Misfits” by Gary Davis is a science fiction mystery with comedy that will take readers on a journey that will not soon be forgotten. The novel, narrated from the perspective of the local high school janitor known as Mr. Bill, follows the story of a group of misfit kids. Set in a small mill town, this book weaves together intrigue, alien secrets, and government cover-ups.
This is a story of a gang of youth, in the age bracket of 12 to 20, who get involved in an adventure unlike any other. These kids live in a town full of long-standing rumors of alien beings marooned in the surrounding mountains, waiting for a way home, and with the deserted lead mines as their secret refuge. Against the background of a government research facility in the town’s old industrial area, where a damaged alien artifact is reconstructed in secret, this is a setting for a series. What really sets “Misfits” apart, however, is its mix of mystery and humor. While the kids innocently investigate the government’s facility with much of their mischievous nature, it sets the scene for comic and thrilling events back to back. One of them hacks into his dad’s scientific lab computer and starts issuing orders for doubles of all the pieces of the alien artifact project his government is dealing with. These extra parts get sent through secret deliveries to the local school where the teens start constructing a duplicate alien object in an abandoned Cold War shelter.
This act of curiosity soon snowballs into a full conspiracy, with the involvement of the military as truths about the aliens and their technology surface. The numerous funny mistakes and misunderstandings thereafter lighten the high-stake drama and turn “Misfits” into an entertainingly amusing science fiction adventure story.
A graduate of industrial electrical engineering, Gary Davis reveals the technical details in the story of the novella, where the ingenuity and resourcefulness of young protagonists literally mean the difference between life and death. Davis grew up playing in the backwoods of New England and now resides in Utah. With “Misfits,” he brings to life an intense love for storytelling and for adventure. His experiences in exploring the remote areas of wilderness, all the way to telling stories to his children on outings, helped shape his inimitable style of narration.
If you enjoy a little humor mixed into your science fiction, then “Misfits” is for you. An interesting combination, fun mixture of adventure, mystery mixed with humor that will keep you reading until the very end.