When the Moon Hits Your Eye is a sci-fi novel by John Scalzi. It was first published in March 2025 by Tor. This review is intended to be free of spoilers, but none of us are perfect. Consider yourself warned! No review copy was provided by the publisher; I bought the book for myself. There are affiliate links at the end of this review.
Blurb
The moon has turned into cheese.
Now humanity has to deal with it.
For some it’s an opportunity. For others it’s a moment to question their faith: In God, in science, in everything. Still others try to keep the world running in the face of absurdity and uncertainty. And then there are the billions looking to the sky and wondering how a thing that was always just there is now… something absolutely impossible.
Astronauts and billionaires, comedians and bank executives, professors and presidents, teenagers and terminal patients at the end of their lives — over the length of an entire lunar cycle, each get their moment in the moonlight. To panic, to plan, to wonder and to pray, to laugh and to grieve. All in a kaleidoscopic novel that goes all the places you’d expect, and then to so many places you wouldn’t.
It’s a wild moonage daydream. Ride this rocket.
Review
John Scalzi’s When the Moon Hits Your Eye is an interesting addition to his bibliography, combining his characteristic humour, witty dialogue, and knack for quick pacing. The novel takes on an almost oral history-like format, piecing together the story through vignettes from the points of view of man different characters. This stylistic choice lends a unique structure to the narrative, capturing multiple perspectives as humanity grapples with the aftermath of a celestial disaster; a catastrophic event that promises to alter life on Earth forever.
As expected from Scalzi, the book delivers clever observations and lighthearted dialog that make even grim scenarios entertaining. His mastery of accessible storytelling ensures the book remains immensely readable, with bite-sized vignettes that keep the reader turning the pages. The characters presented in the vignettes range from scientists. billionaires, and would-be astronauts to everyday people caught in extraordinary circumstances, which adds depth and variety to the narrative. It’s important for the novel that we understand how this event impacts all sections of society.
However, for those familiar with Max Brooks’s World War Z, the similarities between the two works are undeniable. World War Z revolutionised speculative fiction by employing the oral history style to depict the global response to a zombie pandemic. Brooks used the format as a vehicle to explore far-reaching implications – political, social, and emotional – on a profoundly immersive scale. In contrast, Scalzi’s take on oral history feels lighter and more comedic, focusing more on entertainment than on delving into deeper existential questions. The structure of When the Moon Hits Your Eye is well-executed but lacks the emotional weight and layered complexity that made World War Z such a genre-defining work.
That said, Scalzi’s trademark humour and charm carry the story. He excels at balancing the absurd with the poignant, infusing the narrative with moments of levity that offset the darker elements of the lunar disaster. The book doesn’t attempt to be a grim exploration of catastrophe; instead, it feels like a playful homage to the format, filtered through Scalzi’s distinctly modern lens.
For readers looking for something less heavy than World War Z but still within the realm of speculative fiction, When the Moon Hits Your Eye offers a delightful ride. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it provides an enjoyable escape, blending comedy and calamity in equal measure. Longtime fans of Scalzi will find much to love, and newcomers may be drawn in by his approachable and thoroughly entertaining style. If nothing else, it’s a testament to Scalzi’s ability to keep readers entertained, even as the moon quite literally crashes down on them.
Scorewise, I was thinking of giving 3/5. Then I read Day Twenty-Three. That chapter was beautiful I loved it. It made me tear up in places. That chapter alone, all about the aspiring author, Lessa Sarah, is worth a whole point, all on its own. Beautiful.
Rating: 4/5
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