ALIEN: Out of the Shadows (Novel 1)

Started by Darwinsgirl, Jun 01, 2013, 03:49:43 AM

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ALIEN: Out of the Shadows (Novel 1) (Read 148,032 times)

Darkness

Okay, I listened to the drama today. Yes, it's everything I expected it to be but we'd still be saying it was great even if the novel was absolutely abysmal. That's the beauty of the audio drama format. Laurel Lefkow is absolutely spot on as Ripley. Forget about getting Sigourney to do voicework. Get this woman to do it at a fraction of the cost. I see what you mean about "Nostroma" - weird one... I'd have expected the producer to have pointed out such an obvious mistake. Some questions. What's the deal with the "dog-people" they met? Where did the Eggs come from originally on the mine? They killed a young Queen and they said there were lots of Queen Alien Eggs which would create more Queens? Why would there be multiple Queens in one place? When I first started listening to this.. I thought okay, it's obviously an alternative timeline to when Ripley goes into hypersleep. But I thought it was pretty good how they had her memory wiped and put back in the Narc as if nothing happened.. even though a memory wipe is pretty much impossible in this series? And contrary to your review Hicks, I was pretty sick of her banging on about Amanda. We had one scene in Aliens about it and that was enough for me. I was also pretty disappointed there was no guns. I was hoping we were going to get some pulse rifle sounds or something to add to the action. Oh, and do the subsequent novels follow on from this story?

Reading both your reviews, you seem to have a downer on the original novel so if you had the choice between a long novel and a condensed audio drama, would you always opt for the audio?

Engineer

I have limited tech. No computer. Just my iPhone and an Xbox (primarily for Alien: isolation and Halo).

I setup the audible stuff through my phone. I intend to cancel shortly after I listen to my full audiobook(s). And I'm impressed enough with what I've heard so far that I intend to purchase the audiobook through iOS's bookstore too (I want it permenantly without monthly subscriptions, and I want them to make enough money to continue with these audio dramas!)

XenoZipper

Quote from: Engineer on May 05, 2016, 06:07:26 PM
I have limited tech. No computer. Just my iPhone and an Xbox (primarily for Alien: isolation and Halo).

I setup the audible stuff through my phone. I intend to cancel shortly after I listen to my full audiobook(s). And I'm impressed enough with what I've heard so far that I intend to purchase the audiobook through iOS's bookstore too (I want it permenantly without monthly subscriptions, and I want them to make enough money to continue with these audio dramas!)

Fair enough there, whatever works for someone. I just have a laptop for all my internetting/computing needs. The only thing my phone can do is text & make phone calls, there's not even an option for internet that's how old it is haha I have a PS3 but I very rarely ever do any online gaming, most of the games I play are 1 player games anyway & I'm not interested in doing death match type stuff with others, I get bored of it really fast. That being said, I do lose out on cool stuff like this for not having any recent tech. I feel like I'm being punished for not wanting to conform with everyone else :P I'd have no problem if I could just buy it digitally & have the mp3 be ready for immediate download after purchase like when you buy something from Bandcamp but no, they want you do use the Apps n such. Like I said, I'll eventually find an alternate way to hear this. I'm not playing with the Audible stuff anymore, that left a stale taste in my mouth.

Engineer

I wish you good luck xenozipper!

But on another note, I'm 7 chapters down 3 to go! Still loving this. I swear, sometimes I forget that's NOT sigorney! Aliens sound horrifying! So far, I mostly like the story. One of my favorites in the EU, and I'm not too turned off by ripley's inclusion yet (we'll see if I feel the same when it ends and the inevitable happens to re-set the stage for aliens to take place). I also love the references to alien isolation (which are new, right? Not originally in the written book?).

But so far, I'm in agreement with a lot of the reviews I've seen! Masterfully done with a couple minor issues/annoyances (like "nostroma").

Corporal Hicks

Quote from: Darkness on May 05, 2016, 05:56:19 PM
Yes, it's everything I expected it to be but we'd still be saying it was great even if the novel was absolutely abysmal. That's the beauty of the audio drama format.

I disagree with you there. I think the excitement of the first drama and the fact that it sounds so perfect probably does elevate our opinions of it but if it was a wank story, we'd be complaining. The original novel was a solid foundation for this.

QuoteLaurel Lefkow is absolutely spot on as Ripley. Forget about getting Sigourney to do voicework. Get this woman to do it at a fraction of the cost. I see what you mean about "Nostroma" - weird one... I'd have expected the producer to have pointed out such an obvious mistake.

It was a weird one. She eventually starts saying it Nostromo though.

QuoteSome questions. What's the deal with the "dog-people" they met? Where did the Eggs come from originally on the mine? They killed a young Queen and they said there were lots of Queen Alien Eggs which would create more Queens? Why would there be multiple Queens in one place?

The dog-aliens are a new species introduced in Out of the Shadows. They come up again in The Rage Wars. The miners find the eggs in the ship first. They'd have more Queens to establish more hives further away.

Spoiler
QuoteBut I thought it was pretty good how they had her memory wiped and put back in the Narc as if nothing happened.. even though a memory wipe is pretty much impossible in this series?

It's used in the very first Aliens story. Newt/Billie's memories of Hadley's Hope/Rim are suppressed. I think it's pretty well explained and put across in this vote.

QuoteAnd contrary to your review Hicks, I was pretty sick of her banging on about Amanda. We had one scene in Aliens about it and that was enough for me.

She's barely mentioned in the drama. The novelization uses Amanda to better build into Ripley's desire to have her memory wiped. I think that was really important to getting the torment to that bad that Ripley would want that.
[close]

QuoteI was also pretty disappointed there was no guns. I was hoping we were going to get some pulse rifle sounds or something to add to the action. Oh, and do the subsequent novels follow on from this story?

The second book loosely follows on from this one. It's set on the same planet but post-Resurrection and features a relation of Ripley. That was more combat based and I felt very much like the older EU novels.

QuoteReading both your reviews, you seem to have a downer on the original novel so if you had the choice between a long novel and a condensed audio drama, would you always opt for the audio?

I wouldn't say I had a downer on the novel. I enjoyed the novel. I think the novelty of this is playing on us quite a lot at the minute so I wouldn't really want to say yet.

Engineer

Ok so I just finished this audiobook!

Wow! I'm in agreement with Perfect-Organism. This has been one of my top favorite alien experiences, along with alien isolation and the movies themselves!

Now I have to ask. I own the book, but haven't read it yet. How much different is the book compared to this audio drama? More detailed, less detailed? Did they make any huge storyline changes for better or worse? Or maybe storyline additions? Any thoughts of interest comparing this audio drama to the book?

I'm more highly motivated to read the book now. I loved the story. I even enjoyed how they wrapped it all up. This may even replace "Aliens: Rogue" as my favorite book in the EU. I feel like if they had strayed away from Ripley, it would have been a great story too, but I honestly didn't mind so much that ripley was in this story (didn't make it better or worse to me). But again, I still have to finish reading my current book, "ringworld" (which is also really good, for you sci fi junkies out there; if you like halo, "ringworld" was one of the inpirations for that series).

PS. For my second free audiobook, I did end up choosing "predator: incursion."

Perfect-Organism

I think you'll really enjoy the book Out of the Shadows.  It nails the vibe of Alien and Aliens on the head.  Yes, the premise is forced, but it just works well as a sci-fi novel.  It is a page turner.  It is well written.

I found that there were a lot of flashbacks that Ripley was having about Amanda that did not get included the same way they were in the book, but in the audio-drama, it was done even better.  It was due to the different medium that's all.  The book is an excellent Alien story that I am sure you will enjoy.

Mr. Forest

Mr. Forest

#517
I finished listening to the audio drama yesterday.  I thought it was terrific.  I've listened to just over half a dozen audio book these last three weeks and I got to say Out of Shadows was the best experience out of all them.  When I bought it I didn't even realize what I was getting into, but when I soon realized this was more than the usual audio reading I knew I was into something special.

This is the first Alien book I've ever "read", and now I really want more.  Anyone have any suggestions?

EDIT:  Yesterday I decided to boot up Isolation just to look around in the shuttle from Last Survivor.  Out of the Shadows makes a big deal about there only being one cryo pod in the shuttle.  However, there are two!  I just remember standing there in the game, looking back and forth, and just laughing at the realization.

Engineer

Quote from: Mr. Forest on May 06, 2016, 09:29:34 PM
I finished listening to the audio drama yesterday.  I thought it was terrific.  I've listened to just over half a dozen audio book these last three weeks and I got to say Out of Shadows was the best experience out of all them.  When I bought it I didn't even realize what I was getting into, but when I soon realized this was more than the usual audio reading I knew I was into something special.

This is the first Alien book I've ever "read", and now I really want more.  Anyone have any suggestions?

EDIT:  Yesterday I decided to boot up Isolation just to look around in the shuttle from Last Survivor.  Out of the Shadows makes a big deal about there only being one cryo pod in the shuttle.  However, there are two!  I just remember standing there in the game, looking back and forth, and just laughing at the realization.
I'd be inclined to say read "sea of sorrows" or "river of pain" next. They're part of the same trilogy.


Quote from: Perfect-Organism on May 06, 2016, 07:45:27 PM
I think you'll really enjoy the book Out of the Shadows.  It nails the vibe of Alien and Aliens on the head.  Yes, the premise is forced, but it just works well as a sci-fi novel.  It is a page turner.  It is well written.

I found that there were a lot of flashbacks that Ripley was having about Amanda that did not get included the same way they were in the book, but in the audio-drama, it was done even better.  It was due to the different medium that's all.  The book is an excellent Alien story that I am sure you will enjoy.
Thanks for the input, here! :-)

Perfect-Organism

Quote from: Engineer on May 07, 2016, 03:09:42 AM
Quote from: Mr. Forest on May 06, 2016, 09:29:34 PM
I finished listening to the audio drama yesterday.  I thought it was terrific.  I've listened to just over half a dozen audio book these last three weeks and I got to say Out of Shadows was the best experience out of all them.  When I bought it I didn't even realize what I was getting into, but when I soon realized this was more than the usual audio reading I knew I was into something special.

This is the first Alien book I've ever "read", and now I really want more.  Anyone have any suggestions?

EDIT:  Yesterday I decided to boot up Isolation just to look around in the shuttle from Last Survivor.  Out of the Shadows makes a big deal about there only being one cryo pod in the shuttle.  However, there are two!  I just remember standing there in the game, looking back and forth, and just laughing at the realization.
I'd be inclined to say read "sea of sorrows" or "river of pain" next. They're part of the same trilogy.


Quote from: Perfect-Organism on May 06, 2016, 07:45:27 PM
I think you'll really enjoy the book Out of the Shadows.  It nails the vibe of Alien and Aliens on the head.  Yes, the premise is forced, but it just works well as a sci-fi novel.  It is a page turner.  It is well written.

I found that there were a lot of flashbacks that Ripley was having about Amanda that did not get included the same way they were in the book, but in the audio-drama, it was done even better.  It was due to the different medium that's all.  The book is an excellent Alien story that I am sure you will enjoy.
Thanks for the input, here! :-)

I would say River of Pain was not really part of the trilogy.  It's a prequel to Aliens.  I think all 3 books were trying to set up loose threads that a subsequent author could spin into a yarn from.  River of Pain actually bugged me a bit ultimately.  The loose thread is that a little girl and a colonial marine escaped from Hadley's Hope.  To me that is too patronizing.  It was done in a pre-Blomkamp reality I think.  It basically suggested that, since the majority of the public wanted hicks and newt to survive (but they didn't), then let's give the readers the opportunity to have the next best thing.  Awful.  Just give hicks and newt a chance or let them be dead.

Corporal Hicks

Quote from: Mr. Forest on May 06, 2016, 09:29:34 PM
This is the first Alien book I've ever "read", and now I really want more.  Anyone have any suggestions?

I would suggest trying the rest of the series out (Sea of Sorrows, River of Pain and then onto The Rage Wars). Perhaps pick up the original Out of the Shadows and go from there!

QuoteEDIT:  Yesterday I decided to boot up Isolation just to look around in the shuttle from Last Survivor.  Out of the Shadows makes a big deal about there only being one cryo pod in the shuttle.  However, there are two!  I just remember standing there in the game, looking back and forth, and just laughing at the realization.

Yeah, that was one of the complaints when the original came out. I'd never noticed until it was pointed out.  :-[

HuDaFuK

Ended up not getting a chance to listen to any of this on holiday... Hoping to get started on it this week!

LordCassusSnow

Fox will shoe horn the Ripley name into anything at this point, even if it derails canon, just so they can sell more copies of stories that can obviously stand alone and still be great. That being said, anyone else read Aliens Defiance yet? Just wanted to know how many other eyes, aside from my own, rolled at the seemingly forced inclusion of a cameo from Amanda Ripley that had no significance to the story. A cameo of an old David 8 droid would have at least put a smile on my face.

SM

SM

#523
I think it's best to read the story in its entirety before assuming it's a 'forced inclusion'.

Engineer

Engineer

#524
Yea, it didn't feel THAT forced to me... More like cleverly implemented. :-)


PS. On the subject of "forced inclusion" I only really felt that about Hicks in A:CM. I was skeptical about A:I and Amanda Ripley at first, but that turned out very natural and pleasant. I was a little skeptical about out of the shadows too, and as it turns out I actually liked how they went about that too. I'm currently skeptical over river of pain, but I'll keep an open mind until I get around to reading it!

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