New review of new version of Return to Alpha!

While this review hasn’t been published anywhere just yet, I couldn’t resist sharing it with y’all today. It’s about the greatly revised Return to Alpha about to come out in paperback. Actually, it already is via Lulu; coming to Amazon in a few days. The e-book version is already good to go for your reading pleasure:

Return to Alpha is one of these books that opens up a window to another reality inhabited by
other volumes about the universe that sprang from his writer's imagination, Dr Wesley Britton

The book is a rather unique take on the aliens visiting earth concept. Fiction of course is no stranger to this concept, from ET to war of the worlds and many other works.

This time however there is a twist, we, the readers, or at least me, feel like we have more in common with the "aliens", than with the earthlings around them.

The story is set in a dystopian, post pandemic earth some 20 years in the future.
Population reduced, countries are broken apart. Covid-19 and other plagues ricked havoc on the planet and the result is a weakened humanity, riddled with fear and isolation.

Into this earth, 6 visitors arrive from parallel earths with different names, hence the title, "return to Alpha".
works that come to mind with similar themes are "water world". Star gate" and the Sci Fi classic "winter" by Ursula Le Guin.

RTA however is different as I said as we are immediately feel connected to the so called aliens and develop empathy towards them. There is a good reason for the way we feel towards the aliens. I will not disclose it here as it is a bit of a spoiler.

The main character, Malcolm Renbourn the 2nd, is portrayed with strong colors and bold hand, accompanied by a compelling supporting cast of family members.

Of note is also the character of Major Mary Carpenter from Texas, and the unfolding of her relationship with Malcolm is one of the main and colorful threads of the story.

Dr Britton pays great attention to details, which makes you feel like you are right there with the characters, in their landing, in the gilded prison called the "citadel" they are being placed at by suspicious earth security and law enforcement officials and elsewhere in their journeys and adventures.

I also like the rich assortment of secondary characters the main heroes of the story run into, the not-so Christian orphan Brian is a good example of that, pay attention to him when you get to this part of the story.

RTA has a rather clear message for humanity. and good messengers to deliver it. the message is especially relevant and poignant in our post pandemic, deeply divided current reality.
i enjoyed reading the book and I recommend it to anyone who like science fiction with more than just the science and more than just the fiction.

Dan Bar Hava, author of the 36 Watchers