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Cane and Abell are FBI agents who have very different lives and personalities, but their differences have led to them being good partners. When the two are called to the office early on a Monday, both are expecting the worst from their mutually disliked boss. He is giving them a new case no one really wants. They soon find themselves in an interrogation room with a man who has turned himself in and claims to be warning humans about their impending doom because of an alien invasion. The man uses the name Gabriel because his alien name would be too difficult to pronounce. Through the course of a full day of interrogation, Gabriel talks about the last century-and-a-half of human history and his alien race’s attempts at helping humans annihilate themselves. However, as that has failed, now the aliens are going to be more direct.
Reger’s premise has been popular in science fiction for many years. One of the most recent versions is Marvel’s graphic novel and correlating television series Secret Invasion. In both Reger’s book and the Marvel series, aliens have been living amongst humans on Earth for decades and often hold influential jobs. They can use these positions of power to affect the course of human history. Reger’s story has the aliens on Earth for much longer than Marvel’s, and he does an entertaining job of explaining how their influence has affected human history. In another way, Reger’s novel is similar to the classic film 12 Angry Men. Both break the old writing adage of "Show, don’t tell," and each primarily takes place in a small room where previous events are recapped and discussed rather than witnessed firsthand. Normally, this doesn’t work very well. However, both the film and Reger’s novel use a restricted setting in an interesting way. In both works, the action takes a back seat to the dialogue and the veracity of what is being said and by whom. Each work is hinged upon whether certain characters can effectively convince others that their point of view is accurate and factual.
Reger’s novel reads like a cop drama combined with the Men in Black movies. However, the book is weakened somewhat by the use of juvenile humor and attempts at being too cute with the story. Still, the pace is quick, and the writing is easy to read. The author gives his characters enough personality to appropriately flavor the dialogue and keep the story interesting. What is most entertaining about Reger’s book is how well he integrates his research into the story. The weaving of historical speeches, events, and conspiracy theories into the interrogation process is seamless and makes the story compelling. His audience will surely delight in taking an excursion through major events in human history made new with the inclusion of extraterrestrial interference. Reger also provides a nice plot twist that is foreshadowed well, allowing readers to feel smug about knowing what is coming rather than being taken completely by surprise. Ultimately, this quick read will put a smile on the faces of most readers of science fiction, particularly those who enjoy television shows like The Twilight Zone.