Ghosts: A First Contact Standalone

First Contact

by Peter Cawdron, Alex Picard (narrator)

An alien spacecraft four times the size of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier enters the solar system.

Tensions run hot within the UN, but the alien vessel doesn't approach Earth. Instead, it sits off at L4, over a hundred million miles from Earth, baffling scientists around the world.

Chris "Crash" Williams leads an international crew to investigate the appearance of this ghost ship, but he quickly learns that the spacecraft isn't as dead as it seems.

Ghosts is inspired by Arthur C. Clarke's 1973 novel Rendezvous with Rama, which won the Nebula Award for Best Novel, the Hugo Award for Best Novel, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. Rendezvous with Rama is a classic that examines a plausible, realistic alien encounter, considering the physics involved and the inevitable politics and religious implications.

First Contact is a series of standalone novels that explore humanity's first interaction with extraterrestrial life. This series is similar to Black Mirror and The Twilight Zone in that the series is based on a common theme rather than common characters. These books can be listened to in any order. Technically, they're all first as they all deal with how we might initially respond to contact with aliens, exploring the social, political, religious, and scientific aspects of First Contact.

Contains a special note from the author.

Genres: Science Fiction, Aliens

Audible Audio

First published October 20, 2023

Reviews

[Ged Hawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, sort of.......

Getting very tired of books with interesting story lines that then suffer from so much descriptive padding. Sadly this is an example, so be prepared to surf read.

[Katherine Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

More Science Needed, Less Lecturing

The premise of an alien ship coming to observe is fine. The biggest problem was the lecturing the author wished to do through his characters. His message 'Boy, we humans are primarily destructive and malicious in most things we do.' He hits that over and over. Of course, conservatives in the book are all war mongering simpletons. If the next book of his has the same cliches and political hectoring that will be it for me. Writer should spend more time on character development.

[reherrma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Erstkontakt-Reihe von Peter Cawdron gehört für mich inzwischen zur Gruppe der "MUST READ"-Büchern, besonders weil (bei den inzwischen 8 auf deutsch veröffentlichten Romanen) für mich noch kein wirklich schlechter Roman dabei war, immer bot er (für mich) einen neuen Blick auf das Thema Erstkontakt. Auch hier stand ein Klassiker der SF Pate für den aktuellen Roman, der auch vom Autor neu überarbeitet und dem Zeitgeschehen angepasst wurde (so z.B. der Ukrainekrieg und die COVID-Pandemie); "Rendzvous with Rama" von Arthur C. Clarke.
Ein Raumschiff fliegt ins Sonnensystem ein, seit hunderten oder tausenden von Jahren unterwegs. In einem Swingby um die Sonne verringert es seine Geschwindigkeit und passt sie der der Erde an - aber es fliegt zum Lagrange-Punkt L4, (150 Millionen km von der Erde entfernt) um dort zu warten. Sie sind gekommen über Lichtjahre, aber sie nehmen keinen Kontakt auf, und sie antworten nicht.
Die Menschen der Erde erleben den größten Geschichtsbruch aller Zeiten, sie warten, aber nichts tut sich. Der Ausgangspunkt der Geschichte ist klassisch; einfach, überschaubar, aber - wer macht den ersten Zug, wie sieht er aus, was ist die Antwort ? Tausende Möglichkeiten tun sich auf, Komplexität auf höchstem Niveau. Dazu kommen noch die aktuellen politischen Probleme (immerhin hat die USA keinen Trump, sondern eine Art Kamella Harris, und die Russen sind immer noch völlig paranoid mit ihrem Hass auf den Westen).
Nationen, Interessensgruppen, jeder hat seine eigenen Vorstellungen und Absichten zum "Erstkontakt". Konkurrenzdenken, pures Machtstreben, aber auch wissenschaftliches Interesse und ethische Beweggründe. Aber vor allem eines - ANGST.
"Das Schlimmste, was uns begegnen kann, sind unsere Erwartungen", zitiert Cawdron einen seiner Protagonisten. "Wir müssen den Außerirdischen offen und ohne Vorurteile begegnen". Aber wie soll das gelingen mit dieser Angst.
Die sicherste Option für den ersten Kontakt sei die Doktrin der Erstschlags - so denken viele, insbesondere die Militärs. Vernichtet die Eindringlinge, solange das noch möglich ist. Keiner kann sagen, was danach kommen könnte....
Bezeichnend ist die Tatsache, dass das Raumschiff (das dem Clark'schen Weltraumhabitat aus der "RAMA"-Reihe ähnlich ist) mit einer Neutronenbombe vernichtet werden soll, damit die außerirdische Technologie erhalten bleibt, die Aliens aber sterben sollen.
Die Anderen sagen, die außerirdischen Brüder und Schwestern kommen in Frieden, und wir können von einem Kontakt und der Zusammenarbeit nur profitieren....
Jede dieser Strömungen verbindet der Autor mit wunderbaren Charakteren, die sehr viel zu dem Flair des Romans beitragen
Zum ersten Zusammentreffen von der Erde aus fliegen eine multinationale Crew unter der Führung der NASA und ein Raumschiff der Russen zum L4, mit sich führen sie auch die Probleme und die Angst des Homo sapiens, der Erstkontakt und die Begegnung läuft auch diesmal wieder völlig anders als in den früheren Geschichten. Spannend, verwirrend und am Ende doch auch optimistisch - ein kleiner Zweifel aber bleibt...
Man könnte erwarten, daß sich nach 7 Romanen der Einfallsreichtum des Autors ein wenig erschöpfte. Mit "Geisterschiff" hat Peter Cawdron aber wieder einen Spitzenroman vorgelegt - mit psychologischem und philosophischem Tiefgang, und gleichzeitig mit Action und Spannung. Ich tue mich schwer damit, sie qualitativ einzuordnen, bisher waren alle sehr, sehr gut. Ich verstehe nicht, dass die deutschen Großverlage diesen SF-Spitzenautor bisher übersehen haben ?

[Kimmy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again!

Peter’s books are a unique blend of plausible science fiction, with a nod to humanity, our flaws (large, obvs), and our potential. All based around a theme of First Contact, we learn a bit about How Things Go, and How Things Are Meant To Go with each book. These are all standalone novels, and highly recommended for an engaging story that leaves the reader with a hit list of things to learn more about, thus engaging us after the final words are read.

[Ralph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few novels have received a 5-star rating from me. Some exceptional books such as "The Maritan" by Andy Weir or, "The Dog Stars" by Peter Heller or, "Rendezvous With Rama" by Arthur Clarke are a few that I have rated as 5-star material. Of course there are many other books from masters of Science Fiction like Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlien that I felt worthy of 5 stars but the list is relatively short in relation to the number of books I have read. Nevertheless, "Ghosts" by Peter Cawdron is now on that list.
Cawdron has an exceptional insight into human nature and the ability to put that insight into words, to be shared with his readers. Cawdron says he based this book on "Rendezvous With Rama" and, while it has some similarities in general concept, "Ghosts" is not a clone of Clarke's book at all. This is the 24th book in Cawdron's "First Contact" series. I have read several of them and this is the best one, so far. That is not to be construed as saying his other books are not good, they are very good, indeed!
Without revealing any spoilers, suffice to say this is a very plausible story of how human nature and first contact may interact. The story follows the political and strategical reaction on Earth as well as the situation unfolding in space. The story is told mainly through the perspectives of two main characters, one, an intern working at the White House on Earth and one of the astronauts on the first contact mission. Both characters are well-developed and relatable. The reader experiences all the anxiety, fears, doubts and triumphs of each character during an exciting adventure here on Earth and far out in space at the Lagrange Point known as L4.
This story screams out for a sequel. I sincerely hope Cawdron gifts us with one.

[Clint · Rating 1 out of 5]

ore liberal fantasy garbage from Cawdron

Cawdron is nothing if not consistent in disguising his fiction as a story instead of DNC talking points. If you need the rush of reading that kind of garbage save yourself some time and just ingest it directly from the DNC website. Everyone else should just save your time and skip this crap masquerading as a story.

[Sean Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in a single sitting and found it utterly gripping. Molly annoyed me a very little bit, and there is, on the surface at least, a very black-and-whiteness to things with the superpowers. But there are plenty of nuggets of wisdom buried deep, and as a first contact story it was brilliant.

[Waxmodel · Rating 2 out of 5]

about halfway decent but also very woke

The storyline dragged on for the first half with people debating how the aliens would behave and their intent. This whole section could have been shortened to a couple of chapters. Also US mission paints the Russian side as a bit too malicious in their selfishness. The woke-ism on making a decision to erase the truth of the cloning and only sharing the noble side of the aliens sounds like brainwashing. I liked the premise and wanted to enjoy an action packed mystery but got wokeism. The intern angle pretty much single handedly saving the president is also amateurish.

[Ian K Ridley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent enough first contact novel set in the very near future / now. It suffers a little from uneven pace and well trodden US/ Russia characterisations

[Mal Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

HUMAN NATURE COMPLICATES FIRST CONTACT WITH ALIENS

Beware: the title is misleading. Peter Cawdron’s novel, Ghosts, is not a ghost story. It’s hard science fiction, the 24th in his series of standalone novels exploring the innumerable ways that First Contact with aliens might play out. He’s written about what seems like every conceivable possibility—but there’s still more. And Ghosts delivers it. Here, Cawdron focuses more tightly than ever on the wildly contrasting ways that people on Earth receive the news of First Contact. After all, in an age dominated by competing world powers, partisan and religious differences, and nonstop conspiracy theories, we could hardly expect people to react in the same way. And those differences make for a tense, suspenseful story.

AN ALIEN SPACESHIP IS HURTLING TOWARD THE SUN

The story opens as astronomers around the world detect a Bright Data Object (BDO) moving swiftly toward the sun from somewhere outside the solar system. They’re reluctant to call it what it is. But the powers that be in the world’s leading nations are perfectly aware that it’s an alien spaceship. And as news about the ship’s arrival begins trickling out, the US President startles the UN General Assembly by sharing details and calling for an international mission to meet the alien vessel. All of the planet’s spacefaring nations agree to participate. But Russian nationalists force their government to send their own secret mission as well. And thus two human ships head out to meet what the media unaccountably still calls “the BDO” in orbit around the sun.

FIRST CONTACT WITH ALIENS WILL BE . . . COMPLICATED

One exchange on television news illustrates just how astonishing it is that the President has managed to persuade so many nations to participate in the mission. One member of a panel interviewed on the news says about the rumors circulating after the President’s UN address:

“‘We need to stick to the facts.’

“’But we won’t,’ the anchor says, preempting the reply from his guest.

“The elderly man opposite him says, ‘No, we won’t. We’ll take one extraordinary fact and we’ll weave dozens, perhaps hundreds of unfounded scenarios from it. We’ll embellish. We’ll guess. We’ll exaggerate. We’ll react. We’ll be defensive. We’ll give in to our fears. And we’ll be convinced our particular take is right—if only everyone else would listen to us. We’ll fabricate our own reality. It’s what we do best.’”

And that exchange succinctly sums up the turmoil that the ship’s arrival has caused among the people of Earth.

A SUSPENSEFUL STORY WITH PLENTY OF ACTION

We’ve gained an inside look at discussions in the Oval Office through Molly Sorenson, an uncommonly smart 22-year-old White House intern. The Chief of Staff has taken Molly under her wing and includes her in meetings because she’s “invisible” and can serve as a hidden set of eyes and ears. But Molly proves to be more than that. She soon emerges as a voice of reason and morality, freely speaking out of turn in meetings with the nation’s leaders.

Meanwhile, we meet the NASA astronauts who will lead the international mission to intercept the BDO. Chris “Crash” Williams is to be the mission commander, and we view much of the action ahead through his perspective. Also on the mission are astronauts from Britain, China, India, and France. (The Russian has been sent home when the US learns of the independent mission from Russia.) And, as Crash Williams and his crew make their way to First Contact, we also observe Aleksandr Krukov, one of the two cosmonauts on the Russian crew.

Molly Sorenson, Crash Williams, and Aleksandr Krukov will carry the story forward. Through their eyes, we follow the action from one crisis to another, and ultimately to the many surprises that emerge in the novel’s final pages. And we’ll be in suspense all along the way.

THE AUTHOR’S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Ghosts is a great story, and it should be a treat for any fan of hard science fiction. Cawdron is thoroughly grounded in the science underlying his books, and he explains it well. The novel is beautifully plotted, most of the characters are believable, and the ending is full of surprises. But there are weaknesses in his writing. For one thing, he comes across as a frustrated science teacher. Many of the characters spend what seems to me an unnaturally long time explaining how and why things work. The novel is didactic to a fault, and he appends an author’s note at the end of the book furnishing further explanations. The story might have benefited had Cawdron been a little less generous to science-challenged readers and instead used a list of references at the back of the book to sources that explain the background.

To put all this in perspective, I’m not complaining. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I learned a lot from the asides, and more from Cawdron’s author’s note. In fact, I always make a point of reading those sometimes long addenda. They’re fascinating. But some readers may have a problem. Because what I’m trying to convey here is that all the explaining does sometimes slow down the story and detract from the suspension of disbelief every science fiction reader expects from a novel.

[Dan Pass · Rating 1 out of 5]

A poor review

I just don't enjoy reading politics in a basic sci-fi story. This was a good story line ruined by the author's political and social prejudices. Ruined it.

[CBuesgens · Rating 1 out of 5]

Biased

About page 35 the author's political beliefs came out and all I wanted to do was read a good book. I chose books to enjoy and this one lost me

[Richard Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Woke drivel.

I don't recommend this book unless you want a book length lecture on the woke culture. The story line got lost by the liberal cultist diatribe.

[Christopher Landrum · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plotical bla bla

Wordy unbelievable plot...full of political tropes. May as well watch politics on the evening news. Had to skim through most of it to stay awake.

[Jas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghosts is the 28th standalone novel in Peter Cawdron’s ‘First Contact’ series, and this one is another masterclass in character driven science fiction with throwbacks to the 1973 classic by Arthur C Clarke “Rendezvous with Rama”.
Initially we meet a young intern at the White House, Molly Sorenson, on her first day. Molly finds herself thrust into a fascinating world of political intrigue when an alien vessel enters our solar system. Instead of heading towards Earth though, it heads towards the L4 Lagrange point, over a hundred million miles from Earth.
Whilst this is baffling, it becomes even more interesting when they realise the ship could only have come from potential star systems thousands of light years away, throwing speculation onto if there is any life on the ship at all.
With the United Nations in turmoil, and nations around the world not sure what this means, young Molly is tasked with trying to learn what she can.
As the UN is trying to come to terms with the realisation that humanity is not alone in the universe, we follow a team of international astronauts as they prepare to go out to the L4 and intercept the craft. There are several notable characters, including Chris ‘Crash’ Williams (the nickname has a very entertaining backstory), who represents the US contingent on the crew. There are representatives from the UK, China, India and Russia.
But as this story unfolds, there are multiple different things happening, some of thing on Earth within the different offices of power, some up in space as First Contact unfolds and not is all as it seems.
This is an incredibly well told story, Cawdron uses his characters well, as things are explained to different characters in the story, so to, are complex aspects of hard sci-fi explained to the reader so that we have a better understanding of what is taking place.
There is a mix of political intrigue on Earth, as multiple different factions are trying to come to terms with the concept that there is an alien power in our solar system, one that is vastly superior in technology and intelligence, and yet, we have no idea of what their intentions are? Have the gone to the L4 as a staging point? Or have they gone there because when they launched, humanity was only just starting out, and civilisation as we know it didn’t exist, and so they are here to observe, much like someone might observe an animal in the wild?
Meanwhile, several astronauts approach a ship, several times the size of a nuclear aircraft carrier, that has travelled thousands of light years, to try and communicate in some way. This part of the story is intense, eerie, and at times, there are parts, that with the right music, could out do most horror sci-fi movies.
As with all of Cawdron’s books, the Character writing is exceptional. The opening sequences following Molly into the White House is exceptional, leaving you on a roller coaster of emotions. As the book progresses, you find yourself becoming attached to multiple characters, and following their stories in this stunning first contact tale.
What really makes this story a standout though, is the world building. Cawdron not only takes you inside the White House, like he has been there every day for the last 20yrs, and so you feel like you are walking through it, including the Oval Office, but he takes you onto an alien starship. I am not going to say anything about the alien starship, as I don’t want to give any spoilers. However, his descriptive work is outstanding, stunning, intense, and at times, utterly terrifying.
Cawdron has again, and amazingly after 28 books, delivered another creative masterpiece that you won’t be able to put down from the moment you pick it up. An absolute must listen!

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third of Peter Cawdron's First Contact novels. Some time back I read 3zekiel, not even noticing it was part of a larger collection. Then two weeks ago I read The Artifact and last night finished Ghosts. These are good, fun reads with interesting characters and fast-moving plots. Maybe we shouldn't categorize fiction in this way, but these books are not literature, they are stories. Good stories.

But the real fun and the reason to read these books is the author's ability to tell stories that illuminate human nature and the way it could influence our first interaction with extraterrestrial intelligence, as well as the incredibly unexpected ways in which that extraterrestrial intelligence could manifest itself.

The series has been compared to the British TV series Black Mirror because of its plot twists, but I'm not sure that's the best comparison. Black Mirror reflected aspects of human nature back at us to illustrate our worst traits. The twists tended to highlight the way humans - at least as we see and experience humanity in the first quarter of the 21st century - are their own worst enemies.

Cawdron is doing something different and much more wonderful. He is arguing, I think, that the best thing about human beings is our ability to transcend our instinctual responses. And by instinctual responses I mean not just those that we may consider to be part of our baser nature but those that we tend to value. Because interacting with Cawdron's extraterrestrials - beings that are intelligent and yet profoundly unlike us - requires that we use our human faculties to imagine what it is like not to be human, to be something else altogether. That's the delight of Cawdron's plot twists: the idea that being "intelligent" means being able to look outside of ourselves at other ways of experiencing the world even when the thread that connects them to us is very thin indeed.

Kindle says that there are 27 books in Cawdron's First Contact series. It's too early to say I plan to read every one, but I am very much looking forward to picking up the next one. I don't think you can say anything better about an author's work than that.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

It amazes me how Peter Cawdron churns out dozens of First Contact books with each new one as good, or better, than the ones that came before it.

Cawdron was born in New Zealand, now lives in Australia but writes all of his books from the perspective of an American. Not only does he understand so many of the nuances of our culture but he probably has a better understanding of both our government and space program than the majority of Americans. This insight is particularly important to this novel as a significant amount of the action takes place in the White House.

Ghosts takes place in the near future with the US having a female president and chief of staff, both Democrats, while the house and senate are controlled by Republicans. When an enormous spacecraft takes up a position at Lagrange point 4, politics and science instantly clash. (You may be familiar with LaGrange points from articles about the new Webb telescope being stationed at Lagrange point 2.) The US proposes sending an international team for first contact while the Russians decide to jump the gun and send their own ship out first. This plot device lets Cawdron delve into international and intergalactic politics simultaneously.

There are a great number of reasons that Peter Cawdron is one of my favorite authors. His writing is excellent, his characters multidimensional, and his imagined first contact scenarios always fascinating. In addition to this, and equally important, Cawdron spends an enormous amount of time researching the science behind his books. No science defying spacecraft, weapons, or physics, just realistic and believable plots, tools, and characters. Additionally, each First Contact book involves, and revolves around, one or more significant moral and philosophical questions.

The books in Cawdron’s First Contact series are all stand-alones and can be read in any order. Treat yourself to several hours of excellent science fiction by picking one up ASAP.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Preachiness really detracts from the story and its pace. The way the author has the characters make constant speeches on human morality or politics just seems so forced. Yes, people would think these things and hold these views, but to require them to say those very things aloud in the narrative in drawn out soliloquies when among the very same people who they have to know hold the same political ideology (for instance, within a liberal White House) is unrealistic. It's almost like the author pushes "pause", all the characters and the story freeze, and when the author is done waxing on with his preaching, he hits "play" and the story can finally proceed. Why even write sci-fi if all you apparently REALLY want to do is use it as a platform to put forward your views? I think the author would be perfectly at home in other genres like horror, fantasy, romance, anything really, because I am sure he would still find a way in those settings to preach. I think he writes good hard sci-fi, though; I'm even still giving this 3-stars. Here's a thought, perhaps the author could have a goal to cut the preaching in half or make it only half as dorky and unrealistic. It would improve the sci-fi read while at the same time allowing him to fulfill his apparent calling to preach.

[Robert A Geloran · Rating 5 out of 5]

great story, thought-provoking topics

Another excellent book in the First Contact series by Peter Cawdron. Although the story is about the arrival of an extraterrestrial spaceship and the ramifications of the fact that we are not alone in the universe, as is his style, Mr Cawdron uses the premise to be an analysis of humanity. He illustrates how our expectations can shape or skew our perceptions, and how much fear can drive us to irrational and often destructive behavior. Although we often pride ourselves on our science and logical reasoning, the author presents the argument that logic was developed as means to defend ideas and theories we were already emotionally invested in.
A doubtless caveat of first contact will be communication. The aliens come up with a unique solution many people may find horrifying, and will likely misunderstand its intent. Again that comes back to the idea of expectations shaping perceptions. The end of the story seemed a little abrupt, but an epilogue helps it land a little better. IMHO, this is one Mr Cawdron’s best stories. Do not miss it.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is difficult to review

I'm a fan of most of Cawdron's books in the First Contact series, but this one tested my resolve. The concept of this version of first contact is heavily influenced by Rama, with a dash of Red scare to spice things up. All of that is expected from one of these books, but the tangents some of the characters go off on was too much. Where inside the situation room in the white house, people are discussing a harsh action against the alien ship, and characters will go off on tangents about their childhood, or a memory of some random event, or some other 'meant to feel good' rant, but only managing to annoy this reader. This happened several times over the book, to the point that i started skipping who!e paragraphs, in some cases pages, to skip pass the rant, only to find that the story haven't progressed much.

As a first contact story, this book was fine.
As a study of human behavior, this book was nearly a bore.
Still not going to stop reading Cawdron's stories, but i think I'll need a break after this one.

[Zepp Jamieson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Ghosts, Peter Cawdron has elected to revisit the concept of Rama. He takes an almost complementary approach to the Rama object and its human explorers as Clarke’s. Clarke focused on the vast amazing technological marvel of this interstellar ark. Cawdron focuses on the currents and cross-currents of the physics, the psychology, the sociology and the politics that arise in the face of this visitation. This is his forté, and as usual, he combines solid characterization with meticulous research and considerable verisimilitude to create a driving story of conflict and cooperation. The ending, as befits a Cawdron novel, is utterly unique and, like Clarke’s Rendezvous, hints at a greater story to come.
This was a story that definitely affected me. I suspect there will be readers in their early twenties who will read this and remember it 50 years later in much the same way I remember Rendezvous with Rama.

[Andy Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW:

My two favorite things about this author's first-contact books are: 1) The build-up: something dramatic is taking place and everyone has to scramble to figure out what's going on. 2) The reveal: some new way to imagine a spacecraft and alien species. Each book is different and I enjoy the ride to find out what he has in store for us each time. But...

Sometimes the rest of the story seems repetitive or generic. The Russian is the bad guy? Our US President is forced into a corner by military? We want to blow the aliens up? I'm not saying that any of this wouldn't happen or can't be true, but it's already everywhere. Can we imagine another future? Another way we might react?

I enjoyed the book and will continue to purchase each new one this author writes. But if he wants to make me even happier, he can go back to setting some of these stories in other countries (like many of the earlier books). Some other perspective.

Read it!

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of many that Peter Cawdron has written that are a category of what he calls "first contact" stories. I've been a fan of these stories since I saw "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" many years ago. These are all about possibilities that might exists re: first contact with another life form that with which we come into contact. I really enjoy these as they're all very plausible and there is no end to the way first contact can take place and what the form, motivations and how these potential situations can transpire.

These books are very intriguing to me and are very realistic...from a science point of view and this one is one of the better ones in my estimation. Overall, they are all really well done and I am amazed at how well Cawdron pulls these together and how realistic scientifically he makes each one.

If you are a syfy aficionado, I would highly recommend any of these books.

[Sheila Anderson]

I first read this author's novel "Feedback" in February of 2022, but I didn't realize this would become a whole series of books, and this novel "Ghosts" is one of them. I have read several more in the series as well, the latest being "Cold Eyes". Each novel is a completely different concept of how first contact, which is the name of the series, might take place. Each story has evolved its own set of characters in a completely different interpretation of how first contact may come about.
All the different ideas and presentations have been highly enjoyable. The author also provides an epilogue presenting a fitting brief finality to wrap up each story. He also provides many interesting science facts he introduces as the plots unfold which are very enlightening and inspiring. I have not been disappointed in any of the series I have read so far and I'm sure I will read as many more as there are, although I'm not sure he has finished the series just yet.

[Guy Marsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been enjoying Peter Cawdron's series of first contact books and this one is no exception. He explores every aspect of each first contact through the perspective of relevant characters. His characters are well drawn and engaging and they inhabit a credible world.
My complaint about his writing is the way he mansplains science in a way that is completely unnecessary. He spent over a page explaining an L5 orbit which is so irrelevant to the narrative. And yet he just throws away references to O'Neill colonies and Clark's book "Rendezvous with Rama". A better author would allow his editor to constrain these ramblings and invite him to show and not tell.
He also makes extensive use of character monologues to offer perspectives and contexts for his story in much the same way that the writers of the TV series The West Wing did. It's a little clumsy, but it works.

[Philip Roessels · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but…

The sci-fi in this book is very good. The drama, mystery, some action, all good. The subtle messaging and lecturing, coupled with blatant wokeness, however, is not.
In the story, the presidential history from the current Trump administration back in time towards Obama is unchanged. Since this second Trump term, however, in this narrative, Gavin Newsom has been elected to the presidency (LOL), then an unnamed woman (guaranteed she was a democrat), and a second woman is the current sitting president, who happens to be a lesbian, with a First Lady. The current president apparently garnered “100 million votes”!
I found myself glossing over anything happening at the White House and it didn’t really have an impact on my understanding. A book which will appeal to around 30% of the American population, I should think, certainly not 100 million.

[Dominic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another terrifying view into the human psyche. Thank you, Mr. Cawdron!

I continue to enjoy the First Contact books by Peter Cawdron. If you have ever wondered about the motivations on the humans around you… or if you enjoy any kind of sci-fi… or if you are worried about aliens in any way whatsoever… then you need to read some of these books. Ghosts is definitely one of my favorites, but each one is truly unique and eye-opening. I am a highly intelligent, science-aligned empath… Cawdron’s books are engaging and illuminating and I believe that the First Contact books should be read by (appropriately-aged) school children so that they can learn to see beyond their own point of view.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting idea of first contact

Peter Cawdron has produced many excellent
The strength of his books is a well thought out and plausible scenario for first contact. He does not deny the physics, and gives us a good explanation of the mechanism involved in alien/human interaction. This is a good addition to his work.
There are times that the dialog becomes tedious and it often is something that he is reacting to in the current events of the day. In this book the issue is the COVID vaccine, it is almost advocated that if everyone had willingly taken the vaccine that the aliens wouldn't have come.
Also the White House intern was a frustrating character that took away from the story mire than added to it.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Ghosts” is one of many excellent novels written about the topic of extraterrestrial (ET) first contact by Peter Cawdron. Not only do Peter Cawdron's novels present unique and interesting scientific information, but they really put an interesting twist on ET and terrestrial interaction.

I recently saw a cartoon that showed two people staring at a big sign that read “STOP AND THINK,” with one person saying to the other, “It makes you want to stop and think!” This novel does just that. It makes you want to stop and think about how we would realistically deal with an ET visitation. I found the scientific, social, political, international, and religious concerns to be thought-provoking and informative. The discussions were pertinent and pragmatic.

[Stuart Duffey · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review very quickly before i explain my thoughts are....this is a good book and good story.

Its a premiss thats been done before on page and screen and its a good one. The POV charcters are niche and of course Crash and the astronauts are where the intrigue and jeopardy are. You sometimes get insights the wider world and impact but for me not enough. Some bits labour and the first few pages of the girl in the white house pov chapters i scanned. The ending is rushed and trys to throw loads of philosophical tropes out.

Like i said i enjoyed this book and story not sure ill rush back to this author but maybe his clone😉