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First Contact
Jury Duty
The United Nations is thrown into chaos when an alien spacecraft is discovered buried beneath the ice in Antarctica. With no one nation able to lay claim to the craft, a multinational effort is undertaken to salvage the vessel, which is estimated to have crashed several million years ago. Rather than leaving key decisions to hostile governments or their armies, a jury is established to represent the average global citizen, being selected from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Their job is to review findings and guide the process of discovery.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2021
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July 12, 2021
Welcome to Antarctica. Slip into your muffler and mittens, and get ready for the coldest, bleakest setting you’re ever likely to encounter. In Peter Cawdron’s seventeenth standalone novel exploring the theme of First Contact, Nick Ferrin arrives on the southernmost continent, pressed into service as a “juror” on behalf of the United Nations. And, no, he doesn’t understand what’s going on anymore than you do. But why would he? Nick is heading off for First Contact Down Under. Way down under.
Extraterrestrials under the ice?
Unknown to the public, scientists have stumbled on the wreckage of an extraterrestrial vessel buried a mile under Antarctica, where it crashed 430,000 years ago. But the leaders of the world’s nations don’t trust one another. The UN Security Council is divided against itself. Instead, the jury—comprising two members from each of the five permanent Security Council nations—is to decide what may be done with the knowledge gained from the wreckage. But now it appears that the impossible has happened. There are signs that extraterrestrials are somehow still alive under the ice. And pretty much everything goes wrong shortly after Nick arrives. His “jury duty” proves to be a life-threatening experience—and not for Nick alone . . .
The protagonist is a jerk
At the outset, it’s immediately apparent that Nick Ferrin is a deeply flawed human being. His wife, Sandra, is leaving him because he treats her with contempt and threatens her physically. In fact, “Nick has been arrested before and charged with several misdemeanors, but he’s never been convicted of a felony.” That seems about to change. Nick has picked up a pistol and is on the verge of shooting Sandra as she starts up the car to drive away. And just then armor-clad troops arrive in SUVs and a helicopter and bear him away. Suddenly, and without explanation, Nick is on his way to Antarctica. He is, the soldiers explain, “the chosen one.” Because one of the two American jurors is dying, and Nick has been selected to replace him.
“He may be a dumbass, second-rate mechanic from South Carolina,” Nick reflects, “but he’s seen enough movies to know when a patsy is being set up for a fall.” And you won’t be surprised to learn that Nick’s hit the nail on the head. He’s headed for a fall Down Under in more ways than one. And, for Nick, First Contact will almost seem like an afterthought.
Enough suspense to keep your skin tingling
Cawdron paints a convincing picture of Nick’s long, perilous journey by air and sea to Antarctica. You’ll feel the crashing waves of the South Atlantic and the biting, subzero cold of the ice. He’s at his best in depicting the dangerous, hours-long descent on ropes under the ice to the site of the crashed vehicle. There’s enough suspense in Nick’s trip itself to keep your skin tingling. But when he and the soldiers escorting him arrive a mile below the surface, there are even greater surprises in store.
Where did he get this idea for First Contact Down Under?
People often ask science fiction authors “where they get their ideas.” Well, for starters, Peter Cawdron lives Down Under. He’s a New Zealander turned Australian. And he explains the origin of the core idea in Jury Duty in an afterword. “The crashed UFO is based on an asteroid that exploded above the ice of Antarctica 430,000 years ago, showering the continent with tiny metallic debris. As this was an airburst event rather than an impact, there was no crater, but it left me wondering, what if that was more than a metallic meteor?” What if, indeed?
Extraterrestrials under the ice?
Unknown to the public, scientists have stumbled on the wreckage of an extraterrestrial vessel buried a mile under Antarctica, where it crashed 430,000 years ago. But the leaders of the world’s nations don’t trust one another. The UN Security Council is divided against itself. Instead, the jury—comprising two members from each of the five permanent Security Council nations—is to decide what may be done with the knowledge gained from the wreckage. But now it appears that the impossible has happened. There are signs that extraterrestrials are somehow still alive under the ice. And pretty much everything goes wrong shortly after Nick arrives. His “jury duty” proves to be a life-threatening experience—and not for Nick alone . . .
The protagonist is a jerk
At the outset, it’s immediately apparent that Nick Ferrin is a deeply flawed human being. His wife, Sandra, is leaving him because he treats her with contempt and threatens her physically. In fact, “Nick has been arrested before and charged with several misdemeanors, but he’s never been convicted of a felony.” That seems about to change. Nick has picked up a pistol and is on the verge of shooting Sandra as she starts up the car to drive away. And just then armor-clad troops arrive in SUVs and a helicopter and bear him away. Suddenly, and without explanation, Nick is on his way to Antarctica. He is, the soldiers explain, “the chosen one.” Because one of the two American jurors is dying, and Nick has been selected to replace him.
“He may be a dumbass, second-rate mechanic from South Carolina,” Nick reflects, “but he’s seen enough movies to know when a patsy is being set up for a fall.” And you won’t be surprised to learn that Nick’s hit the nail on the head. He’s headed for a fall Down Under in more ways than one. And, for Nick, First Contact will almost seem like an afterthought.
Enough suspense to keep your skin tingling
Cawdron paints a convincing picture of Nick’s long, perilous journey by air and sea to Antarctica. You’ll feel the crashing waves of the South Atlantic and the biting, subzero cold of the ice. He’s at his best in depicting the dangerous, hours-long descent on ropes under the ice to the site of the crashed vehicle. There’s enough suspense in Nick’s trip itself to keep your skin tingling. But when he and the soldiers escorting him arrive a mile below the surface, there are even greater surprises in store.
Where did he get this idea for First Contact Down Under?
People often ask science fiction authors “where they get their ideas.” Well, for starters, Peter Cawdron lives Down Under. He’s a New Zealander turned Australian. And he explains the origin of the core idea in Jury Duty in an afterword. “The crashed UFO is based on an asteroid that exploded above the ice of Antarctica 430,000 years ago, showering the continent with tiny metallic debris. As this was an airburst event rather than an impact, there was no crater, but it left me wondering, what if that was more than a metallic meteor?” What if, indeed?
May 28, 2021
As good as I'd hoped it would be
Another fascinating exploration of first contact. So much to like in this book: another(!) unique scenario of first contact with entirely plausible geopolitical gamesmanship and tremendous character development (which is critical, given the main POV character's, umm, character). I'm impressed by the author's writing skill and seeming inexhaustible ideas on how first contact could happen, showing the effects on/from the humans involved. All his books have good stories that are well told. (NOT all are science fiction, btw.)
Another fascinating exploration of first contact. So much to like in this book: another(!) unique scenario of first contact with entirely plausible geopolitical gamesmanship and tremendous character development (which is critical, given the main POV character's, umm, character). I'm impressed by the author's writing skill and seeming inexhaustible ideas on how first contact could happen, showing the effects on/from the humans involved. All his books have good stories that are well told. (NOT all are science fiction, btw.)
June 9, 2021
Fumbled the human elements, nailed the science.
The actions, reactions, and overall human half of the story makes no sense. The science and settings are generally well thought out and executed, but this world is inhabited by people that don't act as people would in situations like these. From an unbelievable solution to a world problem, to select people's reaction to being a part of said solution, nothing about the people or their motivations ring true.
By the time the book wraps up you've got people miming to eachother, and communication and understanding complex concepts in the simplest of ways, similar to a random child understanding Lassie when he tells them about Timmy falling down a well.
The author relies too heavily on memes, slang, and obscure pop culture knowledge that doesn't fit the characters saying the words, and they reference too many other, better stories with similar situations, with the number one exception being The Abyss, a movie reference that would have been a little too on the nose, perhaps.
All in all, the science and physical aspects of the book work well, but the human side of the book reads as though it were written by an immature writer with a very loose grasp of complex adult interactions and situations.
The story isn't terrible, but the ending is rather hasty, and the First Contact promise of the books title under delivers.
The actions, reactions, and overall human half of the story makes no sense. The science and settings are generally well thought out and executed, but this world is inhabited by people that don't act as people would in situations like these. From an unbelievable solution to a world problem, to select people's reaction to being a part of said solution, nothing about the people or their motivations ring true.
By the time the book wraps up you've got people miming to eachother, and communication and understanding complex concepts in the simplest of ways, similar to a random child understanding Lassie when he tells them about Timmy falling down a well.
The author relies too heavily on memes, slang, and obscure pop culture knowledge that doesn't fit the characters saying the words, and they reference too many other, better stories with similar situations, with the number one exception being The Abyss, a movie reference that would have been a little too on the nose, perhaps.
All in all, the science and physical aspects of the book work well, but the human side of the book reads as though it were written by an immature writer with a very loose grasp of complex adult interactions and situations.
The story isn't terrible, but the ending is rather hasty, and the First Contact promise of the books title under delivers.
June 10, 2021
Hits It Out Of The Park Again
I may have mentioned on more than one occasion that I follow Peter Cawdron’s releases with an almost religious fervour. The common theme of first contact is addressed in different scenarios, with a variety of characters, and sometimes unexpected outcomes.
In this latest offering, Nick, a thoroughly unlikeable character, is selected for a special type of jury duty - an alien craft is below the Antarctic ice sheet, and decisions must be made about what to do. Because: it’s not like humans to muck something up, is it?
The book takes us through Nick’s journey to the Southern Continent, the people he meets on the way, and this is really where the research Peter puts into every story comes through. I rate any book via the medium of my mind movie - how it plays in my head as I’m reading it. Perhaps it’s the twin bonus of being familiar with all things NZ, and having visited Antarctica, but this is a particularly vivid story. The action is heart-racing, and the descriptions and characters drawn from plausibility. Highly recommend this take on alien visitors, and I look forward to the next story (NO PRESSURE, Mr Cawdron…)
I may have mentioned on more than one occasion that I follow Peter Cawdron’s releases with an almost religious fervour. The common theme of first contact is addressed in different scenarios, with a variety of characters, and sometimes unexpected outcomes.
In this latest offering, Nick, a thoroughly unlikeable character, is selected for a special type of jury duty - an alien craft is below the Antarctic ice sheet, and decisions must be made about what to do. Because: it’s not like humans to muck something up, is it?
The book takes us through Nick’s journey to the Southern Continent, the people he meets on the way, and this is really where the research Peter puts into every story comes through. I rate any book via the medium of my mind movie - how it plays in my head as I’m reading it. Perhaps it’s the twin bonus of being familiar with all things NZ, and having visited Antarctica, but this is a particularly vivid story. The action is heart-racing, and the descriptions and characters drawn from plausibility. Highly recommend this take on alien visitors, and I look forward to the next story (NO PRESSURE, Mr Cawdron…)
June 3, 2021
This is the seventeenth book in Peter Cawdron’s first contact series. Once again, he has come up another unique yet believable story about humanity’s first meeting with sentient life from beyond our world. Truly, I do not know how he does again and again and again.
Not only is this first contact story unique, Cawdron has decided to make the main protagonist, Nick, a wife abuser. Cawdron has never shied away from “hot button” issues. As a survivor of domestic violence himself, Cawdron uses this book to shine a light on a subject often left in the shadows.
Of course, there are a lot of other very important and interesting characters including a no nonsense First Lieutenant Jasmine Cooper, AKA Jazz, a Russian ambassador Dmitri, and a do-it-all mechanic Nicholas Ferrin, AKA Bear. The plot centers on a crashed alien space ship that is being discovered deep under the Antarctic ice by an international team. In other to keep the nations from fighting with each other, the UN has come up with a jury of two everyday citizens from each of the countries involved. Whenever there is a dispute about how to handle what they find on the alien craft, the jury weighs in and decides. Nick has been randomly selected to be on the jury and Jazz has to get him to the Antarctic base as quickly as possible.
The first half of the book is devoted to getting Nick from South Carolina to the Vincennes base. Cawdron’s description of the hazardous trek is chilling. The graphic writing is so detailed that, even if you are reading on a sunny beach, you will find yourself shivering with the descriptions of the Antarctic cold. Once the trip to the base is over, the focus shifts to the personnel at the base and the actual space ship. Again, Cawdron’s writing puts you in the middle of the action.
Cawdron must spend an enormous amount of time and effort in research for his books. The science is always factually based and explained in the afterword. He also creates very three dimensional and believable characters. Halfway through the book it will seem like you have known Nick, Jazz, Dmitri, and Bear your entire life.
In the afterword Cawdron mentions that some have criticized his recent books as being “slow.” As each of his books is action packed, full of discovery, adventure, and suspense I cannot imagine who these critics are. In Jury Duty there is not only a lot of action but the plot twists and turns constantly. Personally, I am often on the edge of my seat reading the books in this series.
As I say in each review, each book in this series is an independent story so you can read them in any order. Personally, I have enjoyed reading them in the order they were written starting with Anomaly, which continues to be one of my favorites.
Not only is this first contact story unique, Cawdron has decided to make the main protagonist, Nick, a wife abuser. Cawdron has never shied away from “hot button” issues. As a survivor of domestic violence himself, Cawdron uses this book to shine a light on a subject often left in the shadows.
Of course, there are a lot of other very important and interesting characters including a no nonsense First Lieutenant Jasmine Cooper, AKA Jazz, a Russian ambassador Dmitri, and a do-it-all mechanic Nicholas Ferrin, AKA Bear. The plot centers on a crashed alien space ship that is being discovered deep under the Antarctic ice by an international team. In other to keep the nations from fighting with each other, the UN has come up with a jury of two everyday citizens from each of the countries involved. Whenever there is a dispute about how to handle what they find on the alien craft, the jury weighs in and decides. Nick has been randomly selected to be on the jury and Jazz has to get him to the Antarctic base as quickly as possible.
The first half of the book is devoted to getting Nick from South Carolina to the Vincennes base. Cawdron’s description of the hazardous trek is chilling. The graphic writing is so detailed that, even if you are reading on a sunny beach, you will find yourself shivering with the descriptions of the Antarctic cold. Once the trip to the base is over, the focus shifts to the personnel at the base and the actual space ship. Again, Cawdron’s writing puts you in the middle of the action.
Cawdron must spend an enormous amount of time and effort in research for his books. The science is always factually based and explained in the afterword. He also creates very three dimensional and believable characters. Halfway through the book it will seem like you have known Nick, Jazz, Dmitri, and Bear your entire life.
In the afterword Cawdron mentions that some have criticized his recent books as being “slow.” As each of his books is action packed, full of discovery, adventure, and suspense I cannot imagine who these critics are. In Jury Duty there is not only a lot of action but the plot twists and turns constantly. Personally, I am often on the edge of my seat reading the books in this series.
As I say in each review, each book in this series is an independent story so you can read them in any order. Personally, I have enjoyed reading them in the order they were written starting with Anomaly, which continues to be one of my favorites.
August 16, 2025
The formula was similar to his other books, but this was a flop. The alien parts were fine (although a little unoriginal), but the human behavior aspects were awful and unrealistic. On top of that all of the adventure scenes (that the postscript indicates he added due to reader feedback that his stories are too slow) felt disconnected from the core story and were all a bit too convenient to achieve the plot progression. I would have preferred a slower story with more emphasis on first contact.
June 16, 2021
I'd actually give it 3.5 stars...not my favorite first contact alien stories. There was some interesting and philosophical discussions throughout the novel on a variety of topics, However, I felt that the aliens took a backseat to all the other "drama" that occurred in the story.
April 13, 2023
An Interesting Twist on First Contact
An alien spaceship is discovered a mile under the ice of Antarctica. No country can lay claim to Antarctica, nor make decisions about the alien craft. The 5 permanent members of the UN decide that a jury of so-called "ordinary people" will be selected from the 5 countries to make the necessary decision (like should the world be told about the ship - that kind of thing). The people are selected by the "other" nation - China would choose the American(s). So that is an interesting premise.
The twist? The protagonist, Nick Ferron, is, simply put, an asshole. When we are introduced to Nick, he is fighting with his girlfriend who is leaving him, and ends up standing on the front step of his home with a handgun pointed at his girlfriend who is fleeing from a domestic abuse scenario and has just filed a restraining order. He comes "this close" to pulling the trigger. Instead of being hauled off to jail, we discover that he has been identified as a backup juror and is taken to Antarctica to replace another juror who is ill.
This book is less about the aliens (oh, but they do play a role later) and more about Nick's journey both literally to Antarctica and figuratively as goes from almost killing his girlfriend to being given responsibility for participating in decisions that will impact the world.
I actually really enjoyed this book and plowed through it quickly. Why would the UN choose him of all people? . When he gets to Antarctica, things are out of control with a general poised to push the nuclear button but is held in check by an AI that will only permit actions approved by the jury. Enter our women-abusing asshole, Nick
This is a fast-paced book with plenty of action as Nick attempts to make his way to Antarctica. Nick's so-called transformation is interesting too, but by making him an asshole, Cawdron has set up an interesting dilemma for the reader: Once an asshole always an asshole? Or can this guy really change? It's an interesting twist on what you would expect the protagonist to be - the flag-hugging, special ops type who will always do the right thing - and instead you get Nick instead.
Go for it, it's a good read.
An alien spaceship is discovered a mile under the ice of Antarctica. No country can lay claim to Antarctica, nor make decisions about the alien craft. The 5 permanent members of the UN decide that a jury of so-called "ordinary people" will be selected from the 5 countries to make the necessary decision (like should the world be told about the ship - that kind of thing). The people are selected by the "other" nation - China would choose the American(s). So that is an interesting premise.
The twist? The protagonist, Nick Ferron, is, simply put, an asshole. When we are introduced to Nick, he is fighting with his girlfriend who is leaving him, and ends up standing on the front step of his home with a handgun pointed at his girlfriend who is fleeing from a domestic abuse scenario and has just filed a restraining order. He comes "this close" to pulling the trigger. Instead of being hauled off to jail, we discover that he has been identified as a backup juror and is taken to Antarctica to replace another juror who is ill.
This book is less about the aliens (oh, but they do play a role later) and more about Nick's journey both literally to Antarctica and figuratively as goes from almost killing his girlfriend to being given responsibility for participating in decisions that will impact the world.
I actually really enjoyed this book and plowed through it quickly. Why would the UN choose him of all people? . When he gets to Antarctica, things are out of control with a general poised to push the nuclear button but is held in check by an AI that will only permit actions approved by the jury. Enter our women-abusing asshole, Nick
This is a fast-paced book with plenty of action as Nick attempts to make his way to Antarctica. Nick's so-called transformation is interesting too, but by making him an asshole, Cawdron has set up an interesting dilemma for the reader: Once an asshole always an asshole? Or can this guy really change? It's an interesting twist on what you would expect the protagonist to be - the flag-hugging, special ops type who will always do the right thing - and instead you get Nick instead.
Go for it, it's a good read.
June 2, 2021
A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW:
A different approach but a welcome one!
This author is known for his amazing first-contact stories, and while this book definitely qualifies as one, it takes a different approach. This book is more about us.
First, you're going to learn more about surviving in Antarctica than you ever thought you'd want to know. It was actually pretty interesting and helped during the crucial process of character development for the protagonist (he does not start off on a good foot). And the setting helped the story feel as if it was happening on another planet even though it was just at the bottom of our world.
And while, there are a few common tropes within the story, thankfully the "big bad military" portion only lasted a few moments. The main focus is on how we (humanity) could make decisions that are fair for everyone, and how the various countries could find a way to undermine the process.
The ending - it was a bit abrupt for how detailed the rest of the story was. I know that "aliens" are mysterious and all, but between the last chapter and the epilogue, I could have used a bit of insight into their motivations. But that's really my only complaint and it's not that big of a deal, so...
Read it!
A different approach but a welcome one!
This author is known for his amazing first-contact stories, and while this book definitely qualifies as one, it takes a different approach. This book is more about us.
First, you're going to learn more about surviving in Antarctica than you ever thought you'd want to know. It was actually pretty interesting and helped during the crucial process of character development for the protagonist (he does not start off on a good foot). And the setting helped the story feel as if it was happening on another planet even though it was just at the bottom of our world.
And while, there are a few common tropes within the story, thankfully the "big bad military" portion only lasted a few moments. The main focus is on how we (humanity) could make decisions that are fair for everyone, and how the various countries could find a way to undermine the process.
The ending - it was a bit abrupt for how detailed the rest of the story was. I know that "aliens" are mysterious and all, but between the last chapter and the epilogue, I could have used a bit of insight into their motivations. But that's really my only complaint and it's not that big of a deal, so...
Read it!
June 30, 2021
Something far from the ordinary
An extraordinary novel of first contact, far from the slam-bang shoot 'am ups that have become so common of late in the genre. This is a novel of ideas and the capacity of humans to rise above themselves in a difficult situation. Tightly written, with strong character development and plotting, this book was a joy to read and, I think, would reward rereading. That's not something I say very often in this era of production writing for publication.
An extraordinary novel of first contact, far from the slam-bang shoot 'am ups that have become so common of late in the genre. This is a novel of ideas and the capacity of humans to rise above themselves in a difficult situation. Tightly written, with strong character development and plotting, this book was a joy to read and, I think, would reward rereading. That's not something I say very often in this era of production writing for publication.
July 16, 2023
Well, the seventeen or so previous books in this series, I have greatly enjoyed. All my frustrations and disappointments about this book were addressed in the Afterword by the author, so I'm not sure where that leaves me now. He's stolen my thunder. So what's a book review without a review? Well, it's just a book. Well, here's my ten-penny worth anyway. Does the book cover look like a human brain and stem? Do you think aliens carved the Antarctic landmass hundreds of thousands of years ago to look like that? Do you think we should carve a huge thumbs up, out of, say, Greenland, to say, "Look what we've done, are you impressed?" Just a thought.
Firstly, our main character Nick is not a likable fellow. He's angry, selfish, egotistical, abusive, and homicidal. But during the course of the book, he metamorphosed into Socrates, Confucius, Buddha, and the king of common sense and rational thinking.
Secondly, almost all of the first half of the book enlightens us on the inhabitability of the Antarctic continent. He told us it was freezing down there, with violent stormy weather and two-hundred-mile-an-hour winds. It was cold enough to freeze your lungs, with storms that lasted weeks and could kill you in minutes. It's a very dangerous environment to live and work in because it's extremely cold. Additionally, it's difficult to navigate, and the constant daylight and night can be disorienting and psychologically challenging. The constant lecturing on this subject became tiresome very quickly. But it gave the author time to develop the main character Nick into the aforementioned philosophers and teacher, and explore his contrition regarding his past transgressions.
Thirdly, the third quarter of the book was devoted to abseiling and the technicalities of that particular pastime.
Fourthly, last but not least, first contact with the aliens.
Fifthly, a bit of a twist for your perseverance. Sadly, not his best work.
Firstly, our main character Nick is not a likable fellow. He's angry, selfish, egotistical, abusive, and homicidal. But during the course of the book, he metamorphosed into Socrates, Confucius, Buddha, and the king of common sense and rational thinking.
Secondly, almost all of the first half of the book enlightens us on the inhabitability of the Antarctic continent. He told us it was freezing down there, with violent stormy weather and two-hundred-mile-an-hour winds. It was cold enough to freeze your lungs, with storms that lasted weeks and could kill you in minutes. It's a very dangerous environment to live and work in because it's extremely cold. Additionally, it's difficult to navigate, and the constant daylight and night can be disorienting and psychologically challenging. The constant lecturing on this subject became tiresome very quickly. But it gave the author time to develop the main character Nick into the aforementioned philosophers and teacher, and explore his contrition regarding his past transgressions.
Thirdly, the third quarter of the book was devoted to abseiling and the technicalities of that particular pastime.
Fourthly, last but not least, first contact with the aliens.
Fifthly, a bit of a twist for your perseverance. Sadly, not his best work.
February 12, 2023
Hmmm
Interesting concept for a book. Take a few people from various parts of the world, send then to Antarctic to get then"voice of reason" in a jury pool to determine the fate of an expedition. Obviously, it does not go to plan but then again, that's life. If everything ran smoothly, this would nave been a short story. I like the twist of the jury being selected more for their gullibility versus any logical reasons.
It should be noted, for a book titled "Jury Duty", there's little of that in the book, i think 1.5-2 chapters in the book. Most of the book consist of Nicks journey to the research center, a fair amount on dealing with the elements, sprinkle some politics, and eventually the jury comes in to make one decision.
Cawdron tried to redeem Nick by the end of the book, and for the most part, under the circumstances he wrote for Nick, he did. But reality is a bit different, it takes more than a few sobering days to set someone straight. You do not go from white trash, drunkard, abuser, to savior of an Alien spaceship in a couple days. There simply wasn't enough time for Nick to grow. There was also the sudden political intelligence he miraculously inherited between chapter one and the end of the book. He's introduced as an abusive drunk, with minimal education, and by the end of the book, he diagnosing political agendas, and figuring out global political chess matches with regards to the jury pool. How? When did he gain the insight. At no point in the book, did Cawdron ever hint at Nick had this experience or knowledge, he simply knew how to resolve the issue of the jury quagmire.
Overall, the book did not bore me, but this isn't the best book in Cawdron's first contact series.
Interesting concept for a book. Take a few people from various parts of the world, send then to Antarctic to get then"voice of reason" in a jury pool to determine the fate of an expedition. Obviously, it does not go to plan but then again, that's life. If everything ran smoothly, this would nave been a short story. I like the twist of the jury being selected more for their gullibility versus any logical reasons.
It should be noted, for a book titled "Jury Duty", there's little of that in the book, i think 1.5-2 chapters in the book. Most of the book consist of Nicks journey to the research center, a fair amount on dealing with the elements, sprinkle some politics, and eventually the jury comes in to make one decision.
Cawdron tried to redeem Nick by the end of the book, and for the most part, under the circumstances he wrote for Nick, he did. But reality is a bit different, it takes more than a few sobering days to set someone straight. You do not go from white trash, drunkard, abuser, to savior of an Alien spaceship in a couple days. There simply wasn't enough time for Nick to grow. There was also the sudden political intelligence he miraculously inherited between chapter one and the end of the book. He's introduced as an abusive drunk, with minimal education, and by the end of the book, he diagnosing political agendas, and figuring out global political chess matches with regards to the jury pool. How? When did he gain the insight. At no point in the book, did Cawdron ever hint at Nick had this experience or knowledge, he simply knew how to resolve the issue of the jury quagmire.
Overall, the book did not bore me, but this isn't the best book in Cawdron's first contact series.
June 23, 2021
Once again, Peter Cawdron hits it out of the park with this, his 17th story of First Contact. I didn't think Peter could get better as a writer, but in this installment, he matured as a writer even more, showing a different side of his writing. His character development had its usual excellence, and by the middle of the book, you felt like you had known the characters for years.
And this character development is the predominant feature in this book, with the idea of First Contact taking a backseat to the human condition. The story is actually about spousal abuse and how abusers are treated, rewarded, and viewed with blinders by society. Peter has never shied away from hot button issues and in this book, tackled another one. The protagonist in this book goes through life changing experiences and comes out a better human being by the end of the book. Let's hope at least one abuser will read this book, realizes what has been happening with their life, and makes the appropriate changes.
But the thing that really hit home with me was Peter's description of Antartica and life down there. His detail made it appear that he has been there and experienced it first hand. Peter's research into whatever subject he is writing about is spectacularly extensive and it shows in this book.
While I still consider his last book, Wherever Seeds May Fall, to be his best work and possibly the best science fiction book I have ever read, Jury Duty comes in as a close second. Peter showed maturity as a writer and a capability of writing about different things, tackling difficult subject matters with ease. This book definitely deserves five stars.
And this character development is the predominant feature in this book, with the idea of First Contact taking a backseat to the human condition. The story is actually about spousal abuse and how abusers are treated, rewarded, and viewed with blinders by society. Peter has never shied away from hot button issues and in this book, tackled another one. The protagonist in this book goes through life changing experiences and comes out a better human being by the end of the book. Let's hope at least one abuser will read this book, realizes what has been happening with their life, and makes the appropriate changes.
But the thing that really hit home with me was Peter's description of Antartica and life down there. His detail made it appear that he has been there and experienced it first hand. Peter's research into whatever subject he is writing about is spectacularly extensive and it shows in this book.
While I still consider his last book, Wherever Seeds May Fall, to be his best work and possibly the best science fiction book I have ever read, Jury Duty comes in as a close second. Peter showed maturity as a writer and a capability of writing about different things, tackling difficult subject matters with ease. This book definitely deserves five stars.
August 8, 2022
The author’s note at the end starts by thanking the reader for taking a chance on this book. I typically try not to do a lot of research on books before I read them, so as to go into it with an open mind. So I knew this was a first contact story, and little else.
I admit, the opening scenes did not endear the protagonist (Nick) to me at first. But what an amazing character arc he had. Was he perfect? Hardly. But he surprised me. I thought I had him pegged, which I suspect was the point.
To say too much of the story would be to give away its magic. At times, I did wonder what the end game would be. I worried the premise was too big and as I started nearing the end, I figured there was no way it could all be wrapped up on a satisfactory way.
But, wow. It was.
The journey of this story was fascinating, and to me, properly paced. Now that I’ve come to the end, it’s also very much one of those stories which makes you think, deeply, long after you’ve finished it. I love that. And going back to the author’s note at the end—more of this, please. I really enjoyed reading Peter Cawdron’s thoughts about this book, his responses to some anticipated criticisms, and some backstory into how he put the story together. I wish every book came with this. I’ll definitely be seeking out more of his writing going forward.
I admit, the opening scenes did not endear the protagonist (Nick) to me at first. But what an amazing character arc he had. Was he perfect? Hardly. But he surprised me. I thought I had him pegged, which I suspect was the point.
To say too much of the story would be to give away its magic. At times, I did wonder what the end game would be. I worried the premise was too big and as I started nearing the end, I figured there was no way it could all be wrapped up on a satisfactory way.
But, wow. It was.
The journey of this story was fascinating, and to me, properly paced. Now that I’ve come to the end, it’s also very much one of those stories which makes you think, deeply, long after you’ve finished it. I love that. And going back to the author’s note at the end—more of this, please. I really enjoyed reading Peter Cawdron’s thoughts about this book, his responses to some anticipated criticisms, and some backstory into how he put the story together. I wish every book came with this. I’ll definitely be seeking out more of his writing going forward.
February 7, 2023
The premise is that an alien starship was found under a mile of ice in Antarctica. Members of the UN Security Council decided to handle disputes during the investigation by having a "jury" made up of 2 "average citizens" from each of the 5 permanent Security Council members. When investigating, if disagreements can't be settled otherwise, the jury will be asked to make the decision.
The book centers around an American, Nick, who is taken from his home in order to be a stand-by juror in case one of the current American jurors is unable to serve. The first 40% of the book tells how Nick is taken and his journey to Antarctica and across Antarctica as winter is setting in down there. Then, another section of the book deals with problems among the human investigators up on the surface. Readers do learn about Nick, some other characters, Antarctica and the plans for "jury duty" in this process. However, most of the story sits on the science fictional premise, while only a fraction of the book directly interacts with it.
Nick does evolve during the book. The last section of the book has a science fictional premise / element, but is more a resolution for Nick's personal life. As the author's afterword indicates, the book is intended to be more about people than possible futures.
The book centers around an American, Nick, who is taken from his home in order to be a stand-by juror in case one of the current American jurors is unable to serve. The first 40% of the book tells how Nick is taken and his journey to Antarctica and across Antarctica as winter is setting in down there. Then, another section of the book deals with problems among the human investigators up on the surface. Readers do learn about Nick, some other characters, Antarctica and the plans for "jury duty" in this process. However, most of the story sits on the science fictional premise, while only a fraction of the book directly interacts with it.
Nick does evolve during the book. The last section of the book has a science fictional premise / element, but is more a resolution for Nick's personal life. As the author's afterword indicates, the book is intended to be more about people than possible futures.
December 10, 2021
Overall, a very good book. Character personality and setting description were articulate and colorful. When an author makes the reader feel like they are in the trenches with the story's characters, it reveals their ability to understand depth. Such description resembles genuine talent and skill. Additionally, the author nailed the ability to paint the setting. The description of sub-zero Arctic conditions were perfect! My favorite part was the voyage on the naval vessel to Antarctica and the interaction between the characters. As a military service member and prior sailor, I can relate to those chapters' interactions, relationships, and sea conditions. There is no doubt with the number of books the author has written, that skill has developed and enabled him to be more prolific. I am a bit disappointed that the author spent too much time on people and not on the aliens. Writing about first contact experiences is difficult. It's tough to nail such a difficult situation without sounding too cliché. But as a curious reader, I want to know more about the aliens, not just the people. However, I look forward to reading more from the author as he explores first contact scenarios with various books and stories.
June 28, 2021
I gave this 5 stars because the majority of the book is just outstanding, for many reasons. Redeemable , human, characters (except the baddies, obviously). And many gloriously quotable passages.
The author has a very deft and compassionate touch with the uncomfortable domestic violence thread re the protagonist. So I'm a little sad to say that a couple of sections felt really dissonant to me.
The first of these is a scene which adds some commentary on 'the patriarchy'. Honestly it didn't feel like a lecture, or anything of that nature, but it was redundant, clunky, and really broke my engagement with the story. It felt like either the author struggled, and failed, to integrate whatever the section was meant to say. Or, worse, it was filler to suit a particular audience. Either way it was beneath the skills of the author.
The second part I had problems with was the ending(!). It wasn't awful, and a lot of people will no doubt love it. But to me it felt like the ending to a different, and lesser, book.
Overall a really good read, and totally recommended. If it had been just a little more consistent it would have been pure gold.
The author has a very deft and compassionate touch with the uncomfortable domestic violence thread re the protagonist. So I'm a little sad to say that a couple of sections felt really dissonant to me.
The first of these is a scene which adds some commentary on 'the patriarchy'. Honestly it didn't feel like a lecture, or anything of that nature, but it was redundant, clunky, and really broke my engagement with the story. It felt like either the author struggled, and failed, to integrate whatever the section was meant to say. Or, worse, it was filler to suit a particular audience. Either way it was beneath the skills of the author.
The second part I had problems with was the ending(!). It wasn't awful, and a lot of people will no doubt love it. But to me it felt like the ending to a different, and lesser, book.
Overall a really good read, and totally recommended. If it had been just a little more consistent it would have been pure gold.
April 8, 2022
While this book is portrayed as a First Contact work, it is really more of a deep character exploration on what it is to be human. He delves into this in some detail in the afterword and I appreciated what he said there. The actual interactions with the aliens are just the icing on the cake at the end of the book. Some people may struggle with the slow pace and extended character development and extreme detail as the story unfolds. I decided to roll with it and enjoyed the ride. The only thing I dislike about Peter Cawdron's writing is how he will often resort to casting military people as stereotypes. While this was minimal in this book and in fact one of the principal characters, Jazz is a strong independent military woman I was still disconcerted when one of the major military types ran off the rails in an unnecessary part of the story that I could have done without. But I am highly sensitized to violence and brutality, and would prefer not to read books that contain graphic violence. It seems that Peter always resorts to that as a way of commenting on human nature. I wish he didn't have to do that.
September 24, 2022
Good story with good characters...not what I was expecting in a "fist contact" story, but a good one none the less. The primary character (Nick) is a typical aging male with a dead end life...failing marriage, routine job and still a sense of arrogance and entitlement.
The story opens with him in a typical fight with his wife, who is a nurse. The fight escalates and he ends up with a gun in his hand. Just before he doses something really stupid he is taken into custody by a group of from the military. This first contact story moves through rather slowly but eventually you get the understanding that Nick has been selected to be an alternate on a jury. This jury is a group representing the UN Security Council members that are deliberating on what to do about a wrecked spaceship that has been found in Antartica.
The story goes from there and becomes a more normal "first contact" story with Cawdron's usual well written character studies that he brings to all of his stories in this series.
The story opens with him in a typical fight with his wife, who is a nurse. The fight escalates and he ends up with a gun in his hand. Just before he doses something really stupid he is taken into custody by a group of from the military. This first contact story moves through rather slowly but eventually you get the understanding that Nick has been selected to be an alternate on a jury. This jury is a group representing the UN Security Council members that are deliberating on what to do about a wrecked spaceship that has been found in Antartica.
The story goes from there and becomes a more normal "first contact" story with Cawdron's usual well written character studies that he brings to all of his stories in this series.
March 29, 2024
This is First Contact series number 4 for me. As I have said in reviews of Peter Cawdron's other books, he's a great storyteller and I like his characters. I also love - and this is what has gotten me to continue with the series more than anything - that he is creative in providing really imaginative first contact scenarios that say as much about who WE are as about who THEY might be. All of that said, there are parts of this particular story that feel forced and uneven. I give him credit for going out on a limb and providing us with a genuinely unlikable hero - and for doing it in the name of a good cause - but it doesn't fully redeem the rough spots in the tale.
If you have not yet read any of Cawdron's First Contact series, my recommendation would be to begin with Artifact, Ghosts, or Art of War (the others of his that I have read so far) as they are all very good. Don't dismiss this one out of hand because, as I said, it has its good points as well. And if you are as obsessive as I am, then you have already committed yourself to reading all 27 books in the series anyway.
If you have not yet read any of Cawdron's First Contact series, my recommendation would be to begin with Artifact, Ghosts, or Art of War (the others of his that I have read so far) as they are all very good. Don't dismiss this one out of hand because, as I said, it has its good points as well. And if you are as obsessive as I am, then you have already committed yourself to reading all 27 books in the series anyway.
June 13, 2021
I was already a Peter Cawdron fan going into this, but I feel like he's getting better as a writer. While the first novel of his that I read, Anomaly, was an idea book with character kind of secondary, Jury Duty is primarily a character study and a man vs. nature arctic survival story.
The next book I read from him was Wherever Seeds May Fall, shockingly original, focused on alien contact in an entirely different way.
The alien stuff in Jury Duty is great, and he did a great job subverting my expectations again, but it surfaces (literally) pretty late in the book, and is really used in the service of character development, rather than being the focus of the novel.
I think Cawdron grew as a writer since Anomaly was released in 2011, He handles dialog, emotion, and character so much better here, and tells a completely different kind of story.
I remain a fan, but I'm afraid he's going to keep writing stuff faster than I can catch up with his back catalog!
The next book I read from him was Wherever Seeds May Fall, shockingly original, focused on alien contact in an entirely different way.
The alien stuff in Jury Duty is great, and he did a great job subverting my expectations again, but it surfaces (literally) pretty late in the book, and is really used in the service of character development, rather than being the focus of the novel.
I think Cawdron grew as a writer since Anomaly was released in 2011, He handles dialog, emotion, and character so much better here, and tells a completely different kind of story.
I remain a fan, but I'm afraid he's going to keep writing stuff faster than I can catch up with his back catalog!
July 4, 2021
I’m conflicted writing this because Cawdron quickly became one of my favorite writers and I’ve read almost everything he has written, but I also know he emphasizes how important reviews are in his acknowledgements.
Disclaimer here..I did not finish the book.
The journey just could not keep my attention enough to want to continue and, reluctantly, I gave up. The travel aspect seemed to swallow up whatever plot that I gave up too early to reach. I blame a bit on my ADD. A part of me wants to skip the polar journey and bypass the part that is not holding my attention and pickup at whatever point the trip ends… and maybe I will do just that in the future.
If this is your first Peter Cawdron book and you loved it, I’m happy to hear. But if this your first and you didn’t enjoy it or had a hard time finishing it, I urge you to try another of his books. Having read all of his novels, I feel I can safely say this one doesn’t encapsulate how good of a writer he is.
Disclaimer here..I did not finish the book.
The journey just could not keep my attention enough to want to continue and, reluctantly, I gave up. The travel aspect seemed to swallow up whatever plot that I gave up too early to reach. I blame a bit on my ADD. A part of me wants to skip the polar journey and bypass the part that is not holding my attention and pickup at whatever point the trip ends… and maybe I will do just that in the future.
If this is your first Peter Cawdron book and you loved it, I’m happy to hear. But if this your first and you didn’t enjoy it or had a hard time finishing it, I urge you to try another of his books. Having read all of his novels, I feel I can safely say this one doesn’t encapsulate how good of a writer he is.
August 4, 2022
There are people who believe that here are living aliens, or at least an alien spacecraft, somewhere under the Antarctic ice and this story takes that belief and runs with it.
Countries all want to control the spacecraft so a jury is set up of people from different countries who will hear evidence and decide which country get to control what has been found.
Nick is the main American character and his character leaves lot to be desired. He and the others arrive, have to get to a certain base and at a base they find something really strange has happened to the people there. There's murder, alien beings that are unusual, a giant squid, an abduction (with some yucky parts), an A.I. The book has domestic violence, politics, human vs. human violence, alien vs. human violence and the sentence 'Violence is the failure of reason.'
The story's dark. The characters are pretty much what you'd expect. The things that happen are kind of frightening at times. It all makes for a pretty good read.
Countries all want to control the spacecraft so a jury is set up of people from different countries who will hear evidence and decide which country get to control what has been found.
Nick is the main American character and his character leaves lot to be desired. He and the others arrive, have to get to a certain base and at a base they find something really strange has happened to the people there. There's murder, alien beings that are unusual, a giant squid, an abduction (with some yucky parts), an A.I. The book has domestic violence, politics, human vs. human violence, alien vs. human violence and the sentence 'Violence is the failure of reason.'
The story's dark. The characters are pretty much what you'd expect. The things that happen are kind of frightening at times. It all makes for a pretty good read.
October 20, 2021
"Every road has two directions."
Already a long time fan of the author, Peter Cawdron, I again enjoyed this stand alone first contact book. His writing style is very approachable, full of immediate impact and easy to read, with lifelike characters. The main protagonist in Jury Duty, however, is a little more difficult to fully accept even if duress can possibly bring about remarkable changes, even soul searching 'road to Damascus ' moments. As the author reveals in the afterward, this is in many ways a personal to him exploration.
I would have preferred an earlier ending.
Yes, there is an alien first contact in the book but it is far more an exploration of the human psyche and the individuals within it which, combined with the terrors of Antarctica so brilliantly reconstructed for the reader, make this a fascinating and exciting read
Already a long time fan of the author, Peter Cawdron, I again enjoyed this stand alone first contact book. His writing style is very approachable, full of immediate impact and easy to read, with lifelike characters. The main protagonist in Jury Duty, however, is a little more difficult to fully accept even if duress can possibly bring about remarkable changes, even soul searching 'road to Damascus ' moments. As the author reveals in the afterward, this is in many ways a personal to him exploration.
I would have preferred an earlier ending.
Yes, there is an alien first contact in the book but it is far more an exploration of the human psyche and the individuals within it which, combined with the terrors of Antarctica so brilliantly reconstructed for the reader, make this a fascinating and exciting read
April 19, 2022
Character driven First Contact story explores human feelings
This is my 2nd Peter Cawdron novel and I was very close to not continuing as the first chapter is disturbing and could be to much for some. However I'm glad I continued as the characters are quite interesting and held my interest. Crashed UFO stories located in the Artic of Antartica are a staple of SF writing, TV, and movies. What the author has done rather well is focus on the physical and emotional journeys the main and associated characters must overcome to get to the crash site in Antartica. Peter does a good job with internal dialogue and probing our human interactions. I especially enjoyed the transport via the New Zealand Navy. Some interesting AI implications to ponder. I'm glad I made it to end and how it resolves the beginning pages with the end.
This is my 2nd Peter Cawdron novel and I was very close to not continuing as the first chapter is disturbing and could be to much for some. However I'm glad I continued as the characters are quite interesting and held my interest. Crashed UFO stories located in the Artic of Antartica are a staple of SF writing, TV, and movies. What the author has done rather well is focus on the physical and emotional journeys the main and associated characters must overcome to get to the crash site in Antartica. Peter does a good job with internal dialogue and probing our human interactions. I especially enjoyed the transport via the New Zealand Navy. Some interesting AI implications to ponder. I'm glad I made it to end and how it resolves the beginning pages with the end.
December 16, 2022
I was looking forward to a sci-fi inspired courtroom drama (and one would rightfully think that's what was in store), but this is far from that. The majority of the story unfortunately does not even have anything to do with the 'jury' aspect of it.
First off, it takes forever for the story to physically take place in Antarctica. Secondly, none of the characters are likeable (especially the main character of the story). And third, the writing and explanation of everything is very direct, nothing really other than linear thinking. With good sci-fi stories and themes are generally open to help invite different possibilities and ways of thinking and explaining things. It also helps fuel the creativity. This story is very much devoid of such material.
Disappointing. Was really looking forward to this.
Also the ending is soooo far removed from the rest of the story, very perplexing.
First off, it takes forever for the story to physically take place in Antarctica. Secondly, none of the characters are likeable (especially the main character of the story). And third, the writing and explanation of everything is very direct, nothing really other than linear thinking. With good sci-fi stories and themes are generally open to help invite different possibilities and ways of thinking and explaining things. It also helps fuel the creativity. This story is very much devoid of such material.
Disappointing. Was really looking forward to this.
Also the ending is soooo far removed from the rest of the story, very perplexing.
July 18, 2021
Another great addition to his awesome First Contact series.
The beginning of the book caught me off guard. I couldn't figure out why Mr. Cawdron had a leading character who had abused his girlfriend. Not something I expected but as the story developed I began to understand.
It's kind of a look at the dark side of humanity and the landscape of Antarctica was the perfect parallel.
The characters were all well developed and I found myself actually crying when one of my favorites was killed.
Mr. Cawdron writes in the Afterward "Violence is the failure of reason", a theme that ricocheted throughout this story.
I really enjoyed this book, it was an interesting read with a great storyline. I learned more about the author and I appreciate him all the more for sharing this truth.
The beginning of the book caught me off guard. I couldn't figure out why Mr. Cawdron had a leading character who had abused his girlfriend. Not something I expected but as the story developed I began to understand.
It's kind of a look at the dark side of humanity and the landscape of Antarctica was the perfect parallel.
The characters were all well developed and I found myself actually crying when one of my favorites was killed.
Mr. Cawdron writes in the Afterward "Violence is the failure of reason", a theme that ricocheted throughout this story.
I really enjoyed this book, it was an interesting read with a great storyline. I learned more about the author and I appreciate him all the more for sharing this truth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2021
It’s tough to start a book with such an unlikeable protagonist. He is an abusive man-child who only cares about himself. I found myself determined not to like Nick. But of course a transformation story is irresistible, and it certainly happens in real life. If you read the afterward, the author is very familiar with domestic abuse—if anything he toned the details down for this story. This makes it extra impressive that he is able to enter the mind of the abuser to discover why people act this way, and if change is possible.
The action on the ice kept me interested and the aliens are super unique and interesting. The best part of this series is that once you start, there are so many books to add to your “to read” list.
The action on the ice kept me interested and the aliens are super unique and interesting. The best part of this series is that once you start, there are so many books to add to your “to read” list.
February 23, 2022
More than you expect
I passed this book up a couple times, didnt think it was my usual selection type. Then went back to it, not sure why, I started reading and the beginning was no where near my kind of reading. I hated the beginning and was about to trash the book but had a few minutes so continued. That's when it got good. This book proved to be a very good read and I recommend it highly, there were parts I would have liked to skip but didnt, it was worth my patience as the story says a lot about how people make decisions. You may find good thoughts about your own thought processes. I think the author writes well, tells a good story and deserves your viewing. It's just a good book.
I passed this book up a couple times, didnt think it was my usual selection type. Then went back to it, not sure why, I started reading and the beginning was no where near my kind of reading. I hated the beginning and was about to trash the book but had a few minutes so continued. That's when it got good. This book proved to be a very good read and I recommend it highly, there were parts I would have liked to skip but didnt, it was worth my patience as the story says a lot about how people make decisions. You may find good thoughts about your own thought processes. I think the author writes well, tells a good story and deserves your viewing. It's just a good book.
July 31, 2023
So you're an alcoholic American wife-beater sort of guy whose wife has just left him - for good reason - and you're just waiting for the police to arrive and arrest you.
Only instead of jail, you find yourself involuntarily inducted into a secret mission to Antarctica, where you freeze your tender parts off, to take part in a first contact event. Maybe you'll rise to the occasion and redeem yourself, but it won't be easy.
Once again Peter Cawdron makes life miserable for his characters in a life-threatening, in-over-their-heads situation and thereby activates your empathy for their plight and pulls you fully into his story.
ps you should read every one of Cawdron's First Contact series you can get your hand on... trust me
Only instead of jail, you find yourself involuntarily inducted into a secret mission to Antarctica, where you freeze your tender parts off, to take part in a first contact event. Maybe you'll rise to the occasion and redeem yourself, but it won't be easy.
Once again Peter Cawdron makes life miserable for his characters in a life-threatening, in-over-their-heads situation and thereby activates your empathy for their plight and pulls you fully into his story.
ps you should read every one of Cawdron's First Contact series you can get your hand on... trust me
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