Blaine Readler

It is 12 years since a massive solar storm stopped all Earth-Moon communication, and a small American industrial base on the far side of the moon limps along, still hoping for rescue. Only four adults survived the storm; the rest were caught out on the surface during a normal work day. The deceased left numerous children, and they have been trained to continue working the platinum mining operation. A decision was made at the time to teach them very little about Earth, in order to avoid disruption and hope, and the two managers and two scientists who survived keep a tight reign on activities and knowledge. The station's manager also has a daughter, who was five years old and visiting from Earth at the time of the incident, and for a large part she has been kept separate from the other children and educated thoroughly in the belief that one day she will assume her father's mantel or, if possible, return to Earth, which she remembers. At the time of this story, the surviving children range in age from about 14 through the early twenties. The adults work hard to keep them fed and motivated and the remaining equipment from failing entirely.

Although meagerly educated, these teenagers are nothing if not curious, and one day they break into the communications room and hear voices on the radio. When few of them get suited up and go outside they find a battered rover from a distant Chinese installation broken down near the base - with bodies inside. Soon thereafter some sort of ship comes over the horizon.

This was a well-written and exciting story. The adults and teens alike are interesting characters, and their predicament raises all sort of questions about how a small and powerless group of adults could organize the survivors to stay alive and hopeful with such an open-ended future. There is a too-convenient problem with one of the adults which leads to much of drama as the book progresses, but the story still had me rooting for a good ending and more-than-willing to stay up late to find out what happens.… (más)

I like to peek out of my reading comfort zone now and then, just so I don't get stuck in a rut. Having just finished Few Are Chosen when the review request for this came in I was willing to give it a try and I am glad I did.

Blaine C Readler has written a quirky story where a raccoon, puppeteered by an alien intelligence places the responsibility of saving the world on a reluctant blues playing, pet sitter. Gabe figures the talking varmint is nothing but a LSD flashback, but the raccoon is insistent - Gabe is the only one that can stop a terrorist cell blowing up San Francisco and halt an invasion by aliens.

Monsters in The Attic has an imaginative plot that mixes the ordinary with the absurd, physics with science fiction. It's a combination that works because of a solidly grounded storyline with enough twists in the logic to keep it interesting.
Gabe is a likeable protagonist, average would probably be the best description. I don't feel we ever get a strong sense of who he was before Ronny hijacks his life but he steps up to face the weirdness with a determination to do the right thing and proves to be a hero. Ronny's (AKA the alien infested raccoon) true motives are obscured much of the time yet he has a quirky charm as he stumbles through his attempts to complete his mission. The odd partnership between the pair works, and I enjoyed their banter and developing friendship.
There are a handful of minor characters including Gabe's 'stolen' poodle, the grouchy former owner of the poodle, and Christie, a love interest for Gabe, that fill out the story.
Under the amateurish cover, Readler demonstrates an understanding and talent for the craft of writing. The book appears to have been carefully edited for style, structure, continuity and the ePub version I read was error free.

Monsters in The Attic is an entertaining read with a sense of whimsy that I found appealing. If you enjoy Douglas Adams and his speculative fiction comedic adventure titles, I would recommend that yo give Monsters In The Attic: Aliens, Terrorists and One Voluble Raccoon a try.… (más)