Michael Hoffmann

Claudia Gray has managed to achieve what the second film (The X-Files: I Want to Believe) and the two revival seasons struggled to capture.

Through the X-Files: Perihelion, she brings back the authentic atmosphere of stepping into Mulder and Scully’s world. In the novel, the agents stand at a pivotal moment in their lives—grieving the loss of William while facing the startling reality of Scully’s late-in-life pregnancy. Drawn into new investigations involving murdered pregnant women, including one case with a killer who vanishes in smoke, they find themselves once again under the watchful eye of the “Inheritors.” This faction, born from the Syndicate’s legacy, is tied to a far-reaching conspiracy that makes the fate of Mulder and Scully’s unborn child crucial to humanity’s survival.

Spoilers ahead: Picking up in the aftermath of Season Eleven, the novel takes the opportunity to dive far deeper into Mulder and Scully’s emotional connection than any single episode or feature film has managed before.

The narrative blends the hallmarks of the series—monster-of-the-week elements, overarching mythology, and conspiracy threads—while introducing a modern twist in the form of a Chuck Taylor–wearing, millennial “Deep Throat” figure who assists the agents in their search for answers. Meanwhile, Walter Skinner lies in a coma, and the Cigarette Smoking Man, despite his apparent demise at Mulder’s hands, manages to surface for a brief, but striking appearance.

Fans who grew up “watching The X-Files with no lights on” will feel a strong pull of nostalgia for the series’ best years while turning these pages. That said, much like the franchise itself, things were never quite the same after the move from Vancouver to Los Angeles. However, if you believe the truth is still out there, head down to your book store or library immediately to continue the journey of Mulder and Scully.