Coming in Oct 29 2024.
https://bnccatalist.ca/ViewTitle.aspx?id=76215152
As human colonies are obliterated by the dark pathogen and hideous monstrosities proliferate, a family of scavengers find an amnesiac who may hold the secrets to the forces tearing apart the galaxy.
Life amongst the stars is brutal. Human colonies are being obliterated by a dark pathogen launched from mysterious ships, which turns whole populations into hordes of ravenous monsters. And no one knows what happened to the Jackals, the cadre of soldiers hunting down the perpetrators of these atrocities.
When a family of scavengers recover the amnesiac Mae Hendricks amongst the wreckage of an unidentified ship, they bring a world of pain down on themselves and the civilians of Guelph Station. Mae doesn't know where she is from or her true nature, nor that she is being hunted by vicious adversaries.
Mae's past could reveal the conspiracy that is tearing the galaxy apart, but may well unleash a tide of snarling terrors
I'm a bit behind in the roleplaying game cinematic scenarios (last one I played is the missions from the Colonial Marines Operation Manual), but this definitely seems to be tying into the RPG's recent developments.
I think I like this premise a lot more than the premise of pretty much any novel that's been announced since Into Charybdis, if I'm being honest.
Inferno Falls Again?
Quote from: SM on Mar 18, 2024, 11:03:43 PMInferno Falls Again?
Oh, just looked up what that one was as a refresher to this. I tapped out of the Zula Hendricks stuff after
Defiance kind of went to crap in the back half of its run (that case isn't made any better by what ended up coming out about Brian Wood afterwards, either :-\ ), and found it pretty silly that they kept drawing Amanda Ripley back out of retirement for further crossovers/adventures with Zula afterwards (
Alien: Isolation felt like a one-and-done deal with that character for me) so I never followed where the character went post-
Defiance.
Was
Inferno's Fall any good/worth returning to the character for?
I don't know the first thing about Inferno's Fall beyond the cover having Neomorphs on it. Just noticed this new book has the same authors.
Like SM said, this is in a very large part Inferno's Fall again, beat for beat by the description, and I've read the first book. Just why? And god no, please not Mae, I'd even live with dull Zula or anyone from the gang, but not Mae. The best part of the novel was the Aussie family, the worst was Mae and how the Pathogen was handled. So I'm worried about that a bit...
Just saw the link, the same authors again? Why would they write basically the same story again, or one with such a similar premise?
I hope Mae is written better this time and not so stiff old school robot like. And that we don't get even more confusing Pathogen stuff. Though Clara does believe that every entry needs to show a new type of Alien, so I'm certain that we'll have problems there again.
Lets hope this novel is more like the first half of their previous one, not like the second half IMO. I hope Ballantine will write the new characters as interesting as the Aussie family.
And I kinda doubt it, but I hope we finally get to see who're responsible for the Pathogen bombings. Cause the last few novels and RPG entries really made things confusing there..... There was a huge missed opportunity in crashing and then just completely ignoring the Juggernaut. They've been hunting them for so long, and when they've finally caught up to them, took them down, they just left them without investigating at all. Let's hope we don't get such weird plot situations here and some actual answers.
October, right. Who wants to bet on this thing being delayed to 2026?
I really liked inferno's fall hopefully this is just as good been wanting to find out more about the jackals since reading it and what happened to them
Quote from: Still Collating... on Mar 19, 2024, 12:33:22 AMAnd I kinda doubt it, but I hope we finally get to see who're responsible for the Pathogen bombings. Cause the last few novels and RPG entries really made things confusing there..... There was a huge missed opportunity in crashing and then just completely ignoring the Juggernaut. They've been hunting them for so long, and when they've finally caught up to them, took them down, they just left them without investigating at all. Let's hope we don't get such weird plot situations here and some actual answers.
Well, we know that Deep Void were responsible for at least some of the attacks.
Ooo I don't know. I liked Inferno's Fall enough but I had major issues with it that could've been addressed in the following Enemy of my Enemy and they weren't. Also, with the number of mediocre books that have been released, the summary for this one just does not sound interesting.
Inferno's Fall was one of few recent Titan Alien books that I really liked. It had its flaws, so I hope that sequel will be opportunity to fix some of them. Clara sounded like a huge fan in interviews, and she seemed to have a blast cowriting first book with Philippa, so yeah, I'm excited what they'll cook up next.
I hope it does well for her. She's had a bit of a rough trot.
I really enjoyed Inferno's Fall. It was the strongest out of the RPG trilogy, for sure. It had some of the best character and world building we've seen from Titan imho. I can understand people being disappointed Olivia or Zula didn't feature in it more, but I really liked Mae. I have a fascination with characters experiencing identity crisis.
That said...the synopsis does seem like we're in for a repeat of that with her amnesia? So I'm a little wary there.
I also wasn't a big fan of how the creatures were portrayed in Inferno's Fall with the inconsistency with the behavior of the black goo. But I suppose we can wave that away with the programmability of the payloads.
But I am surprised at the return since I thought Enemy of My Enemy had closed this storyline off? Though admittedly I can't remember that one too well, I was a bit "bleh" on that novel. Curious to see if Seventh Circle pushes the suggestion it being David responsible? Regardless, I'm curious and looking forward to it!
Excited and looking forward to this one but also I'd like the books to move away from the over-connected narratives IMO.
Quote from: Slutty Badger on Mar 19, 2024, 08:54:44 PMQuote from: Still Collating... on Mar 19, 2024, 12:33:22 AMAnd I kinda doubt it, but I hope we finally get to see who're responsible for the Pathogen bombings. Cause the last few novels and RPG entries really made things confusing there..... There was a huge missed opportunity in crashing and then just completely ignoring the Juggernaut. They've been hunting them for so long, and when they've finally caught up to them, took them down, they just left them without investigating at all. Let's hope we don't get such weird plot situations here and some actual answers.
Well, we know that Deep Void were responsible for at least some of the attacks.
Yep, but even ignoring where the hell they could've gotten so many ships or Pathogen jars, Deep Void sites were bombed too. Like in Destroyer of Worlds and the final of Darwin's Island. Unless that was cause they were loosing and a final F U to everyone?
Second, why the hell would they waist so much Pathogen?
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 20, 2024, 09:18:02 AMI really enjoyed Inferno's Fall. It was the strongest out of the RPG trilogy, for sure. It had some of the best character and world building we've seen from Titan imho. I can understand people being disappointed Olivia or Zula didn't feature in it more, but I really liked Mae. I have a fascination with characters experiencing identity crisis.
That said...the synopsis does seem like we're in for a repeat of that with her amnesia? So I'm a little wary there.
I also wasn't a big fan of how the creatures were portrayed in Inferno's Fall with the inconsistency with the behavior of the black goo. But I suppose we can wave that away with the programmability of the payloads.
But I am surprised at the return since I thought Enemy of My Enemy had closed this storyline off? Though admittedly I can't remember that one too well, I was a bit "bleh" on that novel. Curious to see if Seventh Circle pushes the suggestion it being David responsible? Regardless, I'm curious and looking forward to it!
I felt the whole of Mae's Pinocchio "I want to be a real boy/girl" android trope could've been written better cause it was too stiff and too old school robotic, like an old Doctor Who episode.... Maybe cause she has amnesia now, they'll write her as an actual human this time (like almost all synths behave).
Enemy of my Enemy showed us who was responsible and then the surviving pair like retire on some remote planet, after years have passed and suddenly the Border Bombers are above them again. So who the hell knows what's going on. The problem that this mystery seems more clumsy than engaging. I'm guessing they're gonna push the David angle this time maybe.
Yeah, I'm not sure.
Again, a whole universe - 93 billion light-years in diameter - and the same characters (or family/friends) encountering the same danger WITH a high probability of survival.
Please can we highlight new, original characters?
I read Inferno's Fall. Despite a few good things, on the whole, I was pretty bored by the experience. I didn't finish the book feeling particularly satisfied, unlike other entries.
It's been tough to motivate myself to read Alien books lately. The quality has dipped and I'm starting to see the same themes/story beats over and over.
I remember when I read the drafts for the Rescue comic thinking it would be the swansong for Zula and Amanda. Hoping it would be their swansong really because how long can you really survive against these things?
Resistance and Rescue were just bad comics.
I liked Resistance. Rescue was... tolerable. Promised much, but delivered little.
Is this a retitle of Alien: Cult?
Quote from: Wweyland on Mar 23, 2024, 01:51:27 PMIs this a retitle of Alien: Cult?
If not, they're going to both release at the same time. Or,
Cult has been pushed back.
Quote from: Wweyland on Mar 23, 2024, 01:51:27 PMIs this a retitle of Alien: Cult?
I hope Cult is something different.
Quote from: SM on Mar 23, 2024, 01:03:09 AMI remember when I read the drafts for the Rescue comic thinking it would be the swansong for Zula and Amanda. Hoping it would be their swansong really because how long can you really survive against these things?
Exactly. Cause both of them have not encountered the Aliens just a couple of times, but several times. Hell, they've both aged quite a bit, were fighting Aliens on again and off again from the 2130s to almost 2190 now. That's a bit too much IMO. They've survived more encounters than E. Ripley, and a lot greater number of Aliens than her. Doesn't feel right when they barely got by their original stories. Amanda got cocooned, and Zula was saved so many times by Davis. They were vulnerable and you felt the stakes there. Now it's gotten ridiculous... They haven't even lost a limb, no crippling, horrific injuries, nothing.
I would have liked to have thought that after seeing what happened on Sevastapol (Alien or no Alien), the overall human cost and getting some closure, that Amanda became a union representative or something like that travelling the galaxy campaigning for better working conditions.
And I like to think Zula kept swimming on Earth, because the nonsense stories past their first ones are honestly just that, and better just ignored.
The whole holy crusade against Weyland Yutani and their Aliens each partakes in comes across as totally farcical, it undermines the films, the Alien as a threatening presence and largely turns Weyland Yutani into Umbrella Corporation.
Quote from: Slutty Badger on Mar 23, 2024, 02:51:11 PMQuote from: Wweyland on Mar 23, 2024, 01:51:27 PMIs this a retitle of Alien: Cult?
If not, they're going to both release at the same time. Or, Cult has been pushed back.
Cult was never intended to be announced so might not even be published. We saw this with a Predator prequel too.
Just checked, Cult was supposed to be by a different author. So a different book.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 25, 2024, 09:07:54 AMQuote from: Slutty Badger on Mar 23, 2024, 02:51:11 PMQuote from: Wweyland on Mar 23, 2024, 01:51:27 PMIs this a retitle of Alien: Cult?
If not, they're going to both release at the same time. Or, Cult has been pushed back.
Cult was never intended to be announced so might not even be published. We saw this with a Predator prequel too.
Of course that's possible, but I hope that's not the case.
Quote from: BlueMarsalis79 on Mar 24, 2024, 02:44:52 PMI would have liked to have thought that after seeing what happened on Sevastapol (Alien or no Alien), the overall human cost and getting some closure, that Amanda became a union representative or something like that travelling the galaxy campaigning for better working conditions.
And I like to think Zula kept swimming on Earth, because the nonsense stories past their first ones are honestly just that, and better just ignored.
The whole holy crusade against Weyland Yutani and their Aliens each partakes in comes across as totally farcical, it undermines the films, the Alien as a threatening presence and largely turns Weyland Yutani into Umbrella Corporation.
Completely agree 100%. I've never even thought of their alternative fates. Damn I love those ideas! For both of them! A lot more mature and believable IMO. E. Ripley wouldn't have gone on a crusade. She wanted to go home and try to live a normal life as much as possible, like normal human beings generally want. She only sacrificed herself cause she was kinda forced into that situation and she made a brave decision at the very end.
I pitched an Amanda 'Epilogue' story to Fox but only got as far as an outline before the Mouse took over. The idea would have been a free short story to go out online for Alien Day. Such was my desire to please retire this character because it's getting a bit ridiculous.
What was the gist of it?
Lawyer in Wisconsin tries to return a package to Ellen Ripley after flags pop up on the Network from Ripley searching for information on Amanda. Old terminally ill Amanda has left a video about her life in case her mother ever turns up, including stuff that's password protected. Lawyer goes to Burke's office trying to find out how to get in contact with Ripley. An exec assistant says Burke is offworld, and Ripley's gone with him and isn't sure when they'll be back.
Final passage would be black fingernails typing LUCKYSTAR on an old video tablet. Ripley 8 watches as Old Amanda says 'You'll never guess what happened to me'.
Holy shit, that sounds great. :o
You're too kind.
I just found the actual story file, that I only had a vague recollection of writing. Almost finished too. About 1400 words, and I only cringed once - maybe twice - re-reading it.
Quote from: SM on Mar 27, 2024, 01:34:01 AMYou're too kind.
I just found the actual story file, that I only had a vague recollection of writing. Almost finished too. About 1400 words, and I only cringed once - maybe twice - re-reading it.
Don't suppose you're going to put it up in the fan fiction section? Or pitch or to the mouse house again?
Dunno. Perhaps. It's not finished. And I don't have any contacts at Fox anymore.
Plus I think more has come out about Amanda since 2020? So it might need a revision.
Quote from: SM on Mar 27, 2024, 02:59:29 AMDunno. Perhaps. It's not finished. And I don't have any contacts at Fox anymore.
Plus I think more has come out about Amanda since 2020? So it might need a revision.
Since Rescue, I think all we've had was a tidbit in Colony War. Unless there was other mention in the other RPG trilogy that I can't recall.
Spoiler
Basically, she's got cancer, is put in cryo while her husband tries to find a cure or something like that. And this is all around the timeframe of Aliens so she's not actually a super old woman.
I really don't remember it that well. Colony War was just shite.
Quote from: SM on Mar 27, 2024, 01:15:34 AMLawyer in Wisconsin tries to return a package to Ellen Ripley after flags pop up on the Network from Ripley searching for information on Amanda. Old terminally ill Amanda has left a video about her life in case her mother ever turns up, including stuff that's password protected. Lawyer goes to Burke's office trying to find out how to get in contact with Ripley. An exec assistant says Burke is offworld, and Ripley's gone with him and isn't sure when they'll be back.
Final passage would be black fingernails typing LUCKYSTAR on an old video tablet. Ripley 8 watches as Old Amanda says 'You'll never guess what happened to me'.
This is cute, actually. Quite like this.
I remember them being averse to anything Resurrection though right?
The way things are going right now, with the setting of both Romulus and Hawley's series, they almost seem to be averse to anything post-Aliens at the moment.
Almost makes one wonder if there's still a "break glass in case of emergency" contingency plan to do a movie with Ripley (or, more likely, Newt) set after Aliens if things were to go awry.
I more meant the expanded universe aversion to anything Resurrection, but yes, that might also be a factor.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 27, 2024, 09:41:30 AMQuote from: SM on Mar 27, 2024, 02:59:29 AMDunno. Perhaps. It's not finished. And I don't have any contacts at Fox anymore.
Plus I think more has come out about Amanda since 2020? So it might need a revision.
Since Rescue, I think all we've had was a tidbit in Colony War. Unless there was other mention in the other RPG trilogy that I can't recall.
Spoiler
Basically, she's got cancer, is put in cryo while her husband tries to find a cure or something like that. And this is all around the timeframe of Aliens so she's not actually a super old woman.
I really don't remember it that well. Colony War was just shite.
Nothing new in the RPG about Amanda, Colony War is the last bit of info we got. The cherry on the top of the mountain of cringe. :P Since E. Ripley is dead, Fox literally went: lets retcon and put the only remaining widely liked Ripley on ice, just in case... :laugh: