YEAR 2059

In Makmi’s debut series starter, a strange pandemic surges across the globe and an astrobiologist is caught between two warring alien forces in a race for galactic supremacy.

In the aftermath of first contact, a small tribe of peaceful extraterrestrials settles on Earth, sharing their advanced knowledge for the benefit of humanity. However, shortly after their arrival, a strange disease begins to spread among the human population, transforming its victims into violent zombies. Astrobiology grad student Phillippa Maxwell throws herself into finding the source of the virus in an effort to cure patient zero: her brother, Danny. In the midst of her research, aliens known as the Pods invade Earth, led by the sadistic Ork. An interstellar grudge match plays out between the Pods and the benevolent aliens (now called Terrans), with humanity caught in the crossfire. As Phillippa desperately tries to save her brother, she becomes a bargaining chip in a much larger quest to find the “treasures of the universe,” which could ensure total universal domination. The premise of Makmi’s novel is impressive, mixing alien invasions with a zombie apocalypse. However, its execution leaves much to be desired. Its exploration of its concepts lacks depth or nuance and feels like a rushed synopsis of a longer, more interesting work. It often provides passive, unengaging exposition: “When they came back, developments seemed to have spun a week. From the news to social changes, everything appeared to be happening rapidly. A flurry of events were taking place.” Dialogue, when it appears, is clunky and stilted (“You’re out here talking tough to deflate uncourageous spirits, none of which are present among us”), and the narration is frequently awkward (“Perhaps it’d inspire and overturn the much sedated humans to do something inspiring”). Malaprops and unconventional word choices (“He…coughed ringlets of substances”) read as though the text was translated from another language without consideration for clarity. Ultimately, the action feels neither exciting nor meaningful, and the plot conveniently resolves via a deus ex machina in its final pages.

A tale with an offbeat premise hampered by stilted prose and rushed pacing.