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51
Did the infamous Roswell site contain something so weird that it bears little resemblance to UFOs, aliens, or the most intricate conspiracy theories? With 51, Patrick O'Leary (The Gift) delivers a witty, unpredictable novel that upends one of the best-kept secrets in American history: the strange events at Area 51. This implausibly plausible explanation intricately entangles estranged friends, their not-quite-imaginary friends, and a series of very confused American presidents. "A hallucinogenic Alice In Wonderland / Yellow Submarine / Slaughterhouse Five narrative that is even weirder than the reality that is America."
--Mario Acevedo, author of the Felix Gomez series "[O'Leary's] voice is fresh and funny."
--New York Times What really happened in Area 51? Adam Pagnucco is just trying to help out a stranger who's down and out. He has no idea that man is Winston Koop, his exceptionally talented, ex-best friend. Koop and Nuke had been inseparable in college, but then life happened. Nuke finally quit drinking, and Koop--Koop was at the center of a massive conspiracy that the government faked UFOs just to cover it up. Even after confessing to removing the memories of hundreds of people, Koop is still hiding something crucial from Nuke. The truth is even stranger than fiction, and time is running out for the real inhabitants of the Roswell site. Can Nuke somehow find a way to forgive . . . but not to forget? In his long-awaited new novel, Patrick O'Leary (Door Number Three) deftly navigates the invisible currents of secrets and forgiveness. Gripping, profound, and utterly unique, 51 is sure to please fans of fans of smart paranormal nostalgia, such as the X-Files, Old Man's War, and Stranger Things.
--Mario Acevedo, author of the Felix Gomez series "[O'Leary's] voice is fresh and funny."
--New York Times What really happened in Area 51? Adam Pagnucco is just trying to help out a stranger who's down and out. He has no idea that man is Winston Koop, his exceptionally talented, ex-best friend. Koop and Nuke had been inseparable in college, but then life happened. Nuke finally quit drinking, and Koop--Koop was at the center of a massive conspiracy that the government faked UFOs just to cover it up. Even after confessing to removing the memories of hundreds of people, Koop is still hiding something crucial from Nuke. The truth is even stranger than fiction, and time is running out for the real inhabitants of the Roswell site. Can Nuke somehow find a way to forgive . . . but not to forget? In his long-awaited new novel, Patrick O'Leary (Door Number Three) deftly navigates the invisible currents of secrets and forgiveness. Gripping, profound, and utterly unique, 51 is sure to please fans of fans of smart paranormal nostalgia, such as the X-Files, Old Man's War, and Stranger Things.
Book Details
- Publisher: Tachyon Publications
- Publish Date: Feb 8th, 2022
- Pages: 296
- Language: English
- Edition: undefined - undefined
- Dimensions: 8.43in - 5.51in - 0.94in - 0.70lb
- EAN: 9781616963484
- Categories: • Science Fiction - Alien Contact
About the Author
Patrick O'Leary's first novel, Door Number Three, was lauded by Publishers Weekly as a best book of the year. His second book, The Gift, was a finalist for both the World Fantasy Award and the Mythopoetic Award. O'Leary's The Impossible Bird was selected as one of Locus's top novels of the year. He has also published two acclaimed short story collections: Other Voices, Other Doors and The Black Heart. O'Leary lives near Detroit, where he continues to write fiction, and takes part in the prestigious Michigan Writer Series.
Praise for this book
"In O'Leary's (The Gift) latest, Winston Koop's job is to make people forget. He's been tasked with keeping the government's biggest secret, that the infamous Roswell incident was not a badly covered up alien crash landing on Earth. Instead, the incident was itself a well-conceived coverup of something much more dangerous. Experiments at Area 51 have opened a door into the multiverse, and the government has spent decades covering up their illegal experiments on beings from the other side--and the resulting technical advances that have been gleaned as a result. But he's an old man now, and his misdeeds are wearing him down. All he needs to do is tell his best friend a story that Winston has made him forget. O'Leary's novel can be read in any number of ways--as science fiction exploring the multiverse; as fantasy dealing with creatures of the imagination made real; as commentary on how badly humans treat one another and the rest of the planet; as a political satire; as a tale of an over-the-hill-gang that rides again; as an exploration of the human psyche and the need to be seen and understood; or all of the above. VERDICT Recommended for readers of philosophically and psychologically bent sf."
--Library Journal "Spanning over fifty years, the timeline jumps around enough to make one's head spin, with endings as clear as a kaleidoscopic daydream. It is a quirky, offbeat take on a popular plot. O'Leary takes the Roswell conspiracy and sets it on its ear. This outlandish paranormal chronical pushes science fiction in a new direction. O'Leary's bizarre, hallucinogenic narrative is the Naked Lunch for a new generation. In fact, 51 has all the elements of a cult classic in the making."
--Manhattan Book Review "O'Leary's 51 is literary fiction on LSD, laced with surreal dreamscapes, humor, and dark insights into the human condition."
--William C. Dietz, author of the Winds of War series "O'Leary and his metaphysical snake slither across a hallucinogenic Alice In Wonderland / Yellow Submarine / Slaughterhouse Five narrative that is even weirder than the reality that is America."
--Mario Acevedo, author of the Felix Gomez series "In addition to its creative exploration of intriguing themes, 51 is notable for its unpredictable moments. Some are funny (the Pope's interactions with American presidents are priceless). Others are poignant. . . . The appearance of 51 gives me hope that O'Leary will retire from his day job."
--Tzer Island "A deeply felt exploration of friendship, loyalty, memory, and growing old . . . there are also passages of truly lovely prose to remind us that this is much more than a conspiracy thriller."
--Locus "If you like the works of Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut, then this will indubitably give pleasure."
--SF Crowsnest "O'Leary has his own voice that has long been missing from science fiction. 51 offers a taste of that voice that many readers will either not know they have been missing, or have forgotten in the nearly two decades since his last novel. Nevertheless, 51 is a unique and welcome addition and a chance for readers to either discover O'Leary or become reacquainted with him."
--Steven Silver Reviews "Fascinating, and compulsively readable, and cumulatively quite moving. O'Leary's first three novels proved he is a major writer in our field--and 51 shouldn't change anyone's mind about that!"
--Rich Horton Praise for Door Number Three "[O'Leary's] voice is fresh and funny, and he is bold enough to offer this assessment of the human condition as seen from a therapist's perspective 'The only terror that heals: the terror of being ourselves.'"
--New York Times "An idiosyncratic, witty, labyrinthine, preposterous, unrestrained, and often highly entertaining debut."
--Kirkus "A staggering concept richly realized."
--Interzone "A grand, sardonic comedy of consensual reality gone awry."
--James Morrow, author of Shambling Toward Hiroshima Praise for The Gift "Echoes of Tolkien reverberate throughout this wonderful fantasy, a satisfying story-within-a-story in which a king and his youthful companion try to best the forces of evil."
--Booklist, Editor's Choice "A magical tale."
--Library Journal "It is mature, thoughtful, provocative, and exceptionally beautifully written fantasy, and O'Leary makes it resonate."
--Locus "Patrick O'Leary can be alternately funny and incredibly tragic, wise and light-hearted."
--Starlog
--Library Journal "Spanning over fifty years, the timeline jumps around enough to make one's head spin, with endings as clear as a kaleidoscopic daydream. It is a quirky, offbeat take on a popular plot. O'Leary takes the Roswell conspiracy and sets it on its ear. This outlandish paranormal chronical pushes science fiction in a new direction. O'Leary's bizarre, hallucinogenic narrative is the Naked Lunch for a new generation. In fact, 51 has all the elements of a cult classic in the making."
--Manhattan Book Review "O'Leary's 51 is literary fiction on LSD, laced with surreal dreamscapes, humor, and dark insights into the human condition."
--William C. Dietz, author of the Winds of War series "O'Leary and his metaphysical snake slither across a hallucinogenic Alice In Wonderland / Yellow Submarine / Slaughterhouse Five narrative that is even weirder than the reality that is America."
--Mario Acevedo, author of the Felix Gomez series "In addition to its creative exploration of intriguing themes, 51 is notable for its unpredictable moments. Some are funny (the Pope's interactions with American presidents are priceless). Others are poignant. . . . The appearance of 51 gives me hope that O'Leary will retire from his day job."
--Tzer Island "A deeply felt exploration of friendship, loyalty, memory, and growing old . . . there are also passages of truly lovely prose to remind us that this is much more than a conspiracy thriller."
--Locus "If you like the works of Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut, then this will indubitably give pleasure."
--SF Crowsnest "O'Leary has his own voice that has long been missing from science fiction. 51 offers a taste of that voice that many readers will either not know they have been missing, or have forgotten in the nearly two decades since his last novel. Nevertheless, 51 is a unique and welcome addition and a chance for readers to either discover O'Leary or become reacquainted with him."
--Steven Silver Reviews "Fascinating, and compulsively readable, and cumulatively quite moving. O'Leary's first three novels proved he is a major writer in our field--and 51 shouldn't change anyone's mind about that!"
--Rich Horton Praise for Door Number Three "[O'Leary's] voice is fresh and funny, and he is bold enough to offer this assessment of the human condition as seen from a therapist's perspective 'The only terror that heals: the terror of being ourselves.'"
--New York Times "An idiosyncratic, witty, labyrinthine, preposterous, unrestrained, and often highly entertaining debut."
--Kirkus "A staggering concept richly realized."
--Interzone "A grand, sardonic comedy of consensual reality gone awry."
--James Morrow, author of Shambling Toward Hiroshima Praise for The Gift "Echoes of Tolkien reverberate throughout this wonderful fantasy, a satisfying story-within-a-story in which a king and his youthful companion try to best the forces of evil."
--Booklist, Editor's Choice "A magical tale."
--Library Journal "It is mature, thoughtful, provocative, and exceptionally beautifully written fantasy, and O'Leary makes it resonate."
--Locus "Patrick O'Leary can be alternately funny and incredibly tragic, wise and light-hearted."
--Starlog