- Paperback: 544 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins; New Ed edition (17 May 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0006511708
- ISBN-13: 978-0006511700
- Product Dimensions: 16.8 x 11.4 x 4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 97,350 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Gigantic meteor impacts have been a familiar SF cliché for decades. Jack McDevitt (whose first SF novel appeared in 1986) rings the changes with a two-stage disaster. A sun-grazing comet from deep space becomes visible only during the 2024 eclipse: it's a planet-killer, too big and fast for interception, and impact is in just five days. The twist is that it's going to hit the Moon. Lashings of drama follow as our lunar base--just opened by the US Vice-President, who's still there--is desperately evacuated by a Dunkirk flotilla of moonbuses, spaceplanes and a prototype Mars ship. At last the incoming monster, 180 km across, smashes into the Moon: as though this were a violent first break in snooker, random fragments fly everywhere. With grim plausibility, McDevitt shows the US government initially spin-doctoring the problem as nothing much to worry about. Then the sky begins to fall ... 37 chunks of Moon spawning fireballs and floods, and a massive 38th that threatens global extinction. The last-ditch effort to tackle this--not using nukes--attracts a sabotage strike from US militia loons who reckon it's all a government plot. McDevitt mercilessly cranks up the tension, and the pages turn faster and faster. A highly competent technothriller. --David Langford
Product Description
The ultimate disaster novel. IT’S TIME TO PANIC…
A comet is coming. It’s going to hit the moon. And the moon is going to fall.
On us.
Out of the blindside of a total solar eclipse comes a fundamental threat to life on our planet. Moonbase, the NASA project establishing at last permanent human activity on the moon, has been up and running for precisely five days. If it’s knocked out, it’ll be a hell of a blow to the US President, Henry Kolladner, who came to office riding high on the space ticket.
And it’ll be a bit of a blow to his deputy, VP Charlie Haskell, who’s actually up there. If the comet fully impacts, there’ll be no more moon at all. Billions of tons of lunar rock will crash to Earth. There’ll be tidal waves, quakes, global destruction.
It’s a tough call for the President. Does he declare a state of emergency and start evacuating the entire coastal population of America? Imagine the chaos, the looting, the riots…
Does he panic?
Wouldn’t YOU?
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
The Merrivale was bound for Honolulu, four days out of Los Angeles, when the eclipse began. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
The Merrivale was bound for Honolulu, four days out of Los Angeles, when the eclipse began. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was actually researching something else when I came across a link describing this novel, which is different to the usual first contact stories, very interesting read.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a thouroughly absorbing, gripping read. I had never read any of McDevitt's work before, and bought this book purely on seeing an ad for it. I was not disappointed. The characters are nicely fleshed out, the technoology of Earth's near future is largely plausible, and the political and social angle nicely played. McDevitt strikes an almost perfect balance between science, politics, emotions and some tremendous action. A truly excellent book, I cannot recommend it enough.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am ashamed to admit that although an avid sci-fi reader now in my late sixties Jack McDevitt has only just gained my attention. I have a fairly good collection of Clarke, Azimov, and the like so I make no excuses. Unfortunately my public library does not appear to stock this author (don't know why) and I picked one of his books from a second-hand book sale prior to buying this one.
Personally I don't worry too much if the Science is not accurate, if that's what I wanted I'd read a book on Physics.
I simply found it a damned good read and would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Clarke, Niven/Pournelle or Azimov.
Personally I don't worry too much if the Science is not accurate, if that's what I wanted I'd read a book on Physics.
I simply found it a damned good read and would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Clarke, Niven/Pournelle or Azimov.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Thrilling Sci-Fi Romp
Good science fiction is just fun to read. In Moonfall, Jack McDevitt has given us a gripping, enjoyable story that held this reader's interest throughout. Read more
Published on 30 Nov 2002 by Daniel Jolley
disappointing - not science fiction
I felt cheated by this book. Without giving away the plot, it promised but did not deliver. It reminded me about how disappointed I felt at the end of Jules Verne's From Earth to... Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2001
... Tom Clancy in space but without the style
I like Tom Clancy books but ... This book is a poor technothriller and not really a sci-fi book. It has the trappings of sci-fi, space and astronomical objects but the science is... Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2000 by Dust
The best McDevitt yet !
Just read it ! Although it may seem coincidental that it follows in the wake of the 'Armageddon' and 'Deep Impact' genre, it is in no way a cash-in on these Hollywood... Read more
Published on 13 April 2000
Brilliant Read
I thought this book was very enjoyable. The whole idea of this book is to have a little fun, if it were to made into a film it would be a flop. Read more
Published on 22 Nov 1999 by rojozorro@yahoo.com
A slam-bang slice of sci-fi entertainment!
Billed as the ultimate disaster novel, this action-packed adventure story for once lives up to the hype of the massive advertising campaign. Read more
Published on 26 Oct 1999 by "jweir"
Enjoyable 'comet disaster movie' with a good few twists.
I received this book for Christmas and enjoyed it very much. The author, as always sets even his 'minor' characters up with great description and care and this adds an extra edge... Read more
Published on 12 Jan 1999
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
