Alla Argentum Phase 1: Invasion by Luis Zuniga

Early in the 28^th century, an extraterrestrial crash in small town North Carolina marks the beginning of a global takeover in Alla Argentum – Phase 1: Invasion by Luis Zuniga, an original, action-heavy first installment of the Alla Argentum series.

After discovering an archaic tome in a long-forgotten classroom of the occult, Ryan Silverwing begins to develop psycho-kinetic powers, just as the draconic aliens attacking the lunar colonies and invading Earth begin to psychically stalk this unlikely high school hero. When a superweapon is deployed against the moon to eliminate the alien threat, relief washes over humanity, but the Omnitars and their Black Eclipse Army are not so easily defeated. Wielding his newfound abilities and leveraging a sinister connection to the advancing forces of darkness, Ryan and his ragtag group of friends boldly stand as the last line of defense for Planet Earth.

While the energetic writing is widely accessible and entertaining, there are some unpolished patterns in the prose, from vocabulary repetition and excess adverbs to awkward foreshadowing and a reliance on hyperbole. Additionally, for a story set nearly 700 years in America’s future, very little has changed – technologically, socially, linguistically, and culturally – so the story would be just as believable were it set a generation or two from now, which feels like a missed opportunity.

Despite the rough edges, the adventurous teen hero makes this a unique novel in the alien invasion genre, which is teaming with creative surprises and quick-paced action that will appeal to teen readers.