Review: Creepy. Which is a Good Thing.,
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 5, 2014
This is one of several of Chris Nuttall's books I have read, and "Invasion" was better done than others. I tend to judge science fiction story lines differently based on the degree of disbelief I have to suspend. Because this book tells a story that can be said to be a possible future for our planet, there wasn't all that much suspension of disbelief required. That said, I spent the first three quarters of reading time feeling vaguely anxious and generally creeped out. That, I believe, usually suggests to me that I like what I'm reading and the author has done a very good job.There is an obvious parallel between the Takaina's mission and Radical Fundamentalist Islamic Jihad (and the Spanish Inquisition), not specific beliefs per se, but the whole "kill the infidel, burn the witch/heretic" mind-set. At first I thought it was "too easy" a device to use as the reason why one billion reddish-purple, four-hearted jelly legged aliens and their Priests and Inquisitors flew 100 million light years to "convert" us Earthlings, but it actually works, after you get over quibbling at plot devices. (Spoiler Alert) Although I did think that when the Takaina decide to accept the Middle East as one of their "Most Desirable Places to Live" and end up potentially being the new "Oil Barons", it was sort of overkill.Anyhow, a good, creepy alien invasion story, and a good way to illustrate that NASA/ESA really need to get their collective acts together (and taxpayers of the planet need to fund that "act") so that the people of Earth can harvest the riches of space instead of raping the (declining) riches of the planet, a point made often in the story line by alien and human characters alike. I would probably add another half-star, but can't.