(Note: This is plausible in theory and some government agencies are even suspect of experimenting with bioelectricity for the purpose of brainwashing.)īlackburn was able to use his unique gift to convince the people of Luna to elect him as leader and it wasn't long before he turned the republic into a monarchy. This DNA damage developed into what is known as the Lunar gene, a mutation that enabled him to output and control bioelectricity in order to implant thoughts into other people’s heads. As a child, his DNA was damaged by the prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation from cosmic rays.

The first true Lunar was a man named Cyprus Blackburn. After about sixty years of existing as a jumbled colony of numerous Earthen countries and cultures, the colony was recognized as its own nation: Luna, a republic. But as I know many readers will be curious (just as I was curious!) about them, here is my abridged history of Luna.Ĭenturies prior to the start of Cinder, the moon was colonized by a small group of researchers from many different countries in order to further space research and exploration.

And there are a lot of elements of the story that have survived-a girl oppressed by her stepmother, a fancy ball, a handsome prince.īut I also took a lot of creative license with the tale: Cinder is set in the far future, my main character is a cyborg, and there’s a deadly plague sweeping the planet.Īnd then there are the Lunars-an evolved society of humans that live on the moon and have powers of mind-control and manipulation.Īlthough the Lunars and their evil queen have existed in the story since its earliest draft, it took me awhile to figure out just who they were, how they came to live on the moon, and how they developed these creepy mind-control powers. It’s true that Cinder, my debut novel, is a take on the classic “Cinderella” story.

Lunar chronicles books