Tales Of An Alien Invader

By Michelle Brown, David M. F. Powers and Zefanya Maega

Meet Felix Winters, an eleven-year-old alien sent on his first scouting mission to Earth. His assignment is simple: blend in, observe his surroundings, and ultimately decide the fate of humanity.
But blending in is harder than he imagined, as, upon enrolling in a local middle school, he becomes the target of a trio of boys led by Curtis Jenkins, a bully with a sick sense of humor. It’s only thanks to a surprising newfound passion for baseball and the friendship of two fellow outcasts that Felix feels like he might have a chance. As he immerses himself further in the daily life of a preteen—and the ups, the downs, and the struggle to fit in that comes with it—he realizes something troubling, something that was not a part of the plan.
He may be becoming a little too human.
His mission becomes even more complicated when he stumbles upon a startling discovery that forces him to face the facts: Felix Winters doesn’t have everyone fooled.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pants On Fire Press
• Release date: Oct 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781625175694

Michelle Brown

Michelle Brown's first full-length collection of poetry, Safe Words was shortlisted for the 2018 ReLit award. A finalist for The Malahat Review's Open Season award, CV2’s Young Buck prize and the CBC poetry prize, her work has also appeared in The Walrus, Arc Poetry Magazine, Grain, PRISM International and The Puritan. After nearly a decade in Toronto, Michelle has recently returned to the West Coast, where she hangs out with her daughter, dog & husband.

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Text copyright © 2014 by Michelle Brown

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form by any means without written permission from the publisher, Pants On Fire Press. For information contact Pants On Fire Press.

All names, places, incidents, and characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Visit us at www.PantsOnFirePress.com

Book design by David M. F. Powers

Art by Zefanya Maega

The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content).

First edition 2014

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data

Brown, Michelle

Tales of an alien invader / Michelle Brown. – 1st ed.

p. cm.

eISBN 978-1625175694

US Softcover ISBN 978-0692205853

Summary : Felix Winters, an 11-year-old Bopton, is sent on his first scouting mission to Earth where he must blend in, observe his surroundings, and ultimately decide the fate of humanity.

[1. Extraterrestrial—Fiction. 2. Friendship—Fiction. 3. Schools—Fiction. 4. Baseball—Fiction.] PZ7.B8166434 Ta 2014

[Fic] --dc23 2014907514

To my wonderful children, Emma and Liam, and my loving husband, Dustin-you are my inspiration, my heart, my everything.

CHAPTER 1

Get up. We are going to be late.

Shaking off the grogginess of sleep, I squint at my father’s green-glowing eyes looming above me, the only source of light in the darkness. Disorientated, it takes me a moment to remember why my father is bothering me in the middle of the night. The reason for his intrusion tickles the edge of my mind, annoyingly just out of reach. Today. There is something special about today. Shooting upright, reality slams into me like an asteroid. It’s Launch Day. More specifically, it’s the most important day of my life.

Climbing out of bed, my skin ripples with excitement. My father wordlessly glides out of the room to let me get ready. My eyes follow him as he leaves, and an emptiness seems to swell in the room with his departure. I wish he would offer some words of advice or even an understanding glance. But that’s not my father’s way. Like most Boptons, he pays little mind to trivial things such as emotions. Sometimes I wonder if he has them.

Easing into a crisp white ceremonial robe, I pause to look at myself in the shimmering reflection pool at the far end of the room. The thick fabric trails along the ground behind me, and my own green-glowing, oval eyes seem even wider than normal. I take a moment to stretch and allow my arms to extend all the way to the ceiling, my fingertips brushing the smooth surface above. It will be a long time before I’ll be capable of doing such a thing again. My new body will have some…limitations.

Whirling around, I glide quickly towards the door, accidentally knocking over the holomaker as I go. The holograms of various stars and planets that had been circling above my bed disappear in a wobbly flicker, but I don’t stop to fix it; after all, no one will be sleeping in here anytime soon. Rushing into the hallway, I wonder if all the other 11 Years are feeling the same anticipation, if everyone else also feels like they’re going to explode from the inside. A Bopton’s first scouting mission is a very big deal, a rite of passage that symbolizes the first step from childhood to maturity. I will complete four of them before being assigned to other duties by the Elders.

My parents will be waiting for me in our common room, ready to give me any last pieces of information I need before lift-off. Reaching the door, a sudden hesitation makes me pause before entering. I’m hit by a wave of emotion, which is quite peculiar for my race, but not for me. Normally, I would focus on suppressing my feelings, but today I allow myself to feel the full force of them. Bopton is my home, and today I leave it. Leave the comforting familiarity of structure and routine. Up until now every day in my life had followed the same pattern: studies, followed by logic drills/simulations, followed by various chores and duties assigned by the Elders. Even special occasions, such as holidays or trips to colonized planets, had set guidelines. And everything was done in the name of the Bopton words, "for the good of all." Hardening with resolve, I move forward.

I join my mother and father in the massive circular dome where our family meetings are held. Sitting at a long, white table are three humans, two adults and a boy. My father is gliding back and forth in front of them silently, while my mother attempts to make eye contact with the female, trying to shoot her a reassuring look. Fascinated, I hurry toward them. These are the first humans I’ve seen up close, and their features are even more curious than they were in the transmission feeds I studied.

The female has long blond hair, which extends far down her back. It seems silly to me that she would keep her dead cells attached to her body that way, but I remind myself that humans have a very odd sense of fashion, which includes styling their dead cells on a regular basis and wearing the skins and furs of animals. I shudder at the idea.

The female’s eyes look red and swollen, and she gazes at me in terror. Well, that is silly—after all, no one here is going to hurt her. Though I suppose being abducted from my home planet and taken to a strange world trillions of miles away would frighten me as well. Next to the female is the boy, who is looking at me with caution rather than terror. He has short brown hair, a pointy nose, and long, slender limbs. His hair is sticking up on various parts of his head and his blue shirt matches the color of his eyes. I glance for a second at the adult male beside him, a large specimen that seems to be exhaling at a faster than normal rate. It’s the boy that keeps my attention, though.

So that is what my body is going to look like.

It is going to be quite an adjustment, getting used to the jerking motions of human limbs, the blurriness of their vision, the odd workings of their bodily functions, but it will be worth it. As long as I complete my mission.

My father glides forward and lays a small disc on the table, display screen up, from which a hologram appears and shows us a planet—Earth. You will be stationed here. He points to a location on the globe. Though you will first land over here. He points to another location, across an ocean. You will have to take an airplane to reach your destination. Do you remember airplanes from your research?

Yes, sir. An airplane is a manmade vehicle built for air travel. It has four main components: the fuselage, wings, engine, and tail section, which consists of a vertical and horizontal stabilizer. There are three axes of motion: roll, pitch and yaw, each controlled by specific—

My father raises a hand to stop me. That’s all correct, son, he interrupts, but do you remember the procedure for boarding a plane?

Yes. Check-in, baggage check, security check, locate gate, give attendant a boarding pass, board plane, and find seat.

Excellent. You will land in a remote area a few miles from the airport. Our own technology will not blend in well among the humans, so you’ll have to use this. He hands me a human computer tablet, the same model I’ve been practicing with.

The humans you’ll be staying with believe you are their nephew. They haven’t seen you in a very long time, as you travel the world with your parents, who are archaeologists. Remember, archaeologists study their planet’s ancient cultures through remains… I nod impatiently. I know what an archaeologist is.

He continues. Your aunt and uncle are under the impression that your parents have decided that you need some stability and, therefore, are sending you to stay with them for a year while your parents take their work to a remote location. As an added advantage, your aunt and uncle will only be able to communicate with your parents periodically through electronic correspondence, or what the humans call email, due to the remoteness of your parents’ location. We will answer all correspondence here on their behalf.

The humans have been listening silently, though obviously they don’t understand our language, so I’m sure it all sounds like nonsense to them. The female, looking wildly around, tries to get up, but she only succeeds in nearly knocking over the chair she is strapped to. The force field straps are invisible; they hold captives in place through pure energy, which I imagine makes the experience more frightening to the humans—to be locked into place by something you cannot see, let alone understand. Looking at all three of them secured to the chairs, a flicker of worry courses through me.

The humans will be okay here, right? I mean, they’re not going to be locked up the entire time, are they?

The humans will be fine. They will be staying here with us and treated with the utmost respect while we study them. After, with their memories modified, they will be returned to Earth unharmed and blissfully unaware of this whole ordeal.

I should be satisfied with the answer, but a knot of concern still tugs at my insides. I know a little about what studying them entails, and I have visited other planets that Bopton has colonized. No, they won’t be harmed, but they won’t be treated as equals either. An image from my research of a dog holding a bone in its mouth flashes through my mind. That is how the humans will be treated—like pets.

My mother glides forward with a bag, a human piece of luggage. Opening it, she lays it before me. This should be everything you need. Put the computer your father gave you in the bag until you need it.

Surveying the contents of the bag, I recognize various human objects. A toothbrush, comb, common clothing for human males (most of which are neon green, orange, and yellow—my favorite colors), two pairs of sneakers, a couple of books, a device for listening to music, and a bar used for suppressing the smell of human secretions—deodorant.

Now listen carefully. My father leans over and picks up one of the books. This book contains the only piece of technology from our planet you are allowed to have with you during your time on Earth. It’s called a Helomax. It is only to be used on the date and time we discussed. It’s vital you do not lose it because if this fell into the wrong hands, the consequences could be devastating. You’ll need to complete your mission by the time you are meant to use it. Do you understand?

Yes, Father. Feeling the weight of responsibility upon me, I try to put on my bravest, most adult face. I won’t let you down.

Good. The only other thing you will have from our planet is this. He takes out a chain which has a metal globe strung on it. Wear this around your neck at all times. Remember to take three drops of the serum within it every week, or else you will return to your original form. From the table he retrieves a golden chalice that is used in special ceremonies. The gold shines dully in the muted light and is engraved with familiar intricate symbols. This chalice contains the first dose, though you’ll have to drink the entire glass this time. His green eyes darken as he looks at me. I’m not going to lie, it does not taste good.

Steeling myself, I take the chalice from my father’s hand. The liquid floating inside is a deep violet with swirls of crimson floating throughout. It begins to bubble slightly at the surface, emitting vapors that cloud the contents inside. It can’t be that bad, I think, deciding to swallow as much as I can at once. My eyes slide to my father, who is watching expectantly,

Reviews for Tales Of An Alien Invader

[kormond-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tales of An Alien Invader was a science fiction novel written with a unique perspective. The alien, Felix, is sent to earth to make observations on human beings. The obstacles in his way add to the characterization of the story. His journey helps him to make realizations of what human beings are really like. Felix was an interesting character who I have unanswered questions about. Looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy. Middle grade students will love it.I received an ARC copy prior to release for review.

[yja127 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was excited to receive an early review copy of "Tales of an Alien Invader," since I enjoy science fiction. This is an interesting read for boys, girls, and adults - especially if you like baseball. An 11-year-old alien boy is sent on a "rite of passage" scouting mission to Earth where he assumes the identity of an Earth boy to live with his extended family. His job is to live as a human being, study the human race and report back. Every chapter begins with notes from his journal, documenting his studies. They provide interesting tidbits. I especially enjoyed his reaction to the smells humans put on their bodies and clothes and how they all don’t blend well together. This book is easy to read and provides some fun ways to learn science. It also deals with the issue of bullying.There were some typos in the version I received, which will be corrected in the published version. I highly recommend this book. It kept my interest and I look forward to more from author Michelle Brown.

[theresaupshur · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is told from the point of view of an alien boy. He's sent to Earth so that he can study the inhabitants. If Earth creatures prove worthy, the aliens won't destroy the planet. I really enjoyed this story, I'll be looking for the next installment.

[julielcasey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My three sons, ages 10 - 16, also read it and we all loved it. The story follows Felix, an alien from the planet Bopton (which is apparently much more advanced than Earth), on his mission to discover the resources that Earth has to offer. This provides a very different viewpoint, one that is intriguing and often humorous. We especially loved Felix's observations at the beginning of each chapter. This is a book that I'm sure my boys will want to read again and again.

[judypierce · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed Tales of an Alien Invader. Brown did an excellent job of developing Felix, her main character, and I found myself empathizing with his predicaments. This book is not only well-written and engaging, but it touches on issues that kids have to face in school - dealing with bullies and being the new kid - add that to not only being a new kid but being an alien and you have a sure kid pleaser. I also enjoyed Brown's insights into American culture as viewed through Felix's eyes. Looking forward to the next book in the series. I received this book as a part of the Early Reviewer Program in exchange for an honest review.

[jadecmn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read Tales of an Alien Invader as part of Early Reviews program. It was a great book, in the vein of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.Because Felix is an alien to the United States and Earth and his observations of of human behavior and society are very entertaining.It was a fun book I recommend to everyone.

[midkid88 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book went by quickly for me but it left me very confused. There were things I was able to work out because I am an experienced reader, but I don't think a regular middle school would always know what was going on. The main character, Felix, would hint at some things but since he didn't want to think about them we were not let in on the secret. Most of the time the events were only explained on the surface and left me unsatisfied. The book did show a bully/victim relationship and how it might affect a young boy. Is tells of one way to deal with it which was running away and then eventually, by no real act of his own, the bullies let up a touch.I don't think I would recommend this to a young reader unless he/she had shown interest in the topic already.

[wordwizardw · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As an adult, I find this middle school book ho-hum.This is definitely a children's middle-grades book, 160 pp. long, and a fast read. (N.B.: Children's books should be error-free—this one is not, although the errors are few.) The aliens are called Boptons, from a planet called Bopton, which -ton ending makes it sound like a town. The protagonist is an 11 year old alien, infiltrating 6th grade (where, apparently, they are still learning how to add negative numbers!). Every chapter begins with a drawing of a notebook with another page, usually labeled "Observations", with a "handwritten" entry by the main character. This leads to a plot hole—SPOILER ALERT: One chapter starts with his being kidnapped and tied up, with no idea how he will get out of this—which raises the question—If he's tied up, how is he writing in his notebook? END OF SPOILER.This book's ending, although complete in itself, definitely lends itself to the possibility of a sequel. However, I believe that leaving it as is, with the ultimate decision as to what will be the fate of Earth undecided, is the stronger choice.This book is OK. Alright. It talks about middle school issues, including bullying, and the nature of friendship. It's ho-hum. Nothing to write home about, except that I was asked to commit myself to writing a review, which I have done. Therefore, I rate it 3 or perhaps 3 1/2 stars, since an 11 year old child might well enjoy it more than I did, as an adult.I was given a free reviewers e-copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer's Program, in exchange for an unbiased review.

[musichick52 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As a child, I was convinced that I was the alien and the mother ship would some day return to collect me. This middle school YA novel tells the reverse. An alien boy, Felix, is groomed for a trip and extended stay on earth as an experiment. In school, he finds himself the target of a bully and his groupies, he make friends with a couple of other outcasts, and is kidnapped by a school employee who believes he was abducted by aliens. He does some uncool things, too, like breaking and entering the home of the bully to look for his stolen property. We can tell from the writing style that the author is a school English teacher and I commend her for a charming tale that the middle grade population should gobble up. My thanks to LibraryThing for a complimentary copy of this work.

[pegasus.rose.99 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First off, there are aliens in our universe. Secondly, there are aliens called the Boptons (which, given that I am a child of the 80s and 90s made me really want there to be a reference to the Bop It! game at least once… but I digress.) … Anyway, 11 year old aliens from this race go to different planets. The reader assumes this is for research prior to invasion but (minus the title) it’s never really sure. Our story starts with an 11-year old Bopton takes over the appearance of a small boy from Earth. The Earthling family has been abducted and sits terrified in front of the Bopton family. They have become guests on the Bopton world, where the Bopton mom will look after them as other Boptons study them.At this point, the 11-year old Bopton becomes Felix Winters and soon enough he lands on Earth. His spaceship heads back home. He will need to stay on Earth until a vague, undefined future date where he will answer a question before he can go home. Now he needs to find his way to the real Felix’s aunt and uncle’s house in order to blend in with the family.But all that is just setting up the story. The real heart of this story is about how Felix makes friends and enemies at school, as well as how he views humanity and American culture. Each chapter is headed by a sheet of paper with observations written on them. They are interesting, accurate, curious and telling for the next part of the story. His developing friendships are interesting to watch. The rest of the characters are generally well fleshed out, and the plot moves quickly without dragging. This was a very interesting read. I can’t wait to read more in the series.

[madamediotte · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a thoroughly enjoyable book! Though it is intended for a younger audience, it is also a treat for adults - the story was intriguing and the characters showed growth. I found it amusing and heartwarming. I will keep an eye out for other novels from this author!