Apostles of Mercy

With this high-stakes sci-fi adventure, the third in the Noumena series, bestseller Ellis (Truth of the Divine) delivers a suspenseful and sophisticated sci-fi thought experiment. Cora Sabino discovered that her estranged father, Nils Ortega, was working with the U.S. government during a first contact event with aliens called amygdalines, which look like nine-foot-tall praying mantis in mechanized dragon suits. She’s since learned how to communicate with an amygdaline she calls Ampersand, with whom she’s bonded deeply. Now a far more deadly alien race, the physeterines, an evolutionary cousin and longtime enemy of the amygdalines, is planning to attack Earth in a preemptive strike before humanity can become a threat. While the American government amasses fire power for a war it can’t win, freelance writer Paris Wells has another strategy: connect with Ampersand’s alien companion, the volatile and psychotic Nikola, to decipher a journal left by Cora’s murdered lover, journalist Kaveh Mazandarani, which could hold the key to saving humanity. Meanwhile, Ampersand is eager to explore his new empathic connection with Cora, revealing just how alien he truly is and, in so doing, terrifying Cora. Ellis ratchets up the political intrigue, fear of alien invasion, and family drama as Cora reconnects with Nils, all while posing a moral question of whether humanity deserves saving at all. This immersive, action-packed outing does not disappoint. Agent: Christopher Hermelin, Nebula Talent. (June)

Correction: A previous version of this review mistakenly described the book as the finale of the Noumena trilogy.