What an excellent piece of literary/humor/sci-fi. I need to read all of Scalzi's books. I liked the quick chapters, the multiple perspectives (scientists, politicians, astronauts), the mild use of mixed media, the smart humor. I liked the inclusion of religion and finance and all the pieces of the world that would come together or fall apart as the end approached. I liked that it was thoughtful but not overly so, that characters are relatable.

This gentle kind of sci-fi is my favorite, where the world is just like ours, except for the whole moon made of cheese thing.

Thank you for the ARC. I will share widely and purchase for my library.

With a ridiculous idea comes an equally ridiculous, but oddly fun and slightly harrowing book... what would happen if the moon suddenly became.. cheese?
Told through many, many pov, "When the Moon" follows several characters from astronauts to movie producers to a billionaire to regular folk through a very long month in which the moon has become an organic matter, resembling cheese.
Some of the pov were endearing, some were irritating, but all were interesting and made me wonder.. what would I do... especially when a cheese meteor threatened Earth's very existence?
Not sure how I felt about the ending, what it fitting... was it anticlimactic?
But overall, it was interesting and fun!

In line with the previous books in this not exactly trilogy (i.e., The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain), this novel of speculative fiction is both hilarious and could cause existential strife. It highlights the vagaries of humankind when faced with potential future destruction that is not regularly predicted. Unlike the dystopian futures of AI and robots taking over the world, or a world ravaged by climate change that forced humans into confined spaces (artificial or otherwise), or a war that wipes out the majority of our cultures, When the Moon Hits Your Eye asks what would happen if something fundamental changed that we can't predict. Or something we might have predicted if we weren't so focused on other things. Spoiler alert, there isn't a clear answer. And the world doesn't actually end in the book, but the question remains. And this question, along with those posed in the previous two books, perhaps deserve some of our attention in addition to the current crises in the world today. I really enjoyed this book, and I sincerely hope that I can somehow bring it in as required reading in my university classes because I think it can act as both an escape from reality and a motivation for the future.

I love John Scalzi's books so much. I just know going into them that I'm going to laugh and just enjoy the ride. This was another hit for me.

I’m amazed at how a story so silly can also be one that is so profound and brings my thoughts to a point of existential ennui. Absolutely beautiful and hilarious. Scalzi doesn't miss.

In his latest science fiction novel, John Scalzi ponders what would happen if the moon suddenly turned into cheese. How do you keep the world running when something absurdly impossible happens? Through the course of a lunar cycle, When the Moon Hits Your Eye showcases humanity's reaction - the laughs, the tears, the hope, the panic, and the lost and found faith in the face of the fantastic.

The moon suddenly turning to cheese with no explanation: hilarious! I cracked up so many times in the first quarter of the book. But then the story didn't go anywhere. Instead, Scalzi just kept giving vignettes that never added together to make a larger message. The best thing that came out of this book is my husband finally showed me the Wallace and Gromit cartoon about the moon as cheese that he is always quoting. "We've forgotten the crackers!"

This one was a DNF for me. I read about 40% and felt that the story was going no where and was just a series of characters explaining the same situation over and over again. I thought the premise of the moon changing to cheese was hilarious and I was surprised that the science was actually well thought out and explained. It just wasn't working for me past that.

I've loved other Scalzi books, though. His humor and satire are usually spot on!

Some Scalzi books are sweeping epics of space opera, hard science and personal triumphs and tragedies. Some are more intimate looks at people in imoplssible situations.

And then some of them are just freaking weird. That's where we are here,

In "When the Moon Hits Your Eye," the moon turns to cheese. Or as NASA scientists put, an "organic substance."

That's it. That's the plot.

Oh, there's also dozens of vignettes as each chapter tells a different story about how someone in the world is or isn't dealing with the change. There's the billionaire who's not exactly Elon Musk whose space program contracts are threatened. There are the astronauts whose plans have been pulled out from under them, and the politicians and scientists dealing with the issue, and the former sex worker who gets pulled in, and a pair of feuding cheese shops, and teenagers just watching it happen, and the pop science author who strikes it big, and many more.

And then things get worse.

The book is funny and silly and touching and sort-of-kind-of scientifically accurate once you get past the whole cheese thing. It's an easy read, you'll chuckle all the way through, and Scalzi's strength in dialogue is on display. Read it, and look up.

This book had been waiting patiently on my shelf for quite some time, and I finally gave it a try. Scalzi’s trademark wit and sharp dialogue are present, which longtime fans will likely appreciate. That said, the story didn’t quite click for me in the way that Starter Villain had. It may have been a case of mismatched timing or expectations on my part. While the premise is intriguing, I struggled to stay engaged with the plot or connect with the characters. Still, it’s a decent read that might land better with readers looking for lighter speculative fiction with Scalzi’s familiar voice.

John Scalzi has become one of my favorite authors over the past year and I loved this book. He's got a knack for comedic sci-fi with loveable characters and intriguing plots.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Not my favorite of Scalzi's books, but still a good read.

More of a connection of short stories, connected through the days. The format worked really well for the book, although I almost wished I could fast-forward a couple of the characters to get to the ones I liked more, however each one had their interesting traits.

Overall, an enjoyable book I'm glad I read.

Scalzi does it again! In the same vein as his Starter Villain, Kaiju Preservation Society, and Redshirts, Scalzi marries a humorous concept with hard science fiction. I now know more about the physics of the moon (and the consistency of cheese) than I ever expected. It’s rare that such a humorous book can pack such an emotional punch but Scalzi has shown himself to be a master at that time after time. This book does stand apart from his other work in once unique way: each chapter is told through a different POV. This was a fantastic way to show such a world defining event as the moon being turned to cheese!

In typical Scalzi fashion, the ridiculous happens and it's not actually explained. The moon turns to cheese, and each chapter focuses on a different day in the lunar cycle with a new character's perspective. I'll be honest --I didn't even read the book description before reading it. I'm always going to pick up a Scalzi book. This was both lighthearted and whimsical while also introspective and fiercely character-driven. It's not my favorite Scalzi book, but it was still a great read!

I had no idea what to expect when I ordered this, but following on the author's Starter Villain, I DID anticipate the humor. Also, since it is narrated b Will Wheaton, who is an apparent perfect match for Scalzi's books, I also expected a good deal of sarcasm. I wasn't disappointed on either count.

I was surprised, however, how relevant the story felt, despite it's premise of the moon suddenly turning to cheese. This book isn't really about that at all, though there are some admittedly sketchy swats at science throughout. It's about characters. It's about how organizations, governments, and individuals face adversity. It's riddled with interesting characters, some clearly at least loosely modeled on current events and recognizable celebrities. But also the church, the unbelievers and believers alike, the reply guys on social media, the young, and the old. This is a book about people - regular people - all confronted with an unexpected, impossible situation, and how they react.

It is a great book, and very happy I had Will Wheaton around to read it to me.

I think this is the fourth Scaliz book I've read, most recently was Kaiju Preservation Society, while all were enjoyable, I think this book "worked" a lot better than Kaiju Preservation Society. I think the fact that each chapter was from a different perspective worked well with Scalzi's writing style, let him interrogate the absurd premise from way more angles.

If I were creating a display with this book, I would put it with Redshirts, and especially Project Hail Mary.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye is very different from John Scalzi's other SF offerings. I sum it up as a satire on society and cheese, as the author delves into all the weird and wonderful things that might happen - and how oddly all sorts of people might react - when the moon turns overnight into cheese.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi
Review by Sam Lubell
Tor Books Hardcover / eBook ISBN/ITEM#: 9780765389091
Date: 25 March 2025

If you told a science fiction fan that you had just read a novel about the moon turning into cheese, and they had not previously heard of When the Moon Hits Your Eye, there is a good chance they would ask, "Is that by John Scalzi?" This is not to say John Scalzi is the only one who would think of writing such a book, but he is probably the only person who would then proceed to write it and have it turn out to be a good book. Scalzi is a brilliant entertainer who always produces a highly readable and enjoyable book, even when the premise is outright ridiculous.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye is an odd book whose oddities go beyond the premise. It is written with each chapter being a day in the lunar cycle, (with a few chapters at the end set later and then much later). Unlike a traditional novel that follows one or a few characters through the novel's events, here each chapter has different characters (with very few characters repeating). Not all the chapters are traditional narratives either. There is no real plot (except for a few chapters on a billionaire's attempt to hijack a space mission so he could go to the moon himself). And most of the action has characters reacting to the moon turning to cheese. The majority of the novel is comic, ranging from slapstick to satire, although it grows very serious near the end.

The book never names the type of cheese the moon becomes (although NASA refuses to call it cheese, preferring the term "organic matrix"). At a talk at the Gaithersburg Book Festival, Scalzi refused to name the specific type of cheese, although he did say this was the question he was most asked. The book also never reveals how (or why) the moon turns into cheese.

The book begins with a preface written in the style of a kids' fun facts article, "HEY KIDS! Let's learn about the moon." Day One has the director of the Armstrong Air and Space Museum learning that the museum's moon rock had somehow been stolen and replaced by cheese. A Reddit thread has comments from people who saw an exceptionally bright moon. Day Two is set in the White House Situation Room with the Chief of Staff being briefed on the moon changing to cheese. At first, the scientists think it is joke, but as they check more evidence they conclude, "It's not possible... It's also our best guess at the moment."

Other chapters show the point of view of astronauts preparing for a now-cancelled moon mission, a somewhat shady corporate figure who runs the aerospace company building the lunar lander for a now-cancelled trip to the moon, a popular science author whose newest book has a chapter about the fables of the moon being made out of green cheese, wealthy heirs who want to be the first to taste moon cheese, etc. Other chapters give the perspective of high school nerds, patrons of a small town diner, church members in Iowa, and a romantic couple who work in rival cheese shops. One chapter shows the effect on Hollywood with tons of moon and cheese puns used in movie and TV pitches.

Fans of John Scalzi have most likely already read and enjoyed When the Moon Hits Your Eye. However, I want to assure people who have been reluctant to get the book due to its silly premise and non-traditional structure that the book is highly entertaining. Yes, the book is silly in spots, with lots of humor and satire on governments and science, but it is also serious.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye shows how people remain people even when the universe no longer works the way we think it should, even when life on Earth is threatened, even when we lose faith in everything we have been taught. The humanity of the novel's characters keeps the book from dissolving in its own absurdity and provides a reason for reading the book, separate from its humor and high entertainment level.

This is also a book you can give to non-science fiction readers as it does not rely on the usual science fiction tropes and expectations, nor does it go into depth on the science involved.

John Scalzi is always dependable for a good science fiction palate cleanser. Definitely science fiction, but very light-hearted. I did not find myself laughing out loud with this one like I have with some of his other books, but it was enjoyable.

Mr. Scalzi is really great at throwing out a completely ridiculous scenario and then , not really answering the whys or hows of it, instead focusing on the people and their reactions. In this case, the moon suddenly turns into cheese, and we are off and running!
The people are now centered around this bizarre event and we get glimpses of their reactions and feelings. From scientists, conspiracy theorists, a priest having a crisis of faith, regular people trying to make sense of it all, a clueless billionaire man child, and more. The different perspectives make this a fresh and fast read. At times ridiculous, hilarious, yet hopeful and sweet make this a really good read!
**Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book early!**

First of all, I'm a big fan of John Scalzi's work. His humor resonates with me and I find his books intriguing. However, I was really not sure about the idea of a book centered around the moon spontaneously turning into cheese. I should not have worried. Scalzi pulled it off

I like how he shows the viewpoints of different people around the US. (Other countries are mentioned, but we don't get personal viewpoints. Scientists are befuddled, government officials struggle with how to keep the country from panicking, conspiracy theorists create their conspiracies, people of religious faith try to figure out where God fits into all of this... And it's all done with the humor and thought-provoking nature of John Scalzi. My only real criticism is that the ending is... fine, but also vaguely unsatisfying.

If you're skeptical, give it a try. You might be surprised. Happily, I was.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ebook ARC of this book.