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Once again, thanks to our friends over at Titan Books, AvPGalaxy is giving away three copies of the recent re-print of Alan Dean Foster’s Aliens novelization.

“The official novelization of the explosive James Cameron sequel to Alien, featuring the return of Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley!
Ellen Ripley has been rescued, only to learn that the planet from Alien – where the deadly creature was discovered – has been colonized. But contact has been lost, and a rescue team is sent. They wield impressive firepower, but will it be enough?”

In order to win a copy all you need to do is “Like” the AvPGalaxy Facebook page and share the competition post. There are no location restrictions on this competition. The competition closes at 12pm GMT on 25th of May. The novel is officially available to purchase from Titan books now.

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I like the new cover they have for the novel :)

Did they put the swears back in?

I haven't checked yet. Will do later.

I checked earlier btw. It's not been edited to involve swears. There's still something strange about seeing Hudson ask "How to get out of this outfit?"

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 20, 2014, 07:05:59 AM
I checked earlier btw. It's not been edited to involve swears. There's still something strange about seeing Hudson ask "How to get out of this outfit?"

WTF?!?!? They took the cuss words out???? Are you kidding me!?

Then it's worthless, I wouldn't own it for free.

There never were in "cuss" words in the Aliens novelisation, so there was nothing to take out.

Quote from: SM on May 20, 2014, 11:24:03 PM
There never were in "cuss" words in the Aliens novelisation, so there was nothing to take out.

They should just put those back in. Especially if they went through all that trouble to update the cover and stuff. You'd think they'd revise the novel and add some missing pieces, lines etc. Kind of surprised they didn't revise it at all!

Probably too expensive.

The new cover is probably a stock image.

Quote from: Chronicle on May 21, 2014, 01:03:29 AMThey should just put those back in. Especially if they went through all that trouble to update the cover and stuff. You'd think they'd revise the novel and add some missing pieces, lines etc. Kind of surprised they didn't revise it at all!

If you're going to change everything so it matches the film, why not take out all the stuff that isn't in the movie while you're at it? Because that's not how ADF wrote it.

Bottom line, the book should've had swearing in to start with - anyone who knows anything about the military knows they swear A LOT. Having hardened soldiers totally avoid naughty words just sounds ridiculous. But they can't really retroactively change Foster's work.

Yeah, I mean they take away their guns, then they take away their harsh language. What the f**k are they supposed to use now?

Alan Dean Foster I think did a DESCENT job on the novels. I think the novels themselves could of been a hell of a lot better though. I honestly felt like the Novelizations done by Foster. Alien, Aliens and Alien 3 were basically the films themselves just chopped down quite a bit. I didn't like the lack of detail. There wasn't any real moments of awe or good character moments. The books never expanded upon anything and most of all I didn't feel the fear or the roughness of space in his novels. It literally felt verbatim to the films themselves. Nothing new, Nothing special, same old same old.

Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 21, 2014, 11:36:16 AM

Quote from: Chronicle on May 21, 2014, 01:03:29 AMThey should just put those back in. Especially if they went through all that trouble to update the cover and stuff. You'd think they'd revise the novel and add some missing pieces, lines etc. Kind of surprised they didn't revise it at all!

If you're going to change everything so it matches the film, why not take out all the stuff that isn't in the movie while you're at it? Because that's not how ADF wrote it.

Bottom line, the book should've had swearing in to start with - anyone who knows anything about the military knows they swear A LOT. Having hardened soldiers totally avoid naughty words just sounds ridiculous. But they can't really retroactively change Foster's work.

Of course they can.  And he'd prefer if they did go back and put the swears back in.

QuoteAlan Dean Foster I think did a DESCENT job on the novels.

He wrote them while abseiling?

QuoteI think the novels themselves could of been a hell of a lot better though. I honestly felt like the Novelizations done by Foster. Alien, Aliens and Alien 3 were basically the films themselves just chopped down quite a bit. I didn't like the lack of detail. There wasn't any real moments of awe or good character moments. The books never expanded upon anything and most of all I didn't feel the fear or the roughness of space in his novels. It literally felt verbatim to the films themselves. Nothing new, Nothing special, same old same old.

You have read them right?  Alien novel had things like the food locker, and was the only source of the cocoon scene for many years.  Aliens stuck closer to the film, because Cameron barely deviated from his script, but again was the only source of all the deleted material till the Special Edition came along.  And Alien3 matched the workprint/ special edition rather than the much more cut down theatrical cut.  And that's before you get inside many of the characters heads.

"literally felt verbatim" lol  :laugh:

Quote from: SM on May 22, 2014, 06:04:31 AMOf course they can.  And he'd prefer if they did go back and put the swears back in.

The swearing, maybe. But retroactively adding back in scenes and dialogue so the book matches the film more closely (as Chronicle suggested)? Well then what's the point of even reading the book if it isn't different.

I quite like how Wierzbowski is basically the primary Marine in the book, until he gets offed.

Quote from: SM on May 22, 2014, 06:04:31 AM

Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 21, 2014, 11:36:16 AM

Quote from: Chronicle on May 21, 2014, 01:03:29 AMThey should just put those back in. Especially if they went through all that trouble to update the cover and stuff. You'd think they'd revise the novel and add some missing pieces, lines etc. Kind of surprised they didn't revise it at all!

If you're going to change everything so it matches the film, why not take out all the stuff that isn't in the movie while you're at it? Because that's not how ADF wrote it.

Bottom line, the book should've had swearing in to start with - anyone who knows anything about the military knows they swear A LOT. Having hardened soldiers totally avoid naughty words just sounds ridiculous. But they can't really retroactively change Foster's work.

Of course they can.  And he'd prefer if they did go back and put the swears back in.

QuoteAlan Dean Foster I think did a DESCENT job on the novels.

He wrote them while abseiling?

QuoteI think the novels themselves could of been a hell of a lot better though. I honestly felt like the Novelizations done by Foster. Alien, Aliens and Alien 3 were basically the films themselves just chopped down quite a bit. I didn't like the lack of detail. There wasn't any real moments of awe or good character moments. The books never expanded upon anything and most of all I didn't feel the fear or the roughness of space in his novels. It literally felt verbatim to the films themselves. Nothing new, Nothing special, same old same old.

You have read them right?  Alien novel had things like the food locker, and was the only source of the cocoon scene for many years.  Aliens stuck closer to the film, because Cameron barely deviated from his script, but again was the only source of all the deleted material till the Special Edition came along.  And Alien3 matched the workprint/ special edition rather than the much more cut down theatrical cut.  And that's before you get inside many of the characters heads.

"literally felt verbatim" lol  :laugh:

Ummm, yeah little details as you said "Alien novel had things like the food locker, and was the only source of the cocoon scene for many years." Not a whole lot more. Even Aliens and Alien 3. I know these novels were written before the release of the film and Foster did use workprints and such. But COME ON man. He could of used his imagination a little bit and expanded on scenes, add his own little touch, create a story within a story kind of like a subplot within the main plot of the film. Its just a sterile version of the films on paper. And yes SM I have read all the novels including Alien Resurrection and AVP. That is simply my opinion. The books are really not that special man. There just the films chopped down into simplified phrases with the same overlapping detail as the films themselves. I don't know why your choosing to be abrasively defending the novels. There fun to read man don't get me wrong but there NOTHING like the films themselves.

Quote from: Chronicle on May 22, 2014, 05:46:13 PMI know these novels were written before the release of the film and Foster did use workprints and such. But COME ON man. He could of used his imagination a little bit and expanded on scenes, add his own little touch, create a story within a story kind of like a subplot within the main plot of the film. Its just a sterile version of the films on paper.

That's exactly what he wanted to do with Alien 3 - it was the studio that wouldn't let him.

QuoteThe swearing, maybe. But retroactively adding back in scenes and dialogue so the book matches the film more closely (as Chronicle suggested)? Well then what's the point of even reading the book if it isn't different.

I quite like how Wierzbowski is basically the primary Marine in the book, until he gets offed.

There's no need to add scenes into Aliens as its novelisation is the one the follows the film the closest.  Frost ended up getting most of Wierzbowkis lines from memory.

QuoteUmmm, yeah little details as you said "Alien novel had things like the food locker, and was the only source of the cocoon scene for many years." Not a whole lot more. Even Aliens and Alien 3. I know these novels were written before the release of the film and Foster did use workprints and such. But COME ON man. He could of used his imagination a little bit and expanded on scenes, add his own little touch, create a story within a story kind of like a subplot within the main plot of the film. Its just a sterile version of the films on paper. And yes SM I have read all the novels including Alien Resurrection and AVP. That is simply my opinion. The books are really not that special man. There just the films chopped down into simplified phrases with the same overlapping detail as the films themselves. I don't know why your choosing to be abrasively defending the novels. There fun to read man don't get me wrong but there NOTHING like the films themselves.

So, they're "literally verbatim" but "nothing like the films"...?

QuoteUmmm, yeah little details as you said "Alien novel had things like the food locker, and was the only source of the cocoon scene for many years." Not a whole lot more. Even Aliens and Alien 3. I know these novels were written before the release of the film and Foster did use workprints and such. But COME ON man. He could of used his imagination a little bit and expanded on scenes, add his own little touch, create a story within a story kind of like a subplot within the main plot of the film. Its just a sterile version of the films on paper. And yes SM I have read all the novels including Alien Resurrection and AVP. That is simply my opinion. The books are really not that special man. There just the films chopped down into simplified phrases with the same overlapping detail as the films themselves. I don't know why your choosing to be abrasively defending the novels. There fun to read man don't get me wrong but there NOTHING like the films themselves.

Quote
So, they're "literally verbatim" but "nothing like the films"...?

Dude i'm saying the novels don't capture the atmosphere of the films AT ALL! I felt like Foster could of gone into deeper detail about the characters and the threat of the aliens. He needed to push the detail forward to create a interesting, fearful and rough atmosphere. Add something that WAS NOT in the film. Be creative. Create a new storyline within the main storyline of Aliens. I'm not saying SM that the books are nothing like the films I'm simply stating the fact that the books don't capture the films atmosphere, characters and detail as they do in the films at all. Alien 3 felt rushed, The lack of cussing and violence in the Aliens novel completley bogs down the entire storyline. The powerloader scene described in the book was honestly horrid. He didn't go into detail. It felt extremely rushed and I felt as though Foster was writing on a deadline. The only novel out of the 3 films he did that I somewhat enjoyed was Alien. And even that felt a bit short. I don't know man. The books just aren't the masterpieces like the films. They should of been longer, expanded upon and a hell of a lot better than Foster could of ever made them.

He never got to see the films prior to writing.  He just gets scripts and concept art.  It'd be a teensy bit difficult to try and replicate an "atmosphere" of a film that's still being shot. And the stuff he wrote to develop the background on the convicts on Fiorina got cut by the publisher/ studio, like the swearing was similarly cut in Aliens.

Movie novelisations are never going to be classified as masterpieces.  It's merch for the fans.

Decent airline page-turners mass produced to turn a buck.If the novels don't satisfy,stick with the movies.

Quote from: SM on May 23, 2014, 01:00:40 AMAnd the stuff he wrote to develop the background on the convicts on Fiorina got cut by the publisher/ studio, like the swearing was similarly cut in Aliens.

I've always been curious as to what that stuff was. There was a tiny bit of background left in the book - one of the prisoners used to be a professional runner, I think we found out what Frank went to prison for - but mostly they remained faceless.

Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 23, 2014, 07:39:08 AM

Quote from: SM on May 23, 2014, 01:00:40 AMAnd the stuff he wrote to develop the background on the convicts on Fiorina got cut by the publisher/ studio, like the swearing was similarly cut in Aliens.

I've always been curious as to what that stuff was. There was a tiny bit of background left in the book - one of the prisoners used to be a professional runner, I think we found out what Frank went to prison for - but mostly they remained faceless.

yeah man that's what I'm talking about. Foster didn't really EXPAND on anything. Even creatively he seemed to lack a lot. If the movies were truly interesting to this guy I guarantee you he would of made a much longer and in-depth novel than the ones he made back in the day. Considering all the mystery surrounding the films you'd think he would of expanded upon the mystery of the series and moved the stories into some new territory. I just honestly think the novels are terribly mediocre. They really deserved a better author who would of emotionally and mentally invested his time into the series.

Quote from: Chronicle on May 23, 2014, 05:49:09 PMyeah man that's what I'm talking about. Foster didn't really EXPAND on anything. Even creatively he seemed to lack a lot. If the movies were truly interesting to this guy I guarantee you he would of made a much longer and in-depth novel than the ones he made back in the day. Considering all the mystery surrounding the films you'd think he would of expanded upon the mystery of the series and moved the stories into some new territory. I just honestly think the novels are terribly mediocre. They really deserved a better author who would of emotionally and mentally invested his time into the series.

Did you even read what SM said? He wanted to add his own stuff, the studio wouldn't let him.

Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 23, 2014, 05:58:55 PM

Quote from: Chronicle on May 23, 2014, 05:49:09 PMyeah man that's what I'm talking about. Foster didn't really EXPAND on anything. Even creatively he seemed to lack a lot. If the movies were truly interesting to this guy I guarantee you he would of made a much longer and in-depth novel than the ones he made back in the day. Considering all the mystery surrounding the films you'd think he would of expanded upon the mystery of the series and moved the stories into some new territory. I just honestly think the novels are terribly mediocre. They really deserved a better author who would of emotionally and mentally invested his time into the series.

Did you even read what SM said? He wanted to add his own stuff, the studio wouldn't let him.

What sort of stuff?

Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 23, 2014, 05:58:55 PM

Quote from: Chronicle on May 23, 2014, 05:49:09 PMyeah man that's what I'm talking about. Foster didn't really EXPAND on anything. Even creatively he seemed to lack a lot. If the movies were truly interesting to this guy I guarantee you he would of made a much longer and in-depth novel than the ones he made back in the day. Considering all the mystery surrounding the films you'd think he would of expanded upon the mystery of the series and moved the stories into some new territory. I just honestly think the novels are terribly mediocre. They really deserved a better author who would of emotionally and mentally invested his time into the series.

Did you even read what SM said? He wanted to add his own stuff, the studio wouldn't let him.

Yes I ready what he said. That was ONLY Alien 3 though man. Unless SM you know of the Studio hindering Foster from adding his stuff in Alien and Aliens i'm going to assume right now that, that was only the case for the Alien 3 novel.

Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 23, 2014, 05:58:55 PM

Quote from: Chronicle on May 23, 2014, 05:49:09 PMyeah man that's what I'm talking about. Foster didn't really EXPAND on anything. Even creatively he seemed to lack a lot. If the movies were truly interesting to this guy I guarantee you he would of made a much longer and in-depth novel than the ones he made back in the day. Considering all the mystery surrounding the films you'd think he would of expanded upon the mystery of the series and moved the stories into some new territory. I just honestly think the novels are terribly mediocre. They really deserved a better author who would of emotionally and mentally invested his time into the series.

Did you even read what SM said? He wanted to add his own stuff, the studio wouldn't let him.

People don't want none that fancy "reading" stuff when they got an axes to grind.

Now if only one of the staff at a fansite dedicated to Alien stuff went to the trouble of interviewing the guy who wrote 3 out of 4 novelisations.  Imagine what we may learn! (http://www.avpgalaxy.net/website/interviews/alan-dean-foster/)  ;)

Quote from: Elmazalman on May 23, 2014, 08:14:26 PM

Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 23, 2014, 05:58:55 PM

Quote from: Chronicle on May 23, 2014, 05:49:09 PMyeah man that's what I'm talking about. Foster didn't really EXPAND on anything. Even creatively he seemed to lack a lot. If the movies were truly interesting to this guy I guarantee you he would of made a much longer and in-depth novel than the ones he made back in the day. Considering all the mystery surrounding the films you'd think he would of expanded upon the mystery of the series and moved the stories into some new territory. I just honestly think the novels are terribly mediocre. They really deserved a better author who would of emotionally and mentally invested his time into the series.

Did you even read what SM said? He wanted to add his own stuff, the studio wouldn't let him.

What sort of stuff?

When I say 'stuff' I'm saying the book itself man. The sentences, the phrases, the overall arch, tone and pacing of the novel itself. It was all VERY mediocre in my personal opinion.

"DESCENT" (sic) but also simultaneously "VERY mediocre".

And mystery wrapped in an enigma and no mistake.

Quote from: Chronicle on May 23, 2014, 10:37:17 PM

Quote from: Elmazalman on May 23, 2014, 08:14:26 PM

Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 23, 2014, 05:58:55 PM

Quote from: Chronicle on May 23, 2014, 05:49:09 PMyeah man that's what I'm talking about. Foster didn't really EXPAND on anything. Even creatively he seemed to lack a lot. If the movies were truly interesting to this guy I guarantee you he would of made a much longer and in-depth novel than the ones he made back in the day. Considering all the mystery surrounding the films you'd think he would of expanded upon the mystery of the series and moved the stories into some new territory. I just honestly think the novels are terribly mediocre. They really deserved a better author who would of emotionally and mentally invested his time into the series.

Did you even read what SM said? He wanted to add his own stuff, the studio wouldn't let him.

What sort of stuff?

When I say 'stuff' I'm saying the book itself man. The sentences, the phrases, the overall arch, tone and pacing of the novel itself. It was all VERY mediocre in my personal opinion.

The novels were loaded with extra scenes and dialogue and YOU do get inside the head of some of the characters as well as introducing new "stuff" such as pro dreamers for Alien,as well as numerous differences and omissions(the Space Jockey)that make it different enough from the films to be interesting.I don't know what else you could possibly want?

And the winners of our Aliens novelization competition are...Predarnold, Andrew Lee and lastly Ken Seng Tan! Congratulations guys. Please message us your postal addresses.

Don't trust it guys it could be a bomb or worst; the actual novel itself!