When the Moon Hits Your Eye

by John Scalzi

From the New York Times bestselling author of Starter Villain comes an entirely serious take on a distinctly unserious subject: what would really happen if suddenly the moon were replaced by a giant wheel of cheese.

It's a whole new moooooon.

One day soon, suddenly and without explanation, the moon as we know it is replaced with an orb of cheese with the exact same mass. Through the length of an entire lunar cycle, from new moon to a spectacular and possibly final solar eclipse, we follow multiple characters -- schoolkids and scientists, billionaires and workers, preachers and politicians -- as they confront the strange new world they live in, and the absurd, impossible moon that now hangs above all their lives.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Fantasy, Audiobook, Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

326 pages, Hardcover

First published March 25, 2025

About the author

John Scalzi, having declared his absolute boredom with biographies, disappeared in a puff of glitter and lilac scent.

(If you want to contact John, using the mail function here is a really bad way to do it. Go to his site and use the contact information you find there.)

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what would happen if the moon turned to cheese? If so, definitely give this book a read because it's a hoot. I mean, maybe don't trust the science-y bits because Scalzi admits in the afterword that his science is “extremely loosey-goosey,” but overall it's an entertaining look at how Americans from all over the country might react to such an unexpected phenomenon.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye is basically made up of a series of interconnected short stories and the point of view changes with every chapter. The characters come from all walks of life, from a billionaire CEO of an aerospace company to high school social outcasts. There are cheese shop owners and NASA astronauts and government leaders. There's a washed out rock star and a non-fiction author who suddenly finds himself thrust into the spotlight. While some of their stories are more exciting than others, they're all written with Scalzi's trademark humor and wit and I can honestly say that there wasn't a single one that I didn't enjoy.

And, yeah. I really don't know what else to say about this book. It's funny. It's heartwarming. It's unique. It's about the moon turning to cheese. If you've enjoyed Scalzi's previous novels, there's a good chance that you'll enjoy this one too.

My overall rating: 4.2 stars, rounded down.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is March 25, 2025.

[Nataliya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love cheese, even if it doesn’t always love me back. But after this book, I suppose I can grudgingly admit that having our Moon suddenly turn into cheese may be a bad idea.

I love Scalzi’s humor, the adolescent-style snark, the puns, the entire feel and essence of it that suggests that you can take your overrated maturity and shove it where the moonlight (cheeselight?) don’t shine. Scalzi’s tends to make me happy, and I love it.

“You have to be fucking kidding me,” Heffernan said, to the room. “I have here representatives from both our science and intelligence community, and all of you are telling me the moon—the whole fucking moon—has been turned to goddamn cheese.”

Scalzi’s newest release has a delightfully absurdist (and delicious, although not always digestion-friendly) premise: out of nowhere, inexplicably, the Moon has turned to cheese, and now it’s bright and geologically active and prone to launch Everest-size extinction-bearing cheesteroids into our direction.

And why? Well, let me answer here:

“Just because we want an explanation—just because we need an explanation—doesn’t mean the universe is obliged to provide one.”

But then, after the wacky setup, Scalzi goes and does something unexpected. The cheesy Moon is a McGuffin, little but a menace that allows Scalzi’s to instead focus on how it affects the lives of people on the planet below it - from scientists to politicians to book publishers, a vignette per each day of the lunar month, with some characters recurring and some one-off, and in the end the impossible happens — the absurdist premise of a wheel of Brie in the sky leads to thoughtful bittersweet poignancy of human condition, with snark politely stepping out of the way just a bit and allow people to search for the meaning of all this and human connection.

(But still, if anyone could pull off this premise, it’d have to be Scalzi — in his own worlds: “I thought this would be an easy novel to write because, honestly, how hard could it be to write a book about the moon turning to cheese, have each chapter represent a day in the lunar cycle, each chapter with mostly different characters in mostly different places in the Unites States, reacting to it in ways specific to them alone?” )

But I wasn’t quite ready for that. Not quite prepared for a satire that gets a bit too meanderingly kaleidoscopic while I kept wishing for a stronger connecting thread (too many perspectives spoil the cheese, really, although Romeo and Juliet in warring cheese shops was fun) and perhaps a bit more exploration of the cheesy Moon itself rather than us, humans. Because as interesting as it actually is to see people responding to something so ridiculously incomprehensible, it could have been more fun to lean a little bit more into that, with more cheese volcanoes and perhaps a cheese landing done differently than a botched billionaire attempt.

“Beyond that, there’s no one else in the world who would have the technology to disappear the moon, much less replace it with a globe of, probably, cheese.”
“Do we have that technology?”
“Ask him.” Glover pointed to Colonel Axel of the Space Force.
“No, sir,” Axel said. “And even if we had it, disappearing the moon and replacing it with an equally massive orb of probably cheese serves no discernible military purpose.”

But altogether - and it pains me to say it - it did not quite live up to what I hoped it would be, although I still enjoyed the juvenile snark that may drive others crazy but warms up my crusty soul.

“You expect us to believe there is a goddamned cheese volcano on the moon?”

3 stars and a cheese stick craving.

——————
Also posted on my blog.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Moon Hits Your Eye
By John Scalzi
This is a short book but packed full of craziness of a full novel! I mean this in the most positive way. I enjoyed every weird thing about this.
It's hard to review without giving something away. I want people to experience this book fresh.
What I will tell you is that something extraordinary happens all over the world. Then they find it's because of the moon. Then it gets worse.
The story is told through several people as the different stages happen. I was hooked.
It does have a happy ending for earth, but the explanation does not explain the very first stage. So, the book keeps you wondering. I can't tell you how much I love this book!
The wonderful characters, the plot, the scifi/fantasy, the humor, the heartbreak, and the brilliant absurdity!
I want to thank the publisher, author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this fascinating book!

[Lorelei · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is absolutely ridiculous and absurd and has no right to be as good as it is. I thought I might laugh at a story about the moon turning to cheese – and I did, more than I expected to – but I didn’t think I’d CRY.

We all have those off the cuff “what would happen if” ideas, but Scalzi has gone and turned one into a book that is fabulous in its complete wackiness. This isn’t really about people trying to save humanity, or figuring out HOW the moon has turned to cheese and WHY. You get this insane thing that happens and then take a look at the reactions of people, which are very genuine and the whole time you’re nodding your head like “yeah, yep, that’s what I’d say too.”

Each chapter is one day in the lunar cycle, and follows the story of a different person or group as their lives go on. Under a moon of cheese. I thought they were all great, although my personal favorite might have been the one with a group of friends chatting on slack.

Also I really loved the one about the Elon Musk-esque character, and the characterization of how he never actually invented anything, he just pays companies a bunch of money to become the CEO and then takes credit for everything the real engineers do. Gee, that sounds familiar.

I think this book is downright wonderful, it’s fast paced and a very quick and entertaining read. If you’ve enjoyed Scalzi’s other works, particularly Starter Villain and Kaiju Preservation Society, then you’ll really like this. But if you haven’t and you like character vignettes and slice-of-life stories, then please check this out. Whimsy and absurdism aside, it’s full of very funny and touching stories of people confronting a situation they can’t begin to understand, and how they move forward in the face of it.

I know I’ve build this up, so you might be disappointed to hear it isn’t out until March 25. (Nooooo!) But trust me and stick this one on the TBR so you don’t forget about it.


Thank you Netgalley and Tor Books for the chance to read this delightful arc in exchange for my honest review.

[MagretFume · Rating 4 out of 5]

To me Scalzi's books are always funny and entertaining, and this one is no exception. I had a good time and a few chuckles. 

I like the idea developed here, the moon suddenly turning to cheese, even though I feel like the characters and the general population reaction to the events is a little too nice and collected. 

That being said, I liked having a larger cast of characters and they were all interesting in their own ways. 

I also liked the pacing, the one story per day format worked great.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars - A very interesting idea here, what if the moon DID turn into cheese one day?? So that ridiculous concept drew me to this novel along with the cover! (Not a spoiler, it’s the blurb) But I just didn’t connect with the storytelling - SO, so many characters that it was just really hard for me to follow. And the ending was very ambiguous too. I do think I get what the author was going for (it would be a universal event) but I guess I’m not the reader for this one, which is okay and I may still check out another of the author's books

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 Stars
The premise of this science fiction novel is incredibly… cheesy. So I went in with tempered expectations. I have loved books bit this author but others haven't worked for me

Despite the bizarre premise, I was actually surprised to find this one more grounded than his last few publications. This one felt more contemplative than I expected. It wasn't the deepest story but I appreciated the humor being toned down.

As a piece of science fiction, I don't think it was entirely successful. I think from a different angle or a tweaked premise, this one could have been stronger.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher

[Ricarda · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book by John Scalzi and definitely not my last one, because this was such an enjoyable read! The moon turning to cheese is a silly premise, but it does develop into an entertaining story and had me invested throughout the entire book. The special format helped with that too. Every chapter followed a different character across the USA, presenting many different perspectives on the whole cheese moon disaster. I really liked that the author focused on several personal experiences rather than one global catastrophe, and also the way how this situation not only created a whole lot of problems, but also extraordinary possibilities. The characters ranged from astronauts who were supposed to go to the moon when it still was a rock to a Hollywood producer who is now getting pitched cheesy moon comedies fifteen times a day to some rich people who just really want to taste the moon cheese. The book never returns twice to the same POV, but some characters appear or are mentioned in multiple chapters. The book almost felt like a series of interconnected short stories, and naturally some were more interesting than others. Some were science-focused and mostly informative (all science stayed pretty vague, though), but others were funny or even surprisingly heartfelt. I never knew what would be up next, so I started each chapter with new interest. There is also some mixed media, which is always nice to see in books. The story is of course speculative and often over-the-top, but many scenarios were still very much rooted in reality and you can find the one or other parallel to our everyday life. I do have to say that the book lost me a tiny little bit in the second half when the situation got more dire. After the great start, I never wanted it to take the apocalypse-route, but it made sense because the story had to lead somewhere. It was resolved nicely in the end, though. After liking When the Moon Hits your Eye I will definitely check out The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain, because the author somewhat groups these three books of his together and I could really need some more.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

A story about the moon turning to cheese should have been funnier and more interesting.🧀
It is “Fromageddon” and “Lactocalypse”, a childhood nursery rhyme turned reality.

This was ambitious: each chapter represents a day in the lunar cycle, each chapter with mostly different characters in mostly different places in the Unites States, reacting to it in ways specific them alone.

Whilst this gave us a glimpse of many different people, behaviour, and reactions; I think the jumping around made me lack connection to the characters.

Usually, Scalzi can make me laugh, but the humour here felt forced and a dictionary full of overused cheese puns and jokes.

“Did Shakespeare write about cheese?” “
“If he didn’t, he should have.” Annette giggled. “The Tragedy of Romano and Jarlsberg,” she said.
“Two cheese shops, both alike in dignity,” Felix intoned. “In fair Madison, where we lay our scene.”

This felt like it was trying to be philosophical about our existence especially after the last pandemic, however I sadly felt bored and preached to.

I am disappointed as I adored Starter Villain, enjoyed Kaiju Preservation society, and have read a few of his other space books.

Physical arc gifted by Book Break Pan MacMillan.

Bookstagram

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

The moon has turned into cheese. We don't know what kind of cheese, but cheese it is. Within these pages we meet people from all walks of life and experience their thoughts and reactions. While the Moon Hits Your Eye is silly as hell, it is also at times poignant, hopeful, thoughtful, laughable and compelling.

Portions of the book deal with the U.S. government with some similarities to our own. Another portion goes to the billionaire space douche, and that's more similarity, ahem. There are scientists, authors and people from all over reacting. When the narrative takes a turn later on, it raises the question of what you would do in such a situation. I find that I'm still thinking about that days later.

I enjoyed the format here, bouncing around from person to person with each chapter, I think it made it feel fast-paced and kept each chapter feeling fresh. The chapters were relatively short too, so this was a quick read.

As a whole, I think this was a fun and mostly light-hearted read, with some thought provoking situations, and some laughs.

Recommended!

*ARC from publisher

[Bruce Katz · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, so I’m not much of a sci/fi reader. My wife and daughter are happy occupants of that domain. But the world being the way it is, and Scalzi being an author I have some familiarity with and who has a large and enthusiastic audience… well, why not? The premise of the book sounds like it will be a bit of fluff. It’s light, yes, but it’s not empty. Scalzi writes with wit, intelligence, and empathy. I enjoyed the book. Really.

Thanks to Tor Books and Edelweis+ for providing a digital ARC in return for an honest review.

[Alina ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

☆☆☆.5 stars

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi had such a fantastic premise that caught my attention right away. The central idea is genuinely clever, and I especially loved the structure: each chapter representing one day in the lunar cycle. It’s an inspired touch that gives the story a rhythmic, almost tidal feeling, and it really showcases Scalzi’s creativity.

That said, while the concept is great, I felt the execution didn’t always match its potential. Some of the different perspectives were either a bit dull or outright confusing, and I occasionally found myself questioning how relevant certain viewpoints were to the overall narrative. I understand that the intention was to give a mmix of everyday lives in the midst of this unusual situation, but a few of the vignettes didn’t quite connect in a meaningful way for me.

Still, Scalzi remains a genre-shaping author in my eyes, and even when a book doesn’t fully land for me, I admire his willingness to experiment with form and voice. I’d definitely read more of his work in the future, just maybe not immediately. I think I need a little time before diving back in.

Overall: a brilliant idea with mixed execution, but worthwhile for fans of unconventional sci-fi storytelling.

[Ian Payton · Rating 4 out of 5]

“One day, suddenly and without explanation, the moon turns into a ball of cheese.”

I was expecting this to be nothing more than a bit tongue-in-cheek, a bit silly, and a gentle, fun read. And while it has elements of those things (the moon has literally turned to cheese!) there is surprising depth that makes this much more than the headline implies.

“For some, it’s an opportunity. For others, it’s time to question their life choices. How can the world stay the same in the face of such absurdity and uncertainty?”

It took me a while to get into, as I was expecting a conventional plot structure. Instead, the book is a series of vignettes of how the moon turning to cheese affects people’s lives. There is an overall story arc - the ramifications of the moon turning to cheese become clearer throughout the book - but the purpose of this is really to explore the different impact on people’s lives and relationships as the situation develops, rather than for the plot itself.

Consequently, there are a lot of characters. I take extensive notes while I’m reading - it helps me keep tabs on who’s who and what they’re doing - and I ended up with entries for 63 characters (there were definitely more). Mostly, these characters appear in only one or two of the vignettes, and many of them have their name mentioned only once - presumably to emphasise the humanity of the story. It’s the difference between “Mike’s wife brought him a cup of coffee” and “Mike’s wife, Janice, brought him a cup of coffee” (not an actual quote) even if this is the only mention of Janice in the book: giving Mike’s wife a name makes her more real. There are only a handful of recurring characters, and the author does us the favour of reintroducing them when they reappear, so it’s OK to relax about trying to remember specific people.

In many ways it feels like a cross between a disaster movie and one of Randall Munroe’s “What If?” books. And as I’ve come to enjoy and expect from Scalzi, there are a lot of little hidden nuggets of humour - probably a lot more than I noticed - ranging from pithy observations about the publishing industry, to ancient philosophers, and a bit of nominative determinism in the cheese industry.

The absurdity of the situation - a situation that science cannot explain - also lets the narrative focus on the human story while scientific reaction takes a back seat. And it raises the question of how we would react to something that is patently happening, but that science can’t explain. Would we cope differently to people of the past who had no scientific explanation for an eclipse, or lightning?

But above all, the stories are about love and friendship - that in the face of extreme uncertainty, people will come together to repair and consolidate relationships. And if the moon was to turn to cheese, I think I’d be focusing on that, too.

Thank you #NetGalley and Tor for the free review copy of #WhentheMoonHitsYourEye in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Scalzi is fond of writing an absurd situation and then examining how the people around it act and react. Whether it Kaiju monsters, talking cats, or rejuvenating senior citizens to create an army with life experience, he likes to write how he thinks we would react, with a bonus of how he would prefer us to react. So, in this outing, the Moon is suddenly transmogrified from rock to cheese.

Scalzi is completely uninterested in the reasons for or process of this change. What he wants to talk about is the dialogue between scientists, politicians, and the public about the situation. In these days of massive amounts of information, disinformation, and misinformation, I am not surprised that someone like Mr. Scalzi would want to write this. And he makes it as ridiculous and therefore fun for himself as possible. This is his commentary on the current relationship between North Americans and the field of Science, complete with reputable scientists, skeptics and conspiracists.

The character of Jody Bannon is a rather transparent version of Elon Musk (despite the character thumbing his nose at Elon and Jeff) . He is both incredibly smart and remarkably stupid. He is an obnoxious, empathy free, smart phone hurling, tantrum throwing man-child. But there are a lot of other characters to compare him to. Among them a pastor experiencing a crisis of faith. An academic whose popular science book is unexpectedly on point. A musician with a terminal illness. Two brothers who have been feuding over something that no longer matters. Three retired men who meet everyday at a local diner. And many more. It reminded me a bit of books like World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, where we get to look at a world issue from a plethora of viewpoints.

The big question is what would you do if you knew you had a limited time to live? What would you do? What would you quit doing? Who would you spend your remaining time with? [The little question: is Scalzi okay? No terminal conditions, I hope. He just sounds like he's put a lot of thought into the matter.] I have to say that I would try to speed up my reading! I might even eat a few more chips and drink all the coffee that I wanted. I'd likely quit doing housework too. Why not?

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, that was a book.

Loosely billed as a trilogy of regular people dealing with high-concept sci-fi ideas alongside The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain, I think this was my least favorite of the three. I loved Kaiji as a fun, bubble-gum spree of monsters and capitalism and weird. The schtick was enjoyable.

It grew less enjoyable with SV, which felt like a rough draft of a story: lots of great ideas with a lot of formulaic writing.

And it grew downright annoyed with Moon, which started off really strong and then devolved into entries filled with either copy/paste repartee or heartstring-tugging moments of togetherness (usually framed in a speech of some sort).

Mainly, I was annoyed because of the ending. Commit, Scalzi! And for fuck's sake, tell me what kind of cheese!

Fans of Starter Villain and Project Hail Mary will really like this one. It has strong Project Hail Mary vibes.

Personally, I think that this would have been great as a novella, but as a full-length novel it was just too long. The repetitive pattern of the dialogue got old really fast.

Two stars, because at least the obnoxious billionaire dies horribly in the end.

I received an ARC from NetGalley

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the moon suddenly changes into a spherical ball o' cheese, shock waves are felt all over our planet. From Sunday school songs to new moon-themed TV programs, everything is centered around our new celestial cheese wheel. But things take a dark turn when it appears the yummy orb may actually wipe out the planet. The parts of the book where the characters consider their coming extinction were surprisingly (coming from Scalzi, anyway) heartfelt and touching.

Sniff.

These chapters added a warm, human touch to what is mostly a rather silly, fun read. I enjoyed this immensely.

Many thanks to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for the read.

[Kennedy Larson · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️
I mean… it’s a book where the moon turns to cheese. What did I expect? This one is obviously a satirical take on sci-fi, and it just didn’t work well for me. I didn’t establish an emotional connection with any of the characters. It switched POVs every chapter, and some of the POVs you only got once. It almost felt like a collection of short stories.


I enjoyed Starter Villian more. I’d recommend picking that one up over this one!

[Pseudonymous d'Elder · Rating 3 out of 5]

__________________________
When the moons hits your eye
Like a big pizza pie
That’s amore.


Novels like this only appear once in a blue cheese. That’s a gouda.

This is one of those mosaic novelly things in which the author presents discrete stories that build a larger picture—like Ray Bradbury did in The Martian Chronicles. The cohesive element in this book appears on the first page when the moon suddenly turns into an organic matrix somewhat resembling cheese—or, as a connoisseur of fine cheeses would call it—Velveeta. No, it isn’t green cheese—that just would not be plausible.

The novel consists of a variety of vignettes exploring how this surreal lunar fondue party affects society, individuals, and various groups. Each vignette offers a different angle—scientific, romantic, political, existential, conspiratorial, religious—creating a charcuterie board of human absurdity and resilience. Here are some examples:

> Three retired old men having breakfast in the Short Stack Diner hilariously pontificate on the crisis in rational belief and solipsistic bullshit.

> A slab of saganaki flambeau three times the size of the meteor that killed off the dinosaurs has broken away from the moon and will smash into the Earth in about 2 years, destroying all life on the planet. The President of the United States is happy that at least it won’t arrive until after his term ends.



> A bank executive is hard at work trying to figure out how to best profit from the end of the world.

> A cheese shop in Madison, Wisconsin, is attacked by a cheesehead mob out for preemptive revenge against the forthcoming flaming fromage.

> A billionaire who owns a rocket development company, hijacks the lunar lander his company built for NASA so he can be the first man on the new improved moon and will be able to say” Hey, Elon and Jeff? Ha ha hah lol suck it, dudes.”

🌟🌟🌟 Stars. These stories present an interesting study of humans trying to cope with mind-bending changes in reality. They are all amusing and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. But while I have enjoyed every Scalzi book I have read, I suspect he forgot to come up with an ending for this one until the day of his deadline and pounded out the ending of the book after pairing too much Mogen David with his brie fondue. It does not work.

The book did make me realize that America has turned into a processed cheese-like product, possibly Cheez Whiz, and we are not dealing with it well. Some of us are questioning our concept of reality. Some are embracing the limburger. Some are trying to decide how they can make a big profit from the end of American culture. And some billionaires are just telling the rest of us to “Suck it, dudes Ha ha hah lol.”


“In queso emergency, pray for cheddar.”

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book about something as ridiculous as the moon turning to cheese, this was FANTASTIC.

I don't think many authors could pull it off, but writing the absurd and making it a great read seems to be a strength of Scalzi. He manages to present a ridiculous concept, then fills the story with immediately likeable (or loathe-able) characters that bring such immense heart that you can't help but be swept up by it all.

Almost every chapter is told by a different character, so we get a wide variety of experiences. This is probably the part that I loved the most and happens to work incredibly well for this story. Seeing the small picture - on the individual level - helps us relate to what's happening in such a pure way, that it becomes less about the absurd and more about the experience of being human.

Add to that the perfect amount of humour and a gouda-mount of cheese puns (see what I did there) and you've got yourself a special kind of silly book.

Obviously, if you're picking this one up for scientific accuracy then you're in for a rude shock, but if you're after something a little more quirky with a lot of heart, this is absolutely one to pick up.

With thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for an ARC

[Nooilforpacifists · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not SF, but a comic novel. I’m not sure Scalzi still knows how to write science fiction anymore. And his comedy is getting worse.

There is one fine chapter—“Day Twenty-One”—the only serious chapter in the book. But even the ending—seeking seriousness—flunks both for it’s uninteresting humor but, more importantly, its presto-chango time-to-end-this-novel-now-no-matter-what hard stop phony SF.

Characters? Really only one and a half. Maybe one and two other halves. This it what distinguishes it from Redshirts, another Scalzi science fiction novel with broad comedic elements: there were people you cared about. Everyone here was cardboard. I’m not just talking about the President and the billionaire head of a high-tech corporation. Given Scalzi’s politics, those are the Beelzebub and Devil, respectively, of his nightmares.

Yes, I laughed out loud several times. And “Day Eleven” is very sweet. But avoid this one.

[Patrycja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kiedy wiesz czego spodziewać się po sci-fi Johna Scalziego, nie sposób się rozczarować.
Bo czytaliście kiedyś bardziej abstrakcyjną książkę niż taka, w której księżyc zmienia się w wielką kulę sera? :D

——————————————————

John Scalzi pewnego razu zaczął się zastanawiać nad tym, co by było, gdyby księżyc zamienił się w ser. Czy ludzie wpadliby w panikę? Czy zaczęliby żyć tak, jakby jutra miało nie być? A może zupełnie by ich to nie obeszło? “When the moon hits your eye” przedstawia szereg możliwości i częściowo stara się odpowiedzieć na tak surrealistyczne pytanie.

Pomyślicie sobie pewnie, że jest to jedna z najbardziej absurdalnych powieści jakie powstały. I poniekąd tak jest. Nie jest to rozprawa naukowa o tym jak to możliwe, że księżyc zmienił swoją postać. Jest to zdecydowanie bardziej studium psychologiczne człowieka, w obliczu ogromnych zmian, które będą mieć swoje konsekwencje w przyszłości.

Cała książka zachowana jest w lekkim, humorystycznym tonie. Każdy rozdział pisany jest z perspektywy innych postaci, co dodaje jej ogromnej dynamiki. Nie śledzimy tu superbohaterów, którzy próbują naprawić księżycową sytuację. Śledzimy zwykłych ludzi, pracowników muzeów, sprzedawców sera, astronautów, naukowców czy nawet pisarzy. Bo każdy z nas na życiowe zmiany reaguje inaczej. Podczas, gdy jedni będą chcieli spędzić każdą ostatnią chwilę z rodziną, inni postanowią się na tej sytuacji wzbogacić.

“When the moon hits your eye” w żartobliwy sposób przedstawia przekrój naszego społeczeństwa. Jak na gatunek science fiction stoi ona na dosyć kruchych podwalinach naukowych. Jest to zdecydowanie książka z tych bardziej rozrywkowych i w tej kategorii świetnie spełnia swoje zadanie. Daje też jednak przestrzeń na własną refleksję i zostawia czytelnika z pytaniem o to, co on by zrobił, gdyby księżyc zamienił się w ser?

[Abolfazl Nasri · Rating 1 out of 5]

نصف کتاب را خواندم و مجبور شدم همان‌جا متوقف شوم. این کتاب به معنای واقعی کلمه یک طنز ابزوردِ چرند و کش‌دار است که فقط روی یک شوخی احمقانه می‌چرخد: ماه تبدیل شده به پنیر. همین. و بدتر از آن این‌که تمام کتاب تا جایی که خواندم، روی همین ایده تکراری، بی‌منطق و دم‌دستی بنا شده؛ هیچ عمقی، هیچ جهان‌سازی واقعی، هیچ شخصیت‌پردازی قابل‌قبول و هیچ توضیحی که آدم را نگه دارد وجود ندارد.
داستان عمداً یک شوخی لوس را مثل آدامس کش می‌دهد و به جای پیشبرد روایت، فقط صحنه‌سازی‌های تصنعی و گفت‌وگوهای پراکنده می‌آورد. طنزش هم از آن مدل‌هایی است که یا باید با آن حال کنی یا از صفحه‌ی دوم کلافه شوی. و من جزو دسته‌ی دوم بودم.
نه تعلیق، نه انگیزه، نه اتمسفر، هیچ‌چیز من را نگه نداشت. فقط یک ایده‌ی تک‌خطی بود که نویسنده به زور می‌خواست تبدیلش کند به یک رمان کامل (البته رمان که نه مجموعه‌ای از داستان‌های کوتاه به هم‌پیوسته با شخصیت‌های مختلف).
بنابراین، بعد از خواندن نصف کتاب به این نتیجه رسیدم که هیچ اتفاق خاصی قرار نیست بیفتد و کتاب عمداً قرار نیست منطقی یا جذاب شود. مجبور شدم نیمه‌کاره رهایش کنم؛ ادامه‌دادنش واقعاً اتلاف وقت بود.
اگر دنبال طنز ابزورد واقعاً خلاقانه‌ای هستید، این یکی واقعاً انتخاب مناسبی نیست.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I have that song "That's Amore" stuck in my head every single time I picked up this book? Yep. I'm a huge fan of John Scalzi and his latest work he begs the question "how would the world react if the moon turned into cheese?"

"I don't pretend I can explain the moon turning into cheese. I can't. No one right now can. But that doesn't mean that it isn't explainable --it just means that, on this particular matter, we are no different than those humans ten thousand years ago looking at an eclipse." (pg 77, ARC edition)

This was a much different book than I imagined. While I've only read two other books by John Scalzi, both of them had a linear story line that moved across the entire book and gave you a satisfying ending. When the Moon Hits Your Eye comes at you with a different approach presenting the argument of a moon made of cheese and then showing the effects of said news on the human populous.

From stories about politicians having sex with a wheel or brie to a young writer trying to get back into writing her book, the stories within the overarching theme of When the Moon Hits Your Eye gives you a small glimpse into how our world would react to this pretty ludicrous premise. I absolutely loved the small vignettes on people's lives ranging from those directly involved and those indirectly involved. But there was one small detail that was kind of left out: no one explains how the moon got that way.

I think it's on purpose that John Scalzi doesn't go into how this phenomenon happened. It probably would have been a different book rivaling the details of Andy Weir's stories. So perhaps the moon turning into cheese isn't the big part of the book. Instead, it's just a plot device to what happens around the big event.

I thought the characters represented in this novel really captured the depth and breadth of human life. Going into politics, religious beliefs, and science are all represented up front since those are probably the places most people's minds would go, but then there are the smaller, more mundane folks who are touched by this moon thing in one way or another. From discussions with friends about ridiculous billionaires riding their own lunar landing to the hunk of cheese to two competing cheese shops fighting for retail supremacy in close proximity to each other, there's more than just politics, religion, and science that would be touched by the events in this book.

And yet, it carried with it John Scalzi's lighthearted writing style, his ability to find humor in any circumstance, and how he's able to make you care about a bunch of characters in such a small number of pages. It made me happy to read and while I don't want the moon to turn to cheese any time soon, I welcome a sci-fi story that doesn't fully bog you down with "end of the world" doom and gloom.

If anything, this book is an examination of human life at the brink of its end. It's not about telling cohesive story, but to show you that we all react differently when it comes to disaster and with the rising temperatures and ice caps melting in our very real world, you can't help but to look at this text and wonder if this will be us one day.

Overall, if you're new to science fiction and you want to check out how an author can create literary (and funny) prose in a given situation, then I highly recommend checking this one out. Thanks to Tor Books for sending me a copy of the book.

[Blaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Just because we want an explanation—just because we need an explanation—doesn’t mean the universe is obliged to provide one.”
…
“The history of human civilization is the history of what was considered the magical and mystical slowly but surely being explained. The moon turning into cheese seems magical and mystical to me. But maybe if a human from ten thousand years in the future came back in time, they could explain it to me, and I could understand it.”

I would have loved to have been in the room when John Scalzi was pitching When the Moon Hits Your Eye. One random day, without warning or explanation, the moon as we know it is replaced with an orb of cheese (excuse me, an “organic matrix,” per NASA) with the exact same mass. The story then unfolds over the next 28 days—an entire lunar cycle—and each day we follow a different set of characters (with little overlap) as we see how different people deal with their changed, impossible new reality.

Few authors outside of Mr. Scalzi could have gotten the buy-in for this idea. And I don’t think any author could have pulled off what happens in When the Moon Hits Your Eye. The story is very funny in the early chapters, as people are first trying to understand the science-ish of what is happening. The chapters with the Hollywood producer taking moon-related TV and movie pitches, the race to be the first to eat some moon cheese, and the dueling cheese shops were hilarious. There’s a character who’s definitely not Elon Musk who suffers a fate I definitely would not wish on Elon Musk.

But as When the Moon Hits Your Eye goes on, the story becomes less and less about the changed moon and becomes much more profound. There is an examination of conspiracy theories and how we lose touch with a shared reality. It becomes a story about how you choose to live in the face of your own mortality, and finding joy in dark places. The story is deeply moving in places, especially the stories about the young writer and the woman visiting her ex-husband for the last time. The book was very reminiscent of Redshirts, which had the same progression from funny to thoughtful and moving. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Highly recommended.

[Sarah Swann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was awesome! Such a cool concept for a book. Seriously, what would happen if the moon were turned into cheese??? I love the way he wrote it, with different perspectives from people in different circumstances. Some were featured multiple times and some were just one chapter. It kept me engaged and interested. It also makes you think about what you would do in these circumstances. How would you react? How would your life change? Balancing it out with his humor made it a very entertaining read. I thought it was great!

Huge thanks to the publisher for an early copy to read!

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Its sheer absurdity made it incredibly entertaining, and I can’t wait to dive into Starter Villain, which has been waiting on my shelf for far too long.

John Scalzi’s writing reminded me of the satirical authors I grew up with, like Wodehouse and the Bulgarian writer Zdravko Popov. That familiar, sharp-witted vibe struck a chord with me and was likely one of the many reasons I enjoyed this book so much. I’ve already recommended it to countless people—including my mom, a strict thriller reader!

This book has everything—lighthearted comedy, dark humor, political tension, religious doubts, love and hate, acceptance and denial, belief and riots. The deeper you go, the darker it gets, and I loved how Scalzi wove brutal reality into such an absurd premise.

With the central theme of the moon being made of cheese (BUT WHAT KIND OF CHEESE???), the book also sent me down memory lane, reminding me of the old Tom and Jerry episode "O Solar Meow" from the very first chapter.

It’s a light, noncommittal read, not a binge book, but one to relax with at the end of a long day, letting it pull you away from reality. Savor it. On a side note, my favorite POVs were Annette and Felix’s, though I wish I’d also had more time with Lessa Sarah and Hector.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, for the ARC!

[Caleb Fogler · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Scalzi did it again.

When the Moon Hits You Eye is a speculative fiction novel that explores the idea of what our society might be like if the moon suddenly turned to cheese. Through the lives of different characters spread across America, online forums, group texts, and the occasional news story; Scalzi makes this event feel realistic. Some parts were heartwarming and a few sad, but it was a very enjoyable book.

This is a science based concept but the novel is character based. The focus is the human reaction and the effect the changing of the moon has on the relationships between people. Read this whether you like science fiction or not, it’s just that good.

[Tucker Almengor]

"the moon has turned into cheese and-"

Cool. Enough said. I'm in.

[Lukasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The moon turns into cheese. Not metaphorically. Not in a dream. Like, literally. One day it’s the regular rock-ball we all know and ignore, and the next, it’s dairy. That’s the book. That’s the premise. I rolled my eyes too. But then I started reading, and - well, I ended up liking it more than I thought I would. More than I probably should’ve, honestly.

This is John Scalzi doing what he does best - taking a totally absurd idea and running with it. The moon becomes cheese (type undetermined). People react. Some panic, some scheme, some try to monetize it, some go to church. And through it all, Scalzi’s trademark mix of snark, satire, and sneaky emotional depth holds the whole gooey mess together.

There’s not really a central protagonist here-unless you count humanity in general, or maybe capitalism. Instead, we bounce around between a rotating cast of scientists, astronauts, cheese mongers, billionaire tech bros, diner regulars, and one very cursed Saturday Night Live episode. It's like a disaster movie crossed with a sociology paper, but funnier and with more dairy puns.

The plot meander a a bit and I admit I did I lose track of a few characters. But the short chapters kept things moving, and there’s something irresistible about how this book doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is: a ridiculous thought experiment with a surprising amount of insights into human behavior.

If you’ve read Kaiju Preservation Society or Starter Villain and enjoyed the vibes, you’ll probably enjoy this one too. If you haven’t, but the idea of “slice-of-life apocalypse, but make it cheese” sounds appealing, you might be in for a good time. Just don’t come in expecting hard sci-fi. This is soft cheese fiction. And that’s kind of the point.

[Sensei_cor · Rating 4 out of 5]

La premisa es simple: De pronto la luna se convierte en queso. Y de ahí sacas un libro, ¡tus huevos John Scalzi!

Al igual que los últimos libros de este hombre -que es mi escritor favorito-, me ha resultado un poco más flojo en comparación con las sagas de Fuerzas de Defensa Coloniales o La Interdependencia o incluso otros libros independientes suyos. En el epílogo dice que precisamente sus últimas novelas (Kaiju, Starter Villain y ésta) son una especie de ciclo de novelas independientes conceptuales. Pues bien, un poco menos de "conceptuabilidad" tampoco estaría mal.

Respecto a la novela en sí, es tal cual, la luna se convierte en queso. Está planteado de forma que cada capítulo ocurre en un día, y cuenta la historia de alguien de forma independiente o vagamente relacionada con las demás. Muy parecido a la estructura de "Guerra Mundial Z" pero día a día en vez de por bloques.

En definitiva, un libro ligero y divertido pero sin llegar al nivel que ha demostrado el autor en muchas otras ocasiones. Aún así el 3,5/5 se va derecho al 4/5.