Pros
- Strieber comes across as an intelligent, rational, and articulate writer
- Transcripts he included about the hypnosis are supposedly complete with no redaction
- The events seem to repeat and reinforce experiences by other abductees, namely in John Mack’s book Abduction, a review of which can be found on this site
- Another book that reinforces the experiences of people who have been abducted
Cons
- Being known as a fiction writer certainly doesn’t help Strieber’s case
- He has a tendency to be go on longer than necessary, but that seems related to how outrageous the whole incident must appear to him
I’ve never read any of Strieber’s fictional works, but a quick glance shows that his two popular works are related to the paranormal (wolves and vampires). I feel like this background in mystery and fiction hurts his case for Communion more than it helps him.
But Strieber comes across as extremely intelligent and articulate throughout the book, and there’s a sense of almost disbelief in his writing that is illustrated through some repetition. Also, calling it A True Story really sets the stage for debate, though I can see why he must have felt the need to include that subtitle to distinguish this work from his fictional works.
Communion A True Story Review
If you’ve done any research into the UFO and alien community, then there are a handful of reputable and credible authors that you’ll come across. And for every one of these, you’ll likely find several people who are out to disinform, benefit from, or just grab attention from people who are searching for answers.
Whitley Strieber is one of those more credible sources. As a writer, he’s in a good position to clearly describe and detail his experiences so that he can deliver the experience to us as precisely as possible. Other non-fiction works on similar or related topics can be found on this site if you sort by non-fiction.
Strieber also introduced the idea of “screen memories” to the UFO discussion. These are memories that the alien abductors place into the minds of abductees to hide the entire experience. These memories usually include some type of animal, though they could be other scenes like a roadside work crew or just everyday people.
As you read about Strieber’s experience, you’ll note the similarities he has with other abductees. Strieber reports seeing the destruction of the planet, and this is a common theme among abductees. Keep in mind that his experience took place in the 1980s. Prior to his experience, other well-known abduction cases included Betty and Barney Hill and Travis Walton.
Strieber’s writing reveals just how intelligent and rational he is as a person. He establishes himself as a sane, rational person who has investigated his dilemma through traditional routes before jumping to any fantastic conclusion like aliens.
As Strieber discusses the effects on his personal life, readers start to see just how the abduction experience has changed him. Today, we might even say that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder given the behavioral changes that he talks about. Strieber even mentions a moment where he considers jumping out the window. He’s your average person trying to make sense of an experience that’s seemingly in the realm of the supernatural.
As readers, we’re there with him as he’s trying to make sense of everything. Does he have some kind disorder that makes him prone to hallucinations? Is something wrong with him? Is he just dreaming? The author knows that we must have the same questions, and a good chunk of the book is devoted to answering those questions and concerns.
But the effect the abduction had on Strieber shows, at least, that he believes that the experience actually occurred. His writing, honesty, and transparency go a long way to persuade audiences that this experience and the alien and UFO phenomena are real.
I appreciated the transparency of the hypnosis transcript. Redacting any part of it, even if it were just personal, would have hurt his claims even more. Otherwise, who would make up the experiments or operations that took place? What the aliens did would have been embarrassing for any person. What entails in the book is one man’s search for answers about an abduction that changed his life and his understanding of the world.
Right alongside Strieber is Budd Hopkins, who introduces Strieber to a few doctors, including the one who would eventually perform the hypnosis. Hopkins himself has a fairly interesting history, and he’s a prominent figure in the abduction field of research.
If you’re looking into popular abduction cases or one of the more reputable books on aliens and abductions, then read Whitley Strieber’s Communion. Decide for yourself how credible the author is. And if you find him to be intelligent and honest, then consider the consequences of what his experience, as well as the experience of potentially thousands of others, have for humanity.
