I didn't like any of the characters. I didn't like the premise.
It's just really, really bad science fiction. I'm disappointed.
January 6, 2016
I thought that this book was a very interesting and highly descriptive book. I would ave given it a better rating but it was kind of confusing at times and I didn't understand what was going on sometimes.
November 21, 2008
This story was great and i loved how the author intoroduced the story. I am still reading it, but its great. I recomend reading it.
June 1, 2009
about a boy whos city is under attak and leaves for th "ancient land" alone
February 17, 2012
Read this as a tiny person and only remember that I really liked it. :)
April 3, 2013
Read this as a kid and loved it. Can't wait to read it to my son.
November 18, 2013
Derivative, unfortunately. Read "By the Waters of Babylon," (short story), or THE GIVER to see how this sort of allegory should be done.
April 22, 2014
Tuesday's HW
Not a bad little book, and by a great author. I feel the story could have filled a much bigger book.
Not a bad little book, and by a great author. I feel the story could have filled a much bigger book.
September 11, 2014
Read this years ago as a kid and all I can remember is that I really liked it.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews