Clayton Graham's book three of the Milijun series, Alien Whispers: Conflict and Communion, is a continuation of books one and two, Milijun and Amidst Alien Stars. Laura Sinclair and her son Jason were shaken by an alien first contact on Earth, one which categorically destroyed all hope humans had that such an event might be in the spirit of peace. Kidnapped and brought to a space station, Laura and Jason find themselves and other humans in an untenable situation as part of an alien-human hybrid reproduction project. The series progresses beyond the space station to a mosaic of alien races. Power and control are not just human issues and beyond Earth, the warring rages on. When Laura gets back to Earth, now a century by human timelines, it becomes clear that the Tellurians aren't finished yet.

Alien Whispers is dark, dark, dark science fiction and Clayton Graham goes straight for a reader's jugular. I know that a book has to have a bonafide plot but as readers we still kind of cling to the possibility that Laura could catch a breather. Maybe a cheeky spa day on Earth a hundred years later? The world building on and off space stations and planets is described well enough to read as photographic without bogging the pace down with anything unnecessary. Graham's strength is character development and dialogue, but also the non-stop stressors. As if the Tellurians placing every nation on Earth under their tyrannical rule and threatening to literally nuke any resistance from the Underground isn't action enough, there's also crap flying in alternate directions and none of it will end well. I love Laura; Matthew's penchant for poor timing with declarations is awesome; and Belle is a really cool character for showing a reader that not all Tellurians want to exploit Mother Earth. Hard science fiction readers will have a blast with this. Very highly recommended.

Alien Whispers: Conflict and Communion by Clayton Graham is a hard science fiction novel and the third book in the Milijun series, preceded by book one, Milijun, and book two, Amidst Alien Stars. This installment follows in the footsteps of the first two novels where mother and son, Laura and Jason Sinclair, were key components in the alien invasion of Earth, were kidnapped and forcefully taken off planet, and forged an alliance with other humans on the space station who were wholly resistant to subjugation and jackboot reign. The need for humans by the aliens is for the creation of hybrids and takes place against the backdrop of an entire universe of conflict among alien races. Laura, now a century later but not having aged at all, returns to Earth to find it unrecognizable, made so by the Tellurians. This time, Laura's battles take place both on Earth and off, as she and her ACE allies—which include the offspring of her own use by the aliens to create hybrids—must work to salvage both.

The complexities of Clayton Graham's Milijun series are pretty profound. In the interests of full disclosure, I started with Alien Whispers: Conflict and Communion but found so much enjoyment in it that I went back to read books one and two. Laura remains a lead protagonist but Graham has effectively stretched the cast into a wonderful ensemble and there is no question that between the independent backstories and unique motives and characteristics of each of these players, the spin-off potential is innumerable. This is hard science fiction with Martian living and flying saucers but with the sophistication of modern storytelling and, even in a future we cannot predict now, an Earth that is moderately recognizable. At least in the sense that we see the stalwart resilience of humanity. Laura is in a true save-the-Earth battle where no less than half a dozen WMDs can rain down on the remnants of an Earthly parade. The writing is sharp and the tension is thick, and with pitch-perfect pacing this is a novel and a series sure to please lovers of classic sci-fi.