Blaine C. Readler has written an extraordinary science fiction book, "The Colony", about small creatures that come from an unknown source, and which are able to bond together to form killing machines. Kiel, a wanderer running away from the law, Cam, a most intelligent teen, and Nicki, his little sister, discover the creatures while they are yet small individual creatures and discover soon that the creatures can bond together to make large creatures that can kill and destroy. The family farm where Cam and Nicki live with their mother, grandmother and uncle becomes the scene of a battle between the horrifying creatures and the family plus Kiel. Without electricity, phone and gasoline, they are in bad trouble, cut off from help, and they must think of a way to defend themselves from certain death.

"The Colony" is an extremely scary book, which will have you glued to the pages as this story unfolds. Horrifying creatures are taking over the lives and property of a family and nothing seems to be able to stop them. Are these creatures from outer space or is there another source that is causing these creatures to be self-replicators, machines that can exact energy and material from the environment to reproduce itself? Keil, a man running from the law, and Cam, a precocious 13 year old are determined to find the answer and in a hurry too before they and the family are all killed. I recommend this intriguing sci-fi book to all of you!

Kiel Martin is a drifter and a fugitive from justice in Altoona, Pennsylvania. His schizophrenic former girlfriend has accused him of molesting her five year old daughter Bernice. Though innocent, he is still on the run and now is in rural Wisconsin. Kiel is looking for a barn to sleep in as it is raining but he settles for a hollowed out place where a road and sturdy old iron bridge once met. He sees a colony of tiny crabs who seem to be multiplying themselves and fights them off. He is found by a twelve year old boy, Cam, and Cam's younger sister, Nikki. They bring him to their family's farm where their grandmother and mother live along with their Uncle Daniel Bakke and his family in a modular home on the property. The Bakkes invite Kiel to stay with them as long as he does his share of the work. Kiel bonds with the family and he, Cam, and Nikki go back to investigate the strange colony of crablets. Kiel warns Cam and Nikki that what the crablets are is unknown as is what they are capable of doing. Cam talks with Kiel about the crablets being clanking replicators, machines that can extract energy and material from the environment to reproduce themselves. But what are they really and how dangerous might they be?

"The Colony" is a well-written and well-edited science fiction story that is a thriller as well. Kiel, Cam, Nikki, their mother Julie and estranged father Brandon, Uncle Daniel Bakke, grandmother Bakke and all the other characters in "The Colony" are well-created and totally believable as they take on the little crablets who turn themselves into drones just for openers. The action and dialogue throughout the book are believable, although sometimes overwhelming, as Kiel, Cam and the others take on the crablets time and time again. Readers who love scary, violent thrillers with a science fiction bent will absolutely adore "The Colony". And the faint-hearted who are loath to read anything scary will be missing one incredible read!