Intraterrestrial

Adam Helios is a bully magnet without many friends. When he starts hearing a voice that claims to come from the stars, he fears he’s losing his mind, so he withdraws even further. On the way home from a meeting at the school, he and his parents are involved in a horrible car crash. With his skull cracked open, Adam’s consciousness is abducted by the alien who has been speaking to him for months.

After surviving the wreck with only minor scratches, Camille Helios must deal with her guilt over the accident that left her husband badly injured and her son in a coma. When the doctor suggests letting Adam go, Camille refuses to stop fighting for her son’s life.

Lost among galaxies, Adam must use his imagination to forge a path home before his body dies on the operating table. But even if he does return to Earth, he may end up locked inside a damaged brain forever.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Nicholas Conley takes readers out of this world and into the imagination of a young boy who is dying from a massive brain injury in his novel, Intraterrestrial. After a car accident leaves Adam in a comatose state, an alien race contacts him in hopes that he'll be able to help them beat the Destroyer by traveling through space. 

Adam Helios is the adopted son of Camille and John Helios who has run into a little trouble with bullies at his school. Though Adam is intelligent, a good friend, mechanically inclined, and imaginative, this doesn't help him stay out of the bully's line of sight. However, Adam's intelligence, imagination, and desire to do good will help him face the battle of his life, or rather the battle for his life. Readers will instantly align with Adam's character as he is represented as the underdog who stands up for others. When he's put into a coma after a brain injuring car accident, readers will feel even more connected to him. Yet, it's during this time that readers really see Adam's inner strength, persistence, and determination as he must battle the Destroyer if he wants to save an alien race and return to his earthly body. 

The creativity of this novel is wonderful and fresh, even in the midst of tragedy. I have wondered what is happening to people who are in a comatose state and Conley uses that curiosity to spark interest throughout this book. As Adam battles the Destroyer in his mind, or in outer space (whichever way you choose to look at it), his mother and father are trying to make the right decisions for him in reality. This creates a suspenseful situation where both the reader and the characters are in a sort of limbo. I also think that Camille's evolution of character also adds to the connectivity that readers can feel with this novel. Though I was kind of annoyed with her attitude and personality early on, the events that transpire push her to change into the kind of person she wants to be, which is nice. 

The only downside of this novel was that it was a bit predictable. There was a kind of obvious set-up of events and the book follows them almost exactly. I would have liked a few more surprises, but I don't think this takes away from the overall enjoyment of the book. I would definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy science fiction. However, there was some adult language so I wouldn't recommend it for all ages. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups