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.
eBook: Gateway SF, 2020.

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 50s 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 this 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

Script of a Book Review radio programme presented by Edward Blishen - Broadcast 24th February 1959.

The Oxford Mail
19th June 1958

The News Chronicle
2nd July 1958

The Manchester Guardian
4th July 1958

The Irish Times
14th July 1958

The Birmingham Post
18th July 1958

Nottingham Evening Post
18th July 1958

The Observer
27th July 1958

The Sheffield Telegraph
5th August 1958

The Fifeshire Advertiser
16th August 1958

The Bookseller
23rd August 1958

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-
minute plot.-Ross
Smith.

"The Domes of Pico," by
Hugh Walters. Faber and
Faber, London. 17/.

The West Australian
6th September, 1958

Press & Journal
24th Oct 1958

The Times Literary Supplement
21st November 1958

School Books
1959

Unknown
1959

Unknown
20th February 1959

Unknown
March 1959

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

Unknown
Mar 1959

The Courier Express Buffalo
22nd Mar 1959

Librarian & Book World"
28th April 1959

Bulletin of National Association
of Secondary School Principals
May 1959

School Review
17th May 1959

The Sun, Attleborough Mass.
11th August 1959

Science Fiction News
1958