Jenn Bailey from The Hollywood Book Reviews commended Tom Skore’s “Tranquility Moon: Where Violence Has No Voice,” saying “The beginning sets the stage and reflects on humanity’s perchance for violence. Tom Skore masterfully takes raw human emotions and weaves with galactic mystery and intrigue.”
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Tom Skore has enjoyed a creative life as a writer, actor, stage director, and professor. He has worked in regional theaters such as the Seattle Repertory and Goodman Theater, and had featured roles in major films. He directed an original play for bestselling author Daniel Keyes (Flowers for Algernon), acted in an original play for Tony Award winning director Daniel Sullivan, and acted with Academy Award winner Nicholas Cage.
He has written a book, The Resurrection Encounter, and twelve screenplays, including one he was commissioned to write for the world class Argentine pianist, Ana Maria Trenchi de Bottazzi. As an educator he has taught at seven universities, most recently the University of Alaska Anchorage. Tom has lived in thirteen states, is an avid reader of anything scientific, a pilot and experimental aircraft builder, and a veteran. He currently writes from his home in a small, Alaska town.
“Tranquility Moon: Where Violence Has No Voice” weaves together science fiction, social insight, and touching family moments into one unforgettable story. It opens with Rianne, a curious ten-year-old whose father, Paul, is on the International Space Station for a groundbreaking mission. After witnessing a school shooting near her neighborhood, Rianne seeks solace in her telescope—only to record something unimaginable: a mysterious light gliding across the Moon. Her startling discovery sparks a series of events that stretch from her quiet backyard all the way to the frontiers of space—and maybe even beyond what humanity can comprehend.
What makes Skore’s novel truly mesmerizing is not just its gripping mystery, but its emotional depth. He draws a striking contrast between Earth’s turmoil and the serene beauty of space. Through Rianne’s innocence and Paul’s sense of duty, readers feel the pull between a violent world and a universe that might offer something gentler, perhaps even sacred. It’s more than a tale about astronauts or extraterrestrials—it’s the story of a family trying to stay anchored in love amid a society unraveling around them.
As Paul examines his daughter’s strange footage from orbit, even more puzzling phenomena emerge—unidentified objects near the Moon, distorted communications, and ultimately, a profound encounter with a non-human intelligence that reshapes his understanding of life and meaning. While many sci-fi novels focus on invasion or fear, this one leans into compassion. It imagines a civilization untouched by violence reaching out not to conquer, but to guide—a refreshing, daring shift in a genre often dominated by conflict.
Tom Skore’s “Tranquility Moon” rises above a typical sci-fi adventure; it reflects our world back to us. It challenges readers to consider why humanity harms itself and whether true advancement lies not in our technology, but in our emotional evolution. Perfect for fans of Contact, Interstellar, or Arrival who crave a story with deeper warmth and optimism, this book leaves you gazing at the Moon with new wonder—imagining that somewhere in the vast quiet, someone might be waiting for us to finally lay down our violence and truly listen.
Here is an excerpt from the Hollywood Book Reviews that highlights:
Tom Skore’s novel goes beyond that of a simple science fiction novel; it poses questions about whether or not our greatest advances are those in technology. Or are the greatest advances for our society revolving around emotion, compassion, and empathy? Even if science fiction is not a typical genre some readers would gravitate towards, this is one that surpasses all expectations.