Alienology (Ologies) [Hardcover]

I own just about every ology product available - all of the dragon-, ocean-, pirate-, monster-, myth-, vampire-, spy-, egypt- and wizardology books, as well as the dragonology model sets and even the board and card games.

What I liked about the other books in the series is how they fictionalized the "lost book" account of the subject matter in a serious fashion. This made the other books a much more immersive experience for the reader.

This alienology book, however, while also utilizing the same "lost book" methodology, does so in a very hokie, non-serious manner. Alien abduction stories in a supermarket tabloid, such as the Weekly World News, are almost scholarly in comparison to this book.

While some younger kids may not notice this stylistic difference from the past ology books, I think the more intelligent/insightful/older kids and adults will see the difference and will be disappointed by this addition to the ology series. Did the ology company hire a new writer to author this book? It sure seems so.

Have you ever had your kids fight over a book? I cannot recall that ever happening in my house. Yet, when my kids laid eyes on Alienology, that is exactly what happened. I cannot tell you how immensely satisfying that was. So, why all the pushing, grabbing, running and hiding?

Alienology is just fun. There are fun pictures, flaps to lift, stories to read and secrets to be found. Around the dinner table we explored the book, laughing and talking. We learned the universal gestures for aliens. We learned about alien brains and the evolution of eyeballs. There were things to touch, but be careful of the S.L.I.M.E! (Surface-Living Intelligent Multiplying Endolith) It will consume you in order to grow! Luckily, I was one of the few humans that are immune to it. There are charts to compare different species of aliens, and it tells you which are friendly and which are not. Do you want to know how big they are? How long they live? Where they live? It's all in this book. As my kids would say, "It's awesome!"

I gave this book 5 stars because it was a book that all 3 of my kids wanted to read. 1 boy, 2 girls. Ages 8-15. I even wanted to read it. It was a book we could all share. We enjoyed going through it together and when all is said and done, those are the best kinds of moments.

Could you identify someone from another planet? Have you ever been suspicious about the person you sat next to on the bus or that weird new neighbor? There are mysterious things happening everyday in our world, things that seem to have no explanation or that are given very flimsy explanations. Are all those reported "sightings" of lights in the sky and possible spacecraft crashes really just some kind of government cover-up? If these situations and questions ever cross your mind, then perhaps it's time for you to pick up the latest book on aliens by Professor Alan Grey.

ALIENOLOGY is the book that Professor Grey found in a used bookstore under a stack of old magazines from the '60s. He knew immediately what an important find this was and has worked hard to put it into a format that is appealing and chock full of amazing information. For instance, there are many highly unusual samples that readers can actually touch, like the specimen of protectonium,which is a material used in the clothing worn by the Greys to protect them from the cold.

In Chapter Four, "Humanoid Aliens," we learn that the Greys are highly intelligent beings that have visited and continue to visit the earth to study humans, and that they are in a constant war to defeat S.L.I.M.E., the deadliest threat to the galaxy. S.L.I.M.E. (Surface-Living Intelligent Multiplying Endolith) "is a single consciousness that takes the form of oozing, glutinous patches of mucus, which are spreading rapidly throughout the Milky Way." A complete description of this dreaded purple gook is given in Chapter Six, which also contains a horrible picture of it devouring a Grey.

Each chapter of this incredible book covers important topics and answers questions about extraterrestrials, such as "Alien Biology and Physiology" (Have you ever seen the autopsies on aliens?) and "Alien Communication" (If the aliens are communicating, what are they trying to say?). Included in each chapter is a LOGIC TEST for those who are brave enough to carefully study the evidence offered.

Along with all the detailed examples and specimens included in this volume, there are opportunities to embrace the digital experience of ALIENOLOGY. By using your mobile phone, you can download ringtones and animated alien cards to trade. The whole interactive experience can be enhanced when you [...] where you can play games, explore the Intergalactic Council Space Station and create your own Intergalactic Council ID card. There are charges for some of these digital experiences, so read the instructions carefully and make sure you have your parent's consent.

In the Afterword, Professor Grey presents more tests to affirm that the cadet is an able candidate to fight non-friendly aliens. Answers to the logic questions are also provided on an Internet site by entering a code. The professor says that his friend, who just happens to be an extraterrestrial, has assisted him with this book. Now what can that mean? It means that all of these things must be read very, very carefully, doesn't it?

Like all previous 'Ologies volumes, this one is full of fun, creative art work and challenging information. In the very beginning, the publisher explains that the book is actually a facsimile edition, since the infamous "Men in Black" have not returned the original manuscript. They also point out that all information provided cannot be confirmed and that, to date, "the publisher has found no evidence that aliens really do exist..."

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts