The Others

Reuben lives in the observatory with his astronomer grandmother. He has never left the observatory grounds and watches others from the village as they go about their daily lives. Then one night, a spaceship crash lands near by and grandmother goes out to investigate but doesn’t return. Rueben is by himself and uncertain what he should do next. Then he discovers an alien he calls Blue, but he isn't the only one with an interest in the aliens. Rueben has to help Blue and to do so means he has to leave the observatory and everything he has ever known.

Described as a historical sci-fi adventure, this is a fast-paced tale of bravery and aliens and having the courage to do what is right. The combination of putting aliens into a historical setting makes it all the more intriguing. Set at the turn of the twentieth century and based on a real prize for the discovery of alien life, makes the story more interesting as it adds an unusual dimension.

The atmosphere throughout the book is reminiscent of War of the Worlds, in that it demonstrates the fear of the unknown and how Earth might be invaded at any moment. The cover by Holly Ovenden captures the feeling perfectly and the internal illustrations by Ewa Beniak-Haremska are really rather lovely and add to the atmosphere of the book.

This is Sarah Merrett's debut book and I am now looking forward to the next one!

324 / Reviewed by Jacqueline Harris, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+

The Others is a fantastically gripping, suspenseful and intriguing novel which has a bizarre true snippet of history as its starting point. In 1900, a prize was introduced, intended to reward the first person to achieve extraterrestrial communication. Merrett says in her Author's Note how she was inspired by what if somebody had achieved this, alongside real historical ideas in this field.

Reuben, 11, lives an isolated life with just his grandma and cat in an observatory where he assists her in her astronomical work, sending messages into space and hoping to receive a reply. Reuben must always wear special goggles to protect his damaged eyes and has never stepped outside the observatory grounds. One evening, the miraculous happens, changing Reuben’s life forever. After receiving signals, a spaceship crashes close by. When Grandma rushes out to find it and Reuben follows her, he meets a human boy, Archie, and an alien girl, Blue, but where is Grandma and how does he protect Blue from the sinister professor chasing her?

Full of twists and turns, this is an ideal class read with plenty of cliffhangers to pause at that are guaranteed to leave eager readers anticipating the next installment. Its full of talking points and areas of interest, especially the concept of 'the Other' and being normal, fitting in, and accepting differences. This historical-science fiction adventure has engaging well-drawn characters and is beautifully written. It's one of those rare stories which you want to race through, and savour at the same time.

324 pages / Reviewed by Natalie J McChrystal Plimmer, librarian

Suggested Reading Age 9+