Quirky abduction story with all the feels
Book review by Jude Goodwin
The Road to Roswell
Connie Willis's "The Road to Roswell" is a fun road trip saga involving abductions, conspiracies and a parade of eccentric characters. With a mix of humour, adventure, and heart this is an entertaining and charming read.
The story follows Francie, a level-headed skeptic who finds herself abducted by an alien named Indy in the midst of her college roommate's UFO-themed wedding in Roswell, New Mexico. Each year in Roswell, there is the UFO Festival which brings hundreds of cosplaying visitors and almost as many conspiracy theorists and self-identifying UFO experts. Anyone who has followed UFO - and more recently the UAP - history will get a kick out of the many stories and theories being put forward all over town during the festival.
Willis’s tale picks up as the alien, Indy, collects a ragtag cast of characters along the way to a destination, which seems to be some place even Indy finds elusive. A charming con man, a sweet little old lady with a casino addiction, a genuine UFO conspiracy theorist, and more, each character adds their own quirk to the group, making them almost as endearing as the, of course adorable, alien himself.
The book isn’t a literary masterpiece and the tropes are not new. However, you can expect a bit of mystery and a few good twists. If you’re looking for a light and entertaining read, be sure to pick this up. It belongs on your shelf alongside Roadkill, (Dennis E Taylor) another Alien Encounters story that will make you laugh.
I’m now planning my own Road to Roswell trip for next summer. Will I see you there?