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The Moon Is Green
Anybody who wanted to escape death could, by paying a very simple price--denial of life!
23 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 1952
9 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Fritz Leiber
1,341 books1,060 followersFritz Reuter Leiber Jr. was one of the more interesting of the young writers who came into HP Lovecraft's orbit, and some of his best early short fiction is horror rather than sf or fantasy. He found his mature voice early in the first of the sword-and-sorcery adventures featuring the large sensitive barbarian Fafhrd and the small street-smart-ish Gray Mouser; he returned to this series at various points in his career, using it sometimes for farce and sometimes for gloomy mood pieces--The Swords of Lankhmar is perhaps the best single volume of their adventures. Leiber's science fiction includes the planet-smashing The Wanderer in which a large cast mostly survive flood, fire, and the sexual attentions of feline aliens, and the satirical A Spectre is Haunting Texas in which a gangling, exo-skeleton-clad actor from the Moon leads a revolution and finds his true love. Leiber's late short fiction, and the fine horror novel Our Lady of Darkness, combine autobiographical issues like his struggle with depression and alcoholism with meditations on the emotional content of the fantastic genres. Leiber's capacity for endless self-reinvention and productive self-examination kept him, until his death, one of the most modern of his sf generation.
Used These Alternate Names: Maurice Breçon, Fric Lajber, Fritz Leiber, Jr., Fritz R. Leiber, Fritz Leiber Jun., Фриц Лейбер, F. Lieber, フリッツ・ライバー
Used These Alternate Names: Maurice Breçon, Fric Lajber, Fritz Leiber, Jr., Fritz R. Leiber, Fritz Leiber Jun., Фриц Лейбер, F. Lieber, フリッツ・ライバー
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 30, 2016
This story began really well. It’s obvious there has been a nuclear holocaust of some sort and the people of Earth are waiting out the fallout under ground. We begin with a woman sneaking a peek out of the shutters that cover the windows and seeing a beautiful green moon, hence the title.
This is short, so for most of the tale I was planning on giving it five stars, and then...the final few pages. Why do so many of these old, old, old sci-fi tales disappoint in the end? I am always fascinated with what those people, so many decades ago, thought the future might hold, but then it gets a little tempered with the civilities of the time they are actually living in!
In this particular piece, the dynamic between the husband and wife, Effie, is so disgusting. He berates and verbally abuses her throughout the tale. The fact that Effie has no employment seems a given, but also lends itself to her husband’s disdain for her. Throw in the fact that they have no children (yet!) and you have a useless woman. Then when Effie miraculously does become pregnant he simply assumes she has had an affair.I can’t go into anymore detail without spoiling, but, that’s the gist.
This is short, so for most of the tale I was planning on giving it five stars, and then...the final few pages. Why do so many of these old, old, old sci-fi tales disappoint in the end? I am always fascinated with what those people, so many decades ago, thought the future might hold, but then it gets a little tempered with the civilities of the time they are actually living in!
In this particular piece, the dynamic between the husband and wife, Effie, is so disgusting. He berates and verbally abuses her throughout the tale. The fact that Effie has no employment seems a given, but also lends itself to her husband’s disdain for her. Throw in the fact that they have no children (yet!) and you have a useless woman. Then when Effie miraculously does become pregnant he simply assumes she has had an affair.I can’t go into anymore detail without spoiling, but, that’s the gist.
February 13, 2022
Image living underground after world powers bomb each other. Effie has been locked inside longer that she can stand. Her husband finds her opening the lead window shields to see outside. The beautiful moon entrances her.
This is a short story so I can’t tell much more.
A free download on Amazon for me.
This is a short story so I can’t tell much more.
A free download on Amazon for me.
October 7, 2020
A re-working of this plot could have made a fun Twilight zone episode, but the 1950's sexism made it almost intolerable for me. The wife is a ditz, the husband is a dick, and then a little bit of bohemianism enters their lives and shakes them up. This is a marriage falling apart while waiting years for the nuclear fallout to clear; it's enough to drive anyone crazy.
First published in 1952 in Galaxy magazine.
First published in 1952 in Galaxy magazine.
March 22, 2026
Scifi, short story, by a master, with great narraration.
April 8, 2017
So-so sci-fi story from the early 1950s.
Hank and Effie, an ill-matched couple who survive an atomic war, keep safe from the radiation by confining themselves in an apartment with other survivors.
Hank only cares about his reputation and the Geiger counter, but Effie can't resist lifting the shutters to stare outside in the hope of glimpsing some beauty. To her surprise and delight, someone beautiful does come to the window.
Unlike their visitor, the tale itself is harmless enough, there are worse ways to spend fifteen minutes.
Thing is, Leiber probably wrote it in only fractionally more time than it took to read.
Hank and Effie, an ill-matched couple who survive an atomic war, keep safe from the radiation by confining themselves in an apartment with other survivors.
Hank only cares about his reputation and the Geiger counter, but Effie can't resist lifting the shutters to stare outside in the hope of glimpsing some beauty. To her surprise and delight, someone beautiful does come to the window.
Unlike their visitor, the tale itself is harmless enough, there are worse ways to spend fifteen minutes.
Thing is, Leiber probably wrote it in only fractionally more time than it took to read.
January 28, 2023
i don’t think anybody cares that i’m friends w on here bc i mostly just read romance and whatever but i’m reading the reviews on here and i’m just like.. Shocked that i haven’t seen one review talking about patrick !?1?1?
ok like i get it
hank sucks
totally fine
but the real antagonist ?? PATRICK
hank has his motivation for what he does. does he do it in a nice way ? No. Of course not BUT HE IS STRESSED
THEY JUST EXPERIENCED NUCLEAR WARFARE AND HE DOESNT WANT HIS WIFE TO DIE BY GOING OUTSIDE.
patrick is simply a fuckboy. plain and simpleeeeeeeee. HE LIES TO WOMEN ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORLD SO HE CAN HAVE SEX WITH THEM?? THIS IS SMTH HE TALKS AB DOING?? HE HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES???
like how many people have died or become seriously ill because of him and yet he continues to do it?
also hank sucks this really is not me being pro hank.
it’s just me explaining why he’s not the antagonist.
he’s a foil if anything, and yes it’s odd the foil is not the antagonist as that’s what we’re usually used to.
but patrick is the antagonist whilst being an enabler.
ok like i get it
hank sucks
totally fine
but the real antagonist ?? PATRICK
hank has his motivation for what he does. does he do it in a nice way ? No. Of course not BUT HE IS STRESSED
THEY JUST EXPERIENCED NUCLEAR WARFARE AND HE DOESNT WANT HIS WIFE TO DIE BY GOING OUTSIDE.
patrick is simply a fuckboy. plain and simpleeeeeeeee. HE LIES TO WOMEN ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORLD SO HE CAN HAVE SEX WITH THEM?? THIS IS SMTH HE TALKS AB DOING?? HE HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES???
like how many people have died or become seriously ill because of him and yet he continues to do it?
also hank sucks this really is not me being pro hank.
it’s just me explaining why he’s not the antagonist.
he’s a foil if anything, and yes it’s odd the foil is not the antagonist as that’s what we’re usually used to.
but patrick is the antagonist whilst being an enabler.
May 30, 2021
Fantasy listening
Due to eye issues and damage Alexa reads to me.
A wonderful fantasy Sc-Fi will written novel with interesting character trying to survive after the nuclear war. I would recommend to readers of fantasy. Enjoy the adventure of reading
Due to eye issues and damage Alexa reads to me.
A wonderful fantasy Sc-Fi will written novel with interesting character trying to survive after the nuclear war. I would recommend to readers of fantasy. Enjoy the adventure of reading
October 22, 2025
Σε έναν μεταποκαλυπτικό κόσμο, μια γυναίκα παλεύει ανάμεσα στην ασφάλεια της απομόνωσης και την έλξη του άγνωστου που βρίσκεται έξω. Ο Leiber υφαίνει μια ατμοσφαιρική αλληγορία φόβου και ελπίδας. Το πράσινο φεγγάρι του φωτίζει την ανθρώπινη λαχτάρα για ελευθερία μέσα στα ερείπια.
October 24, 2017
In The Face Of the Mushroom...
Long after we covered under our school desks, we again have to face the possibility of DUST! God help us...
Long after we covered under our school desks, we again have to face the possibility of DUST! God help us...
October 10, 2018
Shocking ending
December 12, 2020
Short post-nuclear war story. With Covid lockdowns, some might get a point from it.
April 14, 2021
THE MOON IS GREEN by Fritz Leiber
Desperate, delusional, human apparition formed by the mind?
Post-apocalyptic (3 stars)
Desperate, delusional, human apparition formed by the mind?
Post-apocalyptic (3 stars)
May 13, 2022
Being a little generous. I greatly disliked this book in just about every way. From the terrible husband, complete lack of security, an shear ridiculous "antagonist". Does not recomend.
January 8, 2023
Intense fallout story.
January 8, 2018
Librivox Audio of "Three Science Fiction Stories “ read by Phil Chenevert.
This is the first - a post apocalyptic nuke world story. Ok plus.
2 Bread Overhead is very funny and excellent. I wrote a review but it vanished, like the bread!
3 What’s he doing in there? V. Good. funny Culture shock!
This is the first - a post apocalyptic nuke world story. Ok plus.
2 Bread Overhead is very funny and excellent. I wrote a review but it vanished, like the bread!
3 What’s he doing in there? V. Good. funny Culture shock!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2020
As short as it is memorable, this story didn't really stand out to me. The descriptions of the apocalyptic nature of earth alongside the capabilities of survival shown by its denizens made up for the nonexistent character traits and confusing plot.
August 28, 2024
🖍️ Hank is the practical, hardworking husband who not only is climbing his way to the top of a new society but is falling into the habit of deriding his wife, Effie. Effie, cloistered in their ground level apartment, longs for beauty and sees its hope in the distant moon. Meanwhile, they live underground because the world above them is at war, with the powers consistently bombing one another.
📙Published in Galaxy Science Fiction, 1952 April.
*˚˚*•̩̩͙How I happened upon this book: I enjoy short books.
🟢The illustrated e-book version can be found at Project Gutenberg.
🟣 Kindle.
🚀˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚💫🪐💫˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚🚀
📙Published in Galaxy Science Fiction, 1952 April.
*˚˚*•̩̩͙How I happened upon this book: I enjoy short books.
🟢The illustrated e-book version can be found at Project Gutenberg.
🟣 Kindle.
🚀˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚💫🪐💫˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚🚀
August 9, 2013
Effie and her overbearing husband Hank are two of the few remaining survivors of the worldwide nuclear wasteland. She's dangerously curious about what's outside, and when a transient knocks at her lead-shuttered windows she abandons restraint and lets him in. Does he represent a new possibility of life outside the compound, or is he just a desperate man willing to say or do anything to survive?
Hank's a jerk, and Effie's a free-spirited person, so they don't make for too good a match. The transient tells some nice tales, but in the end it's Hank's version of the world that lingers in everyones minds.
Hank's a jerk, and Effie's a free-spirited person, so they don't make for too good a match. The transient tells some nice tales, but in the end it's Hank's version of the world that lingers in everyones minds.
December 30, 2013
A classic from the golden age of sci-fi. Effie is a free-spirited woman trapped in a fallout shelter with her husband, Hank. One day there is a knock at the door and it's a stranger - an outsider. He could be bringing great hope for freedom or death in the form of radiation poisoning.
And there's the story - complete with old stereotypes and crazy ideas. It's quaint, but tired. Probably when new it was innovative.
And there's the story - complete with old stereotypes and crazy ideas. It's quaint, but tired. Probably when new it was innovative.
May 8, 2015
Effie has transgressed by opening the shutters and Hank is not about to let a thing like that go. It could get them sent back down below. He’d worked so hard to get them a ground floor apartment. What was she thinking, opening the shutters and looking out? She knew what was out there after the war. Freaks.
Effie was just longing for beauty. She wanted to look at the moon.
Please read the rest of the review here.
Effie was just longing for beauty. She wanted to look at the moon.
Please read the rest of the review here.
December 6, 2013
Like this caricature of a story itself, I'm going to keep this very simple: this story was dumb. Undergrad sci-fi workshop writers today would be expected to produce better material. I don't know, maybe for it's time this story shook the core of its readers. Maybe not. In any case, it certainly hasn't stood the test of time.
January 29, 2012
A bleak story.
The narrators voice is clear he voice and he is easy to listen to. .
The recording quality is clear and it has plenty of volume and the editing technique is seamless.
The narrators voice is clear he voice and he is easy to listen to. .
The recording quality is clear and it has plenty of volume and the editing technique is seamless.
September 21, 2013
Very bleak and yet completely fantastical. A waste of time compared to the other stories in the collection I read.
February 25, 2014
enjoyed this short little story. reminded me of something from the fallout video game.
June 23, 2016
Fun little story, seems to be a short story from one of the early SciFi magazines rather than a true book.
August 10, 2015
Quit on the audiobook, didn't grab me.
Read
September 18, 2018An interesting quick little story by one of the Deans of SF and Fantasy. Not as strong as his other works but an interesting twist at the end.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews