• The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

  • By: Robert A. Heinlein
  • Narrated by: Lloyd James
  • Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (10,796 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress  By  cover art

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

By: Robert A. Heinlein
Narrated by: Lloyd James
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.82

Buy for $20.82

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

In what is considered one of Heinlein's most hair-raising, thought-provoking, and outrageous adventures, the master of modern science fiction tells the strange story of an even stranger world. It is 21st-century Luna, a harsh penal colony where a revolt is plotted between a bashful computer and a ragtag collection of maverick humans, a revolt that goes beautifully until the inevitable happens. But that's the problem with the inevitable: it always happens.

Winner of the 1967 Hugo award, this novel marked Heinlein's partial return to his best form. He draws many historical parallels with the War of Independence, and clearly shows his own libertarian political views.

©1965 Robert A. Heinlein (P)1999 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

  • Hugo Award, 1967

"Adrenalizing, mind-stretching, conviction-testing...unmatched by any contemporary!" (Theodore Sturgeon)

Featured Article: The Most Stellar Sci-Fi Authors of All Time


Science fiction is a genre as diverse as you can imagine. There are stories that take place in deep space, often depicting teams exploring or running away from something; stories that focus on life at the most cellular level, such as a pandemic tale; and stories that take place in times that feel similar to our own. Depicting themes of existentialism, philosophy, hubris, and personal and historical trauma, sci-fi has a cadre of topics and moods.

What listeners say about The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6,980
  • 4 Stars
    2,588
  • 3 Stars
    864
  • 2 Stars
    246
  • 1 Stars
    118
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6,238
  • 4 Stars
    1,820
  • 3 Stars
    573
  • 2 Stars
    150
  • 1 Stars
    85
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5,947
  • 4 Stars
    1,968
  • 3 Stars
    700
  • 2 Stars
    193
  • 1 Stars
    75

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story upto today's standards

Fun journey of what it could be like living on the moon and how we ever get there. Computer AI was a great addition.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

As valid today as when written in 1966!

51 years later, we're still wrestling with the same issues of government and individual freedom.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

instant classic

an instant classic read this book in high school never forgot it however it is extremely dated and technology for the 21st century

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, got used to the reader

What made the experience of listening to The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress the most enjoyable?

Heinlein is very quickly becoming a favorite author and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is second only to Stranger in a Stranger Land. I am a sucker for a good revolutionary tale and after listening to 1984 (for the hundredth time) it was a nice change of pace.

Any additional comments?

It did take me a little while to adjust to the readers voice. I listen to these books while I'm at work so I listen in seven to eight hour stretches. While James is a good reader, it took a couple of chapters before my ear adjusted to his pauses and inflections. All in all this is well read and a fantastic story. Worth the money.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The Moon is a Harsh Listen

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it is mostly a good read though it tails off in the last half.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mike. But it is unfortunate that he fades out of frame in the last half of the book and so much of the unique character that Heinlein imagined is left unexplored.

What three words best describe Lloyd James’s performance?

Harsh Russian accent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A fantastic book,

The narrator was great, kept the characters straight by the slightly different voices. I loved the story, just not sure how I feel about the ending.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great Sci fi from the sixties

narration was good if you are into the narrator doing different kinds of voices and accents. it worked great here.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

an amazing classic and one of my favorites

absolutely love this book and it's one of my favorite by Robert Heinlein. in spite of the Sci-Fi aspect of the book being a little dated it's still one of my favorites the characters are great I cannot like Mike the computer

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Magnificent!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely! Read superbly... Heinlein shows insight into economics and society.

What other book might you compare The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress to and why?

Similar to 1984 and A Brave New World, this story shows an imaginative distopia, not too unlike society as we know it!

Have you listened to any of Lloyd James’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. Excellent reading voice,though.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story. Horrible fake Russian accent

Read this book many times and bought the audible book on sale. Almost returned it because of the thick accent the narrator gave the main character. Really distracting and somewhat hard to understand. A friend bought this audible book and never finished it. I blame the narrator and producer.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!