Our Child of the Stars by Stephen Cox

Publisher – Jo Fletcher Books

Published – Out Now

Price – £10.99 paperback £4.99 Kindle eBook

Molly and Gene Myers were happy, until tragedy blighted their hopes of children. During the years of darkness and despair, they each put their marriage in jeopardy, but now they are starting to rebuild their fragile bond.

Then the Meteor crashes into Amber Grove, devastating the small New England town - and changing their lives for ever. Molly, a nurse, caught up in the thick of the disaster, is given care of a desperately ill patient rescued from the wreckage: a sick boy with a remarkable appearance, an orphan who needs a mother.

And soon the whole world will be looking for him.

Cory's arrival has changed everything. And the Myers will do anything to keep him safe.

First contact with life from another world is a key theme in science fiction. A situation that’s been explored constantly in our culture ranging from War of the Worlds, ET and a host of friendly and unfriendly visitors from far off worlds. The test is not just how will they respond to us but also how will we respond to them? Will it be with joy or fear? In Stephen Cox’s remarkable Our Child of the Stars we get a lyrical and surprising story examining what humans are made of in the face of our greatest challenge.

Our tale starts in the small US town of Amber Grove circa 1970 a mother named Molly is creating her son Cor’s Halloween costume. But we will immediately be told Cor has tentacles on his face, purple eyes and a long tail. Cor is an alien child hidden by Molly and her husband Gene and we are going to find out how he got in their home and their hearts. In early 1969 Molly and Gene Myer are a young couple concerned about the arrival of the new President Nixon, the war in Vietnam and suffering a recent miscarriage. But just as Molly has re-started her life the town is rocked by a mammoth explosion. Apparently, a meteor has struck the area and amidst the chaos the disaster brings to the local hospital is an alien mother and child in need of major medical care. The small staff upon the death of the mother decide they do not want to pass the young child they name Cor to the various military and government agents around the area. Instead they try to hide Cor and Molly in particular develops a close bond with him. However, in this time of moon shots, cold wars and spies there are plenty of dangers from Earth and beyond the young couple and their charge now need to face.

Now there is a bit of you thinking of the film ET as you hear this and initially that does appear to be the road we are travelling along as we watch Molly and Gene bond with Cor that feels very familiar but Cox does two really interesting things to develop this story. Firstly the location of late 60s Cold War America with added Richard Nixon creates an interesting darkening of the american dream with a 60s with the protests, Dr King and women’s liberation calling for long needed change clashing with a more selfish and hard-line machismo that clearly sees Cor and his mother as just property, potential game and for experiments to help their reputation this is a story with grip and that helps build tension as we wonder will kindness triumph. On top of that there is an absolutely beautiful almost minor detail about a certain minor character and a famous event that makes you realise that as of the moment you read that particular paragraph you are no longer in the world and history you know. Reader…I applauded this way of taking the rug out from under me and also then making this story much bigger and uncertain as to its destination. I did indeed do a double take!

But smart worldbuilding isn’t just the only delight and Cox’s prose is a joy to read. There is a warm and gentle flowing storytelling style that treads the difficult line between nostalgia and yet also a provides a subtle and refreshing modern examination of the era’s flaws and prejudices avoiding making it too sepia in tone. The story keeps up the pace all the way as we move from a small town that has no cares to the fate of the world and possibly beyond with everyone starting to look for this strange family. Giving the story its heart though is the core group of Molly, Gene and Cor who have to face into the shock of aliens and then their sharing of each other’s worlds and perspectives. Molly in particular gets to face into her own demons and is probably my favourite character both helping a traumatised alien child and standing up to the forces trying to take him away. Cor is also a charming innocent but perceptive character with some unique abilities as well as insights as to how humans appear to a more advanced world. They tend to bring out the best in characters and when we see those abilities in action we also know he’s capable of a lot even though he’s so young.

This was an absolute treat to read and apart from knowing I now need to read the next book (Our Child of Two Worlds out now) very soon it was extremely satisfying to read! Lyrical, heartfelt and not afraid to take some chances to expand the story more than you’re expecting. Cox is an elegant writer I definitely am looking forward to reading more from and this book suits warm summer evenings. Highly recommended!