Ocean of Storms

Stock characters in a stock setting will disappoint readers of this near-future thriller. The entire Earth is rocked by a devastating electromagnetic pulse that kills thousands and creates global panic. After electrical systems come back online, scientists determine that the EMP was caused by something beneath the Moon’s surface, probably the product of alien intelligence. The U.S. and China race to get there first and investigate. There are predictable setbacks along the way for the American effort, indications that not all Americans are on board with the plan, and escalating tensions between the two countries over Taiwan. The astronauts’ discovery of what’s on the Moon will feel anticlimactic to anyone familiar with the genre. The writing is mostly solid, suggesting that given a less derivative story the writers could produce a more satisfying novel, but some distracting lapses and the well-worn plot are discouraging. (Nov.)