About this book

     Drew is not alone in his quest for dinosaurs amid the tumbled rocks and canyons of eastern Utah—rockhounds have probed these canyons and badlands for half a century and more looking for colorful scraps of agatized dinosaur bone. This time Drew finds something new but very very old: The “AO,” an Alien Object from off-Earth.

     Drew and his two friends have no idea how to handle the discovery. The aftermath and its consequences are the story here, in particular the impact this discovery has on Drew, his sense of alienation now buttressed by his need to become as rational and objective as he believes the real aliens must've been. But where are love and friendship and commonality in such a universe? The story follows him as he slowly realizes that certain attributes are probably universal and may apply equally to intellects on other worlds. And yet although we live our own lives as individuals, they're meaningful largely because of our associations with friends, family and those around us, a very small pool in a very large universe of possibilities. Because all lives everywhere are at core a mystery experienced, the role of faith and belief will always be significant, and with these come all the contradictions and difficulties that belief always brings to self-conscious creatures.

     Drew's resolution is positive, as is the book's ending. Readers should keep in mind that any serious book needs critical readers looking for a bit of heavy lifting along the way, the difficulties accepted as part of their reward and a reader's contributions necessary for the story's success.

     Don't expect the “propulsive narrative” some novelists provide. You'll find instead an engagingly literate science fiction story about science, an Alien Object and the human heart, cross-genre speculative fiction that looks in as well is out, science fiction for the informed reader interested in geology, paleontology, philosophy, history, real science, some false-science, and a riveting intellectual yarn.

Review

The Mysterians is critically reviewed and strongly recommended by the author in the following advertisement for his work:

     The author of The Mysterians claims to have lived for more than 70 years on a planet he calls “Earth,” and the story he tells is a fictional account based on his experience living there. He obviously enjoyed his brief stay, and probes some of the many perils inherent in being alive and conscious of one's self, other people, and a surrounding culture.

     He tells his tale through the voices, thoughts and adventures of several characters living in an area he knew well, eastern Utah, amid the bones of an even older race, the Late Jurassic dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation.

A desert beachcomber looking for bone scraps stumbles on evidence of an ancient visit to Earth by an extra-terrestrial “Alien Object”. This is of course exciting news for Earthlings, and forms the backdrop for a wider discussion of the problems and possibilities Earthlings face. In time the bone hunter comes to realize that certain issues are probably universal, and may apply equally to other intellects on other worlds. Because all lives everywhere are at core a mystery experienced, the role of faith and belief will always be significant, and these come with all the contradictions and difficulties that belief always brings to self-conscious creatures.

     Resolution for this character is positive, as is the book's ending which, while fantastical, is an enjoyable and satisfactory conclusion.

     A novel is a strange creature. The author is allowed to write about characters and situations that have never existed and never will, yet to have any value or meaning these fantasies must partake of reality in ways that are meaningful and recognizable. This bears some resemblance to religious and personal truths, and it's these that are pitted against Scientism in The Mysterians.

     Scientism—the hidebound belief by some that science's materialistic and deterministic worldview is the only truthful one—fails to acknowledge that reality and theory are fundamentally irreconcilable; that living, inconsistent truth abounds; and that much of the mystery experienced in any life is also real. Yet there's not much mystery-mongering in this novel. The science is real—mostly—and is acknowledged to have a valuable place among the many worldviews offered by philosophy, political ideology, literature, and religion. But Scientism, seeking desperately to validate itself and its own superiority, bears down hard on the truth-value of other systems, such as those underlying religious and personal belief. (As indeed they often do in their turn.)

Scientism worships science, but also consistency, which offers the true believer a package he or she cannot logically reject. Math, logic, philosophy, and some aspects of theology also treat consistency as Divine, but at this moment in history Scientism is the star to watch, and with it inconsistencies of any sort can be dragged through the mud by anyone so inclined.

    The plot is quite fanciful, yet grounded in realistic characters, good science (though not all!), interesting situations, suspense and humor. If few firm conclusions are reached it may only reflect a situational reality for Earthlings and Others. If the book sometimes appears inconsistent it's because life often is, and if it refuses to look at every inconvenient truth, it's because inconvenience can be desperately important, our failure to look at reality directly and unflinchingly sometimes a life-saving ploy that, collectively, also helps us find meaning.

     While promoting a judicious “ignore-ance”, the book is equally concerned by today's often virulent anti-intellectualism, and the story becomes a gentle effort to support a limited intellectualism that avoids the many traps and absurdities that a virulent intellectualism easily provides. This is an intelligent and timely book offering few solutions but with much to recommend it, and if at times it seems a bit odd and chaotic, perhaps that only reflects the chaos and uncertainty of modern life or any self-conscious life. He asks readers to contribute some weight of their own to the story, and understands that any good book requires as much. It's not always an easy read, but if you're willing to put something into it you'll probably bring a lot out.

     The Mysterians is a complex and resonant book about contemporary times, about science and the philosophical concepts that support it, and about some compelling characters faced with an unexpected and important discovery who are, more importantly, faced with their own lives and with the often difficult and uncertain mystery that having a conscious life presents each of us, whether alien or human.

     If this sounds like an interesting and intellectually exciting tale, it is, and if this sort of story appeals, try this one. The Mysterians will entertain you and will not insult your intelligence. Nor your feelings, if you're not dogmatic.

Spurious Reviews

Candid Appraisal of The Mysterians by Picky Reviewers:

“An engagingly literate science fiction story about science, an Alien Object and the human heart.” — Johnson Bozwell, Topeka.

“If you read only one book this year make sure it's the one about the dinosaur hunter and the AO.” — Taggert Lupindale, San Antone, TX.

“Something strange in late Jurassic sediments, stranger stuff right here. Slipstream fiction at its unlevel best.” — Carl Marks, Moscow, Texas.

“Bold and imaginative; the Future as we'll never see it.”—Brights Literary Review

“What do Earthlings think when they think they're thinking? Speculative fiction that looks in as well as out.”— Post Humus BlogSource.

“OMg!”—Dan Forthright, Perception, Utah.

“Interesting story, but don't expect the “propulsive narrative” some novelists can provide.” — Whitcomb Int'l. Reviews.

“Confusing.”—Ishigoro Knowitol, Honolulu, Hawaii

“ Spectacular! “— Acclaim Unlimited, LLC.

“Sets new standards for Christian exegesis.”—Theology Today Online

“Profoundly impertinent.”—Bateson Academic Press

“As a Bolarization of the Aeneid I feel it's redundant.” —Prof. James Hammer, Coolidge Prof. of Particle Physics, Emmet University College, Aiyuh, New Hampshire

“Not for everyone, but definitely my vibe.”—Rob Barrymore, The Boylan Heights, New York

“I completely understand why the author went solo. Don't change a word.”—Broke Peddler, Walkon, Pennsylvania.

“Like your science and philosophy served up as cross-genre speculative fiction with a literary twist? Exciting new story, new author: The Mysterians.” — Wikiwash Prime

“I hope the sequel is as good.”—Wayhouse Electronic Publishers, Inc.

“It helps to remember that Litmus isn't a Pass/Fail test.”—George Worry, Montpelier, Canada

"Science fiction for the informed reader interested in geology, paleontology, philosophy, psychology, history, real-science, false-science and a riveting intellectual yarn. Called 'Remarkable!' by the author and his friends.” —O.

“Discover something New: New Story, New Science, Real Issues.” —Bratwurst Express, Oct. '17.

"A tour of Life on Earth as we know it, in a limited way, sort of."—Anonymous

“Witty when not deadly serious”—a respected opinion setter

“One of the best of its kind I've read this year.”—Kearny Reviews

“Though written as a novel and under a pseudonym, Zpplbqlsss's anthropological study, The Mysterians, comes as close as we Pbsccol are likely to get to understanding the Existential situation of this alien culture—and our own.”—Intersteller Realist, 13007/52/926660.