All Of Us Alone

This was a great premise, so much so that I'm surprised no one's tried it to this extent before. What would it be like for an alien race to flee the destruction of their own world and end up on Earth, only to face danger here at every turn?

It reminded me a bit of Andy Weir's [Project Hail Mary], though it may not be obvious why from the get-go. Something about Kareem, Sonya, and their race reminded me of the alien we met there. Maybe it's just the idea that, no matter what our differences physiologically, or even how we communicate, or interact with the world, we have the same emotions: happiness, loss, fear, frustration.

Parts of this story made me a little sad, to the extent that I almost didn't want to finish, but in the end I'm glad show more I persevered. Definitely one that will stay with me a while. show less

[Disclaimer: I got this book via LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program]
What happens if some member of an alien race with telepathic powers, flying to escape from their home planet being invaded, are strayed on the Earth (near Area 51, of all places...) and have to hide from humans and try to escape again? Holly Payne-Strange makes a very good work in developing the features of beings very different from us: it's not just their shape, but how they live, and how they cope with dire situations. However I think that there are some holes in the plot, starting from the initial situation which seemed just a deus ex machina. Anyway it's a nice reading, and I appreciated it.

Book Review: A Fun Sci-Fi Adventure with Room for Improvement


This book presents an intriguing take on the classic alien crash landing scenario, with a fresh twist that makes it an enjoyable, though imperfect, read. The story revolves around a group of aliens fleeing their home planet, crash landing on Earth, and navigating the challenges of survival while attempting to repair their ship. The dynamic between the aliens and humans is particularly engaging, especially as the aliens struggle to understand human behavior and emotions. Some of the more emotionally charged moments between the two species are well written and provide a nice depth to the story.


One of the book's strongest points is its world-building. The author does a good job show more of creating a unique environment for the aliens, balancing the futuristic elements with the more relatable struggles of adapting to a foreign planet. The characters, both alien and human, show some growth over the course of the story, which adds an enjoyable layer to the narrative. I particularly appreciated the subplot involving the younger aliens, who are curious about humans, as well as the more serious concerns of the parents and grandparents dealing with their ship’s destruction.


That said, the book does have its flaws. The pacing can feel a bit uneven at times, especially in the areas where the plot shifts between the different alien generations and their respective concerns. The narrative sometimes jumps around too quickly without fully exploring certain elements. I also felt that the aliens' understanding of Earth and humanity wasn’t fully explained, leaving some aspects of their knowledge feeling a bit too convenient. A little more elaboration on how they learned about our planet would have been helpful.


Additionally, while the story is fun, the editing could use some work. There are a few typographical errors and some omissions that don’t heavily impact the overall experience, but they are noticeable and do distract from the immersion at times.


In conclusion, this book is a fun and light sci-fi read that will likely appeal to fans of the genre. While there are enjoyable moments and creative ideas, the book feels like it could benefit from a bit more polish, especially in terms of editing and providing more clarity about the aliens' background. It’s a solid three-star read that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a quick, entertaining sci-fi story, but it could have been stronger with more attention to detail. show less

“All of Us Alone” is a fascinating interstellar tale of a family working to survive and adapt to their new environment. Running from the destruction of their planet, a group of aliens, known as Astkerians, crash-land in the sands of New Mexico. With no others of their kind in sight, the group is forced to fend for themselves and find a way to endure their new and unwelcoming neighbors.
Upon landing on Earth, they are quickly attacked, leading them to run for cover, losing part of their ship to the assailants. Alone, frightened, and with no way of leaving, they must now adapt to their new and foreign environment. Aside from dealing with their attackers (the military), they also now must deal with supernatural investigators. In unknown show more terrain, anything could lead to their untimely demise or worse.
Holly Payne-Strange authored a fantastic novel, offering a unique perspective. Reading from the aliens’ point of view and not the humans was very interesting. It’s sad to watch the different characters worry for each other, especially with young children. They were written in a way that showed that aliens may not be so different. They had feelings and fears, and their children were just as rambunctious as those on Earth today. Their way of speaking to each other and interacting with the world around them was extremely interesting and important to the characters’ history and development. My only question lies with the naming of objects. While it is obviously minor, I wonder how they know the names of things like “human” and “car”. Aside from me wondering about this the entire time, I genuinely enjoyed reading this book. If you love aliens, science fiction, and families working hard to hold themselves together, you’ll love this book. show less

NOTE: I received a free eBook copy of this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers (February 2024).

"All Of Us Alone" is the tale of a UFO crash landing in the Nevada desert--from the extraterrestrial point of view. Holly Payne-Strange tells the tale of a family of aliens (Kareem, Sonya, their children Helga and Grick, and the children's grandparents), who were forced to evacuate their home planet due to civil conflict. Their time on planet Earth is a tale of survival as they attempt to navigate their new surroundings and repair their ship, all while trying to determine whether human beings can help or harm them. Payne-Strange does not provide a clear depiction of these aliens' physical features (other than they have many legs upon show more which to crawl, and that the loss of their ears marks their physical transformation into adulthood), but she personifies them well. Readers can't help but feel sympathy towards the family as they process the emotions that got them to where they are and attempt to rebuild their lives, especially when Sonya makes emotional sacrifices to keep their dream of leaving the planet alive. The plot of the novel is tense, plodding along for the first two-thirds of the book, which may lose some readers' interest, but curious form of telepathy and interactions with Earth inhabitants may keep readers' attention until the resolution near the end. show less

I received the book through the Early Reviewers program and I'm glad I did. The idea of the book is interesting and feels quite 'fresh', though something about the writing style felt a bit off/unfinished to me at times. In the end, it was a quick and nice read, but probably not a reread for me.

I enjoyed the premise of this story- aliens crash landing on Earth (in America of course!) and their experience of hiding, learning about their surroundings and inhabitants, and trying to get off the planet.
A few holes in the plot such as the alien family were seen by government agents running away from their crashed spaceship but the family were not pursued that day or in the days following. I liked how the author didn’t fall for the aliens being bipedal and had thought about physiological differences such as reaching adulthood.
The ending was satisfying and well thought out.