Who doesn’t love a gripping thriller, especially one that blends the unexplained with hard science? If you need an absorbing read for a long flight, consider Undisclosed (A and M Publishing LLC, 2017) by New York Times bestselling author Steve Alten. This fast-paced novel merges science fiction with scientific speculation, inspired in part by Alten’s own sighting of a formation of unidentified flying objects over Palm Beach County while driving home from dinner with his wife.
Alten described the encounter: “There were eight to twelve of them flying in staggered pairs, approaching from the south less than a thousand feet (estimated) above Route 441/State Road 7 in Palm Beach County. They were far too silent and smooth to be helicopters and they were definitely not planes. Let me be clear here, they didn’t move out of range or shut off their lights or disappear into a cloudbank, they slipped out of existence. Neither one of us had ever seen a UFO before. Far from being scared, we felt exhilarated, like we had just been treated to something very special.”
Undisclosed follows an Iraqi war veteran assigned by the Under Secretary of Defense to investigate a series of dangerous secrets: a prototype zero-point energy technology allegedly reverse-engineered from extraterrestrial craft; covert military facilities hidden deep underground; and the possibility of a False Flag operation with world-ending consequences. Alten’s narrative keeps the tension high, balancing action with thoughtful exploration of the ethical and scientific questions that arise when the boundaries between known physics and speculative technologies blur.
The novel’s strengths lie in its pacing and the way it mixes political intrigue with speculative science. Readers encounter clandestine programs, high-stakes military decisions, and the personal toll such revelations take on those who learn the truth. Alten’s background as a popular author of science-driven thrillers lends credibility to the technical details, while his firsthand UFO sighting contributes an authentic sense of wonder and urgency to the story.
Undisclosed is designed to captivate readers who enjoy suspenseful plots anchored by plausibly rendered science and conspiratorial tension. The book raises questions rather than providing neat answers, prompting reflection on government secrecy, the limits of human understanding, and how society might respond if long-guarded extraterrestrial discoveries came to light.
If you prefer to listen, an audiobook edition of Undisclosed became available after October 24. Whether read or listened to, the novel offers a tense, thought-provoking ride—ideal for fans of military thrillers, near-future science fiction, and conspiracy-driven mysteries.