Giving this 2.5 stars.

When The Moon Hits Your Eyes by John Scalzi is a science fiction novel about the moon turning into cheese.

The plot sounds really interesting, enough so that it drew me in and led me to request this on Netgalley. That and I also really wanted to give John Scalzi another chance, thinking maybe I just didn’t enjoy Kaiju Preservation Society for the simple fact that it feels like a story that’s been overused. Nothing about it felt like something I hadn’t already seen in a show or movie, but a book about the moon turning to cheese?, how could I say no to that.

The book is split up into chapters, each representing a day in the lunar cycle. The story is told through multiple vignette POV’s, all from different characters in different parts of the United States, and their reactions to the moon randomly turning to cheese. There are so many characters in this story that none of them really make a lasting impact, except for the billionaire. It was very hard to get through all the dialogue while reading this one, I don’t mind humor but the cheese puns felt a bit excessive at times. The story examines how different individuals react to a sudden change and the potential end of the world.

In the end everyone’s fears are for naught, because things just kinda go back to normal. The ending was very ambiguous, and I wasn’t a huge fan of the format in which the book is written. With a plot about the moon turning to cheese, the ending just feels very anticlimactic to me. Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for an arc in return for a honest review.

I found this to be a fun, irreverent romp with just enough science to keep me satisfied given the fantastical plot. I was a little disappointed in the reference to a President that didn't read intelligence briefings (Mr. Scalzi could have simply made him an English major to make him less scientifically illiterate). I had a ton of fun just telling people about what I was reading - it gave people a lot of laughs on its own, and they may pick up the title when it's published.

There aren't many authors I would trust to execute on such an outlandish premise, but I appreciate the way Scalzi examined a wide swathe of human responses to the moon's transformation and also pulled off a ticking clock situation with a satisfactory resolution.

Our tale opens in Wapakoneta, Ohio - home of the Armstrong Air and Space Museum where the museum director just learned that something had happened to their moon rock. It had turned to cheese. And so had the Moon in the sky. Over the next thirty plus chapters John Scalzi explores human reactions to this unexplainable event and its implications for science, religion, and especially human relations. There are a few folks who show up in multiple chapters, but mainly this is a mosaic of different individuals. One of my favorite chapters involved a movie studio executive having to sit and listen to the movie pitches by screenwriters which are mainly all about the moon and cheese. I can picture John Scalizi giggling and laughing as he was writing various scenes (I know I did a bit of laughing myself while reading them), but John also writes well about human interactions and how stress and horrible situations can bring out the best or worst in people. In the end, this book is more about people being people than science fiction. A good read indeed!

Thanks Netgalley and Tor for the chance to read this title!

This one was super fun and I'm so glad I managed to read it early. Full of pithy humour, fantastic puns, a little bit of heart and an all around great narrative, this one is headed for the top of my favourite reads list

This book was delightful. I tend to go into books completely blind. So I was very surprised when the moon turned to cheese! It was such a unique premise and it was so cool to have so many POVs throughout the book to see how people were reacting. Parts of it had me laughing out loud and parts of it broke my heart a little bit. This was a ton of fun and now I need to go read all of Scalzi’s backlist.

Although some of its satire is a bit on-the-nose, John Scalzi's When the Moon Hits Your Eye is a funny, thoughtful, and well-crafted novel about an inexplicable event.

One day, without warning, the Moon turns into a giant ball of cheese. Every piece of Moon rock on Earth turns with it. Nobody knows why, and there is the general understanding that nobody would be able to find a satisfying answer if they went looking for one. What would you do in that situation, faced with such a grand cosmic joke? If you're the president, you might delay the Moon landing you had planned. If you're an author of pop science books, you might find yourself in hot demand on the talk show circuit. If you're a pastor, you might have a crisis of faith — the Bible never mentioned a cheese Moon, after all. But if you're like most people, you might just go about your life. What else can you do?

John Scalzi tackled similar high concepts in his previous two books, The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain. But while those books had a single main character with their own narrative, When the Moon Hits Your Eye is a series of vignettes starring a Magnolia-sized ensemble, including (but by no means limited to) an ex-professor of philosophy, a tech billionaire, several astronauts, a sex worker turned real estate agent, and the employees of two rival cheese shops in Madison, Wisconsin. The novel is at its most compelling in the first half as it hops from person to person, presenting a gestalt of American society as it tries to accommodate such a monumentally bizarre occurrence.

As a series of vignettes, it's hit or miss, and while there are more of the former than the latter, some of Scalzi's satire is shaky. Certain chapters take aim at the rich and powerful — whether they be a deeply stupid billionaire playboy who wants to eat the Moon cheese or a politician with an incredibly specific fetish — and justify themselves with satisfying conclusions. Other chapters, including those featuring a recurring character who might as well be named Schmelon Schmusk, belabor the point somewhat — but then again, maybe some points are worth belaboring.

After a significant development that kicks off the second half, the book becomes grimmer, though still not without humor; a disastrous episode of Saturday Night Live, performed in front of a shell-shocked studio audience, is a highlight. If it's a little disappointing to see a story with such a unique premise take the familiar shape of an end-is-nigh slouch towards oblivion, it redeems itself with a twist that's unexpected yet, in hindsight, inevitable — building up to a bitterly funny final chapter that tickles and stings in equal measure.

The shadow of the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, which just celebrated its fifth anniversary a few weeks ago, looms over When the Moon Hits Your Eye. It was an enormous, destabilizing event, one that everyone had to deal with in their own way, and that briefly brought us all together before we started to tear each other apart. The novel's thesis, which Scalzi illustrates gently but persuasively, is that, when the next cataclysm occurs, we can expect more of the same.

WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE by John Scalzi
Published: March 25,2025 by Tor Books
Page Count: 336



Whoa !. What a fun read. John Scalzi, highly acclaimed science fiction writer, best known for his “Old Man’s War” series, treats us to an enjoyable, sf-fantasy romp with intriguing insight into nature of humanity. Inexplicably the moon and all earth bound samples change into an organic matrix seemingly mirroring cheese. Suddenly a chunk breaks off the moon’s surface and is hurdling toward Earth, with its attendant apocalyptic consequences, threatening to destroy all life on our planet. This engenders a wide array of response and explanation from scientists and religious leaders around the world. Scientists cannot explain this phenomena using present day interpretations. Government officials scurry to maintain some state of calm in the world’s population. Religious leaders are no less successful in finding a divine answer. And, as usual, there are those who look for a way to profiteer. Even social media gets involved to elicit various conspiracy theories. This proves to be an amazing dark satiric look at how Americans would deal with such a large scale crisis. Scalzi explores the varied response in our society to this ludicrous premise.
Scalzi with his usual humor oozing through each page, weaves a fantastical tale of escalating tension as humanity deals with life on the brink of extinction. Through a large cast of characters and vignettes, the responses involvng politics, religion , science and every day people are explored. Scalzi’s usual targets are in focus, from corporate greed, to unscrupulous political machinations. What results is a thoughtful exploration of human nature in response to this sublimely inexplicable event.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait for Scalzi’s next though provoking treat.

Scalzi is firing on all cylinders in this book that dares to ask: what would humanity do in the wake of the moon turning instantly into cheese for no known or knowable reason? His mastery of creating characters you love and characters you love to hate shines as bright as the cheese moon as astronauts deal with their mission being canceled, rival cheese shop owning brothers have to handle the newly cheese-hating public, a tech billionaire sees an opportunity for immortality, the author of a recent unassuming book about the moon finds themselves thrust into the limelight, and I will let you have the pleasure of discovering the others for yourself. Everyone handles these events differently, and there is humor and pathos throughout. The old adage "you will laugh! You will cry!" definitely applies here, and I love that a book about the moon turning to cheese brought on such a cavalcade of emotions while I was reading. The last thing I will say is this book is about the journey, not the destination.

If you enjoyed The Kaiju Preservation Society and/or Starter Villain, you will absolutely love this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a book about how people respond to a crisis and/or the inexplicable.

Many thanks to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing a pre-publication copy for review purposes. My thoughts and opinions about this book are my own.

An unforgettable, fascinatingly imaginative, novel of Science Fiction Anomaly! I can't cease pondering this story, and I'm impressively inspired to read more novels of bizarre Lunar anomalies, simply because I can't forget nor set aside considerations of this stunning story! John Scalzi is by far a uniquely creative yet also very wise individual. An amazing plot and premise riveted me and grew roots in my imagination. Under no circumstances bypass this novel. READ IT!

I was super intrigued by the premise of "When the Moon Hits Your Eye" and it was certainly interesting, I'll give it that. Taking place in a near future-ish version of our Earth where the moon suddenly turns to cheese, "When the Moon Hits Your Eye" follows a cast of characters in various roles (from the White House Chief of Staff to a undergraduate cheese shop employee in Madison) while they deal with the ramifications of this sudden shift.

I did think that the book was a little slow to start. While the premise was certainly wacky and zany, after reading some of the chapters I kind of thought "yep, that seems about how that person would react to this in real life." There were definitely some characters and moments that I loved (fuck you Jody Bannon), and I loved how all of the different POVs intertwined. One of my favorite parts were all of the little moments that felt really down to earth (pun intended) and human. However, some chapters were a little meh.

I will say that I think the ending, especially the final few epilogue chapters, pushed my rating up a little bit. I thought that it was actually pretty intriguing as far as the endings of absurdist books like this go. It left me with some things to think about without dragging on too long about how everything was ultimately resolved.

3 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was an epically good read. I love how he took the concept and thought through the implications of the moon as cheese. Yes, seriously. I can't stop thinking about it!

When The Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi is a book about what would happen if the moon suddenly turned to cheese. Is it horrific? or is it hilarious? The book doesn't know and keeps asking questions of its characters. The book doesn't have an answer to the most critical question. Why did the moon turn into cheese? There's never even a guess. It just happens and the world has to deal with it. With the moon turning into cheese it grows 2 times in size because the moon keeps the same mass that it once was, with cheese being denser than rock the moon expands to keep it the same. The moon just didn't change all the moon rocks we brought to Earth are now cheese. The story reminded me of the film Don't Look Up which is a very bleak comedy. When the Moon Hits Your Eye is a bleak comedy. This tone did not work for me. The book has some funny things but the tone is all wrong. One scene has a group of college kids angry at the cheese moon and want to take it out on something so they go to a cheese shop. This is hilarious and very clever but we don't get the perspective of the kids but instead the horrified cheese shop owners. I felt the tone ruined the joke. The book has no main characters and very few returning characters. The story is comprised of vignettes about how people react to the cheese moon. Some of the vignettes barely bring up the cheese moon until the end. I see this being a very mixed book. The pace of the book was not bad the book is told in a lot of forms new articles, reddit forms, straight narrative, journal entries, and letters. I'm a big fan of John Scalzi but this book was a letdown for me. When the Moon Hits Your Eye was published on March 25, 2025.

Plot Summary: A museum worker notices something interesting about the moon rock, it is not rock but something else. At first, they think it was stolen but they see no signs of tampering with the glass case. When they watch the security cams they see no tampering. So they test the moon which feels like Play-dough but has a smell. They spend countless hours researching it for someone to take a fingernail on the surface a put it in his mouth to determine it is cheese. When they look at the moon it is shinier and larger. The scientists determined it is indeed cheese and is now two times bigger but the same mass. No one wants to admit to the public that the moon is cheese. They have a scientist who wrote a kid's book about what would happen if the moon was made of cheese. This revelation makes the world go a little insane. Rich people set up a black market trying to be the first to taste the moon. Cheese is soon added to sexual fantasies. A hundred movies are written about the scenario with the worst pun titles. The religions question faith in God over this oddity.

What I Liked: The rich people trying to be the first to taste the moon was clever and I liked how seriously they took the verification. The rioter taking out their hate of the cheese moon on a cheese shop was very clever. The religious debate was interesting and made me think about my faith if this happened. I do like that there is a debate about is this situation funny or serious. I wish they had an answer or two characters who took it the opposite way. The writer's story was my favorite since it had the least to do with the moon I feel it should have been moved up, and not towards the end. I was bummed we never got an update on her character but we don't get any updates on characters. The cheese moon landing scene was wild and very surprising. I did like getting the ten years later after the events of the book. I liked that the band Post Modern Jukebox was mentioned in the book.

What I Disliked: The bleak twist was just okay. I thought something more should have been done about the moon melting or the moon starting to smell. The tone was too serious it could have been much funnier. I wanted a scientist through the story determined to figure out what happened to the moon. I think the ending was a cope that if the moon rocks turned to cheese then the piece of the cheese moon should have turned to rock. I would have liked to see a cheese rebellion. I did think the burn on Saturday Night Live being unoriginal and having almost every sketch be about the moon was a bit much. I was convinced this book was tied to Starter Villain John Scalzi's last book. I thought it would have been a good villain's plan we have to unravel.

Recommendations: When the Moon Hits Your Eye was a miss for me. The book is not devoid of clever writing but the tone was just off for me. I'm still a big John Scalzi fan and have rated his last two books 5 stars. I want to love every book but I did not love this book. I think if you like bleak comedies then this book might be for you. If you like a ridiculous scenario taken way too seriously then this book is for you. I can not recommend When the Moon Hits Your Eye but will recommend both Starter Villain and The Kaiju Preservation Society.

Rating: When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi I rated 2.5 out of 5.

Ranking: I have read 3 John Scalzi novels so far. I will rate them in order from my favorite to least favorite: 1) The Kaiju Preservation Society, 2) Starter Villain, and 3) When The Moon Hits Your Eye.

I have collected 8 John Scalzi novels and will be reading through these soon.

Scalzi has a unique ability to blend humor with deep social commentary, and I was excited to see what he would do with this premise. However, when I read the synopsis, I’ll admit that I was a bit skeptical. The idea that the moon suddenly and inexplicably turns to cheese sounds so outlandish, even juvenile, that I wondered how Scalzi could possibly make it work.

Well, I’m happy to say that When the Moon Hits Your Eye proves that even the most ridiculous of premises can become a brilliantly entertaining story in the hands of a talented writer. Despite how silly it might sound, Scalzi’s execution is nothing short of fantastic. He makes the outlandish premise believable and, most importantly, incredibly engaging. The moon turning to cheese doesn’t become a mere gimmick; rather, it serves as the catalyst for a deeper exploration of human nature, society, and the ways people respond to chaos and unexpected events.

One of the things I loved about this book is how Scalzi presents the event from multiple perspectives. We see how the sudden transformation of the moon affects individuals from all walks of life—ranging from ordinary citizens to political figures, scientists, and even the world’s elite. This multifaceted approach not only keeps the story fresh and dynamic but also allows Scalzi to explore different social standings and how each group reacts to this bizarre and life-altering event. The way Scalzi dives into the personal and societal ramifications of such an absurd occurrence is both thought-provoking and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny.

The characterization, as always with Scalzi, is spot-on. Each character feels distinct, well-rounded, and deeply human. Despite the outrageous circumstances, the characters’ reactions to the situation are grounded in reality. Their emotions, motivations, and relationships feel true-to-life, which makes the book all the more enjoyable. Scalzi’s trademark wit and humor are ever-present, and his knack for weaving in social commentary without being heavy-handed makes the story not only fun but insightful. The humor doesn’t overshadow the emotional and intellectual depth of the novel—it enhances it, making it both hysterical and thought-provoking in equal measure.

Yes, it's a book about the moon turning to cheese... and yes, it's hilariously funny, but also touching, surprising, and constantly entertaining. This book takes a ridiculous premise and makes it utterly engaging and thought-provoking, and is definitely one of the best books of the year (or any year).

I actually really enjoyed this read! Writing was great. Story was great. I just found myself bored in some parts

John Scalzi’s When the Moon Hits Your Eye (hard from Tor) has the premise that suddenly the moon, and moon rocks, turn to cheese. At first the consequences are whimsical as billionaires compete to steal a moon rock and eat the cheese. Then another billionaire, whose company makes a moon lander, goes on a trip to the moon. However the consequences of lunar cheese soon become apocalyptic as the whole Earth is in danger. I guessed the ending, but was still enthralled by the tale. Recommended.

Scalzi’s one offs are always great fun. It’s a great way to explore fun and innovated concepts. How would we respond if the moon surely turned to cheese. The first thing the author explores is its physical effects. I’m order for the moon to remain the same mass, it would have to get larger. And all the cheese puns, but who am I to diss that Brie

This multi-faceted and mildly amusing scifi novel looks at what happens when the moon suddenly turns to cheese through the perspective of many different characters.

On Day One, a curator discovers that the lunar rock sample in the museum has changed into something that looks like cheese. Over the next twenty-eight days of a lunar cycle, this straight-faced premise becomes slightly more fleshed out. The moon retains its same mass but becomes bigger as cheese has a different mass to rock and the pressure on the cheese causes it to compress. Pieces fly off the surface, including one chunk the size of a mountain that is heading to earth and will destroy life on the planet in two years.

Moving from the White House to church to a local diner, the many sides of this earth-shattering (if you will) news are examined. A few characters appear twice, but the majority make one appearance then drift off into the unknown. This lack of a central character made it harder for me to engage as the vignettes read like a series of only tangentially-related short stories. The author digs into some thought-provoking angles, some more predictable than others: religion, banking, creativity, and truth, are just a few examples.

This is a quick and agreeable read from an author who’s reliably interesting.

Thanks to Tor and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

Like so many books by John Scalzi, this one was delightful and surprisingly human. *for a book about the moon turning to cheese*

Yes, the premise is absurd - what if the moon turned to cheese? But Scalzi makes it work! Full of commentary on our current world and the US political system, I really enjoyed this one. Each chapter follows a different POV as we look at how people from all walks of life would react to the reality of the lunar disaster. We see a preacher with his faith tested, scientists who cannot explain what is happening, and follow a billionaire who cannot allow the moon being cheese to interrupt his plans for space exploration.

Very enjoyable as always!