Hack Rescue by Tom Kranz

The third stellar novel in Tom Kranz’s Earth-Moon Rescue series, Hack Rescue: Chasing A Cyber Killer is a high-stakes hunt for a vengeful cyber-villain determined to bring a young lunar colony to its knees.

Inexplicable system failures are pushing the population of the Dome to a breaking point, and saving the day once again falls to Chairman Rick and his adorably curious android daughter, Peach. From foul waste management crises and explosive terrorist attacks to robotic suicides and hyper-modern malfunctions, time is rapidly running out for the father-daughter team to keep their moon-bound community safe.

The off-world setting is brilliantly crafted and laced with the sorts of future tech and far-flung details that make any great sci-fi novel shine with creativity, in addition to notable thematic elements that bring the story home. Poignantly, Rick’s lived experience of the devastated 23rd century nudges contemporary readers towards deeper consideration of their own opinions and efforts on anthropogenic climate change. The pervasive presence of AI in the story also offers a prophetic glimpse of our own future, and hints at the inevitable synthesis of humanity and technology.

The conversational style of narration makes the novel hugely accessible, but it can occasionally undercut the seriousness of the stakes with its informality and anachronisms (e.g., Big Macs). Despite these minor tonal inconsistencies, this installment is driven by unpredictable storytelling, vibrant characters, a conspiratorial undercurrent, and deeply meaningful messaging.