Memoirs of a Dangerous Alien

Set in an all too feasible 21st century, when rekindled East/West tensions have brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, this story describes the adventures of Dominic Gaunt following his discovery that war is being deliberately formented by extra-terrestrials who wish to teach mankind a lesson. Though the central theme of brainwashing aliens is a hackneyed one, a wealth of convincing period detail brings the characters to life, while the plot hurtles through various death-defying interplanetary convolutions towards a disturbing climax. Although somewhat defused by a jarring reference to the sequel, this is one of the most exciting children's books I've read in a long time, and is particularly recommended for reading aloud.