Aliens: Steel Egg

Aliens (Dark Horse Books)

by John Shirley

Before Ripley, there was a first encounter. Someone on Earth knew about the aliens. Someone battled them, and survived. Aliens and humans have fought before.

When a human spaceship discovers a vast egg-shaped vessel in Saturn's orbit, they zero in to investigate the anomaly. They force their way aboard, finding evidence of an advanced civilization of peaceful creatures, now eradicated by an unknown foe. Three teams split up to explore the ship. But already the aliens have awoken. The first of all the battles unfold...

Best-selling writer John Shirley transports you to the origin of the nightmare, before humans knew what they were up against, or how low the odds for survival are.

Genres: Aliens, Science Fiction, Horror, Fiction, Novels

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 26, 2007

About the author

John Shirley won the Bram Stoker Award for his story collection Black Butterflies, and is the author of numerous novels, including the best-seller DEMONS, the cyberpunk classics CITY COME A-WALKIN', ECLIPSE, and BLACK GLASS, and his newest novels STORMLAND and A SORCERER OF ATLANTIS.

He is also a screenwriter, having written for television and movies; he was co-screenwriter of THE CROW. He has been several Year's Best anthologies including Prime Books' THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR anthology, and his nwest story collection is IN EXTREMIS: THE MOST EXTREME SHORT STORIES OF JOHN SHIRLEY. His novel BIOSHOCK: RAPTURE telling the story of the creation and undoing of Rapture, from the hit videogame BIOSHOCK is out from TOR books; his Halo novel, HALO: BROKEN CIRCLE is coming out from Pocket Books.

His most recent novels are STORMLAND and (forthcoming) AXLE BUST CREEK. His new story collection is THE FEVERISH STARS. STORMLAND and other John Shirley novels are available as audiobooks.

He is also a lyricist, having written lyrics for 18 songs recorded by the Blue Oyster Cult (especially on their albums Heaven Forbidden and Curse of the Hidden Mirror), and his own recordings.

John Shirley has written only one nonfiction book, GURDJIEFF: AN INTRODUCTION TO HIS LIFE AND IDEAS, published by Penguin/Jeremy Tarcher.

John Shirley story collections include BLACK BUTTERFLIES, IN EXTREMIS, REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WEIRD STORIES, and LIVING SHADOWS.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Mr Chuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect for first-time Alien readers.

Set way before any of the films and really a nice little detail of how the company knew the existence of xenomorphs but not having any details about them. A team is sent out to investigate a UFO out in our solar system which not only seems to be there for a long time. But also seemed to have suffered a terrible fate which is awaiting to be woken again.

I have read this book twice now and I enjoyed it more the first time as this was my first introduction to the Alien novels. After reading most of the novels now this book wasn't as grand as I remember but then again after reading so many Alien books, it is hard to be fully thrilled with a new story.

Recommended for anyone who has seen the Alien films and wants to read more about them in a none Ripley setting.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

The quality of John Shirley's writing is miles beyond that of the other authors in the ALIENS series, but STEEL EGG is still nowhere near as good as I'd hoped. The first half of the plot is completely derivative, and once again readers are forced to sit back and try to be patient as characters slowly bring themselves up to speed regarding the nature of the ALIEN threat; the second half of the plot is just plain over-the-top and silly. Shirley does a great job with the all the juicy scientific and technical tidbits throughout (not to mention the incredible amount of gore), but he completely drops the ball when it comes to his characters: too many, and all of them dull.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, Steel Egg isn't as bad as the two Diane Carey novels that preceded it, but it's not a whole heck of a lot better, either. There's a foreword to the book where Shirley writes about telling a story the precedes the first Alien movie, about giving a reason why Weyland-Yutani knew to set up its ships to be ready to respond to distress calls in the hopes of finding the xenomorphs. What follows is a novel that, for the first half, is just a retelling of Alien in a different environment, and for the second half is just a wacked-out space adventure that doesn't have a whole lot to say about it, other than the fact that we encounter an alien who calls itself Larry.

Larry the alien.

No, this isn't a satire or a parody.

I had higher hopes for this book, since Shirley is considered a legend in science fiction circles, but I was surprised to find that his style is tell-y, his characters were a bit cliched, and he approaches the story with the subtlety of a dozen xenomorphs chasing down its prey in a dark ship corridor. It's not outright bad, but it's not really worthy of recommending, either. I have two more of these books to go to finish out the first two attempts at telling new Aliens stories, and I think I'll be glad to be finished. I don't expect them to be literature, but I expect more than what I've read.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

A prequel to the original Alien movie, showing what is known to be the first human contact with the Aliens. All of the Aliens stories seem to share a theme: trapped in space with them, and there always seems to be a jerk traitor to mess everything up.

Overall while this did seem similar to what we've seen before, it was still well done and very entertaining. I'm guessing this isn't really canon since Ridley Scott is probably in control of that with the films, but it's still a good read.

[Marius · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first Alien novel, I plan to read them in chronological order. It was an ok story, there are a few interesting details in here and the gore horror scenes were good. However, the characters were extremely dull, the ending was very rushed and there also are some silly portions in the second half of the book. Overall it was fun, a not too bad entry in this series. 3.25*

[clumsyplankton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as bad as some previous alien books I’ve read. Fairly solid read

[Will Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is by a wide margin the best of the Alien tie in novels of the early 2000s . At first it does seem to tread similar ground as the original movie but it adds a bit more gore and violence. Where this book really excels is its Chest Burster segments. They would be some of if not the best ( most brutal ) encounters with the little bastards ever put to the page. I was a little disappointed with the ending but overall a very enjoyable read and a good place to start for anyone just getting into these books.

[BG45 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonably well written, but if you get this in the omnibus at least, get ready for sentencestoappearlikethis. Because I think someone didn't bother looking when they put it in the omnibus and for some reason the document of the novel will, every 20ish pages, put about two to three lines together like that, with zero spacing.

[Mark R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Alien: Steel Egg” purports to tell the story of how the Company first discovered the xenomorphs that eventually attracted Lt. Ripley’s crew to planet LB426, in the origianl “Alien” film. After all, we know from the movie that the Company was aware of the aliens’ existence, that’s why they sent the Nostromo to investigate.

The only problem with “Steel Egg” is that the way the aliens are discovered is pretty much the exact way they’re always discovered in the “Alien” film and in various off-shoots, comic books, novels, etc. The first two hundred pages are very familiar. There’s some wild action in the second half, though, and the characters aren’t badly written. If anything, there’s just a little too much been-there-done-that in this book. Still, it should provide what literate “Alien” fans are looking for.

[Tommy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this very much! The ending was rushed and a little too tidy for me. I felt interesting characters were introduced but not developed. Some of the character's motivations seemed a bit thin ("I will be the greatest," for example) but, hey, this is an Alien novel and not meant to be taken too seriously ;)

One idea that was really intriguing was that there were indications that Earth had been visited by extraterrestrials before. But the "indications" were mentioned only once and in passing and as if these visitations were simply fact. The author could have had a little fun with this idea but instead ignored it--missed opportunity, in my opinion.

Would have also like to learn a bit more about Larry and his enemies but what is in the book is excellent and might be perfect because it did leave me wanting more.

[user48573452 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oooh now this is what I call an Aliens novel 👌 What a bloodbath lol.

I loved how deadly the Xenos were in this! Also the descriptions of the settings all felt really vast and epic, the build-up and discovery of the Steel Egg itself I felt gave a lot of suspense.

The inclusion of CANC in the story also added an extra layer of depth and excitement, rather than simply just being a standard 'good guys vs aliens' story.

I dont really care about the lack of character development like what other people have complained about, I just want as many people as possible to DIE! ... so I was pretty satisfied in that respect lol.

The later parts of the book felt a little OTT at times and I felt the Xenos were a bit underpowered towards the end, but the rest of the story definitely made up for that.

All in all I'd say John Shirley nailed it with this.

[Danny Dahms · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d rate this as 3.5 stars if I could. I appreciate the concept that the author was going for by trying to explain how Weyland Yutani knew about the xenomorphs already.

I also found myself enjoying the whole “first contact” section in the earlier half of the book, where the crew are the first to ever find any alien life.

It definitely gets a little goofy with how over-the-top evil Reynolds is, but I didn’t mind all the Larry the alien stuff. I actually thought the author handled his interactions with Corgan and Ashley pretty well. This was some of the most intelligent dialogue in the book.

Another standout piece that I enjoyed was the idea that aliens have been watching us and collecting fallen soldiers throughout the eras of human history. We got a crossbow xeno kill in this!

[Mike Jozic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well-written but misguided attempt at trying to fill in some of the holes in the Alien mythos. A prequel that includes sequel ideas, a conspicuously male point-of-view, an alternate alien species and tech that didn't feel consistent with the world, and a lot of running around and explosions with characters I didn't really care about.

I like Shirley as an author. I've loved several of his books and was really looking forward to seeing his take on the Alien universe. Unfortunately, like its predecessor in the series, it was a big swing-and-a-miss. This is one that you can skip unless your a completist.

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a decent book and clearly (acknowledged) heavily inspired by the first two movies.

For some reason, it took the book a while to get me engaged, and actually, the last third was the strongest.

Likewise, the characters were a bit unengaging.
Strangely, the character the two characters meet towards the end was more connecting even.

Still, it is an enjoyable read, and I look forward to returning to that universe.

[BIGnick BIGnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know if it’s because I just got through the slog of the previous 2 books by Diane Carey, but I really enjoyed this entry in the Alien series. It’s not a great plot, the characters are quite dumb in parts and some plot points are summed up in sudden exposition but all around I enjoyed this book, it felt like Aliens and Mr. Shirley’s horrific descriptions really add a terrifying layer that you may not pickup in the movies, i.e. the experience of being implanted with the xenomorph embryo.

[Bonnie Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love any book from the Aliens series, I can't get enough. The only criticism I have is this book was very predictable. I guess when you're reading an aliens book it kind of has to be. Unsuspecting people run into the Aliens, they fight hard but are picked off one by one. Someone blows up the ship/base etc killing them. This one had a HEA, which I could see coming.

[Shaun Filion · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book far more than I expected to. I find that reading an author's take on an already popular series, can be very hit-or-miss.I consider this one a big hit! I found some moments to be legitimately creepy. And just enough funny moments, to add a whole different element to it. For anyone interested in the Alien franchise, I would highly recommend it

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some outstanding action setpieces and some glorious alien carnage buuuut this is very much a b-movie story set in the Alien universe. It's still fun but lacks the emotional heft of the best Alien stories.

Minus 1 star for how INSANELY obvious it is that this book was written in the early 2000's...I mean a spaceship is called 'The Al Gore'.

[Isobelle Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

An amazing collection of cliches and stereotypes.

An alien named Larry. A ship named Al Gore. A sword fight with a xenomorph. Robots that have been programmed to speak what the author refers to as "ghetto." And so much more.

[Exanimis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been having trouble writing Reviews since I had a stroke, I'll work on it as part of my reading challenge.

Franchise Book #22
Second novel series #4

[Leelath · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started of pretty good. However, the last half felt very rushed, confused, almost like they packed as many words in there as they could because they needed a certain amount of pages? Disappointing.

[Sam Nicholson · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A LOT of xenomorphs!! New alien species. A mad scientists. A lot of graphic fights. 2058 was rough year for some.

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this a lot. It has great world building and it adds to the universe as a whole.
It's a great read.

[Tama Wise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This books premise had a hell of a lot of promise. The foreword explains that from the first Alien movie, it was obvious that the Company appeared to have some idea of the existence of the xenomorphs. So, where better to explore, but back, before the time of the first film.

Great, well, I'm always game. I love the Alien franchise. And it was quickly obvious that the author was a great one, and knew how to write well the horror of the xenomorph.

There's a lot of like about this book. It really does link very well current day with the familiar universe of the Alien movies. It's a midpoint really, with references back to now without them seeming cheezy. Hell, Close Encounters of the Third Kind even came up. And it was easy to see how this world became the Alien world.

Unfortunately, the story itself was essentially just the Alien movie. New ship, new crew, same story, even if set around a moon of Saturn, rather than further aboard. Even the 'gotta hate him' character was there, meeting his unfortunate end in the end.

Worth reading, if for nothing more than the setting and background. Otherwise, nothing new.

[Landon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daryl Corgan is the captain of the Hornblower, a vessel that belongs to the UNIC. They come across a alien vessel and decided to board it. While on it they discover proof of alien life, a hologram that shows to aliens. One that came to be known as a Giff that is killed by what became a Xenomorph. They keep searching the ship then they come across a dead Giffs body that held alien technology that opened doors that only the Giffs could see.

Daryl Corgan is one of the best characters in this book, he is the captain of the Hornblower which thanks to his crew becomes extremely deadly because of xenomorphs. He makes quick decisions that can save many lives. He may not know much about the threat other than they have a extremely hard exoskeleton that you have to hit square to hit and that they bleed acid. But he still does his best to keep his crew alive for as long as possible.

I really liked this book especially since it's what made one of my favorite movie series of all time. Alien vs Predator, which is also based off of books. It was fast paced with betrayal and a awesome back story. I also liked how they tied the threat of the Chinese organization CANC.

[Hodgey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the worst Aliens book I have ever read. This is like Alien if it was remade on crack. There's just so much going on the reader can't keep track of it all. Characters are never developed beyond maybe a few lines about their past and because of that you don't get attached to anybody. You don't care when people get killed. Normally Aliens stories have fodder characters that exist just to die but that was every character in this book. I personally don't like when new alien races are introduced into the universe, not because I don't like the concept, but because the execution is always off. The Giff are an example of other alien species not working. Don't even get me started on Larry the Giff who helps drive the Steel Egg into the sun. Imagine if in Prometheus the crew woke up the Engineer and he said "You can call me Larry". Space should always be scary in Alien, it's the great unknown! When you get Star-Wars type aliens in your Alien story you've already lost the plot. I just couldn't wait for this book to be over and I would not recommend it to anyone but the most hardcore looking to do a completionist read through of the EU.

[Juan Cordova]

This book takes place in outer space. In a soace craft, the space marines end up finding an alien vessel in a shape if an egg. They go and search the alien vessel.
They end up finding a recording on the alien ship. They see that these aliens kept a xenomorph in captivity, and where learning of this xenomorph. The marines encountered a facehugger while exploring the alien vessel. The space marines try to escape the alien vessel.
So the marines go trying to find an exit while to stay alive long enough before the xenomorphs kill them.

[Heather. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, quick read. If you're a fan of the movies and have some time to kill I would suggest reading this. I'm impatiently waiting for some Prometheus footage and while I was in Borders this book caught my eye. It's an interesting take on what might have happened pre-Nostromo incident. The love parts could have been taken out, I have no idea why they were even needed, and the part with "Larry" was kinda weird, but all in all I give it 3 stars.

[Tristan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A coworker had given me this book because of my obsession with the alien universe; so I had expectations of this being a mediocre novel. It was, in fact worse than mediocre, but not terribly written. I felt no passion from the author, even though I enjoyed some other works. He followed a simple formula for story telling and left the universe lacking in information. It was a forgettable read :(