Fall of Moondust

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Arthur C. Clarke: Fall of Moondust (1974, Roc)

Published Feb. 1, 1974 by Roc.

ISBN:
978-0-451-08320-3
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4 stars (1 review)

An early Arthur C. Clarke novel that takes place on the Moon. The setting is a future in which the Moon has become a tourist destination, and one of the attractions is a huge dust bowl on which one can sightsee from a "dust cruiser". Then there's a serious accident...... This is an excellent hard SF adventure.

15 editions

Review of 'Fall of Moondust' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

One of the first novels by Arthur C Clarke that I read as a kid. Part hard science fiction, part suspenseful thriller, it was a good story then and now.

This is a book about saving the lives of people on the moon. It is along the same lines as The Martian, using science and clever ideas to overcome setbacks. Instead of one person trapped, it is a group of 20, and Clarke has fun with their group dynamic. He also uses them as a vehicle to discuss the cult of UFO watchers. Other characters are also solid, from the savvy reporter to the unlikable genius who runs the rescue effort. Some of the science is a bit dated, but this was written almost a decade before anyone walked on the moon.

As to rereading this, I remembered the basic situation and form of rescue, but the various dialog and …