APOSTLES OF MERCY

As humanity reckons with the existence of intelligent beings from beyond the stars, another alien threat rises.

Early in the latest installment of Ellis’ Noumena series comes a moment in which Ampersand, aka Jude Atheatos—one of the amygdalines, an alien race that’s made first contact with Earth—removes a young boy’s brain tumor via telekinesis, with the caveat that the boy’s family must never tell anyone about the incident. The fact that the alien uses the same alias as the patron saint of hopeless causes is not lost on anyone. That tension serves as the glue that holds Ellis’ narrative together. This is the story of Ampersand’s human companion, Cora Sabino, with whom he can communicate wordlessly as the amygdalines do. But the story also belongs to his estranged ex-compatriot Nikola Sassanian, whose basic right to a dignified death is the subject of an intense political battle that could grant the aliens personhood. As Cora’s crush, a journalist named Paris Wells, attempts to bond with Nikola, Cora and Ampersand find themselves investigating a years-old massacre—one that could prove the presence of another race of aliens, the amygdalines’ worst enemies. Ellis deftly weaves a complex, often heady story here. The cast is large, the terminology and state of affairs complicated and unfamiliar. Although the author at times gets too caught up in reminding us that the aliens are, well, alien, such moments are not only few and far between, but also barely noticeable in light of the novel’s charm. Weird-fiction fans will enjoy the subtle subversions of Lovecraft and his fellow mythos authors, and internet fan communities will likely spot more than a few cheerful references to their favorite TV shows, films, and video games. Between the political intrigue and well-defined cast, this is a lovely reading experience.

A charming but taut political SF thriller in which the readers are the only winners.