Book Review: Voyagers II - The Alien Within
Awakened after eighteen years in cryonic stasis aboard an alien spacecraft, astronaut Keith Stoner has returned to Earth. Yet both Stoner and his home planet have changed. The starship, now orbiting Earth, has provided several remarkable leaps in technology for the human race and as Stoner starts life anew, he finds some startling alterations within himself--he is now sharing his mind with that of the dead alien found aboard the ship nearly two decades ago. At the time, it had been Stoner's decision to leave behind all that he knew for a chance to explore the cosmos. Now, he finds himself becoming increasingly devoid of emotion in exchange for superhuman mental abilities and a relentless drive to change his corrupt and war torn world for the better.
Stoner flees captivity from Vanguard Corporation, the company responsible for reviving him. It's president, Jo Camerata, a former flame of Stoner's, assists in his escape knowing that her sadistic CEO husband Everett Nillson would take whatever measures necessary to extract every bit of alien intelligence from the astronaut. Yet even Jo cannot control Stoner as he eventually leaves her and reunites with old friends, makes new allies, and travels the world in an attempt to bring peace to war ravaged Africa and shut down a global terrorist organization known as the World Liberation Movement.
Ben Bova crafts a fast paced story with political and corporate intrigue and a central character that reminded me very much of Klaatu from The Day The Earth Stood Still. Well, Klaatu with some burgeoning Jedi abilities. :-) The other main characters are also fairly well developed although the focus is almost completely on Stoner. The story is not without some twists as some characters reveal their true colors and loyalties. The backdrop of bloody politics and corporate backstabbing of Stoner's Earth are among the few things that have not changed in his eighteen year absence and reflect the sad state of affairs in our own reality.
