What do you think?
Rate this book
Luna One
Forty years ago, Eddie was an astronaut poised to be one of the blessed few to walk on the Moon, but budget cuts and the shifting whims of politics denied him the only dream to bring meaning to his life. Now, he's an old man, living alone in a house full of space memorabilia, with just his resentments and a huge telescope to keep him company. Every day, gravity pulls him closer to Earth's final embrace, and the Moon seems to laugh at him. When a new mission to the Moon is announced and his application is rejected, it's just about all Eddie and his old, worn-out body can take. Is it a stroke-induced hallucination that suddenly finds Eddie rocketing to become the sole permanent resident of the Moon? Or has his wish finally, inexplicably, been granted? And don't all wishes demand a price be paid? Joshua Viola, multi-award winning author of "The Bane of Yoto" and "Blackstar," presents "Luna One," a science fiction parable in the best spirit of Rod Serling and O. Henry.
56 pages, Paperback
First published October 16, 2014
1 person is currently reading
255 people want to read
About the author
Joshua Viola
40 books55 followersJoshua Viola is a two-time Colorado Book Award finalist and co-author of the Denver Moon series. His comic book collection, Denver Moon: Metamorphosis, was included on the 2018 Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot for Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel. He edited the Denver Post bestselling anthology, Nightmares Unhinged, and co-edited Cyber World—named one of the best science fiction anthologies of 2016 by Barnes & Noble. His fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and has been reprinted by Tor.com. He is owner and chief editor of Hex Publishers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 4, 2015
Eddie can feel the moon laughing at him. At one point, his career as an astronaut was on track to make him one of the special few who would put their human tracks on the lunar surface. But “budget politics” shattered that notion and Eddie is left in a desperate walking daydream—wishing, hoping, willing the opportunity for a moonshot to come back around. More than anything, Eddie yearns to completely escape Earth’s gravity. He eats freeze-dried food—an old astronaut habit. His house is a shrine to space flight. He’s installed a telescope on his farm in Northern Virginia so he can peer longingly at the heavens.
Eddie is a walking picture of frustration. And now a private mission is being organized and no amount of wishing can make him a member of the lucky crew that gets to go.
In this brief short story, Joshua Viola starts with this sympathetic portrait of a cranky ex-astronaut whose time now on earth is consumed with the simple notion of leaving his home planet.
And then something happens. Eddie has a stroke. I’m not giving too much away—the back-cover of this beautifully produced volume (perhaps a 45-rpm “single” of fiction) gives away this tidbit, too.
Eddie trips out. He’s lucid enough to wonder whether what he’s experiencing is real. The deft shift of gears prompted me to go back to the beginning read it all again. (“Luna One” can be read in less time than it takes for a Saturn rocket to achieve orbit; it’s a brisk tale.)
Like all good short stories, “Luna One” leaves plenty of questions and ample latitude for multiple interpretations. The ending is, literally, explosive, touching and utterly human. That’s a nifty combo.
Eddie is a walking picture of frustration. And now a private mission is being organized and no amount of wishing can make him a member of the lucky crew that gets to go.
In this brief short story, Joshua Viola starts with this sympathetic portrait of a cranky ex-astronaut whose time now on earth is consumed with the simple notion of leaving his home planet.
And then something happens. Eddie has a stroke. I’m not giving too much away—the back-cover of this beautifully produced volume (perhaps a 45-rpm “single” of fiction) gives away this tidbit, too.
Eddie trips out. He’s lucid enough to wonder whether what he’s experiencing is real. The deft shift of gears prompted me to go back to the beginning read it all again. (“Luna One” can be read in less time than it takes for a Saturn rocket to achieve orbit; it’s a brisk tale.)
Like all good short stories, “Luna One” leaves plenty of questions and ample latitude for multiple interpretations. The ending is, literally, explosive, touching and utterly human. That’s a nifty combo.
March 3, 2015
Really good short story with a moral. Something of a parable with space travel twist about a man so obsessed with forsaking the Earth for the gravity free comfort of the moon, he gets confused about the concept of home. Well written and absolutely worth the 25 minutes it took to read.
January 13, 2015
This is one fun read.
Like the blurb from author, Keith Ferrell on the back reads, "Too bad Rod Serling isn't around to put it in Twilight Zone."
No lie, it really is that good.
Joshua Viola manages to weave a story which makes the reader question what is and what isn't real. He does it all through the eyes of, Eddie, a former and rather bitter astronaut. Be careful what you wish for, Eddie.
I really enjoyed this amazing little book.
Just like he did with The Bane of Yoto, Josh Viola has hit another one out of the park.
Like the blurb from author, Keith Ferrell on the back reads, "Too bad Rod Serling isn't around to put it in Twilight Zone."
No lie, it really is that good.
Joshua Viola manages to weave a story which makes the reader question what is and what isn't real. He does it all through the eyes of, Eddie, a former and rather bitter astronaut. Be careful what you wish for, Eddie.
I really enjoyed this amazing little book.
Just like he did with The Bane of Yoto, Josh Viola has hit another one out of the park.
February 21, 2020
Enjoyed this story, I can see why the comparisons to the Twilight Zone as I was reading, would make a great anthology episode.
March 23, 2017
Luna one
This is a Novella about Eddie Still a frustrated astronaut. A man whose only dream was put one foot on the moon and leave his mark there. Unfortunately to him, his mission was canned by NASA. After NASA dismissed him, he became a reclusive spiteful old self.
Three decades later "Luna One Corporation" plans for manned mission to place a permanent resident on the moon.
Now is he too old to have his dreams coming true? Does anyone really knows which is his deepest and more sincere dream?
As normally happens to me on the short story, the final is too abrupt. Everything Is too rushed, especially the end! It got me like "Really?" That's how this one will end?
Not for my taste, it wasn't about the history by itself, it's just too short to develop any attach. How deep can a character be on a thirty pages book?
I gave three stars because of Mr. Joshua Viola writing and that's it.
This is a Novella about Eddie Still a frustrated astronaut. A man whose only dream was put one foot on the moon and leave his mark there. Unfortunately to him, his mission was canned by NASA. After NASA dismissed him, he became a reclusive spiteful old self.
Three decades later "Luna One Corporation" plans for manned mission to place a permanent resident on the moon.
Now is he too old to have his dreams coming true? Does anyone really knows which is his deepest and more sincere dream?
As normally happens to me on the short story, the final is too abrupt. Everything Is too rushed, especially the end! It got me like "Really?" That's how this one will end?
Not for my taste, it wasn't about the history by itself, it's just too short to develop any attach. How deep can a character be on a thirty pages book?
I gave three stars because of Mr. Joshua Viola writing and that's it.
October 29, 2017
Very clever science fiction novella! recommended read!
February 18, 2015
Very fun, interesting 30+ page read! Captured the disappointment of an aged astronaut who's ambition had to been to land on the moon. He had been scheduled to fly on Apollo 20 when the Apollo missions were canceled. Now a private company is flying to the moon, and he wishes he were on that flight...
March 27, 2017
Luna One by Joshua Viola is a fictional novel about an astronaut, Eddie, who was set to walk on the moon 40 years ago, however budget cuts denied him his dream. The astronaut is now an old man living all alone in his home filled with items that remind him of a dream that almost happened. Everything changes when a new moon mission is announced and suddenly Eddie finds himself on his way to becoming the very first permanent resident of the moon. Has Eddies dream come true or has his deep desire for a second chance led him to a stroke-induced hallucination?
Luna One by Joshua Viola was an interesting take on how one decision could truly crush a persons life, dreams, and desires. I felt like Eddie was a well-developed character and that I could truly understand his grief at the loss of the one opportunity that he had been preparing for all his life. I found the dilemma that the reader faces in determining if Eddie becoming a resident on the moon is reality or a hallucination. I found myself having difficulty deciding which it was. My only dislike was the fact that the book began with a slow pace. The ending was something that I did not suspect.
Luna One by Joshua Viola was an interesting take on how one decision could truly crush a persons life, dreams, and desires. I felt like Eddie was a well-developed character and that I could truly understand his grief at the loss of the one opportunity that he had been preparing for all his life. I found the dilemma that the reader faces in determining if Eddie becoming a resident on the moon is reality or a hallucination. I found myself having difficulty deciding which it was. My only dislike was the fact that the book began with a slow pace. The ending was something that I did not suspect.
April 7, 2017
Eddie is an embittered old man, with a failed dream. He is antisocial, as shown in the conversation with Eleanor, at her surplus warehouse, and unpopular, as the taunts from the local kids show.
I like the cover, and back image, design (as well as the author picture) by Aaron Lovett.
This is a short story, with few characters, and is made up of three parts. One of which felt overwritten.
I didn't get much depth from Luna One. I did have to read the story a second time. The time, and era, and place Luna One is set in confused me. There is very little of the story to comment on, as the parts seem quite disjointed. What the reader gets is an outline of a good story. Eddie's circumstances did feel run of the mill. (Do we really spend so little time with our family, and friends, when trying to achieve our dream?)
I do think the end of Luna One made up for the rest, with the interesting swap of dreams, and Eddie versus humanity. It gives you something to think about.
Sci Fi fans will want to read this one.
( I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review )
I like the cover, and back image, design (as well as the author picture) by Aaron Lovett.
This is a short story, with few characters, and is made up of three parts. One of which felt overwritten.
I didn't get much depth from Luna One. I did have to read the story a second time. The time, and era, and place Luna One is set in confused me. There is very little of the story to comment on, as the parts seem quite disjointed. What the reader gets is an outline of a good story. Eddie's circumstances did feel run of the mill. (Do we really spend so little time with our family, and friends, when trying to achieve our dream?)
I do think the end of Luna One made up for the rest, with the interesting swap of dreams, and Eddie versus humanity. It gives you something to think about.
Sci Fi fans will want to read this one.
( I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review )
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews