Rocket to Luna

Last updated
Rocket to Luna
Rocket to Luna 1st Edition Dust Jacket.jpg
1953 First Edition Dust Jacket
Author Evan Hunter (as Richard Marsten)
Cover artist Alex Schomburg
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Science fiction novel
Publisher The John C. Winston Company
Publication date
1953
Media typePrint (hardback & paperback)
Pages211 pp (first edition)

Rocket to Luna is a juvenile science fiction novel by prolific author and screenwriter Evan Hunter (as Richard Marsten) published in 1953 by The John C. Winston Company with cover illustration by Alex Schomburg. The story follows the adventures of the main character Ted Baker after he mistakenly replaces a member of the first lunar expedition at the last moment before the rocket leaves for the Moon. Rocket to Luna is a part of the Winston Science Fiction set, a series of juvenile novels which have become famous for their influence on young science fiction readers and their exceptional cover illustrations by award-winning artists.

Contents

Plot introduction

Ted Baker is beginning his fourth year at the Space Academy, which is to take place on the Earth orbiting space station. On his trip to the station from Earth, he is accompanied by a recent graduate of the Academy, Jack Talbot, who is to be part of the first expedition to the Moon as a backup member. On arrival at the station, Ted discovers that Jack's collarbone was injured during the launch to the station. Fearing that Jack's injury could endanger the other men on the expedition, he confronts Jack about his injury. Jack refuses to give up his chance at glory, forcing Ted into a physical confrontation. Jack is knocked unconscious, and Ted hurriedly boards the moon rocket to inform the expedition of Jack's injury. Unfortunately, the countdown has already begun, and cannot be stopped. Ted is now the fifth man of the expedition.

Characters in "Rocket to Luna"

Reception

P. Schuyler Miller described Rocket to Luna as a "prelude," suggesting it was intended to set up a series of sequels. [1]

Publication history

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Rocket Ship Galileo</i> 1947 SF novel by Robert A. Heinlein

Rocket Ship Galileo, a juvenile science-fiction novel by the American writer Robert A. Heinlein, published in 1947, features three teenagers who participate in a pioneering flight to the Moon. It was the first in the Heinlein juveniles, a long and successful series of science-fiction novels published by Scribner's. Heinlein originally envisioned the novel as the first of a series of books called "Young Rocket Engineers". Publishers initially rejected the script, judging going to the moon as "too far out".

<i>The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress</i> 1966 SF novel by Robert A. Heinlein

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is a 1966 science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein about a lunar colony's revolt against absentee rule from Earth. The novel illustrates and discusses libertarian ideals. It is respected for its credible presentation of a comprehensively imagined future human society on both the Earth and the Moon.

<i>The Man Who Sold the Moon</i>

"The Man Who Sold the Moon" is a science fiction novella by American author Robert A. Heinlein, written in 1949 and published in 1950. A part of his Future History and prequel to "Requiem", it covers events around a fictional first Moon landing in 1978 and the schemes of Delos D. Harriman, a businessman who is determined to personally reach and control the Moon.

<i>The Rolling Stones</i> (novel) 1952 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein

The Rolling Stones is a 1952 science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein.

<i>Luna 1</i> Soviet and first spacecraft to reach vicinity of the Moon

Luna 1, also known as Mechta, E-1 No.4 and First Lunar Rover, was the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of Earth's Moon, and the first spacecraft to be placed in heliocentric orbit. Intended as an impactor, Luna 1 was launched as part of the Soviet Luna programme in 1959.

<i>Destination Moon</i> (film) 1950 film by Irving Pichel

Destination Moon is a 1950 American Technicolor science fiction film, independently produced by George Pal and directed by Irving Pichel, that stars John Archer, Warner Anderson, Tom Powers, and Dick Wesson. The film was distributed in the United States and the United Kingdom by Eagle-Lion Classics.

Moon landing Arrival of a spacecraft on the surface of the Moon

A Moon landing is the arrival of a spacecraft on the surface of the Moon. This includes both crewed and robotic missions. The first human-made object to touch the Moon was the Soviet Union's Luna 2, on 13 September 1959.

Moon in science fiction Earths natural satellite as depicted in science fiction works

The Moon has appeared in fiction as a setting since at least classical antiquity. Throughout most of literary history, a significant portion of works depicting lunar voyages has been satirical in nature. From the late 1800s onwards, science fiction has successively focused largely on the themes of life on the Moon, first Moon landings, and lunar colonization.

<i>Islands in the Sky</i> 1952 science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke

Islands in the Sky is a 1952 science fiction novel by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. It is one of his earliest works. Clarke wrote the story as a travelogue of human settlement of cislunar space in the last half of the twenty-first century.

The Heinlein juveniles are the science fiction novels written by Robert A. Heinlein for Scribner's young-adult line. Each features "a young male protagonist entering the adult world of conflict, decisions, and responsibilities." Together they tell a loosely-connected story of space exploration. Scribner's published the first twelve between 1947 and 1958, but rejected the thirteenth, Starship Troopers. That one was instead published by Putnam. A fourteenth novel, Podkayne of Mars, is sometimes listed as a "Heinlein juvenile", although Heinlein himself did not consider it to be one.

"Venture to the Moon" is a group of six linked science fiction short stories by English writer Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in the British newspaper Evening Standard in 1956. The stories describe the first crewed mission to the Moon in 1975, as a joint American-Russian-British mission, and are narrated in first person from the point of view of the British team commander. Despite the death described in the third story, they are written in a humorous vein. They are collected in The Other Side of the Sky.

<i>Moon of Mutiny</i> 1961 novel by Lester del Rey

Moon of Mutiny is a juvenile Science fiction novel by author Lester del Rey published in 1961 by Holt, Rinehart & Winston as the final part of the Jim Stanley Series. The story takes place mostly on the Moon following the adventures of the main character Fred Halpern after he is expelled from Goddard Space Academy for insubordination, and tries to find his way back into space.

<i>Winston Science Fiction</i> American juvenile science fiction book line

Winston Science Fiction was a series of 37 American juvenile science fiction books published by the John C. Winston Company of Philadelphia from 1952 to 1960 and by its successor Holt, Rinehart & Winston in 1960 and 1961. It included 35 novels by various writers, including many who became famous in the SF field, such as Poul Anderson, Arthur C. Clarke, Ben Bova, and Lester del Rey. There was also one anthology, The Year After Tomorrow, edited by del Rey and others. There was one non-fiction book Rockets Through Space: The Story of Man's Preparations to Explore the Universe by del Rey which details the factual science and technology of rocket flight. Many of the dust jackets became science fiction classics; the artists included Hugo Award winners Ed Emshwiller and Virgil Finlay along with Hugo nominees such as Mel Hunter and Alex Schomburg.

<i>Missing Men of Saturn</i> 1953 novel by Robert S. Richardson

Missing Men of Saturn is a juvenile science fiction novel, published first in 1953, by astronomer and author Robert S. Richardson with cover illustration by Alex Schomburg. The story concerns Dale Sutton's mission to the dreaded planet Saturn from which no one has ever returned. Missing Men of Saturn is a part of the Winston Science Fiction set, a series of juvenile novels which have become famous for their influence on young science fiction readers and their exceptional cover illustrations by award-winning artists.

<i>Rocket Jockey</i> (novel) 1952 novel by Lester del Rey

Rocket Jockey is a juvenile science fiction novel by Philip St. John with cover illustration by Alex Schomburg. The story follows the heroic efforts of young man Jerry Blaine in his efforts to win the famous rocket race, the Armstrong Classic. Rocket Jockey is a part of the Winston Science Fiction set, a series of juvenile novels which have become famous for their influence on young science fiction readers and their exceptional cover illustrations by award-winning artists.

<i>Marooned on Mars</i> 1952 novel by Lester del Rey

Marooned on Mars is a juvenile science fiction novel written by American writer Lester del Rey. It was published by John C. Winston Co. in 1952 with illustrations by Alex Schomburg.

<i>The Mars Project</i> 1952 non-fiction scientific book by Wernher von Braun

The Mars Project is a 1952 non-fiction scientific book by the German rocket physicist, astronautics engineer and space architect, Wernher von Braun. It was translated from the original German by Henry J. White and first published in English by the University of Illinois Press in 1953.

<i>Five Against Venus</i> 1952 novel by Philip Latham

Five Against Venus, written by Philip Latham, is a science-fiction novel first published in the United States in 1952 by the John C. Winston Company. Philip Latham was the nom de plume of Robert S. Richardson, a professional astronomer who also provided technical assistance on movies such as Destination Moon and wrote scripts for the Captain Video television series.

<i>The Secret of the Ninth Planet</i> 1959 novel by Donald A. Wollheim

The Secret of the Ninth Planet is a science-fiction novel written by Donald A. Wollheim and first published in the United States in 1959 by the John C. Winston Co. Wollheim takes his heroes on a grand tour of the Solar System as that team struggles to prevent an alien force from blowing up the Sun. This is the last of three juvenile novels that Wollheim wrote for Winston, the other two being The Secret of Saturn's Rings and The Secret of the Martian Moons.

References

  1. "The Reference Library", Astounding Science Fiction , March 1954, p.157
  2. "Target : Expect More. Pay Less". www.target.com. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
  3. Conley, Craig (2012-01-01). Rockets Full of Rubies (Second ed.). CeeCee Publishing.