Book cover of The Moon is Hell

Book description

Ace Books, 1973. Paperback, 1st printing. Includes two Campbell stories: The Moon Is Hell (1951), and The Elder Gods (1939, written with Arthur J. Burks).

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Moon is Hell as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This is a lesser-known story today, but as a kid growing up—doing my own homemade chemistry experiments—I absolutely loved this story of how astronauts, stranded on the moon, would be able to “science the shit out of it” and survive.

Of course, it was penned in 1951, before a human had left the atmosphere of Earth. That does make it a bit dated by today’s standards, although it is still a fun foray into the chemistry and geology of lunar DIY survival… written half a century before The Martian.

If you love The Moon is Hell...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like The Moon is Hell?

Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 79 books like The Moon is Hell.

Browse books like The Moon is Hell

Book cover of Contact
Book cover of Dune
Book cover of Stranger in a Strange Land

Share your top 3 reads of 2026!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

186

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Moon is Hell, you might also like...

Book cover of Child of Vanris

Child of Vanris by Nikki McCormack,

At five years old, Kasiel was found with the pointed ends of his ears cut off. Despite that brutal start, he’s lived twelve peaceful years with the man who took him in. Keeping his hair long over his mutilated ears helps him hide the fact that he is Vanrian, a…

Book cover of Almost Home

Almost Home by Howard Means,

Almost Home is a fictional retelling of the last great tragedy of the Civil War.

In late April 1865, almost 2,000 newly freed Union prisoners of war are packed onto the steamer Sultana, in poor repair and with a listed capacity of 376 passengers. Among them are four Indiana soldiers…

5 book lists we think you will like!