‘Aliens’ was a massive deal for me in my teens. Blending sci fi and horror in a blockbuster package that ticked all the boxes for me it became a movie I geeked out massively on. I read Alan Dean Foster’s novelisation before I saw the film (and after), as well as a few of the spin off books and comics that came out later. None of them really captured the brilliance of the film for me. ‘Aliens: Phalanx’ doesn’t either, but it’s still a solidly entertaining read which fans of the movie series will enjoy.
What makes the book different from the other xenomorph spin off fiction I’ve read is that does away with the Weyland Yutani/Colonial Marines universe and is set instead on the planet of Ataegina. It’s a primitive world where the previous medieval society has been brought down by “demons” (the aliens) and the survivors now live in isolated keeps. The various groups use “runners”, conscripted teenagers who travel between the keeps, carrying messages and goods, and dodging demons. One such runner is heroine Ahiliyah, a determined young woman in the YA world, who leads a disparate squad of other teens. As the story develops, she fights the aliens, as well as the rigid patriarchal social structure she lives in.
Like the movie, the book has a slow buildup. The world building is good, but the first third of the novel is a bit heavy in that and a bit light on action. Once it gets going though it’s a lot of fun. Gripping and funny, with the occasional scare and a few really good twists. It mixes satisfying YA coming of age themes with tense action sequences to create an entertaining popcorn thriller. Despite the different setting, it’s very faithful to the series, weaving in familiar motifs effectively. This isn’t a book that’s going to set the world on fire, but if you love ‘Aliens’ as much as I do it’s definitely worth a read.
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I guess my rating is number 666! :)

It's been a while since I explored Aliens Universe. Actually this was my first book about it. [a:Scott Sigler|114504|Scott Sigler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1434042056p2/114504.jpg] is a true master of the craft. I enjoyed immensely. Thank you! ( )

I have not yet read any of the other Aliens novels, but I have read Sigler’s fiction before. And if this is an example of the style of the other Aliens books, I will be reading them.

Full disclosure: I’m a huge fan of Scott Sigler and his books. I pre-ordered this book and I was going to buy this book even if it sucked.

It was great! It tied into ideas that are suggested by the movies, and like the movies has sections that are suspenseful and violent. But it also has sections that appropriately suggest how a pre-industrial society could discover a way to combat these creatures.

Also: I listened to the audiobook version. The reader did an excellent job voicing the different characters, and I particularly enjoyed the voicing of a particular less-than-likeable main character. To my ear, there was a “Beavis and Butt-Head” vibe giving on. And it fits!! ( )