There is no doubt David Halperin’s book is in a class of its own. A well-known academic in religious studies, Halperin makes an ambitious attempt in Journal of a UFO Investigator to combine multiple mythologies, from Judaism to conspiracy theories.

Set in the late 1960s, the main character is Danny Shapiro, a sympathetic 13-year-old boy who struggles with the confusion and insecurity that comes with puberty while dealing with a sick mother and a resentful father. The family dynamic depicted by Danny’s narration is tragic and stifling. The empathy the reader feels for these characters becomes the foundation for the entire novel. Danny is obsessed with UFOs, and UFO enthusiasts will find several references to extraterrestrial myth throughout the novel, including Roswell, men in suits and close encounters.

As Danny becomes lost in his UFO investigator journal, his personal life begins to unravel. Danny recalls the heartbreaking moment when he declines to dance with his crush, Rosa, because he worries his sickly mother would be upset by him dating a “goy.” His best friend drifts away from him and their joint world of UFO exploration to hang out with the hip folk-singing crowd. Completely alone, Danny’s imagination is set loose and the reader is in for quite a journey.

The remainder of the novel jumps from top secret society mansions to an Avatar-like alien world, to Jerusalem, and back to America. Throw in some random time travel and the second half of the novel is like all the Twilight Zone episodes crammed together and narrated by a rambunctiously lonely teenager. As fun as the ride is, I found myself wishing that the relatable characters and setting were introduced at the beginning of the novel. Danny’s recollection of events is patchy and so subjective that it makes it difficult to make sense of most of the plot. This may have been the author’s intent, but I found it confusing and often frustrating.

Danny’s character redeems the storyline, however, and throughout the whole story we are rooting for him to leave the oppressive gloom of his family home and be at peace with himself.

The final moments of the novel are a touching representation of leaving childhood and storytelling behind for the less exciting real world, but never crosses the line into sentimentality. In the tradition of the novels Catcher in the Rye and Ender’s Game, the reader understands they have witnessed a character grow up.