Try free for 30 days

  • The Man in the Moone

  • The Strange Voyage and Adventures of Domingo Gonsales to the World in the Moon
  • By: Francis Godwin
  • Narrated by: Gregory Sheridan
  • Length: 1 hr and 39 mins

A 30-day trial plus your first audiobook free.
1 credit/month after trial—to buy any title you like, yours to keep.
Listen all you want to a selection of thousands of Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
The Man in the Moone cover art

The Man in the Moone

By: Francis Godwin
Narrated by: Gregory Sheridan
Free with 30-day trial

$16.45/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.99

Buy Now for $21.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

The Man in the Moone, first published in 1638, is considered one of the first works of science fiction. The author was an Anglican bishop who became interested in astronomy following the circulation of the works of Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo. Much of the current speculation about the moon was concerned with whether it was populated, and if so, by what race.

In the story, Godwin’s protagonist, Gonsales, develops a flying machine that can be drawn by a flock of geese in harness, and uses it to escape capture in a sea battle. The geese mount higher and higher until they alight on the moon, which Gonsales discovers to be occupied by an advanced race called the Lunars. Later on, Gonsales returns to Earth and finds himself in China, where he establishes a favorable relationship with the court. The story ends with a discussion of his plans to return to Spain with the assistance of the local community of Jesuit priests.

Public Domain (P)2022 Voices of Today

What listeners say about The Man in the Moone

Average Customer Ratings

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

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.