Set in modern day UK, the premise is that humanity, having had no contact with any alien species before, receives a radio message from approaching aliens (‘the Ankor’). They warn Earth that a huge supernova blast is going to hit within a year and this will be an extinction level event. However, it can be averted. The Ankor are prepared to save humanity but every space faring nation will need to send a defined set of materials into orbit from which the Ankor will fashion a shield that will protect Earth from the worst of the incoming gamma ray blast.
Humanity has no way of knowing whether the Ankor are telling the truth, but the alien technological superiority is undisputed, and humanity feel they have nothing to lose by cooperating …
Title: Immortal | Author: Nick M. Lloyd | Publisher: Sampson Communications | Pub. Date: 2019-Feb-4 | Pages: 420 | ISBN13: 9780993077975 | Genre: Alien Invasion Science Fiction | Language: English | Triggers: None | Rating: 4 out of 5 | Source: I received a copy of this book from the author for review consideration
Immortal Review
Immortal isn’t your usual alien invasion novel. Most of my favorite parts of the novel had nothing to do with alien invasion at all. It deals with other themes much more pertinent to today’s world such as data mining and how much (or little) people care about their personal information. It’s interesting just (but not only) by looking at how data analysts could (probably do) monitor our reactions as a whole to certain events.
One favorite in particular centers around one of the main characters dealing with their disability. One of their companions means well but cannot seem to understand the concept of “my body, my choice”. There are so many levels at which that’s an ever-green topic, right?
Immortal is a thought-provoking read, but I will admit it’s one that I had trouble focusing on. It isn’t a book that was able to grab and keep my attention until the final quarter or so. However, that final quarter zoomed by.
Lloyd does a good job of keeping a lot of characters kind of morally grey. Even when you hated some of the things that happened, you could understand how someone might think it was the right thing to do. (Of course, some of the characters are also bat-shit crazy so it wasn’t as much that they were morally grey as just nuts.)
The dialogue was believable. The plot was a fresh take on an old topic. The writing was good. Immortal is worth picking up. It asks a question that will have you wondering where your own moral boundaries lay.
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Lilyn G is the founder of Sci-Fi & Scary, and leader of the Coolthulhu Crew. She does book and film reviews for both genres the site focuses on. Her tastes run towards creature features, hard science fiction, and lots and lots of action. She also has a soft spot for middle-grade fiction that rears its head frequently.
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Intriguing. Am adding to my TBR (which is taking a hammering at present.)
Augh.
The premise of this sounds so much like an old sixties sci-fi story I read, but I cannot remember the name of it, now. Perhaps it was by Larry Niven? Anyways, the story was of Earth seeing a star go supernova. Because they are watching, they are able to see an incoming ship. It is being blown to Earth on the solar wind of the supernova via super-space-sails. The aliens are somewhat passive, and want to share their technology, only, they want Earth to expend all her resources building something on their behalf. If Earth refuses, they will instigate a supernova in our sun, so they can ride the solar wind to another civilized planet and offer them the same deal. Apparently, the previous solar system refused their offer, so they supernova-ed their sun to get here.
There’s certainly a background issue of a supernova destroying worlds in Ringworld, although the event may belong to a different Niven story. Good luck tracking it down!
Hm yeah it does sound similar