What to read this weekend: A deep dive into humankind’s search for alien life
Why you can trust us
Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.
Plus, Dracula revisited.
Here are some recently released titles to add to your reading list. This week, we read First Contact: The Story of Our Obsession with Aliens, plus James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds’ take on Dracula — now in black and white for extra creep-factor.
This book was so much fun!! Science journalist Becky Ferreira approaches the topic of alien life and humankind’s enduring obsession with it in a way that is balanced, deeply informative and genuinely entertaining. It’s not set out to sway your opinion one way or the other, but rather lays out the facts, theories and their cultural influences, covering a vast timeline of recorded human history. It’s really accessible, and a great read for anyone who wants to dive into the strange and fascinating subject of alleged alien encounters, UFO/UAP sightings and the ongoing scientific search for answers without slipping into the sensational.
Dracula is one of those stories I can read over and over in all of its many forms and never get tired of, but this version by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds is particularly great. The Universal Monsters miniseries first came out in 2023, but it’s now been rereleased in a black and white special edition that is all the more ghoulish. Simmonds’ art was already striking, but with the color gone, the whole thing takes on a more classically haunting feel that is absolutely perfect for the story. The series was originally four issues, but it’s been split into two chunkier issues for this special.
