Customer Reviews

Brother Termite

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4 star:		(4)
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Brother Termite, by Patricia Anthony...

Are politics, culture, and humanity mutually exclusive ideals? Is genocide a necessary evil? Is love a self-defeating genetic side effect? These are a few of the questions that Patricia Anthony poses in her brilliantly subversive novel, Brother Termite.

With breathtaking precision, and awesome subtlety, Patricia Anthony achieves the almost unthinkable; set fifty years in the future in a world where aliens walk freely among us, and seen through the eyes of an extraterrestrial Chief-of-Staff working in the White House, she tells a story of global proportions, and yet manages to keep intact all of the mystery, eeriness, and uncertainty that surrounds the modern UFO phenomenon. And at the same time, her story holds true to virtually all of the folklore and mythology of the contemporary UFO culture. Anthony has done much more than just passionately researched her topic, she has extrapolated upon it, philosophized it, and weaved it into a fascinating and provoking narrative.

A novel of alien menace, flying saucers and underground bases, abductions and political intrigue, Brother Termite introduces us to a future that is both abysmally bleak, and at the same time full of hope. We are taken on a futile, yet somehow inspirational journey, and given a first hand look at the tremendous gears turning in Washington, out of sight, far beyond Middle American perception, beyond the common man's control. It is this particular theme, which we find the most innovative, the most horrific, and the most appealing. The fact that the common man is so far removed from the plot, so unaware of the political, Earth-changing, apocalyptic events that surround him and determine his very future. Anthony cleverly turns the tried and true "Everyman" theme on its ear; instead of imbuing a "common man" with heroic qualities, and thrusting him into the thick of predicament, she does the reverse. Anthony's characters are all larger than life, all heroes in their own rights; U.S. President Jeff Womack, alien Chief-of Staff Reen, FBI Director William Hopkins, and even the spirit of JFK. But as the story progresses, we begin to see their humanity, their commonality, exposed. One by one, Anthony's characters fall victim to their own humanistic natures, their own souls. One by one, we see each of these larger than life heroes transformed into Everyman.

I highly recommend Brother Termite, not only for those involved in the UFO community, or even the science fiction community, but for anyone with a passion for the dramatic; anyone who seeks the answers to philosophical questions of the heart; or harbors a love of political espionage, or seeks to know what goes on behind the closed doors of the White House; anyone who loves a good mystery, a good thriller, or a good romance. Brother Termite weaves all of these various sub-genres and ideals flawlessly, seamlessly into an imaginative and engaging satire of a world we thought we knew, a world that some of us may have even suspected.

I also recommend the novel for those who are interested in the UFO culture and phenomenon. Remarkably Brother Termite holds true to practically all of the mysteries, beliefs, theories, eccentricities, sensationalism and popular history of the UFO enigma. And perhaps even more remarkably, Brother Termite approaches the field with more intelligence and thoughtfulness than much of the non-fiction which has been published, of late. While we are certainly not espousing any hidden truth, or predictive qualities to the work, we do feel that Anthony has approached her topic, in a creative, literary sense, with more level-headed common sense, and comprehension, than many of the scholars, investigators and researchers currently working in the field. She has brought to the phenomenon a much needed breath of fresh air and introspection. Isn't that what art is all about?

Masterfully, Anthony combines questions of metaphoric, philosophical, and hypothetical natures in a way that leaves us questioning not her story, but ourselves, and our world. Are we alone here on earth? If not, then what? In creating a world where we are not the only sentient, intelligent race on the planet, Anthony shows us all the more what it means to be human. Is it possible to both love and hate at the same time? Is it possible to commit an act that is at once both good and evil? Patricia Anthony shows us inarguably that the answer is yes, as she not only defines, but portrays, true ambivalence.

-Scott C. Carr
Editor "The Flying Saucer Gazette"

Great. It's 20 years I read Sf, maybe even more, but this was really something. Out of alien abduction/Roswell/etc. trash Anthony made a wonderful novel, a good read (once you start you simply cannot stop, not matter what you should do instead of reading) halfway between inspired Sf and well-crafted detective story. And what is really brilliant is the idea that yes, there is a conspiracy, but it's humans who are plotting against aliens--maybe.

Do not miss this one. You won't regret the bucks you're going to spend. Wonderful dialogues, great plot, and a lot of action in a rather small space--the White House. You'll learn things about Eisenhower, JFK and Edgar J. Hoover you never suspected...

This is the first Patricia Anthony novel I have read, but certainly won't be my last. Whether you are a UFO buff or not, it is likely that you are familiar with the `Greys' (little alien creatures purportedly from Zeta 2 Reticuli). Certainly, Whitley Strieber has gained much attention in his novels delving into alien abductions (Communion was made into a movie).

In `Brother Termite', Anthony explores a fictional account of an extraterrestrial alien society (`Greys') who have infiltrated to the highest levels of government, and indeed, are the power behind the government (believe me, many people `out there' believe this has already happened to a certain degree;-). What follows is more of a political thriller than science fiction, but it works nicely on both accounts.

Anthony goes inside the alien mind and culture, and presents a fascinating look into the `hive', their strengths and weaknesses. At stake is not only our government as we know it, but the human race as well. Quickly paced and well thought out, I hope it finds a place on your book shelf. Between 1 and 10, `Brother Termite' gets a 7.

I read "God's Fire" and "Cold Allies" and enjoyed the author's quirky but brilliant style, especially the way aliens are so epehemeral, on the edge, non-human. In this book, a work that includes humor, mystery and science fiction, she ruminates on politics, culture, the future. The further one delves, the more one understands and admires the hero,(Reen-ja) and his travails.

The only word to describe character development (Ms. Anthony's forte) is awesome. The President journeys from pitiful rambling politician to tragic hero. Marian carefully plots the dangerous path that brings betrayal and heartbreak. Reen succumbs to that most human of emotions, love, though he cannot change his nature. A cosmic tragedy awaits the only two sentient races in the Galaxy - humans the termites. These humanoid aliens evolved from insects and as such are hive creatures with allegiance to their Brothers and Cousins. Their life is set at birth (an aside to much like the still-strong Indian caste system). Both termites and humans are losing the ability to reproduce. In the termites case, the vast majority are now born mindless workers.

The termites have undertaken to fuse two races into one that will stand the test of time. Experiments begin and children are born. We encounter murder, kidnapping, torture, investigations and surprises. The humor is always present - some of it slapstick but always with an edge. In fact the entire story has a shadowy nervousness as if one were waiting for the other shoe to drop. The commentary on rituals, customs,what it means to be human, are insightful and thought-provoking.

The incredible ending with Reen's final thoughts was not only tragic but triumphant, a classic case of martyrdom for our fellow man or in this case, fellow termite. The reader feels a deep sadness mixed with a sudden understanding as we grasp not only his shock but acceptance. The scene of his traitorous brother, attempting desperately to stop the sacrifice, remains with the reader long after the book was closed.

In all the science fiction I ever read (and that's what I mainly read!), I cannot remember reading anything which resembles "Brother Termite". The plot is so surreal, yet is written with such talent that it totally seems plausible.

As for the plot: somewhere in the middle of the 20th Century, Aliens - small, gray skinned with large eyes - have landed on Earth. Using treachery they have gained control of Earth. However, most people don't really realize that the President is really a puppet in the hand of the Aliens, as well as the CIA and the FBI. Most people don't realize that the aliens are also plotting genocide against the human race. The entire story is told from the perspective of Reen, the chief of staff of the white house, and the effective ruler of the planet. Reen is a "Cousin", which is the word the Aliens use when they refer to themselves. The time is roughly the end of the of the 20th Century, and there is great turmoil in the world. Humans hate the Cousins, and vice Versa. and everybody - Everybody has a secret agenda. It all starts when many "Cousins" start vanishing and dying. Something is going on, and Reen and his fellows can't understand what is happening. There is definitely a conspiracy, but who is behind it? the CIA? the FBI? other Aliens? You'll have to read the book to find out.

I really couldn't put the book down from the moment I started, although I really had to concentrate to fully grasp what is going on. Not all the plot elements are explained, and much is discovered in stages. Many things happen constantly, many small details occur. That's what made the reading fun. It was also nice to see the way the author put real political figures into the plot (J. Edgar Hoover, John F. Kennedy).
However, I have rarely encountered such a bleak, depressing book. I recommend science fiction fans who love politics to try this book - but be warned, this is far from light reading.

Haven't read the book, but I can tell you that James ("Terminator") Cameron bought the movie rights, and that John Sayles wrote a script for it several years ago...

Powerful aliens who conquer the world are a sci-fi staple. This book turns the story around when the aliens have problems running the world. Comic cameos by John Kennedy and others.

This author's book, along with the other two she has written, represent a major find for any fan of good writing, regardless of whether or not your primary interest is science fiction. This was the first book I read from her. The unique perspective of the main character, and the fast moving plot make this a quick, very enjoyable read. Give it a try! I'll bet you'll be back for more

I like the book. I read it twice. Bought the book in 1993. I highly recommend the book. It combines the best of several genres.

Though I know by now that the endings of her books are gonna leave me dissatisfied, I still read them.

I read them because between the front cover and the ending there is always astonishingly good storytelling. This book was no exception. An alien invasion story told from the side of the aliens. It took me awhile to figure out that was what she was doing and then suddenly, just like that, it changed the entire way I was reading the book.

That angle made me think about what was happening more keenly than I was doing so up to that moment and actually made me go back and start again. Simply amazing writing. Again though, that ambiguous ending...

Still, I recommend it. You can still find her books here for pennies. At that price, don't be afraid to check her out. You may enjoy them tremendously.