Review by Booklist Review
The first book in Wilber's Alien Trilogy introduces readers to Peter Holman, broken-down former professional basketball player enjoying a new career in sweeping 2030's answer to podcasting. While out on a sweep date with a lovely young woman, Holman sees a series of flashing lights over the Florida Gulf. He is witnessing the S'hudonni landing. They have come to earth with the aim of offering advanced science. But is that their only reason for the trip? Along the way, we meet royal alien Twoclick and his brother, Whistle, as well as scientist Heather, Twoclick's assistant, who happens to be engaged to Peter's younger brother, Tom. A sibling squabble between the two aliens could either end up tearing a family apart or destroying the planet nicely paralleling the family dynamics of Peter and Tom. This is the start to a great trilogy (featuring characters Wilber has introduced in previous short stories) and an enjoyable read for any lover of first-contact sf.--Austin, Tiffany Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Humans' willingness to believe everything they see on TV-or its near-future equivalent-is the key to this thriller (parts of which were previously published as short stories) about dysfunctional families and first contact. Peter Holman is a sweeper, recording immersive sensory entertainment called sweepcasts for his social media followers. He's in the right place at the right time on the Gulf Coast to record humans' first contact with aliens. Suddenly, Peter's got an exclusive contract with the aliens' intermediaries to broadcast the hottest story on the planet. Even better, his role on the show includes seduction by sexy boss Heather Newsome-who just happens to be engaged to Peter's brother, Tom. Now estranged from his brother, and entangled with a lover whose motives are questionable, Peter becomes the sweeper entourage of the alien called Twoclicks, whom Heather bills as "the great leader for a new Earth." When not running from alien ship attacks, Peter recalls his troubled family history, which mirrors the ongoing war between Twoclicks and the alien's brother. This plot-driven story emphasizes action at the expense of characterization, but it does offer an intriguing look at colonization from the viewpoint of those being taken over. Agent: Bob Diforio, D4EO Literary Agency. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Set in 2030, former professional athleteturnedsocial media star Peter Holman vies to save his home planet from dueling alien royalty.Peter is recording a "story" to stream live on his multisensory social media channel when a seemingly benign alien race, the Shudonni, initiates first contact. That facade fades as Peter discovers that two royal alien brothers are warring to control Earth, a future he will risk his life to alter. In his trilogy launch, Wilber (Rum Point, 2009, etc.), a prolific sports, sci-fi, and thriller writer, introduces the Shudonni, who hail from a watery planet and resemble dolphins, and brings back cast members from previously published short stories. The Holman siblings, Peter, Tom, and Kait, get swept into a global crisis as the Shudonni princes (Twoclick and Whistle) play violently at divvying up the Earth and its rarities, like small-batch Irish whiskey, in a game to impress their fathera family dynamic familiar to the Holmans. Peter is in conflict with his brother Tom, a professor of marine biology, over their deceased fathers reputation, their wild-child sister, and Toms wealthy benefactor, Heather Newsome, who might have an agenda of her own. Both sets of brothers are caught up in squabbles with each other that spin out of control, and both must find their ways toward family harmony. While Wilbers first-contact novel hums along, it leans heavily on clichs and unoriginal plot devicesa hypersexy shape-shifter, a comical but deadly alien porpoise, and a young ingnue who is also the girl next door. One cool tech twist: Peter uses a multisensory form of mental podcasting to broadcast a live feed meant to lead the aliens astray. Intergalactic sibling rivalry that toggles between fun and familiar. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
