Sex on the Moon – Review

Sex on the Moon is a recent book from the author of the bestselling The Accidental Billonaires, which described the events behind founding of Facebook. Sex on the Moon is the true life story how of Thad Roberts, a gifted NASA co-op whiz kid, attempted to steal one of the most valuable substances on earth: moon rocks.

The tale has something in it for all the bibliophilic types in the family: the true-crime lover will delight in the detailed intricacies involved in pulling off a heist at the nearly impregnable Johnson Space Center, technology buffs will appreciate the “science fictionesque” setting and events surrounding Thad’s research as NASA, and there are even elements present for romance “bodice ripper” fans as Thad, in what is essentially a post-coital haze, decides he wants to “give his girlfriend the moon”.

The writing is accessible and fast paced with a story that, despite its veracity, seems ready for Hollywood without alteration. Correspondingly, Sony Pictures, the producers of The Social Network which received a number of awards, have purchased the movie rights to “Sex on the Moon” with a possible release date later this year. The cast of characters will be an especially interesting one to fill, running a full gamut of the geek set with young genius types, quirky foreign rock collectors, and rock star NASA astronauts.

If the book has one primary weakness, it would be that unlike most true-crime novels, we are only presented with Thad’s point of view on the events, as the author was apparently unable to obtain interviews with many of the other players. Nonetheless, the story as a result takes on the aspect of a biography, and fully explores the main character’s troubled, overly strict, Mormon upbringing and its role in how the events unfolded.

Thad’s thorough introspection into his own motives for the crime and his forthrightness with his interviewer lends the reader a unique and ultimately somewhat poignant window into how a highly intelligent young person with a brilliant future can tumble down the wrong rabbit hole of life. If you’ve ever encountered a news story of a crime or accident that gave you pause to wonder, “What the hell was he/she thinking?” this book provides a detailed answer to that question for this story.[subscribe2]