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Aliens vs. Predator Trilogy #2
Aliens vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet
Sequel to Aliens vs. Prey.
Paperback
First published December 1, 1994
12 people are currently reading
746 people want to read
About the author
David Bischoff
162 books104 followersaka Mark Grant (with Bruce King), Brad Quentin (with Terry Bisson)
Born in Washington D.C. and now living in Eugene, Oregon, David Bischoff writes science fiction books, short stories, and scripts for television. Though he has been writing since the early 1970s, and has had over 80 books published, David is best known for novelizations of popular movies and TV series including the Aliens, Gremlins, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and WarGames.
Born in Washington D.C. and now living in Eugene, Oregon, David Bischoff writes science fiction books, short stories, and scripts for television. Though he has been writing since the early 1970s, and has had over 80 books published, David is best known for novelizations of popular movies and TV series including the Aliens, Gremlins, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and WarGames.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
August 14, 2016
Terrible.
Gave up. First book was great, big disappointment.
Gave up. First book was great, big disappointment.
July 6, 2015
I don't know how this got screwed up. You got aliens. You got predators. The cover to the first book was amazing, and the story matched.
This book was a huge struggle to get through. And I don't know how that was possible.
8th grade me loved the first book, loved aliens and predators.
Great stuff.
This book though had nothing of interest. The cover is a lie, we see nothing of Machiko's time with the predators. The cover strongly suggests that we would. Instead we see a bunch of...i am not sure what...a little bit of predator even less alien.
I really don't remember much about this book. What I do remember is chugging through it, my brain not even registering most of the imagery, and finally finishing the book while I was at my the bankruptcy hearing/trial thing for my parents. I didn't go in, just sat in the waiting room reading this awful book.
That wasn't the reason I hate this book, I hated it because it didn't deliver on aliens, predators or the main character's time amongst the preadators. Which is the book that I wanted to read.
This book was a huge struggle to get through. And I don't know how that was possible.
8th grade me loved the first book, loved aliens and predators.
Great stuff.
This book though had nothing of interest. The cover is a lie, we see nothing of Machiko's time with the predators. The cover strongly suggests that we would. Instead we see a bunch of...i am not sure what...a little bit of predator even less alien.
I really don't remember much about this book. What I do remember is chugging through it, my brain not even registering most of the imagery, and finally finishing the book while I was at my the bankruptcy hearing/trial thing for my parents. I didn't go in, just sat in the waiting room reading this awful book.
That wasn't the reason I hate this book, I hated it because it didn't deliver on aliens, predators or the main character's time amongst the preadators. Which is the book that I wanted to read.
November 15, 2020
Machiko Naguchi's life became interesting in the wake of the Ryushi colony massacre (the previous book). It was then that she abandoned her human heritage and ran with the Predators as a dedicated Hunter. But it was only two years before she returned to live with humanity and work for the Chigusa Corporation.
She ended up on a big game hunting planet where paying customers could shoot their little hearts out so you feel no empathy when those hunter get cautie up between Aliens and their Dreadlocked hunters.
Anyhow for people who enjoy the Alien and predator franchise certainly an entertaining tale, it was certainly not the worst book to pass the time with.
She ended up on a big game hunting planet where paying customers could shoot their little hearts out so you feel no empathy when those hunter get cautie up between Aliens and their Dreadlocked hunters.
Anyhow for people who enjoy the Alien and predator franchise certainly an entertaining tale, it was certainly not the worst book to pass the time with.
April 15, 2019
I must have started this novel four times, set it aside thinking it was part 3, then picked it up again after clarifying it was book two. I will say this one time and one time only: SKIP THIS BOOK. It adds nothing to the story and the fight scene at the start (and another at the end!) is repeated (and far better written) in War. The premise of this novel is flimsy at best, the characters have all the depth of a petri dish, and the tone is completely different from Prey.
If I were reviewing it in the lens of being a sequel to the trilogy, I would have to give it 1 star. But, because, in my mind, it’s not part of the trilogy (which is now a duology), I will review it as a stand-alone novel. It gets 2.5.
Did I like parts of it? Yes, I did. It was easy to read. It had ridiculously flowery moments like this “It plumbed the depths of her soul and biochemistry, bringing up the thunder of valor and the uncontrolled explosion of adrenaline” which I thought were fun, albeit hyperbolic to the extreme. It also had lines like this, which made me laugh: “… cutting into the throng of aliens, slicing, dicing, and generally churning up the Hard Meat into chunky-style puree, acid-flavour” and “Hunting with her pack had come to make multiple orgasms mild and mundane.”
Yet, that was the problem. The book was too funny, too light-hearted. And there was so much showing rather than telling – Machiko’s actions are often described rather than viewed through her eyes. She also has a rawness, a vulnerability, a need to prove herself, in Prey (and War) that is lacking in this novel.
Yet, the action scenes were fun, if not tension-filled, and there is an amazing scene of Predators fighting a T-Rex that made me spit out my coffee.
But there are two many random characters. As much as I loved the action scenes in the new The Predator movie (which I dragged my husband to see in the theatre), the characters in that movie were given too much attention. By that I mean there were too many for the story to handle. This book felt the same way. There’s Machiko, her android, the bad guy, his security woman, the lawyer, the other lawyer, the love interest, the dickwad, a bunch of other mercenaries. And some dead people we also meet. Plus, the Predators.
Get rid of most of them. We didn’t need that scene where Machiko is sexually harassed by walking toxic masculinity (we already know she’s a badass – having her flip some douchebag around is unnecessary, especially for so minor a character), we don’t need her making gaga-eyes at some guy who has no personality or sexual prowess, and we didn’t need to spend so much time with the damn lawyers. The android was funny – just have her fuck him instead if we need her to get her rocks off for some reason.
I can’t say much about the plot, since it was flimsy at best. There was no tension. Stuff just happened in sequence and the pacing was off.
Overall, I guess I’d say I did enjoy reading it, because it was entertaining, funny at times, and there was a T-Rex, but it leaves a lot to be desired.
There was also a part where a Predator thinks about something being “hoisted by its own petard.” This is a Shakespeare reference. Unless, a) this Predator was super into human literature, b) there is a Predator Shakespeare out there who just so happened to use the same phrase, or c) maybe Predators call bombs “petards”, it’s completely wrong for him to be thinking that. A weird anachronism I guess. It annoyed me.
If I were reviewing it in the lens of being a sequel to the trilogy, I would have to give it 1 star. But, because, in my mind, it’s not part of the trilogy (which is now a duology), I will review it as a stand-alone novel. It gets 2.5.
Did I like parts of it? Yes, I did. It was easy to read. It had ridiculously flowery moments like this “It plumbed the depths of her soul and biochemistry, bringing up the thunder of valor and the uncontrolled explosion of adrenaline” which I thought were fun, albeit hyperbolic to the extreme. It also had lines like this, which made me laugh: “… cutting into the throng of aliens, slicing, dicing, and generally churning up the Hard Meat into chunky-style puree, acid-flavour” and “Hunting with her pack had come to make multiple orgasms mild and mundane.”
Yet, that was the problem. The book was too funny, too light-hearted. And there was so much showing rather than telling – Machiko’s actions are often described rather than viewed through her eyes. She also has a rawness, a vulnerability, a need to prove herself, in Prey (and War) that is lacking in this novel.
Yet, the action scenes were fun, if not tension-filled, and there is an amazing scene of Predators fighting a T-Rex that made me spit out my coffee.
But there are two many random characters. As much as I loved the action scenes in the new The Predator movie (which I dragged my husband to see in the theatre), the characters in that movie were given too much attention. By that I mean there were too many for the story to handle. This book felt the same way. There’s Machiko, her android, the bad guy, his security woman, the lawyer, the other lawyer, the love interest, the dickwad, a bunch of other mercenaries. And some dead people we also meet. Plus, the Predators.
Get rid of most of them. We didn’t need that scene where Machiko is sexually harassed by walking toxic masculinity (we already know she’s a badass – having her flip some douchebag around is unnecessary, especially for so minor a character), we don’t need her making gaga-eyes at some guy who has no personality or sexual prowess, and we didn’t need to spend so much time with the damn lawyers. The android was funny – just have her fuck him instead if we need her to get her rocks off for some reason.
I can’t say much about the plot, since it was flimsy at best. There was no tension. Stuff just happened in sequence and the pacing was off.
Overall, I guess I’d say I did enjoy reading it, because it was entertaining, funny at times, and there was a T-Rex, but it leaves a lot to be desired.
There was also a part where a Predator thinks about something being “hoisted by its own petard.” This is a Shakespeare reference. Unless, a) this Predator was super into human literature, b) there is a Predator Shakespeare out there who just so happened to use the same phrase, or c) maybe Predators call bombs “petards”, it’s completely wrong for him to be thinking that. A weird anachronism I guess. It annoyed me.
July 22, 2011
While this book did delve into a broad expansion on Predator culture, the story itself didn't quite stand up to the quality of first book, Prey.
The Hunter's Planet was unfortunately a rehashed, overdone concept of a sort of safari playground for the rich set in space. To me, the attempts at expanding on Machiko's character actually made her less interesting than I'd found her in the first book. Although, a saving grace was the clever comedic relief of her android cohort, who ultimately made it worth the read.
The Hunter's Planet was unfortunately a rehashed, overdone concept of a sort of safari playground for the rich set in space. To me, the attempts at expanding on Machiko's character actually made her less interesting than I'd found her in the first book. Although, a saving grace was the clever comedic relief of her android cohort, who ultimately made it worth the read.
September 3, 2016
After publishing five novels based on Dark Horse graphic novels of ALIENS and PREDATOR stories (and later going on to publish nine more), Bantam Books tried a strange experiment. They created an original sequel to
Aliens vs. Predator: Prey
based solely on "the graphic story by Randy Stradley," which consisted at the time of 14 two-page installments of a strip then-titled "Aliens vs. Predator II" from Dark Horse Insider. That short story is incorporated into the novel as a flashback consisting Chapter 2, but the other 240 pages are a whole new story.
Little did Bantam or Dark Horse know (or did they?) that 6 months later, that short story would be collected as Aliens vs. Predator: War #0, then followed by a four-issue series (and a corresponding novelization) continuing the adventures of Machiko Noguchi... and completely ignoring Hunter's Planet. So this novel is a bit of a curiosity, a sequel having been supplanted by an "official" sequel, making it non-canon.
The story itself is fun: it starts out slowly (and the first third is padded a bit too much), but once it picks up, I couldn't put it down. A few years after hanging out with a yautja pack, Machiko Noguchi, survivor of Ryushi, is back working a boring desk job for the Company on Alistair Three. Until one day a rich dude named Livermore Evanston comes to hire her as head of a mercenary team to get rid of "bugs" on his newly colonized planet and future hunting preserve. Of course, she takes the job, and it happens that the planet Blior or "Hunter's World" is also of interest to the yautja who regularly go there for their rituals. But when Machiko discovers that Evanston is building an Alien cyborg army, she decides to team-up with the yautja once again and get rid of this menace to the galaxy.
The story could have maybe worked into continuity after AvP: War, except that one of the main yautja in this book is Machiko's old rival "Shorty" who is now pack leader and wants to kill her for being a traitor to his race. Shorty also has a major role in War, and has a different fate in the official sequel. Also, another official sequel titled AvP: Three World War was also published in 2011 (15 years after this novel), which might prevent Hunter's Planet from fitting in.
A fun read, but i recommend reading the "Machiko Trilogy" first: AvP , AvP: War and AvP: Three World War.
NOTE: Machiko's name is misspelled "Naguchi" both times in the back cover summary.
Little did Bantam or Dark Horse know (or did they?) that 6 months later, that short story would be collected as Aliens vs. Predator: War #0, then followed by a four-issue series (and a corresponding novelization) continuing the adventures of Machiko Noguchi... and completely ignoring Hunter's Planet. So this novel is a bit of a curiosity, a sequel having been supplanted by an "official" sequel, making it non-canon.
The story itself is fun: it starts out slowly (and the first third is padded a bit too much), but once it picks up, I couldn't put it down. A few years after hanging out with a yautja pack, Machiko Noguchi, survivor of Ryushi, is back working a boring desk job for the Company on Alistair Three. Until one day a rich dude named Livermore Evanston comes to hire her as head of a mercenary team to get rid of "bugs" on his newly colonized planet and future hunting preserve. Of course, she takes the job, and it happens that the planet Blior or "Hunter's World" is also of interest to the yautja who regularly go there for their rituals. But when Machiko discovers that Evanston is building an Alien cyborg army, she decides to team-up with the yautja once again and get rid of this menace to the galaxy.
The story could have maybe worked into continuity after AvP: War, except that one of the main yautja in this book is Machiko's old rival "Shorty" who is now pack leader and wants to kill her for being a traitor to his race. Shorty also has a major role in War, and has a different fate in the official sequel. Also, another official sequel titled AvP: Three World War was also published in 2011 (15 years after this novel), which might prevent Hunter's Planet from fitting in.
A fun read, but i recommend reading the "Machiko Trilogy" first: AvP , AvP: War and AvP: Three World War.
NOTE: Machiko's name is misspelled "Naguchi" both times in the back cover summary.
February 28, 2021
As it stands A vs. P: Hunter’s Planet is mostly decent (and it’s a hell of a lot better than any films with the same title). It’s entertaining enough and short enough to not digest a lot of time in.
It’s just that this could have been so much more. Unlike the first book in this series, it’s not really a lot of Predator on Alien action. What little violence the 2 species to manage to eke out on each other is actually pretty minimal and mitigated to the final couple chapters.
Instead, Hunter’s Planet reads more like a David vs. Goliath tale...which would have been fine had the titular aliens and predators actually been more present.
Overall, it’s an ok book, but it still fails in comparison to Prey.
It’s just that this could have been so much more. Unlike the first book in this series, it’s not really a lot of Predator on Alien action. What little violence the 2 species to manage to eke out on each other is actually pretty minimal and mitigated to the final couple chapters.
Instead, Hunter’s Planet reads more like a David vs. Goliath tale...which would have been fine had the titular aliens and predators actually been more present.
Overall, it’s an ok book, but it still fails in comparison to Prey.
September 10, 2024
Well this novel seemed like a rushed mess in the last act, after a promising start. The only real interesting character of the novel was Attila the synthetic.
Machiko Noguchi was never really fleshed out and the Predators that started off with potential were kicked to the side of the story in favour of an ending that made very little sense. After reading a previous Bischoff novel focused on Colonial Marines I had hoped this would be similar but, it REALLY fell short in the end. Disappointed….
Machiko Noguchi was never really fleshed out and the Predators that started off with potential were kicked to the side of the story in favour of an ending that made very little sense. After reading a previous Bischoff novel focused on Colonial Marines I had hoped this would be similar but, it REALLY fell short in the end. Disappointed….
July 5, 2019
Not a bad sequel to the first AvP novel. As I've stated before, these novels are much better than either of the AvP movies.
In this one we have a very rich man trying to create a hunter's world, stocked with dangerous game for hunters to come hunt from all over the galaxy. Of course, Aliens and Predators weren't part of the plan. Then we find out there was more to the hunter's world than we thought...
Overall a good novel with plenty of action that moves right along. Pretty much exactly as advertised here.
In this one we have a very rich man trying to create a hunter's world, stocked with dangerous game for hunters to come hunt from all over the galaxy. Of course, Aliens and Predators weren't part of the plan. Then we find out there was more to the hunter's world than we thought...
Overall a good novel with plenty of action that moves right along. Pretty much exactly as advertised here.
January 21, 2009
Mariko Noguchi's story continues in Hunter's Planet. After spending some time amongst the Predators (Yautja), she returns to a human colony. Soon, she is tapped by a billionaire who is creating a hunters' planet where the prey are bioengineered and lethal. However, like similar stories (from Island of Dr. Moreau to Jurassic Park), messing with the natural order of things to create monsters often backfires. And it does backfire here as well. Noguchi is the only one able to handle the crisis, but she has to take over the planet and once again run with Predators to overcome. It is something her boss is not about to allow.
Fans of the franchise will like this book. Anyone wanting a quick escapist adventure read will like it as well. Those wanting more insight on the Predators and their society will find it here. A bit slow in the middle, but once the pace picks up, you read right through the end. By the way, I think if the movie makers would have used some of these stories in the AvP movies, instead of the barely passable stuff they hoisted on us the movies would have been much better.
Fans of the franchise will like this book. Anyone wanting a quick escapist adventure read will like it as well. Those wanting more insight on the Predators and their society will find it here. A bit slow in the middle, but once the pace picks up, you read right through the end. By the way, I think if the movie makers would have used some of these stories in the AvP movies, instead of the barely passable stuff they hoisted on us the movies would have been much better.
September 6, 2024
Not sure why other reviews are so harsh.
Yes, there is very little Alien & Predator action, but the human story is interesting and it has one of the more interesting Android characters.
Yes, there is very little Alien & Predator action, but the human story is interesting and it has one of the more interesting Android characters.
July 16, 2024
"Alien vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet" by David Bischoff is a captivating and action-packed novel that pits two of science fiction's most fearsome species against each other in a battle for dominance. With a fast-paced narrative, intense suspense, and a deep exploration of the Alien and Predator mythologies, Bischoff delivers an engaging read that will satisfy fans of both franchises.
In "Alien vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet," Bischoff takes readers on a perilous journey as a group of human mercenaries find themselves hired to defend a remote planet owed by a rich billionaire using it as his own private hunting preserve that’s now infested with the deadly Xenomorphs (Aliens) and hunted by the formidable Yautja (Predators). As they fight for survival, the characters must navigate the treacherous landscape, evade the relentless pursuit of the Predators, and outwit the cunning and deadly Aliens.
Bischoff's writing style is immersive and descriptive, effectively capturing the terrifying presence of both the Aliens and the Predators. His vivid depictions of the grotesque Xenomorphs and the technologically advanced Yautja create a palpable sense of danger and tension that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The author's knowledge and understanding of the Alien and Predator universes shine through, making "Alien vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet" a must-read for fans of both franchises.
The characters in "Alien vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet" are well-developed and relatable, each with their own strengths and flaws. Bischoff delves into their personal struggles and motivations, allowing readers to form a connection with them as they face the horrors of the Xenomorph-infested planet. From the resourceful and determined survivors to the enigmatic and deadly Predators, the cast adds depth and emotional resonance to the story.
The action in "Alien vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet" is relentless and intense, capturing the ferocious nature of both the Aliens and the Predators. Bischoff skillfully alternates between heart-pounding confrontations with the Xenomorphs' acidic attacks and the Predators' lethal weaponry, creating a thrilling and high-stakes narrative that keeps readers hooked. The book is filled with pulse-pounding sequences that showcase the deadly clash between these iconic species.
One of the strengths of "Alien vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet" is Bischoff's exploration of the Predator culture and their hunting rituals. He delves into the intricate codes of honor, advanced technologies, and brutal tactics employed by the Predators, providing readers with a deeper understanding of their enigmatic race. This adds a layer of intrigue and complexity to the story, enhancing the overall reading experience.
While "Alien vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet" is a standalone novel, it stays true to the essence and tone of both the Alien and Predator franchises. Bischoff successfully captures the claustrophobic atmosphere, tension, and primal fear that made the original films so memorable. Fans of the Alien and Predator series will appreciate the seamless integration of both universes, creating a cohesive and thrilling narrative.
Overall, "Alien vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet" is a thrilling battle for survival that will captivate fans of both the Alien and Predator franchises. David Bischoff's skillful storytelling, well-developed characters, and intense action make this novel a must-read for sci-fi enthusiasts. With its exploration of the Predator culture and its seamless integration of the Alien and Predator worlds, "Alien vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet" delivers an exhilarating and immersive reading experience that fans will thoroughly enjoy.
April 3, 2024
Towards the last third I found myself just wanting it to end.
The book seemingly takes off shortly after the previous one with Noguchi hunting with the predators which is interesting. What’s their culture like? How does she hold her own against such a brutal species? But that lasts for like two chapters and she’s back to working at some mining company where she reminisces about previous adventures with her fellow hunters which I would have rather read about. It’s very muddled later on as to how much she knows about the predators. One more she’s talking like an old veteran and the next she’s barely able to communicate with them.
The hunter’s planet in a neat concept that gets squander.
The android is one of the worst characters I’ve ever read. His character’s wildly inconsistent (actually a problem with most of the characters). He’s the embodiment of a Swiss Army knife and seems to be added as nothing more than a golden key for the author whenever he writes himself into a corner.
Villain’s motive’s are somewhat secretive and when his big plan’s revealed you find out he’s laughably incompetent.
The Alien hybrids are incompetent. They’re supposedly unstoppable but they’re slow and cumbersome and vulnerable AND severely outnumbered and outgunned by the predators, so where’s the threat?
The dialogue is godawful and makes me wonder who’s talking to who and are they even listening to each other?
I get the feeling the author gave up caring half way through. The dialogue becomes even more cheesy and out of character, somehow Attila’s body can talk, and the motives and resolutions rapidly devolve into cliched end-of-Hollywood-B-movies quality. Which if that’s the tone of the book from the start, fair enough, but is doesn’t match its predecessor.
I’d say the most frustrating thing about this book is the author gets in a habit of writing in plot holes or inconsistencies, and instead of going back and reworking the story for it to make sense and flow more naturally, he adds some exposition dump or makes up a new character trait/skill/motive/background or whatever on the spot. Every time I started to question something or felt something was off the author would immediately address it and pave over it like some lame, halfhearted attempt to clean up a spill with newspaper.
I felt like I cared more about reading this book than the author did about writing it. This was a huge step down from the first entry. I only hope reading the third entry with the original authors back will recapture the terror and fantasy the first one captured so well.
The book seemingly takes off shortly after the previous one with Noguchi hunting with the predators which is interesting. What’s their culture like? How does she hold her own against such a brutal species? But that lasts for like two chapters and she’s back to working at some mining company where she reminisces about previous adventures with her fellow hunters which I would have rather read about. It’s very muddled later on as to how much she knows about the predators. One more she’s talking like an old veteran and the next she’s barely able to communicate with them.
The hunter’s planet in a neat concept that gets squander.
The android is one of the worst characters I’ve ever read. His character’s wildly inconsistent (actually a problem with most of the characters). He’s the embodiment of a Swiss Army knife and seems to be added as nothing more than a golden key for the author whenever he writes himself into a corner.
Villain’s motive’s are somewhat secretive and when his big plan’s revealed you find out he’s laughably incompetent.
The Alien hybrids are incompetent. They’re supposedly unstoppable but they’re slow and cumbersome and vulnerable AND severely outnumbered and outgunned by the predators, so where’s the threat?
The dialogue is godawful and makes me wonder who’s talking to who and are they even listening to each other?
I get the feeling the author gave up caring half way through. The dialogue becomes even more cheesy and out of character, somehow Attila’s body can talk, and the motives and resolutions rapidly devolve into cliched end-of-Hollywood-B-movies quality. Which if that’s the tone of the book from the start, fair enough, but is doesn’t match its predecessor.
I’d say the most frustrating thing about this book is the author gets in a habit of writing in plot holes or inconsistencies, and instead of going back and reworking the story for it to make sense and flow more naturally, he adds some exposition dump or makes up a new character trait/skill/motive/background or whatever on the spot. Every time I started to question something or felt something was off the author would immediately address it and pave over it like some lame, halfhearted attempt to clean up a spill with newspaper.
I felt like I cared more about reading this book than the author did about writing it. This was a huge step down from the first entry. I only hope reading the third entry with the original authors back will recapture the terror and fantasy the first one captured so well.
September 12, 2023
I don't know if I should mark this as DNF or not. An old magic card I used to use as a bookmark fell out of it, but I'd leave one tucked in there even after finishing a book. I honestly can't remember if I finished it or not, and couldn't remember a thing about it. Unlike the first one, which I had memories of even from thirty years ago.
I'm sure not going to finish it now, big thanks to all the reviewers saying it's unnecessary. The writing is a huge tonal shift from the first one. Prey wasn't meant to be taken super seriously, but you can tell the authors were taking it seriously. They were trying to make an enjoyable read. This one seems phoned in with an inflated word count. "What she did not expect, what came as a surprise, was..." Pick one!
Chapter two should have been interesting, but Machiko needs to save the day during a queen live capture. So, one of the predators is "caught napping" which I guess means spacing out or something and gets flung and killed. This after hyping up how dangerous this operation is so only the very best yautja are allowed to go (plus the ooman), and this wasn't a hunt, it was war. Only it's not war, it's a live capture mission, and even for a book about aliens and spaceships it comes off as unbelievable.
I left off when Machiko taunts a holographic samurai with a dick joke to make him angry, and the android praises her brilliant strategy and says she's utilized Sun Tsu's principles quite well. Only, she doesn't know who Sun Tsu is and gets the name confused with tsetse flies. I know she's Japanese and Sun Tzu was Chinese, but would she really never have heard of The Art of War? Was the android controlling the hologram really so impressed with a dick joke that he had the hologram he was controlling react by getting all flustered and leaving an opening?
I don't know... I feel like if I'm getting stuck on stuff like that, it's just not a good book. No wonder I don't remember anything about it.
One reviewer mentioned a battle with a T-Rex and I do vaguely remember reading that part and being surprised even back then that it wasn't a more engaging read.
I'm sure not going to finish it now, big thanks to all the reviewers saying it's unnecessary. The writing is a huge tonal shift from the first one. Prey wasn't meant to be taken super seriously, but you can tell the authors were taking it seriously. They were trying to make an enjoyable read. This one seems phoned in with an inflated word count. "What she did not expect, what came as a surprise, was..." Pick one!
Chapter two should have been interesting, but Machiko needs to save the day during a queen live capture. So, one of the predators is "caught napping" which I guess means spacing out or something and gets flung and killed. This after hyping up how dangerous this operation is so only the very best yautja are allowed to go (plus the ooman), and this wasn't a hunt, it was war. Only it's not war, it's a live capture mission, and even for a book about aliens and spaceships it comes off as unbelievable.
I left off when Machiko taunts a holographic samurai with a dick joke to make him angry, and the android praises her brilliant strategy and says she's utilized Sun Tsu's principles quite well. Only, she doesn't know who Sun Tsu is and gets the name confused with tsetse flies. I know she's Japanese and Sun Tzu was Chinese, but would she really never have heard of The Art of War? Was the android controlling the hologram really so impressed with a dick joke that he had the hologram he was controlling react by getting all flustered and leaving an opening?
I don't know... I feel like if I'm getting stuck on stuff like that, it's just not a good book. No wonder I don't remember anything about it.
One reviewer mentioned a battle with a T-Rex and I do vaguely remember reading that part and being surprised even back then that it wasn't a more engaging read.
April 4, 2024
Tuve ciertos dilemas con esta novela. Por un lado, me agrada que mantenga continuidad con la anterior en lugar de irse por derroteros extraños. Sin embargo, descubrir que Machiko Noguchi se salió de la vida cazadora para terminar apretujada en una compañía me sacó de cuadro al principio. Más luego de la introducción, en la que los Predadores lidian con una amenaza nueva. Conforme avanzaba en la lectura, sentí que a la historia le faltaba sustancia en el apartado "Aliens vs Predator", y parecía más un drama humano que resaltaba la codicia y locura de sus personajes terrícolas. No obstante, las escuetas escenas de acción, así como la conspiración bastaron para hacerlo lo suficientemente entretenida. Los guiños a la cultura Yautja (dosis pequeñas, pero bienvenidas), y a algunos elementos que conocí a través de los videojuegos me agradaron bastante. Y eso. Sin incurrir mucho en detalles importantes que revelen más de la trama, esta novela palidece un poco en comparación con su predecesora, pero logra mantenerse como una decente continuación en la trilogía literaria de Aliens vs Predator.
March 27, 2025
"These are some high-tech whizzes for such barbarian-brains"
So I was expecting a story about Machiko's time with the Hunters and I was really disappointed we didn't get much in the way of this besides occasional flashbacks.
The actual story is of a "hunter's planet" with genetically modified xenomorphs which sounded promising but the execution failed for me. I found myself skimming the last 50 pages just so I could finish this book.
I also didn't like how the Yautja were portrayed in this book. While their technology is most likely "inherited" from the Amengi, they still need to use and maintain it so portraying them as these uncivilized savages didn't sit right with me.
Alas, I believe War is a better book so I'll probably read that at some point in April to complete the trilogy.
So I was expecting a story about Machiko's time with the Hunters and I was really disappointed we didn't get much in the way of this besides occasional flashbacks.
The actual story is of a "hunter's planet" with genetically modified xenomorphs which sounded promising but the execution failed for me. I found myself skimming the last 50 pages just so I could finish this book.
I also didn't like how the Yautja were portrayed in this book. While their technology is most likely "inherited" from the Amengi, they still need to use and maintain it so portraying them as these uncivilized savages didn't sit right with me.
Alas, I believe War is a better book so I'll probably read that at some point in April to complete the trilogy.
May 31, 2019
Got a bit confused on this one as it jumps a timeline and the third book War, is set between this and the first story Prey!
Hunters Planet delivers a tale of an apparent megarich oligarch type figure having a bug problem on his own private pleasure planet, if hunting and killing gives you wood that is, so he recruits Noguchi
for her skill-set.
As usual all is not as it appears and pretty soon the bodily waste product hits the rapidly spinning blades of a nearby device for lowering the surrounding air temperature.
Predators, Aliens and corporate cannon fodder happily merge in various types of death dealing mayhem.
Hunters Planet delivers a tale of an apparent megarich oligarch type figure having a bug problem on his own private pleasure planet, if hunting and killing gives you wood that is, so he recruits Noguchi
for her skill-set.
As usual all is not as it appears and pretty soon the bodily waste product hits the rapidly spinning blades of a nearby device for lowering the surrounding air temperature.
Predators, Aliens and corporate cannon fodder happily merge in various types of death dealing mayhem.
March 26, 2022
(2.5/5)
This started off pretty decent but by the end, I was rolling my eyes with dialogue and overall direction this book went.
I like the concept of the Hunters World and even had a Jurassic park type of feel to it for me. But once the book introduced aliens modified by cyborg type genetics, who can shoot guns occasionally….kinda started losing me there.
I wasn’t really feeling Machikos character mid point through this novel as well. She started saying things like “old chum” and was acting nothing like her character from the first novel.
This book just wasn’t doing much for me unfortunately
This started off pretty decent but by the end, I was rolling my eyes with dialogue and overall direction this book went.
I like the concept of the Hunters World and even had a Jurassic park type of feel to it for me. But once the book introduced aliens modified by cyborg type genetics, who can shoot guns occasionally….kinda started losing me there.
I wasn’t really feeling Machikos character mid point through this novel as well. She started saying things like “old chum” and was acting nothing like her character from the first novel.
This book just wasn’t doing much for me unfortunately
February 25, 2022
Some very odd choices where made with this book. Seeing as it is a direct sequel to “ Prey” it seems strange that the author made the decision to just skip over the protagonists two years she spent living and hunting with the predators. There are a few
Flash backs of that time but it would have been much better if that was the focus of the book.The story itself is very weak and littered with plot holes. I remember this book not being that great when I first read it as a kid but this is much worse than I had remembered.
Flash backs of that time but it would have been much better if that was the focus of the book.The story itself is very weak and littered with plot holes. I remember this book not being that great when I first read it as a kid but this is much worse than I had remembered.
September 13, 2025
I don't get the reviews, I loved this book. Fun and lots going on, refreshing change of pace, new characters, new lore, WAY better writing. I didn't think the first book was written badly at all, loved the first book, just this one was noticeably better by comparison.
Book #1 leans far more Predator in the AVP universe, and this book leans far more Aliens. Usually I'm more a Predator fan, but this book f***s.
Book #1 leans far more Predator in the AVP universe, and this book leans far more Aliens. Usually I'm more a Predator fan, but this book f***s.
March 11, 2020
It's hard to review this book until I have read the 3rd book but I feel like this was a really big build up to nothing. I loved how the characters progressed in the book and how the book brought in some new things. Don't think I agree with the buggers (xeno hybrids) I just hope the 3rd book will bring in some more depth to Machiko's story.
May 9, 2021
Gave up on this one and moved onto war, which was just as brilliant as prey. If you do a little research, you find out what happened with the sequals and what not, and I believe war I'd the true sequals to prey, so with that being said, avoid hunters planet, (which was a kind of stand in sequal) and go onto war, you won't be disappointed!
October 1, 2021
It was a decent book. I've always liked the AvP premise. However, Book #3 (War) should be read before this as there's an area they skipped in between Book #1 and Book #2. (Which was a bit confusing at first when I started on Book #3.)
All-in-all... I'm glad I bought it.
All-in-all... I'm glad I bought it.
October 12, 2021
I just couldn't find myself caring about any of the flat, one dimensional characters or be frightened by either the aliens or predators. It wasn't even "pulp"... if there was gratuitous violence and gore, at least that would have been entertaining.
March 6, 2022
It wasn’t so bad. Steered clear away from the previous book and plot has changed suddenly with new planet, new Predator character, new villains, but no mention of events from said predecessor novel. Like I said, not bad, but slightly strange to change the sequel plot.
February 24, 2024
Ruined most of the wonderful worldbuilding of the first book. Boo hoo I’ll never be accepted with the humans or the Yautja what ever will I do. Ruined Machiko’s character. I wish this book was never written ugh
May 24, 2025
No tension. Every conflict is resolved too easily. All "fear" is removed, by making predators alies quite easily and turning the star of this universe into mindless drones called something very menacing : "buggers".
Sorry, but this one was not for me.
Sorry, but this one was not for me.
July 6, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. I have seen all the movies of both franchises and read a few books and I must say of all the Androids, Attila is my favourite. He made this book for me, but it was a great book, nonetheless.
March 11, 2019
I could deal with it being bad, or even silly, but it was just boring.
May 14, 2019
If you like the first book in this series, you'll like this one as well.
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