Inspiration
(Note from Peter)
Born of another world and raised as an ordinary boy, Sam Stanton was never meant to live an ordinary life.
Delivered to Earth as an infant and adopted by loving parents, Sam grows up unaware that he is the product of a distant civilization’s desperate experiment—an experiment designed to confront humanity’s growing descent into crime and corruption. On his eighteenth birthday, the truth is revealed: Sam has been chosen as a guardian, trained and tested for a mission that will one day place the fate of countless lives in his hands.
Sixteen years later, deemed ready by his creators, Sam is granted extraordinary abilities—including invisibility and an advanced aircraft capable of breathtaking speed. As disasters strike across the United States, a mysterious savior emerges. The public knows him only as Guardian—a faceless hero, a symbol of hope, and a national legend.
But Guardian’s greatest challenge lies not in natural catastrophes, but in the shadows of Los Angeles. When Sam witnesses a brutal drug transaction near the Bel-Air Country Club, his mission collides with human consequence. A woman wanders into the crime scene and is gravely injured—then saved by Guardian. Now a target of ruthless criminals, she becomes someone Sam must protect… and someone he never meant to care for.
As danger closes in and emotions deepen, Sam is forced to confront the ultimate conflict: can a man sworn to secrecy, born for duty, afford to follow his heart?
A gripping blend of science fiction, suspense, and forbidden romance, this novel asks what it truly means to be human—when saving the world may cost everything.
Book reviews
In Peter Van Oossanen’s The Extraterrestrial, when an infant is left in a basket on the porch of a remote California farm, John and Mary Stanton raise him as their own son, naming him Sam and giving him an ordinary life in the Salinas Valley. As he grows up, Sam begins to show abilities that set him apart from everyone around him, until the truth of his origin is finally revealed: he was sent to Earth from another world for a specific purpose. Years later, armed with advanced technology and operating under the name Guardian, Sam becomes an unseen protector who intervenes in disasters, violent crimes, and a far-reaching cartel network rooted in Los Angeles. After actress Michelle Bennett is an unintended witness to one of the cartel’s operations, Sam’s mission shifts from public rescues to a far more personal fight to keep Michelle and her family alive.
Peter Van Oossanen’s The Extraterrestrial is a fantastic science fiction superhero novel, with wonderfully distinctive tech, the standout being Sam’s fusion-powered hypersonic aircraft. Sam is a really likable main character, and what I loved most about him is that his heroism is not limited to rescues alone. For instance, there’s a conversation he has with Suzanne by the river, where he helps her reassess her view of her mother and father. Sam’s humanity elevates him. The Scorpion Cartel is a brilliant antagonistic crime network with a supremely deep reach, and we see how far that goes as the layers peel back. The writing is direct and immersive, with cinematic visuals that put readers right into places such as Glacier Creek in Alaska, where mountains, running meltwater, and gold hunting embrace a rare stillness after violence. Overall, this is a perfect fit for readers looking for the next generation of superhero fare, and I’m excited to see where the author takes us next. Very highly recommended.
Asher Syed, Readers’ Favorite
The Extraterrestrial by Van Oossanen is a truly engaging story. The author takes time to build a rich, detailed world. As the story unfolds, unexpected events keep the audience on the edge of their seats, eager to know what happens next.
Miriam Ferraresi, author of The Guardian Angel: The Recruit Part I
A childless couple is mysteriously blessed with a beautiful baby boy left on in a basket on their front porch. They are farmers and haven’t seen their families, so they decided to register the child as a home birth, and hope that his parents didn’t claim him. John and Mary called their son Sam. He was exceptional in every way from birth, destined for great things. When Sam was eighteen and deciding on his post-secondary studies, Sam’s birth parents came forward. They were extraterrestrials, which helped to explain Sam’s many gifts. They were happy to gift John and Mary with gold nuggets to afford Sam’s tuition at Ivy League schools to study Engineering, Astrophysics, and Medicine. Sam easily completed all of these programs and brought down the Scorpion drug cartel in Los Angeles, using his power of invisibility.
Cynthia Cook, author of What Really Happened to the Hat and the Gloves, What Really Happened to Marion and Candace
Purchase information
The book is published by Atmosphere Press (USA) and is scheduled for release on May 12, 2026. It will be available on Amazon in Kindle, paperback, and hardcover formats. The print edition consists of 410 pages, and its ISBN is 979-8-90174-206-8.
Copies can be purchased through all major bookstores or ordered directly from the author at info@petervanoossanen.com. (A small discount may be available for bulk orders.)
Further details for ordering a copy of “The Extraterrestrial” can be found on Atmosphere Press, Amazon, and Goodreads.
