Alien Secrets

This ambitious series opener from Douglas (Bright Light) throws military sci-fi tropes and time-honored conspiracy theories into a blender to create a bonkers alternate present. When Lieutenant Commander Mark Hunter of the Navy SEALs spots a flying saucer during a mission, he is drawn into an intricate web of government lies, learning that aliens and time travelers have secretly manipulated human culture for decades, and that even now, Earth is the focal point for a conflict raging across space and time. The generically heroic Hunter joins the newly formed Interstellar Fleet Marine Force to travel to distant planets to assess the current threat. Much of this installment is dedicated to laying the groundwork of the series’s universe, filling readers in on the alien truths behind 20th-century history. Douglas gleefully combines an eclectic mix of conspiracies, among them Roswell Greys, humanoid lizards, and space-faring Nazis, while launching his characters into intergalactic battles with the skillful combat sequences fans will expect. Readers who can forgive the tinfoil hat–wearing wackiness of the premise will look forward to the next in the series. Agent: Ethan Ellenberg, Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency. (Apr.)