new sci fi and fantasy novels April 2025 Claire Barner Moon Rising
Moonrising

By Claire Barner

A debut near-future romance, where Sea of Tranquility meets Winter's Orbit, told against the backdrop of the first lunar colony, with a multicultural and LGBTQ+ cast, about a cynical agronomist and charming Emirati businessman who fall in love, and battle eco-terrorists.
Moonrising
By Claire Barner

In 2073, controversial agronomist Dr. Alex Cole has dedicated her life to mutagenetic food, the only solution to feeding a world torn apart by climate change. When fierce opposition from radical environmentalists wipes out her lab funding, a surprising lifeline appears in the form of Mansoor Al Kaabi, a charismatic Emirati businessman who needs a sustainable food supply for his guests on the Moon’s first hotel.

Alex moves to the Moon colony with Mansoor, and they immediately dive into the challenging work. As she smuggles in illegal chickens, fights a vexing tomato fungus, and dreams of olive groves on the Moon, Alex is surprised to find herself falling in love not just with the lunar colony, but with Mansoor, whose vision for the future of the Moon extends far beyond luxury hotels.

Back on Earth, eccentric genius Victor Beard and Mansoor’s younger brother Rashid fight to push the Homestead Act through Congress. Without the support of the US government, they’ll never be able to achieve their goal to relocate humanity to the Moon and secure a second chance for life on Earth.

When eco-terrorists threaten the lunar colony, Alex, Mansoor, Victor, and Rashid must choose what they’re willing to die for–and what they’re really living for. Is it their grandiose visions of saving the planet, or is it each other?

Readers will love...

This is sci-fi grounded in real science, exploring what it might look like to have an established lunar colony, from the challenges of growing a sustainable food source to dealing with the long-term effects of low gravity on the human body.

All the book stats:

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Perfect for fans of...

Sea of Tranquility and Winter's Orbit.

Content warning:

Violence, death, homophobia.

About the Author

Claire Barner

She/her
Claire Barner studied public policy and education at the University of Chicago and has spent her career in operations. She is an avid gardener, on a mission to maximize the number of tomatoes her small bungalow lot can produce. She loves to cook freshly harvested vegetables, mix strong cocktails, and host lively dinner parties. She and her husband are raising three children and love exploring Chicago’s garden walks, lakefront, museums, and forest preserves. For more info, visit clairebarner.com.

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