WHERE ONLY THE FITTEST SHALL SURVIVE, HUMANS STAND THE SLIMMEST CHANCE OF ALL.
Machiko Noguchi lived for the thrill of the Hunt. She ran with the Predators until her human ingenuity marked her as an outcast. Now the thrill is over. And the fierce warriors of her Hunting band are tracking her. Meanwhile, Jess, Lara and Eliis, remnants of a bug-hunter team that wiped out an Alien infestation in a Company space station, know too many secrets to be allowed to live. They are being set up by a ruthlessly ambitious Company boss who will stop at nothing to silence them forever.
An outcast human Hunter and a trio of bug hunters. They are the most unlikely allies. Yet on the swamp planet Bunda, they must join in a desperate fight. Company hit-squads are already moving in for the kill. Fearsome Predators are heading fora showdown with a ferocious colony of Aliens. And between them stand four brave warriors in an all-out war between the galaxy's most savage lifeforms — a war nothing human can survive.
SD Perry (Stephani Danelle, by the way, though she prefers SD or Danelle) has been writing novelizations and tie-ins for most of her adult life. Best known for her work in the shared multiverses of Resident Evil, Star Trek, and Aliens, SD is a horror nerd and an introvert. Her father is acclaimed science fiction author Steve Perry. SD lives with her family in Portland, Oregon.
War continues Machiko’s story. She has abandoned humanity to live and hunt with the Predators (every girl’s dream, amirite?). But she’s treated like garbage and spends most of her time alone in her room. Perry does an excellent job of making you really understand what Machiko is going through – you can feel Machiko’s alien-ness compared to the Predators, her sense of isolation, and her empathy with the Alien Queen. Machiko is this utter bad-ass who is constantly browbeaten by the Predators, and though she hides it from them far better than I would, she cries like a regular person when she's alone. She’s torn between what she wants to do (hunt) and the society that will only ever see her as other. In a way, her struggle is parallel to a lot of women in the past. Think about the first female law enforcement officers, cowboys, miners, politicians, doctors, lawyers … pretty much every profession you can think of except for the “traditional” ones like nursing, teacher and secretarial work. But Machiko (and ladies before her) kept on fighting! Until the Predators betray her. And that’s when SHIT GOES DOWN. And she's definitely ready!
There’s also a great side story with a marine, a criminal, and a nerd who merges with a huge exo-suit named MAX. Their story is the impetus for the human side of the plot and allows the story to tie in more Alien elements. The bad guy is a big old douchebag who has a fitting end, there’s an android, there’s some sweet Predator battles, there’s some equally sweet alien fights, you feel empathy for an alien queen, and, of course, Machiko fights a Predator in a battle that is both as exciting as it is emotionally gratifying.
There is just so much here that I love in this book. Fun, well-described action scenes with unique elements. A complex female protagonist who doesn’t need to get partnered up. Side characters that are interesting and likeable, and who aren’t pigeonholed based on gender, race or sexuality. Not only all that, but it’s a lot of fun!
One of the best of all Predator books, this AvP novel has only one flaw: too short. really top notch. Great action and characters. Compelling. Must read for fans.
The authors need to check with one another more closely. This was supposed to be the THIRD book in the trilogy as far as I could tell from Amazon.com. But the "second" book quoted scenes from it and not the other way around. What is worse the bad guy "Shorty" gets killed as part of the main plot in books two AND three. What the frell??? Impossible! He does not get resurrected so how can the authors just DO this. Did they just ignore the other book entirely???
Of the two "Shorty's" demise is better and more satisfying in this book. So if you want to chose to read this as a set of two books and ignore the third, ignore "Hunter's Planet."
So there’s three books in this particular series and IF you had to choose how to read them, I’d completely avoid the second one as it should’ve been the third in the series and even then, didn’t offer anything great to Machikos awesome character.
SD Perry does a wonderful job of balancing out human, alien and Predator storylines with the alien taking the less mentioned, which in this case, is just fine.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a character in this series that I’ve enjoyed as much as Machiko Noguchi. She’s extremely relatable to why she chose to hunt with the predators and ultimately, why she leaves.
If I had to give any advice before reading this book, I’d highly, highly suggest reading Aliens Beserker. There are three characters in this novel that come from that book and it was a smart and fun delivery that Perry did to include them. You might be lost if you don’t, so it’s up to you!
S.D. Perry's 'Aliens vs Predator: War' immerses readers once again into the heart-pounding universe of extraterrestrial conflict. As the third installment in the series, Perry deftly weaves together the intense rivalry between the Aliens and the Predators, expanding upon their histories and motivations with gripping detail.
The narrative unfolds on a remote planet where these formidable species clash in a battle for dominance, drawing in human characters caught in the crossfire. Perry's strength lies in her ability to balance action-packed sequences with moments of introspection, delving into the psychology of both Aliens and Predators as they navigate the brutal terrain of combat.
What sets 'War' apart is Perry's skillful characterization, particularly in humanizing these iconic extraterrestrial beings, making their struggles and triumphs resonate with readers. Her descriptive prose vividly portrays the alien landscapes and the visceral nature of the encounters, keeping the tension high throughout.
Overall, 'Aliens vs Predator: War' is a must-read for fans of science fiction and the franchise alike, offering a thrilling conclusion to Perry's trilogy while leaving ample room for further exploration into the depths of this enduring conflict.
This was unusual as it wasn't really a sequel to the other AvP novels but almost a retelling. It's more of a sequel to both the first AvP novel, Prey, and the Aliens novel Berserker. This one basically total ignores the continuity of AvP Hunter's Planet and turns that one into a "What If" style story. Complicated, but still a good read.
It picks up right after Aliens Berserker, and probably several months or even a year or two after Prey. It was cool to see the characters from the different series interact, but it's not quite what you'd expect. It's hard to explain this if you aren't familiar with the different series, so I'd just say if you read AvP Prey, and you've read Aliens Berserker, read this. If you haven't read those series, you may just be confused.
Picked this up at a weird place so just read it and really enjoyed it. Now I need to find the first two to see what it really tied up well ;) Also made understanding the movie easier because of some of the inside knowledge
Although War is an obvious improvement on Hunter’s Planet, it still fails in comparison to Prey and ends the series in a far less exciting note than promised.
War has some good moments. The last 50 pages are non stop, gore infused action that rival anything these titular characters ever displayed on the big screen. Perry also fixes a bunch of issues that came in the previous book and makes the overarching theme of Xenos vs. Predators make more sense. The side story (while not nearly as fleshed out or as detailed as it should have been) is good and leads into the penultimate showdown at the conclusion of the book.
The issue however, comes at just now weak this series ended up being. As I mentioned, Prey was a great start to this trilogy and made these 2 creatures fun again. I know Bischoff kind of ruined the series with the next book (though I’m of the belief that Hunters Planet wasn’t nearly as terrible as some say), so Perry had no choice but to backpedal and fix where the story was going, but because of that, the entire 3 book arc just got lost in the mess and, in turn, lost its theme. Yes, aliens and predators face off once in a while but the story became more of a Heart of Darkness kind of thing where the creatures are replaced with a main character and her issues.
Also, War, while in and of itself is had a decent plot, completely threw off the timeline. It’s been mentioned in a ton of other reviews, so I’ll keep mine succinct, but basically War doesn’t fit chronologically with Hunters Planet. So get ready to see some characters twice and prepare yourself to see the same characters die twice, in 2 different ways. Also get ready to be totally confused as to why Noguchi is back with the Predators after she took of from them in the last one.
I feel like this entire series had the potential to be awesome, but mismanagement of authors and a lack of focus kept it from reaching those heights. Still though, it’s still a good bit of xenomorph fun and its better than any films Hollywood managed to produce.
It’s a little confusing especially if you read the previous entry in the series.
1: In War, they basically repeat the same intro from Hunter’s Planet where Noguchi helps the predators capture a queen alien. It’s so similar that I’m not sure if they’re two separate incidents or a retelling of the first? 2: Noguchi’s rival Shorty is back somehow even though she had killed him unequivocally in the previous book. It feels like this story might have taken place somewhere in between Hunter’s Planet but again doesn’t explain her rival’s return.
The writing in this is far better than its predecessor, not only feeling like a direct sequel to Prey but it also includes characters from the Aliens: Berserker novel. I especially like how the author writes Ellis as his mind progressively worsens. I was annoyed by the inconsistencies of plot, timeline and characters but if you skip Hunter’s Planet most of the those issues disappear. War is a far better written, more consistent, book that I would honestly suggest reading 1 & 3 for a more enjoyable and cohesive reading experience.
So War isn't a sequel to Hunter's Planet at all. It's more like an alternate ending and a sequel to Prey. It's also the ending I preferred...
This book was as action packed as Hunter's Planet, however, it didn't have as much cheese factor and was a lot more fun to read. Another thing I prefer is S.D Perry's writing over David Bischoff's. I just connect better with it than that of Bischoff's. It helps knowing she worked closely with her father in writing the first one , Prey. It feels more like a proper sequel than Hunter's Planet did and transitioned more smoothly from the first one to this sequel. I liked having the extra insight on Yautja culture in this one also and getting more time with Topknot was fantastic.
This book should be read right after “Prey” (Book #1), since it introduces the relationship between Noguchi and Shorty. The third book (aka, Book #2), “Hunter’s Planet”, takes place after “War” (Book #3) because Noguchi reflects on her decision to side with humanity after being insulted by the Hunters during her time with them, which lasted for over a year. Furthermore, Shorty, whose yautja name is Lar’nix’va, makes his return in “Hunter’s Planet”, only to get completely killed by Noguchi (with an assist by her android’s head) in another Challenge…I’m assuming that the other Hunters found him near-death after he and Noguchi fought in a Challenge at the end of “War”.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Seriously, where are all the aliens in these books??
This book was probably better than Hunters Planet, but much like that book, it had NOTHING to do with aliens.
Apart from a handful of scenes of xenos turning up, where they just instantly get obliterated, then it is basically just a story about predators and humans.
Did the authors just simply forget to include the aliens or what?
This was a really interesting and well written story, but seriously they should never have called it 'Alien vs Predator' because it really isn't!
This is an odd book as it is both a sequel to “ AVP: Prey” and “ Aliens: berserker “ AND a reimagining of AVP: hunters planet “. This book really strains under the weight of all of this going on. It was nice to see a sequel to “ berserker “ but it was just unnecessary here. My same complaint with hunters planet as this book is that I just wanted a story following Machiko’s time with the hunters. You get a little of that here but not as much as you would have hoped for.
Again a story i know only from the comic, and again a faithful representation of the story. What confuses me though is its position in the timeline, really this should be #2 as Hunters planet is set after Noguchi has left the predators and this is when she leaves them.
Still an enjoyable tale but hardly breaking any new boundaries.
I'm glad they continued Noguchi's story arc. It was sad to see that no matter where she goes or who she lives with, she will always be a loner for one reason or another. However, this was an interesting insight of how the hunters live and think on a first-hand basis.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Ignoring book two, this was a fun read! I was looking forward to some interpersonal drama between our leading lady and a couple of the named Predators, but it was still satisfying. MAX his pilot was also an interesting plotline that I enjoyed.
Good light reading. Though thin, the story is well toned by scenes of Predator cultural insight and some solid action sequences. Definitely in the category of less is more. Even better, if like me you haven’t read the first two, you can still jump in here for the climax without being lost.
If you liked the other two in this series, you'll enjoy this as well. These books are great for fans of the Predator movies who are desperate for more content.
I dunno, just wasn't hitting for me. I don't like the writing that much and the action was tuned WAY down. Was on the verge of DNF-ing a few times, was a struggle to finish.
The novelization of the Aliens/Predator: War graphic novel from Dark Horse Comics (minus the two preludes "Blood Time" and "Duel"), this is sort of the third part of a trilogy. But not the trilogy that most people seem to think it is.
I was surprised when I read tons of reviews of this book on Amazon, Goodreads, wikis, blogs, and no one seems to mention that this is a direct sequel to Aliens: Berserker, as well as a sequel to Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, both also comic novelizations by Perry. Instead, most people consider this the AvP Book #3 after Prey and Aliens vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet which is entirely not the case (Hunter's Planet was written before the comic War was published and is an alternate sequel. More on that in the review for that book.)
So yes, this is the continuation of Aliens: Berserker picking off three days after the events of that book with Lara, Jess and Ellis aboard a shuttle hoping to get rescued. They are taken to the planet Bunda which just happens to be the next hunting grounds for a major hunt by the yautja, among which Machiko Noguchi has been living for about a year (after the events of AvP: Prey; Hunter's Planet didn't officially happen, remember?). The narration alternates between the two groups of protagonists, until they meet on page 151. A beautiful friendship is then formed, as Noguchi is on the run after deciding to leave the yautja, and they help each other get off the planet fighting off hordes of xenomorphs AND yautja (with a little help from the MAX as well.)
Again, a very competent adaptation from Perry, who remains faithful to the source material. The book is short, and sadly she opted to not include parts of the story told from any yautja character's point of view like was a major highlight in AvP: Prey. This could have added an extra layer of entertainment, although we do read a lot about the hunter culture from Noguchi's experiences with them, and her rivalry with one she named "Shorty". This is recommended, but of course the original comic should be read first.
A novel series was produced based on the franchise.
Aliens vs. Predator: Prey (1994) by Steve Perry Aliens vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet (1994) by Dave Bischoff Aliens vs. Predator: War (1999) by S.D. Perry Alien vs. Predator: The Movie Novelization (2004) by Marc Cerasini
Other books depict the background to the film's work with Amalgamated Dynamics Incorporated (ADI), the special effects company that worked on the Alien films.
Alien vs. Predator: The Creature Effects of ADI (by Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Design Studio Press, August 2004, ISBN 0-9726676-5-2) Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem - Inside the Monster Shop (by Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Design Studio Press, December 2007, ISBN 1-933492-55-4, Titan Books, January 2008, ISBN 1-84576-909-0) 2nd sources_ http://ozmosisbookmarked.blogspot.gr/...
This is better than the second one. It even retells a battle from Hunter's Planet, and does a better job of it. Unfortunately, it's apparently a direct sequel to an Aliens book I don't have, so I was pretty lost for good chunks of it. I had a hard time buying the part where Machiko curls up and cries because the predators aren't showing her any respect. That seemed pretty out of character. I went from reading to skimming to why exactly am I bothering. The first book in the series is kind of grandfathered in. This one hasn't got the childhood memories to lean on, so between that and not knowing about events that were from the Aliens book I was just not enjoying myself. It was cool to realize from all these reviews that these were novelizations of graphic novels. I don't now how I missed that back in the day, since it says so right on the title pages. I might have to seek those out, I think that might be a better medium for stories like this.