What do you think?
Rate this book
Plan 9 From Outer Space: The Novelization
THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE FACES DESTRUCTION!
So say the alien invaders. Are they here to save us? Or is this a ruse to CONQUER EARTH?! The dead rise! Our weapons are useless! What is their plan?
PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE
In 1957, Ed Wood gathered a cast made up of the once-famous, the once-living, and the altogether unknown. Dime-store flying saucers invaded a surreal patchwork of stock footage. The remarkable results did not see a general release until two years later, when Plan Nine from Outer Space finally made it into theaters.
Now, Encyclopocalypse Publications maintains their commitment to preserving cinematic genre history through novelizations with their release of PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE: THE NOVELIZATION. Written by Bret Nelson (Manborg, The Part Mart) and featuring a foreword by Dana Gould (Stan Against Evil, Ted).
DISCOVER SHOCKING FACTS:
The real life scientific explanation of Solaronite!
All Plan 9 plot holes patched with meticulously crafted connective tissue.
Finally revealed - THE OTHER PLANS! (Spoiler: there were actually 10 plans! How is that possible, you ask? You'll have to read to find out!)
So say the alien invaders. Are they here to save us? Or is this a ruse to CONQUER EARTH?! The dead rise! Our weapons are useless! What is their plan?
PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE
In 1957, Ed Wood gathered a cast made up of the once-famous, the once-living, and the altogether unknown. Dime-store flying saucers invaded a surreal patchwork of stock footage. The remarkable results did not see a general release until two years later, when Plan Nine from Outer Space finally made it into theaters.
Now, Encyclopocalypse Publications maintains their commitment to preserving cinematic genre history through novelizations with their release of PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE: THE NOVELIZATION. Written by Bret Nelson (Manborg, The Part Mart) and featuring a foreword by Dana Gould (Stan Against Evil, Ted).
DISCOVER SHOCKING FACTS:
The real life scientific explanation of Solaronite!
All Plan 9 plot holes patched with meticulously crafted connective tissue.
Finally revealed - THE OTHER PLANS! (Spoiler: there were actually 10 plans! How is that possible, you ask? You'll have to read to find out!)
- GenresScience FictionHorror
182 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 10, 2024
3 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Bret Nelson
19 books4 followersWhen Bret Nelson isn't writing stories, he's making TV shows and games. He's worked with Kermit the Frog, Buzz Lightyear, and Conan the Cimmerian. Right now, he’s working on things he can't talk about (that’s what the contracts say).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 23, 2024
I love watching strange science fiction movies from the fifties and sixties, especially the B+ movies with outlandish costuming, strange set design, and bizarre characters. Ed Woods’ Plan 9 from Outer Space delivered all those in spades, along with genre confusion (we have aliens, but let’s add some vampires, too!), transparent physical effects, and some of the worst line deliveries in human history. For those who have somehow missed this cinematic misasterpiece, the movie involves a group of aliens attempting to contact the Earth to tell them not to weaponize a new element, because it will lead to the entire universe blowing up. Because Earthers don’t seem to be hearing their messages, the aliens are now resurrecting the dead to force Earth governments to acknowledge them. Plan 9 from Outer Space is Bret Nelson’s attempt to turn the convoluted plot into a coherent story, while at the same time papering over the movie’s visual inconsistencies and general weirdness. To this end, he’s largely successful, though given the raw materials there’s not a great deal he could do. This book is aimed at fans of the movie, who love its campy awfulness and who will take special pleasure in spotting the parts of the novel that are doing their damnest to make the story work. The stilted dialogue between the aliens and humans, for instance, is explained by the fact that there are multiple layers of translation involved, and that the human translation machine is a rickety prototype: similarly, dramatic changes in the time of day between scenes is handwaved by characters losing track of time, or things simply becoming mysteriously darker in the presence of an alien spacecraft. This isn’t a real explanation, more of a handwave, but if this story were completely rewritten to be sensible, it wouldn’t be fun at all. Of course, the switch in mediums does some work by itself: human dialogue that sounds dreadful on screen because of its delivery can be prettied up in the mind of the reader: in our heads, the intonation and cadence are up to us! I enjoyed Nelson’s treatment of Plan 9: it covers up some of the worst seams of the original while not completely transforming it into something unrecognizable. I would definitely recommend watching the movie first to most appreciate Nelson’s glow-up work.
Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this via Booksirens in exchange for a fair review. The book will be released in October. Will you be prepared for…..Grave Robbers from Outer Space?!
Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this via Booksirens in exchange for a fair review. The book will be released in October. Will you be prepared for…..Grave Robbers from Outer Space?!
August 1, 2024
“We are the weirdos, Mister.” - The Craft
Plan 9 from Outer Space is a love letter to the original movie. Beautifully and sympathetically written, the novelisation is an exact copy of what we've all watched. Within the first few pages, you find yourself falling under the spell of the OG Plan 9 and begin whisked away on vibes that haven't been felt since the 50s and 60s. I genuinely am lost for words because this is just a beautiful book and I hope that it finds its way into the hands of anyone who's seen the film.
While some reviews have picked up on grammar/spelling mistakes and the lack of backstory for the characters (which would have been nice) I was there for the vibes. The nostalgia. The late night showings with buttery popcorn and fizzy drinks. The memories. The “what could have been”. I wanted to relive the moments of watching this film at friends houses and in theatres and, in more recent years, on Blu-Ray. I'm here for stepping into an era that I never saw, an era of cheesy black and white b-movies and of a person who tried to do something interesting and different.
If you're a fan of Ed Wood's work, you're going to love this book. The charm of his movies is inscribed upon these pages although, like the Plan 9 itself, don't go in with a lot of expectations. Despite that, this is a great little book and is a reminder of his enthusiasm and unwillingness to be beaten down by those who believed he'd never amount to anything is as poignant now as it was back then. Imagine what he'd be doing with today's technology!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Plan 9 from Outer Space is a love letter to the original movie. Beautifully and sympathetically written, the novelisation is an exact copy of what we've all watched. Within the first few pages, you find yourself falling under the spell of the OG Plan 9 and begin whisked away on vibes that haven't been felt since the 50s and 60s. I genuinely am lost for words because this is just a beautiful book and I hope that it finds its way into the hands of anyone who's seen the film.
While some reviews have picked up on grammar/spelling mistakes and the lack of backstory for the characters (which would have been nice) I was there for the vibes. The nostalgia. The late night showings with buttery popcorn and fizzy drinks. The memories. The “what could have been”. I wanted to relive the moments of watching this film at friends houses and in theatres and, in more recent years, on Blu-Ray. I'm here for stepping into an era that I never saw, an era of cheesy black and white b-movies and of a person who tried to do something interesting and different.
If you're a fan of Ed Wood's work, you're going to love this book. The charm of his movies is inscribed upon these pages although, like the Plan 9 itself, don't go in with a lot of expectations. Despite that, this is a great little book and is a reminder of his enthusiasm and unwillingness to be beaten down by those who believed he'd never amount to anything is as poignant now as it was back then. Imagine what he'd be doing with today's technology!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 15, 2024
Unspeakable horrors from outer space paralyze the living and resurrect the dead
Some films resonate due to stunning performances, gripping storylines, or imaginative cinematography. These films will remain forever as examples of the artform. And then there is Plan 9 From Outer Space. As much as we might wish to forget its existence, it remains beating at the back door of cinematic history like a bill collector. Plan 9 From Outer Space is not so much a film as it is a series of mini strokes recorded on celluloid. Trying to follow the plot has been known to cause headaches, memory loss, hot flashes, triskaidekaphobia, and insanity. It’s been called the worst film ever produced. That is too kind. It’s awful. It’s so awful, it’s good. Plan 9 From Outer Space is so kitsch it’s cult. Somehow, its awfulness is what makes it popular. Written and directed by the eccentric Ed Wood, Plan 9 From Outer Space is what would happen if you gave a thousand monkeys mescaline and sat them in front of a thousand typewriters while playing White Rabbit at full volume.
What if one were to take the story and present it in its narrative form? Take away the pie tin flying saucers, cardboard headstones, and flamboyant Supreme Commander with his pasty, glittery make-up and tell the tale as prose. Would it be better, or would it require a warning label like experimental medication? The answer lies somewhere in the middle. Much like its cinematic counterpart, Plan 9 From Outer Space: A Novelization is a full-frontal assault on the senses but still manages to entertain in its own unique way. As prose, it is incredibly wordy. In fact, most of the chapters consist of dialogue between characters with little expository contributions. However, if you take the actual plot, what you have left is something marginally original. Plan 9 From Outer Space was unique in that it took a premise that was never done before and spawned a new sub-genre that has been copied and altered and rebranded for the past 50 years. There were films about alien invasion There were films about the undead. However, Ed Wood took both genres and smashed them together, spiced it with some camp, and created this hideous pastiche that we’ve come to love.
The narrative is not so much a retelling of an old, odd story as it is a homage to those who managed to find some sort of camp humor in the film. Weirdos such as I who find the value in good or bad science fiction. Author Bret Nelson takes that banal and bizarre and makes it into an entertaining read. The camp dialogue stands a reminder of the provenance of the story, but the narrative structure manages to work quite well. It's kitsch, but it's not bad. In fact, it’s a good book. The author manages to infuse life into a bland story with his third-person omniscient narrator whose snippets of plot explosion are just enough to keep one’s attention. Despite its overall ridiculousness, the narrative is structured as a serious work of science fiction. This is where the uniqueness of the storyline comes into play. For all its banality, Plan 9 From Outer Space did offer something entirely different in the Alien Invasion trope. While it failed as a film, it’s enjoyable as a narrative.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Some films resonate due to stunning performances, gripping storylines, or imaginative cinematography. These films will remain forever as examples of the artform. And then there is Plan 9 From Outer Space. As much as we might wish to forget its existence, it remains beating at the back door of cinematic history like a bill collector. Plan 9 From Outer Space is not so much a film as it is a series of mini strokes recorded on celluloid. Trying to follow the plot has been known to cause headaches, memory loss, hot flashes, triskaidekaphobia, and insanity. It’s been called the worst film ever produced. That is too kind. It’s awful. It’s so awful, it’s good. Plan 9 From Outer Space is so kitsch it’s cult. Somehow, its awfulness is what makes it popular. Written and directed by the eccentric Ed Wood, Plan 9 From Outer Space is what would happen if you gave a thousand monkeys mescaline and sat them in front of a thousand typewriters while playing White Rabbit at full volume.
What if one were to take the story and present it in its narrative form? Take away the pie tin flying saucers, cardboard headstones, and flamboyant Supreme Commander with his pasty, glittery make-up and tell the tale as prose. Would it be better, or would it require a warning label like experimental medication? The answer lies somewhere in the middle. Much like its cinematic counterpart, Plan 9 From Outer Space: A Novelization is a full-frontal assault on the senses but still manages to entertain in its own unique way. As prose, it is incredibly wordy. In fact, most of the chapters consist of dialogue between characters with little expository contributions. However, if you take the actual plot, what you have left is something marginally original. Plan 9 From Outer Space was unique in that it took a premise that was never done before and spawned a new sub-genre that has been copied and altered and rebranded for the past 50 years. There were films about alien invasion There were films about the undead. However, Ed Wood took both genres and smashed them together, spiced it with some camp, and created this hideous pastiche that we’ve come to love.
The narrative is not so much a retelling of an old, odd story as it is a homage to those who managed to find some sort of camp humor in the film. Weirdos such as I who find the value in good or bad science fiction. Author Bret Nelson takes that banal and bizarre and makes it into an entertaining read. The camp dialogue stands a reminder of the provenance of the story, but the narrative structure manages to work quite well. It's kitsch, but it's not bad. In fact, it’s a good book. The author manages to infuse life into a bland story with his third-person omniscient narrator whose snippets of plot explosion are just enough to keep one’s attention. Despite its overall ridiculousness, the narrative is structured as a serious work of science fiction. This is where the uniqueness of the storyline comes into play. For all its banality, Plan 9 From Outer Space did offer something entirely different in the Alien Invasion trope. While it failed as a film, it’s enjoyable as a narrative.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 2, 2024
Big thanks to Encyclopocalypse Publications and Book Sirens for providing me with an advanced copy of the novelization of Plan 9 from Outer Space by Bret Nelson. I was super excited to find that there was a novelized version of this classic film available. As soon as I saw the bright green cover with Tor Johnson’s zombie face, I knew that I wanted to read it. I also reviewed another book from Encyclopocalypse Publications (Ariel Powers-Schaub’s excellent analysis of early 2000s horror films Millennial Nasties), so I was excited to also discover a publisher of books that appeal to my horror cravings. To top it all off, once I downloaded the book, I couldn’t believe that Dana Gould, one of my favorite comedians, wrote the forward for the book. It’s a great introduction and a reminder that films like Plan 9 are a great way to find friends with like-minded interests (or as Gould says a litmus test for weirdos).
It's been a while since I’ve seen Plan 9, so I forgot many of the plot details. I’m not even sure I paid that much attention to the story whenever I watched it, often with friends who were also there to comment and joke about the film. It’s definitely not a movie I took all that seriously. While it has the reputation as the worst movie ever made, like Gould, I beg to differ and can think of many other films that are much worse than it. I also recently read W. Scott Poole’s book about Vampira, who also starred in Plan 9, and from what I remember from her experience, there wasn’t much of a budget to make this film. Regardless, Nelson’s novelization presents a more straightforward horror/sci-fi film that deals with many relevant issues and topics in society both from the late 1950s and even in our contemporary world. I was actually surprised by how serious and engaging the story was. I initially expected a kind of jokey, ironic novelization, but Nelson’s narrative presents a story of an alien expedition seeking to potentially limit humanity’s access to dangerous weapons and materials. I loved how the book dealt with this idea that humanity is on a path of mutual destruction through their weapon-developing and posturing, something that was relevant in the 10-15 years after the bombing of Japan and during the Cold War, and definitely something we are experiencing now with global tensions and conflicts simmering. There’s also an undercurrent of government secrecy and distrust, which again is another kind of paranoia that was present during the Cold War and remains an element of American politics that the internet may have exacerbated. Regardless, Nelson does a great job presenting how the military in the story help to use media to make the truth seem even more ridiculous and far-fetched using somewhat unbelievable heralds and messengers. Nelson’s writing is crisp and not overly detailed; furthermore, basing the book on Ed Wood’s script, he uses dialogue effectively to further the story. I also liked how eventually the chapters were subdivided into different characters sections—focusing on the convergence of the different narratives towards the finale. Nelson’s writing really helps to re-establish the kind of story this was meant to be; it also made me think about how this book would make a great reinterpretation as a film update. Wood’s story predates a lot of popular tropes in horror today—aliens, zombies/undead, and questioning the military industrial complex. While the title has a kind of negative or ridiculous connotation, I thought that the other elements of the story are relevant and compelling for horror audiences today. In addition to the novel, the book also features some great photos and promotional materials/posters from the film’s release. I enjoyed examining these after reading the book. I’m excited to read more of the novelizations from Encyclopocalypse Publications, and see if Brett Nelson has more books available to read.
It's been a while since I’ve seen Plan 9, so I forgot many of the plot details. I’m not even sure I paid that much attention to the story whenever I watched it, often with friends who were also there to comment and joke about the film. It’s definitely not a movie I took all that seriously. While it has the reputation as the worst movie ever made, like Gould, I beg to differ and can think of many other films that are much worse than it. I also recently read W. Scott Poole’s book about Vampira, who also starred in Plan 9, and from what I remember from her experience, there wasn’t much of a budget to make this film. Regardless, Nelson’s novelization presents a more straightforward horror/sci-fi film that deals with many relevant issues and topics in society both from the late 1950s and even in our contemporary world. I was actually surprised by how serious and engaging the story was. I initially expected a kind of jokey, ironic novelization, but Nelson’s narrative presents a story of an alien expedition seeking to potentially limit humanity’s access to dangerous weapons and materials. I loved how the book dealt with this idea that humanity is on a path of mutual destruction through their weapon-developing and posturing, something that was relevant in the 10-15 years after the bombing of Japan and during the Cold War, and definitely something we are experiencing now with global tensions and conflicts simmering. There’s also an undercurrent of government secrecy and distrust, which again is another kind of paranoia that was present during the Cold War and remains an element of American politics that the internet may have exacerbated. Regardless, Nelson does a great job presenting how the military in the story help to use media to make the truth seem even more ridiculous and far-fetched using somewhat unbelievable heralds and messengers. Nelson’s writing is crisp and not overly detailed; furthermore, basing the book on Ed Wood’s script, he uses dialogue effectively to further the story. I also liked how eventually the chapters were subdivided into different characters sections—focusing on the convergence of the different narratives towards the finale. Nelson’s writing really helps to re-establish the kind of story this was meant to be; it also made me think about how this book would make a great reinterpretation as a film update. Wood’s story predates a lot of popular tropes in horror today—aliens, zombies/undead, and questioning the military industrial complex. While the title has a kind of negative or ridiculous connotation, I thought that the other elements of the story are relevant and compelling for horror audiences today. In addition to the novel, the book also features some great photos and promotional materials/posters from the film’s release. I enjoyed examining these after reading the book. I’m excited to read more of the novelizations from Encyclopocalypse Publications, and see if Brett Nelson has more books available to read.
October 16, 2024
Take away the camp distractions that both film and audience bring to the experience, and you get this straightforward, streamlined telling of the story that has just enough fleshing out to make for a satisfying narrative. Blessedly, instead of leaning into humor or condescending to Wood's story, while acknowledging the audience can't not imagine the unintentionally iconic film images. Nelson spins a tidy, fast telling of the story that respects Wood's earnest approach.
This time you can both follow the plot, and yes, also realize that the movie has more than a few extraneous bits.
I spent some time with this novel because of a busy schedule, but if you've ever enjoyed, or just been curious, about Plan 9 (not to mention the rejected 8 predecessors), this is a perfect read for a rainy afternoon or dark, foggy evening next to the cemetery.
(I received an advance, free review copy through Booksirens, and I post this voluntarily - and happily, Encyclopocalypse has a perfect batting average with me - and for multiple titles now!)
This time you can both follow the plot, and yes, also realize that the movie has more than a few extraneous bits.
I spent some time with this novel because of a busy schedule, but if you've ever enjoyed, or just been curious, about Plan 9 (not to mention the rejected 8 predecessors), this is a perfect read for a rainy afternoon or dark, foggy evening next to the cemetery.
(I received an advance, free review copy through Booksirens, and I post this voluntarily - and happily, Encyclopocalypse has a perfect batting average with me - and for multiple titles now!)
October 6, 2024
I hadn’t seen the movie and went into this story mostly blind. By about 5% I was hooked. The sounds and the description of the saucer matched perfectly with the old 50’s B movies.
Time moved infinitely faster whilst reading this story and I got it done in a day or so.
Ooh! Once you find out what plan 9 is it gets even more intriguing.
I will definitely have to watch the movie and if it’s half as good as this it’ll be amazing.
The action, the little bits of gore along the way and the actual plot all melted into a sci-fi fan’s idea of heaven.
I cannot understate how much I loved this!
Time moved infinitely faster whilst reading this story and I got it done in a day or so.
Ooh! Once you find out what plan 9 is it gets even more intriguing.
I will definitely have to watch the movie and if it’s half as good as this it’ll be amazing.
The action, the little bits of gore along the way and the actual plot all melted into a sci-fi fan’s idea of heaven.
I cannot understate how much I loved this!
August 2, 2024
Loved this book, I really enjoyed the story.
August 5, 2024
I loved this book 😀
September 19, 2024
So, I had no idea that this was a movie before it became a book. I think I now have to watch the movie.
This book reads like an old school science fiction novel, complete with the small town feel, and mysterious sightings. The author moves back and forth between the earthlings, who are having encounters and what their thoughts are, and the aliens, who want to make contact and have the humans believe they are real. Makes sense. Their goal is a peaceful one, although their means are less than. Aliens reanimating humans to scare them into listening, and the zombies become vicious killers? Why not. And although these themes seem to be unlikely to come together cohesively, Bret manages to do that fairly well.
The main characters are a good mix of sensible, hysterical, hot-headed, and curious. Their goal titters between finding out the truth, and listening to the higher ups to cover up what they have seen, much to the chagrin of the alien race. They follow the clues, the stories, and ultimately, the in-your-face signs. The book actually has a bit of a bittersweet ending, but leaves off an a hopeful note.
This book wasn’t what I expected but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. If retro sci fi is your jam, this one’s for you.
Thank you Book Sirens, and Encyclopocalypse Publications for my ARC. My opinion is my own.
This book reads like an old school science fiction novel, complete with the small town feel, and mysterious sightings. The author moves back and forth between the earthlings, who are having encounters and what their thoughts are, and the aliens, who want to make contact and have the humans believe they are real. Makes sense. Their goal is a peaceful one, although their means are less than. Aliens reanimating humans to scare them into listening, and the zombies become vicious killers? Why not. And although these themes seem to be unlikely to come together cohesively, Bret manages to do that fairly well.
The main characters are a good mix of sensible, hysterical, hot-headed, and curious. Their goal titters between finding out the truth, and listening to the higher ups to cover up what they have seen, much to the chagrin of the alien race. They follow the clues, the stories, and ultimately, the in-your-face signs. The book actually has a bit of a bittersweet ending, but leaves off an a hopeful note.
This book wasn’t what I expected but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. If retro sci fi is your jam, this one’s for you.
Thank you Book Sirens, and Encyclopocalypse Publications for my ARC. My opinion is my own.
January 9, 2025
I have seen this movie, but it's been quite a while. I found this novelization at the library and figured, why not? Now I want to watch the movie again!
I also looked up some trivia about the movie and I am hugely amused that Tor Johnson, who played one of the "ghouls" and had a long career in horror movies, was in fact a huge sweetheart and everyone thought he was the nicest man ever.
This story does make me a bit embarrassed for humanity because of the idiotic, violent way most of the men behave. Colonel Edwards seems ok, but Lt. Harper and Jeff Trent are just.... embarrassing.
Here's hoping that storyline's human race even survived, if those two are representative of popular thought at the time.
I also looked up some trivia about the movie and I am hugely amused that Tor Johnson, who played one of the "ghouls" and had a long career in horror movies, was in fact a huge sweetheart and everyone thought he was the nicest man ever.
This story does make me a bit embarrassed for humanity because of the idiotic, violent way most of the men behave. Colonel Edwards seems ok, but Lt. Harper and Jeff Trent are just.... embarrassing.
Here's hoping that storyline's human race even survived, if those two are representative of popular thought at the time.
October 13, 2024
I am a huge fan of the movie so when I found out, they were making a novel based on the movie I was ecstatic. This novel was everything I could’ve hoped for. It gave us more background into the different plans. The aliens had and flushed out the characters some more. If you are a fan of the movie, I highly recommend reading this, it will definitely increase your love of the story.
September 30, 2024
Great concept well executed. So many plot holes patched including the other plans. Absolutely loved this. Going to check into more of these novelizations in the series.
October 15, 2024
“The unknown. The mysterious. The unexplainable. A Terrifying ordeal.” “Greetings my friend…” Dime-store flying saucers… patchwork of stock footage… already a fan of the cult classic movie Plan 9 From Outer Space (Ed Wood), I also love the movies The Blob, The War of The Worlds, The Invasion of the Body Snatchers - the 1950’s originals, as I have very fond memories of family Friday movie nights, 3D glasses, and the glow of the screen cast over us whether it be the movie theater, cinema at the drive-in, or the living room with soda, tubs of buttery popcorn, boxes of pizza, and bags of assorted candy. Getting to stay up late with Grandpa to watch The Twilight Zone was also a treat!!
Given my fondness for nostalgia, I was extremely excited to have received an Advanced Review Copy of Plan 9 From Outer Space (The Novelization) for free for which I am leaving this review voluntarily - the book cover alone, seeing it, made me so excited to read it!
If I may quote the description, “The real life scientific explanation of Solaronite! All Plan 9 plot holes patched with meticulously crafted connective tissue. Finally revealed - THE OTHER PLANS!” (“Spoiler Alert,” the entire universe is facing major turmoil and there were MORE than 9 Plans From Outer Space set to implement this.) I feel it’s a given in pop culture that people know this story but after having mentioned it’s novelizations release, I was shocked that my co-workers (flight attendants) had no clue as to what I was talking about. There seemed to be more familiarity with it on the pilots side. For those familiar with this story, it’s amusing to me that I’m a Flight Attendant with American Airlines and recently worked flights in and out of Albuquerque (but we didn’t fly to Burbank on flight 812). In the movie’s plot, aliens try to stop humans from developing a weapon that could destroy the world. They use "Plan 9" to raise armies of the dead to terrorize the living. Are the alien invaders here to save us or conquer our planet? The dead rise and our weapons are useless! Basing the book on Ed Wood’s script, Bret Nelson’s writing in this retelling was not overly detailed and remained genuine in continuity with the 1957 film. He used dialog to carry the story and nearing the finale, a focal point was established in converging multiple character narratives. His writing also reestablishes this kind of story that could make it relevant in an updated film reintrepreted - most specifically the military aspect, especially considering global tensions today while playing into our fear that the Government isn’t telling us everything - this aspect parallels Ed Wood’s story which I feel was clever and ahead of it’s time. Not only did he dramatize the possibility of aliens and zombies walking among us BUT he had them working together to terrorize the human race as a distraction from something greater and seemingly inevitable!
Thanking BookSirens for sending me a free #ARC - I’m eager to leave my honest review. I was especially thrilled that it was for the novelization of Plan 9 From Outer Space, a personal movie favorite, and am hoping for the opportunity at other cult movie novelizations of the same genre.
Given my fondness for nostalgia, I was extremely excited to have received an Advanced Review Copy of Plan 9 From Outer Space (The Novelization) for free for which I am leaving this review voluntarily - the book cover alone, seeing it, made me so excited to read it!
If I may quote the description, “The real life scientific explanation of Solaronite! All Plan 9 plot holes patched with meticulously crafted connective tissue. Finally revealed - THE OTHER PLANS!” (“Spoiler Alert,” the entire universe is facing major turmoil and there were MORE than 9 Plans From Outer Space set to implement this.) I feel it’s a given in pop culture that people know this story but after having mentioned it’s novelizations release, I was shocked that my co-workers (flight attendants) had no clue as to what I was talking about. There seemed to be more familiarity with it on the pilots side. For those familiar with this story, it’s amusing to me that I’m a Flight Attendant with American Airlines and recently worked flights in and out of Albuquerque (but we didn’t fly to Burbank on flight 812). In the movie’s plot, aliens try to stop humans from developing a weapon that could destroy the world. They use "Plan 9" to raise armies of the dead to terrorize the living. Are the alien invaders here to save us or conquer our planet? The dead rise and our weapons are useless! Basing the book on Ed Wood’s script, Bret Nelson’s writing in this retelling was not overly detailed and remained genuine in continuity with the 1957 film. He used dialog to carry the story and nearing the finale, a focal point was established in converging multiple character narratives. His writing also reestablishes this kind of story that could make it relevant in an updated film reintrepreted - most specifically the military aspect, especially considering global tensions today while playing into our fear that the Government isn’t telling us everything - this aspect parallels Ed Wood’s story which I feel was clever and ahead of it’s time. Not only did he dramatize the possibility of aliens and zombies walking among us BUT he had them working together to terrorize the human race as a distraction from something greater and seemingly inevitable!
Thanking BookSirens for sending me a free #ARC - I’m eager to leave my honest review. I was especially thrilled that it was for the novelization of Plan 9 From Outer Space, a personal movie favorite, and am hoping for the opportunity at other cult movie novelizations of the same genre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2024
Throughly enjoyed this novelisation and what I imagine Ed Wood saw in his head while filming. The story is lovingly told and keeps the tone of 1950s sci fi b movies, great fun from start to finish
July 2, 2024
This novelization of the movie “Plan 9 from Outer Space” is campy fun. It reminded me a lot of Little Shop of Horrors in that it felt like a horror comedy.
Fans of B movies will enjoy this novelization. There was no new depth added to the characters or additional plot points, but it’s a fun read, and a good retelling of the cult film.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Fans of B movies will enjoy this novelization. There was no new depth added to the characters or additional plot points, but it’s a fun read, and a good retelling of the cult film.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 13, 2024
Notes from a Decaying Millennial:
I read an ARC copy of this book via BookSirens, in exchange for an honest review. There really wasn't much of a struggle on my part. Once I found out about this book from the publisher, I made sure to snag a digital copy to review.
This is Not a Paid Review.
-
Hot Dog, what a great book! Plan 9 From Outers Space : The Novelization, is the forthcoming adaptation from authorBret Nelson, and Encyclopocalypse Press. If like me, your childhood was full of monster movie marathons, and hunting for the highest quality cinema cheese available on VHS, then this book is for you. Dana Gould's heartfelt Forward is both secret handshake and a great big "welcome back" hug, for the cinema misfits and celluloid shlock junkies.
Nelson's novelization of Plan 9, retains the mystery meat sandwich appeal of Ed Wood's film, but provides the reader with a Four Course Meal, complete with dessert. This is a very clear case of adaptation done right. Wood's characters and plot are all present, readers will even recognize most of the dialogue. From this fertile soil, Nelson is able to present the world of Plan 9 fully realized. It's 1956, Flying Saucers are a hot topic, and fear and paranoia are part of everyday life in the USA. Nelson's writing infuses the entire narrative with a Noir sensibility. Loose plot threads are woven together into a cohesive story that, even though you've seen the movie, you still can't stop reading until the end. Even Criswell and his film narrations are made fully manifest.
It can't be emphasized enough just how much Nelson was able to add to Plan 9. Plastic models on strings, become mysterious craft from the unknown. Actors in makeup become reanimated corpses, splattered with blood and viscera.
I was struck by how deeply tragic the interactions with the aliens were. Whether it was due to a communication breakdown, or as is later the case, the reality of two civilizations are two drastically different points in their development. but even then, the story of plan 9 ends with a faint glimmer of hope.
I read an ARC copy of this book via BookSirens, in exchange for an honest review. There really wasn't much of a struggle on my part. Once I found out about this book from the publisher, I made sure to snag a digital copy to review.
This is Not a Paid Review.
-
Hot Dog, what a great book! Plan 9 From Outers Space : The Novelization, is the forthcoming adaptation from authorBret Nelson, and Encyclopocalypse Press. If like me, your childhood was full of monster movie marathons, and hunting for the highest quality cinema cheese available on VHS, then this book is for you. Dana Gould's heartfelt Forward is both secret handshake and a great big "welcome back" hug, for the cinema misfits and celluloid shlock junkies.
Nelson's novelization of Plan 9, retains the mystery meat sandwich appeal of Ed Wood's film, but provides the reader with a Four Course Meal, complete with dessert. This is a very clear case of adaptation done right. Wood's characters and plot are all present, readers will even recognize most of the dialogue. From this fertile soil, Nelson is able to present the world of Plan 9 fully realized. It's 1956, Flying Saucers are a hot topic, and fear and paranoia are part of everyday life in the USA. Nelson's writing infuses the entire narrative with a Noir sensibility. Loose plot threads are woven together into a cohesive story that, even though you've seen the movie, you still can't stop reading until the end. Even Criswell and his film narrations are made fully manifest.
It can't be emphasized enough just how much Nelson was able to add to Plan 9. Plastic models on strings, become mysterious craft from the unknown. Actors in makeup become reanimated corpses, splattered with blood and viscera.
I was struck by how deeply tragic the interactions with the aliens were. Whether it was due to a communication breakdown, or as is later the case, the reality of two civilizations are two drastically different points in their development. but even then, the story of plan 9 ends with a faint glimmer of hope.
April 30, 2024
If you love bad 1950s science fiction movies as much as I do, you’re probably familiar with Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space. This movie holds the distinction of being the last film Bela Lugosi was in (and he died before its completion). OR if you loved the movie Ed Wood with Johnny Depp as Ed Wood, you probably had to look up a copy of Plan 9 whether or not you had seen it before, just because the movie Ed Wood made you curious! I love both movies and have both on DVD, so when I had the chance to read an advance review copy of Bret Nelson’s novelization of the movie, I jumped at the chance. I was not disappointed! It’s amazing how Bret has managed to take a campy, not well written (by Ed Wood himself) screenplay for the movie and turn it into a decent book. The story is still hokey but so were a lot of sci-fi stories back in the 1950s and into the early 1960s. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud a few times as I recalled the characters in the movie bumbling around and Bela Lugosi and Vampira walking slowly and stiffly as the dead persons brought back to life by the aliens Tanna and Eros. And who could forget the narration by Criswell? Bret makes it clear in his forward that he has a great fondness for this movie and it shows in the way he has written this novelization. It actually makes some sense! He has included posters and stills from the movie at the end, which I appreciated. It’s a fast read, well edited, and fills in a few plot holes from the movie. When I was finished, I really wanted to watch both Ed Wood and Plan 9 From Outer Space again – I just need to dig through my stack of old DVDs to find them.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free. I leave this review voluntarily and with great pleasure.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free. I leave this review voluntarily and with great pleasure.
May 27, 2024
Plan 9 from Outer Space is a cult movie. One time chosen as the worst movie of all times by a critic, it's just a classic 50's sci fi movie, not better or worst than other movies from that time, but certainly is most famous than the rest even now, 65 years after being launched.
The script makes no sense in several parts of the movie, so how does a book based on that script should be?
The answer is that the book keeps the spirit of the movie alive, adding more depth to the main characters, explaining better the Bela Lugosi and Vampira relationship and characters in the movie and making sense of many things in the movie.
Is it a good book? That depends what are you looking for, but if you're reading the reviews of a novel of "Plan 9" I'm sure you're a lover of this kind of movies and stories.
It's a great 50' sci fi movie novelization, that's for sure. I couldn't stop reading the book, it just grabbed me and gave me many nostalgic smiles in many parts. I watched the movie again after reading the book and I liked it even more than before.
So, if you're looking for a great time I highly recommend this book. Or maybe you're just curious to know how many plans do the aliens have to conquer the earth, the answer it's inside its pages.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The script makes no sense in several parts of the movie, so how does a book based on that script should be?
The answer is that the book keeps the spirit of the movie alive, adding more depth to the main characters, explaining better the Bela Lugosi and Vampira relationship and characters in the movie and making sense of many things in the movie.
Is it a good book? That depends what are you looking for, but if you're reading the reviews of a novel of "Plan 9" I'm sure you're a lover of this kind of movies and stories.
It's a great 50' sci fi movie novelization, that's for sure. I couldn't stop reading the book, it just grabbed me and gave me many nostalgic smiles in many parts. I watched the movie again after reading the book and I liked it even more than before.
So, if you're looking for a great time I highly recommend this book. Or maybe you're just curious to know how many plans do the aliens have to conquer the earth, the answer it's inside its pages.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 12, 2025
I have not seen the movie Plan 9 from Outer Space but after reading this book I think it is one that needs to be remade today. The book (and I assume the movie) had a really interesting storyline. The writing and pacing were excellent. I really liked the promotional ads, movie posters and movie stills from the movie added to the end of the book. 5 Stars.
August 16, 2024
Encyclopocalypse Publications are continuing their Important Work of novelizing some of the cheesiest B-movies ever (am I being too generous there?) and charging them with Frankensteinian new life!
If you’ve not seen the original ‘Plan 9’, you may well have seen Tim Burton’s ‘Ed Wood’, about the production challenges of this enduring cinematic masterpiece. And if you understand my little wink in that sentence, you’ll enjoy this book.
As with his previous (also hugely fun) adaptation ‘ManBorg’, Bret Nelson has captured the spirit of both the movie and the creator behind it. Told entirely straight, I could imagine Ed avidly turning the pages, caught up in his own story and reaching new levels of enthusiasm with this exciting tale of sci-fi action, horror and romance!
Understanding the passion behind the final product makes this novel seem like a DVD Special Feature. It adds to what’s there without taking anything away. Characters are given depth (although a certain Hungarian Actor’s part still has no name), the mystical narrator seems entirely appropriate, and what could be simultaneously over-dramatic and under-performed just somehow fits together. Also the off-screen action and special effects are much better here... ;)
I’m not sure that this is the movie Ed would have made if he’d had more budget, but it’s a skilful writer stitching together a flawed original to make it better, while retaining the nonsensical magic that’s made it such a cult hit over the decades.
If you don’t ‘get’ the original, I’m not sure that this will change your mind. But reading this made me smile. I was thoroughly entertained. That made it a win for me.
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own. No aliens or mysterious corpses were harmed in the making of this review.
If you’ve not seen the original ‘Plan 9’, you may well have seen Tim Burton’s ‘Ed Wood’, about the production challenges of this enduring cinematic masterpiece. And if you understand my little wink in that sentence, you’ll enjoy this book.
As with his previous (also hugely fun) adaptation ‘ManBorg’, Bret Nelson has captured the spirit of both the movie and the creator behind it. Told entirely straight, I could imagine Ed avidly turning the pages, caught up in his own story and reaching new levels of enthusiasm with this exciting tale of sci-fi action, horror and romance!
Understanding the passion behind the final product makes this novel seem like a DVD Special Feature. It adds to what’s there without taking anything away. Characters are given depth (although a certain Hungarian Actor’s part still has no name), the mystical narrator seems entirely appropriate, and what could be simultaneously over-dramatic and under-performed just somehow fits together. Also the off-screen action and special effects are much better here... ;)
I’m not sure that this is the movie Ed would have made if he’d had more budget, but it’s a skilful writer stitching together a flawed original to make it better, while retaining the nonsensical magic that’s made it such a cult hit over the decades.
If you don’t ‘get’ the original, I’m not sure that this will change your mind. But reading this made me smile. I was thoroughly entertained. That made it a win for me.
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own. No aliens or mysterious corpses were harmed in the making of this review.
May 31, 2024
I got a copy of this book from BookSirens in return for a review.
Plan 9 is a good movie, and an even better book. It adds a lot to the story, like the other plans and why they aren't the best.
Bret Nelson expands on the world of Plan 9, and gives up insight into the characters in a way that movies can't always do, letting us get to know them better. It's almost as if he had a reverse disintegration ray that takes the bare bones of the story and adds flesh.
The book is a love letter to the movie that celebrates the love of sci fi and how anything is possible, after all you read the book, can you say that it didn't really happen?
This book should be read by every fan of the movie, and classic sci fi in general.
Plan 9 is a good movie, and an even better book. It adds a lot to the story, like the other plans and why they aren't the best.
Bret Nelson expands on the world of Plan 9, and gives up insight into the characters in a way that movies can't always do, letting us get to know them better. It's almost as if he had a reverse disintegration ray that takes the bare bones of the story and adds flesh.
The book is a love letter to the movie that celebrates the love of sci fi and how anything is possible, after all you read the book, can you say that it didn't really happen?
This book should be read by every fan of the movie, and classic sci fi in general.
September 6, 2024
I received a ARC free from Book Sirens and this is my voluntary honest.
Written well.
Enjoyable.
Written well.
Enjoyable.
October 15, 2024
As a fan of the film, Bret Nelson’s novelization of Plan 9 from Outer Space is an unexpected joy. Given the nature of Ed Wood’s movies, Nelson faced several adaptation options. Nelson could have gone for surreal postmodernism and attempted to capture the perplexing experience of the film. He could have leaned into the material’s campy goofiness. Instead, he offers an actual novelization, creating a story with characters we care about and are intrigued by, with glimpses of their inner lives. Nelson gives the characters depth and rationality, something Wood struggled to do throughout his career.
You can read Stephen McClurg's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Stephen McClurg's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
November 4, 2024
Why aren’t more books like this? This isn’t tongue in cheek. It’s a real novelization. It works so well.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews