Atavism

"Atavism" by Erik Fennel is a science fiction novel set during a war, where the story weaves together themes of conflict and alien exploration to consider ideas about old behavioral traits and what happens when we revert to ancestral characteristics. The book tells a story focused on both humans and Martians, examining the most basic instincts for survival and our emotional makeup. The narrative centers on Gunnar and Martha, two people struggling to stay alive in a land torn apart by war, who find a Martian being named Erg, who’s been sent to Earth. As Gunnar and Martha try to make it through their experiences, they see big changes because of alien technology's effects on Erg. This splitting of Erg's mind leads to inner conflicts based on primal human emotions, creating a tense ending as Gunnar and Martha face both the war's dangers and the unexpected results of their new abilities, all while dealing with their gut reactions of fear, trust, and the need to survive. In the end, the story looks at the heart of identity and what it means to be human through extraordinary events, blending science fiction with deep ideas about the mind and human nature.