Mind Trap by Tony Ruggerio explores the ideas of Astral Projection, Mind Control and galactic war. The book draws influences from Men in Black and more heavily from Star Wars.

The central characters, Greg and Sarah are Psychic Human/Alien hybrids who lead the United Council of Developing Worlds (UDCW), an organisation that was set up after a devastating galactic war, similar in nature to our own United Nations. Luckily the galactic war missed backwater planets like Earth and the UDCW was relocated in great secrecy here, along with all of its Alien members. These Aliens sometimes wander unnoticed amongst us wearing "V" style, tear off disguises.

The UDCW is a proactive organisation with a missionary streak. Their M.O. is to send CIA like spies out to other less technologically developed worlds to assess and influence the minds of the inhabitants. Promising species are led via Psychic interference toward a higher level of technology so they can join in the fun at UDCW headquarters, West Virginia. Ruggerio would suggest that Einstein was too good to be true. There is no softly softly Prime Directive in his galaxy.

Unfortunately a megalomaniac evil Psychic Alien has plans for the galaxy that do not include the culturally homogenous utopia the USA, sorry the UDCW have in mind. Luckily Greg has a few mind tricks up his sleeve that an enigmatic teacher shows him.

Ruggerio's narrative style develops well through the story although some of his characters would benefit from fleshing out. Both Sarah and the President of the United States suffered from Greg's dominance within the story. I enjoyed the irony of the President's election at the hands of the UDCW, but - damn those conspiratorial little green men! The main villain of the story laughs insanely to himself once to often for my liking and has an irritating habit of making up bad rhymes, due to his cruel nature no doubt.

Ruggerio seems most comfortable when he is playing with the ideas of Astral Projection and Remote Viewing. Some of these developed ideas are very good and the story shows a promising turn in chapter 10 when Greg's mysterious teacher spills the beans about the true nature of his mission. The story also touches briefly on conspiracy theories such as Alien autopsy and the associated cover ups, unfortunately these ideas are soon bypassed in favour of something more immediate, in this case the problems besetting Greg and his compadre Leumas.

Essentially Mind Trap is an allegorical look at the USA prior to 9/11, drawing on its technological hegemony and foreign policy toward the developing world. The story has a few interesting ideas and some clichéd ones. The ending arrives quickly but does at least explore the ideas suggested earlier in the book.