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The Domes of Pico

(US - Menace From The Moon)
(NL - De Maan Valt Aan)

Publishing details:

UK: Faber, 1958, in print until the early 60s, h/b.
US: Criterion Books, 1959, h/b.
NL: Het Spectrum - Prisma Juniores 181, 1960.

Synopsis:

The alien domes on the Moon are radiating a strange form of energy, which is neutralising all the nuclear power stations on the Earth. Chris Godfrey's task is to pilot a rocket and plant a homing beacon next to the domes, which will be used to target a nuclear missile strike. The commander of the mission, Sir Leo Frayling, is determined that the mission will succeed - even though the cost may be Chris' life!
Click here to read a short extract! (plain .txt format, 50k)

Commentary:

A slightly more downbeat effort than its predecessor, with a constant sense of doom and gloom as Chris embarks on a mission unaware that his chances of survival are zero. There's a nice little twist at the end as Walters tricks us into thinking that it is Sir George in the rescue ship, whereas in fact it is Frayling; the sort of scene that could only work on the printed page.

Once more, there is plenty of 50's atmosphere - steam trains and so on; although at the same time Britain seems almost wholly dependent on nuclear power!

The differences between the US and UK editions of this book are far more marked than usual. For example, the entire first chapter of the UK edition (which you can read above) is omitted from the US edition, which merely summarises the events therein a few pages into its first chapter. Some of the danger to Chris has also been toned down for the US market - in the UK edition, Sir Leo says that Chris's chances of returning alive are 'none at all'; in the US 'very little'.

But the biggest change is towards the end. Whereas the UK edition tricks you into thinking that Sir George is piloting the rescue ship, only to reveal that it is in fact Sir Leo, in the US version there is no 'twist'; it definitely is Sir George piloting the ship!

Reviews:

'A tense, action packed thriller, with the hero, Chris, catapulting into the atmosphere in a deparate effore to save earth from leathal rays which originate from the moon . . . Hugh Walters achieves remarkable intensity in theis fantasy, limiting the range of time, place, action, and conceit, and endowing the radius of his fiction with the maximum excitement and atmosphere. Discriminatingly written.' - Virginia Kirkus

To Plant a Beacon MENACE FROM THE MOON. By Hugh Walters, 191 pp. New York: Criterion Books. $3.50. For Ages 12 to 16. ALTHOUGH "Menace From the Moon" is made up of basically the same ingredients as its predecessor ("Blast-Off at 0300"), it is fully successful. In the earlier book, Chris God- frey's rocket mission entailed photographing a group of strange domes suddenly in evi- dence on the moon. Now, radi- ation from the domes has disabled the world's atomic energy plants and seems to have a deadly effect upon hu- mans, too. Britain, Russia and the United States join in a co- operative effort to destroy the domes with atomic rockets and Chris agrees to a second, far more dangerous trip aloft - this time to plant a beacon so that the Earth missiles can be certain of their lunar target. Familiarity can contribute strength or weakness to any sequel; Mr Walters here meets the challenge without a falter. ROBERT BERKVIST The New York Times, 1st March, 1959

WOOMERA FIRES A ROCKET P EOPLE "listen with a look of incredulous concern," and "beads of perspiration glisten on Heningshaw's forehead" in Hugh Walters's latest space-age thriller with a youthful hero. Although not written for those demanding technical accuracy or a high standard of literary composition, it succeeds in telling a science-fic- tion tale dramatically enough. While cars "deposit" people and a Cabinet Minister "with an effort, turns his agonised eyes on the stony scientist," our young hero makes a rocket trip from Woom- era around the moon and back. Radiations menacing the earth have been coming from one area of our moon. Our hero's task is to place a guiding beacon for explosive rockets on the menacing area. Does he achieve his objective? The answer to that helps to round off an up-to-the- miute plot.-Ross Smith. "The Domes of Pico," by Hugh Walters. Faber and Faber, London. 17/. The West Australian, 6th September, 1958

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