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Journal of a UFO Investigator

A Novel

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

This sparkling debut novel, set against the backdrop of the troubled 1960s, is a coming-of-age story that weaves together a compelling psychological drama and vivid outer-space fantasy.

Danny Shapiro is an isolated teenager living with a dying mother, a hostile father, and no friends. To cope with these circumstances, Danny forges a reality of his own, which includes the sinister "Three Men in Black," mysterious lake creatures with insect-like carapaces, a beautiful young seductress and thief, with whom Danny falls in love, and an alien-human love child who—if only Danny can keep her alive—will redeem the planet. Danny's fictional world blends so seamlessly with his day-to-day life that profound questions about what is real and what is not, what is possible and what is imagined, begin to arise. As the hero in his alien landscape, he finds the strength to deal with his own life and to stand up to demons both real and imagined. Told with heart and intellect, Journal of a UFO Investigator calls to mind the works of Michael Chabon and Jonathan Lethem.

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    • AudioFile Magazine
      Socially awkward Danny Shapiro, age 14, is writing a novel about UFOs. His father is a brute, and his mother is dying. Danny has a crush on a beautiful girl, gets involved with a group of paranormal enthusiasts, stumbles across galaxies, and clashes with and is "probed" by aliens. What starts out as a brooding coming-of-age story veers sharply into over-the-top silliness. Sean Runnette brings what life he can to the principals, but David Halperin's characters are empty and contrived--more set decoration than believable people. Also, Runnette doesn't sound 14. He's a wonderful reader, but the combination of adult voice and gloomy adolescent protagonist doesn't work well. However, Runnette's professional narration keeps the plot moving and will keep teenage sci-fi fans happy. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      November 22, 2010
      Set in the mid-1960s, religious studies professor Halperin's gripping debut is less about aliens than alienation. Danny Shapiro, a 16-year-old UFO geek living in Philadelphia, grows estranged from his normal school friends. His dark fantasies lead him to hook up with a crew of teen UFO investigators who are as hardcore as they are precocious. As his seriously ill mother grows worse, Danny encounters the legendary Men in Black, flies a disk, gets lost in the middle of the earth and on the moon as well as strapped down on an alien operating table. A Jewish kid who doesn't believe in God, he studies the Bible and explores his religious heritage. Strange twists abound as Danny becomes the caretaker of a half-alien female child and gets ensnared in regional hostilities in Israel. While the science fiction talk may put off some, this heartbreaking coming-of-age story of a boy losing and finding his way in this and other worlds will resonate with many readers.

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  • English

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