Earthfall #1 by Mark Walden

My name is Sam, and I finally discovered I'm not alone on Earth. I've been hiding from Hunters in the sewers of London ever since the alien ships arrived a year and a half ago. Rachel saved me from a Hunter attack and then introduced me to the small group of humans still in control of their minds. I'm learning special ops like a guerrilla soldier, and it feels good to finally be fighting instead of running away. However, I'm not comfortable with the secrets Dr. Stirling is keeping from everyone. He won't say what his laboratory used to do, and he won't say how he was able to locate me in the middle of a devastated city. I know I'm different from the others, but I don't know why. Why did I survive a Hunter sting that usually kills within minutes, and why can't anyone else hear the sounds from the Threat like I do?

This is a dystopian novel with mechanical aliens like in the Jack Blank trilogy. I envisioned the invasion happening similarly to how it occurred during the Independence Day movie. Gigantic Motherships parked above major cities around the world and sent smaller ship and "soldiers" down to the planet. Almost every human on Earth became mindless workers for the aliens, including Sam's sister. His father was significant to the story, but his whereabouts were unknown. Sam's character was the most engaging part of the book, because there was something mysterious and compelling about him. He was obviously the protagonist hero, but he had some kind of connection to the antagonist aliens. Why didn't the sting kill him, and how could he almost hear voices in sounds that no one else could detect? Then, there was the unexplained scar on the back of his head and uncertainty about Stirling's secrets. All of these factors created a suspenseful plot with an exciting ending. Actually, the climax included a huge surprise that will have a dramatic effect on the sequel. I still don't totally understand the Servant or the Illuminate, but I'm sure they will become clearer in the next book. You'll enjoy this book if you like science fiction and aliens, and I recommend you give it a shot.