Reviewed by DeAndra Gauntt
Bioluminescence: A Lunarpunk Anthology, is a collection of short stories and poems by various authors that attempts to define the recently introduced lunar punk genre as well as create commentary on the current climate crisis. The lunar punk genre is loosely defined as the sibling genre of solar punk with a focus on more nocturnal elements such as the moon and glowing flora, with a strong emphasis on individualism (in terms of self-expression), spiritualism, the blending of nature and futuristic technology, and renewable and sustainable energy. The closest mainstream example would be the Avatar series by James Cameron.
The anthology begins with a reprint of “October in the Chair” by Neil Gaiman with the hopes of setting the tone and world for the reader. The short story follows the personified months of the year having their monthly meeting wherein they share new stories with one another. October, whose month it currently is in the story, shares the story of a little boy who runs away from home and finds himself near an abandoned village and cemetery where he meets another boy his age. This reprint succeeds in immersing the reader in a realm of fantasy, though the light horror elements may not be a direct reflection of the lunar punk genre.
We are then introduced to the next story, “The Timid Librarian” by Starhawk which follows the main character’s journey of attempting to fit into their society and discovering their gender. This story does well in placing itself into a near-future lunar punk society through the state’s continuous conservation and worship of nature while simultaneously implementing green technologies to protect the planet and stave off the warming climate. Along with this, the main character goes through a transformation, drawing on the individualism and spiritualism of the genre. The next short stories follow this idea of placing characters within lunar punk societies, with the plot focusing on ideas such as protecting the balance of nature, self-expression, and green technology.
The poems of this collection mainly focus on experiencing living in a lunar punk society, with emphasis on the moon and its power, what the cities look and feel like, individual experiences with nature, and how such a society came to be. There are some poems, such as “Naiá” by Yasmin Moita that do not focus on these themes but rather the author’s pride in their heritage, with lines such as I’m not exotic, I’m from right here / I’m from Amazon, and I won’t disappear.
Overall, Bioluminescence: A Lunarpunk Anthology does a respectable job of immersing the reader in lunar punk societies based on the individual author’s interpretations of the genre. While not fully consistent in ideals and environments, this aspect can add to the idea that such a society can exist anywhere and in any time. It is a suitable place to start when wanting to explore the lunar punk genre and create your own interpretation of what the genre consists of, as well as curate some ideas for any of your own works.