Alien -Alan Dean Foster

[HappyAlien]

Of all the novels based on the films this is my favourite. I think its well written and adds more than the next three novels based on the films.

I think I would have enjoyed reading the novel then seeing the film though it would have ruined a few spoilers I would love to see a horror book I love turned into a really good film. As my favourite author Dean Koontz had some of his books turned into films but they were all pretty bad.

There are some pretty interesting things that I would have liked to see in the film, however there is no mention of the Space Jockey but they do mention urns much like those in Prometheus.
Anyone read the novel?

[SM]

It's probably my favourite too now that I think about it.

I used to be a big Dean Koontz fan, but his books get very samey after a while.

[StrangeShape]

I enjoy all three novelizations by Foster. I think overall the Alien 3 novelization would be my favorite, I like the extra bits between the characters, such as for example, hers and Dillons extended talk about the alien, explanation of eggmorphing etc

[Corporal Hicks]

IIRC the Alien novelisation didn't move from different character's perspective very well. I've not read it for sometime.

[Elmazalman]

The original is my favourite of the three,it's far more detailed than the film ever could be,with a lot of deleted material included.

[DemonicD13]

The novel is very good, it manage to be creepy. The description of Kane being face hugged is very effective.

[StrangeShape]

Cameron is extremely hard on the novelization for Aliens.

He [Foster] would probably be the last person I would choose [for Avatar novelization]...Not a big fan.  Since he did the Aliens novelization which I thought was pretty dreadful.  I didn't make that deal..(http://www.ugo.com/movies/dont-expect-an-alan-dean-foster-version-of-camerons-avatar)

He thrashed it pretty good in The Abyss prologue

Im guessing its all about the argument they had about the airlock scene. First, its the only really changed scene, secondly, Foster mentioned that they only spoke once and about that scene (http://www.jamescamerononline.com/AlanDeanFosterQA.htm)

[predxeno]

I didn't think the Aliens novelization was bad at all.

[PRJ_since1990]

I didn't think the Aliens novelization was bad at all.

I didn't either. I just found it interesting that the dialogue was so similar in Alien 3 to the actual film dialogue where in Aliens novel they didn't have practically any cussing or a sense of realism like the film did.

[StrangeShape]

Well the removal of the swearing was publisher's order

[Xenoscream]

I was a bit underwhelmed by the Alien novelisation, it did have some moments. I particularly liked the extended talk with Ash where, if I remember correctly, he states that the Jockeys were a noble race and he hopes humans will meet them one day. I believe he is also asked if he tried to communicate with the Alien to which he replies "Allow me to die with some secrets" or something like that.

I may be blending the script with the novel in my mind but I remember that being a highlight.