Aliens Rule | ||||||||
Edited by Allan Kaster | ||||||||
Narrated by Vanessa Hart and Tom Dheere, unabridged | ||||||||
Infinivox, 3 hours, 43 minutes | ||||||||
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A review by Susan Dunman
In the first story, author James Van Pelt offers a bizarre case of alien abduction with, "How Music Begins." It
seems that aliens have abducted an entire junior high school band from their bus as they were returning from a
performance. Now the band members find themselves living in an enclosed structure that is part dormitory and part
performance hall. There is a large glass wall in front of their stage, but the musicians can only see clouds
of roiling brown smoke on the other side of the glass. Their lives revolve around daily practice sessions and
regular performances for unseen and unknown alien observers.
The story is told from the point of view of the band director, Mr. Cowdrey. Narrator Tom Dheere brings the
stressed-out, yet imminently practical band director to life. Dheere's portrayal accurately reflects Cowdrey's
concern for his students and his fears for the future. The director's efforts to maintain a sense of normalcy
in their anything-but-normal situation keeps your attention and your sympathy.
The second story is a very personal look at human/alien relationships and what the nature of being alien
is all about. In "Okanoggan Falls," the alien Watesoons have conquered Earth and have proved to be fairly
placid conquerors. That's why it's such a surprise when they come to the small Wisconsin town of Okanoggan
Falls to tell the population that they must be evacuated so the aliens can set up a mining operation for sand found
underneath the town. Author Carolyn Ives Gilman has done an excellent job of making the hard, dry,
clay-like Watesoons seem extraordinarily threatening and, well, alien.
In an effort the win the aliens over by helping them understand how devastating it is for the citizens of
Okanoggan Falls to pack up everything and leave their home, the mayor's wife decides to befriend Captain
Groton, the alien assigned to evacuate and demolish the town. Although he accepts an invitation to visit
her home, Susan soon discovers the unfathomable differences in their perceptions of Earth when Captain
Groton discusses his abhorrence of water.
The final offering in this collection is, "Laws of Survival" by Nancy Kress. In a future world decimated by war,
aliens have landed and constructed impenetrable gray domes across the world. There seems to be no purpose for the
domes and they simply stand vigil for years. Meanwhile, humanity struggles to survive among its own kind, not
worrying too much about the aliens.
A woman who is scavenging from a garbage dump finds a puppy and picks it up. She is immediately approached by a
robot which emerges from one of the domes, offering to give her food in exchange for the puppy. It's not long
before the woman is abducted by the robot and, once inside the dome, she is shocked to find it full of dogs.
Dog lovers will really appreciate this story, as the aliens have evidently decided that dogs are the most worthy
species on the planet and they want them to be "trained" for their own purposes as pets. Vanessa Hart also voices
this story and she demonstrates great vocal agility with her handling of robots and a very cynical, yet
likeable, protagonist who is only trying to survive.
Thematic collections are always a favorite of mine and it was easy to enjoy this collection of alien-themed
stories. The narrators do a wonderful job of bringing the text to life and it would be hard to find any better
written stories on the topic. Each one will give you something to think about long after you've finished listening.
Susan became a librarian many light years ago and has been reviewing books ever since. Audiobooks and graphic novels have expanded her quest to find the best science fiction in Libraryland. |
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