Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!

Started by alienscollection.com, May 10, 2016, 08:21:28 PM

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Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced! (Read 107,892 times)

TheBATMAN

It's not bad for a collection of short stories, but it doesn't really expand on the colonial marines in any real meaningful way. Continuing to populate this universe with various kinds of uninteresting bugs and parasites does nothing for me either.

drsmuts

That's how I feel Bats. One in particular is like a low budget version of the Alien we know and love.

Engineer

I got my copy in the mail on Friday last week. I'm about half way through it, and sadly, I'd agree with the general consensus. I'm feeling disappointed with the book overall. I think there's only really 1 story I really liked so far, and a couple that would have been better if they left certain plot points out. Others are just downright terrible. I've found a few mistakes (story-wise), and typos. But one thing I caught which I found particularly distracting was a simple math error... in one story, there's talk of a $25 million payment, with half up front. Unless "half" has a different meaning in the future, I was very distracted by the fact that they say, just a few pages later, they're going to collect the other $5 million owed... ??!??!??

Mr. Clemens

So relieved I'm not gonna have to bring that ugly cover up to the cash desk! Thanks for the reports, people.

426Buddy

Ive only read the 1st story and it wasnt so great, reminded me a lot of aliens xenogenesis lol.

Havent really picked the book up since, been a week.

Ultramorph

I read about half the book last Wednesday, but been too busy to read much more. I've liked the stories overall, but there is definitely some sloppy stuff. As for the Hicks story
Spoiler
I didn't read them as being xenomorphs, but rather some other xeno form.
[close]

Engineer

Quote from: Ultramorph on Apr 26, 2017, 01:19:00 AM
I read about half the book last Wednesday, but been too busy to read much more. I've liked the stories overall, but there is definitely some sloppy stuff. As for the Hicks story
Spoiler
I didn't read them as being xenomorphs, but rather some other xeno form.
[close]

Yea actually the Hicks story is the one I really liked so far, and...
Spoiler
I had the same interpretation. It was a "bug" but not necessarily the same xenomorph from LV-426. I actually liked how the creature was never really seen or described; it pretty much leaves it up to the reader how they want to take it...
[close]

SM

Spoiler
I felt it skirted too close to them being Aliens.
[close]

Engineer

Engineer

#383
Spoiler

The story about the escaped convicts and bounty hunters was the one I disliked the most... really did not like the Incredible Hulk angle. I like the avengers, just not mixed in with my Aliens. Also really disappointed a character survived and made it off of Lv-426.

The bishop story was good until he started disobeying orders and going off on his own mission, then killing two people despite his programming... that's never who bishop was!

The first story had a cool setting... but that was it. And the "bugs" seemed like the xenos but then different like the writer couldn't make up their mind about it.

The story about the flying propane-based organisms was just silly. And from a scientific/chemistry perspective, while a propane based organism is a possibility, on a world void of oxygen explosions and flammability aren't possible like that... propane can't burn without oxygen to feed it. That really bugged me and I couldn't get past it; especially when the marines started talking about how the whole atmosphere almost blew up! Plus I hated the idea that dietrich and Hudson were involved in a love triangle.

The other Dietrich story, with frost, was okay. I had no major issues with that one, but the bugs seemed too much like the facehuggers to me (at least the Hicks story bug left almost everything about it in the shadows and to your imagination).

The reporter story wasn't bad. I just didn't care for the style. And it was kind of a bummer that it skipped ahead to the "last stand" and we literally missed all the action.

The pulse rifle commercial was boring to me.

The Burke story I was really excited about. And it was good until it ended. And I re-read part of it several times because it seemed like I kept missing something... one second he's in a coma and the next he's got a grenade in hand and breaking free from the cocoon. I assumed that there was a scene missing, specifically the same deleted scene from the movie where ripley finds him and gives him a grenade, but there was no indication of a break and time-jump. But it was really disappointing that it ended with a chest burst. The whole reason Cameron deleted that scene was because the timing didn't match up with the incubation period. This story kind of disregards that altogether, which I really disliked. At least there was a mention of Burke thinking to himself that it was too soon...

The story about the cowardly marine, was weird but I kinda liked it. Especially the visual of the loogie on his visor crawling towards the edge in an attempt to get to his face. I just thought it was a little unrealistic that a marine's initial response to a person trying to spit on them would be to shoot first and ask questions later, especially when they went into the mine to save those very people. I think this story would have been better as it's own thing, unattached to the alien franchise...

Then the second story, Reapers, was good up until they revealed the creature. I think I would have like it better if the creatures were something bigger and more menacing. And this too probably would have been better on its own and unattached to the alien franchise.

I think that covers all the stories I've read so far. Up next "empty nest."
[close]

HuDaFuK

HuDaFuK

#384
Got started on this last night. Chance Encounter was OK but nothing great. SM has already summarised what was good and bad about it. I really enjoyed Reaper, though. Loved the mystery angle to it.

drsmuts

Halfway through...the Bishop one was good, the rest  :-\


Lonely Universe

Lonely Universe

#386
Let's not hate wagon on the cover, it's fine. Even though I had seen the image for months, I didn't think anything of it at all until I saw the physical hardcover on the shelf. The xeno has a cute expression that reminds me of some of the classic Dark Horse art, like it knows it's up to no good lol. The choice of blues makes it look slick & its way better than what we've been getting with the Omnibus editions.

Not big on the first story but it's fine. Pretty sure the "Leapers" are supposed to be a DNA reflex breed of Xenomorphs spawned from some unknown life form on that planet. Hate when movies won't call zombies what they are & the same is true for capital 'A'-Aliens.

Now the second story 'Reaper' is incredible. Really captures the spirit of the drop ship sequence from Aliens but ups the stakes. Then it turns expectations & delivers something totally unexpected. Great atmosphere that really feels like an extension of the second movie without relying on it's most obvious feature. I'm filing it in my head cannon!

That's as far as I've gotten so far, but only because my job won't allow me any free time. Maybe I can sneak another chapter tomorrow. Nite [emoji42]

426Buddy

Quote from: Lonely Universe on Apr 28, 2017, 04:20:05 AM
Let's not hate wagon on the cover, it's fine. Even though I had seen the image for months, I didn't think anything of it at all until I saw the physical hardcover on the shelf. The xeno has a cute expression that reminds me of some of the classic Dark Horse art, like it knows it's up to no good lol. The choice of blues makes it look slick & its way better than what we've been getting with the Omnibus editions.

I'm a big fan of alien art, it's something i've always loved. Unfortunately can't call this cover anything but a horribly photoshopped piece of garbage.Titan is mostly horrible when it comes to the art on their covers.

Xenomrph

Quote from: Lonely Universe on Apr 28, 2017, 04:20:05 AM
Not big on the first story but it's fine. Pretty sure the "Leapers" are supposed to be a DNA reflex breed of Xenomorphs spawned from some unknown life form on that planet.
I got that impression as well. I wasn't sure at first, given how they were described as being huge, but once the story mentioned they had elongated heads, secondary jaws, and bled acid, it sealed the deal for me.

Engineer

Does anyone know if Tim Lebbon's story (the last one, "Spite"), is a tie in to Rage Wars or not? I vaguely recall seeing that somewhere but not sure. If it is, I'm opting not to read that one until I've read the Rage War trilogy...

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