Review: Semi-Terrestrial Vigilance

Semi-Terrestrial Vigilance is the second book in Philip S. Wood’s SCIFY series Semi-
Terrestrial. This book takes place where the last one ended. Donald, Karen, and Nate live

together in the big house where Donald grew up. They see on the news that North Korea has
launched a missile at Bikini Atoll killing many people. Donald decides to do something about it.
He goes to North Korea, destroys their nuclear weapons, and kills their leader. Then, Donald
told the world to never use nuclear weapons and that North Korea was the only warning. All of
this happens in the first 10th of the book.

The main part of the story starts when Donald hears about this device called a material
transformer. The Spider; the same spider from the last book, doesn’t want Donald to have it.
But Donald doesn’t use it in the way that he thought Donald would. Donald uses it to give water
to the barren lands. This surprises the Greys and the Nordics, the aliens living on Earth because
they expected Donald to use the material transformer as a weapon. This also catches the
attention of the Draconians, who see Donald as a threat so they launch an armada toward
Earth. Donald, the Greys, and the Nordics team up and destroy the armada.

During the adventures of Donald, Karen, and Nate they meet Bigfoot. But it’s not really
Bigfoot, he is an alien called a Saskatch/Saskaç and they give him the name Rufus. They help
Rufus and his family get settled back on their home planet which they thought was destroyed.

While this is going on Donald and the Greys are having secret meetings on what to do
with the rest of the Draconians. They decide to wipe out the entire species and they do. The
book ends with Donald, Nate, Karen, Rufus, and his family celebrating the victory and learning
Karen is pregnant.

This book is more exciting than the previous book. However, it feels like three separate
books were summarized into one book. For example, the writer could’ve written a whole book
about the North Korean conflict that was resolved in the first 10th of the book. North Korea isn’t
even mentioned at all in the rest of the 90% of the book. They don’t retaliate at all? And then a
separate book about the war with the Draconians. Then a book about Rufus and his family. The
conflicts and resolutions finished too quickly leaving me unsatisfied. This book feels episodic like
watching a TV show, but books aren’t supposed to feel that way. Towards the end felt like it
dragged a bit waiting for it to end until Donald and the Greys launch their offensive on the
Draconians. One of the things I did enjoy was the detailed descriptions of the devices used to
give the barren areas water. This shouldn’t surprise me because Woods is a retired
environmental scientist with several scientific publications under his name.

This book has me interested in reading the next book in the series. A lot happens in the
book, and many consequences are expected. I am also looking forward to Rufus and his family
making an appearance in the next book. I just hope it sticks to one plot.