The year is 2025. Man is returning to the moon, this time mostly to harvest Helium-3, fuel for the recently discovered fusion reactors that are about to completely revolutionise the energy sector. Lunar expeditions have become much more affordable using billionaire Julian Orley's space elevator. In order to convince investors to help him build another one, Orley invites a handful of the world's richest and most influential people to join him on a luxury trip to his hotel on the moon.

There are three acts to Schätzing's book. First, we are introduced to Julian Orley, his vast array of technological achievements, and the illustrious group that will follow him to the moon. The second part plays in Shanghai, where a British internet investigator and a young Chinese dissident stumble upon a dangerous conspiracy and have to fight off a psychotic professional killer. The final chapters see the catastrophe on the moon unravel and the lunar tourists are scrambling to avert as much as they can, unmask the traitors, and get back to Earth alive.

All in all an enjoyable read, and quite a page-turner for most of its 1320 (!) pages. Sometimes reminiscent of Michael Crichton, with a bit of Neal Stephenson thrown in, certainly more grounded than Dan Brown. I was disappointed by the last third, and I was put off a little by the frequent references to current (2000-2008) events, such as Barack Obama becoming president, Putin's handling of the Russian energy industry, or the financial crisis, none of which I think will have that much relevance fifteen years on. Of course, I greatly enjoyed the Shanghai angle, and appearances by Perry Rhodan and David Bowie are always welcome.