Penned by author Sam B Miller II, U-10 is a work of intense and interesting science fiction. Sometimes comedic and dry, and at other times a hard-boiled science fiction thriller, this is a quirky but excellent story of an alien and his craft which crash land in Afghanistan on a mission to kidnap a human being. Three central characters have their own motives for getting their hands on the titular U-10, a proposed valuable technology: Ty Lavender, Lincoln Frost, and the alien Koritt Diviak. As the military motive merges with corporate greed, Koritt intends to take both Ty and Lincoln back as samples, but the plot around the U-10 thickens, and life is not as simple as anyone wants it to be.

Inventive, thrilling, but also utterly human at its core, the prose of author Sam B Miller II often put me in mind of the likes of Crichton, Adams, and Lincoln and Child for its attention to special scientific and military details, but also the humour and sheer comedy of life itself that wends its way into every scene somehow. There’s plenty of tension and pathos, with excellent dialogue that really characterizes the central pair of humans and their hot-headed clash of motives. Then there’s Koritt, whose narrative twists slightly off-kilter, giving an interesting reading experience that genuinely makes you feel like you’re alongside an alien in those moments. Overall, U-10 is a highly intelligent and well-considered work that science fiction fans are certain to devour, not least for its unpredictable plot and excellent conclusion.

An alien scientist, Koritt Diviak, thought his trip to Earth would be another routine mission until his ship malfunctions and crash-lands in the Afghan desert, where soldier Ty Lavender and his squad are battling against local insurgents. Upon investigation, they retrieve the U-10, a technology that provides alien weapons. However, the arrival of Lincoln Frost, leader of the top-secret US agency that investigates and eliminates threats to national security, creates an inevitable tension. Koritt, who has been hiding and watching the humans, decides that Ty and Lincoln would be the perfect specimens to be brought home to his planet and kidnaps the pair. The only thing left to do is wait for his rescue to come. Unfortunately, the alien's superiors have other plans.

With aliens, special forces, a government secret agency, vengeful insurgents, a powerful alien tech, and a deadly plot, U-10 by Sam B. Miller II is a sci-fi adventure that provides ample elements of suspense, action, as well as funny moments and good plot twists for readers to enjoy. Personally, the story feels like a subtle nod to popular sci-fi movies, TV series, and books that, no doubt, have a solid familiarity about them if you're a sci-fi lover. Miller's storytelling cunningly makes these themes feel fresh and new. The characters are well-developed and entertaining; Frost's superiority complex added some amusing tension to the dialogue and interaction with Koritt and Ty. The squad members are easily likable, with Wraith as my favorite. Simply put, U-10 is a fun read and the ending indicates a possible sequel.