I was looking for a good space thriller that involved the moon--something realistic and not totally science fiction with now-impossible traveling to other galaxies or planets and such. So seeing that (1) this novel was titled BACK TO THE MOON and (2) was written by real-life former NASA engineer Homer Hickam, Jr. (author of NYT #1 bestseller Rocket Boys), I decided to buy and read it. Overall, I was not disappointed (I'd rate it 3.5 stars if I could).**********SPOILERS AHEAD***************The good: authoritative and realistic writing on space, space technology, NASA operations and culture. Exciting premise (space shuttle hijacked to go to the moon for valuable minerals).The bad: It's pretty slow-paced for a thriller, with long on-the-ground and administrative development scenes from multiple parties unfolding long before the action ever gets to space (okay, I know, I wanted realism and I got it--that is what it takes to get to space, after all). The love interest between the lead character, Jack Medaris, and Penny "High Eagle" (really, that's what people call her?!) is just plain silly at times, and even more painful is the "love-note--left-on-the-moon" by a former lover in her childhood, which supposedly provides part of Medaris' motivation to hijack the shuttle, putting many people at risk, and to return to the moon. Also irritating was the all-too-convenient post-script "3 years later" wrap-up where all loose ends are bluntly tied up, like the overlay script just before the credits of a movie where they write what became of each character. The ending overall is sort of a gung-ho NASA space enthusiast wet dream, with everything working out for the main characters and plenty of funding going to all the right places for all the right things.That said, there's still a lot to like here. Published over a decade ago in 2000, Hickam predicts the demise of the shuttle program (although not for exactly the right reasons) and the rise of the private space industry. Also, as a diver myself, I enjoyed the minor SCUBA connection present in this novel, especially the ending scene with the moon rocks.
Mixed feelings about this book. While I truly and deeply enjoyed the author's trilogy of memoirs, the tree hugger in me bristled when he advocated a real life return to the moon because the earth is running out of energy generating resources. So, what, are we to pillage the moon now to continue to feed our greed? Very timely book. Although written in 1999, it strikes a resonant chord during this current economic collapse while the many suffer the consequences of the few's untrammeled greed. The book was laced with technical jargon but there moments of sheer ingenuity. The space shuttle is hijacked in a legal maneuver. The good guys are not the good guys and the main hijacker is really the good guy. Also in the pot was a love story, and man's determination to accomplish despite overwhelming odds. There is a secret society and lots of political and international intrigue. All in all, a satisfying read by a NASA insider who never lost his passion for space and VonBraun. My favorite quote from the book is: "This Country has been too powerful for too long, a shameless Country of racism, pollution, out-of-control capitalism, and disregard for the poor and afflicted". Words written in 1999, but never truer than in November 2011.
What do You think about Back To The Moon (2000)?
This is Homer Hickman's first book-length fiction, published in 1999. It is an adult, page-turning scientific thriller with lots of insider information about NASA. Like all of Homer's books, this one also has comic situations that will have readers laughing out loud. But when Homer shifts gears and the drama kicks in, the action is incredible. Back to the Moon, besides being a heart-pounding adventure, is a wonderful, sensuous love story of the near future like only Homer can tell. Hickman is the author of The Rockt Boys as well as a series on the character Josh Thurlow with the settings in the World War II era.
—James
