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The Visitors
A few years from now, Earth faces total annihilation, unless two determined aliens can rewrite its fate. Bjorn and Zorn, shapeshifting observers of our troubled planet, are horrified by what they see. Determined to save humanity from itself, they leap back through time to intervene. Their unlikely allies? A ragtag band of cynical animals: Dax, a chicken-nugget-loving Maine Coon; Penelope, an irreverent Adélie penguin; Florence, a thoughtful cow; and Ptoni, a prehistoric Pteranodon with attitude. Saving the world is serious business, but with this crew, chaos comes laced with comedy.
The Visitors by Andrew Cahill-Lloyd targets a young adult audience, though its wit and inventiveness easily appeal to older readers as well. Fans of Artemis Fowl will recognize the quick pacing and mischievous tone, while admirers of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett will find familiar notes of absurdity and satire.
Cahill-Lloyd excels at weaving eccentric characters and outrageous scenarios into a cohesive, fast-moving narrative. Beneath the laughter, however, pulse weightier themes, homophobia, racism, and the perils of blind faith. These serious undertones are handled deftly, introduced with humor and humanity rather than heaviness.
Each brisk chapter feels like an episode from a gleefully bizarre television series. The jokes land fast, the dialogue crackles, and amid the hilarity, flashes of insight remind us what’s at stake. Bjorn and Zorn’s advanced technology allows for wild journeys through time and space, yet it also highlights a sobering truth: humans, given such power, might not use it for good.
For all its zany energy, The Visitors is more than intergalactic farce. It’s sharp, funny, and oddly poignant, a whirlwind of wit and wonder that never overstays its welcome. Cahill-Lloyd writes with the kind of gleeful abandon that invites readers to laugh, think, and maybe cringe a little at their own species.
Pages: 264 | ASIN : B0FS6Y7YDK
Something Typically Cheeky
The Visitors follows two time-traveling aliens who go back in time to save Earth from destruction with the help of some misfit friends. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I was fiddling with some basic digital art. I created a Pteranodon aimed at kids. My cat Dax, one of the main characters, did something typically cheeky and I was inspired to create the story round Dax and Ptoni.
With so many entertaining characters in this story, who was your favourite character to write for and why?
My favourite is Dax because he is based on a real cat. The scene on the ship in orbit over NASA, where Dax flicks his collar off, is based on an actual event. I do have to say that family feedback is that Florence the Jersey Cow is the favourite among readers hands down.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Inclusion
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am currently on working on a follow up to The Visitors, and I am turning an original screenplay into novel form. A very adult story of street kids, I will release it under a new pen name. Both should be around 6 months away.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
The laid back Ptoni the Pteranodon, the ladylike Florence the Jersey Cow, the excitable Penelope the Adelie Penguin, and the Chicken Nugget obsessed Dax the Maine Coon Cat, set off on an adventure that will see them cross the galaxy and back again.
Their adventure is filled with drama, fun and chaos. The local drive-thru will never be the same again, and neither will Florence’s derriere. Alien abduction can be fun!
The Visitors
The Visitors by Andrew Cahill-Lloyd is the charming story of two aliens from the planet Aeon, Bjorn, and Zorn, who are tasked to observe Earth. The pair watches as the religious wars on the planet lead it to destroy itself. They are soon charged with the task of going back in time to try to save Earth from itself by revealing proof of alien existence to humans to prove there are bigger things out there. Teaming up with animals from around the world, they set their plan in motion to save man. Will their endeavors be fruitful in enlightening mankind, or have they caused bigger problems?
This was a sweet read that was out of this world. It was fun seeing the misadventures these aliens and animals get themselves into, and I feel kids would enjoy its wacky cast of characters. I love a good romp through time and space, and this filled that niche perfectly. This piece had good heartwarming messages I think a lot of people need to hear in this day and age. The humor in this book balanced out the heavier topics and made this an enjoyable rescue mission that didn’t take itself too seriously. I mean, who doesn’t love a well-placed fart joke when you’re trying to save the world.
I did feel the flow of the book needed some work. I felt it was too fast-paced, and you really didn’t have time to marinate on each revelation before you raced off to the next one. I wished the descriptions had been fleshed out a little bit more in some areas; I couldn’t get a good image in my head at times. The character’s personalities, however, shone through and kept me smiling and laughing.
The Visitors is a gripping children’s science fiction novel filled with aliens and animals. I highly recommend this book if you love a good adventure through time and space. Its fun characters, heartwarming messages, and humor make this an entertaining story.
Pages: 206 | ISBN : 1398490334
LITERARY TITAN 