The Wanderer (Gollancz SF collectors' editions) [Paperback]

Fritz Leiber is way-out-landish in this energetic epic. The Wanderer is a planet that suddenly appears next to our moon and proceeds to slowly absorb it while a frantic earth undergoes monumental quake and tide upheavals. This follows the adventures of an enormous cast of characters that include everyone from astronauts to potheads to flying saucer cultists to "Tigerisha," a cat woman from the new planet, who explains that they are just a planet full of rebellious spirits trying to escape from the Establishment of an overpopulated sector of the universe. Did Mr. Leiber's right hand realize what his left hand was doing? (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'Richly eccentric, almost encyclopedic... ambitious... and eminently readable' Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels

All eyes were watching the eclipse of the Moon when the Wanderer came. Only a few scientists had even suspected its presence, and then, suddenly, it was there, dwarfing and threatening the Moon and wreaking havoc with Earth's tides and weather. The huge, garishly coloured artificial world has only stopped in the Solar system to refuel but its mere presence is a catastrophe for the inhabitants of Earth, who all struggle in their different ways to survive the climatic chaos it unleashes. A brilliant description of the of the days of chaos as total destruction threatens the Earth.

Fritz Leiber (1910-1992) studied psychology and physiology at the University of Chicago and then spent a year at a theological seminary. He worked as an editor for the Science Digest, acted (he came from a theatrical family) and was a drama teacher before turning to writing. He is particularly well known for his fantasy writing but his other sf includes The Big Time, which also won a Hugo.