It appears rather strange that a well-known Sunday Times journalist has decided to explore the mystery of UFO ? a theme smirked at by serious science buffs. But Appleyard, it seems, isn?t scared of ridicule. He investigates the phenomenon of ?alien abductions? journalistically, and looks beyond extraterrestrial life.

Appleyard approaches the tricky issues, adopting the middle ground between fierce criticism and out-and-out acceptance. He roams a psychosociological realm, taking into account religion, literature and film. It?s certainly a respectable approach to the phenomenon. But Appleyard misses no chance of narrating oddball stories of all those who claimed to have been abducted. He?s also not missed depicting fascinating imaginings of Philip K. Dick, Stanislav Lem, and even Erik von Daniken.

The bottom line is that curiosity about outer space has left a profound impact on our psyche. The preoccupation with life beyond our own world leaves some of us insecure, fearful of an invasion.

This wonderfully written title is bound to prod your imagination in many directions.