Moonbeast

Moonbeast by A. E. Van Vogt is a science fiction novel originally published in 1969, which is a fix-up of three earlier short stories. The plot centers on Jim Pendrake, a war veteran and test pilot who loses an arm in an accident but then mysteriously begins to regenerate it, gaining totipotent cells that allow for physical and mental transformation. His quest intensifies when his wife is kidnapped, leading him to a secret colony on the Moon inhabited by a bizarre mix of characters including immortal polygamous cowboys, East German Nazis, and a Neanderthal called Big Oaf. The story blends adventure, conspiracy, and speculative science as Pendrake confronts these threats and uncovers hidden alien technology and societies beneath the lunar surface. The novel is noted for its imaginative and fast-paced narrative, though its complex and sometimes disjointed plot can be challenging to follow. It explores themes of regeneration, identity, and societal structure within a richly inventive lunar setting.