A new Mass Paperback story from Titan Books. Coming Oct 29th.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1789090911/ref=sr_1_32?keywords=titan+books&qid=1553490392&s=books&sr=1-32
QuoteCorporate spy Tamar Prather steals a Xenomorph egg from Weyland-Yutani, taking it to a lab facility run by Venture, a Weyland-Yutani competitor. Former Colonial Marine Zula Hendricks--now allied with the underground resistance--infiltrates Venture's security team. When a human test subject is impregnated, the result is a Xenomorph that, unless it's stopped, will kill every human being on the planet.
'Bout time.
I am just glad Titan is continuing with new Alien books.
Interesting. Overpowered? lol
I would guess perhaps the host is something special? Genetically engineered to bring out certain traits with the DNA reflex?
Also, sweet to see Zula get her own novel.
A queen?
Can't say I saw this coming, but it's pretty cool. It's neat to see Titan and Dark Horse working with the same characters.
f**k yeah!
Interesting! Novels are far more my thing than comics so I'm looking forward to this.
Glad to see that we're getting an all new story from Titan. As excited as I am about the Isolation novelization, I'll always be more excited for something new and original. Content wise 2019 will be a definitive year for the franchise; a new Golden Age if I may be so bold.
Looks like new releases all round. Upcoming books, games, comics, action figures, short films and other thingies...
What we really need is a new movie to be announced. I'll take notice of that - the rest is nice and good fun but largely disposable and superfluous to varying degrees.
I really want to see another movie but it's good to see the property is so strong across an abundance of licences. That's a healthy sign as far a I am concerned.
-Windebieste.
What I really needed was Predator EU to be alive as well. We got 3 alien novel incoming and nothing for predator. No game too. Predator fans are on a limbo.
Unfortunately, it appears the 'PREDATOR' licence isn't as strong it should be. 'The Predator' wasn't anywhere near as good as it should have been.
I honestly believe the 'ALIEN' property is strong enough across the board and we'll eventually see a new movie go into production. 'PREDATOR' may take longer. It may not have the popular marketing traction that all the 'ALIEN' EU has.
-Windebieste.
A single alien? Color me intrigued
I never really liked Zula. I hope this writer can change my mind. But if it's just a single alien, or only a few, we could have a very interesting novel on our hands.
I doubt Zula alone will make this novel worthy. Maybe we will get a great villain or the portrayal of the Alien will make up for it.
Do we think this will be set post-Resistance/Rescue?
how many "people start experimenting on the xeno" stories do we need?
flogging a dead xeno...
Quote from: Still Collating... on Mar 27, 2019, 10:48:00 PM
I never really liked Zula. I hope this writer can change my mind. But if it's just a single alien, or only a few, we could have a very interesting novel on our hands.
I actually really love her so I'm quite keen to see more of her. I know Defiance took a bit of a downward spiral towards the end but Zula was never a disappointment to me. I'm looking forward to seeing her developed a bit more.
Quote from: Frosty Venom on Mar 28, 2019, 05:18:58 AM
Do we think this will be set post-Resistance/Rescue?
That's a good question. No way to really know off the synopsis so far.
I would assume it's set afterwards but post-Defiance/pre-Resistance could also be a possibility.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 28, 2019, 07:53:57 AM
Quote from: Still Collating... on Mar 27, 2019, 10:48:00 PM
I never really liked Zula. I hope this writer can change my mind. But if it's just a single alien, or only a few, we could have a very interesting novel on our hands.
I actually really love her so I'm quite keen to see more of her. I know Defiance took a bit of a downward spiral towards the end but Zula was never a disappointment to me. I'm looking forward to seeing her developed a bit more.
Quote from: Frosty Venom on Mar 28, 2019, 05:18:58 AM
Do we think this will be set post-Resistance/Rescue?
That's a good question. No way to really know off the synopsis so far.
I enjoyed Davis a lot more. Still, even though I didn't quite sympathize with Zula as much as I do with most characters in recent novels, I'll give her this. She feels more real and a lot more interesting than most characters in the recent comics IMO. I'm eager to see if the novel helps with my perception of her since I generally respond more to that medium.
Any original alien novel is a must grab for me. If the characters are believable and the alien is treated with care in this one, I'll be thrilled.
In regards to timeframe the first clue is "former Colonial Marine". The rest will be revealed when Rescue rolls out.
Nice, new audiobook too hopefully.
Hopefully it's good, above all else.
Quote from: The Old One on Mar 25, 2019, 06:56:02 AM
Interesting. Overpowered? lol
I mean, for all we know there's only 20 people on the planet and it killed the guy with the gun first.
Or it's a babby queen and the race is on to catch it before it nests etc.
It's actually a white hybrid and is going to kill them all with a sword while spouting Bible quotes.
Interesting how Zula caught on and is now protagonist's in several books. Thought she'd be a one and done after Defiance.
Quote from: Monster Man on Apr 10, 2019, 04:10:33 AM
Interesting how Zula caught on and is now protagonist's in several books. Thought she'd be a one and done after Defiance.
I did too, but mostly because I thought she was pretty under-utilized in Defiance (especially in the second half). I figured they were just.... done with the character, otherwise they'd have done more with her in Defiance.
Quote from: Ultramorph on Apr 09, 2019, 07:53:02 PM
It's actually a white hybrid and is going to kill them all with a sword while spouting Bible quotes.
Hell yeah! :laugh:
I liked Zula just fine but Davis was the star character. Hope he's in the novel.
(https://i2.wp.com/bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/AlienPrototype-FINAL.jpg?resize=623%2C1024&ssl=1)
It's not Colonial Marines artwork guys!
Maybe they finally listened? :laugh:
It's not the best cover, but it's a definite step up.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 26, 2019, 02:55:31 PM
Maybe they finally listened? :laugh:
It's not the best cover, but it's a definite step up.
LOL!
My first thought was
OMG THE COVER IS SO GOOD! but I'm definitely under the influence of Titan goggles after the majority of their Alien covers.
Oh hell yeah. Titan just keeps getting better and better with these books. Let's hope these stories this year keep up the trend.
Quote from: King geedorah on Mar 26, 2019, 09:48:44 PM
A single alien? Color me intrigued
YES!
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Apr 26, 2019, 02:15:26 PM
(https://i2.wp.com/bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/AlienPrototype-FINAL.jpg?resize=623%2C1024&ssl=1)
It's not Colonial Marines artwork guys!
Awesome cover, thanks for posting it!! Love that stance!!! Scary as sh!t, that's the Alien I grew up with. It deserves to be bought in paperback and audible.
Is that not the Alien used on the anthology box art ? Or perhaps it's the artwork for my digital copy ? I have Defo seen it.
The face is from an image that's been used a lot. Looks like they've grafted it onto a different image of the body, which is why the head's a bit of a funny shape.
I am pretty certain that the image is from iTunes before they just updated to the 40th anniversary 4K release.
I cant remember where at the moment, but i've seen it more than a couple times before.
Regardless its 1000x better than using screenshots from video games.
Quote from: Russ840 on Apr 26, 2019, 04:44:24 PM
Is that not the Alien used on the anthology box art ? Or perhaps it's the artwork for my digital copy ? I have Defo seen it.
Thought I had seen it on the cover of a novel or within the Anthology or 35th Anniversary cases, I was losing hope, but there it was, sitting on the 35th disc case. ;D :o
I was about to go dig out a Quadrilodgy DVD box. :laugh: Really an awesome cover, great choice. A little surprised we can't get some new Alien type only pics going though over the last 20-30 years instead of all those hybrids and thingies.
(https://i.postimg.cc/wMXgw0Kc/20190426-173425-resized.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZnTMhcBL/20190426-173634-resized.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/hjKrJGDD/20190426-173658-resized.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/k4jxBFYs/20190426-173802-resized.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/VN89TNbq/20190426-174057-resized.jpg)
Not a big Zula fan. I was though. That downward spiral half-way through Defiance kind of sent me for a loop. She just changed her mind about turning herself in too easily. To top things off, the USMC just let her go scot-free? Wahahahaha! That was more far-fetched than an egg on the Sulaco.
I do like Davis though. I'm open to the idea that this could be good I guess. Give us some Davis though.
Man, prototype and Isolation covers really have a similar vibe. Easy for people to get those mixed-up.
They should get Den Beauvais to do a cover.
Can't wait for that Alien Prototype audiobook, I'm actually dry as I've heard all 10 or so. Thinking of getting The Rage War trilogy.
Davis is one awesome character, like perfectly done, well made and great job to whoever brought about that character. He (or it?) should be the main character. Zula would make a great back up character that can come in and out of a story or something. I mean it's all good to have a character with serious back and spine issues, but ultimately it robs everyone of Alien related story lines and can get boring fast.
It's not an either/ or situation.
(https://media0.giphy.com/media/KXRqN9SwBvSQU/giphy.gif)
I hope it develops Zula's character a great deal anyway.
I wonder if that's just to tighten it up a bit or if specific changes have been requested?
That'd be telling. ;)
Very much looking forward to this. The rebooted line of EU novels from Titan have been pretty good on the whole so far.
As do I, if it's half the novel TCF is,
it's worth my time.
I don't think we've seen the new synopsis?
QuoteWhen an industrial spy steals a Xenomorph egg, former Colonial Marine Zula Hendricks must prevent an alien from killing everyone on an isolated colony planet.
Venture, a direct rival to the Weyland-Yutani corporation, will accept any risk to crush the competition. Thus, when a corporate spy "acquires" a bizarre, leathery egg from a hijacked vessel, she takes it directly to the Venture testing facility on Jericho 3.
Though unaware of the danger it poses, the scientists there recognize their prize's immeasurable value. Early tests reveal little, however, and they come to an inevitable conclusion. They need a human test subject...
ENTER ZULA HENDRICKS
A member of the Jericho 3 security staff, Colonial Marines veteran Zula Hendricks has been tasked with training personnel to deal with anything the treacherous planet can throw their way. Yet nothing can prepare them for the horror that appears--a creature more hideous than any Zula has encountered before.
Unless stopped, it will kill every human being on the planet.
Thank you for posting the synopsis.
Nice, glad we're seeing a new corporation in this.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Jul 08, 2019, 11:08:30 AM
<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fauthortimwaggoner%2Fposts%2F1062639317258413&width=500" width="500" height="230" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe>
Crossing my fingers for....
Spoiler
A Bryan Thomas Schmidt helmed AvP Anthology Book. Though no good or appropriate catch phrases come to mind for a title. All I can ever hear in my head is Ken Watanabe from the Godzilla movie saying "Let'a them'a Fight!"; sadly, not the preferred nomenclature, dude.
https://sciencefiction.com/2019/10/01/nycc-2019-titan-books-is-going-all-out-with-amazing-looking-exclusives/
Moon!!!
Read an excerpt.
https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=hmW1DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT4&dq=alien+prototype&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjL99ee_5rlAhXy6nMBHXaNCCAQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
Nice. Alien Infiltrator coming 2020 by Weston Ochse.
Am resisting reading the preview.
We look forward to your review.
Quote from: TheBATMAN on Oct 15, 2019, 09:59:18 PM
Nice. Alien Infiltrator coming 2020 by Weston Ochse.
Glad Titan seem to be keeping up the pace with these books!
Indeed, hopefully more creator driven work now.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 16, 2019, 07:34:30 AM
Am resisting reading the preview.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My author copies of ALIEN: PROTOTYPE arrived today! Official release date is Oct. 29th. <a href="https://t.co/BeeVskIn3e">pic.twitter.com/BeeVskIn3e</a></p>— Tim Waggoner (@timwaggoner) <a href="https://twitter.com/timwaggoner/status/1184228043092615169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Read a draft back in June. Quite pleased to see some of the corrections I suggested have been changed in the preview. :)
Yeah, it's variable isn't it though? Every creative has their own degree of adherence to the lore.
Turns out I had a copy of this book at my old address for 2 weeks. Finally got it Saturday night. I've only read the first 3 chapters so far since I was at EGX but looking forward tucking in.
Xenomorphing got an early copy from NYCC. I've not read it yet, but here's his review: https://xenomorphing.com/2019/10/21/alien-prototype-novel-advanced-review-by-david-gogel/
I'm 100 and something pages in. The book is doing some interesting stuff regarding the egg -
Spoiler
I like the whole pheromone, scent thing for luring people in closer. I kinda liked the egg starting to open, but closing when it sensed the robot. Didn't like it closing completely once the hugger had left. That's inconsistent.
Zula has a line where she thinks about how much more hassle-free it would be if synthetics were out exploring, and how nothing bad would happen. I chuckled. I really want to ask Waggoner if that was an intentional slight at David.
What makes the Alien so much more of a threat in this story?
Quote from: Xenomorphine on Oct 21, 2019, 11:41:56 PM
What makes the Alien so much more of a threat in this story?
I'm not far enough in yet to be 100%, but
Spoiler
his host had been infected with a virus that was passed down to the Alien. It's got pustules of a flesh eating bacteria or something all over it. But that's just the chestburster stage so far.
Has anyone else picked this up? I'm in the home stretch currently. Really enjoying this one.
Should be arriving today!
Specialist unit embarking on a new mission soon!! :P
The Backup Team.
(https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/alienfilmspedia/images/7/72/WYcommandoescort.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120114154802)
Specialist unit.
About halfway through. It's certainly solid enough. My only personal nitpick is the inclusion of Zula Hendricks and tying in of the comic series. As much as I enjoy the books I can't help but constantly think about how muddled and busy this particular part of the timeline is becoming. I've only read Defiance once but did it ever explain where all the xenomorphs came from and how they infested so many ships? I get they are trying to build up Amanda Ripley and suchlike but I would kind of prefer it if the comics and Zula Henricks etc were all post Alien 3 events. There's so much more room and freedom to maneuver there. I think Alien Isolation and at a stretch the events of Out of the Shadows is enough to fill the gap between Alien and Aliens.
But Prototype is fun so far and I like some of the concepts they've gone with for the creature.
Considering Brian Wood's involvement in shaping the characters, it's honestly turned me off anything involving them further at all.
Finally finished! This one was good and quite horrific. Highly recommend!
Spoiler
And I just noticed that the xeno on the book cover has the necrosis lesions dripping their deadly goo! (Which was an aspect of the story that I found especially intriguing)
All in all I think this may be my favorite Zula Hendricks story. I give it a 9/10 and for comparison I give Defiance an 8/10, Resistance 7/10 and Rescue 6/10.
Nice.
So it didn't arrive because Amazon have started using Hermes as their Prime courier, and given that they're utterly c*nts the book's vanished and I've had to order a copy from an actual book shop instead. Should be ready to collect tomorrow with any luck.
I finished this at the weekend too. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Only downsides to me was the convenience of Zula being there, and I wish he'd done a little more with the bad guys. The scientist never really went past twisted evil guy and the Director seemed to be setup for a much bigger role than she was. I did really dig the spy though!!
I loved spending time with Zula. I really do love her a character. I loved what Waggoner did with the Alien itself. It was such a fun twist, and he was clearly enjoying himself while writing this! Recommended! Will get a review up over the next few days depending on the real world.
Ya I really liked how
Spoiler
Zula handled being a leader in this scenario. It felt very authentic. As for the scientist and director I found their portrayals to be realistic enough. Gagnon was cold, detached and only interested in scientific breakthrough whereas Fuentes was concerned on climbing the corporate ladder. Both roles served the purpose of facilitating the true bad guy: the alien.
Looking forward to the full review Hicks!
I'm wondering..
Spoiler
what people thought of Zula's team.
Spoiler
I dug them well enough. Like the baddies, felt a little extra fleshing outside of the initial descriptions would have been nice, but I enjoyed the overcoming of the initial social difficulties and them all coming together.
Spoiler
I really felt for the team. They were in way over their heads yet they stepped up and became the heroes of the story. I really liked the way Waggoner wrote his characters; they all came across as fairly likable/relatable (even Gagnon had a very "human" moment when Brigette called Tamar by her first name and his ego was bruised because she never called him by his first name.) The novel was speckled with moments like that which creates a realistic portrayal of fellow humans who share the same emotional experiences that most (Non-fiction) folks have felt one time or another. And Zula's speech damn near inspired me to take on a xeno :laugh:
Spoiler
My main problem with the team was they felt a bit thinly drawn, and they could've been fleshed out a bit. Maybe even have Zula attracted to one of them (despite Zula possibly being a lesbian). I'll have to read the final version to see if any of that happened.
Spoiler
They probably could've been a bit more fleshed out but I got the impression that we got to know them about as well as Zula did which I was fine with.
Acceptable Zula?
(https://shop.prodosgames.com/1391-thickbox_default/female-marine.jpg)
Quote from: SM on Nov 05, 2019, 08:33:05 PM
Spoiler
My main problem with the team was they felt a bit thinly drawn, and they could've been fleshed out a bit. Maybe even have Zula attracted to one of them (despite Zula possibly being a lesbian). I'll have to read the final version to see if any of that happened.
Yeah, that's what I mean about fleshing them further outside of the initial introductions. But I liked them in spite of that.
Quote from: [cancerblack] on Nov 06, 2019, 07:47:31 AM
Acceptable Zula?
(https://shop.prodosgames.com/1391-thickbox_default/female-marine.jpg)
Yeah, I think that'd work!
Spoiler
Even if the supporting characters didn't get much more characterisation, I still worked well enough.
For sure. I never felt like it suffered for it.
Quote from: SM on Nov 06, 2019, 09:14:45 AM
Spoiler
Even if the supporting characters didn't get much more characterisation, I still worked well enough.
Spoiler
I appreciate that was a typo but given the circumstances this comment is amazing :laugh:
https://dailydead.com/qa-with-alien-prototype-author-tim-waggoner/
I'm about a third of the way through it at the moment, and my overriding feeling is how much it feels like one of the old Bantam novels. It's thoroughly oldschool.
Also, re:the training op on the planet's surface:
Spoiler
I was so convinced the Hider bot was going to be modelled on a Predator that I was legit disappointed when it was explicitly described otherwise :laugh:
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Nov 06, 2019, 11:33:57 AM
I'm about a third of the way through it at the moment, and my overriding feeling is how much it feels like one of the old Bantam novels. It's thoroughly oldschool.
Yeah, I definitely agree with that. Feels like it'd fit in quite well along-side Rogue.
So what are people's thoughts on how this fits in-between Defiance and Resistance?
Spoiler
I liked how it set Zula up as being more confident as a leader. But I'm not sure how I feel about it being a spur to get back out there and fight the Aliens. I feel like she'd have been quite happy to do that following straight on from the end of Defiance. But does the book explain that away with her working for cash for the crusade? I can't remember exactly what it says.
Having not finished yet, the repeated mentions of extrasolar colonisation being in its infancy are bugging me.
I thought the whole reason Sevastopol went belly-up was because colonisation had taken off and usurped it. Yet this book makes it sound like colonising is still in the prototype phase (no pun intended) despite supposedly happening after Isolation.
Not to mention what the prequels have to say on the colonization front.
But the infancy can be a longer period of history, things can be moving slowly and having ups and downs. With a great venture like space colonization, I would get that things can move slowly, a century of work can still be the early phase as a whole, even though individual cases can vary wildly, from prosperous to a extremely hard life on a planet. And the prototype phase can mean that no planet as a whole has been settled yet, only isolated colony settlements, being few in number and not of a huge size when you consider that you have a whole planet to yourself.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Nov 07, 2019, 08:53:53 AM
So what are people's thoughts on how this fits in-between Defiance and Resistance?
Spoiler
I liked how it set Zula up as being more confident as a leader. But I'm not sure how I feel about it being a spur to get back out there and fight the Aliens. I feel like she'd have been quite happy to do that following straight on from the end of Defiance. But does the book explain that away with her working for cash for the crusade? I can't remember exactly what it says.
Spoiler
It was explained that she needed to work to get more funds in order to form a resistance. And it is quite a coincidence that she would encounter a xeno on her new job. But crazy coincidences aren't impossible; for example the guy who was struck by lightning 7 different times in his life (Guinness record). But overall I find the placing of this story to work well enough in the timeline.
I want to know what everyone thinks about a lone xeno being able to produce one egg.
I honestly am really not enjoying the book. There was one brief chapter I liked, but otherwise it seems really half assed. Super cliche, chock full of 2 dimensional characters and really repetitive writing.
Spoiler
'Necromorph'? Really? Come on. And 'Xenomorph' being overused. Call it a 'creature', 'thing', 'alien'. Something other than constant Capital X xenormorph. Also, the idea of the virus mutating it doesn't really sit well with me. Are there going to be hybrids with other weird strains of diseases now? Or genetic abnormalities? I see what Waggoner was going for, but I think it's a little meh. Also, why the hell does everyone know what Cellular Necrosis is? Is that a common thing in the mid 2100s?
Mirriam's hospital scene was pretty excellent. Really loved that.
Honestly, I think Cold Forge and the first half of Out of the Shadows are the best offerings Titan have given us so far. Prototype just feels... uninspired.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Nov 06, 2019, 11:33:57 AM
I'm about a third of the way through it at the moment, and my overriding feeling is how much it feels like one of the old Bantam novels. It's thoroughly oldschool.
This has me more interested than any other review/comment.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Nov 07, 2019, 09:10:18 AM
Having not finished yet, the repeated mentions of extrasolar colonisation being in its infancy are bugging me.
I thought the whole reason Sevastopol went belly-up was because colonisation had taken off and usurped it. Yet this book makes it sound like colonising is still in the prototype phase (no pun intended) despite supposedly happening after Isolation.
Flying cars were in their infancy in the 60's and still don't quite work properly, this shit takes time. Something like offworld colonization can only be deemed truly successful with multiple generations thriving so I'd be fine with it being considered an experiment for the first 50-100 years tbh.
Sure, but it's clearly successful enough by that time for everyone to have ditched Sevastopol in favour of living on a planetary colony. That's the entire reason the station has become destitute.
In contrast this novel makes out that they're still running feasibility studies. It doesn't tie up.
Anyway, I'm quite enjoying the book. It's no Cold Forge, not even close, but the oldschool feel is keeping me entertained.
Something else I've noticed - the character names all have a multi-cultural, intercontinental feel. Hispanic first name and Oriental surname, Islamic mixed with Scandinavian etc. It's happened often enough throughout the book that I can't believe it's merely coincidence but rather an intentional thing by Waggoner. Perhaps a statement on the intermingled nature of society in the future. Just an interesting observation.
I'm halfway through and quite enjoying it. It does remind me of the old novels, and that's a good thing.
Is it just me, though, or does the book itself feel cheap? Like, the paper looks thin and greyish rather than white, and the cover feels like thin card. The other books have felt kind of premium, but this feels like a discount run.
Finished this last night.
It wound up being a fairly middle-of-the-road
Alien novel. It was by no means awful, but it wasn't especially fantastic either. The oldschool Bantam feel was perhaps the main thing it had going for it, but that kinda wore off towards the end.
Spoiler
The idea of the Alien being infected with the virus at a genetic level was a good one, but ultimately the book didn't really seem to go anywhere with it - the virus was so instantly fatal that it really didn't have any chance to spread, and 95% of the people who got it were immediately killed by the Alien anyway. The second half of the novel also suffered from being a bit repetitive - Marines find Alien, Marines shoot at Alien, Alien gets away, repeat. The same thing happened about three or four times, just in different locations. Still, the final showdown between Zula and the beast aboard the out-of-control shuttle was admittedly really good and by far the most tense and exciting the book ever got. It's a shame more of it wasn't on that level. Overall I thought the writing was acceptable but nothing like as engaging as Alex White or Tim Lebbon's efforts.
Can't really give it any more than a rather average 5 or 6 out of 10. Didn't love it, but certainly didn't hate it either.
On the whole I enjoyed it. One bit really brought me out of it, though, and that's the section with the synthetic program and the AI. It was really stupid, like 90s Saturday morning cartoons stupid.
If that bit was written better, then I probably wouldn't have any problems with it. Well, apart from the book itself feeling cheap. On the whole, I'd probably give it a 7/10, for the 90s Aliens comic book feel.
One last thing, though, what's with the title? It has nothing to do with the story. ???
Venture's first attempt, I guess.
Middle-of-the-road? This sits right behind Cold Forge for me; I couldn't put the book down.
And Jericho 3 is Venture's facility/planet for the testing of their colonization tech and equipment: ergo prototypes.
Spoiler
Not to mention a xeno that's the first of its kind.
Something else that's just struck me as a bit dumb about the whole colonisation being in the early prototype phase thing - they already have a giant f*cking colony on Jericho 3 where the story happens.
Quote from: Xiggz456 on Nov 12, 2019, 09:00:18 PM
Spoiler
Not to mention a xeno that's the first of its kind.
Spoiler
I understand that to a certain extent, but it's really more a freak mutation than a prototype.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Nov 12, 2019, 09:46:11 PM
Something else that's just struck me as a bit dumb about the whole colonisation being in the early prototype phase thing - they already have a giant f*cking colony on Jericho 3 where the story happens.
QuoteV-22's focus was on the development of new and improved space colonization technology. The first wave of colonists had already moved out into galaxy, but they were merely a drop in the bucket for what was to come. They lived in small groups housed in cramped space stations, or equally cramped planet-based facilities, but soon larger missions would be looking for opportunities beyond the world of their birth. More ambitious settlements would be established—villages, towns, cities, and eventually entire nations. The future colonists would need better ships, better facilities, and better tools to help them survive, let alone work in the hostile environments they would encounter.
Venture intended to be the number-one supplier of these needs, outcompeting all others, including the almighty Weyland-Yutani.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Nov 12, 2019, 09:46:11 PM
Something else that's just struck me as a bit dumb about the whole colonisation being in the early prototype phase thing - they already have a giant f*cking colony on Jericho 3 where the story happens.
The way I see it is Venture is testing new colonization products. Similar to an outdoors company testing a new tent or sleeping bag in extreme climates even though folks have been camping since always. Also we know from Resistance that colony ships launch twice a day on Earth; so as long as colonization is booming the demand for new products, be it top of the line or cheap and disposable, will be quite high. Plausibly I have no problems seeing an array of prototype colonization equipment being tested on a fairly hostile planet.
Apple didn't stop with the first iPhone.
Quote from: SM on Nov 13, 2019, 01:41:26 AMThey lived in small groups housed in cramped space stations, or equally cramped planet-based facilities...
...except for the 600 people lining in the sprawling Lodge facility.
They clearly already have the tech to establish large-scale bases on other planets, including ones with inhospitable atmospheres.
Quote from: Xiggz456 on Nov 13, 2019, 01:58:22 AMThe way I see it is Venture is testing new colonization products. Similar to an outdoors company testing a new tent or sleeping bag in extreme climates even though folks have been camping since always.
Fair.
So once you have a certain piece of technology you never try to improve it?
Well obviously not.
I just don't think it ties in with the way the novel makes out colonisation hasn't got going yet.
On an unrelated note, something else that just occurred to me regarding this book:
Spoiler
Is this the first canon story to feature eggmorphing?
I believe the one in Defiance is supposed to be an eggmorphing but not sure how well the story puts that across. I can't remember.
I think that was the intention but the story never really circled back to what was going on with particular xeno.
Spoiler
Egg morphing wasn't in the draft, and the origin of the egg was worded differently. I mentioned that you could vaguely hint at egg morphing, but I've not seen the final version.
Spoiler
It says the Necromorph "creates" the egg, without explicitly stating how.
Spoiler
I think that's for the best.
Going to be doing an interview with Tim. You know the drill, if you've got questions, throw them up.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Nov 14, 2019, 10:21:42 AM
Spoiler
It says the Necromorph "creates" the egg, without explicitly stating how.
Yeah, he was
very careful with the wording.
I've just uploaded an early look of a text based Q&A I just got back from Tim for our subscribers.
Fairly sure Necromorph is Dead Space.
It's a play on the
Spoiler
creature inherited a necrosis virus thingy.
Interview with Tim is now up!
https://www.avpgalaxy.net/website/interviews/tim-waggoner/
Hicks, have you had a review of this up yet that I have missed ?
Can not decide whether or not read this.
I haven't finished writing it yet. Suffering from a little writers block myself.
https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-alien-prototype-author-tim-waggoner/?fbclid=IwAR3x1rLz4-bdJJ3H2U0dlDUTGLuDDtmyMZ0OSjJD9ihYZUNvA558UX_ej38
I must know!
Review is finally up: https://www.avpgalaxy.net/literature/reviews/alien-prototype/
Well written review Hicks!
This was an enjoyable book, I really liked the threat posed by the Necromorph and some of the action was well written, there is some downsides though, at least for me personally.
I find the disease works way too fast than any disease should, mutated or otherwise, certain characters with potential are let down or end up making stupid decisions.
Spoiler
Tamar could have been a great complex character as it does seem she was going to be up until she pulls a burke and manages to get herself killed as well as someone else, all out of greed. Aleta is not giving much to do which is a shame as I was curious to see what such a apathetic corporate character would add to the story as she reminded me of Darcy from Musical spheres and Andrea Rollins. Another stupid thing is that despite testing potential fatal diseases on test subjects, Gagnon kept infected test subjects in a room with a large air vent... Also lesions or no lesions, the Necromorph should not have been able to withstand concentrated fire like that but ultimately I am happy with the way it is eventually dealt with, both tense during and satisfying afterwards.
Overall it is a great book and it should work as a good counter to isolation novel where the Aliens are killed fairly easily.
The name makes no sense, and the concept is pungent with "what if" but it's perfectly competent, enjoyable and mostly inoffensive. I'd add though that Ovomorphing now appears in Defiance, Resistance and Alien The RPG additionally.
There is no eggmorphing in Prototype though, the egg is just found at the end with no explanation on how it was created besides that the Necromorph was responsible for it one way or the other. I am surprised they got away with the name since its what the re-animated dead in Dead Space are called.
It was 100% eggmorphing. It's pretty much said in the text, and clarified after the fact by the author.
Crumbs, I didn't want that to be canon :laugh: Too far fetched.
Do you know what page it was mentioned on? I had to read Prototype in parts so I may have missed it.
You're welcome. :)
Quote from: The Cruentus on Dec 30, 2019, 10:40:05 PM
Do you know what page it was mentioned on? I had to read Prototype in parts so I may have missed it.
Not off hand, sorry.
Personally I'm actually quite happy to see it make a resurgence. I've always dug the eggmorphing.
I get why some like it, it is such an alien method of reproduction but scientifically it makes no sense, at least to me. Not really an expert but I know of no animal or insect that can do it either.
Mind you, its not supposed to be eggmorphing, I think someone said it just laid an egg in the dead body and it just consumed it to grow.
I don't find it that far fetched honestly. Supply a dose of genetic information and let the rest transform aka eat the cells of the poor victim as it turns them into the whole egg and hugger. Nothing too strange as far as I'm concerned.
Quote from: The Cruentus on Dec 31, 2019, 11:03:21 AM
I get why some like it, it is such an alien method of reproduction but scientifically it makes no sense, at least to me. Not really an expert but I know of no animal or insect that can do it either.
Mind you, its not supposed to be eggmorphing, I think someone said it just laid an egg in the dead body and it just consumed it to grow.
I don't know of any animals that can go from microscopic to 8' tall in less than 24 hours either.
That didn't happen in the first few films though right? Kane was hugged for quite a few hours if not most of the day. He may have gestated it for longer than we think before he bursts, then we don't know how long it was between chestburster and adult. I agree it still far fetched as well, but I personally think its more plausible than converting a dead body into an egg.
The novel of the second movie states 24hrs for the facehugger and the W-Y report says something similar, like 16hrs or something.
Still insanely fast and unlikely but surely that is more plausible than eggmorping.
And it takes a full night for the Covenant Alien to grow up.
Quote from: The Cruentus on Dec 31, 2019, 03:46:54 PM
That didn't happen in the first few films though right? Kane was hugged for quite a few hours if not most of the day. He may have gestated it for longer than we think before he bursts, then we don't know how long it was between chestburster and adult. I agree it still far fetched as well, but I personally think its more plausible than converting a dead body into an egg.
The novel of the second movie states 24hrs for the facehugger and the W-Y report says something similar, like 16hrs or something.
Still insanely fast and unlikely but surely that is more plausible than eggmorping.
Gestation is around 16 hours then full size in about 2 hours.
Same level of realism as eggmorphing. IE not much.
When a creature is created like the Alien is, then it doesn't have to be plausible how would that trait evolve in other animals. Genetic tinkering can do wonders.
Just as the gestation cycle is based on wasps using other animals as hosts but taken to an extreme, I liken eggmorphing to a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.
I liken eggmorphing to a fungi consuming dead organic material to build a new complex structure out of dissolved nutrients, e.g. a puffball or mushroom. These fungi can spring up remarkably quickly too, sometimes overnight. Maybe the speed of development hints at the rapid growth of chestburster to big-chap (although the magical increase in body mass would take some fancy science to explain). Fungi do this by concealing all the growth material underground in hyphae, all primed and ready to go.
TC
That also works. And can also feed into hive creation (ie. it's its own organism that grows of its own accord after an Alien deposits an initial amount).
Isn't that what eggmorphing was supposed to be as well? Something that just feeding on the bodies and not a literal conversion. I guess one thing going for it is that Ovomorphs are not simply eggs, but an organism in their own right, so it being able to feed can make sense I guess.
I'm about halfway through this and I'm enjoying it for the most part. Dialogue is a bit explainy as I've come to expect, but I like the single Xenomorph concept up to this point. I'm into the characters for the most part but I want more of Davis. He was--by far--the most interesting character from Defiance. My only real complaints are that I wish Prototype wasn't so dependent on Zula's origin story in Defiance. It's not a fundamental problem, but I don't think Zula realistically thinks enough about the occurrences of Defiance for this book to feel like it's organically connected, rather than kind of forced. For instance, I'm not sure that Dr. Hollis has come up in Zula's interior at all, unless it was quick early on and I zipped past too quickly. Again, I'm only about halfway so I'm looking forward to the rest of the book.
It's a pity Resistance and Rescue interfere with such potentially great characters.
Podcast is now up! https://www.avpgalaxy.net/2020/03/30/alien-prototype-discussion-review-avpgalaxy-podcast-104/
And video/webcam version!
It's funny how I would never match these voices with these faces. :)
Has Waggoner ever mentioned the 'parallel' story originally envisioned for Prototype that got cut?
Not that I can think of.
Huh. Interesting.
QuoteAvPG – Was there anything that you wanted to do with Alien: Prototype but were unable to?
TW – It would've been cool if Davis had a body. Then he could've played a more active role in the story. I thought about giving him a temporary one, but in the end, I thought he would be more help to Zula as a disembodied intelligence in Prototype. Still, it would've been fun to write Zula and Davis in battle together.
That's all he said when I asked him.
Quote from: DaniilLogOut on Mar 30, 2020, 07:59:55 PM
It's funny how I would never match these voices with these faces. :)
Go on! What were you expecting! lol
Quote
That's all he said when I asked him.
That would've been cool, but that's not it. And he'd need to lose the body again before Resistance.
Can you divulge?
If he hasn't mentioned it, it's probably best I don't unfortunately.
Fair one.
Hey, why there's 15 minutes difference between podcast and Youtube video ?
Because that's how much my trimming of uhms, uuhhhs, breaths and truncating silence makes a difference in length! Lol and I left a good length of fannying around in the video by accident. It's why I've edited the audio and video of the next one at the same time.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Apr 01, 2020, 07:00:47 PM
Because that's how much my trimming of uhms, uuhhhs, breaths and truncating silence makes a difference in length! Lol and I left a good length of fannying around in the video by accident. It's why I've edited the audio and video of the next one at the same time.
Can you please tell me around what time in video RidgeTop makes "cough" joke ? I just want to see that in faces.
Whenabouts is it in the podcast?
Nevermind. About 29 minutes.
Thank you ;)
Ha. It's even funnier now. :D
Just picked up a copy of Alien: Prototype, the synopsis and some of the reviews on here sound promising. Hope Im in for a ride.
Finally finished the novel. For me it was OK and I liked how deadly the Necromorph was although I do not like the name, reminds me too much of Dead Space. It was an easy read and excitement at short intervals held my interest through out. The secondary characters though, oh man they were so many and I can only remember a handful of their names and most of the deaths had minimal impact. Zula and Davis camaraderie was entertaining and I liked how their relationship was set up. All in all a good read for Alien fans, you will not regret buying it. 6.5/10
Finished it as well. My feeling were mostly the same.
I actually liked the Zula/Davis part of the story more that I expected. They still felt like the same characters I remember and I've grown to really like them both.
The alien was a bit of mixed bag. I liked how deadly it was even just as an alien. Adding the necrosis was kinda cool but also a little corny. My main gripe is how indestructible the disease made it. Withstanding pulse rifle fire was just too much of a stretch for me. But it did have some cool abilities as well.
Fun and thrilling but sorta cheesy. Like a few others have said the name Prototype didn't really fit the story for me.
I'm 100 pages into phalanx and absolutely in love with it.
i quite liked prototype, it'll be remembered as the "one with the necromorph" :laugh:
i loved phalanx! such an easy read, and i'm not a fantasy fan at all
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Dec 30, 2019, 07:08:08 PM
It was 100% eggmorphing. It's pretty much said in the text, and clarified after the fact by the author.
I read through it looking for the eggmorphing clues but it's so vague about producing the egg that I can't believe anyone would catch it even hardcore fans.
It reads as if the Alien only needs a human for the egg to infect. I couldn't find where it specifies needing someone to create it. Its out looking for a potential host for its egg before the egg has been produced/morphed. Maybe morphing was the intention but I wish it was more clear and explicit on the page. Would have been a great opportunity imo.
There was originally a different take on eggs and my notes to Fox were 'This is a great opportunity to hint at, but not confirm egg-morphing.'
Haven't read the published book to see how that panned out though.
i cannot remember exact verbiage but i read it thinking there were strong implications of eggmorphing
Quote from: 426Buddy on Jun 28, 2020, 02:09:32 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Dec 30, 2019, 07:08:08 PM
It was 100% eggmorphing. It's pretty much said in the text, and clarified after the fact by the author.
I read through it looking for the eggmorphing clues but it's so vague about producing the egg that I can't believe anyone would catch it even hardcore fans.
It reads as if the Alien only needs a human for the egg to infect. I couldn't find where it specifies needing someone to create it. Its out looking for a potential host for its egg before the egg has been produced/morphed. Maybe morphing was the intention but I wish it was more clear and explicit on the page. Would have been a great opportunity imo.
I honestly thought it came across as an Alien can produce one egg (with no extra detail given). It wasn't until the interview with the author that it was clarified as egg morphing. On my second read I specifically looked for it and it still came across as just needing a host for an egg as opposed to needing a host to produce an egg.
Quote from: Xiggz456 on Jun 29, 2020, 02:47:46 PM
Quote from: 426Buddy on Jun 28, 2020, 02:09:32 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Dec 30, 2019, 07:08:08 PM
It was 100% eggmorphing. It's pretty much said in the text, and clarified after the fact by the author.
I read through it looking for the eggmorphing clues but it's so vague about producing the egg that I can't believe anyone would catch it even hardcore fans.
It reads as if the Alien only needs a human for the egg to infect. I couldn't find where it specifies needing someone to create it. Its out looking for a potential host for its egg before the egg has been produced/morphed. Maybe morphing was the intention but I wish it was more clear and explicit on the page. Would have been a great opportunity imo.
I honestly thought it came across as an Alien can produce one egg (with no extra detail given). It wasn't until the interview with the author that it was clarified as egg morphing. On my second read I specifically looked for it and it still came across as just needing a host for an egg as opposed to needing a host to produce an egg.
That's how I took it as well, I was hoping it would be more.
Quote from: SM on Jun 28, 2020, 10:15:18 PM
There was originally a different take on eggs and my notes to Fox were 'This is a great opportunity to hint at, but not confirm egg-morphing.'
Haven't read the published book to see how that panned out though.
Dude, don't give them ideas :laugh:
Eggmorphing is a concept that I personally find a bit too much, sure its scary and bizarre but biologically it doesn't really make sense does it. With the Queen or even just a drone laying an egg, you got yourself a contained and plausible life-cycle.
Makes fine sense for eggmorphing and the queen to be a thing, for me anyway.
Quote from: The Cruentus on Jul 02, 2020, 11:34:12 AM
Eggmorphing is a concept that I personally find a bit too much, sure its scary and bizarre but biologically it doesn't really make sense does it.
Converting one biomass to another biomass is literally the foundation of life. Makes plenty sense.
Finally reading this one. I'm almost done and I suddenly noticed the lesions & pus on the cover. Did anyone else completely miss this? All this time, I thought they just slapped the blu-ray art on there with no effort to represent the necromorph. I'm still disappointed that they didn't commission something new, but at least it's a vague representation of the creature in the book.
(https://i.imgur.com/iKBRDiB.png)
Someone on Twitter posted an illustration of the creature and it's much closer to what I was picturing. Tim Waggoner liked it too.
https://twitter.com/FrankensteinBad/status/1195881417286176769?s=20 (https://twitter.com/FrankensteinBad/status/1195881417286176769?s=20)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EJifzjdUUAEWFOB?format=jpg&name=large)
Oh nice, he's the guy I commissioned to do me a Lion-Worm one. Maybe he enjoyed visualising the new creatures.
Oh cool. I see he also did a Cold Forge snatcher and the creature from Gibson's Alien 3.
Well I just finished the book. Gonna dump my thoughts here:
As Hicks pointed out, Zula's presence on the base is very coincidental. That bugged me a bit. Also confusing why the egg closes back up after releasing the hugger.
Spoiler
I actually enjoyed the dream sequence in the beginning. I enjoyed how it expressed her self-doubt and I loved the concept of the backbone creature.
The training session with the robot bugs was entertaining, but the reveal behind the malfunction was really dumb.
Spoiler
I also wasn't a fan of the Tron segment with Davis inside the network.
The xenomorph variant was great. Its new horrific abilities and the name "necromorph" were very cool. I'd really like to see NECA release an interpretation of this creature.
I enjoyed reading the inner workings of the necromorph's mind - how it rationalizes where to impregnate hosts for reproduction, its relationship with the cellular necrosis, and how it inherited general knowledge of the layout of the Lodge from its host.
I listened to the podcast and I agree with Ridgetop that I didn't glean eggmorphing from the book at all... but if the author confirmed it, that clearly settles it.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I'd also probably give it a 7 out of 10.
I also finished this book recently and agree with what you said. I feel like the author came up with a really great idea with the alien and then had to write around that, which fell flat for me. But damn that alien was lethal and I really enjoyed how the necromorph was written.
The egg morphing was my suggestion (it was originally a bit different), but my suggestion was also to keep it vague, and having read the released version not too long ago I can easily see how people might not pick up on it.
I have to point out the obvious but Necromorph's far from a new name.
(https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/402/713/small/ben-wanat-human-too-far-gone.jpg?1445825506)
(https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/402/714/small/ben-wanat-the-fossil-comes-back-to-life.jpg?1445825506)
(https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/402/718/small/ben-wanat-some-have-wings.jpg?1445825515)
(https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/402/891/small/ben-wanat-enemy-zombie-regenerator.jpg?1445826675)
(https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/402/993/small/ben-wanat-enemy-brute-paintover03.jpg?1445827195)
(https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/402/962/small/ben-wanat-enemy-leaper-redesign02.jpg?1445827049)
(https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/402/910/small/ben-wanat-enemy-pregnant02.jpg?1445826772)
(https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/402/847/small/ben-wanat-enemy-infected-human03.jpg?1445826412)
NECA also already did a Necromorph;
(https://www.figures.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=15822&d=1295635042)
Carlos Huante also worked on Visceral's Dead Space.
Briefly.
I'm aware the Dead Space creatures are called necromorphs, but I still thought it sounded cool in the context of the book.