I second what Davyne DeSye wrote in her review of this wonderful novel.
“Fantastic!”
“Wow.”
This story should be recognized as a classic of the genre. Underwood takes the alien invasion concept, and turns into a really special story about humanity. We’ve read more than enough about what’s wrong or bad about us, especially in recent years. What Underwood does in this beautifully poignant story is focus on the good in us. The lens he perfectly uses is the first-person narration of Tom, a hero who doesn’t consider himself as such, but nevertheless is, because of his compassion for people.
This is not your typical sci-fi invasion story. Instead of the usual War of the Worlds scenario, what we get here is a superb, layered look at the emotions and actions of a caring individual dealing with the circumstance. This compact novel of 180 pages is full of so many moving scenes that touched my heart. The interactions between Tom and a young girl named Sarah are my favorite parts of the book. Their relationship is an example of how I believe we are meant to be in our treatment of one another. Even if you’re not a sci-fi fan, but you love a great story, I highly recommend this entertaining and thoughtful trip into the genre. ( )