Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 240 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Electric Torch
Release date: March 2026
Content Rating: PG -13: Some F-words, religious profanities, crude terms; one very tame non-explicit sex scene
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It is 1928, and the future is unwritten.
When widowed Professor Horace Jennings reluctantly volunteers to search for a missing student, he trades Rhode Island for the West Coast. This isn’t Providence; this is Los Angeles. And as his hired detective warns him, bootleggers, museum thieves, and crooked cops are no company for a sherry-sipping professor and his precocious protégé, Helen Parker.
But the truly dangerous characters aren’t criminals.
In fact, they aren’t even human.
Shila Ghiss, a scientist from a subterranean race, desires only to experience daylight. One day, she gets her chance—if she is willing to help reclaim the surface from humanity. She’ll need to become human, to learn about powerplants, facial expressions, and hair care. She’ll need to do something awful. But her mentor and his followers are planning to do something far worse—something apocalyptic.
To save both species, she’ll have to work closely with these bizarre, unpredictable humans and become both traitor and savior. She’ll have to decide who she is, and which native species will write the future.
Native Species: A Tale of Two Civilizations in 1928 Los Angeles is fast paced and easy to read. It took a little while for me to settle into the various perspectives and angles of the story--and I will admit I wasn't sure that the author could successfully pull off such a contrast between civilizations. That worry was short lived, through as the story grew. This novel moves quickly without ever feeling overwhelming, and I liked how it balances action with very thoughtful worldbuilding. The mix of historical elements and science fiction works well, especially because the sci-fi never feels too complicated or hard to follow. Everything stays grounded enough to feel believable, which made it easy to stay connected to the story. The setting is also well done—it feels clear the author put care into making it immersive.
Expect characters to love (and hate). The characters were another strong point for me. I cringed through pages with Sesh and the King. Shila was definitely my favorite—she felt real (and ironically quite human) and added a lot of emotional depth to the story. The rest of the cast also fits well together, each playing a meaningful role without making things feel crowded. I also appreciated how the romance was handled. I don’t always love romance in science fiction, but here it felt natural and didn’t take away from the main storyline.
Would I recommend Native Species by Michael Albergo? Overall, I’d recommend this book. Native Species is an entertaining, interesting, fast-paced read that blends genres and offers a strong sense of place. I did feel like the story's ending was a bit rushed and could have been a little more developed, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. It’s a solid historical, science fiction read that I think a lot of people will enjoy.
A professional engineer and graduate of MIT (engineering and humanities), Michael Albergo writes character-driven speculative fiction rooted in real-life early 20th century locales, people, and events. He teaches at New York University and is an avid player of board games and role-playing games. Native Species is his first novel.
connect with the author: website ~ goodreads
Angela, thank you for your very kind and thoughtful review of my debut novel. I aspire to write engrossing stories grounded in authentic people, locations, and events, with strong characters that deliver an emotional punch. It’s a high bar, but I enjoy trying to leap it!
ReplyDeleteI’ve produced an audiobook of Native Species which your readers might also enjoy. It will be available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes next week. There is also a giveaway of 100 e-books on Goodreads currently ongoing.
Thanks again for your review!