Encounter at Owl Rock

by Rucker Moses

In this exhilarating alien sci-fi adventure perfect for fans of Jordan Peele’s Nope, Lamar Giles and Kwame Mbalia, twin brothers must stop aliens from taking over their Atlanta suburb.

There’s something weird going on in South Bank…and the Young brothers are at the center of it.

Cypress and Oakley Young are polar opposites and if it weren’t for being identical twins, no one would ever guess they were related. Cy is a budding film director and this summer, he’s filming his latest movie at the abandoned theme park with Oak and their best friend Jaz as his actors. He loves directing, because being the director means calling the shots, being in absolute control of how the story turns out. Except Oak’s wild imagination can’t be contained. Tired of hearing about his brother’s dreams and alien conspiracy theories, Cy snaps at him. But before he can patch things up, Oak vanishes into Owl Rock, this huge otherworldly granite formation at the center of the park, leaving only his skateboard behind.

When Orion Industries, the company that’s been excavating beneath Owl Rock and snapping up property all around town, start searching for Oak with a little too much interest, it’s up to Cy and Jaz to find Oak first and uncover the true secrets of Owl Rock. This heartening whirlwind adventure is ready to thrill as two brothers discover we’re not alone in the universe.

Genres: Friendship, Aliens, Adventure, Science Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Published June 3, 2025

Reviews

[Lit_Vibrations · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to the author & @penguinkids for my gifted copy‼️ This was like Men in Black meets Vampires vs. the Bronx but with aliens.

Encounter at Owl Rock follows Cypress and Oakley Young identical twins with two completely different personalities. One day during the summer they decide to shoot a film at the abandoned theme park in their city. But things don’t go as planned because Cy is to serious and Oak always lets his imagination run rampant. An intense argument halts their production but when it resumes and Oakley disappears into Owl Rock, Cy can’t believe his eyes and soon wishes he could take back their exchange. Returning home without Oak was one thing but now Orion Industries the company responsible for gentrifying their neighborhood is way too interested in his disappearance raising both Cy and Jaz’s suspicions about their true intentions.

From the childhood adventure, the mystery behind Oakley vanishing, meeting Lil Rune the alien(I can’t get over them calling him that lol), learning about the alien invasion heading to earth, how the aliens possess humans, watching Cy and Jaz work together to find Oak and uncover the truth about Owl Rock. There was so much to love about this book. It’s imaginative, follows a cast of diverse characters, features a fun plot, we get a bad guy/villain vibe, and it has a nice balance of action.

Overall, I enjoyed it. Exploring themes like brotherhood, bravery, independence, friendship, and loyalty the authors did not disappoint. We get some mystery/suspense and the character development was well-done. I do wish there was a little more detail put into the aliens and the world building was minimal but everything eventually balanced out with the sci-fi elements. This book is perfect for young readers.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

In ENCOUNTER AT OWL ROCK, aspiring filmmaker Cy is filming his brother Oak and their best friend Jaz at an abandoned theme park. In the middle of an amazing stunt on Owl Rock, a rock formation at the center of the park, Oak disappears into a portal where he meets an alien who needs his help. As Cy frantically searches for his missing brother, he finds that Orion Industries, a company that has been buying up property in their town, including the land that Owl Rock sits on, seems unusually interested in his brother’s disappearance. Unraveling from the brothers’ alternating points of view, the pair learn what Orion Industries is plotting. They will need to work together to foil the plan—and save the world. The fast and furious sci fi adventure incorporates themes of friendship, family, and community while telling a story with undertones of the impacts of gentrification. With its mix of epic skateboarding stunts, alien encounters, and brotherhood, readers will race to find out how this one ends.

[Jennybeast · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is wild -- fast-paced, reads like a marvel movie or like an anti-gentrification, alien-abducting, teleporting dream sequence. Twins Cypress and Oak and their friend Jaz find more than they bargain for when they break into an old amusement park to film a movie. Body snatchers, bugs, musical mayhem and kids with a whole lot of heart saving their town.

[Karen Reeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’ve been needing more quality sci-fi for kids and Encounter at Owl Rock hits the spot perfectly! The themes of family relationships, the power of music, willpower, and being a kid are impressive. The story is fastpaced and captivating. Readers are going to love this intense adventure!

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great cover. I know I was supposed to like this, but it was just okay. Will go ahead and purchase though if only to diversify the Sci-fiction section.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

What the heck did I just read? Lol These kids would have given me a heart attack lol But also this was so cool lol Real review to come to my blog. (TfT coming soon!)

[Jamie Uribe · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you, netgalley, for the arc.

this book was definitely made for me, aliens, space, and skateboarding. In a small town, we're everyone knows everyone. You are following twins and their best friend Jazz. They are filming this video for fun, and Oak, the main twin, does this amazing jump and gets taken by an Alien........

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Review posted closer to publication date.