Left

Terran Incognita #1

by Paul McGrath

A Sci-Fi Satire of Alien Espionage, Southern Charm & Chaos on Earth!

First-time novelist Paul McGrath delivers a sharp, witty, and wildly entertaining sci-fi satire that   What if an alien held up a mirror to America—and we didn’t like what we saw?

Anton-7—aka Roy McDonald—was supposed to observe Earth, not get stuck on it. But after missing his ride back to planet Xylodon, he decides to make the most of his exile in Hernando, Mississippi. Breaking the number-one rule of alien espionage—never interfere—he dives headfirst into human affairs, finding friendship, romance, and the simple joys of a good cup of coffee and a highly anticipated trip to Buc-ee's.

But when tragedy strikes, Anton-7 takes matters into his own hands, setting off a whirlwind of chaos that shakes both Earth and Xylodon. 

226 pages, Paperback

First published March 14, 2025

Reviews

[Maryann]

As a former journalist turned fiction fiction writer, I know how hard it is to throw off the style of writing that served us so well when writing news stories, as well as feature stories for magazines and newspapers in print. We “told” stories via our words, and those words could be interesting, even compelling, but we didn’t “show” the reader through depth of character or scenes that pulled a reader in by engaging all the senses -making the story and the characters feel real.

Knowing the difficulty of that transition, I highly commend McGrath for bringing us a good story in his debut novel. There are places where the fiction writer shines. Such as during Roy/Anton’s conversations with the WWII vet, Ezra, nicknamed “Gator.” Ezra comes across as a grandfather figure and much of the humor in the book is in the scenes with them at the Waffle Barn. For example this response from Ezra to Roy asking how he was that day, “Still vertical and ventilatin’ for what that’s worth.”

Those mornings together for breakfast and coffee are even more fun when Ellie joins them and Gator is obviously hoping the two “youngsters” will get together.

Of course they do, and the bantering between them as the relationship develops is playful and fun. I enjoyed their scenes together like this one when Roy visits her classroom and talks to the kids about plants and introduces them to the science of botany. The road trip that Ellie and Roy take to Memphis is also a strong scene with lots of humor.

Other scenes weren’t so strong and that’s where the journalist slipped back in to the writing.

The premise of the story is clever and the reasons that Anton and others from Xylodon are here on earth is refreshingly different from stories where aliens want to take over Earth. It was most interesting to note that much of what is wrong with societies on Earth is paralleled in the society of that distant planet. When focusing on the U.S. government there is one great quote from the fictional president that I highlighted, “Yes,” the president said, “How about introducing a law that would require members of Congress to have to serve as pallbearers the next time there’s a school shooting.”

My sentiments exactly, and what a wonderful way for an author to make a point without being preachy or heavy-handed.

The book would’ve benefitted from a more careful edit. There were places that words were used incorrectly, such as “nodded in the negative.” A nod is always affirmative. And I winced when I saw a form of the “n” word used to describe how someone acted in a situation. Thankfully, that was the only time the word shows up, and it’s in the context of an expression that was common and acceptable – to some – in the 40s and 50s.

Despite those few glitches, I enjoyed the read. This is an enjoyable novel presented with a light touch on the sci-fi and the romance, which is always a pleasure for me. And I always like good satire. If all that suits your taste, then this is a title to check out for sure.

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews]

Are there aliens among us? What would they think of our country, actions, and people? This novel embodies small-town America and the diverse characters you find in those small towns, everything from lovable Ezra to red neck Johnie. 

Anton-7, aka Roy McDonald, is a different sort of alien. He seems to enjoy living on Earth, meeting people, and discovering biological options that might help his people on Xyladon. It is by accident that he is left on Earth when his partners leave for the home planet. However, this sets Anton-7 down a path of love and redemption for himself and the American people.

While I usually don't read satire or sci-fi, this novel might make me change my mind about those genres. The characters' actions were similar to what we might see around us. Anton/Ray believes in helping people and does this multiple times. He builds friendships with those in this town. I loved his conversations with Ezra over coffee. When he meets Ellie, it is like sparks fly. Ok, maybe not quickly, but their relationship builds from simply having coffee to more. 

The book addresses many issues we face in our country, including gun control. I enjoyed seeing an "alien's" perspective on the situations and how they might act if put in the middle of things. It also reflected the government's inaction in serious matters. That's okay. Anton takes it into his own hands and attempts to resolve several issues. Another reviewer likened this to "The Prime Directive," which Star Trek fans will understand. I hadn't thought of that perspective until I read her review.

The story was witty, the characters engaging, and the characters had enough smarts to outwit the government as it sought out an impostor. There is a plot twist at the end, and the epilogue leaves it open for a sequel. I hope there is one because I want to discover how Anton and Ellie's relationship fares, if Anton is found to be an alien, and what happens with the puppy named Gator. I love a dog in a book!

This is a light-hearted book with social issues that could be discussed. If you were an alien, how would you handle certain situations? I could see this as a good book club read.

I sped-read through the book, turning pages left and right, and gave this book 5 paws up.

[Jill Anderson]

Left is surprising in the best ways. I’m so glad I opened this book totally unaware of what it had to offer. How amazing is it when a story just grabs you in and keeps you locked in until the lastpage? I rarely meet a book I don’t like, but books that can continually surprise me are indeed a pleasure to experience.

Unlike the other two members of his team from planet Xyladon who keep to themselves, Anton 7 finds a few humans interesting and distracting. Yet another coffee-fueled chat with old man Ezra “Gator” Hopkins causes him to lose track of time—and subsequently miss his ride home.

Faced with an uncertain wait alone until he received updated orders, Anton finds himself drawn not only to Ezra, but the small Mississippi town’s elementary school teacher Ellie. As he finds his days more and more filled with the humans he’s come to know, Anton embarks upon a series of actions that have him taking a hard look at his life and his future plans. Anton is not your stereotypical alien-studying-humans character. McGrath gives us a creature both engaging and surprising.

I loved how McGrath breaks up the sci-fi action with both humor and captivating social commentary. In of the scenes from Xylodon, Anton’s boss tries to figure out how to handle the missing operative. He sounds like every irritated mid-management boss you’ve ever met. So tongue-in-cheek it made me grin. McGrath will then flip the script and jump straight into an
unflinching look at gun violence in America blended seamlessly into the action.

You’ll find humor, science fiction, action, and compelling characters mixed in with social commentary on several weighty topics. That social commentary probably won’t please all of Left’s readers, but this one appreciated a new approach to examining some thorny issues. For a tale categorized under the satire and humor labels, it definitely has some darker moments.

Anton is Xylodon’s James Bond, and your newest trip out of the mundane and into a different universe. Left is a book that truly defies categorization--other than being a wild ride you will definitely want to take.

[Karen Siddall]

Delightful, with unexpectedly perfect plot twists.

Left is the first book in author Paul McGrath’s new science fiction series, Terran Incognita, and features an extraterrestrial embedded among the population of the small town of Eudora, Mississippi, to observe Earth’s inhabitants and who is left behind when he is delayed getting to his team’s extraction point. His unplanned extended stay is fun but telling of the current social environment, and while dark at times, it makes for entertaining and compelling reading from start to finish.

Anton-7, or Roy McDonald (his Earth alias), provides fine observations of the human condition from an outsider’s (FAR outsider’s) point of view as he gets increasingly closer and more involved with his unaware human hosts. Against all protocol, Anton goes “native.” I thoroughly enjoyed his “smooth” attempts to fit in and be a good guest. His internal monologue about his encounters is, at times, uneasy but always clever and hopeful that he’s responding appropriately, especially when engaging with Ezra and Ellie.

The story is well-paced as the events of his unplanned unfold, including a fun tour of Memphis, Tennessee’s points of interest. American society and popular opinions are examined and evaluated through his third-party, alien lens, and when circumstances reveal to him gaping discrepancies, such as nationwide gun availability, Anton decides to take action that will definitely rub with enthusiasts. Anton plays fast and loose with what many fans of the genre will understand as “the Prime Directive,” but, luckily, with positive outcomes. The author has a wonderful sense of dialogue and a knack for banter. It was a lot of fun to watch the growing relationship between Anton/Roy and Ellie Atkinson. The plot takes some delightful left turns that are so perfect and unexpected that I am still smiling about them.

I recommend LEFT to readers of humorous and satirical science fiction.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.

[Kelly]

Left, Paul McGrath’s sci-fi satire, was not at all what I expected. Based on the blurb, I pictured a romp through the South punctuated by trips to Buc-ee’s and the same kind of new-to-the-world adventure that characterizes stories such as Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt or Ron Howard’s Splash.

Instead, I experienced Roy McDonald’s journey through grief, determination, and intervention—all centered around one of the most divisive issues of our time: gun control. The unexpected depth of the story and the strong emotions it portrayed (and evoked) kept me turning the pages, as did the author’s lack of qualms about sharing his stance on the debate. His opinion is clearly stated when the character Anton muses:

“The Second Amendment had become like the snake swallowing its own tail. Instead of preserving peace, the cancerous laws that had sprung from interpretations of the Second Amendment had become roadblocks to that peace.”

While I am not taking on the complex and layered gun debate in this review, I will say that I appreciated many of the sentiments expressed in McGrath’s story. One that has stayed with me is this, a quote from his character as President of the United States:

“How about introducing a law that would require members of Congress to serve as pallbearers the next time there’s a school shooting?”

McGrath uses the consequences of Roy McDonald’s actions to explore a United States without guns—an exercise I found fascinating. He fully acknowledges the argument that “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” He shows us that even without guns, there is still violence—and responds with a “Yes, but those with guns kill significantly more people than those without.”

While the author delves into these heavy topics, the story carries them well. The relational elements kept me invested in the characters, and the humor (often the crass flavor of a middle-school boy’s) kept me amused. The fact that he leaves us with a fantastic twist ending was the icing on the cake.

Above all, McGrath left me thinking—one of the highest compliments I can give a book—and with 4.5 stars, I highly recommend Left to readers.

[Jim]

Eudora, Mississippi, straddles Highway 304 southwest of Memphis, Tennessee. It’s a rather sleepy small town that in Paul McGrath’s novel Left serves as home to Roy McDonald, who claims to be both human and a botanist for the federal government. He is neither.

Roy, known on his water-starved home planet Xylodon as Anton-7, is on Earth, in human form, to study the planet, its inhabitants and how water resources are managed. He’s a rarity for a Xylodian explorer, however, because he likes chatting with humans, especially an old cantankerous World War II veteran called Gator by his many friends.

When Roy is an hour late meeting up with his two fellow Xylodian colleagues for a flight home, he finds himself alone. As in left alone. On Earth. In present-day Mississippi.

McGrath’s novel, first of the Terran Incognita trilogy, is a fabulously fun read. Roy McDonald, a name chosen when Anton-7 is under pressure and sees two fast-food restaurant signs, settles into his stranded life and even finds a full-time girlfriend. His life, however, gets entangled in the absurdities of some of Earth’s biggest problems, including MAGA politics and gun violence.

In Left, Roy makes some choices in violation of Xylodian regulations. Using his planet’s technology, he makes guns disappear throughout the United States, setting off social turmoil and government confusion. Roy, who also turns to other Earthly identities along the way, becomes a wanted man – by the feds and Xylodon’s rulers.

Rather than spoil the story with too many details, I will say that some people – MAGA Republicans and residents of the world’s seven countries ending with “stan” – may not be thrilled with Left. Those who believe in science, sane gun laws and moderate politics, more likely will enjoy the story. Oh, Girl Scouts will be thrilled to know that Anton-7 and his fellow space travelers bought thin mints upon answering a knock on their trailer door.

Left, with its heavy use of satire, is filled with humor amid the absurdities and complexities of American life. I LOVED Left. It is a fast read that will bring smiles and laughter. And leave you waiting for McGrath’s follow-up books in the trilogy.