A Voyage to the Moon

by Cyrano de Bergerac

"A Voyage to the Moon" by Cyrano de Bergerac is a satirical novel published posthumously in 1657. Considered one of the earliest science fiction stories, it follows a narrator named Cyrano who attempts multiple flights to reach the Moon's civilization. Through encounters with four-legged inhabitants, the ghost of Socrates, and another space traveler, he engages in philosophical dialogues that challenge beliefs about God, immortality, and the human soul. The novel features an early description of rocket-powered spaceflight.