Customer Reviews

In Alien Heat: The Warminster Mystery Revisited

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I have to agree with Dr David Clarke when he wrote : "This is a fascinating and absorbing book which should be read by everyone who wants to know 'the truth' behind the UFO mystery."

This book is extremely well written, and thorough. The authors never take themselves too seriously, so whilst being a serious study, it is never dry or dull. I read this book because I lived in Warminster for a few years in the 70's and went to Cradle hill sky watching myself on 4 or 5 occasions. I can vouch for the accuracy of Dewey and Ries's reports on what it was like to be there at that time. But I learned a lot more from the book; about the origins of the 'Thing', which I didn't know then, and have only just learned, and about how the whole affair played out over the years.

The introductory overview of UFO phenomena up to the time of The Warminster 'flap'- ( I'm learning the jargon) provides a very welcome, succinct history of the field for someone like me who has not read widely in UFO literature. It will also provide a useful developmental perspective for others more familiar with the field.

The central chapters of the book look in depth at the history of the sightings in the 60s and 70s. At first, hundreds of people descended on the town to see the lights in the sky, and over the years smaller groups persisted in their sky watches, and were often rewarded with impressive sightings. I found the chapters in the last half particularly interesting. These look in some depth at the kind of psychological mechanisms at work in groups during a UFO flap. The authors always apply what they discuss to the Warminster phenomena but I am sure you could usefully apply their principles to analyse almost any UFO sightings and apply most of the same principles to analyse similar phenomena, such as Nessie, ghosts, or Bigfoot sightings.

So, I believe this is a book which is of much wider relevance and interest than to the few people who know of Warminster. It should be essential reading for any serious student of UFO phenomena. One warning; this book is for those who are open- minded, curious and interested in the truth, but it will seriously challenge the beliefs of those who pin their faith on 'our flying friends'.

A UFO-book truly worth reading is one where you won't read exclusively about this particular aerial phenomenon, but also learn about such matters as the historical and social context where the sightings took place, why the local inhabitants acted and reacted the way they did, what the consequences were, and so on. A book like that is of interest to more people than just your everyday UFO buff, and if you on top realize that the authors actually have a sense of humor; well then finding a reason not to get a copy of your own will be difficult indeed.

And In Alien Heat is a book just like that.

Steve Dewey and John Ries both grew up in Warminster, England. In the middle of the 1960s, strange and mysterious phenomena started happening throughout the city; phenomena that were being caused by "The Thing." Local reporter Arthur Shuttlewood became involved and started reporting, and over the years authored a whole bunch of books. Originally having a skeptical approach, Shuttlewood started becoming more and more convinced that friendly extraterrestrials for some reason had zoomed in on Warminster. The city's reputation started building up, local tourism started booming, Warminster became known all over the world, and soon Shuttlewood changed into the local UFO guru; the wise man who stood on Cradle Hill with his followers skygazing.

The survey over how the UFO phenomena over Warminster came to be and evolved over the years is very fascinating indeed and well worth reading. However, the sections dealing with the phenomena in general are the ones that turn out to be the most interesting in the entire In Alien Heat. Because Dewey and Ries definitely has a good view of the human nature and her fascination with the unknown:

"There is no doubt that many witnesses who came to Warminster were seeking awesome, profound experiences. If they found what they came for, if awe and wonder touched them, then whether what they saw was an internal or an external manifestation is, perhaps, irrelevant to them." (pg.200)

As is the case with any other books of non-fiction, even in this case there is a possibility that readers who aren't immensely interested eventually will start getting sick of the whole thing, but, in case you do finish the entire book (and I highly recommend that you do so) you'll be rewarded with tons and tons of great information. Very great, indeed. The Warminster phenomena eventually began to come to an end, and one by one the faithful believers stopped skygazing at Cradle Hilll. A number of the events that took place in Warminster over the years were quite absurd, to say the least, but the analysis provided by Dewey and Ries nonetheless continues to be of the highest quality throughout the book, and they even manage to squeeze in a few jokes here and there. But more than anything you'll finish the book with a much greater deal of understanding for mankind's fascination with the paranormal and mysterious:

"UFOs seem to pop up everywhere, from conspiracy theories through to archaeology. We live in a culture that, it seems, is hungry for the unexpected, the unusual, the fortean. Is it any wonder, then, that we appear to filter out cold, dull, reality and allow through the mesh only that which is exciting, awesome, and unreal?" (pg.211)