Alienated [Hardcover]

Andrew Auseon (Author), David O. Russell (Creator)

Book Description

Best friends Gene Brennick and Vince Haskell come across freaky aliens like Mold Man, Calamari Girl, and Crumble Bun all the time as reporters for their homemade weekly tabloid, the Globe, a newsletter featuring stories on the aliens living quietly among humans in Santa Rosa, California.

Gene and Vince's classmates don't take their articles too seriously -- no one does, really. Gene's determined to find a way to end his outsider status for good, and when he and Vince discover a local teacher's deep, dark secret, Gene's convinced he's found the answer. But after taking it one step too far, Gene and Vince are suddenly at the center of an intergalactic conflict, one that could be the death of the boys' friendship, or of the boys themselves -- whichever comes first.

Acclaimed screenwriter and director David O. Russell teams up for his first novel with Andrew Auseon to deliver a hilarious, surprising adventure that will keep readers glued to every page.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–8—Best friends Gene and Vince go on rollicking adventures to track down and interview aliens who are living on Earth incognito. Though no one believes that the stories they write for their self-published newsletter are true, the boys know that these unusual individuals—cleverly named for their physical characteristics (e.g., Mold Man)—are the real thing. When the teens discover that the aliens are disappearing, they find themselves embroiled in an intergalactic plot that involves Vargon, the universe's most evil and frightening warlord. After meeting a school guidance counselor named Walter, they discern that he is actually Vargon's peace-loving nephew. Gene's desire to boost the newsletter's credibility causes him to print an article exposing Walter's identity, bringing the boys to the attention of Vargon's most frightening henchman. Meanwhile, Gene has been exhibiting some very unusual physical characteristics. Wrapped up neatly at the end with a surprise twist, the book is brimming with humor (Gene's tender first kiss comes right when he first sprouts tentacles from his shoulders), compounded by the theme of adolescent self-discovery. Wonderfully refreshing is Gene's character growth as he learns to become more thoughtful and caring and redeems himself by helping Walter fight the alien thugs. Quirky and imbued with a touch of romance, Alienated should resonate well with middle school sci fi fans.—James K. Irwin, Evanston Public Library, IL
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From Booklist

In this quirky read, aliens and the misfit main characters find out they have a lot in common. Fourteen-year-olds Vince Haskell and Gene Brennick are best friends and co-workers who publish The Globe, a tabloid that reports on extraterrestrials disguised as humans in their community. They are labeled phonies, but Gene hopes The Globe will provide him fame and notoriety, while Vince worries that long hours at the news desk will hinder his grades. Despite Vince’s objections, Gene prints an article exposing the alien identity of a friendly guidance counselor. After Gene kisses Vince’s crush and Vince retaliates by publishing his own scathing article, the boys must put aside their differences to stop an intergalactic war. On the surface, the Men in Black–style aliens would seem a lure for reluctant readers, but this novel is really more about teenage alienation. As one alien says, “This is a tough planet. You’ve got to keep changing who you are. That’s the price of fitting in.” Hand this to those who feel like they’re from another planet. Grades 5-8. --Kimberly Garnick

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 344 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin / Simon & Schuster; 1st edition (October 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416982981
• ISBN-13: 978-1416982982
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,023,114 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book for kids, December 28, 2009

By 

Georgia Mom (Dunwoody, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Alienated (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

This was a book I read to my son every night and he loved it. It is about two boys, Vince and Gene, who write a newsletter about aliens in their community. Most everyone believes it to be a work of fiction, but it really is the result of genuine reporting. They find out the guidance counselor at their school, Walter, is the nephew of the most evil alien in existence and they expose him. This book details all of their encounters/adventures with various aliens, including Walter's twin sister, who is intent on capturing Walter and bringing him back home. Vince and Gene end up helping Walter escape from her. If you have a child who enjoys science fiction and aliens, then they will really enjoy this book. The author did a good job of tapping into how pre-teen boys think, and even I enjoyed reading this book. It is for ages 8-12, and I think that is about right.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sci-Fi Tween Book, November 9, 2009

By 

The Three Woods "mommy2lile" (USA proud to be an American) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Alienated (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

What if Bigfoot, Squid boy, Arachnid Boy, Crumble Bun and Mold Man were all aliens living among us? Two 14 year old boys, Vince and Gene, not only believe aliens live among us, they seek them out for interviews for their special newsletter "The Globe". Gene will do anything to get a story while Vince is happy to just be a writer. Toss in a few crazy aliens with weird powers and you have the makings of a funny story. Completely silly scenarios take place throughout the book as the boys experience being bowled over by a giant mold ball, watch their favorite doughnut shop crumble and discover their school counselor is actually an evil alien bent on finding her twin brother and turning aliens into amusements for her Uncle's birthday party. There is an added plot twist when one of the characters realizes they are an alien, too, complete with tentacles that think for themselves. The book is very silly and puts me in mind of "The Dragon Slayer Academy Series" and "Captain Underpants." However, several lessons are taught throughout the book making it perfect for tweens. One such lesson is "treat others exactly as you expect to be treated." The book is very "cleanly" written without sexual content, compromising situations or language.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun alien action!, February 24, 2010

By 

TheLastCoyote (WA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Alienated (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

If you enjoy silly adventures complete with strange and wierd aliens then this is the book for you. My 10 year old daughter highly enjoyed reading Alienated and is hoping that the authors will be writing part II very soon. She sums it up as being funny & exciting and had a hard time deciding between Mold Man and Crumb Top as her favorite alien character.