Urn Burial

Cumbrian shepherd Ralph Edwards disturbs the hidden grave of an extraterrestrial and thereby involves his village in the last stages of an interplanetary war. Aliens resembling dogsthe Wawakakidnap humans for medical experiments; when taken prisoner, Ralph must be rescued by the catlike Fefethil, who used Earth in the past as their warriors' burial ground, and must now undo the effects of their ancient wars. Westall manages to slip an anti-vivisectionist message smoothly into his story, and his aliens preserve their animal qualities nicely (humans do look rather slow by comparison). Though some readers may pause at Northern English idioms and phrasing, the characterization of small-town life disturbed by an encounter with the supernatural is pleasing, often funny, and the adventure doesn't let up for a moment. Ages 12-up. (April)