ALL HOPE OF BECOMING HUMAN

Vicious creatures attacking humans may somehow relate to huge, recently unearthed metallic objects in Busch’s SF thriller.

Archaeology assistant Rebecca Duccati waits for her security clearance at an Arizona dig site. When she’s finally cleared, she sees why the Department of Homeland Security is being so secretive. “The Pit,” as they call it, is littered with human and animal skeletal remains and houses a gigantic unidentified metallic object. In Georgia, FBI special agent Zach Demzey investigates a bloody scene of mutilated bodies. The victims include cops who had been looking for a fleeing assailant, but Demzey has trouble believing a human could do so much damage. Similarly brutal murders soon lead to sightings of clawed creatures with “ruddy plated skin,” and attacks increase around the globe. Meanwhile, Rebecca is inexplicably drawn to the object in Arizona, and another UMO turns up outside of the United States. Are these UMOs and creatures extraterrestrial? Zach works with Rebecca, searching for answers and a way to stop the savage beasts’ homicidal rampages. Mystery propels the narrative, which delivers a few knockout reveals. Much of the ambiguity, however, remains unresolved, including the provenance of the bizarre tattoo on Rebecca’s neck (“It appears to be some kind of fractal geometric shape made from two interweaving fine colored lines creating an almost three-dimensional effect”). The author skillfully blends taut, suspenseful action with deliberately paced scenes of characters struggling to explain the strange events. Zach and Rebecca are strong leads, but others among the cast stand out, too, including Zach’s assistant, FBI agent Connie Wegman, and Tom Fairfax, a military sergeant at the Pit who takes a shine to Rebecca. The final act, though prolonged, is thoroughly intriguing and offers more clarification than readers may expect.

This absorbing, realistic near-future tale brims with unrelenting mystery and tension.