The World with a Thousand Moons: A Classic Tale from the Pulps

by Edmond Hamilton

Other than boasting of having a thousand moons, this nasty planet could only brag of having the most numerous, vicious, mean, death-dealing set of animals ever encountered anywhere. The atmosphere was nice though if you didn't mind the screams of pain constantly in the air. And the most notorious space pirate in the universe has you captive there. Things are not looking good for Lance Kenniston and his Jovian sidekick at the moment. - Summary by Phil Chenevert

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories

56 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

Edmond Moore Hamilton was a popular author of science fiction stories and novels throughout the mid-twentieth century. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, he was raised there and in nearby New Castle, Pennsylvania. Something of a child prodigy, he graduated high school and started college (Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania) at the age of 14--but washed out at 17. He was the Golden Age writer who worked on Batman, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and many sci-fi books.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

The World with a Thousand Moons was first published in the December 1942 issue of Amazing Stories, which was published by the Ziff-Davis Company and edited by the renowned Raymond A. Palmer. (The lead story was Warrior of the Dawn by Howard Browne, who later became the magazine's editor when Palmer left due to the Shaver controversy, and the cover painting was by J. Allan St. John, best remembered for all of his Burroughs illustrations. There were also stories by such pulp stalwarts as Leroy Yerxa, Robert Moore Williams, Dwight V. Swain, William P. McGivern, Chester S. Geier, Robert Moore Williams, etc.) It's a novelette with plenty of action in the best space opera tradition that features space pirates, a beautiful heiress, imaginative aliens, and lots of other such traditional bric-a-brac. Captain Future doesn't appear, but he would have fit right in. Classic pulp adventure... my propellor beanie still fits. It's a fun, fine, free offering from the nifty folks at Librivox.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Earthman and a Jovian walk into a bar on Mars....and the rest is history. Kenniston (the Earthman) and Hulk Or (the Jovian, who is green, by the way) desperately need a ship to get to an asteroid for reasons which will become clear later. Kenniston is part of a space-pirate's crew....or is he? He certainly is a slick talker, because he gets his ship, along with a group of rich young tourists from Earth, including the lovely Gloria Loring, heiress.

There are some heart-stopping moments on the journey to the asteroid (the meteorometers go crazy!!) but the scariest experience is on the asteroid itself. Known as the World With A Thousand Moons, Vesta is a large asteroid covered by a jungle that is home to eight-legged meteor rats, phosphorescent flame-birds, and asteroid- cats. Not to mention the Vestans themselves. Best advice I can give you: never ever mistake a Vestan for one of those six-legged asteroid-cats!

This was a short, fun romp with plenty of action. But I have to admit I was just a bit disappointed in the more or less normal ending. Kenniston, what were you thinking?!

[Ladiibbug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Science Fiction

Originally published in 1942, this short story is a fun space romp featuring pirates, double crosses, kidnapping, just for starters. Add green men, Martians, navigating dangerous asteroids and meteors, and much more .... it's a fun sci fi short that holds up well decades later.

TY to Good Reader Debbie Zapata for the review that led me to read this Project Gutenberg (read for free online) title.

Find the story here:

http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/3/1/32317/

[MH · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like a lot of pulp, this is just a reskinned story from a more traditional genre. In this case, its pirates, only with atom pistols, rocket tubes, and space doors (and space jackets, and space everything else). Dated even when it was published ("The Encyclopedists" came out the same year), this is SF-as-adventure-tale, rather than SF-as-literature-of-ideas, and nowdays its just an archaic curiosity.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining space listening 🎶🔰

Another will written fantasy space Sci-Fi adventure thriller short story by Edmond Hamilton about a pirate spaceship being wrecked on an asteroid and the group that goes to rescue the survivors with a very good ending and love 💘. I would recommend this novella to readers looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of novels 🔰and books 📚. 🏡🔰👒🏨 2022

[Wendy ( ͡°❥ ͡°) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The World with a Thousand Moons by Edmond Hamilton is a timeless science fiction masterpiece that immerses readers in a thrilling adventure in a distant world. Despite being penned in 1942, the story's relevance and engaging narrative continue to captivate audiences. Hamilton's imaginative storytelling and vivid descriptions guarantee an immersive experience that will undoubtedly resonate with fans of classic sci-fi.

[Filipa Maia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun quick read full of adventures and scares.
I like this short stories about space travels because I like discovering the author's perspective on what the future will be like and which creatures would live on other planets - it's always entertaining!

[JBJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun book by Edmund Hamilton, this has all the elements of classic pulp-fiction.

[Jane Roxanne Beamon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheesiest of pulp era space opera; bit lots of fun!

[Eugene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thumping good space opera from a pulp legend

[Walter W Wilt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wonder if this inspired Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters which was published almost a decade later.

[Gabe cochran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun short story

[Forked Radish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hamilton seemed to toggle back and forth between the pulpy and the profoundly perceptual. Unfortunately, this is squarely in the former category… A font of material for both Star Wars (the Falcon spaceship) and Forbidden Planet with its electric force field.

[Kay Hawkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Years ago I read The City At World's End and complained that the story was good but part 2 was not-- My edition contained a 2nd story inside it with no title. Well years later I found the second story on it's own and it is this one. As a squeal this is a bad one and demonstrates why no one can have anything nice. As a standalone it is stronger but still not that nice of a story. I question if Edmond Hamilton was just paid to write a squeals to a book that really didn't need it. Like Edison's Conquest of Mars.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would be easy to dismiss this story in the light of today's science knowledge but placed into the context of the period it was created it becomes a pleasing early sci-fi offering. Those of us who were reading these stories during the time they were created should find it easy to accept it for what it is.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice short read, filled with pirates, beautiful heiress, and a man desperate enough to do anything to save his brother, and smart enough to escape the perils facing him and his new companions.

[David Cain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful tale - it would make a great cheesy movie!