Latin was a dead language-until the aliens arrived.
It’s a great tagline and I was immediately intrigued. There is not a lot of Christian science fiction around, and authors like Kathy Tyers and Adam Collings focus on humans exploring space, not the aliens visiting Earth.
The main character is Austin DeSantis, a Latin teacher who once dreamed of being a professor but is now a high school teacher who dreams of saving enough money to buy four hours with Aurelia, whose online channel he is addicted to, before the aliens arrive.
Yes, humanity knows the aliens are coming.
The alien craft was first detected five years ago, and humanity has been preparing ever since, sure the aliens are coming to invade. The story starts fifty-six hours before they are due to arrive, and many people are living like they are about to die.
No, Austin is not the typical fictional hero. His obsession with Aurelia (who, let’s face it, is a prostitute) leads him to make some questionable life choices. He is about to be summarily executed for murder when he is “rescued” by General Fergusson, who has been leading the USA’s military preparation for the arrival of the aliens.
The aliens arrive around a fifth of the way into the book, and I found that first portion difficult to get through.
Austin is the sole viewpoint character, and he is a man with many faults and not someone I would choose to spend time with. The story improved once the aliens arrived—after all, the aliens are what got me interested in the story in the first place. Austine travels up to the mother ship with General Fergusson and Father Ambrose, where they meet Virgil, and are permitted to see the magnificent chapel on board the ship.
But evil is afoot.
Predictably, the arrival of an alien race who want to worship God and receive communion from the pope doesn’t go down well with the military or with those who are not Roman Catholic.
Pilgrims is a strong and thought-provoking story that reminded me of Synapse by Steven James. Can only humans be Christians? If there is intelligent life in the universe, can they too be saved by Jesus? Why does humanity always resort to violence?
The writing is strong, with some excellent turns of phrase (like describing a character’s voice as being “as comforting as a sandblaster”). The pacing was solid, with an appropriate balance between fast-paced action scenes and more reflective scenes. The plot is all too believable in terms of the way humanity would react. The characters are equally believable, even if some of them aren’t likeable. I particularly liked Father Ambrose, who embodied all the best characteristics of a Catholic priest, and who was able to discuss the deeper elements of faith with Virgil.
Pilgrims isn’t cliché Christian fiction.
In fact, while it has a clear Christian themes, particularly in the second half of the book, I can see it reaching readers who wouldn’t normally consider Christian fiction (like men).
Recommended for sci fi fans or Christian fiction readers looking for something out of the ordinary.
Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.
About M R Leonard
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About Pilgrims
Latin was a dead language—until the aliens arrived.
Out-of-work Latin teacher and borderline alcoholic Austin DeSantis is determined to spend his final days in the arms of a prostitute—that is if the aliens don’t exterminate humanity first.
But when the aliens land at the Vatican, begin speaking Latin, and reveal themselves to be Catholic, the world turns upside down.
Pressed into service as a translator and thrust into the center of humanity’s first contact with a cryptic alien race, Austin must uncover their true intentions before religious turmoil rips the planet apart. But with Austin caught between the Catholic Church, the US military, and an enigmatic alien AI, he’ll have to decide where his loyalties lie as the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.
PILGRIMS is a sci-fi retelling of Augustine’s Confessions, mixing a high-concept premise à la Children of Time with the ceaseless pacing and rich characterization of Red Rising.
Find Pilgrims online at:
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Michael Leonard has had a strange and varied life that has brought him from the banks of the Yangtze River to the halls of MIT. He resides in Massachusetts with his wife and two young sons and he can be found discussing his next novel with his eight pound dachshund.
