It’s good to see a booktuber that’s not too snooty to read a media tie-in novel. There are plenty of excellent ones out there. The Aliens franchise is, on the whole, well represented with great stories.
As a fan of Alien, and also as someone who doesn't read sci Fi, I'm adding this one to my wishlist. I love sci Fi in films because it's easier to grasp the made up technologies and concepts in a visual format, but struggle with it in books. I like the idea of jumping into a world I'm already familiar with, thanks to the movies, so that I can just get to the enjoyment of the story and characters.
You should check out Alex White’s sequel to Cold Forge, Alien: Into Charybdis. It honestly has some of the best twists and turns of the entire franchise!
Hello! I just order 7 Alien books published by Titan. Sorry for my bad english. And I wonder, which one do I need to read first? So there are 7 books, without Into Charybdis.. and now I am even more confused.. I wish there is a list how to read them chronologicaly, 😢 so many of them..
I just read this off the back of your recommendation. Big fan of the Alien franchise (but have never read any of the tie-in novels). Had an absolute blast with this book, so much so that I've gone ahead and bought Alex White's follow up to it 'Alien: Into Charybdis'.
The novelization of Alien by Allen Dean Foster, a veteran sci-fi writer, is also very well done. Read the first page and you’ll see. Elegant and thoughtful interpretation of the film and script…
I read an article about Alan Dean Foster last year where he mentioned not getting paid for many of his movie adaptions and taking some of them to court. Sometimes the companies with the most money are the hardest to get paid from.
@@AllenFreemanMediaGuru well, that’s disappointing. I read Foster’s Alien and was just struck by it’s quality for a “novelization.” It’s not a 1 to 1 retelling of the film and just adds more texture to the characters and themes. And I already bought Alien: Cold Forge.
@@CriminOllyBlog funny. My close friend grew up reading every novelization he could get his hands on because his parents were super-conservative. Jaws, Godfather, Alien, etc… A different world.
This was one of my favourite books in the Alien Universe, so it was great to see that you enjoyed it, too. Genuinely exciting, and scary, I had to pause the audio every now and then to get my breath back! I've now listened to several novelisations and dramatisations and have yet to be disappointed by them. Should I venture into the world of Predator, I wonder...?
I’m currently reading this off your recommendation and I agree-it is shaping up to be something rather special. The character work is so good it seems effortless. They should try filming this and we might actually get another decent Aliens movie!
Interesting. You're definitely right, we do look down on tie-ins and praise originality, but there are some good ones out there and this one sounds pretty good.
I wanted some easy to read books for unwinding after work and picked up a bunch of Alien books and they are surprisingly good. This is probably the best written one but they are all fun.
Fab review Olly, can definitely tell you had a great time with this one! I've had this on my wish list for a while, but I reckon I ought to bump it up the priority list a bit. I noticed it's on the Audible Plus catalogue so I wouldn't even need to break my book-buying ban for it! Or I might save it for another future GarbAugust 'Wasted Weekend', if that's happening again....? ;-)
I just finished this one. It was one of the most jaw dropping and intense reads ive ever experienced, to the point that I had to press pause a few times just to collect my thoughts and recover from some of the more intense scenes. It takes quite a lot to shock me in terms of violent imagery but this story managed to get there. The last thing I can remember that impacted me in the same way was Max Brooks' Devolution. Wonderful characters, entirely distinct in personality and archetype from most stories I've read - Blue is a great protagonist but is wonderfully unaltruistic and selfish, a great foil to Dorian's pure psychopathy. There are quite a few moments in this book that are also hilarious, just because of how absurd but believable they are - to Dorian, even logic is self-serving (he was first in chess club, after all!).
How could anyone hearing this not immediately order a copy afterward? If we enjoyed the Alien world and concepts, pastiche follow-ups well done should always be welcomed.
Of cause not, i love tv-tie ins or movie books. I think this format definitely adds to your love of whatever your interested in. Not a fan of Alien personally.
I’ve seen the movies; I was just wondering. When I read several books by one author, I prefer to read them in the order they were written. Sometimes it’s necessary but not always.
I've seen most of the movies but haven't read any Alien books, so THE million dollar question is: can this be read stand alone ? And given Bomber (Deighton) is my best frame of reference with you, how does it stack up against that ? I'm concerned Bomber will be pushed out of your top 10 reads of the year. 🤨
you look like an extra on midsomer murders show, the mustache increases your British appearance somehow. Anyhow, I recently read a book based stargate ( do you know the show?), i DNFed it at 70%, it did not live up to the show. Reading now a history book from Tom Holland , called Pax.
I'm sorry but for me, originality is somewhat overrated. Again, for me, many artists of all stripes put so much energy into making their work original (and let's face it, that's tough in 2023) that they forget to make it any good! Purely subjective I know. One person's good is another's trash and vice versa, as your great work often points out! 😊
It’s good to see a booktuber that’s not too snooty to read a media tie-in novel. There are plenty of excellent ones out there. The Aliens franchise is, on the whole, well represented with great stories.
Thank you! These things were my go to as a kid
As a fan of Alien, and also as someone who doesn't read sci Fi, I'm adding this one to my wishlist. I love sci Fi in films because it's easier to grasp the made up technologies and concepts in a visual format, but struggle with it in books. I like the idea of jumping into a world I'm already familiar with, thanks to the movies, so that I can just get to the enjoyment of the story and characters.
You should check out Alex White’s sequel to Cold Forge, Alien: Into Charybdis. It honestly has some of the best twists and turns of the entire franchise!
Hoping to read that one soon!
Hello! I just order 7 Alien books published by Titan. Sorry for my bad english. And I wonder, which one do I need to read first? So there are 7 books, without Into Charybdis.. and now I am even more confused.. I wish there is a list how to read them chronologicaly, 😢 so many of them..
I just read this off the back of your recommendation. Big fan of the Alien franchise (but have never read any of the tie-in novels). Had an absolute blast with this book, so much so that I've gone ahead and bought Alex White's follow up to it 'Alien: Into Charybdis'.
I thought those were audible exclusives, didn't know they were in print. This is a welcome surprise.
The novelization of Alien by Allen Dean Foster, a veteran sci-fi writer, is also very well done. Read the first page and you’ll see. Elegant and thoughtful interpretation of the film and script…
I've read that one a few time, first when I was desperate to see the movie but was too young to!
I read an article about Alan Dean Foster last year where he mentioned not getting paid for many of his movie adaptions and taking some of them to court. Sometimes the companies with the most money are the hardest to get paid from.
@@AllenFreemanMediaGuru well, that’s disappointing. I read Foster’s Alien and was just struck by it’s quality for a “novelization.” It’s not a 1 to 1 retelling of the film and just adds more texture to the characters and themes. And I already bought Alien: Cold Forge.
@@CriminOllyBlog funny. My close friend grew up reading every novelization he could get his hands on because his parents were super-conservative. Jaws, Godfather, Alien, etc… A different world.
This was one of my favourite books in the Alien Universe, so it was great to see that you enjoyed it, too. Genuinely exciting, and scary, I had to pause the audio every now and then to get my breath back! I've now listened to several novelisations and dramatisations and have yet to be disappointed by them. Should I venture into the world of Predator, I wonder...?
I’m currently reading this off your recommendation and I agree-it is shaping up to be something rather special. The character work is so good it seems effortless. They should try filming this and we might actually get another decent Aliens movie!
My copy arrives Dec 1. I really enjoyed the Novelization of the early unused script for Aliens 3.
I've read some very good movie tie-ins! I try to keep an open mind 😉
Interesting. You're definitely right, we do look down on tie-ins and praise originality, but there are some good ones out there and this one sounds pretty good.
Great review. This one has been on my shelf for a while but I'm bumping it way up on my tbr now.
I wanted some easy to read books for unwinding after work and picked up a bunch of Alien books and they are surprisingly good. This is probably the best written one but they are all fun.
There's at least one more by the same author that I'll be reading for sure
Just read this on your recommendation. Fantastic read. I'm buying Alex White's other Alien tie-in novel, Into Charybdis
Fab review Olly, can definitely tell you had a great time with this one! I've had this on my wish list for a while, but I reckon I ought to bump it up the priority list a bit. I noticed it's on the Audible Plus catalogue so I wouldn't even need to break my book-buying ban for it! Or I might save it for another future GarbAugust 'Wasted Weekend', if that's happening again....? ;-)
Looks great Olly. Think I'll give it a whirl. Love the tash. Well done, it's a great cause.
I read so many licensed novels growing up. I'm hoping to reread Batman No Mans Land by Greg Rucka next month as part of Remember December!
Me too! I think they're a great way for young people to get into reading
I just finished this one. It was one of the most jaw dropping and intense reads ive ever experienced, to the point that I had to press pause a few times just to collect my thoughts and recover from some of the more intense scenes. It takes quite a lot to shock me in terms of violent imagery but this story managed to get there. The last thing I can remember that impacted me in the same way was Max Brooks' Devolution. Wonderful characters, entirely distinct in personality and archetype from most stories I've read - Blue is a great protagonist but is wonderfully unaltruistic and selfish, a great foil to Dorian's pure psychopathy. There are quite a few moments in this book that are also hilarious, just because of how absurd but believable they are - to Dorian, even logic is self-serving (he was first in chess club, after all!).
Completely agree - so tense and gripping
Fantastic video and review! Glad people are going to find this excellent book through this review! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Just an FYI Alex White identifies as non-binary. There are a few instances of misgendering here and it's just important to note.
Thanks again for the recommendation!
Thanks for the heads up, I went with the author bio in the book but guess that was out of date
That is my next read and I can't wait. Reading A M. Shines The Creeper just now.
I need to try AM Shine - have The Watching on my shelf
When I can buy books again this will be top of my list ( RWYO challenge so far….zero, wading through library books😂)
Great review! I’ll put this book on my list! I love the Alien movies and comics. And Archie vs Predator is a brilliant comic. 📚📚📚📘📘📘🎥🎥🎥👍🏻
Cheers Max - hope you enjoy it
How could anyone hearing this not immediately order a copy afterward? If we enjoyed the Alien world and concepts, pastiche follow-ups well done should always be welcomed.
Hope you enjoy it!
I’m really glad you liked the book this much. I’m in complete agreement.
Books based off of movie adaptations/spinoffs tend to show up in bulk. I never know where to start.
I do know what you mean, this one can definitely be read as a standalone
Of cause not, i love tv-tie ins or movie books. I think this format definitely adds to your love of whatever your interested in. Not a fan of Alien personally.
What if someone hasn't seen the movies, would they still enjoy the book?
I think they would, but the movies are well worth watching (well, the first 2 anyway)
I’ve seen the movies; I was just wondering. When I read several books by one author, I prefer to read them in the order they were written. Sometimes it’s necessary but not always.
I've seen most of the movies but haven't read any Alien books, so THE million dollar question is: can this be read stand alone ? And given Bomber (Deighton) is my best frame of reference with you, how does it stack up against that ? I'm concerned Bomber will be pushed out of your top 10 reads of the year. 🤨
Have you heard the BBC Radio 4 dramatization of Bomber?
@@parazatico9030 I know of it but haven't listened to it. The Damcasters podcast did a show about it though.
It can definitely be read as a standalone. And not as good as Bomber
@@CriminOllyBlog Phew 😅
@@DDB168 It's worth a listen if the opportunity arises. Tom Baker's narration is excellent.
I couldn't put this one down!!!
Same!
Another book to add to my ever growing list 🙈
Sorry not sorry
I will be back in an hour to watch this video in full and to inevitably fight 90% of your commenters.
💚🖤
you look like an extra on midsomer murders show, the mustache increases your British appearance somehow. Anyhow, I recently read a book based stargate ( do you know the show?), i DNFed it at 70%, it did not live up to the show. Reading now a history book from Tom Holland , called Pax.
I'm sorry but for me, originality is somewhat overrated. Again, for me, many artists of all stripes put so much energy into making their work original (and let's face it, that's tough in 2023) that they forget to make it any good!
Purely subjective I know. One person's good is another's trash and vice versa, as your great work often points out! 😊
No.