(https://i.imgur.com/Wyh0lfB.jpg)
He's previously written From Zero to Hero in Bug Hunt (not a fan) and May Blood Pave My Way Home in If It Bleeds (a fan of).
May Blood Pave My Way was decent
Titan keeps "announcing" their new novels with these previews :laugh: hyped that we'll be getting 2 new Alien novels and a Predator novel next year!
Wow ! So much new novels to look for :o
Another Alien novel?!
Oh hell yes! Love the pace! I hope it's a good one. Remind me someone please, From Zero to Hero, which one was that again?
I don't mind at all, it's great.
Quote from: Still Collating... on Oct 16, 2019, 08:13:27 PM
Oh hell yes! Love the pace! I hope it's a good one. Remind me someone please, From Zero to Hero, which one was that again?
The one with the marine obsessed with a video game IIRC.
That one started out okay, but had a pretty unsatisfying conclusion.
This one isn't anything like Zero to Hero.
I think I'm in the minority in that I really enjoyed From Zero to Hero. It felt like it came close to just being daft, but I wound up really digging it. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with a full novel.
Loving that Titan are churning these out so fast.
I never got what was happening with the spitting zombies - or whatever they were - in Zero to Hero.
The spitting zombies, now I remember! That was a bit silly, but I also actually really liked that story for some reason. I'm so thrilled we're getting more novels.
Like literally if Disney stops making movies for a longer while, I'll still be over the moon if we continue to get novels at a regular pace. Doesn't have to be too frequent like now all of a sudden (though I'm not complaining), just keep them coming and I'll be a happy little fan.
That's a lot of incoming books.
Quote from: SM on Oct 17, 2019, 10:45:07 AM
I never got what was happening with the spitting zombies - or whatever they were - in Zero to Hero.
It was a "Rage" like virus, ala 28 Days later or Train to Busan, right? One of the grunts intimated that the infection was the result of unwitting human experimentation on the part of Weyland Yutani, like the "Pax" of Miranda from Serenity, delivered ala mandatory flu shots or something. That kooky Company's always up to some fun kind of new product development.
Synopsis is out.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1789093988/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=titan+books&qid=1572821928&s=books&sr=1-5
"The official prequel to the huge new Alien video game from Cold Iron Studios, as a Weyland-Yutani scientist arrives at Pala Station and finds the researchers there courting disaster... of the Xenomorph kind.
Dr. Timothy Hoenikker arrives on Pala Station, a Weyland-Yutani facility. Lured there by the promise of alien artifacts, instead he finds a warped bureaucracy and staff of misfits testing the effects of Xenomorph bio-materials on living creatures. Unbeknownst to the personnel, however, there is an infiltrator among them whose actions could spell disaster. Also on staff is Victor Rawlings, a former marine who gathers together other veterans to prepare for the worst. As the personnel receive a delivery of alien eggs, the experiments spin out of control, and only the former Colonial Marines can stand between the humans and certain death."
Sounds good. Getting some Ripley 1-7 vibes. They've been killing it with the novels lately.
Guessing Victor Rawlings' name is a nod to Terry Rawlings, given his passing earlier this year.
This is sounding intersting.
Sounds like a fun read.. im also guessing s possible oct release for the game itself. If not late q3
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Nov 04, 2019, 08:27:12 AM
Guessing Victor Rawlings' name is a nod to Terry Rawlings, given his passing earlier this year.
Dude you don't know the half of it...
There are characters called O'Bannon, Paxton and Matthews too?
Time will tell.
'instead he finds a warped bureaucracy and staff of misfits testing the effects of Xenomorph bio-materials on living creatures."
Ugg. I feel a hybridization night terror coming on. :-\
White hybrids confirmed! :laugh: I love me some xeno experiments gone wrong.
To be honest, I'd love to see them experimenting with the Aliens for more than just weaponry. It's one of the reasons I really dug Cold Forge. If that synopsis hints at more than just facehugging, I'm curious.
I need to get back to collecting the new graphic novels and comics.
Stopped a few years ago and they are really starting to pile up on me with all the new releases.
Do you guys have a list of all the new comics/graphic novels.
Define 'new'?
"Stopped A few years ago"
So around five years or so I havent been collecting the newer books.
Thanks to this site, I've seen there have been alot and am interested in starting again.
My neca collection is rather..... large lmfao, I thinks it's time I started adding some of these to my book collection.
not implying I dont have a book shelf fool of alien/predator books but nonetheless I'm sure I've missed quite a few good stories.
So going back to 2014...
Comics:
Aliens/ Prometheus/ AvP/ Predator - Fire & Stone
Aliens - Defiance
Predator/ Prometheus/ Aliens/ AvP - Life & Death
Aliens - Dead Orbit
Aliens - Dust to Dust
Alien 3 - Unproduced Screenplay
Aliens - Rescue
Books:
Alien - Out of the Shadows
Alien - Sea of Sorrows
Alien - River of Pain
Predator - Incursion (Rage War #1)
Alien - Invasion (Rage War #2)
AvP - Armageddon (Rage War #3)
Aliens - Bug Hunt
Alien Covenant
Alien Covenant - Origins
Alien - The Cold Forge
Alien - Echo
Alien - Isolation
Alien - Prototype
Alien - Phalanx
Alien - Infiltrator
Predator - If It Bleeds
The Predator - Hunters and Hunted
The Predator
As far as the novels go, the Rage War trilogy and Cold Forge are ace, I definitely recommend making a beeline for those.
I recommend:
Alien - The Cold Forge
Aliens - Dead Orbit
Aliens - Dust to Dust
Alien - Echo
(& The Predator - Hunters and Hunted is really good but unfortunately it's attached to a trash film.)
I don't know anything about:
Alien - Prototype
Alien - Phalanx
Alien - Infiltrator
The rest ranges from unfulfilling and mediocre to absolute garbage not worth your time. Particularly amongst the last one is Fire and Stone, Life and Death, The Rage War, OotS, RoP and SoS.
Isolation isn't worth much if you've experienced the original, The Predator is just as quality as the film, Covenant Origins is totally white bread and Defiance unfortunately has a meh ending, & a string of meh sequels.
And the unproduced screenplay is messy and doesn't fulfil it's full potential, and isn't nearly as good as the film we got.
The Rage War trilogy is really fun, loved it, Cold Forge is fantastic, Alien Echo is surprisingly great IMO, Alien Out of the Shadows and Sea of Sorrows are also good, if you find Bug Hunt on a discount, half of its stories are fun and interesting and If It Bleeds is really good as far as the Predator side of things.
REEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Stop liking things I don't like.
But seriously, if something doesn't hold the believability the first three Alien films do, for me it's immediately out.
The only things I haven't liked have been Bug Hunt as a whole (despite having a handful of really good entries) and Isolation. The first Titan trilogy ended up being good, in spite of some mandated issues that detracted. Rage Wars was super fun. Completely different feel to the novels. Found that a huge breath of fresh air. The Cold Forge cannot be praised enough and I do feel pretty bad for every author who follows him as it's a very high bar! Echo I ended up very much enjoying. We're talking generally 7 out of 10s for me.
On the Predator side, If It Bleeds I can't recommend enough. And Hunters and Hunted was also fantastic, despite some little issues and being tied to The Predator. It's a far better experience than the films.
Wow, just wow.
Thank you all so much, I've got to write all these down now.
Thanks you all for the info, I might just print this whole string of comments out.
Best community I've been in for avp.
THANKS A MILLION for the info and list of comics and books.
You're quite welcome.
Anytime you want to ask a question feel free to message me.
Amazon has this pushed back to Dec 29th 2020.
Well boo. I would guess that's because the game is also being pushed further back (not that we'd know about it).
I'll check in with Titan to be sure.
Am afraid that's correct.
Hope you all are doing well during this lockdown period.
Dang that probably means "Into Charybdis" gets pushed back as well >:(
I just don't see Titan releasing 2 Alien books within 2 months of each other.
Haven't had the chance to watch yet.
here's a recap (thanks for adding the spoiler tag :-[)
Spoiler
- outline took 6 months, wrote novel in 4 months
- had to be approved by fox, titan and cold iron
- protagonist is a scientist; a coward who has to learn to be brave
- some alien designs he created may be used in game
- "not a book about colonial marines," however, retired marines living on station may appear
SPOILERS ! :D
Titan has its release date on Oct 20th.
https://titanbooks.com/70242-aliens-infiltrator/
Titan has its released date shifted to April 2021.
Alien Day?
Maybe by then we'll actually know what the video game is called.
Aliens - Infiltrators.
;D
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Sep 16, 2020, 11:08:44 AM
Alien Day?
Don't think they've put any out on actual Alien Day yet. Must be like comics where it's a specific day of the week they drop. But boooo with the delay. Wonder if it's to align with some marketing.
I think the delay will be due to make it coincide in time with the release of the video game and not to spend too much time between one thing and another.
And the cover is now up!
(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/11122020_04.jpg)
Yessss
I wonder what up with the white xenomorph
All I know is #TeamSkull :P
That's... certainly a cover.
Wild that this is essentially our first look at any concepts/ideas from the game.
True be told, I had been hoping we'd get a screenie or render from the game, give us that cheeky first look at the game. lol
All this content the past few days!!! YESSSS!!!
Love this cover - it's so nice to see original artwork for these upcoming releases 👍
Oops! Looks like the #hatetheskull team has fallen out of favor! ;)
Not generally huge fan of the skull concept but this doesn't look so bad.
2021 looks like an exciting year for us AVP nerds, about time!
Calling it right now it is a depiction of the Alien The RPG Weaver.
That's awesome that they gave you the exclusive!
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Dec 11, 2020, 04:03:30 PM
And the cover is now up!
(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/11122020_04.jpg)
In the RPG they call the light colored xenomorphs with long tongues Weavers and they are the hive builders. I believe they were a concept for Aliens that was scrapped but Neca did a figure for it a few years ago and of course Gaska actually gave them a purpose. Anyways that's what the cover xeno looks like to me.
Quote from: Fiendishly Inventive on Dec 11, 2020, 05:42:06 PM
Calling it right now it is a depiction of the Alien The RPG Weaver.
You beat me to it :laugh:
Quote from: Xiggz456 on Dec 11, 2020, 05:52:17 PM
I believe they were a concept for Aliens that was scrapped but Neca did a figure for it a few years ago and of course Gaska actually gave them a purpose. Anyways that's what the cover xeno looks like to me.
It was from the original treatment Cameron did for Aliens. They were basically just building the hive and tending to the hosts.
I think it is clear as day now this will use the Alien The RPG lore.
A little surprised they've released more information and now a cover for this prequel book then anything solid about the actual game...
Yeah, at this point we still don't even have a title for the game that they can slap on the cover. :D
I'm not a big fan of the skull but it does look awesome here. Even black and white which is odd, but somehow really good.
Preeeeeeorrrrdeerrreeedd.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Dec 11, 2020, 04:17:48 PM
True be told, I had been hoping we'd get a screenie or render from the game, give us that cheeky first look at the game. lol
Don't f**king encourage them! We've only just got them using bespoke art! :D
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Dec 12, 2020, 10:08:53 AM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Dec 11, 2020, 04:17:48 PM
True be told, I had been hoping we'd get a screenie or render from the game, give us that cheeky first look at the game. lol
Don't f**king encourage them! We've only just got them using bespoke art! :D
Is it really though? It still kinda looks like vidya models with a bit of polish.
Unless you meant the Charybdis one.
Well, I guess we can't bitch about 'em using Photoshop covers anymore
Can we start bitching about how static these Aliens on the cover look ?
Releasing these details for the prequel novel is a healthy sign the game is on track. At the very least, it's not been cancelled.
I'm happy with that.
-Windebieste.
More generic covers of slavering aliens. This one is posing on a tower, this one in a hall, and this one is white. Really the only cover that stood out in the modern-era is "Phalanx," and still had the generic alien head going on. The "Aliens" universe is so much more than the titular creature. Are they afraid no one will notice it without an alien on the cover?
Possibly. There's a ton of books around with 'Alien' in the title. An Alien on the front immediately identifies it as an officially licensed product.
Indeed. Alien is rather generic, the Alien itself isn't. Honestly, I've no issue with the Alien always being on the cover. It's the quality of the actual artwork itself that I'm bothered about. Into Charybdis is a really good step back in the right direction of the Bantam days.
Just make sure you get the pronunciation right when you pod about it. ;)
Yeah, that seems like a slightly daft argument. Some of the recent covers have been shit but not having an Alien on the cover of a book about the Alien doesn't really make much sense.
As naff as the novels themselves were, the DH Press books had excellent cover art and they all had the Alien on them.
Quote from: SM on Dec 18, 2020, 10:27:49 AM
Just make sure you get the pronunciation right when you pod about it. ;)
car-rib-dis
Good lad. :)
Quote from: SM on Dec 18, 2020, 09:38:31 AM
Possibly. There's a ton of books around with 'Alien' in the title. An Alien on the front immediately identifies it as an officially licensed product.
I think this was one of the upshots of the (mostly) 90's era ALIENS branding with the curvy "I". It was unmistakable, even on a spine. Very easy to skim a busy store shelf for.
Also bring back the sexy painted cover art.
Speaking of sexy cover art - searching for Alien books on Amazon - it's pec and ab city.
:laugh: :laugh:
Yeah I had that same problem on Amazon.
Quote from: [cancerblack] on Dec 18, 2020, 10:56:13 PM
Quote from: SM on Dec 18, 2020, 09:38:31 AM
Possibly. There's a ton of books around with 'Alien' in the title. An Alien on the front immediately identifies it as an officially licensed product.
I think this was one of the upshots of the (mostly) 90's era ALIENS branding with the curvy "I". It was unmistakable, even on a spine. Very easy to skim a busy store shelf for.
Also bring back the sexy painted cover art.
I actually came across my copy of Aliens Berserker that way. I used to be in the habit of going into book stores and immediately scanning the sci fi section for new Aliens novels (and berserker came out a couple of years after the last installment). I didn't see any with the face out, but just as I was turning to leave, I caught that oval I and found Berserker.
This was like 98 or 99.
I think Berserker might've been the last of the Bantam novels.
Quote from: SM on Dec 18, 2020, 09:38:31 AM
Possibly. There's a ton of books around with 'Alien' in the title. An Alien on the front immediately identifies it as an officially licensed product.
Boy did somebody not think Cyberantics through...
I do think the Alien is horribly generic at this point. I think Kenner may have been somewhat aware of this. You've seen the alien in movie ripoffs, and R-Type, along with oodles of other video games too. It's a great design, iconic and eternal, but it's become a setpiece for the most part. The Alien 5 concept art was top-notch nearly across the board, and David's sketches were incredibly intriguing. Not saying it has to go in either of those directions, but the ability to do something new and interesting is definitely there.
Even the simple Wey-Yu book was stark and alienless, on its exterior. And Colonial Marines, while not a work of art, was very clear on what it was without an alien, although granted only the WY book really dealt with them. I'm no artist, but just making a space station and slapping a WY logo on it would be an improevment. Maybe put some alarms or explosions or debris, on that or a small town or outpost or whatever. One of the things that made Alien great was that it did not show the Alien front and center, and sometimes I think authors or the people dictating what do that can write forget that Alien, as a franchise, when it's good, it's as much or more about the humans behave, react, and do to each other than the starbeast; as many have said, the true antagonists are the humans, either directly or behind the scenes, often both.
Im really rooting for this game!🎮👍
About 50 pages into Infiltrator. Some nice character build up so far. The accelerant is the focus of this right from the first chapter.
What term does it use to describe it?
Disspointingly... 'Black goo'
Ay lmao
That sucks, but on the bright side it is not "The Accelerant" misnomer again, for the terminology use "The Pathogen" God damn it all!
(https://bestanimations.com/media/aliens/1015344903alien-jaws-teeth-scary-extraterrestrial-animated-gif-image-1.gif)
*Screee*
Quote from: TheBATMAN on Apr 18, 2021, 12:55:24 AM
About 50 pages into Infiltrator. Some nice character build up so far. The accelerant is the focus of this right from the first chapter.
Interesting. I haven't been paying any attention to this book, since I don't have any real interest in the game. But this does pique my curiosity.
Split from the Charybdis thread and merged with the Infiltrator thread. I finished rereading IC yday, just working on my review and then I can start reading this. :)
Quote from: TheBATMAN on Apr 18, 2021, 01:40:00 AM
Disspointingly... 'Black goo'
Yay! Superior terminology wins! :P
Just... Ugh...
I hope it is not scientists talking about it using that term, that's the most jarring step down from Alex White's believable take on the stuff if so, and certainly the idea of it being studied.
Pathogen is used too so it's not all bad.
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b6/4c/78/b64c785f81739f28474ddb69602aacd5.gif)
Good stuff.
I'm at chapter 31 now and so far I've been liking the novel. There is a cool amount of other alien lifeforms, I like reading about other species encountered by humanity in the alien universe and the dangers they pose to us.
Quote from: The Rogue Alien on Apr 18, 2021, 07:51:32 PM
I'm at chapter 31 now and so far I've been liking the novel. There is a cool amount of other alien lifeforms, I like reading about other species encountered by humanity in the alien universe and the dangers they pose to us.
I actually cancelled my pre-order becauseI wasn't overly interested in this or Fireteam, but I think I may need to pick up both now. Do we get to finally meet an Arcturian? It's only been six years since Rage War confirmed them as ETs. :laugh:
I will cancel my pre-order if Arcturians get depicted as ETs in either this or Fireteam.
Quote from: The Rogue Alien on Apr 18, 2021, 07:51:32 PM
I'm at chapter 31 now and so far I've been liking the novel. There is a cool amount of other alien lifeforms, I like reading about other species encountered by humanity in the alien universe and the dangers they pose to us.
Any of them sapient?
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 18, 2021, 09:10:44 PM
I will cancel my pre-order if Arcturians get depicted as ETs in either this or Fireteam.
Quote from: The Rogue Alien on Apr 18, 2021, 07:51:32 PM
I'm at chapter 31 now and so far I've been liking the novel. There is a cool amount of other alien lifeforms, I like reading about other species encountered by humanity in the alien universe and the dangers they pose to us.
Any of them sapient?
:D No Arcturians, just creatures! No intelligent life so far but since we've seen Engineer ruins in the
Fireteam trailer and this being a prequel I'm wondering if that will be worked in further. There is Prometheus elements with creatures mutating from the Black Goo.
(https://i.imgur.com/IPAc1CV.gif)
Best thing I've heard all day!
Quote from: Ultramorph on Apr 18, 2021, 09:01:42 PM
Quote from: The Rogue Alien on Apr 18, 2021, 07:51:32 PM
I'm at chapter 31 now and so far I've been liking the novel. There is a cool amount of other alien lifeforms, I like reading about other species encountered by humanity in the alien universe and the dangers they pose to us.
I actually cancelled my pre-order becauseI wasn't overly interested in this or Fireteam, but I think I may need to pick up both now. Do we get to finally meet an Arcturian? It's only been six years since Rage War confirmed them as ETs. :laugh:
Well that's interesting. Can you elaborate on what Extra Terrestrial means and implies to you? Because it could be said that the Rage War trilogy is very circumspect on this particular subject. "Confirmed" is a claim that comes with a lot of baggage to unpack, so is "Extraterrestrial" for that matter...
It says Arcturians exist as another sapient species trading with human beings and such, shit that doesn't belong in Alien.
It never bothered me.
I wouldn't wanna see that sorta stuff in the films but if the EU wants to explore those angles then go for it. I've always thought of it as it's own separate thing anyway.
Personally I like the Alien Expanded Universe to be... enjoyable, especially if Disney ever decides to start folding aspects of the current era into the films.
I loved the Rage War trilogy. Among my favourite of the EU books because they tried something new in comparison to the previous novels.
I do wish you'd stop adding replies and then immediately deleting them. It's really annoying clicking an email notification and finding nothing here.
My reply's right there?
If by tried something new you mean pitifully ripped off Mass Effect, nobody remembers anything but the general concepts from it for a reason, and that's just a testament to the strength of the franchise it's derivative of.
The Black Goo/Accelerant is in the Infiltrator book? I'm really happy about this as I do really enjoy Prometheus and the mysteries it presented.
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 03, 2021, 03:22:06 PM
I do not get the logic behind calling it accelerant, it is accelerated but it does not just accelerate what already exists, it modifies, can not stand that name.
The Pathogen? Yes. 😁
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 19, 2021, 10:45:35 AM
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 03, 2021, 03:22:06 PM
I do not get the logic behind calling it accelerant, it is accelerated but it does not just accelerate what already exists, it modifies, can not stand that name.
The Pathogen? Yes. 😁
:laugh: :laugh: ....no the accelerant....i mean the black goo....i mean...erm....the oily looking stuff....the ooze....i dunno :-\
My copy is arriving tomorrow via Amazon! I'll add it to the other Alien novels I've gotten but haven't read yet lol
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 18, 2021, 02:01:08 AM
Ay lmao
That sucks, but on the bright side it is not "The Accelerant" misnomer again, for the terminology use "The Pathogen" God damn it all!
https://bestanimations.com/media/aliens/1015344903alien-jaws-teeth-scary-extraterrestrial-animated-gif-image-1.gif
*Screee*
The Accelerant is a sweet name.
Assuming most of you have made it halfway through, I've got some questions till mine arrives
So, any Xenomorphs appeared yet? Are the Xenos from some engineer ruins or are they being made via black goo by the staff experimenting on it? And while on the topic of that, if any Xenos showed up, what names are they using for the species? Is it just Xenomorph (wrong), Xenomorph XX121 (correct one) or the Alien RPG/Cold Forge scientific name? (Praepotens and stuff, which is also correct)
Hey heads up this' finally available on Audible.
This arrived in my Kindle library last night.
But puzzled that this has come out, but Into Charybdis doesn't land till April 23?
Why drop two books in the same month and neither on the 26th?
My copy should be arriving today!
I enjoyed it. 10/10
Some continuity issues and other nitpicks. But other than that it was a fun read.
For those who finished reading, there are 2 interesting similarities it shares with the Marvel Comic, and to my knowledge, they aren't working from the same continuity.
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 19, 2021, 04:48:48 AM
It says Arcturians exist as another sapient species trading with human beings and such, shit that doesn't belong in Alien.
Surely it don't matter if it's Arcturian, baby?
I prefer the idea it's slang for a human or synthetic underclass.
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 19, 2021, 04:48:48 AM
It says Arcturians exist as another sapient species trading with human beings and such, shit that doesn't belong in Alien.
Does it, though?
Yes unfortunately.
I finished the book this morning and I have to say I liked it enough. I don't see Infiltrator blowing anyone away like Alex White's novels but it remains a solid Aliens story with interesting ideas. If I had to compare this work to other Alien novels I would put it around Alien: Prototype. It teases lots of interesting things but I don't know if the payoffs will work for everybody, the novel sort of suffers from its own nature as a prequel. Infiltrator feels like a blend of Aliens and John Carpenter's The Thing, I'd definitely recommend it to fans looking for new Alien content to read. It adds new Xeno types and alien creatures (referred to as small-x xenos), but if you expected a revealing look into what we will be seeing in Aliens: Fireteam you will be left wanting.
I asked Andrew Gaska how the RPG handles Arcturians and it kinda goes both ways (pun unintended). He says there are gender-fluid near-humans known as Arcturians, but there are also indigenous "Arctura" that are basically the Arcturians from the old Leading Edge RPG.
Quote from: The Rogue Alien on Apr 20, 2021, 05:28:27 PM
I finished the book this morning and I have to say I liked it enough. I don't see Infiltrator blowing anyone away like Alex White's novels but it remains a solid Aliens story with interesting ideas. If I had to compare this work to other Alien novels I would put it around Alien: Prototype. It teases lots of interesting things but I don't know if the payoffs will work for everybody, the novel sort of suffers from its own nature as a prequel. Infiltrator feels like a blend of Aliens and John Carpenter's The Thing, I'd definitely recommend it to fans looking for new Alien content to read. It adds new Xeno types and alien creatures (referred to as small-x xenos), but if you expected a revealing look into what we will be seeing in Aliens: Fireteam you will be left wanting.
Are the Xenos from some engineer ruins or are they being made via black goo by the staff experimenting on it? And while on the topic of that, if any Xenos showed up, what names are they using for the species? Is it just Xenomorph (wrong), Xenomorph XX121 (correct one) or the Alien RPG/Cold Forge scientific name? (Praepotens and stuff, which is also correct)
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 20, 2021, 05:40:15 PM
I asked Andrew Gaska how the RPG handles Arcturians and it kinda goes both ways (pun unintended). He says there are gender-fluid near-humans known as Arcturians, but there are also indigenous "Arctura" that are basically the Arcturians from the old Leading Edge RPG.
I never had the Leading Edge RPG so you will have to clarify that.
https://www.avpgalaxy.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/Aliens-RPG-Core-Rulebook.pdf
Arctura do not have human like intelligence then.
Quote from: PAS Spinelli on Apr 20, 2021, 05:58:02 PM
Quote from: The Rogue Alien on Apr 20, 2021, 05:28:27 PM
I finished the book this morning and I have to say I liked it enough. I don't see Infiltrator blowing anyone away like Alex White's novels but it remains a solid Aliens story with interesting ideas. If I had to compare this work to other Alien novels I would put it around Alien: Prototype. It teases lots of interesting things but I don't know if the payoffs will work for everybody, the novel sort of suffers from its own nature as a prequel. Infiltrator feels like a blend of Aliens and John Carpenter's The Thing, I'd definitely recommend it to fans looking for new Alien content to read. It adds new Xeno types and alien creatures (referred to as small-x xenos), but if you expected a revealing look into what we will be seeing in Aliens: Fireteam you will be left wanting.
Are the Xenos from some engineer ruins or are they being made via black goo by the staff experimenting on it? And while on the topic of that, if any Xenos showed up, what names are they using for the species? Is it just Xenomorph (wrong), Xenomorph XX121 (correct one) or the Alien RPG/Cold Forge scientific name? (Praepotens and stuff, which is also correct)
Where do the Xenos come from?
Spoiler
The Xenomorphs are delivered to the Pala Station from an off site location. New types are created by injecting the Pathogen into the alien eggs and injecting the Pathogen into some of the human test subjects. Unfortunately there is no Engineer ruins but multiple times the book hints that the facility is larger than any of the characters realize.
What are the Xenos called?
Spoiler
The aliens are referred to mainly as Xenomorphs, although a scientist character acknowledges the improper use of the term, they further separate the species with the XX121 aliens as Big-X Xenos and other separate species as small-x xenos. I think the Praepotens moniker is used once but I would need to find the exact page so I don't misquote myself.
Quote from: The Rogue Alien on Apr 20, 2021, 06:20:43 PM
Where do the Xenos come from?
Spoiler
The Xenomorphs are delivered to the Pala Station from an off site location. New types are created by injecting the Pathogen into the alien eggs and injecting the Pathogen into some of the human test subjects. Unfortunately there is no Engineer ruins but multiple times the book hints that the facility is larger than any of the characters realize.
Spoiler
The aliens are referred to mainly as Xenomorphs, although a scientist character acknowledges the improper use of the term, they further separate the species with the XX121 aliens as Big-X Xenos and other separate species as small-x xenos. I think the Praepotens moniker is used once but I would need to find the exact page so I don't misquote myself.
Nice, so that means that
Spoiler
My speculation that the mutant looking Spitter and Bursters come from infected hosts is kinda true
And whoever that scientist is, I love him
Light spoilers for the first three Infiltrator Chapters:
Spoiler
"Most of the residents of L V two twenty three."
Wait what?! (Audiobook Version)
Now you have my attention. :o
Wait
Spoiler
are Arcturians in Infiltrator? Gaska says they weren't in his proofing copy.
?
Quote from: Ultramorph on Apr 20, 2021, 09:15:35 PM
Now you have my attention. :o
Spoiler
So far it's just told us that it's basically turned into a world completely covered with trash (that people live on) and nothing else, so either it's an arbitrary planet with that designation assigned to it, to hide the location of the real one- or if I'm right in terms of the timeline it just overwrote Fire and Stone etcetera.
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 20, 2021, 10:56:14 PM
Wait Spoiler
are Arcturians in Infiltrator? Gaska says they weren't in his proofing copy.
Not as far as I am aware anyway, just a separate discussion around this, and what direction this goes in.
Quote from: SpaceKase on Apr 20, 2021, 04:17:40 PM
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 19, 2021, 04:48:48 AM
It says Arcturians exist as another sapient species trading with human beings and such, shit that doesn't belong in Alien.
Does it, though?
We f**k them, but trading with them is right out!
I'm not certain who in particular you're replying to SM:
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 20, 2021, 05:40:15 PM
I asked Andrew Gaska how the RPG handles Arcturians and it kinda goes both ways (pun unintended). He says there are gender-fluid near-humans known as Arcturians, but there are also indigenous "Arctura" that are basically the Arcturians from the old Leading Edge RPG.
But I am fine with this.
Just not with the idea of extraterrestrial human like sapience or sentience in Alien.
I'm okay with how the old EU has handled it - there are very, very few sapient races, some of which humanity doesn't even know about, others which are extinct.
That's fair enough I just don't want it to turn into Mass Effect much as I love it, Rage War came close enough as it is, by basically plagiarizing in my opinion.
The Xenomorph-human-Yautja beings were albinos.
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 21, 2021, 12:30:42 AM
That's fair enough I just don't want it to turn into Mass Effect much as I love it, Rage War came close enough as it is, by basically plagiarizing in my opinion.
I'm with you on that, I don't want Alien to be like Star Trek or Babylon 5.
This novel actual lifts information from our wiki, at least from my quick peruse of it. I haven't gone through it all properly yet so I don't know if there is any more.
Spoiler
This part is from our wikia: Once securely in place, the Facehugger rapidly renders the host unconscious using a cyanose-based paralytic chemical,[9] administered simply through skin contact. The delivery mechanism is dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO),[8]
This is from the novel: "Once over the mouth of its target, the face-hugger controls the host by rendering it unconscious using a cyanose-based paralytic chemical similar to dimethyl sulfoxide, administered simply through skin contact."
Yikes, that's not a good look.
Quote from: The Cruentus on Apr 21, 2021, 04:22:35 PM
This novel actual lifts information from our wiki, at least from my quick peruse of it. I haven't gone through it all properly yet so I don't know if there is any more.
Spoiler
This part is from our wikia: Once securely in place, the Facehugger rapidly renders the host unconscious using a cyanose-based paralytic chemical,[9] administered simply through skin contact. The delivery mechanism is dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO),[8]
This is from the novel: "Once over the mouth of its target, the face-hugger controls the host by rendering it unconscious using a cyanose-based paralytic chemical similar to dimethyl sulfoxide, administered simply through skin contact."
Fortunately, it doesn't appear too, too egregious. You'll have to see if there's more.
Hey Cruentus, quickly off topic while I'm thinking about it, if you guys can change the pics for Predator creators Jim & John Thomas on Xenopedia, that would be great. You have pics up of the El Pinto twins with the same names.
(https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/fetch/c_limit,q_75,w_1200/https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/crm/albuquerque/El-Pinto-30_bdef244d-5056-a36a-0942ea4532108342.jpg)
Mostly good with certain bright spots, but I also think tawdry in places, interested in everyone's thoughts.
You do realise you can edit posts, right? Instead of deleting them and immediately replacing them with a new one that basically says the same thing.
I know.
Spoiler
I am not a fan of the Alien being affected by the Pathogen either even with the caveat of radiation and others, it is unnecessarily overly messy in my opinion when you can get similar results from either a Neomorph or Abomination or simply from the Alien's own DNA Reflex.
(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia4.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FLrtZmIjH8DNyZ4f4fq%2Fgiphy.gif&hash=f6787b55eb1a410d2b47452d326c5ff212d73cc9)
Spoiler
Alien Theory posted his review of this book yesterday.
That review could mean an increase in sales
Quote from: Local Trouble on Apr 22, 2021, 09:45:45 PM
(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia4.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FLrtZmIjH8DNyZ4f4fq%2Fgiphy.gif&hash=f6787b55eb1a410d2b47452d326c5ff212d73cc9)
Spoiler
Alien Theory posted his review of this book yesterday.
Who's review did he plagiarize?
Good question. Did The Cruentus post a review of it yet?
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 22, 2021, 09:00:40 PM
Various spoilers for The Cold Forge, Into Charybdis, Prototype and chiefly Infiltrator:
The Pathogen:
Spoiler
In it defined as a substance that enhances the already present features of something, I can understand that particular interpretation in part, it does that true but it always carries features of the titular Alien with no biomechanics and light skin as opposed to dark skin in it's Neomorphs or Abominations it creates.
It gets this mostly right although I do not believe the Pathogen ought to affect the titular Alien itself, but I do hope that like in Prototype, it is an idea that only applies to the specific circumstances of Infiltrator's story because of the radiation.
Marvel's Alien's strange in that it is apparently exploring identical ideas simultaneously, but both being over the top in approach, and also shying away from tackling the ideas that the aforementioned do in full- and Cold Forge and Into Charybdis did best.
Similar concepts shared between Marvel's Alien and other recent stories:
Spoiler
Sapient Alien?
Into Charybdis actually tackles the idea whilst being both narratively and thematically appropriate for the character, and does not undermine Xenomorph XX121 to achieve this goal, make the Pathogen arbitrarily feature biomechanics to make it work, it laid the groundwork with Plagiarus Preapotens in The Cold Forge, and it certainly does not plagarise from Species.
Alien Telepathy?
Infiltrator actually tackles this as a major part of the plot progression, and does it in such a way that it is not a vision forced into the character's head at an arbitrary point in time of the author's choosing, but instead it is a subtle disquiet more befitting Xenomorph XX121. I'm all for going Silent Hill but only when it is earned. Using it as a one time thing to bait and switch the audience's about as far away from the enormous potential of this as it gets.
The Alpha?
Infiltrator also includes an "Alpha Alien" a albino Drone created through a combination of irradiation and the Pathogen.
But it is suggested it might just be a natural occurrence in appearance terms, the Weaver for example, though brought into existence because of the absence of a "Alpha Alien" leader figure.
It is suggested this being with more sapience than normally expected also caused the aforementioned telepathy and it is something that appears more often in the, Queen and Empress etcetera, this may explain the naming convention of a "Alpha Alien" as a leader that's more intelligent and so carries a low level of telepathy with presumably the Queen or Empress having high levels of telepathy.
Reposting as it also pertains to this topic.
Only a couple of chapters in so far but has anyone else noticed Osche apparently naming characters after actors from the film series? I've already come across a Wincotts (Michael Wincott, Elgyn), Kash (Daniel Kash, Spunkmeyer) and Matthews (Al Matthews, Apone).
Well that is better than Steve Perry naming characters after body fluids.
Prepare yourself for more of it later on.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 24, 2021, 07:28:49 AM
Only a couple of chapters in so far but has anyone else noticed Osche apparently naming characters after actors from the film series? I've already come across a Wincotts (Michael Wincott, Elgyn), Kash (Daniel Kash, Spunkmeyer) and Matthews (Al Matthews, Apone).
Yeah there's a few more as well. Got about 5 chapters or so left...
Quote from: Kimarhi on Apr 24, 2021, 01:47:13 PM
Well that is better than Steve Perry naming characters after body fluids.
Wait what? It's been ages since I read the Perry books, I genuinely don't remember this.
If I remember right the three marines who go awol to the colony were renamed after different names for semen in Nightmare Asylum.
Finished the book and overall I really enjoyed it, although it took me about 150 pages to start getting the feel for it.
I don't know how much time the author has to write this book but I felt it could've used some more fleshing out or expanding on ideas.
It was nice to have less "oh rah" moments and more of what the scientists point of view were. Especially after reading IC which was my main problem with that book, the marines.
My main issue with it was the escape of Leon....and how everyone just continued on working and delivering the specimens from the San Lorenzo. There was zero mention of anything being done to locate it...
This book wasn't perfect but the ideas that were presented were really nice, I just wish they could've expanded on those more.
Quote from: Kimarhi on Apr 24, 2021, 08:37:37 PM
If I remember right the three marines who go awol to the colony were renamed after different names for semen in Nightmare Asylum.
Holy shit haha.
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 24, 2021, 09:21:16 PM
Quote from: Kimarhi on Apr 24, 2021, 08:37:37 PM
If I remember right the three marines who go awol to the colony were renamed after different names for semen in Nightmare Asylum.
Holy shit haha.
Is that in the novel only or the comics too?
Renus, MacGruder and Peterson are slang for semen?
Maybe in Kentucky? ???
Quote from: SM on Apr 24, 2021, 10:34:15 PM
Renus, MacGruder and Peterson are slang for semen?
Trust me. There are three marines in that book named like GIzzum, Kohm, and some other sperm name. I remember posting about it way back when after reading it again as an adult.
Are marines known for having seminal attributes?
It's one passage at either the end or beginning of a chapter. I remember thinking Perry had to be bored of writing in the Alien verse to slip that one in.
I have the Perry omnibus and flipped through it, but couldn't find it. I know its in there though.
Thought I started a thread about it here, but it must have been on uncanny.
(https://i.redd.it/ky6gnhnje5k01.jpg)
"I think I'll just check this thread out, wonder if there's any replies to the image... wait what..."
👀
In NA's case it's probably less consequential.
Extrapolation required.
Quote from: Kimarhi on Apr 25, 2021, 02:14:05 AM
Quote from: SM on Apr 24, 2021, 10:34:15 PM
Renus, MacGruder and Peterson are slang for semen?
Trust me. There are three marines in that book named like GIzzum, Kohm, and some other sperm name. I remember posting about it way back when after reading it again as an adult.
Got a page number?
'Cos I do.
Gizhamme, Ceman and Kohm. Page 138.
I hate that I now know that, because it's taking the place of something important.
Hahaha
Oh geez...
Quote from: Kimarhi on Apr 24, 2021, 08:37:37 PMIf I remember right the three marines who go awol to the colony were renamed after different names for semen in Nightmare Asylum.
Pvts. Spunk, Jizz and Spooge?
EDIT:
Quote from: SM on Apr 25, 2021, 05:40:25 AMGizhamme, Ceman and Kohm. Page 138.
f**k :laugh:
Not watched yet, only 80 odd pages into the book.
I disapprove of that thumbnail. >:(
Is it because it has a skull?
OF COURSE IT IS!!! >:(
Your life's surely complicated.
(https://media1.giphy.com/media/8y2NlV8zmSSuQiZO93/giphy.gif)
Still among my all-time favs.
You ever watched it?
Hasn't everyone?
Maybe in a better world.
Your verdict?
Quote from: Local Trouble on Apr 25, 2021, 10:39:07 PM
OF COURSE IT IS!!! >:(
What if I told you that you have a skull in your body RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT?
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 26, 2021, 01:02:44 AM
Quote from: Local Trouble on Apr 25, 2021, 10:39:07 PM
OF COURSE IT IS!!! >:(
What if I told you that you have a skull in your body RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT?
(https://i.gifer.com/5FGA.gif)
Quote from: kwisatz on Apr 26, 2021, 12:08:55 AM
Maybe in a better world.
Your verdict?
Groundbreaking, even though the original ending was shit. I'm enjoying the remake movies more.
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 26, 2021, 01:02:44 AM
What if I told you that you have a skull in your body RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT?
I know. :-[
At least my carapace isn't transparent though.
Is that Evangelion, fellow kids?
Just finished the book. I liked it. Not sure if this is safe for spoilers so i wont post any. It did feel a bit eushed in a few spots. But i really enjoyed it and look forward to seeing how much detail of enviroments we will see in the game
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 26, 2021, 01:02:44 AM
Quote from: Local Trouble on Apr 25, 2021, 10:39:07 PM
OF COURSE IT IS!!! >:(
What if I told you that you have a skull in your body RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT?
(https://media.tenor.com/images/bcdbca0c0cd562f72ac2bf713f73192a/tenor.gif)
(https://media0.giphy.com/media/h8DLTFQf4c2Xr8PhWy/200.gif)
(https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/1*YZyHx8ZittvvirTTlwffxQ.gif)
Just finished! I had a good time with this one. In some ways it was a by the numbers Aliens book, but the usage of elements from the prequels added a bit extra to spice things up. Definitely looking forward to exploring the Katanga in
Fireteam! Happy Alien Day everyone!
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Apr 25, 2021, 02:25:48 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOCDgaPcVN0
Not watched yet, only 80 odd pages into the book.
@Muthur regarding LV223
Spoiler
I too caught that and was like wtf?! Guess we'll just head-canon that it should've said LV-222 :laugh:
Edit: lol you said LV-233. Also, I consider facehuggers as Stage 2 Xenomorphs
Finished listening and great interview!
Quote from: kwisatz on Apr 25, 2021, 11:45:38 PM
Still among my all-time favs.
You ever watched it?
NGE was one of those stories like Blade Runner that affected me in ways I didn't quite understand when I first watched it. Unlike Blade Runner (even though it has been a minute) I haven't watched all of NGE in about fifteen years.
It always made me want to write a giant robot series where the humans were affected psychologically by the events happening to them. But every idea I come up with starts to fall back into the NGE plotline in that regard.
Quote from: Local Trouble on Apr 26, 2021, 12:03:24 AM
Hasn't everyone?
Nearly made it to the end when I had my wisdom teeth out, but I ran out of opiates and lost patience with it.
Yeah having your wisdom teeth out without opiates is preferable to Evangelion.
Spoiler
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/96/27/11/962711d49f7cfd048e635698301fd589.jpg)
No substitute for a fathers love. Even a father who throws girls and giant robots at you.
Quote from: SM on Apr 27, 2021, 07:25:47 AM
No substitute for a fathers love. Even a father who throws girls and giant robots at you.
Deeply disturbed girls who range from an alcoholic, immature woman-child who's supposed to be your caretaker, to literally a soulless clone of your actual mother.
And the clone's soulless because your mum's soul is in the giant robot.
That literally eats giant monsters.
The best thing about Evangelion is watching characters who act like actual humans react to this shit.
According to that Muthur 9000 Interview:
The use of LV-223's a complete oversight, even though I actually really like the idea suggested by it's status, it covers up a big hole as far as continuity's concerned whilst leaving the door open for potential future stories.
It's so weird that no one caught that before print. Isn't that the sort of thing SM's are for? ;D
Titan rarely return my emails these days.
I did wonder if the mention of LV-223 was just a huge blunder.
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 27, 2021, 04:25:20 PM
According to that Muthur 9000 Interview:
The use of LV-223's a complete oversight, even though I actually really like the idea suggested by it's status, it covers up a big hole as far as continuity's concerned whilst leaving the door open for potential future stories.
What do you mean by oversight, as in that it was a mistake?
Quote from: Xiggz456 on Apr 26, 2021, 03:57:41 PM
Just finished! I had a good time with this one. In some ways it was a by the numbers Aliens book, but the usage of elements from the prequels added a bit extra to spice things up. Definitely looking forward to exploring the Katanga in Fireteam! Happy Alien Day everyone!
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Apr 25, 2021, 02:25:48 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOCDgaPcVN0
Not watched yet, only 80 odd pages into the book.
@Muthur regarding LV223
Spoiler
I too caught that and was like wtf?! Guess we'll just head-canon that it should've said LV-222 :laugh:
Edit: lol you said LV-233. Also, I consider facehuggers as Stage 2 Xenomorphs
Finished listening and great interview!
Thank you! Yeah, I was quite furious when I first read the book, up to chapter 3 and I already had a page of notes and complaints. If they ever make changes who knows which number they will choose. Regarding LV223
Spoiler
*shakes fist at LV223 clouds*
Either way, it was nice to chat with Weston 1 year on from the previous interview. Come to think of it I did that with Alex White too. I should have done it with Scott Sigler too but I think he had a show planned already.(BTW check out Earthcore and Mount Fitzroy, his books are great and really Alien and Aliens influenced).
This was an impromptu interview too. I have had a terrible cold since Easter weekend and kept losing my voice. I thought I just wouldn't get my voice back in time to do anything for Alien Day. But things fell into place and I had a friend volunteer to edit. Was just very lucky to have this out on time. Thanks, Gary Washington your editing saved my ass :P and it looked f**king schmick too.
Quote from: Protomorph on Apr 28, 2021, 12:49:53 PM
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 27, 2021, 04:25:20 PM
According to that Muthur 9000 Interview:
The use of LV-223's a complete oversight, even though I actually really like the idea suggested by it's status, it covers up a big hole as far as continuity's concerned whilst leaving the door open for potential future stories.
What do you mean by oversight, as in that it was a mistake?
It wasn't picked up by Titan, Disney or Weston. They didn't intentionally pick that. It was an accident.
A happy one honestly if you ask me.
So I'm a couple of chapters in and mercifully a number of character names have been changed from the outline.
But that 223 thing is an absolute howler...
Quote from: SM on Apr 28, 2021, 11:27:16 PMSo I'm a couple of chapters in and mercifully a number of character names have been changed from the outline.
Are you able to enlighten us?
Every character bar two in the outline was named after a cast or key crew member of Aliens or Alien3. And there was a LOT of characters. So far there's only Fairbank, Matthews and Rawlings. There's a character called Cruz (Ross originally) but I don't think it's a nod to Raymond Cruz.
Quote from: SM on Apr 29, 2021, 08:12:04 AM
There's a character called Cruz (Ross originally) but I don't think it's a nod to Raymond Cruz.
"Tight tight tight!"
Quote from: Nightmare Asylum on Apr 29, 2021, 12:10:50 PM
Quote from: SM on Apr 29, 2021, 08:12:04 AM
There's a character called Cruz (Ross originally) but I don't think it's a nod to Raymond Cruz.
"Tight tight tight!"
https://youtu.be/WzhW20hLp6M
*ignores all the posts*
Been a little slow making it through this one. I'm at 114. Not been hating the book, but not really been drawn into it either. Struggling to find any of the characters so far particularly interesting, particularly Hoenikker. But given what's just happened, think the narratives about to kick it up a bit more.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Apr 29, 2021, 05:54:28 PM
*ignores all the posts*
Been a little slow making it through this one. I'm at 114. Not been hating the book, but not really been drawn into it either. Struggling to find any of the characters so far particularly interesting, particularly Hoenikker. But given what's just happened, think the narratives about to kick it up a bit more.
I had the same issue, soldier on
Quote from: SM on Apr 29, 2021, 08:12:04 AM
Every character bar two in the outline was named after a cast or key crew member of Aliens or Alien3. And there was a LOT of characters. So far there's only Fairbank, Matthews and Rawlings. There's a character called Cruz (Ross originally) but I don't think it's a nod to Raymond Cruz.
Should have stuck with Ross. The comic has Cruz too.
Quote from: SM on Apr 28, 2021, 11:27:16 PM
So I'm a couple of chapters in and mercifully a number of character names have been changed from the outline.
But that 223 thing is an absolute howler...
They should have called in a pro
You not a fan of the idea of them covering LV-223 with junk then?
Quote
Should have stuck with Ross. The comic has Cruz too
And A:CM.
I'm about 150 in. And I'm getting pretty annoyed at the lack of
Spoiler
any real concern over this f**king chameleon alien running around the base.
Oh no
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 01, 2021, 02:18:24 PM
I'm about 150 in. And I'm getting pretty annoyed at the lack of
Spoiler
any real concern over this f**king chameleon alien running around the base.
Yes!!! That was one of my huge issues with this...
Spoiler
Haven't read the book, but that's actually one of my significant issues with the latter half of Prometheus. Shaw escapes from David and the doctors and removes the Trilobite from her but... rather than going after her and seeking out the alien creature that has left her body and is now on the ship, they just move on and start tending to Weyland???
Yeah it is pretty bloody absurd.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 01, 2021, 02:18:24 PM
I'm about 150 in. And I'm getting pretty annoyed at the lack of
Spoiler
any real concern over this f**king chameleon alien running around the base.
Spoiler
I agree, but I figured that because they're scientists and had been ordered to work, that that's what they were doing. I figured the security synths were looking for it, and we wouldn't know because we don't get their perspective. Ideally, all this would be implied in the text, rather than ignored completely, but that's what I automatically figured.
Up to chapter 9. I'm finding it pretty engaging despite some niggles.
Such as...
Spoiler
Several more dodgy character names. Kash using the term 'backstory' as if they're aware they're in a story. Someone please smash Rawlings coffee cup over his f**king head the next time he salutes with it.
Quote from: SM on May 04, 2021, 06:09:40 AM
Spoiler
Someone please smash Rawlings coffee cup over his f**king head the next time he salutes with it.
Spoiler
So you wish someone had edited that out, eh, eh?
Get it? Cos he was ... ?
I'll show myself out.
I'm really struggling to get into this one, I haven't touched it again since the first few chapters. I think it's mostly because I'm in one of my don't-feel-like-reading moods (I seem to go through cycles of reading like a madman for a few months and then going off books altogether for a while; I only broke the pause for Into Chraybdis because Alex bloody White) but also I'm just not sure it's all that engaging.
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 29, 2021, 06:04:08 PM
You not a fan of the idea of them covering LV-223 with junk then?
It just can't work
Quote from: muthur9000 on May 04, 2021, 09:53:33 AM
Quote from: Trash Queen on Apr 29, 2021, 06:04:08 PM
You not a fan of the idea of them covering LV-223 with junk then?
It just can't work
Yeah, just nah.
Spoiler
A distribution centre on a planet that should be interdicted? A stone's throw from a colony that needed marines? Don't think so.
Anything in Prometheus say LV-223's anywhere near LV-426? I know other material does say that including behind the scenes stuff but I never understood the mentality of it.
The question I always asked being considering everything on it, the confirmation of the existence of intelligent life beyond us for one, why's a near unparalleled research effort not enveloping LV-223 at all times?
Perhaps LV-223's designation got swapped with another random planet to hide the location then ?
There's an extra terrestrial archeological site on LV223. It doesn't make sense to sully that site and turn it into a junkyard planet IMO.
Hence my second and third questions. lol 😅
Quote from: Trash Queen on May 04, 2021, 01:09:25 PM
Anything in Prometheus say LV-223's anywhere near LV-426? I know other material does say that including behind the scenes stuff but I never understood the mentality of it.
The question I always asked being considering everything on it, the confirmation of the existence of intelligent life beyond us for one, why's a near unparalleled research effort not enveloping LV-223 at all times?
Perhaps LV-223's designation got swapped with another random planet to hide the location then ?
LV223 orbits the same gas giant that LV426 orbits, nothing directly is said in Prometheus but that is what everyone is working of the assumption of. Given the distance, direction, etc.
Shaw sends a message saying there is only death there and she'd headed elsewhere, assuming anyone got her message. Fire and stone kinda looks to LV223 again but that isn't canon.
No, its just a mistake Fox/Disney, Weston, Titan missed.
Things to consider: Terraforming is needed, there's multiple Engineer installations on the moon, There's a serious biological catastrophe/contaminant which would most likely render any colony useless within hours. Then there's what SM pointed out, there would be a waystation or help closeby but in both Alien and Aliens there isn't supposed to be anything out there.
LV-223 was established as being in Zeta 2 Reticuli as early as the Prometheus Blu ray release.
I've just finished and I'm really not sure what to make of it. Some of the bits regarding experimentation and how it linked in with the lore were interesting, and so were some of the sub-plots, but there was a lot that didn't work.
It seemed like a lot of the action took place 'off-screen', so to speak, and it felt like plot threads and characters which could have been developed instead got wrapped up way too easily, or just abandoned.
I kinda felt like I was reading the novelisation of a TV series, but it was only the middle of the season, and the beginning and end are in other books. I know it's supposed to be a prequel to Fireteam, but it doesn't actually feel like it's setting anything up. If there's more information pertinent to the book in the game itself, that's fine, I guess, but you shouldn't have to buy the game in order to flesh out the novel.
Quote from: muthur9000 on May 05, 2021, 11:58:50 PM
Quote from: Trash Queen on May 04, 2021, 01:09:25 PM
2. The question I always asked being considering everything on it, the confirmation of the existence of intelligent life beyond us for one, why's a near unparalleled research effort not enveloping LV-223 at all times?
3. Perhaps LV-223's designation got swapped with another random planet to hide the location then?
.
Setting aside this novel, in a more general sense what do you think in regards to my second and third questions though? I am interested in your opinion in particular.
Quote from: SM on May 06, 2021, 12:31:15 AM
LV-223 was established as being in Zeta 2 Reticuli as early as the Prometheus Blu ray release.
I am always told bluray menus don't count as canon ::)
Quote from: Trash Queen on May 06, 2021, 05:28:25 AM
Quote from: muthur9000 on May 05, 2021, 11:58:50 PM
Quote from: Trash Queen on May 04, 2021, 01:09:25 PM
2. The question I always asked being considering everything on it, the confirmation of the existence of intelligent life beyond us for one, why's a near unparalleled research effort not enveloping LV-223 at all times?
3. Perhaps LV-223's designation got swapped with another random planet to hide the location then?
.
Setting aside this novel, in a more general sense what do you think in regards to my second and third questions though? I am interested in your opinion in particular.
There are blacksites and no go areas, but nothing has been officially stated about LV223's status currently.
It's just I think nonsensical for Peter Weyland to go missing and nobody ever comes after the Prometheus, in any case setting up shop right next to either a declared black site does not make sense, apart from if a known of but strictly restricted access research station exists on the planet by 2179.
But even that solution creates questions around the abundance of Pathogen available and who gets jurisdiction.
And if the general public's aware or not concerning any of it.
People seem to be operating under the assumption he's dead into he shows up later in the movie.
It's like Alien to Aliens. Somebody knew what was going on, but obviously decided it was better to keep their mouth shut.
I thought that's because of the long voyage, "By the time you reach your destination I will be long dead." meaning that he's alive when the ship departed and so remained as such far as the general public's concerned anyway, until the vessel disappeared.
Apart from if you imply he faked his death then. If granted eternal life did he expect to be welcomed with open arms after doing that? It does not make much sense to me.
The company flagship disappearing along with it's founder's a much bigger deal than one tugboat going missing after being covertly diverted from it's destination, the truth concerning one can be covered up much easier as an internal affair, the other's basically public.
Quote from: Trash Queen on May 06, 2021, 07:52:55 AM
I thought that's because of the long voyage, "By the time you reach your destination I will be long dead." meaning that he's alive when the ship departed and so remained as such far as the general public's concerned anyway, until the vessel disappeared.
Right, but that wouldn't make any sense if it was going to be publicly known he was on the ship.
True but even him dying at the time it disappears surely opened a dialogue.
Quote from: muthur9000 on Apr 29, 2021, 05:55:09 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Apr 29, 2021, 05:54:28 PM
Been a little slow making it through this one. I'm at 114. Not been hating the book, but not really been drawn into it either. Struggling to find any of the characters so far particularly interesting, particularly Hoenikker. But given what's just happened, think the narratives about to kick it up a bit more.
I had the same issue, soldier on
Soldier on because it gets better? Or soldier on because he admins this site and has a job to do? :D
*salutes muthur9000 with coffee cup*
Quote from: SM on May 04, 2021, 06:09:40 AM
Up to chapter 9. I'm finding it pretty engaging despite some niggles.
Such as .... using the term 'backstory' as if they're aware they're in a story.
Didn't bother me, personally. I can see myself saying that in real life... however, what did bother me was
Spoiler
how this interesting backstory was teased for this character, but then he was casually killed in between chapters shortly after. I'm only 126 pages in, so I don't know if we come back to him and learn more about his past... but now that he's dead, I don't really care anymore.
How goofy.
*salutes SM with coffee cup*
QuoteDidn't bother me, personally. I can see myself saying that in real life...
It's more the word 'backstory'. Very clunky when 'background' sounds better.
QuoteI am always told bluray menus don't count as canon
Told by whom?
I wasn't a fan of LV-223 being in Z2R personally. Iota Persei was a better choice based on the distance stated in the film. However CdL does that stuff and works closely with Ridley and was involved in the films production, plus it's been pretty locked in ever since so I just go with it.
What do you think LEON-895 looks like. It's described as looking like this.....but an element confuses me:
Spoiler
"Almost the size of a human, with four legs, the centre one propelling it forward whilst the outside legs helped it to maintain balance."
If it's got 4 legs and 1 is in the centre then I assume two are behind like in a quadrupedal stance. Where's its other leg? or is it just some deformed thing with no recognisable shape?!?!?!
Or is it just me being stupid?
Quote from: Trash Queen on May 06, 2021, 07:52:55 AM
I thought that's because of the long voyage, "By the time you reach your destination I will be long dead." meaning that he's alive when the ship departed and so remained as such far as the general public's concerned anyway, until the vessel disappeared.
Apart from if you imply he faked his death then. If granted eternal life did he expect to be welcomed with open arms after doing that? It does not make much sense to me.
The company flagship disappearing along with it's founder's a much bigger deal than one tugboat going missing after being covertly diverted from it's destination, the truth concerning one can be covered up much easier as an internal affair, the other's basically public.
The implication I got was that Weyland was supposed to be on Earth, and would likely be dead by the time that Prometheus arrived at its destination. The twist is that he wasn't, but it makes sense for people both on Earth and on the Prometheus to believe he was.
Flagship or not, Weyland was a big company with a lot of projects going on. I imagine that the disappearance of one ship would be newsworthy, but maybe not as much as you'd think. The death of Weyland could also be covered up by the company with the explanation that he was a very old man, and the new of the ship's MIA status was what caused his death; heart attack or something like that.
As for the eternal life thing, I imagine it wasn't actually planned, either by the filmmakers or the characters themselves. I mean, if you're going on a last ditch effort to save your own skin, how much do you
really believe it'll happen?
Quote from: Protomorph on May 06, 2021, 02:04:12 PM
What do you think LEON-895 looks like. It's described as looking like this.....but an element confuses me:
Spoiler
"Almost the size of a human, with four legs, the centre one propelling it forward whilst the outside legs helped it to maintain balance."
If it's got 4 legs and 1 is in the centre then I assume two are behind like in a quadrupedal stance. Where's its other leg? or is it just some deformed thing with no recognisable shape?!?!?!
Or is it just me being stupid?
I thought that was a bad description as well. The only way I figured it could look is
Spoiler
if it's got a central leg, and then three around it in a triangular pattern.
Quote from: Stitch on May 06, 2021, 02:10:06 PM
Quote from: Trash Queen on May 06, 2021, 07:52:55 AM
I thought that's because of the long voyage, "By the time you reach your destination I will be long dead." meaning that he's alive when the ship departed and so remained as such far as the general public's concerned anyway, until the vessel disappeared.
Apart from if you imply he faked his death then. If granted eternal life did he expect to be welcomed with open arms after doing that? It does not make much sense to me.
The company flagship disappearing along with it's founder's a much bigger deal than one tugboat going missing after being covertly diverted from it's destination, the truth concerning one can be covered up much easier as an internal affair, the other's basically public.
The implication I got was that Weyland was supposed to be on Earth, and would likely be dead by the time that Prometheus arrived at its destination. The twist is that he wasn't, but it makes sense for people both on Earth and on the Prometheus to believe he was.
Flagship or not, Weyland was a big company with a lot of projects going on. I imagine that the disappearance of one ship would be newsworthy, but maybe not as much as you'd think. The death of Weyland could also be covered up by the company with the explanation that he was a very old man, and the new of the ship's MIA status was what caused his death; heart attack or something like that.
As for the eternal life thing, I imagine it wasn't actually planned, either by the filmmakers or the characters themselves. I mean, if you're going on a last ditch effort to save your own skin, how much do you really believe it'll happen?
Quote from: Protomorph on May 06, 2021, 02:04:12 PM
What do you think LEON-895 looks like. It's described as looking like this.....but an element confuses me:
Spoiler
"Almost the size of a human, with four legs, the centre one propelling it forward whilst the outside legs helped it to maintain balance."
If it's got 4 legs and 1 is in the centre then I assume two are behind like in a quadrupedal stance. Where's its other leg? or is it just some deformed thing with no recognisable shape?!?!?!
Or is it just me being stupid?
I thought that was a bad description as well. The only way I figured it could look is Spoiler
if it's got a central leg, and then three around it in a triangular pattern.
I also considered that look myself. It's very odd to form a picture of it based on that description.
The Leon description really bugged me too. The leg description seemed to almost contradict itself. We also don't really get much description of what it looked like before
Spoiler
the pathogen mutations,
so I don't know what exactly changed. How asymmetrical is the design? Was it always naturally that way or is it super messed up now?
I also wasn't sure if "center leg" was a typo and he meant to say "center leg
s".
I've noticed a lot of typos on this book, so I'm starting to make that assumption.
*salutes Protomorph and Stitch with coffee cup*
The most annoying typo to hit me so far was:
Spoiler
They suspect Fairbanks killed Brannan, so they announce that they need to go to Fairbanks's room to search it. The book describes them entering Brannan's room and finding clues. This kind of confused me for a few pages until they accost Fairbanks and tell him what they found in his room. So they clearly searched Fairbanks's room, but it was distracting and took me out of the story.
Quote from: Protomorph on May 06, 2021, 02:04:12 PM
What do you think LEON-895 looks like.
(https://i.imgur.com/9uTmTi5.jpg)
I thought of this myself personally:
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TslLPF6zrd4/V8083CdLztI/AAAAAAAAb2c/VIN4b0Bougs09JtwTd7YIqT2az0EMFlfACPcB/s1600/alien%252Bwarrior%252Bsketch%252Bby%252Barthur%252Blee.png)
Although with a pointed head and more features of the "Leon 895" described in the novel.
Such as the crystals underneath the translucent skin.
Quote from: Nukiemorph on May 06, 2021, 06:04:15 PM
The Leon description really bugged me too. The leg description seemed to almost contradict itself. We also don't really get much description of what it looked like before Spoiler
the pathogen mutations,
I also wasn't sure if "center leg" was a typo and he meant to say "center legs".
I've noticed a lot of typos on this book, so I'm starting to make that assumption.
*salutes Protomorph and Stitch with coffee cup*
The most annoying typo to hit me so far was:
Spoiler
They suspect Fairbanks killed Brannan, so they announce that they need to go to Fairbanks's room to search it. The book describes them entering Brannan's room and finding clues. This kind of confused me for a few pages until they accost Fairbanks and tell him what they found in his room. So they clearly searched Fairbanks's room, but it was distracting and took me out of the story.
Missed that.
Spoiler
Although speaking of typos - it's Brennan ;) As in Troy from Alien 3 killed by Murphy from Alien 3.
Quote from: SM on May 07, 2021, 12:45:14 AM
Spoiler
Although speaking of typos - it's Brennan ;) As in Troy from Alien 3 killed by Murphy from Alien 3.
Ah. Derp. Was going from memory, didn't get those references, and I know a Brannan personally.
Quote from: SM on May 06, 2021, 01:12:27 PM
QuoteI am always told bluray menus don't count as canon
Told by whom?
I wasn't a fan of LV-223 being in Z2R personally. Iota Persei was a better choice based on the distance stated in the film. However CdL does that stuff and works closely with Ridley and was involved in the film's production, plus it's been pretty locked in ever since so I just go with it.
Easter Eggs and Blu-ray menus don't count as canon otherwise the whole thing about Eldon Tyrell would be canon, and we both know Alien and Blade Runner aren't in the same universe.
Are they ?
Until Disney buys it. 😅
Quote from: Nukiemorph on May 06, 2021, 06:04:15 PM
The Leon description really bugged me too. The leg description seemed to almost contradict itself. We also don't really get much description of what it looked like before Spoiler
the pathogen mutations,
I also wasn't sure if "center leg" was a typo and he meant to say "center legs".
I've noticed a lot of typos on this book, so I'm starting to make that assumption.
*salutes Protomorph and Stitch with coffee cup*
The most annoying typo to hit me so far was:
Spoiler
They suspect Fairbanks killed Brannan, so they announce that they need to go to Fairbanks's room to search it. The book describes them entering Brannan's room and finding clues. This kind of confused me for a few pages until they accost Fairbanks and tell him what they found in his room. So they clearly searched Fairbanks's room, but it was distracting and took me out of the story.
Absolutely, i've seen a few instances of spelling and grammar issues also something where the book said it had entered someones room, Fairbanks I think it was then the next sentence they were looking into his room from the corridor.
I'm quite enjoying the book anyway despite the errors i've found.
I enjoyed it fine.
For the record, I don't hold typos against the author. They happen. It just makes a bad impression as a whole when nobody else catches them or the LV-223 thing before publishing.
Anyway, I'm only about a third of the way through. It's okay so far. Not hating it despite my gripes. Honestly, Cruz is the only character who feels developed and interesting to me at this point.
Okay, this definitely got more interesting once
Spoiler
the test subjects arrived.
Quote from: muthur9000 on May 07, 2021, 07:31:43 AM
Quote from: SM on May 06, 2021, 01:12:27 PM
QuoteI am always told bluray menus don't count as canon
Told by whom?
I wasn't a fan of LV-223 being in Z2R personally. Iota Persei was a better choice based on the distance stated in the film. However CdL does that stuff and works closely with Ridley and was involved in the film's production, plus it's been pretty locked in ever since so I just go with it.
Easter Eggs and Blu-ray menus don't count as canon otherwise the whole thing about Eldon Tyrell would be canon, and we both know Alien and Blade Runner aren't in the same universe.
It could be a different, but functionally similar, Eldon Tyrell. Weyland could know a Tyrell who is a contemporaneous robotics pioneer, but isn't literally the same Eldon Tyrell from Blade Runner in 2019 and the events of Blade Runner still didn't take place in the Alien universe. Retrofitting the BR character into the Alien universe, basically. The Alien RPG does a lot of that stuff with its references to the old EU and other non-Alien stuff like the Alien3 scripts, Outland, etc.
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 08, 2021, 04:58:45 PM
Quote from: muthur9000 on May 07, 2021, 07:31:43 AM
Quote from: SM on May 06, 2021, 01:12:27 PM
QuoteI am always told bluray menus don't count as canon
Told by whom?
I wasn't a fan of LV-223 being in Z2R personally. Iota Persei was a better choice based on the distance stated in the film. However CdL does that stuff and works closely with Ridley and was involved in the film's production, plus it's been pretty locked in ever since so I just go with it.
Easter Eggs and Blu-ray menus don't count as canon otherwise the whole thing about Eldon Tyrell would be canon, and we both know Alien and Blade Runner aren't in the same universe.
It could be a different, but functionally similar, Eldon Tyrell. Weyland could know a Tyrell who is a contemporaneous robotics pioneer, but isn't literally the same Eldon Tyrell from Blade Runner in 2019 and the events of Blade Runner still didn't take place in the Alien universe. Retrofitting the BR character into the Alien universe, basically. The Alien RPG does a lot of that stuff with its references to the old EU and other non-Alien stuff like the Alien3 scripts, Outland, etc.
But Disney doesn't own the Bladerunner IP
From what I understand, those Blade Runner references were thrown in for fun by the author of the blu-ray with no oversight or consultation. Not really the person you want making big canon decisions.
(The Prometheus blu-ray also establishes that the derelict beacon is already transmitting during the Prometheus mission. I think it's still up in the air as to whether or not that's true, but I don't want the guy who put the blu ray together making that decision.)
Also what's up how easily they just somehow
Spoiler
created another Leon.
Quote from: Delta Echo Alpha Delta on May 09, 2021, 11:43:45 AM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 08, 2021, 04:58:45 PM
Quote from: muthur9000 on May 07, 2021, 07:31:43 AM
Quote from: SM on May 06, 2021, 01:12:27 PM
QuoteI am always told bluray menus don't count as canon
Told by whom?
I wasn't a fan of LV-223 being in Z2R personally. Iota Persei was a better choice based on the distance stated in the film. However CdL does that stuff and works closely with Ridley and was involved in the film's production, plus it's been pretty locked in ever since so I just go with it.
Easter Eggs and Blu-ray menus don't count as canon otherwise the whole thing about Eldon Tyrell would be canon, and we both know Alien and Blade Runner aren't in the same universe.
It could be a different, but functionally similar, Eldon Tyrell. Weyland could know a Tyrell who is a contemporaneous robotics pioneer, but isn't literally the same Eldon Tyrell from Blade Runner in 2019 and the events of Blade Runner still didn't take place in the Alien universe. Retrofitting the BR character into the Alien universe, basically. The Alien RPG does a lot of that stuff with its references to the old EU and other non-Alien stuff like the Alien3 scripts, Outland, etc.
But Disney doesn't own the Bladerunner IP
They don't have to - they don't own Outland and that's referenced in the RPG, too.
Quote from: Nukiemorph on May 09, 2021, 05:29:52 PM
From what I understand, those Blade Runner references were thrown in for fun by the author of the blu-ray with no oversight or consultation. Not really the person you want making big canon decisions.
(The Prometheus blu-ray also establishes that the derelict beacon is already transmitting during the Prometheus mission. I think it's still up in the air as to whether or not that's true, but I don't want the guy who put the blu ray together making that decision.)
They wouldn't be making that decision, though. That would be someone like Andrew Gaska retroactively saying "yeah that's canon, and here's how it fits".
-- edit, just asked him, and an Eldon Tyrell reference could work exactly the way I'd proposed it.
Quote from: Delta Echo Alpha Delta on May 07, 2021, 07:31:43 AM
Quote from: SM on May 06, 2021, 01:12:27 PM
QuoteI am always told bluray menus don't count as canon
Told by whom?
I wasn't a fan of LV-223 being in Z2R personally. Iota Persei was a better choice based on the distance stated in the film. However CdL does that stuff and works closely with Ridley and was involved in the film's production, plus it's been pretty locked in ever since so I just go with it.
Easter Eggs and Blu-ray menus don't count as canon otherwise the whole thing about Eldon Tyrell would be canon, and we both know Alien and Blade Runner aren't in the same universe.
The Blu-ray doesn't feature the name "Eldon Tyrell". I don't see it as an either/ or absolute. Especially when the guy who wrote it said it wasn't to be taken seriously anyway.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 09, 2021, 05:36:26 PM
Also what's up how easily they just somehow Spoiler
created another Leon.
Spoiler
From what I understand, this was a creature native to LV-895 that he injected with the pathogen, right? If that's the case, I would be completely okay with him snagging another one and injecting it with the same amount of pathogen.
But instead, the book casually mentions that he was able to just fart out a new one with stem cells he collected from the first one - as if that's no big deal...
Finally finished.
I'm watching the Studio Yutani interview now that I don't need to avoid spoilers. Westin says the the Leon will show up in the game, so we'll get to see a visualization to clear up the shoddy book description.
Hearing Weston say the end of the book is the very beginning of the game makes it a little more enjoyable.
Quote from: SM on Apr 28, 2021, 11:27:16 PM
So I'm a couple of chapters in and mercifully a number of character names have been changed from the outline.
But that 223 thing is an absolute howler...
Did the outline you read include
Spoiler
Church?
I kept trying to figure out which character he was supposed to be originally.
Quote from: SM on Apr 29, 2021, 08:12:04 AM
Every character bar two in the outline was named after a cast or key crew member of Aliens or Alien3. And there was a LOT of characters. So far there's only Fairbank, Matthews and Rawlings. There's a character called Cruz (Ross originally) but I don't think it's a nod to Raymond Cruz.
God, the ones that made it in were distracting enough.
Just finished reading it. In short, I thought it was ok. I enjoyed it just a bit more than Stalking Shadows or Alien: Isolation, but Titan is still suffering the video game novel curse IMHO. Lots of interesting little things in there that didn't really make it into a complete or satisfying story IMHO. None of the characters really clicked with me. Cruz was kinda interesting by the end, but Hoenikker just bored the crap out of me. Then when Cruz called him a fool and idiot, I was like "yep."
I'm trying to decide between a 5 or a 6. But I'll make my mind up when I do a full review.
5 or 6 here too.
I was feeling 5 at first, largely because it felt like the book teased a lot of things but never paid them off, like
Spoiler
areas of the base being off limits to all of our characters.
But hearing him specify in the Studio Yutani interview that he was instructed to tease things that would be paid off in the game, I'll forgive it and go with a 6.
I'm about two thirds through this and surprised that I'm really digging it.
Spoiler
The characters aren't the most engaging and the overuse of "Xenomorph" and "Colonial Marine" is a bit irritating, but there's stack of unexpected twists and turns and a bunch of action to make up for it.
Quote from: SM on May 17, 2021, 09:36:17 PM
I'm about two thirds through this and surprised that I'm really digging it.
Spoiler
The characters aren't the most engaging and the overuse of "Xenomorph" and "Colonial Marine" is a bit irritating, but there's stack of unexpected twists and turns and a bunch of action to make up for it.
It's definitely not a bad book. I just wish it wasn't a game tied in as a few things were left unsaid or just completely dropped.
Okay so finished it.
Spoiler
Didn't end as strongly as I'd hoped, but overall I dug it. A lot of Cruz's dialogue was clunky and clichéd. Other characters, less so. There's annoying repetition of the terms 'Colonial Marines' (used 74 times) and Xenomorph (196 times). By comparison 'alien' is used in reference to the creatures about 20 times, and 'Colonial Marine' is used just twice in the film that spawned it.
So lots of twists and turns that I didn't expect. I thought Hoenniker's ex-girlfriend showing up was an awful twist, but then Ochse managed to make something interesting out of it. A lot of characters we'd spent time with in the first third of the booked wiped out 'off screen', which I also liked.
The subplot of Hyperdyne blackmailing Fairbanks to map Pala station as well as the 'secret areas' hinted at earlier and all but confirmed by McCune, are forgotten. I'm assuming these will pop up in the game as will the hunting lodge.
The cast and crew names from the outline had been dialled down quite a bit, but there were still too many – we spend the last third of the book with Hoenniker, Kash, Rawlings, Cruz, McGann and Buggy – four of the six are named after Aliens and Alien 3 cast or crew. Cruz and Etienne were also originally named after Aliens cast members. I'll do up a full list if anyone wants to be really annoyed. Cruz may now hold the record for 'most used name'. Clara pointed out to me recently that there's a Cruz in the new comic series, as well and A:CM and the Xenogenesis comic. And I found Immy Cruz from Steel Egg.
On a personal name-dropping note I liked that they took a couple of my suggestions on board (PDTs were going to be nanites originally, for example).
I really didn't know what to expect from this book, but again, overall I quite liked that it left me guessing, as well as utilising the black goo in a non-specific manner that allowed for different creatures without really ever defining it.
Went full Resident Evil Biohazard with it, but with the radiation involved I can kinda accept that, for the purposes of this story.
Exactly. I feel like the radiation was an excuse to do whatever the hell he wanted and give us a reason to hand-wave contradictions in the future.
Ridley-proofing!
Spoiler
I thought it was more the goo than radiation.
I don't see it doing that by itself without the factors of the specific radiation he describes multiple times to warp the end results.
Finished it:
Spoiler
I enjoyed this overall.
Good Things:
- It used the Pathogen/Black Goo (I love the prequels so good for me)
- It used some other creatures
- Reminded me of John Carpenters The Thing in parts, especially the spider creature, reminded me of the Norris Thing
- I found the story engaging enough to want to finish it
Bad Things:
- Why didn't the Xenomorphs fight with the other creatures like the spider one or the Leon (I get the Leon might have ghosted past with the camouflage skin)
- Overuse of the word 'Xenomorph' (seems like a prominent bug bear with most)
- Some typo issues
- Shame they didnt expand on the alien artefacts or the engineers (assumed thats for the game though)
- Awful description of the Leon creature...still now I can't fathom how it's supposed to look
Yeah I dug the
Spoiler
man spider rat thing.
Quote from: Trash Queen on May 20, 2021, 01:28:35 PM
Yeah I dug the Spoiler
man spider rat thing.
Could you elaborate on it please? :)
Also what exactly is the Leon?
Like the
Spoiler
Fifield monster but with more spider and rat like features instead owing to the Pathogen infected creature it got infected by.
The Leon? I'm not entirely sure. It did not leave that big an impression. Apart from being in essence an oversized chameleon that I am not clear on the appearance of otherwise.
Just finished a second re-read in prep for podcast and review, and man this novel really frustrated me at the end of it. So many concepts I've been dying to see explored, just wasted crammed into this novel. >:(
I did finally finish this book, but as a good representation of my general apathy towards it I forgot to drop a review or even mention the fact here.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Jul 08, 2021, 08:51:05 AM
Just finished a second re-read in prep for podcast and review, and man this novel really frustrated me at the end of it. So many concepts I've been dying to see explored, just wasted crammed into this novel. >:(
I'm guessing a lot of the dropped threads will be revealed in the game but i can agree that it makes for a frustrating read that makes the overall novel feel incomplete at times.
To be a little more constructive than in my previous post:
I did think the novel picked up considerably once Aliens were actually running amok, and I even quite enjoyed the interplay between the hero group and their adversaries in the midst of an Alien outbreak, but none of this happened until really late in the game and then the book just kind of ended with no real climax. It's by no means the worst Alien novel I've ever read - I'm not sure anything about it was even especially bad - but it was thoroughly by-the-numbers and middle-of-the-road.
It felt every bit the media tie-in it was. Has there even been a good video game tie-in book?
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Jul 13, 2021, 09:56:52 AM
It felt every bit the media tie-in it was. Has there even been a good video game tie-in book?
As far as Titan's Alien and Predator video tie-ins go, they've all been 5/10s for me.
All the tie-ins ended up being average at best apart from Hunters and Hunted.
Yeah, unfortunately, the few tie-ins I have read I've found pretty unremarkable, Infiltrator included. :-\
Quote from: Trash Queen on Jul 13, 2021, 12:24:10 PM
All the tie-ins ended up being average at best apart from Hunters and Hunted.
Hunters and Hunted was great! And I really enjoyed ADF's Covenant novelization. Couldn't say the same about The Predator though.
I wasn't so much referring to the novelisations, because I really enjoy most of those :)
I'd forgot about Hunters and Hunted. Definitely the best of the bunch but I still didn't think it was anything particularly special.
Q&A with Weston on the Aliens Fireteam Elite Discord channel happening right now.
Quote**Jake (Dutch) — Today at 9:48 AM
#myquestion
Hi Weston, I've got a few questions:
1) If given the opportunity, would you (and your wife) ever return to the Alien franchise to write another story?**
A: Yes. It might even be happening now.
I'm hoping that if he is writing another book, he isn't bogged down with restraints and mandates like he clearly was for Infiltrator.
So is this novel any good or more a cash grab and a tease for the upcoming game and not a must read to understand the plot in the game? Or should I skip this one.
It was thoroughly meh and I doubt it'll be required reading for the game.
Quote from: Nukiemorph on Jul 16, 2021, 07:08:48 PMI'm hoping that if he is writing another book, he isn't bogged down with restraints and mandates like he clearly was for Infiltrator.
I really enjoyed his short in
Bug Hunt, so fingers crossed anything new he does is more akin to that than
Infiltrator.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! This was a good read IMO, not to the level of Phalanx or Alex's work, but much better then I was afraid it was going to be.
My written review is now up: https://www.avpgalaxy.net/literature/reviews/aliens-infiltrator/
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Jul 20, 2021, 07:45:22 AM
My written review is now up: https://www.avpgalaxy.net/literature/reviews/aliens-infiltrator/
I haven't read Osche's other contributions, but I agree with every word about Infiltrator.
I am not surprised. 2/3 of books about Alien are mediocre. Especially when we talks about interesting ideas and exploring. We are just baited by this, and then the story go to stereotypical rails: survival, action, running (hello, Out of the Shadows).
This is why I like 80-90-00s Alien books - they were mad, fantastic, fantastic mad, but really exciting. And the authors really love to explore ideas, no matter how funny they were.
I disagree there. I'd flip that number the other way around. I mostly enjoy Titan's novels. Mostly solid, with a couple of poor and a couple of wow ones. The 90s books were all based on comics anyway, and the 00's stuff from Dark Horse Press were just ok to bad. I do not miss DH Press.
Good review, totally agreed.
Nice review, Hicks!
"video-game tie-in curse"
(https://publish-01.obsidian.md/access/5315df45eefe07851707b79757911356/Public/SkeletalBronzeAcornwoodpecker-size_restricted.gif)
Quote from: Drukathi on Jul 20, 2021, 10:31:07 AM
I am not surprised. 2/3 of books about Alien are mediocre.
That's pretty generous.
I enjoyed this a lot and it was surprisingly good after hearing some negative feedback.
It was a good mix of dumb, fun, and crazy.
It seemed that even the characters didn't seem to take things too seriously.
I hope it ties well with the game and that we get to explore Pala station.
I definitely noticed the "dumb"! ;D
My first Aliens novel and just finished it. I enjoyed it and it was just long enough to keep me interested, even tho my only real motivation for reading it was to get a sense of the lore for Fireteam after hearing Hoenikker's name drop a few times in previews.
I agree with most of the criticisms here, some of the actions and reactions of the characters make no sense at all... ranging from freak outs over small stuff to completely carrying on like nothings wrong in crazy situations. Also, the espionage angle was cool until it made no difference at all the story... would have been nice to see that worked out more thoroughly. Look past that and once the SHTF it's a fun rollercoaster to the end.
Some cool ideas that hopefully get greater implementation, especially when it comes to the pathogens effect on creatures and it's use for the marines.
Overal, if you are looking forward to Fireteam the book is worth reading to get some more depth and background to the story. If you just enjoy reading Aliens novels it is probably short enough to enjoy if you can look past it's shortcomings.
Podcast review is now up :) https://www.avpgalaxy.net/2021/08/23/never-send-a-xenoarchologist-to-do-a-biologists-job-reviewing-aliens-infiltrator-avp-galaxy-podcast-132/
Corporal., do you know what takes me right out of the book ?
Lieutenant Percival :P
Quote from: DaniilLogOut on Aug 29, 2021, 08:26:56 PM
Corporal., do you know what takes me right out of the book ?
Lieutenant Percival :P
Hahaha! Every time there's a reference I'm like 'Oh, there he is again! Dude gets around!'
Oh it's not been that bad. I had one minor character in a book, and one spaceship in a book (with just a mention or two in the other two). :laugh:
Just listened! I believe the comic with the pheromone cloak was Harvest/Hive and they used it to sneak through the hive to steal that sweet jelly. Hicks said Stronghold which also has a synthetic alien but I don't think it had the pheromones in it although I don't remember much from that comic except Jeri the cigar smoking alien lol.
Edit: I checked and Stronghold also uses the pheromone collars (although they mention the scientist from Harvest that created it) so good call out Hicks!
Dumb little observation that I just wanted to throw out:
I think Hoenikker being a wimp in the book is meant to be the beginning of an arc - an arc that's concluded with
*Fireteam Elite Spoiler*
Spoiler
him deciding to stand and fight alongside your fireteam in the final mission of the first campaign.
Quote from: Nukiemorph on Sep 20, 2021, 06:23:39 PM
Dumb little observation that I just wanted to throw out:
I think Hoenikker being a wimp in the book is meant to be the beginning of an arc - an arc that's concluded with Spoiler
him deciding to stand and fight alongside your fireteam
Might want to point out that that's a spoiler for the
game, not the book. Since we're in the literature section and I've read the book I clicked the spoiler and got spoiled, because I haven't played the game.
You didn't miss much, while the story is decent, the narrative of the game is very very bare bones.
Quote from: Stitch on Sep 21, 2021, 02:18:53 PM
Might want to point out that that's a spoiler for the game, not the book. Since we're in the literature section and I've read the book I clicked the spoiler and got spoiled, because I haven't played the game.
I figured leaving "in the final mission of the first campaign of the game." outside of the spoiler would serve that purpose.
Quote from: Nukiemorph on Sep 21, 2021, 02:38:04 PM
Quote from: Stitch on Sep 21, 2021, 02:18:53 PM
Might want to point out that that's a spoiler for the game, not the book. Since we're in the literature section and I've read the book I clicked the spoiler and got spoiled, because I haven't played the game.
I figured leaving "in the final mission of the first campaign of the game." outside of the spoiler would serve that purpose.
True, but I read through in order, and that wasn't until after the spoiler. Maybe not a big spoiler, but still.
I thought the game tied really nicely with the book, with Monica and all. Hopefully we get to explore Pala station as well.
I just wish Monica had been the focus of the book to be honest. I found there was just too much stuff going on, without the time for anything to really get the time it deserved. I would have loved a better focus on her, the personal conflict with Hoenikker in particular rather than the one chapter it got. She really was the
Spoiler
most unique thing in the game imho.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Sep 22, 2021, 07:41:21 AM
I just wish Monica had been the focus of the book to be honest. I found there was just too much stuff going on, without the time for anything to really get the time it deserved. I would have loved a better focus on her, the personal conflict with Hoenikker in particular rather than the one chapter it got. She really was the Spoiler
most unique thing
Spoiler
the game
Did you just put spoiler quotes around...
Spoiler
most unique thing?
I think Hicks has been sneaking sips from Voodoo's Vodka! :laugh:
Yeah, it's a spoiler for something in the game.
Not sure if saying Monica is
Spoiler
unique
is actually spoiling anything though?
Just means that
Spoiler
she's actually in the game
which not everyone may know or want to know. Just being courteous, not calling anyone else out.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Sep 28, 2021, 08:15:05 AM
Just means that Spoiler
she's actually in the game
But your words outside the spoiler tag say...
"She really was the ***** in
Spoiler
the game
imho." which still tells everyone...
Spoiler
She's in the game!
: Is there something wrong with me that I'm finding this conversation very entertaining? ;D
(https://media4.giphy.com/media/da6mwoW6Cs0DbER02R/giphy.gif)
I wish it was booze. I've amended it. Do the same for your own posts for me, please.
Done! :D
Just re-read this in anticipation of revisiting Fireteam Elite. I actually think it's a pretty underrated book and is certainly better than Titan's last few efforts.
The only thing that lets it down really is a very rushed last few chapters where the main cast and the threats are wittled down within the space of a few pages.
Still hope we get a Pala Station campaign in the game at some point.