Mulder and Scully have gone civilian. Officially suspended from the FBI pending a review, they’re trying to adjust to life outside the X-files. And it’s a big adjustment, especially since Scully is pregnant with Mulder’s baby (hopefully)! But you can’t touch the unexplained for as long as these two have and expect it to just let you go. The FBI wants them back to investigate an explosion of X-files, and once again, it’s personal for Mulder and Scully. See the rebirth of the X-files in Claudia Gray’s Perihelion, now available where books are sold.
[Note: While I am reviewing this novel independently and honestly, it should be noted that it has been provided to me by Hyperion Avenue/Penguin Random House for the purpose of this review. Warning: My review of Perihelion contains some spoilers!]
Perihelion by Claudia Gray: a new adventure for X-files fans
Mulder and Scully have been suspended from the FBI pending a formal review. They both assumed that after everything that’s happened, the FBI will be shutting down the X-files and dismissing the duo. So they’re busy trying to move on with life outside the bureau.
Scully is working at Genomica, an organization dedicated to diagnosing and treating rare genetic diseases and disorders. Mulder is floundering a bit more, mostly making guest appearances on conspiracy podcasts. And they’re giving their relationship another go, which is extra important because Scully is pregnant! Sadly, they aren’t sure this baby is quite the blessing that it seems. Between their past and Scully’s age, Scully is less than certain that her pregnancy is natural, and is using her contacts at Genomica to find out more.
Just as they’ve resigned themselves to civilian life, Scully and Mulder are thrown a curve. The FBI wants them back. Under the impression of it being a single case, the two agree to come back, only to discover that the X-files have exploded in recent months. Something is happening in the world, things are getting strange. And these two are uniquely qualified to try and understand what’s really going on.
One X-file for Mulder & Scully becomes two, becomes many
When the FBI asks Mulder and Scully back, it’s supposed to be on a trial basis for just one case. Someone is ritualistically killing pregnant women, and there seems to be electronic phenomena surrounding the kills. But the FBI quickly assigns them another case about a killer that appears to be just a shadow. And when they get into their office, they find thousands of new cases that have been sent to the X-files department while they were gone.
Something is obviously going on that unexplainably phenomenon are happening everywhere and in such great quantities all of a sudden. In addition to trying to solve their cases, Scully and Mulder are trying to find out what the bigger underlying cause is. A mysterious source suddenly presents itself. Mulder wants to trust them, but Scully knows they’ve been burned like this before and is hesitant to trust this new contact. Once again, Scully and Mulder are lost in a bigger conspiracy with no one to trust except each other. But they’ve been here before and come out the otherside. The question is just what it will cost them this time, and is it worth it?
Time marches on for Fox Mulder and Dana Scully
So often, fictional characters live in a world without time. Sure, time passes and events happen, but there are characters that have persisted for decades through many thrilling adventures and are still just a vague 30-ish. Author Claudia Gray breaks this mold in Perihelion by having Mulder and Scully clearly in their 50s. This makes Scully’s pregnancy all the more mysterious. Sure, women can get pregnant in the 50s without IVF, but it’s beyond rare. And considering Scully’s past, a natural cause just seems unlikely to her.
But she’s facing most of these fears alone. As much as they love each other, a wall has come up between her and Mulder. The pain of the past and their first child is like a physical barrier between the two. Gray bounces between the two as narrator so we can see that it isn’t a one-sided pain. Both of them are hurting and both of them want to reach out, but both of them are afraid of hurting the other, so they stay locked in their own worlds of pain.
It’s a really sad situation, but not an uncommon one. I think this happens to couples a lot after trauma. We as a society need to learn to talk to each other when we’re in pain. Eventually, Scully and Mulder can open up to each other, and thankfully it’s not too late for them. Once they share their fears and pain, they’re able to come together into an even more powerful team. Which is good because Perihelion promises to be just the beginning of a new X-files conspiracy that’s going to need the iconic team in tip-top shape to save the world. Again.
An exciting new X-files story that fans will love
I have always enjoyed The X-files. I was just a little kid when they made their initial run, but the supernatural has always appealed to me, so when the show began running Sunday afternoon reruns, I tried my best to catch them. When I got older, I watched the show on streaming. The creature of the week shows were always my favorite, but I enjoyed the whole story too. I can’t say that I’m a fanatic, but the show is enjoyable, and I was interested in reading a book that extended Scully and Mulder’s story.
Claudia Gray’s Perihelion manages to do this in the best way. She doesn’t try to slot her story into an already accepted timeline but extends that timeline, giving us a new adventure with evolved characters. And she manages to combine the monster of the week format with the larger conspiracy format so that we get some of each.
There is a single case that gets solved in Perihelion, but Gray also lays out a huge new conspiracy to replace the Syndicate that Mulder and Scully have finally taken down. She lays the groundwork for storytelling that can continue for years with different threads that can be picked up and followed; plus plenty of small, contained monster of the week tales that can be dealt with as the larger problem is worked on.
Perihelion by Claudia Gray is good for longtime fans and new readers as well
The really nice thing about Perihelion is that it can work for old fans and new converts equally. Obviously, there is a lot of history in The X-files world. Having at least a passing familiarity with this canon will help readers to fully understand and enjoy Perihelion.
But here’s the great thing, you don’t actually need it. Gray provides enough backstory as she goes that you can catch-on and understand what’s happening. And her story is technically a whole new conspiracy, so you don’t need to know what happened in the past to understand what’s happening now. This allows for new potential fans to enter this world without feeling completely lost. That’s a really tough line to walk, especially with a canon that’s as long and well-established as this one, but Grey does it masterfully. Conspiracy fans old and young will love having another wild ride with Scully and Mulder, and should be able to look forward to many more.
Rating: 8/10
Perihelion by Claudia Gray is available most places books are sold. Do you plan to check out this new X-Files book soon? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus!
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