Alien: River of Pain (Book 3) - Reviews

Started by Perfect-Organism, Nov 18, 2014, 10:36:08 PM

Author
Alien: River of Pain (Book 3) - Reviews (Read 42,024 times)

ClockworkHorror

I got impatient. Amazon.ca said it would ship soonish, so I checked local Chapters here in Edmonton and managed to grab a copy. I'm about a third of the way through right now. I'm pretty happy with it so far. A couple of little things that have bothered me so far, but I'm looking past them.

Perfect-Organism

ClockworkHorror, I'm really curious about where you feel the book has shortcomings  Please share.  Page turner eh?  Glad you're enjoying it.  I had a lot of fun reading this book.  It really feels like the second film.

ClockworkHorror

Yeah, it definitely has a very Aliens feel to it!
Most of the issues I have with the book are fiddly. Like the mistake on the back cover where they mix up the film titles.

The rest:
Spoiler
And where there's been a mistake in dialogue transcription. And why Russ says on the 19th 'We're going tomorrow morning.' and then they're going the morning of the 21st.

Mainly I've just had a hard time not cringing at certain things that just don't, in my opinion only, need to be there. Ie The scientists being stereotypical stuck up assholes. Some of the Marines being a little off the rails with their attitudes. And the row that Russ and Anne have after the Captain arrives. They seem too over the top when the first two films are about really mundane, ordinary people thrust into wholely extraordinary situations.
I think a lot of that clashes with what we've seen in the films.

I think my main gripe is that, to me, Alien and Aliens are about horrific things happen to people we can relate with. When the secret spaceships, grand conspiracies and stereotypes rear their ugly heads I don't feel it's representative of the universe already created. Like way too cartoony. It's the same reason I'm not fond of Resurrection.

But, having said all that, I don't hate it. I'm just disappointed. And despite my disappointment I'm enjoying it.:) Far better story than Sea of Sorrows, and on par with the first half of Put of the Shadows.

Bear in mind, I'm only halfway through.:)
[close]


Perfect-Organism

Perfect-Organism

#33
That mistake on the back cover was probably a conscious decision as they were "officially" referencing the Alien movie in terms of licensing.  It was likely a conscious decision.  But yes it did put a bit of a bad taste in my mouth going in as well.

If you're about half-way in, strap in, the action ramps up from here exponentially right up until the end...  Enjoy!


From about that mid-point, I found it impossible to put the book down right to the end...

ClockworkHorror

I hope the title mix up was a mistake instead of an actual decision. The former just makes them look sloppy, the latter....

Anyhow, I finished it! The second half definitely had more going for it than the first half. This is indeed the best book in the trilogy. Aside from a few issues (I'm picky) it was really well written, had some great characters, and stuck really closely to canon.

Except for the mustache. The mustache made me a little crazy.

I really like how the Aliens: Fire and Stone continuity fit in, as well.

HuDaFuK

Just got an order update email from Amazon - my copy's on it's way.

Perfect-Organism

Quote from: ClockworkHorror on Nov 26, 2014, 08:22:23 AM
I hope the title mix up was a mistake instead of an actual decision. The former just makes them look sloppy, the latter....

Anyhow, I finished it! The second half definitely had more going for it than the first half. This is indeed the best book in the trilogy. Aside from a few issues (I'm picky) it was really well written, had some great characters, and stuck really closely to canon.

Except for the mustache. The mustache made me a little crazy.

I really like how the Aliens: Fire and Stone continuity fit in, as well.


I expect that it was a Fox licensing decision.  If that is the case, then it does not reflect poorly on Christopher Golden at all. 

There's only one way to be sure.  We should start to put together a list of questions for the author.  Perhaps Corporal Hicks will have another opportunity to do an interview?

ClockworkHorror

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Nov 26, 2014, 02:39:37 PM
I expect that it was a Fox licensing decision.  If that is the case, then it does not reflect poorly on Christopher Golden at all. 

I'm sure the information on the back of the book is courtesy of whoever did the marketing and the proofing/continuity. As such it doesn't reflect poorly on Mr. Golden's writing, at all.

Quote
There's only one way to be sure.  We should start to put together a list of questions for the author.  Perhaps Corporal Hicks will have another opportunity to do an interview?

Questions would be neat! I have a few.:)

Corporal Hicks

Yeah, I've been doing follow-ups so I'll try and get one organized for the new year.

Got this evening to myself so I'm hoping to get through the last 100 pages tonight.  ;D

Perfect-Organism

Perfect-Organism

#39
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Nov 26, 2014, 03:37:50 PM
Yeah, I've been doing follow-ups so I'll try and get one organized for the new year.

Got this evening to myself so I'm hoping to get through the last 100 pages tonight.  ;D

Great, looking forward to your review.  I presume you will post one after finishing the book.  I think in hindsight, we will all look back on this book as a true Aliens classic.  The only way they can top this book is if S.D. Perry releases an omnibus compilation of the adaptations of Mark Verheiden's classic Aliens Series but with Hicks and Newt brought back in (instead of Wilks and and Billie).  That won't happen though.  I suspect that we will see a continuation of this new novel though...


Bloody-Disgusting.com has a preview of the Alien: River of Pain novel which can be read here:

http://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3322509/exclusive-book-excerpt-alien-river-pain-titan-books/

Enjoy!


Dreadcentral.com also has a downloadable preview:

http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/80155/read-exclusive-excerpt-christopher-goldens-alien-river-pain/

DemonicD13

Stopped at Books-A-Million and they had a few copies, plan on starting it tonight.  ;D

Man what the heck is up with Amazon, I pre-ordered it so I could have it day of release not a month latter.  >:(

Oh well I got it now thanks BAM, Just canceled my order with Amazon. 

HuDaFuK

Quote from: DemonicD13 on Nov 26, 2014, 10:00:07 PMMan what the heck is up with Amazon, I pre-ordered it so I could have it day of release not a month latter.  >:(

Yeah, they're normally really good. All I can think is the release date got brought forward and nobody told them.

Corporal Hicks

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Nov 26, 2014, 04:51:28 PM
Great, looking forward to your review.  I presume you will post one after finishing the book.

I will be indeed. Hopefully over the weekend.

Well I finished it last night. I did enjoy it. Definitely far stronger than any of the DH Press ones. It does feel like it was setting up for more potential adventures - however, I feel it lacked the emotional resonance than Wilks/Billie or Newt/Hicks. We never really get to get to know her. All 3 books have all had aspects of set-up in them - Hoop in Out of the Shadows, everything in Sea of Sorrows and
Spoiler
Brackett and Luisa
[close]
.

Perfect-Organism

This was my observation exactly, that the three books not only set up the opportunity for continuations, but they do so specifically in the three major Alien time periods.  In effect, there is the post-Alien time period. the post-Aliens period, and the "post-last 2 films" period.  I believe that this is not just done to give multiple opportunities for future stories in novels, but it is also a marketing test to see which period in the Alien history people find most interesting and compelling, possibly for the purposes of the next Alien film (?).

I think that we are currently in an Alien hype era with the recent Prometheus film and all manner of Alien promotional materials, but I think Fox will find from these books that River of Pain was the story fans liked most.  The post-Aliens era IMO was the period that really captured audiences' imaginations.  But it would be interesting to set up a vote a few weeks after the release of River of Pain to see which books were most popular and which continuations fans would most like to see.

Ultramorph

I agree, it seems like Fox has very carefully set up multiple options for itself as far as future EU, and even for potential future films. I know that I'm most excited for the post-Resurrection period.

Spoiler
It's also neat how they're setting up possible stories involving other sentient aliens, IE Arcturians, dog-aliens, etc. I hope some of these show up in Rage War.
[close]

AvPGalaxy: About | Contact | Cookie Policy | Manage Cookie Settings | Privacy Policy | Legal Info
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Patreon RSS Feed
Contact: General Queries | Submit News