The Man who Remembered The Moon by David Hull
Much of our identity as humans is based on the understandings we share about the world, a kind of collective consciousness we have. So what would happen if you suddenly found that something pivotal to everyday life was missing, something embedded in human culture, and that you were the only one who remembered it? That’s the premise behind an intriguing story from David Hull entitled “The Man who Remembered the Moon”, published by Dumagrad Books.
Our narrator/protagonist is one Daniel Hale, a young man who happens to notice, while sitting on a fire escape with his girlfriend one night, that the moon is no longer floating in the sky. His girlfriend is uncomprehending when he comments on this; the newspapers have mysteriously omitted to put the phases of the moon in their astronomical section; and all references to things lunar have disappeared from works of literature and poetry. Surrounded by uncomprehending family and friends, it’s not long before Daniel is admitted to a psychiatric unit where he encounters the unconventional and skeptical Dr. Marvin Pallister. The doctor is determined that Daniel will be cured – but does Daniel really have the condition which has been named Hale-Pallister’s Lunacy, or is it the rest of the world that’s gone mad?
The passage of time is nowhere more painless than in the study, which is why scholarship is dangerous. Pain is our best defence against harm ad when we are etherized by an obsession we are at our most vulnerable. Time can tear chunks from your life, feast on your living flesh while you’re numbed by dreams of reason.
I was really pleased to be offered a proof of this story by the author, as I liked the sound of Dumagrad Books (their byline is “Publishing the books Marco Polo brought back from invisible cities” and their name means “word city”.) It’s an engrossing, fascinating tale, and is the kind of speculative storytelling I love. From the very start, you’re drawn straight into Daniel’s story, becoming complicit with him (because of course, we know the moon is there – don’t we?). We struggle alongside him to comprehend exactly what’s happened and to make sense of the paradigm shift that seems to have taken place in the world – who is mad and who is sane? Who is actually telling the story and who can we believe? It’s a tale that throws up a great number of questions and leaves you thinking about it for a long time afterwards.
It’s a long time since I’ve enjoyed a new piece of writing so much – I only wish there was more of it! Although only 54 pages long, it packs in a heck of a story, with hints of Calvino (who was also of course inspired by Marco Polo’s invisible cities). If you like speculative fiction, short stories or just an intriguing piece of writing, I’d definitely recommend “The Man Who Remembered The Moon” and I look forward to reading more of Hull’s work in future.
(As I write this, I see the book is currently available as a Kindle Single – now, I’m not a person who’s normally a fan of ebooks, but I’ll make an exception in this case and suggest you go grab it now if it’s still there!)
Sep 08, 2015 @ 07:11:58
Dumagrad is a new name to me, but this story does sound extremely well imagined.
Sep 08, 2015 @ 09:37:58
They were new to me, too. I do love indie publishers as the often publisher the slightly off-centre stuff I like! 🙂
Sep 08, 2015 @ 07:12:13
What a great premise for a story! Sadly I don’t have a kindle – I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a print version…
Sep 08, 2015 @ 09:37:24
I think it will be available in print – definitely worth tracking down if you can!
Sep 08, 2015 @ 07:29:22
It all sounds rather intriguing! Good to know it’s available as a Kindle Single, too – perfect for this type of story.
Sep 08, 2015 @ 09:36:52
Yes, ideal – I can almost seen the point of having an e-reader…. 🙂
Sep 08, 2015 @ 09:02:23
What an interesting premise for a story. Good that you wanted more though I can see how it would be difficult to sustain it for much longer
Sep 08, 2015 @ 09:36:22
It was quite fascinating – and though it was the perfect length, really, I could have done with a whole short story collection! 🙂
Sep 08, 2015 @ 16:36:22
Love the sound of this, even if it hints of Calvino 🙂
Sep 08, 2015 @ 17:51:20
🙂 I still think you’d like The Complete Cosmicomics!
Sep 08, 2015 @ 23:52:19
As others have suggested, the premise sounds great. Checked Amazon and for $1.24 I couldn’t resist dropping it on my kindle.
Sep 09, 2015 @ 05:42:06
Excellent! Hope you enjoy!
Sep 09, 2015 @ 04:47:06
Reminds me a bit of a French book that was also the basis of a film, ‘La Moustache’, about a man who shaves off his mustache but then everyone denies that he had one at all.
Sep 09, 2015 @ 05:40:49
That sounds fun!
Sep 10, 2015 @ 22:27:09
One of the chapters (which are interlinked short stories) in Julian Barnes’ History of the World in 10 1/2 chapters follows an astronaut who returns from his Apollo moon mission to find the Ark after hearing a voice in his helmet telling him to go find it. Explores the psychiatric effects of those who went there.
Sep 11, 2015 @ 06:21:49
Ah! I read that book a loong time ago but I’d forgotten that story (and most of the book, I confess). Time for a revisit maybe!
Sep 13, 2015 @ 02:16:48
It sounds very interesting and cool play on lunacy! I love the multiple (or in this case no) moon trope in SF: there are two moons in Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84!
Sep 13, 2015 @ 08:31:17
Yes, a clever book – the moon turns up in Calvino a lot too!