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(More customer reviews)Question: How does an extraterrestrial civilization survive the impending destruction of its home planet?
Answer: Embed your species' DNA in meteors and send them flying throughout the galaxy in hopes that eventually one of the meteors will impact on a planet that is suitable for regeneration of the species.
That's the scenario for Robert Williams' first rate science fiction novel "Peculiar, MO." The story reminded me a bit of a cross between "Andromeda Strain" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," but in fact it's neither. In "Andromeda Strain," the action takes place primarily at a remote laboratory where scientists study the alien organism that has infected and killed most of a small town's population. In "Peculiar, MO," the action is in the town itself and centers around the organism's effects on the local people and a biological terrorism military unit that is studying the alien organism and trying to limit its spread. The tension grows steadily as the unit's scientist comes to the terrifying realization that the organism is attempting to invade the earth, not just infect it.
The author's scientific explanation of the mechanism by which the alien plasmids (short strands of DNA) could use earth's plants and animals, including humans, to regenerate the alien species and rebuild its group consciousness and memory is quite detailed. I don't remotely have enough science background to know how plausible this is, but it was a fascinating concept that was more credible than the typical aliens-invade-human-bodies stories. I'll give the author a lot of credit for originality.
The author builds the story around several characters. The principal characters, including Kelly Ross, Spencer Dale, and the mysterious John Gordon, are likable, well developed three-dimensional characters. There are some bad guys too, and the author kills them off in some very satisfying (i.e., gruesome) ways.
As another reviewer noted, the military unit involved in the story was very small and was led by a non-commissioned officer, with privates doing most of the work. This wasn't very realistic, since the government had already dealt with a previous meteor strike that contained the alien plasmids, so the potential danger was recognized. I'm guessing that the author's reasoning was that a larger unit, such as a battalion, would have brought too much attention from the local people. In any case, this is a fairly minor quibble.
Having read other stories by Robert Williams, I expected the writing to be of professional quality, and it was. The story flowed smoothly from scene to scene, and the characters' dialog was realistic. The story grabbed me from the beginning, and the action is pretty much nonstop, ending in an extremely tense and violent climax. Blended smoothly into the action is the relationship between Kelly and Spencer and the blossoming romance that brings them closer together.
Editing was generally good, but there were a number of typos in my Kindle version. There weren't enough mistakes to affect my enjoyment of the book, but the author should have proofread his final manuscript more closely.
No spoilers here, but after reading "Peculiar, MO," I don't know if I'll ever turn my back on a cat again!
The bottom line: This is a first rate page-turner for science fiction and techno-thriller fans. It's certainly one of the most original and intelligently written alien invasion stories I've read.
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Welcome to Peculiar, MO. For most, life is good in this idyllic Midwestern town, until a falling star brings an unearthly menace. Soon animals are found dying of a mysterious disease. At night, beasts begin to cry out in voices that sound almost like words, as they are drawn to a burned clearing to serve an alien will.
Local widow Kelly Ross, who is struggling to make ends meet after the death of her husband, sends her young son into the forest on an errand, where he makes a frightening discovery.
Spencer Dale, the town's mechanic, whose past contains a painful secret, begins to experience strange dreams and visions, as he relives memories that are not his own.
Nine-year-old Rachel, a child of nature, becomes linked to an unspeakable crime that took place more than eighty years in the past, while a military operation moving inexorably towards the meteor's impact site makes its presence, and its plans, known.
All of their lives are linked together, and their courage and faith are tested, as they are drawn to the site where the star fell to Earth and an alien life cycle reaches its terrifying climax.
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