ARIA: Left Luggage

by Geoff Nelder

A silvery metallic case is found in the International Space Station struts. It’s sent to a US lab where it emits an Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia virus. No one is immune and forget everything from now back at the rate of a year per week. Society breaks down as people forget where they live, how to do their jobs, etc. Small groups realizing what is happening isolate themselves. The crew on the ISS find a second case and bring it to an isolated group in North Wales.

***ARIA won the P&E Readers' Poll for best science fiction of 2012.***

Genres: Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

305 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2012

About the author

Geoff Nelder has a wife, two grown-up kids, an increasing number of grandkids, and lives in rural England within an easy cycle ride of the Welsh mountains. He taught Geography and Information Technology for years until writing took over his life. Geoff is a competition short-fiction judge, and a freelance editor.

Publications include several non-fiction books on climate reflecting his other persona as a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society; over 50 published short stories in various magazines and anthologies; thriller, humour, science fiction, and fantasy novels.
2005: Humorous thriller Escaping Reality. Republished 2012.
2008: Award-winning science fiction mystery with hot-blooded heroine, Alien Exit, on Kindle
2010: Another thriller received an Award d’Or from an Arts Academy in the Netherlands. Its third edition will be published in 2012, Hot Air.
2012: ARIA Trilogy starting with Left Luggage an apocalypse and survival series.
An urban and historical magic realism fantasy, Vengeance Island is available on Kindle.
Flying Crooked sf series starting with Suppose We.
Chaos of Mokii an experimental sf on Kindle
Incremental - short stories of mainly sf and Kafkaesque.

Amazon Author page https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/autho...

Reviews

[Mark Fine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mysterious out-of-this-world suitcase found wedged on the International Space Station triggers a viral catastrophe of apocalyptic end-of-days proportions on the humans habitants on the earth below. Unlike the typical B-movie type scenarios of less sophisticated science fiction, "ARIA Left Luggage" avoids the gratuitous and the obvious--sparing the reader passages about seamy bodily fluids and dismembered limbs. Hence, I really enjoyed this book because it added such intelligence and integrity to the genre, without sacrificing drama and body count.

The fact that the alien contagion was manifested as rapidly overwhelming amnesia--is so relevant to this baby boomer generation that's facing an epidemic of real-world diseases that impair memory and cognitive functions, such as Alzheimer. By tapping into our collective fears in this regard, Nelder certainly had my attention.

The author ably describes the consequences of losing one's mind by describing acute scenarios; a pilot en route over the Atlantic loses his way, with tragic consequences, when he forgets the flights final destination. It was truly frightening to witness, through the author's eyes, how civil society can so rapidly deteriorate back into the Stone Age as humanities memories fade to naught.

My personal interpretation of Geoff Nelder's Sci-Fi allegory is a near-future modern day twist on the Dark Ages or Middle Ages--a period devoid of inspiration and culture possible due to famine and disease including the dreaded "Black Death" (Bubonic plague); it began at the fall of the Roman Empire and ended at beginning of Italian Renaissance - The Age of Discovery. Possibly the Italian doctor featured in the story triggered this thought, as well as the choice of "ARIA" being Italian for "Air" as the acronym for the virus.
This is a cerebral, thoroughly researched, and most enjoyable. The characters are vividly rendered, with their flaws and smarts displayed for all to see, making them memorable. For me it took only a minimal suspension of disbelief, and the plot felt thoroughly plausible. Just substitute ARIA for an another earthbound airborne virus, accelerated throughout humanity due to population density, easy accesses to transcontinental travel, unrestricted borders, and the potential transmission speed of the disease would be like no other time in history.

As for those interested in survivalist prepping, but with an intelligent scientific / medical twist, ARIA promises to be a satisfying read. For those fans of science fiction, here you will find an immediacy and relevance (note the recent Ebola scare) that will trigger within you all the "it-came-from-outer-space" drama and tension you'd ever desire. Character-driven and a diverse cast, plus the compelling plot, suggests ARIA: Left Luggage has the makings of a fine motion picture. The Zebra AffaireMark Fine

[Ira Nayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARIA Review

It's easy to laugh at doomsday cultists. The Mayan calendar debacle is just the latest end of the world scenario that didn't happen; religious believers of various stripes have periodically promised the end of the world.

It's easy to laugh, but perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to. After all, secular society has its doomsday cultists as well, as the recent "fiscal cliff" debacle indicates (and its younger brother, the “debt ceiling,” will remind us in a couple of months). It's true that a lot of the political doomsday rhetoric comes from the right and is used as a bludgeon to wring concessions from politicians on the left. It is also true that many on the right are also quite religious, and use the language of doomsday because they are comfortable with it. Still, a lot of people who are not doomsayers have been sucked in by the rhetoric.

Then, there's science fiction.

Armageddon has been part of science fiction for a long time (in everything from Wells' post-apocalyptic vision of the future in The Time Machine to Neville Shute's On the Beach to The Road Warrior). However, it seems especially popular today, with the proliferation of post-apocalyptic stories (apparently, at least seven films on this subject will be released in 2013, including Oblivion, After Earth and World War Z). I find this unfortunate because, whatever the popularity of these stories may indicate about the public mood, I am simply not a fan.

My problem is that I can easily imagine – and am quickly emotionally overwhelmed by – the tremendous loss and suffering that apocalyptic tales imply. A little voice in the back of my head reminds me that the 90 or more per cent of the human population that must suffer and die in the apocalypse includes people who are dear to me, and I am taken right out of the story.

Fortunately, Geoff Nelder’s ARIA: Left Luggage passed the 25 minute test with flying colours.

In the near future, a suitcase is found – okay, look. In order to placate those people in my life who want me to live forever, I now spend 25 minutes on a stationary bicycle five days a week. To make it less boring than most exercise, I usually read while biking. Most often, after five or ten minutes, I start looking at the clock to see how much time I have left. I was so engrossed while reading ARIA, however, that the time flew by.

Okay. So. In the near future, a suitcase is found lodged in the outer workings of an international space station. Through a combination of human greed and stupidity (two of my favourite subjects, as anybody who has read my fiction will know), the case is opened back on Earth, releasing…something that causes people who are exposed to it to start losing their memories. Worse: it is communicable, so that anybody who comes in contact with somebody who has been exposed to it will also get it. ARIA: Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia.

As ARIA spreads, the people who keep the world working begin to forget how to do their jobs, then that they even have such jobs, and society starts to fall apart. Pretty soon, the world is reduced to barbarism, the only people unaffected being a small number of isolated scientists and one woman who seems immune to the condition.

The characters are diverse and their relationships credible; although many of the characters aren’t especially likeable, there are enough that the reader will be able to find somebody whose survival they will want to root for. Nelder is especially good at keeping track of accents and idioms, given that his cast of characters is international.

Another strength of the novel is Nelder’s ability to imagine many of the implications of his premise (a scene on an airplane is especially vivid). In addition to the survivors, we follow one of the victims of ARIA through different periods as more and more of his memory fades away; the scenarios he faces are very credibly portrayed by the author.

I also found Nelder to be a strong prose stylist. His writing rarely dips to the level of cliché; he knows the secret to good writing is to ensure that your prose is always grounded in the reality of the scene you are trying to describe. Not only that, but he occasionally coins his own words and phrases, a creative element I thoroughly enjoyed.

ARIA isn’t perfect. My main beef with it is that, although it is the first book in what clearly is meant to be a series, there is nothing to indicate that on the cover or anywhere inside the front material. I have nothing against series, but I prefer to know that I am starting one BEFORE I start reading the first book. It wasn’t until I was close to the end of the book that I realized that some basic questions about the story would be left unanswered, which is highly annoying. That is not Nelder’s fault, of course: cover and front material decisions are usually made by the publisher. Still.

Overall, I’m still not a fan of post-apocalyptic literature. But, I have to say that I enjoyed reading ARIA: Left Luggage, and I’m sure that people who are fans of the sub-genre will find it a smart, entertaining gem.

[Elizabeth Horton-Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is perhaps the most innocently thought provoking book I have ever read. What would happen if everyone began to experience memory loss? How would the world be affected by the gradual but constant loss of days, months, and years by every single person on earth? What happens if we all eventually regressed to infancy? Geoff Nelder attacks this question with fear and humor in “Aria: Left Luggage”. When the crew of the International Space Station finds a metallic suitcase mysteriously stuck in the struts of the space station the first question that arises is how did it get there? Then the inevitable question follows, should they open it or send it back to the labs on Earth to be examined? When the case is finally opened using less than secure procedures a virus is released on Earth that is unlike anything scientists could have imagined. Little by little people begin to lose their memories. Called ARIA, Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia, it sweeps the world, seemingly airborne and unavoidable. This is a fascinating tale of how important our memories are and how much we take them for granted. Nelder weaves a subtle tale where recent memories go first but as time goes by more and more memories are lost. Tension builds as younger victims are reduced to childhood and even infancy. Professionals like doctors and scientists regress until they are unable to perform job duties because they have forgotten what they learned to do. Panic ensues as violence and chaos sweep the earth. Amazingly there are pockets of people unaffected by the virus because they were able to avoid contamination. Meanwhile another suitcase appears on the ISS. Will this contain a cure or is there an even more disastrous virus about to be released on Earth? This is not simply a science fiction story. This is a story of the collapse of civilization as we know it and the behaviors of people thrust into unknown territory. The characters are real people confronting a frightening new world, some desperate to retain some semblance of normalcy while others struggle to function in spite of their mental deterioration. How much of our humanity relies on our ability to remember? How far would we go to protect ourselves from a sweeping virus that could eventually take everything that defines us? This is a story that confronts basic issues and makes the reader stop and think. A unique and insightful story it is a must read.

[Jean Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic ‘what-if’ world-threat sci-fi

What if an amnesia bug went viral? Who would remember enough to be able to fight it? What decisions would you take to survive?

Very convincing 'what if' sci-fi disaster novel as exciting as the classic invasions of triffids and Midwich cuckoos. The range of the novel shows global consequences through detail of a few places geographically far apart (London, Houston, north Wales, Banff, Australia) A variety of characters draw the reader into everyday human dilemmas and relationships in such an inhuman situation, all very nicely done (although 'nastily done' is probably more appropriate).

I don’t like violent scenes but, for my taste, Geoff Nelder keeps the story entertaining, showing plausible conflicts - and deaths – without dwelling on gory detail. The working relationships reminded me of the petty rivalries and allegiances in any job and the wry humour lightens the depressing consequences of ARIA.

I was intrigued by the premise but what really impressed me was the detail of the way ARIA spreads and its impact. I can’t say whether the technological details are accurate but the logic, the portrayal of people and places and the twists of the narrative kept me fully involved.

My only disappointment was that there wasn’t more of a conclusion. I know there’s a sequel and I look forward to that but I do like more of a resolution at the end of a book even if some loose ends are left dangling for the next one.

[Jackie Parry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The crew of a space shuttle find an alien suitcase and what unfolds from there is a revealing story prompting you to think... what if?

The story is clever in revealing the true nature of people’s characters in a bizarre, and thought provoking situation. And with a good cast of characters that you relate to quickly, it makes this story an enjoyable read.

Science Fiction is not my first choice of genre to read. I am broadening my reading material and it is books like this that make me glad I have. There’s never a dull moment and Nelder has delightful real-life humour, which helps stitch the story together nicely.

[Liz Crowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARIA= Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia

What's worse? The scary alien monster you can see or the one you can't that slowly but surely reduces you to only your childhood memories and then…to what?

An incredibly creative twist on the plague virus concept, mixed with some of the funniest and most realistically facile dialogue I've had the pleasure of reading in a damn long time, this plot is one you will likely never be able to forget--so to speak.

The astronauts who discover the "luggage" (a case that is "left behind" by what must be some fairly diabolical aliens with a sick sense of humor) treat it carefully as protocol demands. But what I love most about this book is how very human (read: flawed) all the characters are. It's just too damn tempting so the case gets compromised (opened), and it releases some sort of invisible gas or air-borne virus that will, over time, erase your entire memory. Oh, and it's 100% contagious. Just by being "exposed" (i.e. in the same general vicinity with) someone infected you will start to go backwards in time--a sort of memory "Benjamin Button" syndrome.

Imagine it: waking up every morning and having to check your smart phone/email/hand written yellow sticky notes just to be able to recall your name, your spouse's name, your kids' names, where you live, what you should eat, what you even LIKE to eat, or medicine you need to survive, literally EVERYTHING about yourself.

Are people immune? Some, perhaps. Can it be reversed? Well, there is, maybe another piece of luggage these forgetful (!) aliens have managed to leave behind that, by the end of this novel, is perhaps the solution, no one knows for sure…yet.

For me, the value of a book like this is less the "science" part of the science fiction. Oodles of books are written with that part correct or verifiable or well crafted. Many of them have pretty darn creative premises as well (Hugh Howey's "Wool" comes to mind). However, unlike that book (I only read one of the many, it was enough for me) in this one, the author captures my imagination with his wide cast of unique characters and prose that is so sharp and shiny you risk cutting yourself on it.

I care about these people, and he manages to make me do so without a Stephen King-esque epic. In a fairly short time, by way of his clever use of dialogue interspersed with quick action, I "get" these people and I "give a shit" about their final outcomes. And I would agree that, while Manuel's story is one of the more hilarious ones (think: "Groundhog Day" only every morning it's a different woman and you have to "remember" who you both are) I'm a fan of Ryder--ALTHOUGH (one criticism here) I would have liked to have Jena be a bit less the prototypical "tough chick" and a bit more accessible. However, their connection worked for me.

I'm "Team Ryder" as we girlie girls like to say!

I also thoroughly enjoyed the way the survivalist instincts and actions of the folks who have attempted to isolate themselves from the virus are interspersed with how much they annoy each other in close quarters. People fall in and out of infatuation with each other, they fight like normal people, and yet most of them survive--with their memories intact (at least by the end of this book). There's even a sexy, Italian doctor who goes, shall we say, a little "Doctor Strangelove" on the group.

Because I write what most categorize as "romance" (although there is a fairly vocal contingent who would heartily disagree) I tend to be drawn to books and plots that are heavy on characters ("character-driven" as we jargonistas like to say). While I do not require that all characters be "likable" I do want to find them interesting enough that I am compelled to continue reading. To my mind, Mr. Nelder has done something pretty amazing for me as a non-reader of science fiction. He made me care about his characters and drew me into the entire concept with one of the funniest "love scenes" ever, between a man who is unknowingly infected by the amnesia virus who goes home and has mind blowing sex with his wife--whom he divorced already.

[Emma Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A space crew find an object that looks like a metal suitcase on an international space station. The case is returned to earth for examination where it releases a viral Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia. Those exposed to ARIA find they lose recent memories but still retain much older memories. Unfortunately, people have travelled and spread the virus before it’s identified or subjected to scientific examination.

Ryder had returned to England from America when the case was brought to earth. Via satellite link illicitly set up by his supervisor Manuel, he was able to watch the initial reaction caused by the ARIA virus. His sister working in labs nearby was able to take some blood samples of affected people and get her assistant to pass the information back to Ryder. Ryder’s girlfriend is a biologist and together they travel to a research facility in the Welsh countryside with a small group of associates to try and investigate what ARIA is whilst also keeping from becoming infected themselves.

Meanwhile Manuel, who is infected, holes himself away in a Canadian log cabin. As the ARIA virus spreads as easily as a common cold, it doesn’t take long for significant populations to become infected. People who recently moved house forget where they live. People forget where they work or revert to prior, outdated working practices. There’s a happy reunion for one couple who forget they got divorced, at least until they also forget they got married.

Meanwhile a second metal suitcase is discovered by the team who discovered the first. They face a dilemma: does this contain more of the virus or the antidote? Do they risk taking it back to earth for investigation or do they destroy it? What effect will it have on people who weren’t infected? Will it return forgotten memories or merely enable infected people to start remembering again?

Geoff Nelder has nailed the explanation of scientific ideas without resorting to information dumps. He creates a balance between characters who are scientists and so at ease with the jargon and characters who aren’t without using the latter as foils to explain the former. As with all good science fiction novels, the scenario and characters play out within the logic of the world created and give the plot momentum without being solely character driven. The intriguing premise becomes a genuine story, that doesn’t reach a conclusion because it’s set up for a sequel. I’d be happy to read on but I don’t think “ARIA: Left Luggage” works as a stand alone book.

[Annette Gisby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book of Mr. Nelder's I've had the pleasure to review. Outside the International Space Station the astronuts discover a metallic suitcase caught in one of the struts. Who put it there? What's inside it?

These questions and more are answered when the suitcase is sent back to Earth and opened. In a matter of weeks, most of the world'd population has suffered amnesia. People can't remember where they live, who their family is, how to drive a car or even in one very terrifying scene - how to fly a plane!

The author delves deep into the big questions, as a lot of sci-fi books do, but here he also delves into the hearts of his characters, espeically Ryder and his companions on the compound in Wales. Those infected with the ARIA virus lose more and more of their memory as time goes on - soon they won't remember how to read, how to walk, how to talk.

Soon, the whole world disentegrates into chaos as ill people forget their medications or doctors can't remember where they work. Looting and violence is rife but there is hope with the group of sruvivors in Wales and Australia.

The book is gripping from the start and the pages seem to turn themselves as you eagerly read on to discover what happens next. We ge to see firsthand what it would be like to lose your memories as some of the chapters are from Manuel, one of Ryder's friends, but one of the first exposed to the virus. You feel for him as he wakes up each day with no memory of how he got there and each awakening he loses just a little bit more of himself.

With a thrilling plot and characters you really care about this book is an excellent read. Another surefire winner from Mr. Nelder.

Review copy supplied by author

[Mark Iles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geoff Nelder's excellent `Aria' is one of those books you can really settle down with. Imagine going home from work and then forgetting exactly where that is, who your family and friends are and even how to eat. This epic tale about a memory virus is one that will haunt readers for a long time.

[R.B. Harkess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to have one of the most original storylines I've ever bumped into (but if I said any more it would spoil the story :) )

[Jo-Anne Vandermeulen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind-Blowing Plot to Thought-Provoking Sci-Fi. Scarier Than Zombies & Vampires!

[Magdalena]

The year is 2015, and three astronauts on the shuttle Marimar have found a silver case. The case has an interesting soft holographic chevron design on the outside, placed on the shuttle in such a way that it requires human intent to move it. The case is collected and brought to Earth, where it's opened by a gung-ho technician, but before anyone can work out what the meaning of the solid glowing blocks of green-lilac mean, people begin getting headaches that rapidly progress into serious amnesia. This is the start of ARIA: Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia, a condition that spreads so quickly that before long, all public services stop, shops are abandoned, medical establishments are empty and general apocalyptic chaos becomes the result.

Only a few people remain uninfected - Ryder Nape being one of them. He gets together with his friends Brownwyn and Brian and a few others in a remote village in Wales, where they're able to protect themselves with ammunition and seclusion in the hopes of finding some kind of cure. They are able to contact the space station whose inhabitants also remain uninfected, but when a second case is deposited there, the survivors have to make a judgement call about whether the alien race leaving the cases is friend or foe, and make choices that could either save, or end the human race.

ARIA: Left Luggage is a well-written novel with the pace and suspense of a video game (BioShock immediately comes to mind). The balance between character development and plot progression is managed smoothly, along with the thematics, which take the reader through a series of all-too-believable scenarios, chillingly showing how easy it would be for an advanced group of aliens to undermine the human race and have us destroy one another, without the need for any additional weapons or warfare. Of course they may be out to save us from ourselves.

There is plenty of alternative action beyond the obvious one around the virus and its impact. There are flirtations and love interests between the surviving group – especially Ryder and one of the astronauts Jena, who arrives back on earth with the case. One of the more fascinating characters is the racy Italian Antonio, who bravely volunteers to be the first to open the second case. Other synergies form amidst the chaos between Manuel, the first person to get the virus, and “Jat”, a woman who he meets while trying to gather supplies. There are plenty of surprises along the way as people use their electronic “NoteComs” in an effort to hold on to a semblance of reality in the face of a rapidly disappearing past.

In typical Nelder style, there is black humour throughout the book, with more than a hint of camp as the virus progresses, and lots of fun as the plot unfolds. There are also some serious philosophical questions raised about human nature and ecology, which becomes particularly poignant at one point when Ryder is admiring the Rockie Mountains:

They had the look of the immutable for millions of years, give or take glacial erosion and the occasional earth movement. ARIA took Man away and allowed Mother Nature to start recovering.

The book is only part one of what looks like being a two part series, and is enticingly ambiguous about the cases, the two viruses – ARIA 1 and 2, and about the ultimate fate of Ryder, Jenna, Manuel, “Jat”, and the human race itself. I’m afraid it will be very difficult for readers to part one without coming back for part two ARIA: Returning Left Luggage. ARIA: Left Luggage mingles the most optimistic calculations from the Drake Equation with a distopian outcome, creating a read that is as intriguing as it is fun.

Article first published as Book Review: ARIA: Left Luggage by Geoff Nelder on Blogcritics.

[Kerry Reis · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the crew of the space shuttle Miramar finds an alien suitcase caught in the struts of a solar panel on the International Space Station during docking, they carefully extract it and send it back to Earth under quarantine conditions. However, when a lab tech at Edwards Air Force Base breaks quarantine protocol to examine the extraterrestrial container, he inadvertently becomes ground zero in the release of an alien virus pandemic that slowly robs infected individuals of their memories, one year for every week from infection. As the world slowly turns into an apocalyptic landscape of bumbling, vicious amnesiacs turning on each other while breaking down the technological network of global society, a small motley group of uninfected individuals in a Welsh hideaway and the isolated crew in the space station seek a way to survive and stop the pandemic. The story unfolds with a harsh comic light on human society as our cast of characters generally prove to be petty, haughty, arrogant and shallow. Infection quickly adds bumbling, confused and desperate to the laughable humanity that shows apocalypse as a comedy of errors. The author's humorous, yet thrilling premise and theme makes an interesting and engaging story. However, sci-fi fiction does require that some scientific and historical reality must be maintained and there were some errors here that undercut this reality. Having been fortunate to have witnessed a landing of the space shuttle Columbia at Edwards Air Force base in the 80s, I know that the expanse, isolation and desert region around the base facilities and the small town of Rosamond 20 miles away just outside the base entrance does not support fruit groves, ranching or public transportation. I chuckled at one astronaut walking into the sleeping area of another or the shuttle crew sitting around a table in the space station because these actions are performed in gravity, something not truly present in space. And I know that the space shuttle was basically designed as a glorified glider, so discussions at one point to use it to take off from an airport to fly to another halfway around the world was totally unrealistic. Perhaps if the author had not tied his story to the specific year 2015, just months away, readers could imagine future changes in population growth, artificial gravity and a new generation of shuttles to account for these anomalies and focus on the thoughtful tale being told.

[Peter Vialls · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strange metal case is found outside the ISS – after it is transported to a US base, the case is opened, releasing an infection that causes increasing memory loss. After a week, those infected have lost a year of their lives. As the disease spreads across the world, civilisation starts to break down... Yes, we're in end of the world territory here. If you've read The Death of Grass or Lucifer's Hammer then you may assume you know what's in store. But this apocalypse is unlike anything you'll have seen before; when our own memories are playing traitor, the world becomes an extraordinarily scary place. The book is set a year ahead. our world is bound together with electronic communications (which can be persuaded to keep working even when the world has gone to hell), so the author gives us not just one group of survivors but a number of groups, in contact by email and video, who are struggling to preserve their memories and evade infection.
The characters are well-presented, interesting and believable. The effects of the virus are logically thought out. The book takes place over a period of about six months; it does not dwell on the horrors outside the survivors' enclaves, leaving those scenes mostly to the imagination.A few other faces appear and then vanish early on, hinting at the enormity of the disaster, but the core groups of survivors are the heart of the story.
The most obvious gap in the novel's structure is any suggestion of the efforts being made to find a cure for the plague – the author mentions that there is something in the bloodstreams of those infected, but does not hint at steps being taken to fight it. Instead, he introduces a different occurrence to push the narrative forward – I won't spoil the story by revealing what that involves. Suffice it to say that after a slow mid-section, the novel picks up the pace again in the later chapters – but does not reach a conclusion. By the end of the book, the core characters have made significant decisions, but the results of those choices are the subject of the next book in the trilogy...
I enjoyed book one of ARIA – it is well written, properly proof-read, intelligent and different from all the other end of the world scenarios I have seen before.

[Hendrik de Jong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a great science fiction novel with a unique story idea, a very engaging plot development, and interesting characters.
The story starts with an alien object appearing at the International Space Station. The object, a “suitcase” is brought to Earth for investigation.
This being the first time anything alien is discovered, the investigation is lead by people with their own agenda (fame, and money) and common sense and safety protocols are ignored: with a devastating effect!
Everyone in contact with the suitcase starts to fall ill with what seems to be a very contagious virus that causes an increasing amnesia (or even dementia? ... ).
There is only one person - Ryder - who is not infected, who notices something is wrong, but no one believes him, including his girlfriend. Ryder’s frustration grows (and I could feel his frustration too!) as the infection spreads and stories of people who lose their identity and their lives. There are sad stories of families who lose each other because they forgot where they live, colleagues who forget where they work, or forget who they work with , or what they do for work (including a very scary episode of an infected pilot flying a plane).
As the effects of the disease (now called ARIA) increases by day, and the disease spreads: the world falls into a devastating chaos, and Ryder escapes with other not-infected people to Wales where they try to defend themselves from the infected and try to find a cure with a handful of other healthy people spread over the globe and on the International Space Station.
At one stage a “possible” cure for the disease is found. I say possible, because I do not want to give anything away - I recommend you read this great story yourself.
As I said before: this story has a unique idea, but certain elements did remind me of a few “classic” sci-fi stories: and I say this as a compliment!
Be prepared though: this is the first book in a trilogy, so you will not get all the answers you hoped for But if the next two are as engaging and as unique as the first one; then you are in for a good ride/read.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I certainly recommend this book by Geoff Nelder.

[Raquel Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

CONTAMINATED by ARIA - I FORGOT THE HEADLINE!!!

Just kidding. ARIA - Left Luggage is a very interesting read. I am not a science fiction buff, but this story has an interesting plot. Usually, I find science fiction to be comical. In fact, when I first saw the original movie, The Fly, I could not stop laughing for several days. The garden scene where the fly is asking for help is totally hilarious.

Back to ARIA. I found some of the characters were a little too cold, shallow and one-dimensional. But then, I had to remember that many of these characters were scientists, after all. The premise that one suitcase with alien objects could cause such havoc and have been brought to earth by naive astronauts is still a little hard to believe since “naive astronauts” is probably an oxymoron.

After reading a few chapters, I decided to add a little ambiance for my ARIA experience. I fixed some refreshments and suddenly found the story took hold in my mind. Ryder started resembling Hugh Jackman in my head.

In a nutshell, this is a story about a suitcase that is recovered in the space station and brought to earth for examination. When the curious-looking suitcase with a holographic chevon symbol is opened, it appears to be harmless. However, after a few hours, it contaminates many with a virus coined ARIA meaning Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia.

All in all, it was an entertaining read but I wish the book had told us a lot more about the Zadokians. I found that reading this while consuming nachos, a couple of Coronas, and one shot of tequila really got me into the mood of this story. I recommend it for all who watch the stars in search of other forms of life. But always keep in mind the old adage, “be careful what you wish for.”

[Laura DeBruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARIA: Left Luggage by Geoff Nelder is a page-turning thriller with a good blend of science, mystery and adventure.

The unique premise surrounds an alien virus that’s spreading through the human population at a catastrophic rate. The virus causes amnesia that wipes out more memories every day. A group of scientists figures out what’s going on and bands together to find a solution to the problem and to determine whether there are other survivors.

Fans of the television show, The Walking Dead, will enjoy the parallels between the way the world slowly dissolves into chaos and fear in ARIA compared to the zombie apocalypse. In both scenarios, infected people must be avoided and food, weapons and other necessities have to be found under dangerous circumstances. Nelder includes a number of gripping scenes to demonstrate the horror and sadness of the human race slowly losing track of who they are, what they do, and eventually, as the disease takes its mind-numbing course, how to speak. One particularly chilling chapter tracks an airplane flying across the Atlantic with infected pilots. In another, a mother has to deal with two young children gradually regressing to an infant state. Every day the ARIA-infected inhabitants wake up with less of their memory in unfamiliar surroundings, a world that’s radically changed and, sometimes, with people they don’t recognize. In between the action,this is also a book that challenges our assumptions about what it means to be humans and what is required of a civilized society.

I enjoyed the story and Nelder’s writing, and I recommend ARIA: Left Luggage for anyone who enjoys the suspense and adventure with a touch of real science as well as science fiction. Michael Crichton fans, in particular, will love this book!

[Michael Lynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARIA: Left Luggage by Geoff Nelder is an interesting read. Very reminiscent in some ways of the classic Andromeda Strain by Sir Michael Crichton. In this 'near future' sci-fi thriller Mr. Nelder places us at ground zero of an incredibly momentous event, the first interaction of an alien civilization with the people of Earth. A mysterious case is discovered, somehow lodged in the superstructure of the International Space Station and the multi-national crew are tasked with its recovery and subsequent delivery to NASA for investigation.
All does not go well however, and thru a regrettable breach in protocol the contents of the case are released and a technician is exposed. The story picks up from there, as the consequences of the exposure threaten to destroy civilization and humanity in an irresistible wave.
I am a very big fan of the Sci-Fi genre and I enjoyed Mr. Nelders story craft in this large and well written tale. I gave it a rating of four stars mostly on the strength of the writing and the originality of the premise. The story suffers a bit from the point of view of colloquial speech discontinuities, much of the 'slang' and speech affectation is written from a UK point of view however this is jarring when the supposedly US born or Spanish born characters employ these figures of speech. Additionally though there was an obvious effort to research the technical details there were many inconsistencies that any fan of 'hard science' sci-fi would easily detect and could/should have been caught so as to remain true to the fans of this genre. That said it is an engaging tale and well worthy of a follow on to resolve the rather large loose ends left hanging at the end of the narrative.

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had been a long time since I read an ebook. "ARIA: Left Luggage" by Geoff Nelder is a perfect one to start again with. The first day reading, I was at work having my lunch break, and I almost forgot going back to the office, so compelling were the novel's opening chapters.

I know Geoff Nelder from his short stories and his humor-filled crime stories (imagine that Colin Farell movie "In Bruges" as a novel). This science-fiction story was something new for me, and I must admit I have had mixed feelings while reading. When it comes to content, I prefer this type of story over his crime stories, but during the first half of the book I thought the comical criminal style suited Nelder better. The first half is very heavy on dialogues, and I was feeling a bit lost in them. Like I was missing something, or the characters were trying to tell stuff between the lines. They just didn't interacted logically, naturally, like regular human beings. And not just the ones with their minds being altered by an alien virus. It was like I was unable to grasp what was not being said. Like I was only getting part of the story.

Then the scenes on board the airplane came, and I really liked them. Everyhing was so clear, very visual, with funny banter between the two characters, so reminiscent of Nelder's crime stories. Then around the halfway point the story's style changes even more, and all for the better, when two groups of characters join up and tackle the situation together. The story becomes a post-apocalyptic thriller, very straightforward, making for a more stable structure and amazing storytelling. "ARIA" has two sequels, and it's the second half of this book that makes me want to buy and read them too.

[Glen Barrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

A top of the line sci-fi thriller.

I have to hand it to an author who can create a new world dilemma in the form of retrograde infectious amnesia. It was this premise that intrigued me enough to see if it would work. I wasn’t disappointed. This is a well written, well researched story about an improbable suitcase left between the struts of a space station. Wary of contaminants, the astronauts send it to earth, special delivery. It can only be from an alien source, which has brought it to the attention of the US government. And they can’t wait to get their hands on it… That’s where the story begins.

Nelder draws from a credible cast of characters – those infected, and those who still remember what they ate for breakfast – and weaves a fast-paced tale of survivors in a world rapidly falling apart, where any contact with an infected person soon results in loss of memory. It was easy to get caught up in the action and the desperation of survival. And just when I thought there was no hope left, the author throws a nice curve…a second suitcase found in the space station struts. The antidote? Or was it sent to finish off the survivors?

An exciting sci-fi thriller, I will definitely pick-up the next book in the series...if only I can remember where I left my Reader.

[Jacques Coulardeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly Crazily Mad

Imagination, when compared to life, is so absurd that it becomes fascinating, mesmerizing and even hypnotizing. And Geoff Nelder really puts the smallest dishes imaginable into the biggest ones till the latter are overflowingly full.

The story is simple. Some extraterrestrials decide to take over the earth. So they deposit a suitcase on the International Space Station. The suitcase is taken down to earth, then opened by some reckless cat who will not even be killed by his curiosity. That spread a virus on the planet at the speed of light. This virus destroys the memory of people backward, so that they lose their memory from right now back on, one year in just a few days. And they reach twenty or more years in a few months. It creates an artificial Alzheimer and the consequences should be the extinction of the human race when the loss of memory reaches birth since then they will lose the memory of their basic needs like hunger and thirst, though the book pretends they will keep the memory of reproduction, at least the need of that type of physical contact, producing babies that would be forgotten as soon as being born. Destruction all around.

But later on, the extraterrestrials deposit a second suitcase on the ISS. The team decides to take it down themselves with their shuttle and they select a base in Wales that is entirely cut off from the rest of the world and where a band of uninfected scientists have taken refuge incognito of anyone. The second suitcase is then opened and it reveals it propagates a second virus that amplifies the memory of people to the very simultaneous remembering of absolutely everything down to the last detail since even before birth. This mental cramming causes serious mental disruption and at least people simply get psychotic with headaches to accompany the disruption. And from psychotic to psychopath there is only one step and the victim of this second disruption starts killing or trying to kill. But he is also endowed with enhanced humanity and life and he can even survive mortal wounds, hence death itself.

Then the conclusion is simple “Where’s there’s life, there’s hope.” It sounds like Obama and these uninfected scientists manage to travel all around the globe to another isolated area where some scientists have taken refuge in the south Pacific. Yes, definitely, they can.

The best part is for me the emergence of the first virus in a Boeing Dreamliner flying from New York to London. It is hilarious to see how the people who are losing their memory are also losing their consciousness of why they were travelling to London and so they hi-jack the plane to go back to New York, and the book reveals that this hi-jacking is impossible today because any plane can be taken under control directly from some air-traffic controlling center and then no one can pilot the plane from the cockpit and the plane can be taken anywhere the technicians in the air-traffic controlling center decide. The bully passengers who have taken over the plane thus find out the plane is directed onto a disaffected airstrip where it will be quarantined for as long as they will remember, and remember is interesting since they are losing their memory. Quarantine forever.

There are dozens of situations of that type that are dramatically humorous. And the escape of the English scientists and the ISS team from Wales to move to the South Pacific is just both incredible and funnily absurd, not funny ah ah but funny strange of course, like the famous joke of old about French cows who have five legs and not four like all self-respecting English cows.

But the author is titillating us with an important question: what is the role of memory in life? It is crucial since the loss of memory is the surest way to die, and at the same time, the preservation of memory will provide every living person with the consciousness that life is lethal since it leads to death anyway and at all times. You must admit it is crucial, isn’t it? Unconscious death as opposed to conscious death. The choice of the century.

And excessive memory leads to psychosis. Luckily the author avoided the now un-trendy if not politically incorrect term of schizophrenia. Psychosis means killing to survive, though survival is short lived in a way. But it also leads to self-preservation on the side of “normal” people who kill the deranged people with no pangs of conscience at all. Memory is the core capability of our brain and central nervous system that enables all other mental capabilities starting with sensing, perceiving, identifying or recognizing (naming), experimenting, speculating and conceptualizing without which no language is possible, no abstract thinking is possible, no human species is possible. Our memory associated to the mutations brought to us by the emergence of the bipedal long distance fast runner that Homo Sapiens was some 300,000 years ago gave Homo Sapiens the tools he needed to invent and develop our human articulated languages. No memory then no language, not even the simple set of eight or nine calls a standard monkey species have at their disposal.

Yet I think the description of this loss of memory is rather tamed by the fact it is seen essentially through people who do not lose their memory. When someone is severely hit by Alzheimer they may well lose the ability to eat and drink and only very basic physical functions will survive for a while, like breathing and rejecting waste. That leads some older people to the simple situation when they have to be fed otherwise they won’t do it on their own, and they won’t communicate anymore. They are not reduced to a vegetal state because a plant does not forget to breathe and their roots do not forget to work and the plant’s nourishment comes from the roots and the breathing of the leaves.

Highly entertaining though totally foolish crazy mad science-fiction directly out of Mad Magazine and their Alfred E. Newman. In a way, it is refreshing to know that on this planet some people might be slightly saner than most others, especially politicians.

Dr. Jacques COULARDEAU

[Wolf Schimanski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aria. I always thought an Aria was a term used to describe a piece of music written for voice but I obviously was never acquainted with anything closely resembling Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia, short form Aria. And delivered in a suitcase no less. These Aliens must have had some ties to earth as they could have spread this contagion a number of ways but Geoff Nelder deserves credit here on a number of fronts. A totally original story that is extremely well written with characters caught up in the Aria fallout on both sides of the fence. The non-infected searching for an antidote and the infected searching for the memory they were losing rapidly and consistently. And when the two factions met, the outcome became tense, standoffish and even violent in a number of instances. This is smorgasbord of Science Fiction that takes this genre to a whole new level. I personally would have liked to see a bit more mayhem and tension considering all that this infestation brought on but it was a pleasure to read. Well done Geoff Nelder !

[L. Sengul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading ARIA, the idea that a virus introduced by Aliens that cause us to lose our memories is very terrifying and the urge to eradicate it is inspired by reading through different character perspectives and the ending has left me wanting to the read the last book in the ARIA Series. A must read of apocalyptic, sci-fi fans!

[Mjke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well paced, and hard to put down. This is a fascinating idea, with a satisfying end that poses enough open questions to leave me wanting more. Book two is now high on the list of must-reads.

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Science fiction is a genre that generally falls into two widely different scopes (the epic, action-packed, space opera; and the intimate, character-focused, story of ideas), and two equally diverse themes (that of the truly 'alien' threat from beyond the stars; and that of the the 'human' threat, emerging from much closer to home).

With ARIA: Left Luggage, Geoff Nelder opts for the more intimate scope, but pairs it with the alien threat. It's a combination that's particularly difficult to pull off, but he manages to do an admirable job.

Taking his cue from the Greeks, Nelder pulls a Trojan Horse ploy, depositing an innocuous looking piece of alien luggage on a human space station. Due to a mixture of arrogance and curiosity, the contents of that luggage - Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia (ARIA) - are soon shared with all of humanity. Before long, people are having their memory erased quickly and progressively. Lost, confused, angry, and scared, the world finds itself in dire straits . . . but there may just be hope.

The contagion itself that is the initial draw here, and Nelder does a superb job of exploring the intimate, personal details. We see precisely how individuals suffer under its infection, and watch how their lives are destroyed. He also extrapolates the impact of a mass case of alien dementia, giving us the bigger picture of a society falling into ruin. Its fascinating, terrifying, and heart-breaking as well.

Of course, exploring the impact of ARIA can - or make that should - only be taken so far. Like a plague-ridden post-apocalyptic nightmare, the horror can quickly wear thin, trying the reader's patience and causing them to lose interest. That's where Nelder wisely turns to a story of heroism and hope, as a small group of survivors attempt to understand where the infection came from, why humanity has been targeted, and what can be done to halt the infection in its tracks.

The characters are strong, more than capable of carrying a tale that moves along at a good pace. Even those minor characters who come and go so quickly are well-drawn, human beings with human sufferings. The story does lag in a few places, as Nelder catches us up on the 'how' and 'why', but for the most part he keeps the pace moving. The core mystery is handled exceptionally well, never overburdening the story, but never getting lost in the chaos either.

Considering all that's going on, I expected a more confused and convoluted tale, but was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to follow (and relate) to events. It's not quite a door-stopper, but Nelder has written a science fiction novel that offers a good, solid read, with plenty to absorb and enjoy. More importantly, he has written a story with a great deal to think about, wrapped up in a story that makes you want to think.


Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins

[T.I.M. James · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are going to write a story about an end of world apocalyptic scenario, you are going to have to do it well to compete with all the other similarly themed stuff out there. Even better, if you are able, you have to tell it in a different way and with something that makes it stands out, an original twist would hinder things.

Fortunately, Geoff Nelder manages this with his science fiction novel, ARIA Lost Luggage. Pack your bags, button up your coat it is the end of the world time again, but this time there is an original premise that works in a manner that sets the story apart from others, and is chilling too, clawing away at the mind as the implications start to sink in.

When a small object is found on the International Space station it causes a lot of international consternation, interest grows as it becomes apparent that the object, possibly a receptacle of some kind appears to be of alien origin.

Despite all the procedures in place, the box is opened in less than perfect conditions and some form of infection is released onto the world. Bit by bit, day by day it eats away at the memories of the people infected and it spreads very quickly.

It is a subject matter that can be compared to real medical conditions, something that Nelder does not shy away from, but it is a lot more than that as he delves into the issues and delivers on an excellent scale. He does not take the easy root and just give us a single path, put offers a multi-perspective tale. From generalised, a look as the population as a whole begins to lose more and more of their memories, the way society starts to erode, unravel and ultimately, collapse. To POV characters who are suffering from the memory loss, how they struggle to cope and how some come up with ways to try to remind themselves each day. To those who have managed to remain isolated, struggling to survive and understand what is going on. To the odd case where someone might seem to be immune to the infection.

Of course, all the great ideas in the world can dribble away if they are not presented well, and here Nelder comes into his own. He tells the tale with flare and passion, giving the reader great characters to latch onto, to sympathise with as they, or those they know start to drift away, regressing to childhood as time passes.

In some ways it feels as though there is a surfer trying to surf a tidal wave, just that the task before our characters is too great, an ongoing disaster that cannot be looked away from.

In fact, one of the strengths of the novel is the way it pushes the aliens into the background, they are the plot device that have set the story in motion, but we know little and see even less of them. This works as it leaves a very ambiguous feel to what they have done. Is it on purpose? Is it an attack? Were they trying to communicate, and it went wrong? Was it a gift that backfired? There is no way of knowing.

And then a second box appears. When opened… well that would be a spoiler, but things get more complicated and a totally different threat begins to insinuate itself…

The book ends on a cliff-hanger, but it is a concept that has been well developed and delivered impeccably. Well worth the read, and undoubtedly, I’ll get around to reading the sequel.

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the plot of Left Luggage is an intentional parallel scenario of one of the world’s most worrying health concerns. The occurrence of dementia and the magnitude of the number of people who are forecast to be diagnosed and suffering from this hideous disorder of the brain by the year 2030 is alarming to say the least. So, Nelder and his Left Luggage trilogy might appear to be a venture into an obscure sci-fi area of speculative fiction, however this scenario is actually closer to the predicted future than one might imagine.

ARIA stands for Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia virus. A virus that spreads without bias and quicker than fake news on social media. It infects quickly and the majority of infected people become unwitting carriers. Obviously this means the virus spreads at an extremely fast rate.

The virus isn’t man-made, it is in fact alien sent. One of the conundrums of the story is ‘the curiosity killed the cat’ aspect of human nature. In a room with a big red button that says Do Not Press, we are highly likely to press the button, often despite knowing that it may have disastrous consequences if we do press it.

Nelder presents this element of human nature as a reminder of how fallible we are as a species. We are never content with what we have achieved, and strive to go beyond each seemingly impossible obstacle or unanswered question. Often this leads to achievement with detrimental results.

Ask yourself what you would do in the same situation, would you open the case or leave Pandora’s box unopened? Would you make a different decision knowing that the case could be an important link to alien life? In fact I wonder how many of us could restrain ourselves from opening the case.
*I received a copy of this book courtesy of the author.*

[BEATRICE VEGAS · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sci-fi thriller liberally peppered with humour and incidental romance one read it in one sitting. Rather difficult at nearly 300 pages but fortunately once one had started reading Aria sleep was elusive. Not a racy read by far nevertheless, subtly gripping and as one shortly discovers subtle is Nelders inimitable style. Everything from the plot, humour to the romance is understated. It is as if cruising through the beautiful English countryside when one realises the journey is full of hairpin bends. A stark contrast to the serenely gorgeous landscape. Despite longing to take ones eyes off the road to admire the view one desists, and one is perpetually caught in a 'what if' dilemma. Nelders protagonists face a similar dilemma throughout the novel. ARIA is an acronym for Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia. Those in the unenviable position of suffering amnesia even briefly or acquainted with an amnesia victim will appreciate the implications of this condition. The irony and humour is inevitable. However, it is the master tale smith Nelders penmanship that elevates this sci fi thriller from the norm as he adroitly combines these and personal responsibility with his characters flaws and strengths to produce a refreshing sci fi thriller. It is no small wonder that Nelder is the recipient of quite a few awards. True it is a trilogy but can be read as a stand-alone. One doubts however if sci fi/fantasy fans, heck book lovers of any genre for that matter can stop at the first book. The trilogy is also available as a box set.

[Dark-Draco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love an apocalyptic disaster story - love a nice juicy plague - so on paper, this ticked all my boxes. And it's definitely a unique take - a virus that causes memory loss is not one I've come across before. I'm always fascinated by the initial start of the disaster - how the problem is discovered, survived and ultimately overcome. As the first book in a trilogy, I wasn't expecting the last one to be completed, but it did cover the first two ... and cover them well, even if it was a bit slow in places. Without some big, violent disaster, you do end up with some quite dialogue heavy chapters as people slowly work through their confusion (which unfortunately, leads me to my pet hate - short chapters!).

But once the virus takes hold, the story moves along well for a while. A second alien case is found on the space station and brought back to Earth - this time the guess is that this will stop the memory loss in people already infected.

I have to admit that at this point, I lost a bit of love for the story. The whole Antonio plotline was just weird, and, although I can see how it would bring extra jeopardy to the future books, it made this one a bit busy and confusing in the second half. Maybe it's just my wish that humans solve the problems, not another McGuffin from the unknown aliens.

But despite my reservations, I did enjoy the story and would like to read the rest of the trilogy to see how it all ends.

[shannon Stubbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly I couldn't finish it. It gave me covid19 flashbacks. People picking it up and spreading it unknowingly. Strange this was written five years ago. I think its well written. I'm just going to have to come back to it.