"Hunter's Moon" begins with the quotation "We do not perceive reality, we conceive it," and this is a clue to the complex central theme of the novelette. Anderson has taken advantage of the opportunities for setting and characterization presented by the genre of science fiction to explore the implications of how scientists, even while carefully following the strictures of the scientific method, can shape reality according to their desires and preconceived beliefs. The scientists here not only misperceive their observations by conceiving of what they see in human terms, they alter what they observe because their subconscious minds influence the subjects of their studies.

The novelette is structured to emphasize the problem of conceived realities as opposed to perceived realities. It begins with the point of view of A'i'ach, a sentient creature that flies by inflating a sac with hydrogen. A being that spends...