The novel Alien Cavalry Soldier by D.B. Silvis plunges the reader into a thrilling, genre-bending narrative that fuses the rugged landscape of the American Old West with mind-bending science fiction. The story begins in the year 1860, deep in the New Mexico territory, where we meet Killian Kilkenny, a rugged and solitary trapper. His life takes a catastrophic and irreversible turn during a violent confrontation with a Navajo warrior.
In the heat of the fight, Killian strikes his attacker, and the resulting gush of blood sprays into his eyes and mouth. This immediate, intimate contact with the warrior’s blood triggers an unimaginable event: a searing, bright blue flash engulfs the scene, the Navajo bursts into otherworldly flame and vanishes, and a blue-white ribbon of smoke streams into the sky. Killian passes out, his normal life extinguished in that blinding moment.
He awakens to find himself radically transformed. He is no longer a trapper but is inexplicably dressed in the uniform of a soldier in the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Regiment. Even more astonishing than his change of clothes is the change within himself: all his prior wounds and injuries are miraculously healed. Killian quickly realizes he has gained the terrifying yet miraculous ability to self-heal and, incredibly, to morph into any human form he desires.
As he struggles to understand his new reality, Killian eventually encounters an old medicine man. It is here that he learns the truth behind the bizarre incident: his attacker was not merely a warrior, but a Star Warrior of the Sky People—an alien entity. The alien’s blood has irrevocably tainted his own, transforming Killian into a nearly immortal blue alien known to the indigenous people. He now possesses extraordinary powers, but also a singular, fatal weakness: he can only be killed by fire.
The novel is a high-stakes adventure that follows Killian as he navigates his new existence within the 1st Cavalry, a unit secretly infused with extraterrestrial presence. He must conceal his alien nature and his self-healing power from his fellow soldiers and superiors while grappling with the moral and physical weight of his transformation. Alien Cavalry Soldier D.B. Silvis explores deep questions about identity, survival, and the definition of humanity, all set against a richly detailed backdrop of historical America mashed up with interstellar conflict. It is a must-read for fans of both Westerns and military science fiction, offering a truly unique take on both genres.
Review on Reedsy by John Staughton
Worth reading 😎
A clash of historical sci-fi and pioneer drama, this novel is a riveting and rough-edged tale of aliens, immortality, and warrior legacies. With unbounded creativity and a genre-blurring style, Alien Cavalry Soldier by D.B. Silvis is an immersive read.