Official Review: Aliens Invade Anna Tower by Tiago Higgens

[amybo82]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Aliens Invade Anna Tower" by Tiago Higgens.]

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Anna Tower is an important landmark in Anna Nagar. When it is hit and damaged by a mysterious object falling from the sky, the local government has to investigate to find out just what that object was. The Weinjarians (of planet Weinjar) already know what hit the tower. The object was an Unmanned Asteroid Navigation System sent to scout out other planets.

The Weinjarians take advantage of the fact that they, as with all other aliens, look just like Earth’s humans. The Weinjarians send a crew of people to earth to take over—not through violence or terror but by peacefully taking society down from the inside out. They start by forming a construction company that is set to restore Anna Tower to its former glory. However, they hit some bumps along the way, and they find out that aliens from other planets have their own ideas of how to take over.

Aliens Invade Anna Tower is a science fiction book that doubles as a satirical commentary on the laughable inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the bureaucracy in a local government. The book is loaded with sarcasm and witty puns. The planets, movements, organizations, and people/aliens have humorous names.

While I found it to be a humorous device, the sarcasm in the book could be a problem for some people. It could be difficult for readers to understand. It also makes the book come across as a bitter commentary on society. I did really like the use of dialogue. It made the story more readable and enjoyable. I also like the straightforward way in which the author introduced each line of dialogue by starting the line with the speaker’s name.

The story itself needs more description, explanation, and justification. For example, the Weinjarians seem to know an awful lot about life on earth, but the author does not give a lot of explanation as to how they know this information. As for the technicality of the writing, the book could benefit from commas to reduce run-on sentences and to set off prepositional phrases early on in the book. In the last half, there are inappropriately placed commas that make reading somewhat stilted.

I also found the word choice to be questionable at times. For example, in chapter 28, the author says, “Anna Tower was some s—t.” This vague statement was not accompanied by enough context to tell us whether that was a good or a bad thing. Additionally, there were few female characters. Those that were present were sexualized, objectified playthings, and they were often referred to as “hoes,” which I found disappointing.

I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. While it would not be something I would be interested in reading again, I think that others might enjoy it. In particular, readers who like to read many different works about aliens would probably enjoy the unique story presented here. The idea of the story is interesting, but the actual telling was somewhat lacking. There were some logic leaps, and the book would have benefitted from more detail and explanation. With a novel, it is important to paint a complete picture. With this story, I felt that important pieces of the picture were missing.

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Buy "Aliens Invade Anna Tower" on Amazon

-- 25 Sep 2014, 19:37 --

Hi everyone--this is my first official review, and I'd love some feedback to help me improve future reviews. Both positives and negatives are welcome! Thanks!

[LivreAmour217]

Hi, Amybo82. I think you did a great job balancing out the positive and negatives of the story in a neutral manner. You stated your opinions thoughtfully and honestly without "bashing" the book. I think it's also good that you made some suggestions regarding sentence structure. While I have not personally read this book, I have noticed that a growing number of writers are not heeding grammatical rules.

[amybo82]

Hi, Amybo82. I think you did a great job balancing out the positive and negatives of the story in a neutral manner. You stated your opinions thoughtfully and honestly without "bashing" the book. I think it's also good that you made some suggestions regarding sentence structure. While I have not personally read this book, I have noticed that a growing number of writers are not heeding grammatical rules.

Thank you! It is sometimes difficult to write a review because I want to be nice, and I know it's difficult to write and publish your own book. However, I also want to provide honest feedback and trustworthy reviews! I appreciate your feedback!

[Kappy]

I also want to provide honest feedback and trustworthy reviews!

Indeed, if all the books were rated "above average," our reviews would cease to have any meaning. I agree with LivreAmour217 that your first review is thorough and balanced. But note that some authors get quite upset from a fair and balanced review. In one of my reviews I gave the author a substantial amount of praise and rated the book 3 stars, but he repeatedly complained about my "negative" review.

[zeldas_lullaby]

Great review!

[amybo82]

Thanks to everyone for their input! I always enjoy getting feedback of any kind!