2025 Winner

PenCraft Award for Literary Excellence

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Left

An award-winning sci-fi satire of alien espionage, southern charm and chaos on Earth! With Left, Book One in the Terran Icognita series, debut novelist Paul McGrath delivers a sharp, witty, and wildly entertaining sci-fi satire that asks: What if an alien held up a mirror to America—and we didn’t like what we saw? Anton-7 was sent to observe Earth, not to live on it. Stranded in Hernando, Mississippi after missing his ride home to Xylodon, he breaks the first rule of alien espionage — never interfere — and interferes.

2025 Winner

PenCraft Award for Literary Excellence

Read More
About

Book One in the Terran Icognita Series

A Sci-Fi Satire of Alien Espionage, Southern Charm & Chaos on Earth!

Anton-7—aka Roy McDonald—was supposed to observe Earth, not get stuck on it. But after missing his ride back to planet Xylodon, he decides to make the most of his exile in Hernando, Mississippi. Breaking the number-one rule of alien espionage—never interfere—he dives headfirst into human affairs, finding friendship, romance, and the simple joys of a good cup of coffee and a highly anticipated trip to Buc-ee’s.

But when tragedy strikes, Anton-7 takes matters into his own hands, setting off a whirlwind of chaos that shakes both Earth and Xylodon.

First-time novelist Paul McGrath delivers a sharp, witty, and wildly entertaining sci-fi satire that asks: What if an alien held up a mirror to America—and we didn’t like what we saw?

The adventures continue in Book Two, Left is Right and Book Three, A Hard Left. Try to keep up, nimnules!

Details

Category: Science Fiction

Publication Date: March 14, 2025

ISBN (paper): 978-1-965766-02-6

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-965766-03-3

Pages: 226

Trim size: 6 x 9

Reviews
Ronnie Crocker, journalist and author of Houston Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Bayou City.

“Paul McGrath’s debut novel is as much social satire as science fiction, critiquing our hypocrisies and idiosyncrasies through the observations of the ultimate outsider—a space alien living undercover in rural Mississippi. Fortunately for humankind, this spaceman loves roadhouse coffee and takeout pizza as much as any red-blooded American. Left is a big-hearted caper that suggests good intentions are truly universal.”

Fernando Dovalina, retired editor; playwright, The Gospel According to Tammy Faye and The Sanctity of Our Homes

“Roy McDonald, aka Anton-7, has missed his flight back to his native planet, Xylodon, and, stuck in Mississippi (Oh, God!), decides to make the most of his exile. Along the way, he meets the super-colorful old man Ezra, who’s chockful of inappropriate language, the sexy elementary school teacher Ellie, who’s got opinions and sex drive in equal measures, and the psycho-sick Terry Clyde, who wants to create a bloodbath at the school. In his first novel, "Left," a very sly former newsman Paul McGrath takes us on a rip-roaring, smart-assed sci-fi journey that delights, surprises and satisfies.

FAQ

What is Left about?

Left follows Anton-7 — going by Roy McDonald — an alien observer from the planet Xylodon who misses his ride home and settles into life in Hernando, Mississippi. He was posted to watch and not intervene. He makes friends, falls in love, discovers coffee, and then tragedy strikes and he intervenes, with consequences on two planets.

What order does the Terran Incognita series go in?

Left is Book One, Left is Right is Book Two, and A Hard Left is Book Three. A running FBI investigation carries across all three, so they are best read in order.

Has Left won any awards?

It won the 2025 Pencraft Award for Literary Excellence.

Do I need to read Left before the other Terran Incognita books?

It is the natural starting point. The later books carry forward both the characters and an FBI investigation that begins here.

About the Author

Paul McGrath

Paul McGrath’s is an award-winning journalist and educator whose career spans five decades. He spent thirty-seven years working at theHouston Chronicle after stints inConroe, Lubbock, and Lockhart, Texas.

McGrath graduated from Texas A&M University and earned a master’s degree from Marist College. He and his wife, Liz, live on a tranquil fish-filled lake near Houston, Texas. He continues to teach at Texas A&M.

In the Media

2025 Winner

PenCraft Award for Literary Excellence

Read More

Reviews

Ronnie Crocker, journalist and author of Houston Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Bayou City.

“Paul McGrath’s debut novel is as much social satire as science fiction, critiquing our hypocrisies and idiosyncrasies through the observations of the ultimate outsider—a space alien living undercover in rural Mississippi. Fortunately for humankind, this spaceman loves roadhouse coffee and takeout pizza as much as any red-blooded American. Left is a big-hearted caper that suggests good intentions are truly universal.”

Fernando Dovalina, retired editor; playwright, The Gospel According to Tammy Faye and The Sanctity of Our Homes

“Roy McDonald, aka Anton-7, has missed his flight back to his native planet, Xylodon, and, stuck in Mississippi (Oh, God!), decides to make the most of his exile. Along the way, he meets the super-colorful old man Ezra, who’s chockful of inappropriate language, the sexy elementary school teacher Ellie, who’s got opinions and sex drive in equal measures, and the psycho-sick Terry Clyde, who wants to create a bloodbath at the school. In his first novel, "Left," a very sly former newsman Paul McGrath takes us on a rip-roaring, smart-assed sci-fi journey that delights, surprises and satisfies.