The Rage War: A three part Alien / Predator epic by Tim Lebbon

[RakaiThwei]

I am very near the ending of the book and have learned so much interesting stuff about the Yautja.

Spoiler

First, regarding "Yautja"...

When Lilliya used the term "Yautja" while conversing with Hashori (who she "guessed" was female but still is unsure) Hashori tilted her head in confusion as if not understanding "Yautja".

Later on, when Hashori and Lilliya team up (I'll leave how that happens for you all to find out), Hashori says "Yautja" but the name sounds so different that Lilliya just heard it as "Yautja" which makes me suspect that the name is a human corruption of the actual term they use which was always my impression for Perry's Yautja, Machiko could only try and pronounce it I guess.

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This part I don't like. It almost seems as if it's a reference to the fandom not coming to terms with the Yautja concept that the Perry's came up with and the different pronunciations which the fandom in the Yautja camp have come up with (Yawt-ya, Yowt-ja). I mean looking at the Prey, War and Hunter's planet books, narratively and from a point of view stance.. the Predators have always referred to themselves as such. Dachande, Lar'nix-va, Bakuub-- all referred to themselves as this.

I believe that in the Steve Perry Q&A thread which had come about years ago-- Perry had somewhat acknowledged the pronunciation issue and he sort of solved that problem when he commented on it when he had said something along the lines of "I've always pictured the pronunciation as Yowt-cha" or something alone those lines. I'll have to look for the thread and share it here.

But yeah, I just don't think that part should've been touched. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Spoiler

Regarding their society, they are not conquerors nor are they very war-like, however, they are combat ready. Hunting and killing is their way of life and it's something they always look forward to.

What I loved is how independent and incredibly intelligent Yautja are portrayed as... they are very independent and populations are sparse. Yautja are spread across the galaxy but few in numbers. When the human characters infiltrate a Yautja space habitat (cobbled together from rocks, it looked almost as if they were building a planet than a space station, inside it was cavernous, humid and very natural looking) they find a Yautja settlement in one of the huge hollowed out caves.

The settlement is small, buildings look like little domes which on the inside are more cubed and tend to house one Yautja with its trophies which are artistically displayed, skeletal hands reaching out through walls, skulls, jawbones, leathered wings, talons and so on.

Some homes had ships moored next to them. Speaking of ships, no two Yautja ships are the same and it is said that individual Yautja actually design and make their own ships which gives each ship a personalized look to that specific Yautja.

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This I have always believed was to be the case. The Yautja are very combat oriented and everything they do revolves around the hunt, I have always known that but I have always believed that even their artistic values were revolved around that. The fact that ships are personalized, customized even goes to show that even their artistic side is geared to that. I've always believed that and even implemented that to my own little world. So I'm not really too surprised about that, and quite like that part there which I find to be really cool.

Spoiler

The galaxy is hinted at being quite sparse with life, on some corners, life blossoms while many large space of galaxy are quiet and devoid of life. It incorporate the best of both worlds, some fans want the dark and gritty galaxy while others want some more life in it, well, this has both.

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I'm okay with this. Then again this was sort of the same case with the old EU, I mean it wasn't entirely dead but it didn't have humans meeting other alien races and being chummy chum chum with them either.

Also Guan... Can you PM me the multiverse tidbit regarding the Founders and their experiments with quantum physics? I've made mention of this on my personal blog and might end up sharing that post over on my groups pages. Seriously, that part REALLY has given me hope. Like.. you wouldn't believe. It's something I am hoping for that we end up getting.

[The Alien Predator]

I remember him saying it's "Ya-oot-cha".

But he also said something like there's a click somewhere, something we can't fully replicate and Machiko tried her best to pronounce it.

However, do note that this here is a totally different clan with a vastly different dialect. The synthetic spoke a bit of their language (better than humans as we aren't able to mould our throats like she could) and then the Yautja switched to a totally different dialect that she couldn't comprehend.

And don't worry, I have yet to see humans and Yautja or any aliens go fully chummy chum chum. 


Also Ultramroph, a bit on a familiar canine alien race for you.

Spoiler

The Dog-Alien fossils have been found on Midsummer and were said to be as old as three million years. I wonder if they're still around. It's cool to see their little builders (the biomechanoid slugs) still around, the moon is still growing in fact, being expanded by the slug creatures whose sole purpose seems to be to just build.

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[RakaiThwei]

I remember him saying it's "Ya-oot-cha".

But he also said something like there's a click somewhere, something we can't fully replicate and Machiko tried her best to pronounce it.

YEAH! That's the bit I'm talking about there!

As for the clicking part, I think it's somewhere between the oot and cha part. Emphasizing on the cha part, which requires some flexing of the tongue and tightening of the throat. Yes, I had to try that out loud! Ha ha ha ha!

[Perfect-Organism]

Sounds fun, but this is where I step off this thread.  Gots to read the book myself first methinks.  Enjoy!

[The Alien Predator]

Ultramorph.

Spoiler

I made a slight mistake about the age of the Dog-Alien ruins, they're around five million years old I think. I flipped through the book again and came across that number.

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[Ultramorph]

Thanks again, Guan Thwei. I really can't wait for this to come in the mail Tuesday or Wednesday! I like that Lebbon seems to have been given a lot of space to expand on things and make the universe feel more fleshed out. It will be neat to see what more he adds in the sequels and whether or not this far future corner of thing gets explored more.

[The Alien Predator]

I have finished the book now.

Spoiler

I think Lebbon handed the "meeting" with the Yautja pretty well.

I remember Batman stating it was a peace conference, I may be wrong but if he said that, it's not entirely correct. In fact, the scientist woman says that this was more like an "invitation to a deadlier war together" instead of a peace conference.

The Yautja and humans were ready to get at each other's throats during the meeting, the Elder specifically said he wanted to speak to the scientist woman who broadcasted the message for a ceasefire (without consulting with the company or the marines by the way, and boy was W-Y pissed!)

The Company tried to exert power over the Yautja during the meeting, I quote "tell them we know where their homeworld is and tell them we'll nuke the f**k out of it if this ceasefire isn't effective immediately" for those of you expecting a Star Trek Federation level diplomacy.

But Palant thought this was bulls**t as no one knew where the Yautja homeworld was, if the company knew, they were surely keeping it to themselves.

She didn't say that, she told the Yautja that she admired them and wishes to learn more about them, that they can face this threat together and fight with honor etc. W-Y was pissed at her reluctance to exert power over the Yautja and instead offering them a seat at the table.

The Elder got on his knees, pulled her head close to his and told her that humans and Yautja will fight the threat together, but during the meeting, the Elder did threaten that if humans tried any tricks, he'd be more than happy to reignite the war with humanity.

As he was touching foreheads with her, the marines readied their weapons assuming an attack and the Yautja reached for their blades, it really was a tense meeting.

Afterwards, W-Y tried to scold the woman but she told one of the Thirteen that she just "saved their lives and the lives of their children" but before the executive could throw anymore rage at her, another executive interrupted and said she's done well.

Now the chapter after that is the last, I'll leave it for you all to enjoy.

During the Yautja incursion (there aren't a lot of ships as the description makes it sound, people call it "incursion" rather than "invasion" due to the low numbers) the Predator ships attacked literally anything, outposts, mining colonies, space stations, asteroid bases, pirate ships you name it Yautja began to kick some ass.

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Ultramorph, I want to let you know

Spoiler

There are sadly no mention of Arcturians. Just that one line of humans meeting other races I mentioned earlier in the thread and then some remains of the Dog-Aliens.

Maybe the next two books might expand on them.

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[Ultramorph]

Good to hear that we're not getting any Federation type stuff. 

I wonder what other wrinkles Lebbin will throw in to expand this story through two more books.

[The Alien Predator]

Good to hear that we're not getting any Federation type stuff. 

I wonder what other wrinkles Lebbin will throw in to expand this story through two more books.

I already look forward to the next book! 

[happypred]

I really hate team ups...

I like AvP Prey despite the team up

[Ultramorph]

iTunes has an extended preview, with the chapter immediately after the prologue. I think the whole book is available to purchase, too.

Spoiler

I'm definitely intrigued by the new tech the Marines have at their disposal.

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[The Alien Predator]

iTunes has an extended preview, with the chapter immediately after the prologue. I think the whole book is available to purchase, too.

Spoiler

I'm definitely intrigued by the new tech the Marines have at their disposal.

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I think you'll love it man.

It makes all the usual stuff seem so... primitive. It shows how huge leaps have been made. It makes me wonder what humans will be like in say, year 3000 or further.

Some more info.

Spoiler

I have actually grown to respect the Aliens so much more thanks to this novel, they genuinely feel like a true threat here.

The Rage modifies the Aliens to actually tear off a Predator's left arm to prevent a self destruct once they critically wound a Yautja. All the dead Predators missed left arms. And worse? When killed, the Xenos explode... coating you in acid. And if you played AvP 2010, you'd know annoying exploding Xenomorphs are. XD

The Marine suit is like Crysis Nanosuit except to me it gives the impression that it's less nano tech and more particle tech if that makes sense, it is incredible. I'll leave the details for you to find out and enjoy. It gets very explored and fleshed out.

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[Corporal Hicks]

Urgh. Chapter 1 the marines call the Predators Yautja. I just died inside.

[TheBATMAN]

Urgh. Chapter 1 the marines call the Predators Yautja. I just died inside.

Yeah, that was my exact reaction too.

[The Alien Predator]

Urgh. Chapter 1 the marines call the Predators Yautja. I just died inside.

Yeah, that was my exact reaction too.

Hicks, avoid the spoiler until you've finished the book.

Spoiler

They don't call themselves Yautja.

When they hear the word, they seem confused (Hashori was confused when Lilliya said "Yautja") and when Hashori said "Yautja", the pronunciation was so different that Lilliya's translator just registered it as the term.

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