In this dark science fiction thriller, a young woman must confront her past so the human race will have a future.
Author Madeleine Roux has written a sci-fi story that, from the outset, echoes two movie classics; “Alien” and “The Thing.” I was disappointed at what I thought was going to be a rehash of those two titles but here’s the thing (pun intended), if you are patient, you will discover that it is not what you think at all.
We have a deep space research vessel called the Brigantine and Rosalyn Devar has been given orders to salvage the ship that has supposedly gone dark, meaning everyone on board is feared dead so Rosalyn and her pilot set out to retrieve the ship and bring it back home. When they eventually reach the craft, they find members of the crew alive and considering the amount of oxygen that is registering on the ship, they should be dead.
Rosalyn makes contact with the ship’s captain, Edison Aries, and discovers that his crew has been infected by an alien species which calls itself Foxfire. It takes over the brain and no amount of damage to the human body will kill it. The entity absorbs its host’s memories and identifies itself as Mother because humans have a natural response to that. The entire species wants to assimilate every human it can locate as it starves for the human mind and that is the kernel of this story, the fight between humans and aliens.
Of course, the usual suspects are in there: good against evil, human greed, lust for power, and expendable humans. Scientists had received information that Foxfire could keep people alive and extend their lifespans and that is why Rosalyn and her pilot were charged with capturing the ship and bringing it back home, so the alien lifeform could be studied.
‘Salvaged’ is well-thought-out and the human touches are absorbing, along with the fighting spirit of humanity. When all is said and done, the final battle is first-rate and poses the question: is there hope for humanity? Maybe! Sci-fi fans will really enjoy this.
Available in bookstores October 15th
