WHO GOES HOME?

This third in the Ormingat series continues to depict the observations and adventures of intrepid aliens gathering information on Earth, specifically in England and Scotland. This time out, Waugh focuses on facilitator/protector Steven and his son Jacob, who work together to foil the dogged efforts of a nosy reporter and prevent the Ormingat presence from becoming a British media event. The exciting and suspenseful plot built around Steven’s Earth-side assignment involves characters and incidents from Space Race (2000) and Earthborn (2002). Waugh subordinates characterization to the needs of the plot so that the primary actors exhibit only traits that move the story forward and are pretty one-dimensional. She provides a tidy ending that neatly ties together all three stories and manages to provide a surprise or two for the reader. This nicely done wrap-up volume, although not successful as an independent read, will totally satisfy series’ fans. (Fiction. 11-13)