When the Moon Hits Your Eye is the story of what happens when the moon turns to cheese, following a month (or more accurately, a full lunar cycle) as people come to terms with what that means and what exactly is happening.

Scalzi is always a fun read. I’ve been reading his work for years since some of his earliest published books. I usually know what I’m getting in to regarding humour and silliness, good banter, some action depending on which book. I went in to this one blind without even reading the synopsis, and despite being fully prepared for some silliness, I truly thought the moon turning to cheese was a joke at first. Jokes on me for not reading the synopsis! I kind of wish I could make them delete the synopsis so no one knows what to expect, because it makes those first few chapters even funnier trying to sort out if that’s the actual plot. I did buddy read this with a friend who knew the story beforehand though, and she had just as much fun with it, so going in blind or knowing doesn’t change how fun of a story it is.

Each day of the lunar cycle follows different people. There is some overlap where previous characters are seen from a.different person, and we get one or two chapters from the same person but having different views and perspectives throughout the book made this really interesting. Having billionaires, politicians, scientists, store clerks, retirees, all give their thoughts as the story came together made for a really unique experience. I still managed to have favourites from only one chapter and wished I got more of their perspectives, but the way this book was written was really well done, and I enjoyed it immensely. Having different styles of banter and humour in each chapter and different type of science or philosophy made you really think about the effects something like this would have on different people. There are also some really sweet, heartwarming chapters to balance out the humour, and some of these little chapters are the best love stories I’ve read.

The only reason this wasn’t a perfect five star read was the ending. It didn’t ruin the book for me, but I just didn’t like the ending. If I could pretend the last chapter didn’t exist, I would. Everything leading up to that point was perfect, especially reading it with a friend and throwing theories at each other about “what type of cheese is the moon?” “What happens during a lunar eclipse now?” Etc, was so fun, and the ending took away a lot of the silliness and theories that you can build throughout the book. It felt a little bit like a cop out especially reading the afterword when Scalzi explains why he did what he did. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but I just would have liked more, especially with a premise like the moon is cheese. Others might love the ending and lack of some explanations though, for the exact reasons he outlines in his afterword, and all the power to them! This is mostly a me problem, and it still didn’t take away from how excellent the rest of the book was.

If you’re looking for a silly, over the top story, or want to know what could happen if the moon turned to cheese, I really can’t recommend this enough.

One day, suddenly and without explanation, the moon is replaced with an orb of cheese with the exact same mass. Through the length of an entire lunar cycle, from new moon to a spectacular and possibly final solar eclipse, the book follows multiple characters as they confront the strange new world they live in, and the absurd, impossible moon that now hangs above all their lives. This one reads like a collection of short stories, and like Scalzi’s last two books, it is funny, creative, and had me thinking about our future. For fans of humorous and thought-provoking stories.

In the hands of a lesser author, the conceit of the book would have felt hackneyed and droll. As it is, I do feel that the central idea did feel a little long in the tooth by the end of the story. However, Scalzi's ability to write convincing, real human characters with personalities and humor takes him far. It was interesting and eye-opening to see how each of the book's characters would try to spin this new development to their advantage, and realistically so.
Another win for Scalzi.

In these dark times I try to avoid books about the end of the world; however, I’ll make an exception for an author I love. John Scalzi is one of those authors and he tells quite a unique end-of-the-world story in his latest effort, When the Moon Hits Your Eye.

The premise of this book – earth’s moon and every moon rock on earth turning to cheese – sounds incredibly silly. Scalzi treats it seriously (and humorously), though. New characters from all walks of life are introduced in each chapter and we see how each of them deals with their impending doom. Articles and Reddit posts are also interspersed to add color to the story.

Some of the characters are a bit obnoxious. While I did enjoy my time with the book, I feel like eliminating the unlikable ones and focusing on the ones that were more interesting would’ve made it a better read. I think I most enjoyed the characters from the church. The exchange between the pastor and the parishioner struggling with his faith as the end approached was incredibly moving and powerful. It’s the first time a book has given me goosebumps in quite some time.

If you like Scalzi, you definitely will want to read this. You’ll also be into it if you enjoy apocalyptic films with a large cast of characters like Don’t Look Up.

I love a silly premise, and this one has it: the moon has turned to cheese. The novel then provides a series of disjointed news reports and vignettes to show how people are reacting and the impact on life as we know it. Because of this, the novel lacks a traditional over-arching story line, but instead offers a broad range of experiences and viewpoint and impacts.

One of the things I love about silly books is the witty word-play and humor throughout the text. This novel limited the silliness to the premise, but at least the characters recognized that their situation was ridiculous - no pretending this change was normal. It was as the author intended, how normal people react to an odd situation.

The end was a bit of a let down, to be honest. I raced through the book (it is easy to do with something this light) to see how it ended and left feeling disappointed.

Verdict: Silly premise, easy to read, fast read, disjointed narrative, not nearly as fun or engaging as previous work by the author, but if you can tolerate the 'silly' premise, it is worth the read.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye has one of the most ridiculously ridiculous plots I’ve ever read and I loved every minute of it. All at once, the moon (and every moon rock) turns into cheese. That’s it. Now what? I was a bit skeptical of this book, but I loved The Kaiju Preservation Society (which forms a loose trilogy with this book and Starter Villain) so I decided to read it.

The book opens with a Q&A preface about the moon. (“HEY KIDS! Let’s learn about the moon!”) It was very helpful to learn some basic facts about our moon before plunging into the story. Then people start noticing that moon rocks have changed into some kind of “organic-seeming material.” (The government absolutely refuses to acknowledge that the moon is “cheese.”) Then observant people start noticing that the moon is visible during the day and extremely bright. And big.

One of the funny things throughout the book is that people keep asking “what kind of cheese” and the author relentlessly refuses to answer. (Hilariously, it turns out that this is due to the author trying to stay otherwise scientifically realistic in a book about the MOON SPONTANEOUSLY TURNING INTO CHEESE.) Not only has the moon turned into cheese, it has grown to the same mass in cheese as it was in rock. (This presumably, is also because science, so that the author didn’t have to worry about the tides etc.)

The story takes place over one lunar cycle and is told through traditional narrative and occasional excerpts from traditional and social media. Chapters are set in various places around the USA and the world. (This includes Maquoketa, Iowa, a very random place that is not too far from where I live.) It is full of whimsy and could make an amazing movie in the right hands. But there is also a lot of social commentary. There is a billionaire jerk who used his money to buy his way into the space program (and to buy companies built by other, more competent scientists) who has devious underhanded plans known only to himself. (“I just don’t see the benefit of the United States admitting it got taken for a ride by a billionaire who has more entitlement than he has brains.” (Day ten) Don’t tell me THAT is not on point.) The author also includes religion and conspiracy theories.

As a librarian, I enjoyed a section in which Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly give a book great reviews. It is panned only by Kirkus; “Oh, honey, that’s just Kirkus,” the author’s agent says. “Everyone knows they don’t hire reviewers who are capable of joy.” (Day six) Scalzi is about my age so I enjoyed a lot of his pop culture references (the movie The Blob! Jewel-Osco! (a very Chicago grocery store and pharmacy chain) Apollo 13! Someone who “delved too greedily and too deep” (Day fifteen) Andy Weir!).

The last time I recall enjoying a book in this same way was when I read Ready Player One. I could go on quoting this book all day, but I recommend you go read it for yourself as soon as you can. I will reread it as soon as it is made into a movie. Which hopefully it will be.

I read an advance reader copy of When the Moon Hits Your Eye from Netgalley. It is scheduled to be published on March 25 and will be available for checkout at the Galesburg Public Library.

Ridiculously delightful, the moon made of cheese, yes please! This utterly whimsical tale takes a big, gooey leap into the absurd and comes out with a story as sharp as aged cheddar.

When the moon is abruptly replaced by an enormous wheel of cheese, the world faces a great dilemma: how does life change under a dairy-fueled lunar cycle? The novel introduces us to a motley crew of characters navigating this catastrophe. Scientists rack their brains trying to explain it, schoolkids dream of nibbling their way to the stars, and billionaires hatch schemes to capitalize on the celestial dairy delight.

The story’s strength lies in its blend of humour and thoughtfulness. Yes, it’s absolutely ridiculous, but it also explores serious themes like greed, faith, and humanity’s endless curiosity. As the cheese moon wanes and waxes, so do the characters’ lives, creating a tale that is as much about adapting to the unexpected as it is about appreciating the sheer absurdity of the universe.

With its clever wordplay and brilliant storytelling, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys science fiction that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing an eARC of When the Moon Hits Your Eye prior to publication.

For no reason that anyone can understand, Earth's moon one day quite unexpectedly turns into a massive, round cheese ball (or, as NASA refers to it - "a newly developed organic matrix"). The moon appears to have the same mass but it has increased in size. It is also causing some massive ejections of its organic material as pressure on the core increases. One such organic ejection sends a massive hunk of cheese toward earth, which could be more destructive than the asteroid that killed off the dinosaurs.
For one entire lunar cycle, citizens of Earth debate and reflect on what's happening and how they want to see the end of the world.

There probably isn't anyone writing better writing light, humorous, science fiction than John Scalzi. While I personally prefer his space opera sci-fi (ie the Old Man's War series, The Interdependency series, or even the non-space opera but hard-hitting Lock In series), the general reading public seems to like his humorous work even more. Just look at the success of Redshirts and his previous book, Starter Villain. When the Moon Hits Your Eye will likely fall in line with these lighter sci-fi stories.

I think it's helpful to go into this book knowing a few things. First - this isn't a book about the moon turning into cheese. It is certainly the most important thing that happens and it is the reason we follow a variety of people. But the book is about mankind and how humans react to annihilation.

It is also important to know, going in (I'm positive this isn't a spoiler) that we never learn how or why the moon turned into cheese. This isn't, after all, a book about the moon turning into cheese.

I mention these things so that other readers don't go in expecting something that isn't there ... the way that I did. I started the book and expected there would be answers and was a little unsatisfied at the end that not only weren't there answers, there wasn't much story. It wasn't until I reflected on this a bit that I realized what the story was. I might have enjoyed it more had I gone in with different expectations.

Because this is about 'people' or even 'humanity' we also don't have a singular character to focus on - someone that drives the story. The closest we come is the author who is suddenly thrust into the limelight and whose book sales skyrocket due to an essay he wrote about myths such as the moon being made of green cheese.

Another character that I actually grew to like was the Elon Musk-like billionaire who decides to pilot his own space craft against NASA's wishes. My appreciation for this character was short-lived.

I referred to this earlier as 'light' when in reality there's a pretty deep story here. Sometimes it's hard to see through Scalzi's rapid dialog and humorous situations.

I still prefer the space operas, but any Scalzi book is better than much of what you'll find on the book shelves.

Looking for a good book? When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi is a stand-alone, humorous sci-fi story that looks like goofy fun but carries a significant tale.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi is a humorous and entertaining science fiction novel where Scalzi takes on the absurd idea of the Moon turning into cheese. Yes, you read that right, in this novel the Moon inexplicably turns to cheese and the characters have to deal with the reality and implications of this outlandish situation. Scalzi is well known for his easy to read pop scifi novels and his witty takes on social media. This novel is Scalzi on full display and is a fun and quick read that left me chuckling several times throughout the story.

The story is told with a chapter representing each day in a lunar cycle. We follow different characters each chapter, occasionally revisiting some, but, for the most part, every chapter is a new point of view. Sometimes we get journalistic reports of what is happening. Each chapter shows us how people react differently to the Moon turning into cheese, and how it affects the situation they are in. The various viewpoints include astronauts, the President, a nonfiction writer and agent, cheese shop owners, and a few others. Each character’s story manages to remain entertaining and sometimes downright funny throughout the entire novel. He even manages to sneak in some romantic and tragic stories.

There is some science involved in what would happen to the Moon if it turned to cheese. Its mass stays the same but changes in density make the moon larger, and it is also much brighter in the sky. Also, a huge planetary body made of cheese would, theoretically, collapse in on itself, causing geysers and cheese oceans. Of course, this is a novel about the Moon turning into cheese, so accurate science isn’t exactly the focus of the story.

If you are looking for a fun read and a science fiction novel that is pure entertainment and humor, I’d certainly give When the Moon Hits Your Eye a good recommendation. It is quick and introduces a premise one would never imagine getting published, let alone actually being good.

Remiscent of the Lock-In series more than Scalzi's more recent works, When The Moon Hits Your Eye lacks the narrative cohesion and more advanced humor of Kaiju Preservation Society or Starter Villian, but it's still a sly, funny take on life in America under extremely silly conditions. The world discovers that the moon has been replaced with an organic substance (don't call it cheese!) and the various fallout and chaos comprises most of the book. The moon's mass stays the same, but the size changes, and the more volitile surface causes changes both scientific and silly. Not the best work, but a nice piece of escapism and again, silliness.

I just read John Scalzi's latest science fiction novel, When the Moon Hits Your Eye. This one comes out on March 25. This is a standalone, but Scalzi said it's sort of in a group with his last two novels, The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain.

As much as I liked The Kaiju Preservation Society, this one was even better. It begins at the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio where staff members discover that the moon rock in the exhibit has changed to cheese. In contacting other facilities around the world, they realize all the rocks are now cheese. When the moon looks different, it's learned the moon itself has changed to cheese.

Scalzi tells the story from all kinds of viewpoints. If the moon changed, governments, NASA, astronauts are not the only ones affected. We meet a professor emeritus of philosophy and his retired friends at a cafe, members of a religious cult, two young employees at cheese stores in Wisconsin, a couple college students, a billionaire determined to land on the moon, a writer. I can only imagine how much fun John Scalzi had as he brainstormed how different people would react to the moon changing to cheese.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye is like well-aged gouda—sharp, a little nutty, and impossible to put down.

I really enjoyed this little book. I’m a big fan of Scalzi anyway, so I came into this with Scalzi expectations. And he delivered.

I like to teach my writers to ask “what if” when coming up with their story premise. Scalzi’s was very clearly “What if the moon turned to cheese?” Not, “what if the moon was cheese.” ..."turned to."

He juggles multiple perspectives—each chapter is a new little character vignette that shows a variety of people and how the moon turning to cheese affects their day-to-day. We meet people from all over the world from all different professions and life experiences. Each chapter is a whole new character with all new wants and needs. And somehow he fits it all in.

Per usual Scalzi, this story’s got wit and emotional depth. I think there’s a lot writers can learn from how he’s able to deliver something poignant and simple simultaneously. I love playing around with different perspectives, and this book was a great exercise in that.
This book is absolutely on my list of recommendations for sci-fi writers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for this digital ARC!

When the Moon Hits Your Eye is a beautifully written, introspective journey that feels like a long, lingering conversation with an old friend. The author’s lyrical prose captures the complexities of love and yearning, balancing moments of whimsy with a quiet, almost melancholic depth.

The narrative contemplates themes of connection, longing, and self-discovery in a way that feels deeply human and relatable. It’s a book that lingers with you, inviting reflection on its pages and the hidden corners of the heart.

This is a perfect read for anyone looking for a story that blends poetry and prose—something to savor rather than rush through. It’s a quietly moving exploration of the ways we connect with others and ourselves.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi is a satirical sci-fi novel that explores the absurdity of human behavior when the moon turns to cheese. Yes, cheese.

One day, the moon randomly turns to cheese. No one can explain why, and it leads to people having interesting responses. Each chapter is a new day, and each day focuses on a different person’s perspective or media post during the course of the moon having turned to cheese. The characters vary widely. They range anywhere from a retired professor, astronauts, billionaires, TV producers, authors, and so on. The books really plays into human behavior in the face of unexplainable chaos.

Scalzi does an amazing job of presenting humanity in a satirical way. If the moon ever turned to cheese, I truly believe the reactions would mirror this book. It was so entertaining to read and thought-provoking. It was funny, sad, and philosophical.

I chose to read this book because I read Starter Villain by Scalzi (if you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it!) and this book keeps him on my personal “authors to recommend” list. If you’re a fan of sci-fi, I would say this book would fall under the category of social sci-fi or soft sci-fi.

So, once upon a time, the moon turns to cheese. People, naturally, freak out. The moon starts breaking down and disaster looms in the not-too-distant future. Not so soon that you can quit your job though, so the daily grind continues. And people react differently.

In 29 chapters - one for each day of a lunar cycle - we're given the reactions of people around the U.S. There are a few reactions from the astronauts who were scheduled to go to the moon (and now don't), a couple of chapters with discussions of some guys in a diner, a couple of chapters of a professor who shot to fame for having recently written about the moon as cheese legends, a couple of chapters concerning a cheese shop, a couple of chapters about people in a small Iowa town, and a few detailing the lunacy of billionaires. There were also a few one-off chapters about people's lives that we don't hear from again.

The stories detail various reactions, from those who plan what they'll do at the end of the world, to the mood of people watching SNL try to make jokes (hint: they're not ready to laugh or commiserate). People get married, some people and corporations decide to rip others off, and some people quit their jobs and pursue their creative dreams. And the billionaires continue to be embarrassingly juvenile, entitled, and selfish. The book offers detailed moments from these individuals' lives and we see a lot of different reactions.

While I appreciated the book, I think that it underestimates the craziness of the everyday in the U.S. right now (2024) and the lunacy of what would happen in the face of impending doom. I think there would be widespread religious protesters, nonsensibly lining the streets and screaming at cars. There were a couple of reddit posts advocating conspiracies in the book, but honestly, I think there would be more finger pointing and panic. I mean, we had a hurricane in Florida a few weeks ago and a neighbor said it was the Democrats controlling the weather with lasers. That's normal now. But that's not a criticism - it just proves that the book makes you think and want to talk about it. I wish I'd read this for a book club!

The other Scalzi I've read also has this "reasonable person faced with crazy times" voice, so I wasn't surprised to read in the afterword that Scalzi considers this to be the third in a trilogy (with Kaiju Preservation and Starter Villain) loosely centered on "Everyday people dealing with an extremely high-concept situation in a contemporary setting."

Really an excellent book that I think I'm going to be thinking about for a while.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is March 25, 2025.

I’m becoming a big fan of Scalzi’s work since reading this and Starter Villain! He is so creative with his premises and I really enjoyed the many perspectives that we were given in this book. He brings a perfect sense of humor.

If you would have told me that a book about the moon turning into cheese would make me cry my eyes out, I would have said “Gouda one.”

“When the Moon Hits Your Eye” follows several people in different industries and how they respond to the moon literally turning into cheese. This novel takes a ridiculous scenario and makes it very serious, with heartfelt reactions from the characters and what seems to be pretty sound science explaining the results of the change (but I’m not a scientist so what do I know). Through the novel, we see the lenses of astronauts, billionaires, priests, common folk, and so much more. Each of their responses to the moon turning into cheese was so fascinating to read - while some were terrified, others profited.

This book took me on quite a journey, I truly couldn’t put it down. The author’s writing is so funny and witty, which makes the novel feel more like a sci-if comedy in some places. And other times, the emotions were so raw I was reading through my tears. Each story is interwoven with each other as well, which makes it fun to see who connects with who, and how each of their actions affects someone else in the story.

I only took a star off because while I liked the ending, it felt like it wrapped up too quickly and I was still left wanting more. I would have loved to see more explanations or theories surrounding the moon turning into cheese.

While this book is full of cheese, it is anything but cheesy. I would highly recommend this to sci-fi/apocalypse lovers, cheese enthusiasts, and those maybe needing a good cry.

Once again John Scalzi has written a book that is so goofy and ridiculous while also being heartwarming and sincere. When the Moon Hits Your Eye follows many POVs for each day of the lunar cycle after the moon suddenly turns to cheese. We get to see so many perspectives as the public deals with the shock and the uncertainty of the future. By the end I really enjoyed all the different POVs we get but to start I had a hard time getting invested in the story since there was no one person to connect with. Some characters got multiple chapters throughout the book but it felt like many short stories with a general through line of “the moon is cheese now what”.

I feel like anyone who has liked Scalzi’s last two books will really enjoy this one. It has the same humor and self awareness of how goofy the premise is. I also highly recommend reading the authors note at the end of any of his books it always gives interesting insight into how this weird book came to be.

With irreverent humor and his signature obscure plots, John Scalzi offers readers a dairy delight in WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE. We follow people from around the country as they experience the celestial curiosity of the moon turning into actual cheese. Each chapter represents a day in the lunar cycle and focuses on different people across America sas they process this news.

Inexplicably, a book with such an outlandish premise manages to hone in on so many aspects of human nature: questions of faith, opportunists looking to capitalize on chaos, and what this event could mean for the future of humanity. This was a light-hearted reading experience that captured my attention and made me pine for a slice of Parmigiano Reggiano.

READ THIS IF YOU:
-have an affinity for cheese shops
-enjoyed the structure of The Measure by Nicki Erlach
-are looking for a unique reading experience

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: March 25, 2025

Many thanks to Tor and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 336 / Genre: Sci-Fi
Release Date: March 25, 2025

The world is about to end because the moon has inexplicably turned into cheese. Now there’s two years left for humanity, just enough time to rethink the rest of your life but not yet time to totally freak out. What follows is a collection of short stories that tell how different people react to this news, how they accept their fate, and what they choose to do with their time left.

I loved this book. It was silly but with seemingly logical answers to what was happening. It was poignant without being morbid or depressing. The perfect last 5-star read of my year.

This book comes out on March 25, 2025, and a definite must add to your TBR. And I would wait for the audiobook since most of Scalzi’s books are narrated by Wil Wheaton, who’s one of my favorite narrators.

Thank you, @JScalzi, @TorBooks, and @NetGalley for my gifted copy.