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Tongues of the Moon
OUT FROM THE GREEN WORLD: Humans had colonized the planets & lost its birthright. Civilization was a lonely chain of space stations linked by terror. The Empire kept the pioneers enslaved with a weapon that shattered any protest into screaming insanity.
All they had left was the dream of someday returning home. Until their dream exploded in the holocaust that destroyed the Earth. But the embers of their dead planet sparked a brain-blasting revolution that sweptt the galaxy: a revolution of exiles in an alien universe-with nothing left to lose.
All they had left was the dream of someday returning home. Until their dream exploded in the holocaust that destroyed the Earth. But the embers of their dead planet sparked a brain-blasting revolution that sweptt the galaxy: a revolution of exiles in an alien universe-with nothing left to lose.
Unknown Binding
First published July 1, 1961
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About the author
Philip José Farmer
592 books886 followersPhilip José Farmer was an American author, principally known for his science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories. He was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, but spent much of his life in Peoria, Illinois.
Farmer is best known for his Riverworld series and the earlier World of Tiers series. He is noted for his use of sexual and religious themes in his work, his fascination for and reworking of the lore of legendary pulp heroes, and occasional tongue-in-cheek pseudonymous works written as if by fictional characters.
Farmer is best known for his Riverworld series and the earlier World of Tiers series. He is noted for his use of sexual and religious themes in his work, his fascination for and reworking of the lore of legendary pulp heroes, and occasional tongue-in-cheek pseudonymous works written as if by fictional characters.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 4, 2023
One of PJF's earlier books, from 1964, and not one of his better books, but still of interest. In this one, Earth is destroyed in a nuclear war--but the war is not over. There were Earth colonies on the Moon and Mars, and led by power-mad dictators, are going to continue the war. Our hero, Broward, is one man who wants to stop the fighting...and killing. Farmer has a rather cynical view of human nature- much like Mark Twain. However, in this story, he gives us a hero who has the courage to stand up against the insanity of war.
March 28, 2019
When reading older SiFi you sometimes have to age correct you mind to the time it was written to fully appreciate the reasons an writer wrote a story. Alot of the Science "Fiction" of then has become science Fact or Theory now. While not one of Farmer's best book this was still a good solid SiFi read. Recommended
August 31, 2008
An early book by Farmer. Not one of his best, although it starts with a bang. I honestly don't remember a lot about it.
May 10, 2019
Awful! Lol. I was hoping for a little cheesy sci if but this was terrible! No chapters, just one long run on story with weak one dimensional characters. Unbearable. I pity the Little Free Library that will house this. Not only will it cheapen the company of the other books where it resides, but some poor soul may choose it thinking it a small hidden masterpiece. Only when they reach home and crack it open will they realize their fate. I can’t even bear to stash it during daylight; one night, soon, I’ll be off to some darkened street to hide this poor mistake of a story.
August 6, 2022
A fair space-opera romp. The characters were not very compelling, plot was OK.
August 26, 2020
Tongues of the Moon is a rather short novel, and while the concepts were likely interesting for 1964, the story is bogged down by a very passive narrative voice, boring characters, and too much explanation of (now out-dated and rather laughable) tech.
In truth, there isn't a lot to say about this novel that wouldn't be a spoiler. We don't get to know much about any of the characters and as such it's hard to care about the death of the world on such a massive scale. Broward hardly expresses any emotion about the loss of his planet, so why are we expected to? The geo-politics is the most interesting thing about the novel really, and by that I mean Farmer's concept of how the world turned out post-1970.
And while there is the most basic of attempts to include women in STEM, women are treated as side characters for the most part. Aside from one woman who does one thing, women are considered in the novel for their reproductive potential more than anything else and characterized as “overly emotional”. This annoyed but didn't surprise me.
The tech in the novel is the best part because it’s so very 1960s: laser beams and nuclear devastation. The nuclear weapons in this case are called “cobalt bombs”.
The “tongues” in the title refer to “a flexible beam of straightened-out photons” which is apparently the “ultimate development of the laser” (it’s not a 1960s novel without lasers). There are other less interesting weapons using pseudo-scientific terms like “gravitomagnetic drives” and some kind of stun gun that is casually explained away as it being “new”.
Apparently it takes 1.5 hours to get from the moon to earth using little ships but when Broward receives a technical readout, the computer prints it out on a piece of paper. I’m assuming dot matrix, which is so incredibly quaint.
As is usual in these novels, my favourite old technology has a little cameo. Microfiche: the technology everyone in the 50-70s seemed to think would pervade into the new Millenium. I love it.
It's a short little read that has some interesting aspects but overall quite forgettable. Except for the weirdest title ever.
In truth, there isn't a lot to say about this novel that wouldn't be a spoiler. We don't get to know much about any of the characters and as such it's hard to care about the death of the world on such a massive scale. Broward hardly expresses any emotion about the loss of his planet, so why are we expected to? The geo-politics is the most interesting thing about the novel really, and by that I mean Farmer's concept of how the world turned out post-1970.
And while there is the most basic of attempts to include women in STEM, women are treated as side characters for the most part. Aside from one woman who does one thing, women are considered in the novel for their reproductive potential more than anything else and characterized as “overly emotional”. This annoyed but didn't surprise me.
The tech in the novel is the best part because it’s so very 1960s: laser beams and nuclear devastation. The nuclear weapons in this case are called “cobalt bombs”.
The “tongues” in the title refer to “a flexible beam of straightened-out photons” which is apparently the “ultimate development of the laser” (it’s not a 1960s novel without lasers). There are other less interesting weapons using pseudo-scientific terms like “gravitomagnetic drives” and some kind of stun gun that is casually explained away as it being “new”.
Apparently it takes 1.5 hours to get from the moon to earth using little ships but when Broward receives a technical readout, the computer prints it out on a piece of paper. I’m assuming dot matrix, which is so incredibly quaint.
As is usual in these novels, my favourite old technology has a little cameo. Microfiche: the technology everyone in the 50-70s seemed to think would pervade into the new Millenium. I love it.
It's a short little read that has some interesting aspects but overall quite forgettable. Except for the weirdest title ever.
December 15, 2025
It's never good when you read a book and you are sure there was another one before it you must have missed. Of course, you can have a good author start you in the middle of the action and help you figure it out, but it didn't happen in this one.
We start with our hero (who is not really clear for a while even who the hero is) on the moon, as nuclear holocaust starts on Earth, so everyone on the moon also starts shooting at each other.
Finally, we lead that in this future America was conquered.. the two big powers are the Soviet bloc (of which America is a part) and the 'Axis'.. which seems to be a fascist alliance of South Africa and Argentina. Europe seems to either exist as part of the Soviet bloc or just isn't important, its not clear. Oh, and there's China, which seems to not like anyone particularly. So a big 3 way melee breaks out, and eventually we find out the Axis have a big colony on Mars, and the Soviets on the moon are in trouble unless they get get a magic planet buster bomb from Earth first, but of course neither person that emerges as the leader is nice, or really in control. Our hero is on the moon and pops all over the solar system trying to save the day and get the girl, as is standard for 60s sci fi.
There were a few interesting bits in the interest of history, but really a mess of a novel... there are far better similar books written at the same time.
We start with our hero (who is not really clear for a while even who the hero is) on the moon, as nuclear holocaust starts on Earth, so everyone on the moon also starts shooting at each other.
Finally, we lead that in this future America was conquered.. the two big powers are the Soviet bloc (of which America is a part) and the 'Axis'.. which seems to be a fascist alliance of South Africa and Argentina. Europe seems to either exist as part of the Soviet bloc or just isn't important, its not clear. Oh, and there's China, which seems to not like anyone particularly. So a big 3 way melee breaks out, and eventually we find out the Axis have a big colony on Mars, and the Soviets on the moon are in trouble unless they get get a magic planet buster bomb from Earth first, but of course neither person that emerges as the leader is nice, or really in control. Our hero is on the moon and pops all over the solar system trying to save the day and get the girl, as is standard for 60s sci fi.
There were a few interesting bits in the interest of history, but really a mess of a novel... there are far better similar books written at the same time.
May 9, 2024
‘The commander roared, “Unless you surrender at once, we will turn on the bonephones! And you will writhe in pain until you die, you American swine!”’
A silly book. It came out not long after the Cuban missile crisis. I suspect that Farmer bagged himself a contract to churn out 143 pages featuring nationalism and atomic war, and to do it as quickly as possible.
North America is a Soviet state when the Earth is laid waste by nuclear bombs. Only those people who were off-planet at the time have survived. The book is not a total disaster. It’s fast paced and mostly readable. It makes a kind of sense, by which I mean the scenes are in the right order. Farmer’s given some thought to how people would react. So there’s a fair bit of gorilla-like behaviour and it’s not long before fascism and eugenics put their hands up and people start getting killed. Rather bleak, but sadly rather accurate. There are a number of features that fans will recognise from Farmer’s other books, but I should hate to think that anyone would be put off thinking this was all he had to offer. The flaws of swift composition are all over it. I would only recommend this to someone who wanted to take the mick out of it.
A silly book. It came out not long after the Cuban missile crisis. I suspect that Farmer bagged himself a contract to churn out 143 pages featuring nationalism and atomic war, and to do it as quickly as possible.
North America is a Soviet state when the Earth is laid waste by nuclear bombs. Only those people who were off-planet at the time have survived. The book is not a total disaster. It’s fast paced and mostly readable. It makes a kind of sense, by which I mean the scenes are in the right order. Farmer’s given some thought to how people would react. So there’s a fair bit of gorilla-like behaviour and it’s not long before fascism and eugenics put their hands up and people start getting killed. Rather bleak, but sadly rather accurate. There are a number of features that fans will recognise from Farmer’s other books, but I should hate to think that anyone would be put off thinking this was all he had to offer. The flaws of swift composition are all over it. I would only recommend this to someone who wanted to take the mick out of it.
November 5, 2020
In the distant future, the two major political powers on Earth consist of Soviet North America and the Argentinian-South African coalition (aka the South Atlantic Axis). The uneasy truce between them is shattered when the planet is destroyed in a nuclear holocaust.
The surviving colonies on the moon and Mars—both led by militant dictators—continue waging war on one another for dominance over what remains of the human race.
Assuming leadership of the moon colonies by killing or imprisoning his enemies, Colonel Scone of Soviet North America sends his most loyal ally—and romantic rival—Doctor Broward to the ruined Earth to retrieve a planet-busting bomb from a secret location beneath the ocean.
From there, the doctor is ordered to Mars to release the bomb and destroy the Argentinian colonies ruled by the brutal General Howards, but during his journey, Broward forms a different plan...
All told, Tongues of the Moon was little more than a space adventure story with two-dimensional characters and a simple, uncomplicated plot. Nevertheless, it was a fun, fast read.
The surviving colonies on the moon and Mars—both led by militant dictators—continue waging war on one another for dominance over what remains of the human race.
Assuming leadership of the moon colonies by killing or imprisoning his enemies, Colonel Scone of Soviet North America sends his most loyal ally—and romantic rival—Doctor Broward to the ruined Earth to retrieve a planet-busting bomb from a secret location beneath the ocean.
From there, the doctor is ordered to Mars to release the bomb and destroy the Argentinian colonies ruled by the brutal General Howards, but during his journey, Broward forms a different plan...
All told, Tongues of the Moon was little more than a space adventure story with two-dimensional characters and a simple, uncomplicated plot. Nevertheless, it was a fun, fast read.
December 24, 2024
A story set in a future where the Cold War became very, very hot. The Earth has been nuked and humans survive in colonies on the Moon, Mars, and Ganymede. The leaders in the two largest colonies (Moon and Mars), however, are the same sort of political ideologues that set the Earth on fire, and they are on opposite sides. The first half of the book concentrates on their "victory or extinction" struggles; the second half opens a ray of hope as one man cautiously reaches out to the other side with words rather than bombs. It's a good, if heavy-handed, Cold War cautionary fable, but the plot has a few holes and several convenient coincidences.
January 12, 2025
Extremely mediocre, but fun enough for a light read. Interesting alternative history where Russian communists took over America and are fighting against Argentina. I'm not much of a war buff, so I'm not exactly the target audience. A lot of the futuristic tech is explained vaguely or in a clunky way to where I was repeatedly confused at major parts. Also reading a sentence where the Pope had "grav packs" in a supply room was wild. The book was goofy enough in concept to keep my interest, but mid at its core.
June 2, 2022
Not just your usual space opera. The Moon and Mars and a few other places have been colonized, but not in Cold War scenario of the time when it was written. The Moon is a complicated mix or ethnicities. Mars is Spanish-speaking and Catholic. After the Earth is wiped out with a super weapon, how are people going to get along. What we have here is multicultural mayhem. Closer to what the way things are going than most science fiction.
December 25, 2021
What can one say? This is pulp SF from the early 60s that has deservedly been forgotten. A historical curio at best, and certainly not worth tracking down for anybody other than Philip Jose Farmer completists.
November 6, 2017
Read it quite a while back, but I almost don't remember the story, so it must not have been that good.
April 1, 2024
For how short this book is I found myself not being able to stay with the story very well.
February 27, 2025
My full video review of Tongues of the Moon can be found here: https://youtu.be/00-X-0S31DQ?si=VrKSE...
September 30, 2016
This was an awesome story I read it years ago and still think about it.
December 23, 2014
2.5 Stars. I bought this at a used book store for $3 after browsing long enough that I felt compelled to buy something even though I didn't find anything I really wanted. I wouldn't say I scored a bargain.
The book begins with humanity destroying all life on Earth and from there it's a struggle to save the remaining bits of humanity from themselves as fragmented groups of humanity look to secure things for their race|nationality|religion|party|etc... There's also the whole subplot of women being fought over like reproductive chattel. Which may not be far from what would happen, but from a modern viewpoint, it is handled terribly and there's really nothing else good enough about the book to justify gritting your teeth through it.
The book begins with humanity destroying all life on Earth and from there it's a struggle to save the remaining bits of humanity from themselves as fragmented groups of humanity look to secure things for their race|nationality|religion|party|etc... There's also the whole subplot of women being fought over like reproductive chattel. Which may not be far from what would happen, but from a modern viewpoint, it is handled terribly and there's really nothing else good enough about the book to justify gritting your teeth through it.
August 9, 2012
Coming up to another family's summer home with only one book, I relied, once it was finished, on what was around the house, knowing that one of the owners was a science fiction fan. Being familiar with Farmer and impressed by some of his work, particularly the first Riverworld volume, I thought this title would be a safe choice.
It wasn't. Indeed, this is one of the worst space opera pieces I've ever forced myself to finish. More a comic book than a novel, the plotting involves little more than action sequence followed by action sequence and the characterizations are two dimensional
It wasn't. Indeed, this is one of the worst space opera pieces I've ever forced myself to finish. More a comic book than a novel, the plotting involves little more than action sequence followed by action sequence and the characterizations are two dimensional
November 24, 2021
The Soviets dominate a big part of the world. Only the nations belonging to the "Axis" can withstand. Then the big world war starts and devastates the planet. And on the moon a power struggle begins.
An early creation of the author.
The novel talks a lot about politics, which is unusual for Science Fiction.
There is a fair amount of American chauvinism.
It's outlook is somewhat pessimistic, the bad guys up there will do what they want, the little people will suffer and cannot do much.
The action scenes are shoddy and not to my liking.
There are some embarrassing scientific errors.
An early creation of the author.
The novel talks a lot about politics, which is unusual for Science Fiction.
There is a fair amount of American chauvinism.
It's outlook is somewhat pessimistic, the bad guys up there will do what they want, the little people will suffer and cannot do much.
The action scenes are shoddy and not to my liking.
There are some embarrassing scientific errors.
May 28, 2009
Found this book at work. Good to read on the bus. It was ok.
Gave it to Nick Fraser.
Gave it to Nick Fraser.
Read
October 9, 2009Tongues of the moon by Philip Jose Farmer (1978)
January 13, 2012
Grade B.
Read
March 10, 2013Sorry, but couldn't get over the sexist nonsense.
"I'm going to be raped by three different men!"
"Well, getting emotional won't solve anything!"
Blah.
"I'm going to be raped by three different men!"
"Well, getting emotional won't solve anything!"
Blah.
March 30, 2017
Farmer's thoughts on how humanity would have ended up if both the space race and the cold war had continued. Meh.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews