Moon Over Brendle

by Jeff Noon

Magical contemporary fantasy meets fantastical memoir in the new novel from a cult favourite, Jeff Noon.

1968, Joe Sutter is enjoying his last summer before going to secondary school. But this is another world; like ours but very different. Beyond and beside the world we know is Greot; a vast swirling rainbow of many-coloured dust. It settles on the dead, it swathes cities and fields. Joe is one of the 10% of the population who have the gift of being able to see it. But neither he or nor anyone else know what Greot is. Is it the trillion-eyed god? Is it the history of everything told grain-by-grain? Is it prophecy? Is it the magic of creativity?

Joe knows he is something of an outsider, all he wants to do is draw comics and listen to music but one day, as the moon rises over Brendle hill, he meets an old writer of cheap pulp SF books who is determined to pass on to Joe the power and joy of telling stories and everything changes. Decades later Joe is a successful writer of strange and powerful SF novels. And now the time has come to tell the story of how he became a writer and how Greot coloured everything.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Historical Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2026

About the author

Jeff Noon is a novelist, short story writer and playwright whose works make extensive use of wordplay and fantasy.

He studied fine art and drama at Manchester University and was subsequently appointed writer in residence at the city's Royal Exchange theatre. But Noon did not stay too long in the theatrical world, possibly because the realism associated with the theatre was not conducive to the fantastical worlds he was itching to invent. While working behind the counter at the local Waterstone's bookshop, a colleague suggested he write a novel. The result of that suggestion,

Vurt, was the hippest sci-fi novel to be published in Britain since the days of Michael Moorcock in the late sixties.

Like Moorcock, Noon is not preoccupied with technology per se, but incorporates technological developments into a world of magic and fantasy.

As a teenager, Noon was addicted to American comic heroes, and still turns to them for inspiration. He has said that music is more of an influence on his writing than novelists: he 'usually writes to music', and his record collection ranges from classical to drum'n'bass.

Reviews

[Cori Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read several books by Jeff Noon so long ago that they're not recorded in Goodreads, which didn't exist at the time. And enjoyed them a lot! So of course I was intrigued to see how things had changed in 30ish years -- and was delighted to find how much I loved this magical realism memoir.

The nostalgia was strong throughout; be interesting to see how this lands for other folk, but for this Brit it was perfect. It's strange from the start (of course) since we are in a setting that has Greot, a swirling, pervasive rainbow dust. Everyone can see it for a few minutes every night, but narrator Joe is one of the few who can see it all the time. Which does not translate into understanding it in any way, but that's not the story. We're here to read about how Joe becomes a writer, influenced by a deeply odd older man who is himself a prolific writer (in particular of sci-fi.) And by Greot, by his free-range childhood, by his family, by comics, by thinking creatively, and so on. It all comes together in a lovely way.

Highly recommended for when you're in a weird mood.


Rating: 18/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.

[Runalong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great and unusual story about the power and process of creating stories all set in a small northern town - strong recommended!

Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Angry Robot for an advance copy that of a book that is bit fiction, a bit real, a bit magical and dusty, about a boy leaning about the power of the mind and the imagination, lessons that will see him through life and his many creations.

I don't look back much. I don't have fond memories of school, old jobs, even current jobs. However I do remember having awesome summers. Being able to read what I want, watch unbelievable amounts of movies on our illegal cable box, doing the occasional lawn. I remember these years by books, by comic events, and movies. Many of which formed my thinking, for better or for worse. Maybe even shaping me into the man I am today. Just like it did for the main character in this book a bit of magical realism, and autobiography. Moon Over Brendle by Jeff Noon is a story about a young boy, science fiction, dust, family, a small town, and the odd things that go on, events that shape an author and his creations in different ways.

Joe Sutter is enjoying the summer of 1968, reading comics, thinking of fictional adventures, and seeing things that only he can see. The world is covered in a dust, called by the people Greot, but Joe and his best friend Denny call it the Koag. This dust is visible to humans only for 3 minutes and 39 seconds a day, but Joe is gifted in that he can see the many colors of Greot, a gift that is getting him into secondary school. One day Joe see the dust, the Greot, around a man who is dying, a grey color, and one that does not look right. This starts off something odd for Joe, where he finds that he and Denny seem to be going in different places, Denny finding girls, and Joe not wanting the world to change. Joe meets an old man, at least to Joe in a tower outside of town, a science fiction author of the pulp variety who introduces Joe to a world of thinking and looking at things that changes Joe. As Joe gets older he also becomes a writer of some renown, and looks back at these early days, sharing what the dust Greot has told him, and where things started to change.

A mix of autobiographical, magical realism, a love story to reading and ideas, and a bit of weird. The book starts right away, dropping the reader right into the story, with dust, Denny and Joe explaining his life, and the world. This pace keeps up, even when Joe is looking back. I liked this story quite a bit, though it was not what I expected. There are many moments that one can tell that Noon is sharing what happened in his past. There are references to classic books, science fictional and writers who have been unfairly forgotten. Noon has a real gift for putting one in a fantastical setting, and making things seem real, and relatable, not matter how high the weird gets.

A book that was not what I expected, but one I really enjoyed. Not like other Noon books, though still with some crazy things happening. This is more of a look back, a look at a magical time, when the world was bright, the books were new and the future seemed unlimited and bright. A very good and personal book, and one I am glad I read.

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moon Over Brendle by Jeff Noon is the type of coming of age story that leaves you feeling enthralled, full of wonder and like you've just had that perfect cuppa at the end of a long day

"Magical contemporary fantasy meets fantastical memoir" if that isn't kne of the best hooks I have seen this year, I don't know what is!

1968 and Joe Sutter is at the age where he is about to leave junior school behind and go on to grammar school (age 10/11) his reality is that of any other young boy of the time, drawing, comics and getting into places he shouldn't, including talking to strangers, one being an old SF author at the top of Brendle Hill, the very perdon who imbues Joe with a desire to read, explore and to create .

Alongside this reality, is a gossamer cloud of dust, a fine ethereal, colourful apparition of sorts, opposite to the miasma of reality, the "greot" of Joes town. The old author's encouragrment leads Joe to explore the threads between realities, all while life trundles on around him

The wonder I have experienced with this book comes from the lyrical, deeply personal narrative that cradles a memoir, part fact, part imagination. The lines between the two are blurred throughout. This story is an entity that grows alongside the author. Was it borne out of escapism from everyday life in an industrial town or a desire to explore worlds beyond the boundaries of reality. Two very different things, although they appear the same and this exact feeling is borne from reading this book

The backbone of this book is a sort of ode to writing and reading and the voyage of discovery it takes us on. What inspires usto create, how we process what we read and how it is grounded in our consciousness. There is an innocence to the narrative when it is placed in imagination, the world has more colour, compared to the drunk and dinginess of reality and the re-imagined "Greot" that only 10% of humanity can see, Joe being one of the privileged few.

All in all, this book exceeded my already brimming excitement and will remain with me as a favourite

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Angry Robot for this stunning ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read c/ publisher and NetGalley.

Well that was one of the most remarkable books I've read in a long time.

It's 1968, and Joe is 11. It's the summer holidays, which means hanging out with best friend Denny, and generally exploring his small town. One day, the pair stumble across the dying body of the local drunk, Tom Halfpenny. Then Eileen starts turning up to hang around with Denny occasionally; then Joe sneaks into a weird, semi-neglected house, getting caught by the elderly inhabitant. The old man is a science fiction writer, and for a period of 1968 he and Joe form a strange, important relationship.

Those three things sound like they should be given very different values. But when you're eleven, they might have fairly similar weight. Indeed, Eileen maybe stealing your best friend may have the greatest import.

In terms of the book, there's one significant point I haven't noted yet. This is not our world. Joe is a witness: he can see the Greot, the colourful dust that flows over everything in the world, in varying hues and in different densities according to its own rules. Only witnesses can see Greot all the time - except at 3.06am, when everyone can - and an even fewer number of people can see what Greot sees; and there's even fewer who can manipulate Greot.

The novel is written as a memoir: a man looking back over his life, the paths he followed from 1968, how the events of that year had an impact on him. It could very easily have been written in a realist style: young boy influenced by slightly mysterious older mentor. It could have been magical realism, too - did the young boy really experience something magical? Instead, Noon commits fully to the novel as fantasy. and it's richer for it. Joe's experiences with the Greot, understanding what it is (and is not), what it can (and can't) do, how it impacts on other people; all of these are significant factors in his growing up. The fact that the Greot is never explained, and that otherwise this is recognisably our world, add to the beauty and delight and captivating-ness of the novel.

This novel is just stunning. I hope many people find it.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff Noon is an author who consistently impressed me with his John Nyquist series and seriously disappointed me with Vurt when I finally got to it. But since Nyquist books were his most recent, they made up the bulk of a favorable impression. Not only can he write, but he's got a genuinely impressive imagination.
What I loved most about those series is the worldbuilding, specifically the way Noon takes normal world and turns it just enough on its axis just enough to give it new and interesting rules.
This is the technique he also employs in this pseudomemoir wrapped in fantasy. I normally don't read either genre, but exceptions do get made, and in this case, it was absolutely worth it.
Joe Sutter is a young buy in the 1960s England - Jeff Noon-s contemporary - who lives in a world just like our own but full of magic dust. And as if that wasn't magical enough, he also gets to learn how to become a writer.
The book is a nostalgic delight, albeit a wee bit drawn out for my taste. It's the kind of children's story adults can enjoy due to its overall timeless and ageless appeal. There's much to love about it, especially its mediations on the nature of writing, which - when done right- is just like magic.
Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/

[Dima · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a fictional quasi-autobiography narrated by an older man who is a science fiction author. He recalls his childhood as an 11-year-old boy in a small village in England. On the surface, it is a coming-of-age story: the boy begins to understand the world around him, one suffused with a mysterious Dust that only a few people can see and no one fully understands. During this time, he meets an older man who takes him under his wing and sparks his passion for writing.

At a deeper level, the novel is about writing, inspiration, and the creative process. Although I have not read much by the author, this feels like his most personal work, exploring his inner motivations and imaginative impulses. It is also a broader reflection on imagination and, perhaps, the meaning of life and how these elements are intertwined.

A deeply personal book from an author known for weird fiction. It is a lovely read, particularly for fans of the author and those interested in books about writing. It may not be his strongest literary work—being somewhat light on plot and lacking the tension of his other novels—but it remains more than adequate.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Diane Poppleton-brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moon over Brendle is essentially a coming of age story full of innocence, stories and a sprinkling of magic.

Joe Sutter is an outlier, he is one of one 10% of the population who can see Greot, the multi coloured dust that swathes his world. This makes him special or an outsider, depending on your point of view. He loves to read comics, listen to music and make up fantastical stories. His adventures lead him to a dilapidated Farmhouse where he meets an old sci-fi author who takes him under his wing and mentors him sowing him the path to become a writer.

Moon over Brendle has more than just a sprinkling of magic, there is also a sprinkling of truth which nestles alongside the magic realism. This book feels very personal to the author and gives us, the readers a small window into some of Noon’s early life. On reading the Angry Robot website, the old man in the book refers to the renowned author, Ray Bradbury.

Thanks to Netgalley and Angry Robot for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. And Mr Noon, thanks for sharing.

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moon Over Brendle by Jeff Noons was a weird one - 12 year old Joe Sutter is one of the 10% of people who can see Greot, the strange multicoloured dust that is littered throughout the sky and congregates in certain places. When he meets an elusive old writer who lives in a dilapitated house, he begins to understand more about Greot, but also how to write powerful SF novels.

This was very well written and had me engaged throughout; with the mysterious Greot, the unique and interesting characters Joe meets, the anticipation on how it will come together. It was also very effective at showing the wonder and ethusiasm for learning young teenagers can have.

In the afterword I learned it's actually semi-autobiographical, which puts a lot of it in better persective knowing that. A great coming of age read from the author.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a comfortable and nostalgic tale that serves as a fascinating quasi-autobiography. Part fantasy, all tribute to SF, the imagination, and wonder.

It takes us back to 1968 when pulp fiction was pulp fiction dreaming about being something so much more, and alongside that, an 11 year old boy embodying it. The dust that so few people could see could be a magical element or imagination itself, and that's where we, the reader need to be.

It's absolutely a Jeff Noon book. Not nearly as weird as his other works, but still firmly wondrous.

I got a lot out of it. But then, the old classics are books I appreciate a lot. The nostalgia, even for works well before my own time, is real.

I'm very happy with this work.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Jeff Noon book, and it was much more than I expected. The summer setting gave me that feeling of sinking back into childhood, when ordinary places could still feel magical, and the Greot dust works almost like an extension of Joe’s imagination. Since this is also a memoir about becoming a writer, that magic fits beautifully with the way his creativity begins to grow. I especially liked watching him move from needing inspiration given to him, to setting his own writing tasks and finding his own momentum. It is a strange, cozy, unexpectedly personal book, and one I think more readers will be surprised by.

Arc provided by Angry Robot Via NetGalley

[Megan.Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moon Over Brendle had a nostalgic feel to it and I think Jeff did a good job of taking the reader back to childhood summers in Britain. I liked the contrast between the very normal English setting and the magical Greot, and the writing felt warm and relatable. I found it easy to picture the scenes because of that.

However, I did feel that the story dragged a little. I much prefer a fast-paced plot and this is definitely for readers who prefer their books to be character-driven.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I gave it 3 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Torie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reads like an 80/90s sci fi coming-of-age movie mixed with an Arthurian legend in the best way possible. John, our main character, is growing up in a post-war society where he's the "man of the house" and trying to figure out what that means for an eleven year-old. He's about to leave elementary school and is holding on the the last bits of his childhood(friends, hobbies, responsibilities) over one final summer, when he get caught up in a scheme from a wizardly old author who decides to make him his successor and pupil in writing. Weird, opaque tasks are set, and the stakes really feel incredibly high for what amounts to an 11 year-old given writing homework from a dying man... I loved it.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moon Over Brendle reminded me a bit of Robert McCammon’s Boy’s Life, that feeling of summer and being young, and the inherent magical realism that can be felt in this time. Jeff Noon builds the story well and gives us characters that stand up well even when things get weird. While not my absolute favorite by this author it was well crafted and you can feel the heart in it.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Bones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeff Noon does it again. What a treasure of a writer we have in this day and age. From first time reading Vurt in 1993 to Moon Over Brendle, I have enjoyed every single book he has written. Moon Over Brendle is a magical coming of age story that wonderfully blends the real and unreal. Can’t recommend this enough

[A.K. Adler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I appreciated the concept that the world is composed of stories and history, but I didn't connect with the plot element of the dust used to represent that idea. The story dragged, and the metaphor was too random to land.

[Alexander Ballantyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately if you use blurb from wrong uns you're going to loose marks. 2.5/5

[James Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely little semi-autobiographical semi-fantasy novel. Was never super enthralled with it though.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

vurt to dust

feathers of words; a fine startles and dives; magic spells in the words worth waiting for, time to reread old beginnings

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for review in SFX #404 (May 2026). 4.5 stars, rounded up.

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That's totally Hartshead Pike on the cover, right?