Mason (Cyberweb) entertains and elicits fascinating questions about human nature in this fast-paced, action-packed science fiction adventure. A civilization of half-human, half-animal hybrids has lived on Chrome, a man-made mini-planet that orbits the Earth, for over 200 years. Luna Lightfoot is a puma blend with quick instincts and a predilection for heists. During one of her capers, Luna witnesses a blackmail attempt turn fatal. Spotted close to the crime scene, Luna lands in the crosshairs of the investigation. With the help of Terralina, a tortoise blend, Luna attempts to solve the murder and catch the culprit, an unusual, fanged reptile blend. But Luna is unprepared for how deep Chrome’s dark underbelly goes. The colorful cast raises the question of which ancestry is more savage: that of animals or humans? Mason front-loads the novel with tedious exposition, but the story gains traction once the excessive background information has been covered, reading like a cinematic sibling of The Island of Doctor Moreau. Readers who stick with it will be hooked. (Self-published)