Books like Moonfall by Jack McDevitt

Set in the 21st century, Jack McDevitt’s *Moonfall* follows the tense countdown as a newfound comet, Tomiko, races toward the Moon with the speed of a comet but a mass a hundred times greater. In under five days, the comet is projected to collide with the Moon, projecting a deadly shower of rock, gas and dust onto Earth and threatening widespread devastation. As the world watches a rare solar eclipse, Vice President Charlie Haskell prepares to cut the ribbon at a newly completed American Moonbase and soon realizes that the launch of the first Mars mission and the nation’s pride are now in jeopardy. Haskell, an ambitious photo‑op politician, must scramble to evacuate the Moonbase crew with dwindling time and resources while trying to keep his promises. The story follows the reluctant Russian rocket pilot tasked with shepherding refugees, the woman destined to be the first woman on the Moon, and a scientist racing to deflect the comet’s debris. Through a blend of scientific speculation and high‑stakes drama, the novel explores heroism, sacrifice, and the fragile unity of a planet on the brink.

First publish date: January 1, 1999