# Science fiction about colonizing the moon **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 26, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675 "2009-09-26T20:14:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/1 "2009-09-26T20:14:54Z")
The recent news about the moon has got me fantasizing and wanting to read stories of colonizing it. What’s out there? I’ve read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress already. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/2 "2009-09-26T20:40:46Z")
John Varley’s _Steel Beach_. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/3 "2009-09-26T20:47:50Z")
One of my all time favorites. **A Fall of Moondust** by Arthur C Clarke > **[A Fall of Moondust](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Fall_of_Moondust)** > > A Fall of Moondust is a hard science fiction novel by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1961. It was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Novel, and was the first science fiction novel selected to become a Reader's Digest Condensed Book. > By the 21st century, the Moon has been colonized, and although still very much a research establishment, it is visited by tourists who can afford the trip. One of its attractions is a cruise across one of the lunar seas, named the Sea of Thirs... ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/4 "2009-09-26T20:59:51Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > John Varley’s _Steel Beach_. Can you elaborate in any way? What’s it about, did you like it, why should I read it? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/5 "2009-09-26T21:03:15Z")
canceled ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/6 "2009-09-26T21:03:57Z")
Read Heinlein’s **Rocketship Galileo** – it’s got the basics of starting a colony, as they thought of doing it in the 1940s. **The Moon is a Harsh Mistress** isn’t really about statrting a colony, nor is **A Fall of Moondust** Several of Heinlein’s “Future History” stories deal with building moonbases (such as “Gentlemen, Be Seated”). You can find them in **The Past Through Tomorrow** I know there are a great many such stories, but I can’t think of their names offhand – I’ll have to look them up. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/7 "2009-09-26T21:09:42Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > **The Moon is a Harsh Mistress** isn’t really about statrting a colony, nor is **A Fall of Moondust** Sorry, maybe I should’ve just said “takes place on our moon, inhabited by humans,” or somesuch. I didn’t think the distinction would be made. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/8 "2009-09-26T21:10:29Z")
OK…How about **Welcome to Moonbase** by Ben Bova ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/9 "2009-09-26T21:24:17Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Can you elaborate in any way? What’s it about, did you like it, why should I read it? _Steel Beach_ is set in a society on Luna (and other planets of the solar system, but mainly focused on Luna) many years after all human life on Earth has been exterminated by unseen and virtually omnipotent aliens known simply as “The Invaders.” The book doesn’t focus on the Invaders or the invasion, and in fact only mentions them tangentially; they are the past and mankind is now surviving on planets other than “home.” That makes it sound like it’s all about colonization, but it’s not. The book is set on Luna, but it’s not all drilling into crust and scavenging oxygen, trying to eke a living; the thriving colony on the moon was there long before the Invaders came. They just happened to stamp out human life on the Earth and left Luna alone, and the humans there are surviving like humans have done everywhere, albeit now in a highly artificial and life-hostile environment. “Steel beach” is a reference to fish that were forced to evolve once they were tossed up on the beach by the random actions of waves. I love stories based on the moon, and I love, love, love Varley’s writing style. He’s one of my favorite authors. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/10 "2009-09-26T21:51:03Z")
The Left Hand of Darkness: Not really our moon, but it raises a lot of interesting ideas about society, societal development, and when the two societies come back together. The Time Machine (2002, film): interesting sub-plot about over-colonization of the moon. Moon (2009): day-to-day grind of living on the moon. ---
**Author:** ![Petey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Petey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petey)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/11 "2009-09-29T04:18:54Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > _Steel Beach_ is set in a society on Luna (and other planets of the solar system, but mainly focused on Luna) many years after all human life on Earth has been exterminated by unseen and virtually omnipotent aliens known simply as “The Invaders.” The book doesn’t focus on the Invaders or the invasion, and in fact only mentions them tangentially; they are the past and mankind is now surviving on planets other than “home.” Also, **Steel Beach** is somewhat an homage to **A Moon is a Harsh Mistress**. There’s a subplot about a group of people called the _Heinleiners_. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/12 "2009-09-29T04:51:51Z")
**This Place Has No Atmosphere** is a young adult novel about living on the moon. But it’s mostly about who is going to the dance with whom, from my best recall, so that might not be quite what you’re looking for. I just always found the title witty. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/13 "2009-09-29T04:59:28Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Sorry, maybe I should’ve just said “takes place on our moon, inhabited by humans,” or somesuch. I didn’t think the distinction would be made. Also by Heinlein, the short story _The Menace From Earth_. It’s a juvenile, but well done, and available free online [here](http://www.webscription.net/chapters/0743498747/0743498747___2.htm). ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/14 "2009-09-29T05:01:58Z")
> [@Petey](#): > > Also, **Steel Beach** is somewhat an homage to **A Moon is a Harsh Mistress**. There’s a subplot about a group of people called the _Heinleiners_. I’m going to be a spoilsport and say that I really disliked that novel. Sorry! I really wanted to like it, I’ve loved Varley’s stuff, but… sigh, no. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/15 "2009-09-29T11:43:29Z")
Heretic! Shun the unbeliever! Shun! Shun! SHUN!!11!!! ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-fiction-about-colonizing-the-moon/511675/16 "2009-09-29T12:25:29Z")
> [@Petey](#): > > Also, **Steel Beach** is somewhat an homage to **A Moon is a Harsh Mistress**. There’s a subplot about a group of people called the _Heinleiners_. Varley obviously holds Heinlein in very high esteem. His latest novels can be said to be very Heinlein-esque. > [@squeegee](#): > > I’m going to be a spoilsport and say that I really disliked that novel. Sorry! I really wanted to like it, I’ve loved Varley’s stuff, but… sigh, no. How can you not like a novel that starts with the line, “In 5 years, the penis will be obsolete”?