Fundamentally, Misfits by Gary Davis is a master class in merging science fiction to mystery and comedy. This story hinges upon the secret of a small town: alien beings marooned in deserted lead mines in the surrounding mountains. These aliens are stranded, desperately trying to find a way home. What could possibly connect a group of misfit teenagers with these extraterrestrial beings?
The plot kicks off when one of the teens hacks into his dad’s scientific research facility and inadvertently doubles the government’s special parts order for an alien artifact being reconstructed in a top-secret research facility. This simple act of curiosity snowballs into a chain reaction of events that assembles a duplicate alien artifact in a Cold War-era shelter beneath the school. Compelled by the need to know what really happened, the teens find themselves entangled in a conspiracy that’s way larger than they could ever have imagined.
As the government lab works on the damaged alien artifact, the kids’ actions draw the attention of the military and shadowy figures with an invested interest in keeping the truth hidden. The mystery deepens as the teens discover more about the artifact’s true power and the ultimate plan of the alien race. But that comedic nature of their blunders, the unintended consequences of their actions, and the friction of keeping secrets in a small town add humor to the suspenseful events.
The beauty of Misfits is in its ability to make readers stand at the edge, yet always offering comic lines in between. This absurd action and randomness on behalf of a misfit bunch normally ends in the discovery required within the plot mystery unfolding around the story. The constant tension tugged from the covert governmental operation against light-hearted kids will also keep it all fresh and new for them.
Meanwhile, the old mill town backdrop offers a rich setting that deepens the mystery. The town itself, with decades of history and a shadowy past, is just the right stage on which such a story-one which combines intrigue and comedy-could unfold. It’s not just a town, but it’s a character unto itself, hiding secrets in its very soil.
Forced to clean up after a freak electrical storm, the misfit kids must choose whether to expose the truth and risk everything or protect their town and the strange things they have discovered. This struggle adds an extra layer of emotional weight to what would otherwise be a strictly comedic plot, making Misfits unforgettable.
Gary Davis’s perfect blend of humor, science fiction, and suspense creates a story that will certainly be enjoyed by readers of any age. In the plot, one can definitely see his comprehensive understanding of the technical concepts along with his love for adventure, making it not just thrilling but something to think over. Davis has surely combined, in Misfits, the best of science fiction and mystery, all laced with a humorous twist from start to finish.