Alien Update is described by the publisher (Arrow, UK,1993) as the sequel to "Alien Liasion". While it continues the themes an issues taken up in the latter (particularly the controversial "Cosmic Journey" of Bob Oechsler), in style it is a continuation of the UK series published by Sidgwick & Jackson, namely "The UFO Report" for 1990, 1991 and 1992. These 3 titles were edited by Timothy Good. "Alien Update" is essentially "The UFO Report 1993". As in the previous titles in this annual series, the quality of the contributions varies with the experience and background of the contributor. Briefly the contributions are as follows:
1. "Is there an alien base in Puerto Rico?" by Jorge Martin. Martin continues his intriguing reports on spectacular activity in Puerto Rico that were featured in the 1991 and 1992 volumes. For the US audience, at least the 1990 volume appeared in the US as "UFO Report" in 1991 by Avon. I presume the others have and/or will appear. Any reader of FSR will realise that Puerto Rico has been a focus of strange activity for a long time. Martin's reports in the 90s continues the work of Sebastion Robiou Lamarche in the 70s. Something is certainly going on!

2. "Speak Plainly, and go political" by Hal McKenzie, basically a "call to arms", "mann the barricades" for the cause of truth, justice & the American way. Gives "Operation Right to Know" a plug. Basically get out there and petition!

3. & 4. George Wingfield weighs in with 2 contributions - his own UFO sighting ("UFOs over Washington, DC, April, 1992") and more of the same (as per previous wild eyed "crop circle" reports) in his updates on the 1992 "circles" scene ("Circular Conundrums of 1992"). Wingfield is an ardent believer preaching to the "believers". In the face of the esculating decline in the legitimacy of the crop circle "mystery" I wonder how long George can argue about dark conspiracies and coverups he percieves as permeating what is essentially a 3 ring circus. He throws out a "life ring" in the form of the strengthening "UFO connection" contained in the work of Dr. Greer's shaky CE5 activities. I think this "connection" owes more to wishful thinking, uncritical thinking and sloppy or absent investigations. The quality of the alleged "UFO connection" still leaves a lot to be desired. See by brief comments in my chapter on "Physical Traces" (pg. 195) in Evans & Spencer, "UFOs 1947 - 1987" (1987) and for that matter in "Controversy of the Circles" (BUFORA, 1989), pgs. 108 -109. For a while there I really thought "crop circles" might actually tell us something interesting re the UFO landing "physical trace" phenomena, but alas I seem to have been mistaken.

5. Paul Dong offers as the chinese perspective with his "The Yin and Yang of UFOs" - not to everyone's taste, but check it out.

6. The International flavour is filled out with Gheorghita Florin's "Close Encounters in Romania" (1990 activity) and Nickolai Lebedev's continuing reports ex the old USSR ("Important Developments in the former Soviet Union"). There is some interesting material amongst this but when some marginal evidence of UFO activity near a nuclear power station in the old USSR draw the following comment from Lebedev you have to wonder just how critical some of the investigation is: "Are the ufonaunts only observing our potentially dangerous nuclear power stations, or are they trying to prevent further tragic accidents? We can only speculate, but I have to say that I believe in the likelihood of both hypotheses."

7. Linda Howe offers her "1992 Animal Mutilations update" on the ongoing "mute" saga. Some of the "mutes" are particularly obscure in terms of there relevance to the UFO phenomena. Also I need to add that with our extensive herds of cattle and huge flocks of sheep spread out over isolated terrain, where or where is the Australian "mute" phenomenon, if indeed the "mutes" are an integral part of the scene. The spartan "evidence" Linda Howe has presented for an Australian connection is at best very poor. I'll be the first to check it out if something comes along of a compelling nature.

8. John Spencer presents a plea for a more "witness orienated" research approach as described in more detail in his book "Perspectives".

9. Dr. Richard Haines and Bernard Guenette present easily the best researched piece in "A large stationary object above Montreal", being an account in a massive UFO seen on 7 November, 1990. Despite the detail I was still left wondering if there was a prosaic explanation for the affair.

10. Dr. Samuel Greco describes "The Williamsport Wave" being a study of triangular and good old boomerangs over Pennsylvania on 6 February 1992. Honest is wasn't us from down under!

11- Dr. James Deardorff provides us with a "Possible Extraterrestrial Strategy for Earth", which is essentially is a reasonable rendering of a scenario anchored in the premise of contact having occurred. While the style of presentation does not seem unreasonable, it is perhaps what editor Tim Good doesn't tell us about Dr. Deardorff that is relevant to know, in terms of what he is trying to subtly direct us to. Deardorff put together "Celestial Teachings" which is described as the companion volume to the "Talmud of Jmmanuel" (!). I've seen this advertised and I'm afraid I won't be rushing out to get a copy. Bob Girard "reviewed" it in his Arcturus Catalogue. He describes "Celestial Teachings" as "an embarrassment, in which Billy Meier's recording of a mysterious Aramaic scripture - complete with Christ as a Pleiadian - is fanatically forced to fit a former fundamentalist's deep need to reconcile UFOs and Christ." The "Talmud" is referred to as "The orginal heretical testament of Jesus" which alleges "the true alien origin of Christianity"! It is a pity that Tim Good doesn't feel it is appropriate to tell his readership about this sort of relevant background information about Dr. Deardorff.

12 - Bob Oechsler attempts to respond to the critics of his "Cosmic Journey". Instead of adding credibility to his claims it gives more insight into his rather woolly thinking processes. I'm afraid poor old Bobby Inman is damned if he does, and dammed if he doesn't. Oechsler says he is in the know and hell he must be right. I reckon if I thrust my business card onto a complete stranger who had remarkable intelligence connections asking him to help him get closer to MJ-12, then almost a year later I engage the same person in esoteric conversation in a unannounced "fishing expedition" never once mentioning the word UFOs, I think I would rather like a little bit more explicit evidence that the said same person actually understood the thrust of my conversation. Like much of his "sinister connections" in the "Chesapeake Connection" incredible "confirmatory statements" are manufactured out of incredibly ambigious material. If Mr. Oechsler seriously believes his incredible claims, surely by the simpliest applications of scientific method one is being reasonable to ask "where is the extraordinary evidence." Unfortunately there are many extraordinary claims, but all too few bits of extraordinary evidence. The book also includes a cross section of sighting reports which vary greatly in quality. "Alien Update" is a interesting read, but the contributions vary in content and quality.