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Over the Moon
Ding Dong, the Technowitch is dead.
As an illegal clone of the murdered galactic princess, Dora's face would get her killed the minute she steps off her dull farming moon. She spends her days tinkering with gadgets and gears, with Tau, her kitchen-timer-bot, for company. But when forces close in and threaten her family, her escape attempt lands her deep in the Outer Zone — and on top of the Technowitch of Night, crushing her in the process.
Now a fugitive in two solar systems, Dora's only chance of survival is to find her way to the mysterious Technomage on his Emerald moon. In a place where science has advanced to be indistinguishable from magic, she must accept the help of an unlikely a cryogenically-preserved girl with no memory, an obsolete theme park droid, and a bioengineered beast with a penchant for the dramatic.
As Dora realizes there's more to the princess's death than what the universe has been told, she must choose — save her family, or risk everything to right a centuries-old wrong.
As an illegal clone of the murdered galactic princess, Dora's face would get her killed the minute she steps off her dull farming moon. She spends her days tinkering with gadgets and gears, with Tau, her kitchen-timer-bot, for company. But when forces close in and threaten her family, her escape attempt lands her deep in the Outer Zone — and on top of the Technowitch of Night, crushing her in the process.
Now a fugitive in two solar systems, Dora's only chance of survival is to find her way to the mysterious Technomage on his Emerald moon. In a place where science has advanced to be indistinguishable from magic, she must accept the help of an unlikely a cryogenically-preserved girl with no memory, an obsolete theme park droid, and a bioengineered beast with a penchant for the dramatic.
As Dora realizes there's more to the princess's death than what the universe has been told, she must choose — save her family, or risk everything to right a centuries-old wrong.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 10, 2023
11 people are currently reading
495 people want to read
About the author
S.E. Anderson
31 books158 followersS.E. ANDERSON, PhD, is the author of the YA science fiction humor series THE STARSTRUCK SAGA and OVER THE MOON, as well as a YA contemporary novel, AIX MARKS THE SPOT, based on her childhood in Provence.
During the day, she's an astrophysics researcher and studies what comets can tell us about the formation of the Solar System. She currently lives in Marseille, France, where she is currently trying to wrangle some comets, her cats, and her husband.
During the day, she's an astrophysics researcher and studies what comets can tell us about the formation of the Solar System. She currently lives in Marseille, France, where she is currently trying to wrangle some comets, her cats, and her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 11, 2023
I received an Advanced Review Copy on NetGalley. This doesn't release until January 10 - but I have such a love for "Wizard of Oz" and found the blurb so curious - that I took a peek to gauge my interest and ended up reading half of the whole thing in one go, and then the other half the next day. Oops?
Available on Kindle Unlimited!
This isn't just a retelling, it's truly it's own story and voice. There are similarities to the OG tale, but more often incredibly unique takes on the setups and payoffs, and twists on the characters and story. This is Sci-Fi, but done in a way that is easy to understand, and not intimidating for those who may struggle with that genre. I would recommend giving it a try. If you've loved the fantasy adventure quest plotlines in your reading, you're sure to enjoy this, in my mind!
Dora is an illegal batch clone of a Princess. She's been hidden away on a farming moon, forced to hide her face, and have no interaction outside of her Aunt and Uncle, and cousins. She's an engineering Wiz, smart with machines and robotics, but dreams of a life of her own, outside her little farm, over the moons, and out in the universe.
I won't reveal too much, plotwise, except to say Dora's flight of fancy, sets off some perilous enemies, which leads Dora to a strange planet on the OZ - Outer Zone. There are techno-witches who are like engineering mages, who are the daughters of the big kahuna Techno-Mage, A Wizard if you will, who can hopefully help Dora out. If she can get to him in one piece, with one of the wicked techno-witches hot on her tail! Plus the entire universe knowing her face! The technology is really fascinating, but doesn't get too bogged down, or hard to understand, either.
Along the way Dora meets her rag-tag group of helpers, in true Oz fashion. Each has endearing backstories and personalities, and each could benefit from the Wizard Mage's expertise, if they can ever get in to see him! But are also all about helping dear Dora, and her situation.
There's a slight Sapphic romance, just starting in this installment. Quite a bit of push/pull, and discovery for the young women, trying to find their way, their own selves in the universe and all the mysteries surrounding them and the politics in play.
The action really ramps up toward the end, and leaves us wrapped up with good information, but with so much more to discover, in continuing installments. I'm not sure how many there will be, but I am truly looking forward to them. I think this is a solid series for lovers of Sci-Fi Fantasy and Young Adult stories. I hope others will give it a go and will enjoy it much like I did!
Available on Kindle Unlimited!
This isn't just a retelling, it's truly it's own story and voice. There are similarities to the OG tale, but more often incredibly unique takes on the setups and payoffs, and twists on the characters and story. This is Sci-Fi, but done in a way that is easy to understand, and not intimidating for those who may struggle with that genre. I would recommend giving it a try. If you've loved the fantasy adventure quest plotlines in your reading, you're sure to enjoy this, in my mind!
Dora is an illegal batch clone of a Princess. She's been hidden away on a farming moon, forced to hide her face, and have no interaction outside of her Aunt and Uncle, and cousins. She's an engineering Wiz, smart with machines and robotics, but dreams of a life of her own, outside her little farm, over the moons, and out in the universe.
I won't reveal too much, plotwise, except to say Dora's flight of fancy, sets off some perilous enemies, which leads Dora to a strange planet on the OZ - Outer Zone. There are techno-witches who are like engineering mages, who are the daughters of the big kahuna Techno-Mage, A Wizard if you will, who can hopefully help Dora out. If she can get to him in one piece, with one of the wicked techno-witches hot on her tail! Plus the entire universe knowing her face! The technology is really fascinating, but doesn't get too bogged down, or hard to understand, either.
Along the way Dora meets her rag-tag group of helpers, in true Oz fashion. Each has endearing backstories and personalities, and each could benefit from the Wizard Mage's expertise, if they can ever get in to see him! But are also all about helping dear Dora, and her situation.
There's a slight Sapphic romance, just starting in this installment. Quite a bit of push/pull, and discovery for the young women, trying to find their way, their own selves in the universe and all the mysteries surrounding them and the politics in play.
The action really ramps up toward the end, and leaves us wrapped up with good information, but with so much more to discover, in continuing installments. I'm not sure how many there will be, but I am truly looking forward to them. I think this is a solid series for lovers of Sci-Fi Fantasy and Young Adult stories. I hope others will give it a go and will enjoy it much like I did!
dnf
January 10, 2023DNF @36%
This book immediately caught my attention—it's a YA Sci-Fi retelling of The Wizard of Oz with a sapphic romance. Sounds great, right? I did enjoy the worldbuilding and setup in the beginning, establishing Dora's life on the farm and the political assassination that affects her life more than anyone else in the galaxy can ever know. However, as the story moved into the rising action and subsequently the WoO retelling, I kept falling asleep within fifteen minutes of reading three nights in a row and therefore started suspecting that this book isn't for me. Right away, it's clear that the retelling aspect is sandwiched into the story and follows the same plot as the original, and I think it was this predictability that made me consistently lose interest and focus.
All-in-all not for me, but if the premise sounds appealing to you I'd encourage you to give it a try!
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op via Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This book immediately caught my attention—it's a YA Sci-Fi retelling of The Wizard of Oz with a sapphic romance. Sounds great, right? I did enjoy the worldbuilding and setup in the beginning, establishing Dora's life on the farm and the political assassination that affects her life more than anyone else in the galaxy can ever know. However, as the story moved into the rising action and subsequently the WoO retelling, I kept falling asleep within fifteen minutes of reading three nights in a row and therefore started suspecting that this book isn't for me. Right away, it's clear that the retelling aspect is sandwiched into the story and follows the same plot as the original, and I think it was this predictability that made me consistently lose interest and focus.
All-in-all not for me, but if the premise sounds appealing to you I'd encourage you to give it a try!
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op via Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 10, 2023
Well, what can I say. I just finished Over the Moon by S E Anderson and I absolutely adored it. If you’re looking for a retelling of The Wizard of Oz that features, robots, clones and set in space, then I would definitely recommend this to you. The characters are all likeable with very interesting backstories, the twists and turns I didn’t see coming, there is a simmering love story that is on the back burner, that will have your hearts hoping for more in the sequel Down to Earth (which I cannot wait to get my hands on). GIVE THIS A WHIRL, I dare you.
January 18, 2023
This is one of those books that is far better than it has any right to be. I remember reading the description on NetGalley, where I received the eARC, and thinking, “A space-opera reimagining of Wizard of Oz? Neat!” and being down to clown. But then I actually read Over the Moon—and I was angry. I was angry at the book for how good it was—don’t ask me why, I’m irrational—and irritated that now I will have to wait probably a year before I find out what happens next.
Yeah, it’s one of those books.
Nymphodora, or Dora as she styles herself, has grown up on a small farming moon in the backwaters of the galactic community. Raised by her aunt and uncle, Dora has led a secluded life because she is an illegal clone of Princess Jo’Niss, and if anyone outside the family recognized her for what she was, they would turn her in for money or kill her or both. Dora isn’t satisfied with a farm life or becoming a farm wife to her childhood best friend, Tobis. She wants to get away, go to school, upgrade her engineering skills. So when the chance comes to run away from home, Dora jumps at it—and it blows up in her face. She suddenly finds herself stranded in the Outer Zone, having accidentally murdered a technowitch. Said witch’s sister instructs Dora to find the Technomage Superius on the moon above Merald City, so it’s off to see the wizard she goes, with the trio of companions one might expect for this retelling, albeit reimagined in interesting ways.
Anderson’s approach to repurposing the source material is delightful. She strikes the perfect balance between nods back to the original text while innovating or adding twists that make sure Over the Moon is its own adventure. I love the conflation of sufficiently advanced science with magic through the appellation of technowitch/wizard, along with the Ocugry as the “cowardly lion” of the story. Dora is an excellent modern Dorothy: clever and kind yet—at least at the beginning of the story—too trusting and naïve. The story moves forward at a great pace, scenes and sequels moving us along with just the right amount of parallelism between this as and the original narratives.
When Dora’s inadvertently stolen spaceship drops on the Technowitch of Night, she agonizes over her manslaughter. I didn’t realize until this moment how jaded I’ve become when it comes to accepting that most of the protagonists I’ll come across in a science-fiction or fantasy novel are already used to killing. Dora’s sheltered upbringing hasn’t given her much opportunity to engage in that, of course, so her reaction makes perfect sense—and it comes across clearly enough on the page that it jolted me out of my complacency.
Anderson’s writing has a way of doing that. Description, dialogue, and characterization—all of it flows smoothly right up until she decides she wants a record-scratch moment, something that makes you sit up and pay attention. This happens a few times throughout the book, from the moment Dora first realizes she is in trouble and has to flee to the final escape from the moonbase.
I kept waiting for the other shoe, so to speak, to drop—if you are familiar with the source material, then you know that the Wizard isn’t all he’s cracked up to be, so I knew that had to be the case here. I won’t spoil it, just say that Anderson doesn’t disappoint. Indeed, I think the reason I ended up so pleasantly surprised by this book is how deep the story ends up going. While I hoped that Dora’s adventure would take her deeper into this galaxy that Anderson has built, I had no clue we would go this far. Many of the twists (such as who Abril is) are telegraphed so clearly they are easy to predict chapters ahead of time, but several Anderson keeps more mysterious, and this pays off.
I also love the slow burn of the romance in this book. It’s perfectly to my taste as someone who loves queer books but doesn’t particularly care about romance. Dora’s whole, “Gosh, I’m just not all that interested in settling down with someone, but maybe that’s because I’ve only met like one guy in my age bracket” slowly metamorphosing into, “Gee, girls make me tingle in a way Tobis never has” is so much fun to see. Her cluelessness giving away to dawning realization that she is falling for someone is so genuine and contrasts nicely with the true horror of her situation and the enemies she’s making. The roadblocks Anderson throws up to the romance feel realistic, and Dora’s love interest is a great character in her own right.
The journey of Over the Moon was every bit as satisfying as I hoped it would be when I picked up the book. Then the ending was even better than I expected, perfectly setting up a sequel and leaving me wanting it right now. That doesn’t happen as often as I would like. I’m so happy I took a chance on this book.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
Yeah, it’s one of those books.
Nymphodora, or Dora as she styles herself, has grown up on a small farming moon in the backwaters of the galactic community. Raised by her aunt and uncle, Dora has led a secluded life because she is an illegal clone of Princess Jo’Niss, and if anyone outside the family recognized her for what she was, they would turn her in for money or kill her or both. Dora isn’t satisfied with a farm life or becoming a farm wife to her childhood best friend, Tobis. She wants to get away, go to school, upgrade her engineering skills. So when the chance comes to run away from home, Dora jumps at it—and it blows up in her face. She suddenly finds herself stranded in the Outer Zone, having accidentally murdered a technowitch. Said witch’s sister instructs Dora to find the Technomage Superius on the moon above Merald City, so it’s off to see the wizard she goes, with the trio of companions one might expect for this retelling, albeit reimagined in interesting ways.
Anderson’s approach to repurposing the source material is delightful. She strikes the perfect balance between nods back to the original text while innovating or adding twists that make sure Over the Moon is its own adventure. I love the conflation of sufficiently advanced science with magic through the appellation of technowitch/wizard, along with the Ocugry as the “cowardly lion” of the story. Dora is an excellent modern Dorothy: clever and kind yet—at least at the beginning of the story—too trusting and naïve. The story moves forward at a great pace, scenes and sequels moving us along with just the right amount of parallelism between this as and the original narratives.
When Dora’s inadvertently stolen spaceship drops on the Technowitch of Night, she agonizes over her manslaughter. I didn’t realize until this moment how jaded I’ve become when it comes to accepting that most of the protagonists I’ll come across in a science-fiction or fantasy novel are already used to killing. Dora’s sheltered upbringing hasn’t given her much opportunity to engage in that, of course, so her reaction makes perfect sense—and it comes across clearly enough on the page that it jolted me out of my complacency.
Anderson’s writing has a way of doing that. Description, dialogue, and characterization—all of it flows smoothly right up until she decides she wants a record-scratch moment, something that makes you sit up and pay attention. This happens a few times throughout the book, from the moment Dora first realizes she is in trouble and has to flee to the final escape from the moonbase.
I kept waiting for the other shoe, so to speak, to drop—if you are familiar with the source material, then you know that the Wizard isn’t all he’s cracked up to be, so I knew that had to be the case here. I won’t spoil it, just say that Anderson doesn’t disappoint. Indeed, I think the reason I ended up so pleasantly surprised by this book is how deep the story ends up going. While I hoped that Dora’s adventure would take her deeper into this galaxy that Anderson has built, I had no clue we would go this far. Many of the twists (such as who Abril is) are telegraphed so clearly they are easy to predict chapters ahead of time, but several Anderson keeps more mysterious, and this pays off.
I also love the slow burn of the romance in this book. It’s perfectly to my taste as someone who loves queer books but doesn’t particularly care about romance. Dora’s whole, “Gosh, I’m just not all that interested in settling down with someone, but maybe that’s because I’ve only met like one guy in my age bracket” slowly metamorphosing into, “Gee, girls make me tingle in a way Tobis never has” is so much fun to see. Her cluelessness giving away to dawning realization that she is falling for someone is so genuine and contrasts nicely with the true horror of her situation and the enemies she’s making. The roadblocks Anderson throws up to the romance feel realistic, and Dora’s love interest is a great character in her own right.
The journey of Over the Moon was every bit as satisfying as I hoped it would be when I picked up the book. Then the ending was even better than I expected, perfectly setting up a sequel and leaving me wanting it right now. That doesn’t happen as often as I would like. I’m so happy I took a chance on this book.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
January 15, 2023
"𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗮, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲," 𝗔𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀. "𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀."
I received a digital copy from MTMC Tours and the author in exchange for an honest review. Creative content for this book can be found on my blog - Willow's Corner.
Over the Moon is a loose retelling of The Wizard of Oz set in a world where clones are made in batches and are now illegal, where the moon is liveable and is home to the little town of Nesworth and people are cryogenically frozen.
This book surprised me so much! I went into this with no expectations and I came out with so many feelings and adoration for bots. I was hooked from the first page.
This is a YA with a techno twist. Anderson introduces us to a world where clones are possible and stumble upon lost princes in muddied ditches. The galactic princess is murdered and her death has deadly consequences for Dora. Dora is the illegal clone of the princess and if she is recognized, she will be terminated. With a quest from leaving Nesworth, to walking a creepy abandoned theme park, meeting new friends and fighting danger.
I was immediately invested in this story and every time I wasn't read this book I kept thinking about it. These characters are unique and some of them have an attitude that could create sparks, I'm looking at you Crow. My mind is reeling from the plot twists and my heart is broken for a particular character or should I say bot. The story is brilliantly written and it's wonderful to see how these characters developed. There are four parts to this book and being both plot and character driven, the reader is bound to get attached to this new world.
Tau is my absolute favourite! He made me think of Wall-E. I need a little Tau in my life, his beeps and chirps would be a welcome distraction. Dora was such a great character, the way she handled everything that was thrown her way as well as dealing with betrayal and forming new friendships was riveting. Over the Moon isn't your normal sci-fi fantasy, there is a mix of elements that brings comfort to the reader.
The last few chapters had me at the edge of my seat, I couldn't read fast enough.
I highly recommend reading this if you're in the mood for a techno YA Sci-Fi Fantasy that is out of this world and so addictive that you won't be able to put it down.
I received a digital copy from MTMC Tours and the author in exchange for an honest review. Creative content for this book can be found on my blog - Willow's Corner.
Over the Moon is a loose retelling of The Wizard of Oz set in a world where clones are made in batches and are now illegal, where the moon is liveable and is home to the little town of Nesworth and people are cryogenically frozen.
This book surprised me so much! I went into this with no expectations and I came out with so many feelings and adoration for bots. I was hooked from the first page.
This is a YA with a techno twist. Anderson introduces us to a world where clones are possible and stumble upon lost princes in muddied ditches. The galactic princess is murdered and her death has deadly consequences for Dora. Dora is the illegal clone of the princess and if she is recognized, she will be terminated. With a quest from leaving Nesworth, to walking a creepy abandoned theme park, meeting new friends and fighting danger.
I was immediately invested in this story and every time I wasn't read this book I kept thinking about it. These characters are unique and some of them have an attitude that could create sparks, I'm looking at you Crow. My mind is reeling from the plot twists and my heart is broken for a particular character or should I say bot. The story is brilliantly written and it's wonderful to see how these characters developed. There are four parts to this book and being both plot and character driven, the reader is bound to get attached to this new world.
Tau is my absolute favourite! He made me think of Wall-E. I need a little Tau in my life, his beeps and chirps would be a welcome distraction. Dora was such a great character, the way she handled everything that was thrown her way as well as dealing with betrayal and forming new friendships was riveting. Over the Moon isn't your normal sci-fi fantasy, there is a mix of elements that brings comfort to the reader.
The last few chapters had me at the edge of my seat, I couldn't read fast enough.
I highly recommend reading this if you're in the mood for a techno YA Sci-Fi Fantasy that is out of this world and so addictive that you won't be able to put it down.
December 31, 2022
It is tacky for an author to review her own books? Maybe. Probably. But I'm really stoked about this novel: it's taken me eight years to properly get Dora's story on paper, and I can't wait to share it with you!
What you get in OVER THE MOON:
- A wizard of Oz retelling set in SPACE!
- Girls and Women who Science, who love robotics and engineering and braining their ways out of messes.
- Space royalty! Illegal Clones! Mercenary Hybrids! Cute kitchen timer bots!
- A slow burn F/F relationship that maaay have a hint of Ace-spec...
- A forged family who will fight tooth, nail, and wire for each other.
What you get in OVER THE MOON:
- A wizard of Oz retelling set in SPACE!
- Girls and Women who Science, who love robotics and engineering and braining their ways out of messes.
- Space royalty! Illegal Clones! Mercenary Hybrids! Cute kitchen timer bots!
- A slow burn F/F relationship that maaay have a hint of Ace-spec...
- A forged family who will fight tooth, nail, and wire for each other.
January 10, 2023
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, gun violence, blood, injury, murder, death, vehicle accident, vomit
--
Over the Moon is such a fun and fresh retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, honestly giving this story a sci-fi twist was so perfect!
As an illegal clone of the galactic princess, Dora has spent her life in hiding on a far off farming moon. With a love for fixing machines and gadgets her dream of becoming an engineer seems far off. That is until the princess gets murdered, providing Dora with a chance to finally have a life of her own. Or so she thinks..
When an incident involving a harvester ship blows her cover and puts her family in danger, Dora’s getaway doesn’t go as planned and lands her in the isolated Outer Zone. To make things worse she crashes and kills the Technowitch of the Night. Without many options Dora sets off to find the Technomage, with the hope that he can help her find her way back. Her quest leads her to some unlikely companions, a handful of foes and truths about the wider universe which change everything.
Elements from the classic slotted into the worldbuilding and the original plot so well and Anderson’s writing has a wonderful flow to it that immerses you into the story and setting almost immediately. To add to that the wider world/universe felt so well established and lived in, I was fascinated by all the details and history that we learn. New twists and surprises that popped up as the story progressed also added an intriguing new direction to this well-loved adventure.
I’m always going to love a protagonist, particularly a female one who has a background in STEM. Dora was inspiring to follow and I really loved the supporting characters too. Again I thought the parallels to the characters from the classic and how they were reinterpreted to fit to this new story and universe was so clever.
The science and tech involved felt plausible but also never got too overly complicated. In fact the overall themes and tropes gave this story a very Lunar Chronicles type feel so if you’re a fan of that series then you’re bound to love this!
The story overall was quite fast paced and took place over a short-ish time period so I do think the romance side of things happened a little fast. That aside I am completely invested in seeing what happens next particularly with how the end suggested there is more to come so I really hope we are going to get a sequel!
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars
**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, gun violence, blood, injury, murder, death, vehicle accident, vomit
--
Over the Moon is such a fun and fresh retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, honestly giving this story a sci-fi twist was so perfect!
As an illegal clone of the galactic princess, Dora has spent her life in hiding on a far off farming moon. With a love for fixing machines and gadgets her dream of becoming an engineer seems far off. That is until the princess gets murdered, providing Dora with a chance to finally have a life of her own. Or so she thinks..
When an incident involving a harvester ship blows her cover and puts her family in danger, Dora’s getaway doesn’t go as planned and lands her in the isolated Outer Zone. To make things worse she crashes and kills the Technowitch of the Night. Without many options Dora sets off to find the Technomage, with the hope that he can help her find her way back. Her quest leads her to some unlikely companions, a handful of foes and truths about the wider universe which change everything.
Elements from the classic slotted into the worldbuilding and the original plot so well and Anderson’s writing has a wonderful flow to it that immerses you into the story and setting almost immediately. To add to that the wider world/universe felt so well established and lived in, I was fascinated by all the details and history that we learn. New twists and surprises that popped up as the story progressed also added an intriguing new direction to this well-loved adventure.
“After all, you don’t need a spaceship to see other worlds when you have a well-stocked library.”
I’m always going to love a protagonist, particularly a female one who has a background in STEM. Dora was inspiring to follow and I really loved the supporting characters too. Again I thought the parallels to the characters from the classic and how they were reinterpreted to fit to this new story and universe was so clever.
The science and tech involved felt plausible but also never got too overly complicated. In fact the overall themes and tropes gave this story a very Lunar Chronicles type feel so if you’re a fan of that series then you’re bound to love this!
The story overall was quite fast paced and took place over a short-ish time period so I do think the romance side of things happened a little fast. That aside I am completely invested in seeing what happens next particularly with how the end suggested there is more to come so I really hope we are going to get a sequel!
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars
June 1, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded up
First of all huge thanks to Sea Breeze Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of the book in exchange of a honest review. All thoughts are my own.
So, the moment I first saw this book I was sold. Sapphic romance? Wizard of Oz retelling? SCI-FI? Yeah, many things I liked mixed together. It was really fast paced at the beginning and I was reading this book before going to sleep and first thing in the morning and just eating it up, I do admit that it went a little slower around the 50-60% of the book but it soon picked up better. AND THE LAST PART OF THE BOOK? I was just trying to understand what was happening with so many plot twists all over the place.
But first thing firsts, what is Over the Moon about?
Our main character, Dora, is a fabulous engineer who is living in a small moon with her Auntie, her Uncle and her little cousins. However, she's an illegal clone of princess Jo'Niss, so she's not allowed to leave the moon. That thought scares her, Dora wants to live, go to university, explore the universe, create more droids and AIs, but she can't, because if she goes out of that moon she's most likely to get killed.
Of course at some moment she tries to escape but if I tell you more details about that it would be a spoiler so read the book and find out for yourself.
One thing I really enjoyed is the annoyance to lovers with the main pairing, and the found family trope in this book, is really simple to pass the time but it transports you to another world. I really think people should give it a try.
First of all huge thanks to Sea Breeze Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of the book in exchange of a honest review. All thoughts are my own.
So, the moment I first saw this book I was sold. Sapphic romance? Wizard of Oz retelling? SCI-FI? Yeah, many things I liked mixed together. It was really fast paced at the beginning and I was reading this book before going to sleep and first thing in the morning and just eating it up, I do admit that it went a little slower around the 50-60% of the book but it soon picked up better. AND THE LAST PART OF THE BOOK? I was just trying to understand what was happening with so many plot twists all over the place.
But first thing firsts, what is Over the Moon about?
Our main character, Dora, is a fabulous engineer who is living in a small moon with her Auntie, her Uncle and her little cousins. However, she's an illegal clone of princess Jo'Niss, so she's not allowed to leave the moon. That thought scares her, Dora wants to live, go to university, explore the universe, create more droids and AIs, but she can't, because if she goes out of that moon she's most likely to get killed.
Of course at some moment she tries to escape but if I tell you more details about that it would be a spoiler so read the book and find out for yourself.
One thing I really enjoyed is the annoyance to lovers with the main pairing, and the found family trope in this book, is really simple to pass the time but it transports you to another world. I really think people should give it a try.
January 14, 2023
Over the Moon is a futuristic retelling of the classic tale, The Wizard of Oz. I haven’t watched or read the original novel in quite some time, but Anderson does a wonderful job at keeping the original story while adding new layers.
The four characters who made up the famed quartet are easily recognizable from the moment they are introduced, and I loved the creativeness. Dora and her family live on a small farming moon, and from the very first chapter, you’re able to sink right into the story.
With magic, Technowitches, a wonderful STEM loving main character, new species and romance, this is a retelling that all sci-fi fans will love. Also, can we talk about the front cover?? Absolutely stunning.
Thank you to NetGalley, Sea Breeze Publishing and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The four characters who made up the famed quartet are easily recognizable from the moment they are introduced, and I loved the creativeness. Dora and her family live on a small farming moon, and from the very first chapter, you’re able to sink right into the story.
With magic, Technowitches, a wonderful STEM loving main character, new species and romance, this is a retelling that all sci-fi fans will love. Also, can we talk about the front cover?? Absolutely stunning.
Thank you to NetGalley, Sea Breeze Publishing and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 9, 2023
So much fun!!
Loved all the Wizard of Oz references but all made sci-fi with space travel, genetic clones, galactic royalty and robots.
The whole robot engineering also seemed really interesting to me and well researched.
Honestly I cant to see what happens next!
I talk about books here: Instagram / TikTok / Linktree
Loved all the Wizard of Oz references but all made sci-fi with space travel, genetic clones, galactic royalty and robots.
The whole robot engineering also seemed really interesting to me and well researched.
Honestly I cant to see what happens next!
I talk about books here: Instagram / TikTok / Linktree
January 13, 2023
Dora lives an isolated life on a small farming moon. As an illegal clone of the galactic princess she can never show her face to anyone outside of her family. Dora loves machines and gadgets, and she's built a bot out of a kitchen-timer. She wishes she could go to university to learn more, but that seems impossible. One day Dora is careless and gets recognised. When she flees in panic she ends up deep in the Outer Zone - landing on top of the Technowitch of Night, killing her in the process.
This is a sci-fi retelling of The Wizard of Oz, with steampunk elements! Dora is of course Dorothy, who needs help from the great Technomage to get home again. The bot Tau represents Toto, the dog. On their way to the mage, who lives on his Emerald moon, they are accompanied by Crow (Scarecrow), a young woman who's been cryogenically-preserved and lost her memories. Along the way they pick up Nemo (Tin Man), a droid without a purpose, and Nekkan (Cowardly Lion), a bioengineered beast who's been separated from his pack. They all hope that the Technomage can help them.
This is a fun and different twist on Oz! I like the steampunk elements, and Tau is just the cutest little bot! We get both anticipated and unexpected scenes, and I believe it's best not knowing too much before starting to read. Even if you don't normally read sci-fi I think "Over the Moon" will work for you. If you enjoy "The Wizard of Oz" you'll probably enjoy this book!
* I received an ARC from the author and I'm giving my honest review. *
This is a sci-fi retelling of The Wizard of Oz, with steampunk elements! Dora is of course Dorothy, who needs help from the great Technomage to get home again. The bot Tau represents Toto, the dog. On their way to the mage, who lives on his Emerald moon, they are accompanied by Crow (Scarecrow), a young woman who's been cryogenically-preserved and lost her memories. Along the way they pick up Nemo (Tin Man), a droid without a purpose, and Nekkan (Cowardly Lion), a bioengineered beast who's been separated from his pack. They all hope that the Technomage can help them.
This is a fun and different twist on Oz! I like the steampunk elements, and Tau is just the cutest little bot! We get both anticipated and unexpected scenes, and I believe it's best not knowing too much before starting to read. Even if you don't normally read sci-fi I think "Over the Moon" will work for you. If you enjoy "The Wizard of Oz" you'll probably enjoy this book!
* I received an ARC from the author and I'm giving my honest review. *
January 8, 2023
A big thank you to NetGalley for an arc, in exchange for an honest review.
*There are mild spoilers throughout this review.*
Going into this, I somehow missed that this was both a "Wizard of Oz” retelling (seems somewhat important to know) and that it was sapphic (!!!!!!), but I’m very glad I went into it not knowing this. I don’t have any strong opinions of the Wizard of Oz but Anderson is heavy handed on the references throughout and I think knowing that might have deterred me from ever picking this up but I'm glad I did.
Over the Moon is split into four parts. Part I sets up our storyline and introduces our main character and the world. It took me until Part II to really get into the story for a few reasons but the main one being that everything felt like an info-dump and completely out of place. While I understsand trying to introduce characters, conflict, and world building, I think it could have flowed a little better. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the dialogue to begin with but as the story progressed, conversation flowed much better and I was able to get a better feel of the characters’ personalities through their comments and conversations. The worldbuilding followed a similar sort of arc and by the end, I felt that Anderson did such an amazing job with the backstory for this universe and the characters she has created.
As we progress into Part II and III, we really see the characters developing, especially Dora, our main character. In Part I, she felt impulsive however, as we gained more information on her situation and start to see her problem solving skills and personality shine through, even in the face of the conflict, I really started rooting for her. Dora has spent her entire life up to this point sheltered and tucked away only to be quite literally thrust into a new world full of very interesting people including her eventual entourage.
I. Loved. Crow. and I’m very excited to get more information on her as the series (?) progresses! Nemo, in my opinion, is the funniest character of them all. I love Tau. I hope he is resurrected. I have no strong opinions on Nekkan other than he has Himbo energy. I do think they add a lot to the story and really pull you in as you progress through the last two parts.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“Sunlight trickles onto her face, revealing every tiny freckle, speckling her cheeks like constellations. I want to draw them, to chart the skies with them.”
"Well this isn't Nesworth anymore."
So to sum, I really enjoyed this!! I am so excited to see where this series (hopefully!) takes us next.
*There are mild spoilers throughout this review.*
Going into this, I somehow missed that this was both a "Wizard of Oz” retelling (seems somewhat important to know) and that it was sapphic (!!!!!!), but I’m very glad I went into it not knowing this. I don’t have any strong opinions of the Wizard of Oz but Anderson is heavy handed on the references throughout and I think knowing that might have deterred me from ever picking this up but I'm glad I did.
Over the Moon is split into four parts. Part I sets up our storyline and introduces our main character and the world. It took me until Part II to really get into the story for a few reasons but the main one being that everything felt like an info-dump and completely out of place. While I understsand trying to introduce characters, conflict, and world building, I think it could have flowed a little better. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the dialogue to begin with but as the story progressed, conversation flowed much better and I was able to get a better feel of the characters’ personalities through their comments and conversations. The worldbuilding followed a similar sort of arc and by the end, I felt that Anderson did such an amazing job with the backstory for this universe and the characters she has created.
As we progress into Part II and III, we really see the characters developing, especially Dora, our main character. In Part I, she felt impulsive however, as we gained more information on her situation and start to see her problem solving skills and personality shine through, even in the face of the conflict, I really started rooting for her. Dora has spent her entire life up to this point sheltered and tucked away only to be quite literally thrust into a new world full of very interesting people including her eventual entourage.
I. Loved. Crow. and I’m very excited to get more information on her as the series (?) progresses! Nemo, in my opinion, is the funniest character of them all. I love Tau. I hope he is resurrected. I have no strong opinions on Nekkan other than he has Himbo energy. I do think they add a lot to the story and really pull you in as you progress through the last two parts.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“Sunlight trickles onto her face, revealing every tiny freckle, speckling her cheeks like constellations. I want to draw them, to chart the skies with them.”
"Well this isn't Nesworth anymore."
So to sum, I really enjoyed this!! I am so excited to see where this series (hopefully!) takes us next.
January 18, 2023
i really enjoyed this book. it was funny, has a grumpy x sunshine aspect and the found family trope. nymphodora is a very humorous protagonist. the plot was a little slow to begin with but once the world was laid out and the story caught up i couldn’t get enough. the quest had so many twists and unexpected outcomes it definitely had me on edge wondering what would happen next. the ending wrapped up nicely and can definitely be read as a stand-alone (not sure if this will be made a series or not) i definitely recommend if you enjoy sci-fi and playful banter.
January 10, 2023
Amazing book, plenty of action adventure and mystery.
Amazing characters to match the amazing environment/world this book is based in.
Story was very engaging with plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested. Definitely looking forward to any further books by this author and based in this world.
Amazing characters to match the amazing environment/world this book is based in.
Story was very engaging with plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested. Definitely looking forward to any further books by this author and based in this world.
April 4, 2023
I won a copy of this book from the author through an MTMC Tours giveaway.
This was an interesting reimagining of the Wizard of Oz set in space. Somehow I missed that in the description....it was fun to make the connections after the first couple of chapters! The plot follows the WoO fairly closely, but there are some interesting twists. I was a bit disappointed when the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, setting up for book two (but again, the series was probably mentioned somewhere in the description that I didn't read closely).
I thnk Tau was my absolutely favorite character, and I do hope Dora can put him back together!
This was an interesting reimagining of the Wizard of Oz set in space. Somehow I missed that in the description....it was fun to make the connections after the first couple of chapters! The plot follows the WoO fairly closely, but there are some interesting twists. I was a bit disappointed when the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, setting up for book two (but again, the series was probably mentioned somewhere in the description that I didn't read closely).
I thnk Tau was my absolutely favorite character, and I do hope Dora can put him back together!
December 12, 2022
Over The Moon is a really fun sci-fi adventure and a retelling of the classic The Wizard of Oz by S.E. Anderson. Despite being a book defined as sci-fi, it could be well classified in that limbo where science-fantasy lies, as we are going to see a really advance universe, where the technology has greatly evolved, becoming at some points indistinguishable from magic.
We are going to be following Dora, a seventeen years old girl who lives in Newsport with her "family", dreaming of being able to assist at University and continue developing herself as a tech expert. But at the same time, if she's living there with her family, is because she was part of the clone batch of the princess, and should have been terminated once the perfect one was selected, being saved by those she considers her family.
Not an idyllic situation, but certainly, if things can go worse, they will. After a series of fortuitous encounters, being discovered as the illegal clone of the princess, she gets kidnapped by a spacecraft with only Tau as company, resulting in the spacecraft landing literally on the North Tecnowitch (adding that on top of an unknown planet). Here's where the big retelling part starts, a crazy adventure where Dora will make friends and enemies, and will discover some secrets about the past of this world.
Retellings are a difficult beast to consider. On one hand, you need to keep enough elements to make the story easy to recognise, but at the same time, it needs original elements. Anderson makes a great job in this aspect, as despite The Wizard of Oz being still there, is something you can appreciate, the whole new layer makes it a really hooking story. The characters are quite unique, even those that land into the archetypes from the original story have their own twist.
During the whole adventure, there are several surprises that keep it fresh. On top of that, the final quarter of the novel opens a new arc that lets us see the real scope of the story told, letting things ready for a sequel. The universe in this novel is vibrant and full of quirky technological elements, that also help to open the debate on certain themes such as clonation and IAs, controversial nowadays.
Over The Moon is an example of how to craft a good retelling, a book that you can pick by its cover and that will keep you hooked until the end, and that will also make you laugh several times. An excellent sci-fi adventure whose sequel can't come soon enough.
We are going to be following Dora, a seventeen years old girl who lives in Newsport with her "family", dreaming of being able to assist at University and continue developing herself as a tech expert. But at the same time, if she's living there with her family, is because she was part of the clone batch of the princess, and should have been terminated once the perfect one was selected, being saved by those she considers her family.
Not an idyllic situation, but certainly, if things can go worse, they will. After a series of fortuitous encounters, being discovered as the illegal clone of the princess, she gets kidnapped by a spacecraft with only Tau as company, resulting in the spacecraft landing literally on the North Tecnowitch (adding that on top of an unknown planet). Here's where the big retelling part starts, a crazy adventure where Dora will make friends and enemies, and will discover some secrets about the past of this world.
Retellings are a difficult beast to consider. On one hand, you need to keep enough elements to make the story easy to recognise, but at the same time, it needs original elements. Anderson makes a great job in this aspect, as despite The Wizard of Oz being still there, is something you can appreciate, the whole new layer makes it a really hooking story. The characters are quite unique, even those that land into the archetypes from the original story have their own twist.
During the whole adventure, there are several surprises that keep it fresh. On top of that, the final quarter of the novel opens a new arc that lets us see the real scope of the story told, letting things ready for a sequel. The universe in this novel is vibrant and full of quirky technological elements, that also help to open the debate on certain themes such as clonation and IAs, controversial nowadays.
Over The Moon is an example of how to craft a good retelling, a book that you can pick by its cover and that will keep you hooked until the end, and that will also make you laugh several times. An excellent sci-fi adventure whose sequel can't come soon enough.
February 8, 2023
When I was in elementary school, The Wizard of Oz, and all the many sequel books, were my favorites. When I first started reading YA, I started with Cinder by Marissa Meyer and I fell in love with that world too.
Over the Moon is both of those swirled into a delightful, unique sci-fi adventure. At first I wasn't sure where the story was going, but then I started see references to The Wizard of Oz, and I liked putting the pieces together, finding pieces of the original in this great retelling that kept me wondering what would happen next.
I recommend Over to Moon to Marisa Meyer fans, retelling fans, and anyone who wants just a bit of that Oz magic. It was a really good book
Thank you Net Galley and S E Anderson for the arc, all thoughts in this review are my own
Over the Moon is both of those swirled into a delightful, unique sci-fi adventure. At first I wasn't sure where the story was going, but then I started see references to The Wizard of Oz, and I liked putting the pieces together, finding pieces of the original in this great retelling that kept me wondering what would happen next.
I recommend Over to Moon to Marisa Meyer fans, retelling fans, and anyone who wants just a bit of that Oz magic. It was a really good book
Thank you Net Galley and S E Anderson for the arc, all thoughts in this review are my own
December 11, 2022
Inspired by
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
, but in a space-opera setting. Rewrites of classic stories are hit or miss for me; this one mostly hit, with decent character work and a plot that doesn't rely too closely on its original.
The Dorothy character, Dora, has been raised on a corn-farming moon a long way from anywhere, told by her Aunt Emery and Uncle Wae that she is an illegal clone of the princess of the settled galaxy. She escapes danger in a ship that, flying automatically, crashes on and kills a technowitch, the daughter of the great mage, and must travel to see the mage in order to take him his daughter's locket and hopefully obtain a way to return home (where her family may be in danger).
Accompanying her are a woman with no memory who's been used by one of the other technowitches as a scarecrow while still in cryonic suspension; an apparently conscious AI; and a genetically engineered, lion-like super-soldier. Also Tau, Dora's pet mini AI, which she's constructed with her self-taught engineering skills, filling the Toto role.
There are plenty of antagonists along the way, which the group struggle against with courage and resourcefulness. The pacing, for me, was fine. There are several twists to the plot, too, which raise the stakes for Dora and end up setting up for a sequel.
There were occasional challenges to my suspension of disbelief. Not just the usual space-opera nonsense (easier to leave earth than fix it, lost the way back, wormholes AND cryonic suspension, single-biome planets, technology that's advanced in some areas (humanlike AI) but old-fashioned even by today's standards in others (printed books), technologically advanced genius engineers working almost alone in a location remote from the centre of things); at one point the super-soldier, carrying the rest of the group, climbs up a space elevator without a spacesuit in a time period that seems to be measured in, at most, tens of minutes, rather than the weeks that climbing any realistic space elevator would take, if that was even possible. (It's not made clear what the gravity is or the size of the bodies concerned, but synchronous orbit, which is where a space elevator needs to be anchored, is typically tens of thousands of kilometers high.) I guess when you're rewriting a children's fantasy that's more than a century old as space opera, a bit of unlikeliness is expected, but I did feel like the space elevator climb pushed it too far.
I read a pre-release version via Netgalley, and it contained a number of typos that spellcheck would not catch, because they were valid words, but not the words the author meant; these are particularly challenging for an editor to find, and I expect that some of them will make it into the published version. That, along with the sometimes unlikely details, drags it down to the Bronze tier of my Best of the Year for 2022, but that's still a recommendation, based on the strength of the storytelling.
The Dorothy character, Dora, has been raised on a corn-farming moon a long way from anywhere, told by her Aunt Emery and Uncle Wae that she is an illegal clone of the princess of the settled galaxy. She escapes danger in a ship that, flying automatically, crashes on and kills a technowitch, the daughter of the great mage, and must travel to see the mage in order to take him his daughter's locket and hopefully obtain a way to return home (where her family may be in danger).
Accompanying her are a woman with no memory who's been used by one of the other technowitches as a scarecrow while still in cryonic suspension; an apparently conscious AI; and a genetically engineered, lion-like super-soldier. Also Tau, Dora's pet mini AI, which she's constructed with her self-taught engineering skills, filling the Toto role.
There are plenty of antagonists along the way, which the group struggle against with courage and resourcefulness. The pacing, for me, was fine. There are several twists to the plot, too, which raise the stakes for Dora and end up setting up for a sequel.
There were occasional challenges to my suspension of disbelief. Not just the usual space-opera nonsense (easier to leave earth than fix it, lost the way back, wormholes AND cryonic suspension, single-biome planets, technology that's advanced in some areas (humanlike AI) but old-fashioned even by today's standards in others (printed books), technologically advanced genius engineers working almost alone in a location remote from the centre of things); at one point the super-soldier, carrying the rest of the group, climbs up a space elevator without a spacesuit in a time period that seems to be measured in, at most, tens of minutes, rather than the weeks that climbing any realistic space elevator would take, if that was even possible. (It's not made clear what the gravity is or the size of the bodies concerned, but synchronous orbit, which is where a space elevator needs to be anchored, is typically tens of thousands of kilometers high.) I guess when you're rewriting a children's fantasy that's more than a century old as space opera, a bit of unlikeliness is expected, but I did feel like the space elevator climb pushed it too far.
I read a pre-release version via Netgalley, and it contained a number of typos that spellcheck would not catch, because they were valid words, but not the words the author meant; these are particularly challenging for an editor to find, and I expect that some of them will make it into the published version. That, along with the sometimes unlikely details, drags it down to the Bronze tier of my Best of the Year for 2022, but that's still a recommendation, based on the strength of the storytelling.
January 11, 2023
I received this book for free from Author, MTMC Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. You can also find this review at The Reader and the Chef + creative content based on the book!
“And if they find you—run. Run to the end of the road and don’t look back.”
After a literal crashing disappointment, Dora finds herself in a whole new planet to explore. She has lived her entire life in hiding and all she wanted was to attend university and pursue her dream of becoming a high tech engineer. And the thing is that it’s not easy being an illegal clone to the Sylvarian System’s (their universe) adored Princess, and it got worse for Dora after the tragic death of said Princess Jo’Niss.
“I’ve wanted to be free—well, here I am. Hello universe, up close and personal, my own front-row seat to the stars.”
Dora is amazing! She’s someone that has been forced to live in shadow, and the moment she decides to take her future in her own hands, she’s forced to flee for her life. I completely understood her motivation to pursue her dreams and her exasperation of not being able to since she had to hide her identity. With a huge passion for robotics, a likable personality and her enthusiasm of exploring the outside world, Dora is a character that is hard not to love. Plus, her pet robot Tau is the absolute cutest, together they make a great team!
“Somewhere over the moon, over the solar system, light years away, there has to be a better place than this. A place where I can show my face without fear of retribution.”
Over the Moon is a loose retelling of The Wizard of Oz in a futuristic world that also crashes with the old world, but with its unique twists that makes this sci-fi fantasy into such an enjoyable read. The characters are outstanding, Dora gets to travel with three other companions and she gets to meet them one by one and learning a bit of their backstory & motivations was definitely a highlight for me. Dora, Crow, Nemo and Nekkan share the mission of meeting the Technomage, to see if he can help with each of their personal goals/struggles. And together they set off in the hopes to find him.
I was charmed by this story! Over the Moon is an exciting read, character driven, with a bit of romance and friendship bonds that will leave you smiling. I was so invested in their story and I just kept wishing for Dora to thrive. Excited to see where her story is headed, as the book ended in such a promising note!
“And if they find you—run. Run to the end of the road and don’t look back.”
After a literal crashing disappointment, Dora finds herself in a whole new planet to explore. She has lived her entire life in hiding and all she wanted was to attend university and pursue her dream of becoming a high tech engineer. And the thing is that it’s not easy being an illegal clone to the Sylvarian System’s (their universe) adored Princess, and it got worse for Dora after the tragic death of said Princess Jo’Niss.
“I’ve wanted to be free—well, here I am. Hello universe, up close and personal, my own front-row seat to the stars.”
Dora is amazing! She’s someone that has been forced to live in shadow, and the moment she decides to take her future in her own hands, she’s forced to flee for her life. I completely understood her motivation to pursue her dreams and her exasperation of not being able to since she had to hide her identity. With a huge passion for robotics, a likable personality and her enthusiasm of exploring the outside world, Dora is a character that is hard not to love. Plus, her pet robot Tau is the absolute cutest, together they make a great team!
“Somewhere over the moon, over the solar system, light years away, there has to be a better place than this. A place where I can show my face without fear of retribution.”
Over the Moon is a loose retelling of The Wizard of Oz in a futuristic world that also crashes with the old world, but with its unique twists that makes this sci-fi fantasy into such an enjoyable read. The characters are outstanding, Dora gets to travel with three other companions and she gets to meet them one by one and learning a bit of their backstory & motivations was definitely a highlight for me. Dora, Crow, Nemo and Nekkan share the mission of meeting the Technomage, to see if he can help with each of their personal goals/struggles. And together they set off in the hopes to find him.
I was charmed by this story! Over the Moon is an exciting read, character driven, with a bit of romance and friendship bonds that will leave you smiling. I was so invested in their story and I just kept wishing for Dora to thrive. Excited to see where her story is headed, as the book ended in such a promising note!
December 4, 2022
When the epic sci-fi genius of "The Lunar Chronicles" meets the wonderful classic, "Wizard of Oz" in the brilliant mind of author S.E. Anderson, you get "Over the Moon." The protagonist Dora finds herself at the heart of a "centuries-old" universe-altering scheme where she has to connect complex constellations while trying to keep her head. Despite very obvious sci-fi content, this story bridges the gap between sci-fi and fantasy, where "science has advanced to be indistinguishable from magic." Anderson's magical talent places the audience directly in the thick of alien worlds, moons, and experiences that could be imagined by no other. If you like mind-blowing adventure, magic, and the chance of life outside our solar system, this book provides. I cannot wait to get "Down to Earth" with the next part of Dora's adventure! Bring it on!
December 20, 2022
Received a copy from netgalley (thank you!)
First of all, this is a Wizard of Oz retelling. Nowhere before reading did I see that information, but it becomes pretty clear pretty quickly. While the plot is still a bit different (I mean, obviously, it's a galactic quest), once you know it's the wizard of oz, it loses a lot of its appeal, or at least it did for me. It became predictable and boring. My favorite parts were the beginning and end that didn't have direct wizard of oz relevance.
The beginning and end felt like one story, then the wizard of oz was mashed in the middle and I don't feel that it made the book better. I would have been more interested in the plot if it had legs on its own.
That being said, this is a YA book and it shows, so take all that with a grain of salt. The romance is sapphic (yay!) though I didn't pick up on much sparks between the characters. Hopefully there will be more in later books. Definitely some interesting twists, but they were all revealed in the last two chapters which makes me more interested in the following book in the series than this one.
All in all, if you're a teenager reading this, it's probably fairly enjoyable. If your an adult who enjoys reading YA fiction, this may not be the best for you. If you like Cinder by Marissa Meyer, you'll probably enjoy this book. The science fiction is palatable and easy to understand, ideal for younger audiences.
First of all, this is a Wizard of Oz retelling. Nowhere before reading did I see that information, but it becomes pretty clear pretty quickly. While the plot is still a bit different (I mean, obviously, it's a galactic quest), once you know it's the wizard of oz, it loses a lot of its appeal, or at least it did for me. It became predictable and boring. My favorite parts were the beginning and end that didn't have direct wizard of oz relevance.
The beginning and end felt like one story, then the wizard of oz was mashed in the middle and I don't feel that it made the book better. I would have been more interested in the plot if it had legs on its own.
That being said, this is a YA book and it shows, so take all that with a grain of salt. The romance is sapphic (yay!) though I didn't pick up on much sparks between the characters. Hopefully there will be more in later books. Definitely some interesting twists, but they were all revealed in the last two chapters which makes me more interested in the following book in the series than this one.
All in all, if you're a teenager reading this, it's probably fairly enjoyable. If your an adult who enjoys reading YA fiction, this may not be the best for you. If you like Cinder by Marissa Meyer, you'll probably enjoy this book. The science fiction is palatable and easy to understand, ideal for younger audiences.
January 31, 2023
Sci-fi retelling of The Wizard of Oz? Count me in!
Before I get into just how brilliant this book is, can I just say I am now desperately (and very impatiently!) awaiting a sequel.
The overall story of the book, you think you know it. The thread of the standard WoO quest… you know it.
Or so you think.
In actual fact, this is so much more of a retelling. This book is a complete sci-fi fun-fest all in its own right. The whole building is incredible, and so compelling. Every spin on the original story is well thought and well executed. Plot pacing works well, though a lot of action takes place in the last quarter - certainly leaving you wanting much more but in a good way.
The slow burn strangers-turned-friends-turned-feelings is cute to read; and the characters are a lot of fun.
Everyone needs a little Tau in their life!
Can’t wait for the sequel.
Before I get into just how brilliant this book is, can I just say I am now desperately (and very impatiently!) awaiting a sequel.
The overall story of the book, you think you know it. The thread of the standard WoO quest… you know it.
Or so you think.
In actual fact, this is so much more of a retelling. This book is a complete sci-fi fun-fest all in its own right. The whole building is incredible, and so compelling. Every spin on the original story is well thought and well executed. Plot pacing works well, though a lot of action takes place in the last quarter - certainly leaving you wanting much more but in a good way.
The slow burn strangers-turned-friends-turned-feelings is cute to read; and the characters are a lot of fun.
Everyone needs a little Tau in their life!
Can’t wait for the sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2023
I’ve always loved Anderson’s work and when I saw this one up for pre-order, I knew I had to pick it up. I adored Dora, the world building, the characters that all came together and were so real they jumped off the page. The twists and turns through the story will keep you guessing and make you wonder what comes next, and every single time it’ll blow your mind. An amazing retelling of Wizard of Oz, and done in a way that is delightfully enjoyable. Very much recommended to all who love sci-fi and magic!
December 22, 2022
Although the book started off slow, it got my full attention as soon as Dora arrived in O.Z. I found the sci-fi world of Oz charming and entertaining, and it was really fun to see the story I know so well transformed into this high-tech version. The characters truly embody the found family trope, and they all added their own aspects to the overall story.
My one big issue is the fact that the story goes from a retelling that sticks close to the original story, only to then take a left turn and do it’s own thing. It gave me a bit of reading whiplash, and I feel like this change could have been prepared for earlier in the story.
Overall I had a fun time with this book, and it’s worth a read if you either like sci-fi or The Wizard of Oz. Or just retellings in general.
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Thank you to NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
My one big issue is the fact that the story goes from a retelling that sticks close to the original story, only to then take a left turn and do it’s own thing. It gave me a bit of reading whiplash, and I feel like this change could have been prepared for earlier in the story.
Overall I had a fun time with this book, and it’s worth a read if you either like sci-fi or The Wizard of Oz. Or just retellings in general.
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Thank you to NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2022
What a fun sci-fi adventure! I was lucky to read an advance copy of Over the Moon before it's release, and the way S.E. Anderson weaves this high-tech quest is as original as it is familiar. Like a mash-up of The Wizard of Oz and Firefly, this is a great read if you like steampunk ingenuity, the mystical truths of science, and the danger of epic adventures.
One of my favorite books by author S.E. Anderson so far, and I can't wait to see what comes next!
One of my favorite books by author S.E. Anderson so far, and I can't wait to see what comes next!
December 31, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This queer space Wizard of Oz retelling is one of the best retelling I have read yet!
I absolutely loved how it was a retelling but at the same time was its own story. I loved the twists and turns, the enemies to lovers sapphic romance, the found family of our Dora (Dorothy), Tau (Toto), Crow (scarecrow), Nemo (Tinman) and Nekkan ( The cowardly lion)
The story had me sucked in from the start. The plot line still following the original, but also not. It was it's own story and I was hooked from page one.
I can't wait for book 2. Give it to me now. Please.
I recieved a free ebook from Netgalley. I leave this review voluntarily.
This queer space Wizard of Oz retelling is one of the best retelling I have read yet!
I absolutely loved how it was a retelling but at the same time was its own story. I loved the twists and turns, the enemies to lovers sapphic romance, the found family of our Dora (Dorothy), Tau (Toto), Crow (scarecrow), Nemo (Tinman) and Nekkan ( The cowardly lion)
The story had me sucked in from the start. The plot line still following the original, but also not. It was it's own story and I was hooked from page one.
I can't wait for book 2. Give it to me now. Please.
I recieved a free ebook from Netgalley. I leave this review voluntarily.
December 3, 2022
I was very fortunate to get an ARC of this book in return for an honest review. This is a really fun retelling of The Wizard of Oz with a definite sci fi twist and a (I'm assuming) bi MC which was neat to see. Cloning, robots, AI and hyperspace meets a complete homage to Oz though of course in the author's voice. I am really looking forward to the second part.
January 11, 2023
I recieved an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the Wizard of Oz theme might make it too predictable, but it worked out well. It was original enough to be an interesting read. The ending was good, it wrapped up some things,and set up a new goal for the next book.
Overall, This book was better than I expected.
January 25, 2023
Over the Moon by S. E. Anderson
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC ebook for an unbiased review.
This is a YA book that is a retelling of The Wizard of Oz, but as a queer Space opera.
This is the sort of book had I read it in my teens, early 20's, I would have so grateful for it.
Yes, it has obvious connections to The wizard of Oz, but the world building and overall plotline were fantastic. The depth SE Anderson manages considering it is a retelling was surprisingly effective.
Some of it was predicable, yet there were also moments that weren't. Not at easy balance to strike. I think that's what the book managed best for me. Balance. It had Dora in a situation that could easily have become a bit of a a trite or hackneyed plot, and it became neither.
This was engaging, vivid, with a gentle balance of queer romance dropped in.
Overall a very satisfying and satisfactory read.
5/5 stars 🌟
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC ebook for an unbiased review.
This is a YA book that is a retelling of The Wizard of Oz, but as a queer Space opera.
This is the sort of book had I read it in my teens, early 20's, I would have so grateful for it.
Yes, it has obvious connections to The wizard of Oz, but the world building and overall plotline were fantastic. The depth SE Anderson manages considering it is a retelling was surprisingly effective.
Some of it was predicable, yet there were also moments that weren't. Not at easy balance to strike. I think that's what the book managed best for me. Balance. It had Dora in a situation that could easily have become a bit of a a trite or hackneyed plot, and it became neither.
This was engaging, vivid, with a gentle balance of queer romance dropped in.
Overall a very satisfying and satisfactory read.
5/5 stars 🌟
February 9, 2023
Over The Moon tells the story of Dora, the illegal batch clone of a dead princess, who is forced to live a sheltered life on a boring farming planet and conceal her face in the presence of strangers, lest she be recognised and executed. All Dora has ever wanted is to get off Nesworth and study engineering at university, but her aunt and uncle are determined to keep her hidden for the rest of her life.
When a chance encounter offers Dora the opportunity to escape, she takes it... but things go horribly wrong and she ends up transported to a completely different planet, far from everything and everyone she's ever known. Trapped in the Outer Zone, she must find the elusive Technomage and convince him to send her home before something bad happens to her family.
I loved this book for a number of reasons. First of all, the Wizard of Oz is a childhood favourite of mine, and I think S.E.Anderson does a wonderful job paying tribute to the original book, all while creating an immersive tale that also stands on its own two feet. Second, because the writing flows in a way that carries you effortlessly through the story, even if science-fiction isn't normally your jam. The author really knows her stuff, when it comes to astrophysics, and it shows. I was a bit worried I would struggle with all the tech-speak, but she somehow manages to present everything in a compelling and accessible way.
I really hope there's going to be a sequel, because I want more more more!
When a chance encounter offers Dora the opportunity to escape, she takes it... but things go horribly wrong and she ends up transported to a completely different planet, far from everything and everyone she's ever known. Trapped in the Outer Zone, she must find the elusive Technomage and convince him to send her home before something bad happens to her family.
I loved this book for a number of reasons. First of all, the Wizard of Oz is a childhood favourite of mine, and I think S.E.Anderson does a wonderful job paying tribute to the original book, all while creating an immersive tale that also stands on its own two feet. Second, because the writing flows in a way that carries you effortlessly through the story, even if science-fiction isn't normally your jam. The author really knows her stuff, when it comes to astrophysics, and it shows. I was a bit worried I would struggle with all the tech-speak, but she somehow manages to present everything in a compelling and accessible way.
I really hope there's going to be a sequel, because I want more more more!
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