Alien/Predator Novel Reviews

Started by Hudson, Aug 19, 2014, 04:55:43 PM

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Alien/Predator Novel Reviews (Read 70,468 times)

FatStu

FatStu

#495
Just finished the second Aliens Omnibus from Dark Horse. Bit hit and miss. Nice art though

FatStu

FatStu

#496
Second Predator Omnibus was an improvement.


The second AVP omnibus is a bit lame.

Corporal Hicks

That's because most of it is DotS!  :'( :laugh:

The Cruentus

The Cruentus

#498
Ah the crazy one. I'm tempted to read that again in a futile attempt to understand it more.  :-\

Gentleman Death

Finished Alien: Out of the Shadows

I was pretty hesitant when I read that the book took place between the first and second alien films and had Ripley coming back. The outcome after finishing the book is half and half. I know this was the first in a trilogy so it's hard for me to cast how I feel until I see what the other two will be like involving her or from the events of this first book.

I liked the characters, especially Hoop, Lachance, Baxter and Kesanov(I know it's spelled wrong, she's Russian so whatever). Being able to carry the story along with characters you can like or relate to, definitely helped at times during this story.

I enjoyed the beginning and the end the most. My only issue in the middle part of the book was when they were down in the mine. I don't know if it was me or the author but I had a hard time trying to picture what he was trying to convey regarding the alien ship and buildings..?... I found myself rereading a few paragraphs to try and understand the shape and configuration of how it was down in this ruined mine city/buildings?

I did like the explanation for Ash being in this. The how and reason for Ripley showing up on this mining ship, to having to go down to the planet and then trying to escape at the end, made sense because of Ash. I could actually see it like that.

Once Ripley was introduced I had an inkling as to how this would end with her and I'd say I was pretty spot on as to how things went about. By introducing her into this story, I'm not sure how else you would've done this. I'm also curious if this would've been a alien story by itself until someone suggested adding Ripley...guess we'll see.

Acid guns, med lab healing pods (Prometheus), elevator dismemberment, Alien egg sack spillage, all have been checked off in this book ha. 

Overall not scary but a fun read. I'll take just about anything after DNA War, Cauldron and steel egg.

Next up is Sea of Sorrows (Book 2)

HuDaFuK

HuDaFuK

#500
Quote from: Gentleman Death on Oct 16, 2020, 05:45:56 AMFinished Alien: Out of the Shadows

I know this was the first in a trilogy so it's hard for me to cast how I feel until I see what the other two will be like involving her or from the events of this first book.

Although it's a trilogy, the next two books aren't really sequels. The biggest connection is that Sea of Sorrows takes place on the same planet, but it's set hundreds of years in the future. River of Pain is the fall of Hadley's Hope and has nothing to do with either of the other novels story-wise.

I remember thinking Out of the Shadows was the best of the three, but I really struggled to get past sticking Ripley in it. Like you, I called how her involvement would end right at the start, and the whole way through I was praying I'd be wrong. I would've enjoyed the book so much more without her, even if Lebbon did a great job writing her.

The entire trilogy seemed to be characterised as good books beset by glaringly silly decisions (many of which were apparently mandated by Fox).

SM

SM

#501
It was obvious Ripley would have her memory erased, but the way they went about it was pretty cool.

Gentleman Death

Quote from: SM on Oct 16, 2020, 08:34:12 AM
It was obvious Ripley would have her memory erased, but the way they went about it was pretty cool.

Yeah, I mean I don't know what other way they would have done it.

You really feel for her in this though, the constant nightmares she has of her daughter and her wanting to go back to her was really well written. The forever nightmare.

So, should I assume that there's no follow up to the character of Hoop?

Xenomrph

Xenomrph

#503
I think he gets a mention in Sea of Sorrows, but he's not actually in the book.

Gentleman Death

Quote from: Xenomrph on Oct 16, 2020, 06:05:55 PM
I think he gets a mention in Sea of Sorrows, but he's not actually in the book.

I kinda figured after I read the first few pages of SoS but was hooping (pun intended) to find out if he'd ever make it back. Guess I'll just have to read on and see.

SM

SM

#505
Quote from: Gentleman Death on Oct 16, 2020, 05:24:32 PM
Quote from: SM on Oct 16, 2020, 08:34:12 AM
It was obvious Ripley would have her memory erased, but the way they went about it was pretty cool.

Yeah, I mean I don't know what other way they would have done it.

You really feel for her in this though, the constant nightmares she has of her daughter and her wanting to go back to her was really well written. The forever nightmare.

So, should I assume that there's no follow up to the character of Hoop?

The thing I really liked was
Spoiler
the way they use MedPods to erase memories to treat PTSD.  It gave it more grounding
[close]
.

And, no more Adventures of Hoop.

Kradan

Kradan

#506
Quote from: SM on Oct 16, 2020, 07:45:53 PM
And, no more Adventures of Hoop.

You're making Hicks cry

Gentleman Death

Finished Alien Sea of Sorrows

Love it. From the start I was hoping the pace and mood would continue throughout and I wasn't disappointed.

The character of Decker was really interesting and a different take to follow through an alien novel. Being kidnapped and forced to find the aliens is kind of how he goes about finishing the journey, never wanting to be there to begin with. And the introduction of him being an empath was such a change in direction that I Welcomed it. Kinda like a force sensitive 😎

But the connection to him being a blood descendent of Ripley is plausible, yet still felt like a stretch. I think I would've been fine with the aliens being attracted to him for just being an empath, and wanting to introduce him into the hive mind or something along those lines.

Also writing from the aliens/hive mind point of view was great, well written and effective. The author wrote just enough to get what these things motives were, other than just the killing of course.

The overall story wasn't anything super new but welcomed little new things that kept me reading it non stop (Never really thought of the alien acid blood being spilled on the queens eggs and the affect seems to do nothing). I really got behind how the author introduced three different settings, (above, mid level and ground level of the mine) and the several different characters. Instead of writing all of them the second the mercenaries show up, he introduces them as the story unfolds and the character becomes relevant.

Rollins, the WY employee in charge of the mission, is a merciless character. It's interesting that decker isn't able to get a read on her throughout which makes me think she's an android of some kind, but is never mentioned otherwise.

My issue would be with the communication or lack there of between all the merc teams, miners and the main ship in space. There's jammers making it impossible for anyone to use motion sensors or comms. It's never fully addressed other than Rollins being able to stay in contact with one of the WY coats down on the planet with them. I guess I'm to assume she had a part in blocking all communication. Which would leave a host of other questions, mainly being what's the point?

The ending was satisfying in that it ended the story of the mine but could begin a whole new one. I mean, WY actually won and succeeded in getting several specimens (one of them might even be an alien queen in a mercs body)

So, out of shadows and sea of sorrows have both introduced two cool main characters and it looks like we'll never hear from them again....unfortunately...

Enjoyed this one thoroughly, onto River of Pain...

SM

SM

#508
Moore did indicate that Rollins was a robot in an interview he did with Hicks from memory.  I've just been poring over SoS again, for the third or fourth time and don't get where the robot stuff comes from.  I never picked up anything like that.

Gentleman Death

Quote from: SM on Oct 21, 2020, 11:11:47 PM
Moore did indicate that Rollins was a robot in an interview he did with Hicks from memory.  I've just been poring over SoS again, for the third or fourth time and don't get where the robot stuff comes from.  I never picked up anything like that.

Yeah, it's never mentioned or even thought of by Decker. The only reason I thought that was when Decker said she was the first person he'd never been able to get any read from. Then at the very end, she is mentioned walking around while everyone was in cryosleep and the lights of the ship dim for saving power.

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