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At the farthest reaches of the solar system, aboard orbiting space station Auriga, the unthinkable has happened. Ripley awakes. Her last memory is of her own fiery death on the prison colony Fiorina 361. And yet she is alive. Her questions grow as she notices her body stronger and fiercer than she ever remembers. And she confronts the most terrifying threat of all--that she is not alone in her salvation from death's grasp. To combat the incalculable alien menace, she teams up with a renegade band of space smugglers.

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First published January 1, 1997

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About the author

A.C. Crispin

70 books314 followers
Ann Carol Crispin (1950-2013) was an American science fiction writer, the author of over twenty published novels. She wrote professionally since 1983. She wrote several Star Trek and Star Wars novels, and created her own original science fiction series called Starbridge.

Crispin also served as Eastern Regional Director, and then Vice President, of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. With Victoria Strauss, she founded Writer Beware, a "watchdog" group that is part of SFWA that warns aspiring writers about the dangers of scam agents, editors, and publishers. Writer Beware was founded in 1998, and has assisted law enforcement and civil authorities in tracking and shutting down writing scams.

Crispin, who also wrote a prequel providing the back story for the popular Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, died on September 6th, 2013 at the Hospice of Charles County in Waldorf, aged 63.

She was married to science fiction author Michael Capobianco.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
Profile Image for Alex ☣ Deranged KittyCat ☣.
654 reviews434 followers
January 21, 2018
It seems I still owe 2017 a few reviews.

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What is there to say about Alien Resurrection except that you'll like it if you enjoyed the movie? The novelization is just as the movie, while adding more depth to the characters. I kept feeling the need to watch the movie while listening to the audiobook.

I also kept wondering myself if there is much of a difference between A.C. Crispin's writing and Alan Dean Foster's. I liked both authors.

So if you're a fan of the franchise, I'm sure you'll enjoy the novel.

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Profile Image for Mark.
1,660 reviews236 followers
May 12, 2018
The fourth and most critical slammed sequel with the original Ellen Ripley.

Ellen Ripley is resurrected centuries after she died keeping the alien DNA out of the hands of Weyland–Yutani. This time by the Military and so Ripley clone 8 is actually an succes and the queen gets harvested out of her and she somehow remains alive as a by-product. but something has gone wrong Ellen Ripley is no longer fully human she has some Alien in her make-up. This alone was the angle that did really capture my imagination especially the scene with Johner in the gym where first see a fully powered Ripley in the face of some serious bad hombres.

As always the Aliens are seen as something to be used and harnessed for military industries, and they are not moved at all when the procure a batch of deep frozen humans in hypersleep on their way to a colony only to wake up as breeding material for the Aliens. And then it quickly goes wrong when the beasties decide to take over in a very effective way. Humans stand no chance at all.

Ripley and the crew of mercenaries that brought the frozen colonists are trapped and must find a way out while the ship quietly in the face of disaster flies to Earth where the military expect to overpower any Alien thread.

Ripley and the crew from the Betty find their paths crossed by human stupidity and greed. There are some surprises along the way before Ripley can finally take her mind of the Alien thread for now.

Ellen Ripley is in my book one of the early female hero's who go easily where the likes of Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and friends only walked. She was the great female survivor from Alien and became an major hero in Aliens, my daughters still love her kickass approach when she goes after a loved one. They saw her take responsibility in Alien 3 for defending the whole human race and in the fourth one she was taken form her grave and reborn in a world that considered her a meat byproduct. We see her struggling back to humanity and to the role of mother that has been taken away, gifted to her and once again taken away before been given a new mother role that is more a nightmare than anybody should be exposed to. Ellen Ripley does once more succeed where others would gladly see her fail. She is the nightmare of an Alien race that keeps being destroyed and stopped by the insurmountable Ellen Ripley.

AC Crispin does write a decent novelization too bad she did not take some more freedom in expanding Ellen Ripley because she can write and should make her more dimensional as she chose to do.
Profile Image for Mahayana Dugast.
Author 5 books274 followers
July 22, 2022
Maybe the most interesting book in the series I read so far, psychologically speaking, with Ripley part beast and part human, confused by the many memories of different colleagues, lives, and deaths, including Newt.
Very entertaining if gruesome of course, to be expected, although horror connected to pregnancy can be particularly scary to read!
I can't believe there is no follow-up to this book! SO MUCH POTENTIAL!!!
Ripley crash landing in the outback in Australia with half an alien mind... I mean come on, how could they do this to readers? lol!
85 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2020
A fun and dumb sci fi romp. Although nonsensical in places, it is entertainingly written and expands on some areas that the film neglected. A decent read and worth reading for fans of the alien franchise.
Profile Image for Jonathan Maas.
Author 31 books368 followers
December 13, 2016
5 Stars. I haven't - yet - seen the movie, so this was like reading a really, really, really good Aliens book. Great plot and visuals, and A.C. Crispin's real strength shines when she writes from the perspective of the Alien. That is one thing you just can't do in a movie - she writes well, and it really gives you a good perspective.

Great book - and now I want to see the movie!
Profile Image for David.
1,233 reviews35 followers
October 11, 2017
Pulp fiction. Read it for more insight than the movie provided. Overall I enjoyed it, and though it isn’t written terribly well, it served the purpose I had in mind.
Profile Image for Ben.
2,737 reviews232 followers
October 18, 2022
You are... a beautiful, beautiful, butterfly

This was a really fun read.

One of the better ones, but still not as well written as Alan Dean Foster.

"Alien Covenant" Crispin was a good enough writer. It had some good moments, but went mostly with the script of the movie, unlike Foster who likes to add bits between the lines.

It seemed to lack some of the "human" quality of the other books. Although like 30% of the characters in this book are actually pure human, so maybe that is why hahah

Almost done my Alien megaseries super-read!

3.8/5
Profile Image for Love of Hopeless Causes.
721 reviews56 followers
January 17, 2018
A worthy successor that succeeds emotionally--perhaps too much. By providing an Alien viewpoint the creature is humanized, and loses some of the power of Cosmic Horror. Aside from a few cliche guffaws like: boots polished to a mirror shine (have authors ever seen mirrors? If so, have they ever seen polish?) the book is a success, but somewhat of a different critter than the initial trilogy. Audiobook recommended, enjoyable reader.
Profile Image for Elliot.
72 reviews19 followers
March 6, 2020
The first half of this book was phenomenal! But the rest was a bit too repetitive. Which is such a shame as the beginning of this book really had me on the edge of my seat. So many new characters to hate and love. A whole new and fresh outlook on the story, especially when it came to Ripley. But things just got too similar too fast. And then it just turned a bit too absurd, even for this franchise.

3/5
Profile Image for Graff Fuller.
2,080 reviews32 followers
October 2, 2025
Alien franchise 04 Alien Resurrection: The Official Movie Novelization by A.C. Crispin

3.5 Stars

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad tense
Medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters are a main focus: Yes

I have to be honest (which I hope I always am) ...I was impressed with this novelization, from what I can remember from seeing this movie ONE time (and when I saw it...I said at the time, "I never want to see this film...again. Why would I do this to myself.") I am now going to watch it on Thursday, so that I can comment on the discussion that is happening over at Project Geekology podcast that is run by Dakota Lopez.

I have (thank goodness) forgotten EVERYTHING that happened in this movie. I dumped that knowledge IMMEDIATELY after allowing my eyeballs and brain to seeing this film. I absolutely HATED this film. So, for me to rank this novelization at where I did...means something.

It will be interesting, now that I've read the novel, then watches the film...where I stand on the film. Will it change my mind (I doubt it), but when I read the novelization of The Last Jedi by Jason Fry, made me understand and like the film BETTER than I would've...if I hadn't read the book. That novelization was INCREDIBLE. I really don't think the film is great. I don't hate it, but I do believe it broke things, that shouldn't have been broken (in the trilogy) that you cannot come back from. The novelization helped/eased this transition...better.

Okay, now about the story...itself. 

When I finished the previous book/film (read/rewatch), I had forgotten about HOW we could have Ripley...even in the story. So...I said, "okay", and then the film progressed. 

I actually feel that since I read the unproduced script/story by William Gibson, then adapted to a novel by Pat Cadigan...helped with some of the dynamics explained in this story. Not that anything was stolen or cherry picked, but since my mind was allowed to go "there" in the other book (which I just read, yesterday...as of Wednesday, Oct. 1st, 2025), I was already thinking one way...which allowed this storyline to hit better for me.

I encourage people to pick up that book and read it. It isn't canon (whether that matters, or not), it would be helpful...and I really liked that story...though I did have some disappointments with what happened in the story...so it isn't perfect (I rated it 4 Stars).

I love the characters of Corporal Hicks and the synthetic, Bishop. I felt that they got a "raw deal" in the Alien³ novelization. 

This story is basically ALL new characters. It really goes there, too. Wheland/Yutani was bought out by Wal-Mart. That had an "ick factor of ten".

The main character in this story is "Ripley", but that in itself...a storypoint that you need to read. So, I will not go further into HOW.

So, all the characters in this novel are new. You are eased into a new story, a new timeline, and some of the same sh*t happening by stupid and corrupt people.

The average "joe" is dunked on, pretty much at every turn in this universe. Corporations and the people they align themselves with...do sh*tty things...all the time.

By the time the novel was over, I was...glad, but I at least had an understanding of where the writer/director wanted to go. So, it has a plot, but it is ultimately driven by the characters...even briefly on the page.

Will I read this book, again. Possibly. It adds something to the universe...that I am in a better place to receive. Whether I'll watch the film again, after this rewatch is for you to see in my Letterboxd account...some time tomorrow (Thursday, Oct. 2nd).

Okay...that's about it. 

I am probably going to now delve into more of the novels and omibus stories that are within the Alien franchise, and "might" even read some of the AvP (Alien vs. Predator novels). I'm not sure I watch any of those films (which I haven't...up to this point in my life), but I might...we shall see.

Next books to read are probably Alien: Bishop and Alien: Vasquez novels. Then...I'll try to pick and choose from there.i
Profile Image for DziwakLiteracki.
360 reviews74 followers
December 6, 2021
Pomimo tego, że od tragicznych wydarzeń na Furii 361 minęło 200 lat, to pamięć o nich przetrwała i nadal żywo maluje się w umysłach wielu; nie tylko pobudzając ich wyobraźnię, ale także prowokując do głębszych przemyśleń oraz… Działań.
Naukowcy postanawiają sklonować Ellen Ripley, matkę – nosicielkę obcej formy życia, dzięki której będą mogli uzyskać dostęp do śmiertelnie niebezpiecznej broni. Początkowe etapy eksperymentu przebiegają gładko – Ripley odradza się na nowo, choć wskutek pewnych zabiegów nabiera ponadludzkich, a właściwie ksenomorficznych cech. Obdarzona niezwykłą inteligencją, nadzwyczajną zdolnością rozumowania oraz siłą daleko przewyższającą kobiecą, budzi strach wymieszany z gorączkową fascynacją; organizm Ellen stanowi bowiem kolejny ciekawy okaz, interesujące studium przypadku odbiegające od ogólnie przyjętych norm, jednak idealne do testowania różnorakich możliwości.
W tym samym czasie na Aurigę przybywa statek kosmiczny. Na jego pokładzie znajduje się szczególny ładunek - jest nim dwudziestka zahibernowanych osób, których ciała mają posłużyć jako inkubatory dla rozwoju rasy Obcych. Plan szybko zostaje zrealizowany, a pierwsze pomyślne efekty okrzyknięte sukcesem. Nie trwającym niestety długo, ponieważ ksenomorfom udaje się zbiec.
Wybucha panika, na statku dochodzi do makabrycznych scen, życie tracą grupy ludzi. Jedynie Ellen Ripley, połączona szczególną więzią z Królową Obcych, może mieć szansę na przetrwanie.


Czwarta już, odsłona literackich przygód Ripley w starciu z szalenie niebezpiecznymi mieszkańcami bezkresnego kosmosu, ujrzała światło dzienne kilkanaście lat temu, ale to w tym roku właśnie, przeżywa swoje drugie ODRODZENIE 😉. I co ciekawe, nie jest wcale kontynuacją autorstwa Alana Deana Fostera, a Ann Carol Crispin – autorki tworzącej również w gatunku science fiction.

Czy fani Fostera mają się więc czym martwić?
Zdecydowanie nie, ponieważ Crispin, co może zaskakiwać, dość mocno trzyma się stylu, w jakim jej poprzednik spisał wcześniejsze trzy części uniwersum. Czy zamierzenie, czy nie – tego roztrząsać dzisiaj nie będziemy – jednak z pewnością to spory plus, ponieważ cykl stanowi spójną całość. Autorka posługuje się piórem równie lekkim i równie przystępnym. Krótkie, konkretne zdania, nieskomplikowane słownictwo (mam głównie na myśli brak naukowego żargonu), poprawnie rozpisane dialogi, przyjemnie zwięzłe opisy tła fabularnego i postaci pobocznych z – uwaga! – nad wyraz plastycznymi scenami horrorowymi.
Tak, jeśli miałabym wskazać pole, na którym
Pani Cripin dominuje, to zdecydowanie byłaby to umiejętna kreacja obrazów strasznych.

Wodze wyobraźni zostały popuszczone. Górował naturalizm, sugestywność przekazu wraz z wizjami prawdziwie mrożącymi krew w żyłach. Nie zliczę, ile raz otrząsałam się z obrzydzenia, ile razy przebiegał mi przez plecy zimny dreszcz. Crispin odwaliła kawał dobrej roboty – momenty, które miały przerażać, w istocie przerażały; te które miały sprawiać, że serce biło szybciej, również to czyniły; chwile napięcia, niepewności, podskórnego lęku, przeczucia graniczącego wręcz z pewnością, że zaraz, tuż za rogiem, kryje się wielkie zło – także te emocje wywoływały. Autorka wykreowała świetny klimat, idealnie oddając poczucie osaczenia i klaustrofobii.

A jeśli rozwinąć wątek Ripley, jako matki ksenomorfów, to naprawdę wychodzi nam przyzwoita fabuła.
Crispin w ciekawy sposób poruszyła ów motyw, skupiając się nie na jego samym w sobie makabrycznym wydźwięku (choć i ten był gdzieniegdzie obecny), ale na wykorzystaniu oraz opisaniu prawdziwych rodzicielskich więzi, uczuć wyższych, które każda matka żywi względem swojego dziecka, z tą różnicą, że zamiast słodkiego bobasa, w objęciach Ellen umiejscowiona została okropna bestia.
I to był strzał w dziesiątkę, bo doskonale dopełniał całości. Historia prócz przerażającego wydźwięku, nabrała także swego rodzaju wielowymiarowości wzbogaconej o pewne refleksje czy dylematy ludzkie.

,,Obcy: Przebudzenie’’ jest więc nadal rozrywką utrzymaną na dobrym poziomie, jednak nieco wybijającą się na tle swoich poprzedniczek. Stanowi bowiem połączenie lekkiego czytadła z prawdziwie przyjemnie - straszną otoczką.
Klimatyczna, trzymająca w napięciu, idealna pozycja dla fanów uniwersum.
Profile Image for Kieran McAndrew.
3,066 reviews20 followers
July 12, 2022
Illegal experiments aboard space station 'Auriga' have created a clone of Lt Ellen Ripley from after her implantation with an alien parasite. Ripley becomes a super soldier with her own memories and native intelligence along with unique skills and abilities inherited from her parasite. When she discovers that the alien has been bred for a return to Earth, she fights to ensure that nothing of the xenomorph will survive planetfall.

Crispin's novelisation of 'Alien: Resurrection' captures the horror and action of the source script, but finds space to focus on the wider philosophical questions of individuality and self determination faced by Ripley and her companions.
Profile Image for Jacek.
419 reviews3 followers
October 23, 2022
8/10. Film najsłabszy w całej serii, za to książka najlepsza z dodanymi wątkami i pokazaniem myśli obcego.

The weakest film in the entire Alien series, but the best book with added details to story and showing the thoughts of Alien.
Profile Image for Mateusz Wyroda.
61 reviews
March 25, 2023
Nie wierzę, że to robię ale ocena zasłużona, książka o wiele lepsza niż film, ogromny plus--->przedstawienie myśli obcych i relacje między obcymi, a Ripley.
Profile Image for Angelasdawn.
84 reviews
December 12, 2024
This book salvages the wreck of a movie shockingly well. Ripley's internal dialogue and her interactions with the crew of the Betty and Dr Gedeman are fascinating. Audiobook narrated very well by the actor who played Gorman from Aliens. Highly recommend if you love the franchise.
Profile Image for Zane.
62 reviews2 followers
September 17, 2021
Fantastic narrator and the author really enhanced the story by adding additional material, especially about the scientists and aliens. I already enjoy the movie and this novelization just makes it better.
Profile Image for Ana Mardoll.
Author 7 books369 followers
February 27, 2011
Alien Resurrection (Film Novelization) / 0-446-60229-9

I like all four aliens movies, including "Alien Resurrection". I felt that it was an interesting expansion of the aliens universe and I particularly liked the evolution of Ripley's character as Number Eight - a woman so emotionally shell-shocked and traumatized that she shuts down emotionally and stops fearing or caring as much as she once did. While "Alien Resurrection" wasn't really the movie continuation that I might have wanted, I appreciated what the writers were trying to do, even if it wasn't always terribly sophisticated.

The film novelization breaks with tradition and is written by A.C. Crispin rather than Alan Dean Foster. If you're reading the novelizations in order, as I have, you will find the change in tone incredibly jarring, more so than even the shift in tone between the movies. Crispin's writing style contrasts badly with the crisp, clean writing of Foster. There's a heavy and frequent (almost every page) reliance on formatting tricks to take the place of actual human emotion and I would love to know the difference, between a sentence spoken in bold-face, a sentence spoken in all-CAPS, and a sentence spoken in both bold-face and all-CAPS. I half expected some sentences to end in an "!!1!", just for maximum emphasis. Lacking the grace and subtlety of the earlier novels, this one milks the facehugging scene for all it is worth, calling it blandly a "rape" and having the cyrotube victims "foul" themselves in fear. There are also multiple pages devoted to having the alien queen swim in human sewage, for no real relevant plot reason.

In doing all this, we lose all the subtlety and charm of the original series to instead go and wallow in the shocking and gross in the hopes of drumming up sales. And I realized, as I read this book, that this is the very thing that so many aliens fans have accused "Alien Resurrection" of all this time: of trading all the intelligence and psychology of the first movies for flashy effects, cheesy dialogue, and a script that seems determined to jam at least three moral lessons down our throat. To my surprise, the flawed film novelization highlighted these problems with far more glaring light than the movie ever did.

Not that the novelization does nothing right. There's a lot of inner monologue here, which is useful in a setting where Ripley is so taciturn - we can see the inner evolution of her thoughts in more detail, which is always a nice touch in a novelization. The genetic cross-over effect is explored more thoroughly here, explaining that just as Number Eight is now part-alien, so are the aliens now part-human, neatly explaining away some of the inconsistencies in alien behavior in the film. Some of the human characters are given more backstory (such as how the crew of the Betty first got together), but others criminally are not (what is Call's motivation for saving humanity, and why did she pick such a poor manner in which to do so?) considering that the backstory in such cases would be plot relevant.

In other ways, though, this novel makes me want to pull my hair out with some major inanities. Super-duper totally-Top-Secret massively-classified science experiments don't have "graduate students" working for the scientists. I mean, I know there's some kind of "all mad scientists have a graduate student interning for them" rule in science fiction, but please realize that this is probably not one of those cases. Also, when a modern scientist wants to justify a dangerous line of research, they do not wave their hands in the general direction of several hundred years ago and use the mistakes of the past to justify new mistakes in the future.

I really wanted to like this novel. I think that if it had been written by a different author, or perhaps tightened up a bit in the editing, it could have been fairly decent. But the dog-and-pony formatting tricks on every page, used to avoid having to show real human emotion (after all, you don't have to make a character believably agitated when you can just HAVE HIM TALK IN ALL CAPS), gets old after the first three pages, and the massive amount of "it just doesn't work that way" details like the government handing out high clearances to college kids for their summer internship just really jar the reader from the experience. The juvenile writing is a big problem and feels like the author thought "Fear Factor" "gross-out" details were the best way to make a compelling science fiction novel.

~ Ana Mardoll
Profile Image for Sam.
325 reviews29 followers
September 1, 2022
Resurrection has been alienated! I also kinda want to give this another quote. What should it be? I was thinking "If you thought Alien 3 was bad, get a load of this" or something...

So...what happened? This installment was unnecessary because Alien 3 had ended with a sour note where Ripley committed suicide by back falling into the furnace. The facilities are closed down and almost all was forgotten, also, as the third film had already ended with a sour note five years earlier, the fact that there are many changes to the story compared to the first two is sort of not helping with all its other major flaws! In addition, Ripley is cloned after she died in Alien 3 - and she's somehow cloned with the Xenomorph Queen chestburster growing inside of her, and she barely acts like herself, and instead is weird and uncomfortable to watch. Just like the said film, the story is extremely weak and boring, with almost a lack of scares and the scare factor is even far below that of its predecessors of the first two films. Call is held at gunpoint by Purvis, despite the fact that she is an android and cannot be hurt, yet Ripley and the others think she is in danger. For some stupid reason, this film ignores a majority of events from the earlier films that came out before Alien 3 and this film. Most of the jump-scares are still predictable, just like the third film. The "Newborn" created from a hybrid of Xenomorph and Human DNA looks absolutely ridiculous, and yet it replaces the Xenomorphs as the main threat for the film's climax. There's only any crisis at all because the Auriga is programmed to automatically return to Earth in the event of an emergency. Note that this is the exact opposite of what the Sulaco was programmed to do (drop the crew off on an inhabited world and then fly into deep space) in the previous film. Joss Whedon's one-liners are distracting, don't fit the characters or the series, and are grating. Also, there are two too many: too many lesbian innuendos and too many face touching scenes. The direction by Jean-Pierre Jeunet isn't very good. The acting is abysmal, especially from Winona Ryder as Annalee Call, and most of the casts as well.

Even worse, this film was relatively sedate. There was only one major thing that went wrong during filming — Ron Perlman injuring himself and nearly drowning while filming one sequence, which required the shooting schedule to be slightly reshuffled to give him time to recover — and production and post-production otherwise flew by without a single problem. At most, there was that water chase sequence which proved an exhausting experience for all in the cast and crew. That's not to say things were entirely okay behind the scenes, though, as writer Joss Whedon had major differences of opinion with the producers and director Jean-Pierre Jeunet over the tone and design of the film, but was overruled on every occasion. Even then, he didn't kick up much of a stink, since he was too busy setting up Buffy the Vampire Slayer to get involved in any major disputes. It's also been noted that his show Firefly a few years later has a strikingly similar set of characters as the film, which is speculated to be his effort to show what he really wanted them to be like, much like the Buffy series was his response to how the original film butchered his script.

However, there still are some pretty scary moments, and the scene near the end where Ripley 8 sucks the Newborn out, is admittedly pretty heartbreaking to the fanbase. Ron Perlman as Ron Johner is one of the few highlights of the film. And the practical effects are average.

If this is considered worse than the previous film, well then, how come it has a higher score and its audience score? No idea! Possibly in fact still better than Alien 3 is what I can really say.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jean-Francois Boivin.
Author 4 books14 followers
October 3, 2016
First off, I want to mention that this book was co-written by Crispin and Kathleen O'Malley, even though the latter is not mentioned on the cover (or even on the 2015 re-issue by Titan Books). A lot of people do not like the movie ALIEN RESURRECTION, but ever since I saw in it November 1997 I always thought it paid homage to the Dark Horse Comics that preceded it. And I still do, even more so now that I have just come off reading every single comic and novelization.

The influences are apparent in the Ripley clone, struggling with her inhumanity and the memories of the original Ripley's life, a concept introduced in Steve Perry's Aliens: The Female War . Then there's the space station Auriga where scientists are conducting secrets experiments to re-create the xenomorphs, much like in Aliens: Rogue and Aliens: Labyrinth. There is even a scene where a dying man impregnated by an chestburster clutches the scientist (Dr. Wren) responsible for his death as the xenomorph emerges from his chest and kills the scientist at the same time, a scene straight out of Aliens: Outbreak . Not to mention the mercenary crew delivery some human victims to the station, unknowing of the dark and sinister experiments that are going on, and then having to cross the station after the aliens escape to get back to their ship

The. influences are there, and Joss Wheden interweaved all the elements together in a simple story, placing it over 200 years after Ripley's death on Fiorina 161 (named Fiori 16 in the script), and ends on Earth which had never been seen in any of the preceding movies (aside from orbit from Gateway Station in ALIENS). There is also the concept of a mutated Alien Queen giving birth to a "Newborn" which is a mix of Alien and Human DNA. ok, that last part I always thought was the silly part.

Cripsin and O'Mally expertly write a gripping adaptation, creating motivations for the characters and events at every turn, and describing a lot of gruesome deaths from the dying characters' perspective. That part made me feel uneasy. Also, the book includes words in bold type, a concept that I haven't seen a lot of in a paperback novel. The words and sentences in bold mainly represent quotes from the past or words that are shouted out by the characters. The authors did a lot of research on the previous three movies, as there are several quotes and scenes from them as Ripley's genetic memories of her original host come back to her. For example, Ripley remembers her fondness and attachment to her daughter Amy, and to the girl Newt and those memories help to motivate her in situations where she is almost loosing her humanity.

Highly recommended, even though it lacks the visual imagery of director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, this novelization displays other talents of quality writing. Even if you hate the movie, this book will probably make you like it a lot more.
Author 28 books56 followers
October 26, 2010
You know, I've written at length in my blog on the problems with Joss Whedon's script. I think Jean Pierre Jeunet made a wonderful film with an often flimsy script. A. C. Crispin manages to pull off what Whedon attempted with panache and style.

Ignore the previous reviewer. The aliens do not 'think in English'. Rather, their thoughts are translated for us, and obviously that meant putting them English. This is believable, because the aliens are partial human hybrids, after all.

One of the strengths of this book is the way consciousnesses merge and parallel each other. Ripley and the Queen have minds that closely parallel each other, and this adds to the sense of the uncanny, and our disquiet at a woman who looks human behaves very, very alien indeed. The aliens, by this point, are of course less alien than they were in 1979, but instead Ripley is the one who freaks us out. Witnessing her gradual coming to terms with her new identity, and struggling against conflicting desires, makes this a far more emotive experience than Whedon's wooden script would otherwise have allowed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for J.
293 reviews9 followers
February 17, 2013
The novelization of the 4th Alien movie, this book is word for word written from the script. There isn't much new to be had here if you have seen the movies. The writing is decent enough and honestly better than some of the S. Perry novels on the same source material.

The best parts are the internal thoughts of Ripley and the Xenomorphs. Their mutually mixed up genetics, from the only slightly more understandable fantasy of cloning her AND an alien embryo from scattered DNA sources, allow for some really interesting perspectives on the film. She is partly alien and they are partly human. They think individually now and she is somewhat linked to them via telepathy.

There is a feral predatory side to her which emerges occasionally as well.

The universe is enjoyable, and fans of Alien movies and/or the other books would enjoy this novel. At the very least it allowed the movie to feel less like an odd man out entry as some things feel more clear and understandable.

The action flows exactly as the movie does making the book a quick read with nothing boring or tedious to deal with.
Profile Image for Carolina Casas.
Author 5 books28 followers
August 30, 2020
This is why the books will always beat film and TV. In this case, novelization of even the worst movies, can make it much better than it actually is. By no means was Alien the worst movie that ever graced the golden screens. But I can see why many fellow Alien fans were disappointed in it. I have always felt that it would have better as an anime, miniseries or a graphic novel. This novel made me see that there were many missing scenes that could have made the movie more enjoyable and more like part of the Alien series as envisioned (first) by O'Bannon, (then) Ridley and (much later) Cameron.

The humanity of Ripley 8, as well as her apparent identity crisis which contributes to her autism caused by the realization that she is a clone and a hybrid with Xenomorph DNA is more adequately explored in this novel, as well as other things that if polished could have made this film feel like a legitimate entry into the Alien series.
Profile Image for Rita.
69 reviews9 followers
October 11, 2017
the audio is much better than the film.
Profile Image for Chris The Lizard from Planet X.
460 reviews10 followers
June 2, 2024
“Alien Resurrection" by A.C. Crispin is a chilling novelization based on the (1997) fourth film entry of the Alien franchise. With her skilled storytelling, Crispin brings the intense and terrifying world of the Aliens to life, offering readers a gripping and immersive experience.

The novelization faithfully follows the events of the film, taking place two centuries after the events of "Alien³." Set aboard the USM Auriga, a military research vessel, the story explores the consequences of the scientists' attempts to clone Ellen Ripley and extract the Alien Queen embryo from her. As the surviving crew and a band of pirates led by the Clone Of Ellen Ripley becomes aware of the horrifying experiments being conducted, they must fight for survival against the relentless Aliens.

Crispin captures the essence of the Alien franchise and its signature blend of science fiction and horror. The atmosphere is dark and claustrophobic, filled with tension and a constant sense of impending doom. The author's vivid descriptions and attention to detail create a vivid and unsettling world, immersing readers in the nightmarish environment of the Auriga.

The characters in "Alien: Resurrection" are well-developed and complex, each with their own motivations and flaws. From the enigmatic and conflicted Ripley clone to the hardened mercenaries and the morally ambiguous scientists, the cast of characters adds depth and intrigue to the narrative. Crispin delves into their backstories and interweaves their paths, allowing readers to form emotional connections with them.

The pacing of the novelization is well-executed, with moments of intense action and suspense interspersed with quieter character-driven moments. Crispin effectively builds tension and ramps up the stakes as the crew faces off against the Aliens. The sense of dread and the constant threat of danger keep readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning the pages to uncover the fate of the characters.

One of the strengths of "Alien: Resurrection" lies in its exploration of the moral and ethical implications of the scientists' actions. The novel delves into the consequences of playing with nature and the consequences of tampering with life. Crispin raises thought-provoking questions about the boundaries of science and the responsibility that comes with pushing the limits of human knowledge.

Fans of the Alien franchise will appreciate the attention to detail and the seamless integration of the novelization with the events of the film. Crispin captures the essence of the series, staying true to the established mythology while expanding upon it. The book provides additional insights and perspectives, enriching the overall experience for fans of the franchise.

In conclusion, "Alien: Resurrection" by A.C. Crispin is a gripping novelization that successfully captures the chilling atmosphere and intense action of the Alien franchise and the film. With its well-developed characters, expert pacing, and exploration of moral dilemmas, this book expands upon the horrors of the Alien universe. Whether you're a fan of the films or a newcomer to the franchise, this novelization offers a thrilling and immersive reading experience.

Profile Image for Terra Epsilon.
243 reviews2 followers
October 19, 2025
Tak jak film, ta książka również różniła się od reszty serii – i dla mnie osobiście była najlepszą częścią. W dużej mierze przez styl pani Crispin, który dla mnie wydaje się lżejszy i bardziej przystępniejszy. Do tego autorka korzysta z dość prostych literackich zabiegów… ale te działają. Tak samo jak filmowa wersja, książkowa adaptacja ma coś z psychodeli i głównie jest tu bardziej niepokojąco niż straszno, ale jednocześnie książka ta oddaje pewien aspekt ksenomorfów i całej ich historii, na którym bazował ich projekt, ale nigdy wyraźnie nie wybrzmiewał.
Wypaczona, niepokojąca i obrzydliwa erotyka i cielesność.
Taka, która nie pobudza, ale wzdryga i przeraża… I chyba w Przebudzeniu właśnie został najlepiej opisany atak facehuggera. Nie była to scena długa, ale dość obrazowo opisująca… gw@łt. Kolejną sceną, która nadal wywołuje we mnie ciarki są narodziny Nowonarodzonego. Przed czytaniem nie odświeżałam sobie filmu, ale chyba papierowa wersja robi na mnie większe wrażenie.
Crispin całkiem zręcznie dodała do obrazu ksenomorfów kolejny aspekt poza ich agresją i brutalnością, który dobrze się z nimi splata – ta wypaczona, niepokojąca cielesność, która tak naprawdę była w tym koncepcie od początku, ale tu jest ważną częścią historii, malując pełny niepokojący obraz ksenomorfów. Ksenomorfów, które poza byciem perfekcyjnymi organizmami i maszynami do zabijania, w jakiś sposób przychodzą też na świat… Serio, nie polecam czytać tej książki dziewczynom, które w najbliższym czasie planują zachodzenie w ciążę! Pani Crispin momentami była naprawdę zbyt… dosadna.
Co akurat ja uważam za plus, bo w końcu mam tu do czynienia z horrorem.

Nie da się też nie wspomnieć o wątku, który przewija się w tej serii od początku, tak samo jak ksenomorfy – androidy oraz pytania o człowieczeństwo, jakie przy nich się nasuwają. Szczególnie że teraz poza sztucznym człowiekiem mamy też sklonowaną Ripley, która choć fizycznie powinna być uznana za człowieka, tak na początku sama nie wie, czym jest. I choć ten wątek podobał mi się zdecydowanie bardziej w innych częściach, to jednak Ripley z androidem stanowią ciekawy i trochę odświeżający duet, gdy momentami to sztuczny człowiek wydaje się (i sądzi że taki jest) bardziej ludzki od Ripley – która w końcu jest z mięsa, krwi i kości.
To ,,człowieczeństwo” uwiera tu też przez to, że może i do tej pory ciągle w serii powtarza się o chęci wykorzystywania ksenomorfów przez ludzi jako potencjalną broń, ale w Przebudzeniu zostało to przedstawione z naukową, zimną i logiczną precyzją, już nie tylko jako koncept, ale faktycznie coś, co rozgrywało się na kartach powieści.
I nie było to miłe doświadczenie…

Niepokojąca i niekomfortowa – tak chyba mogę w skrócie określić Przebudzenie. Tak jak film, to jest trochę inne podejście do franczyzy. I to na tyle inne, że może to trochę… odrzucać. Ale mam też wrażenie, że z całej tetralogii, to właśnie ta książka obroniłaby się najbardziej jako samodzielne dzieło. Nadal mocno bazuje na filmie (w sumie jest dosłownie kalką fabuły), ale ma właśnie ten niepokojący aspekt czegoś ,,innego”, czegoś więcej niż jumpscare’ów, zrobienia tej wiwisekcji obcych, dlaczego są oni tak niepokojący i straszni.
Profile Image for Socrate.
6,745 reviews270 followers
October 21, 2021
Ăsta e un extraterestru!

Vincent Distephano tresări involuntar când îşi dădu seama. Cum dracu’ ajunsese aici, în capsula de comandă? Se opri să privească surprins apariţia grotescă a intrusului.

Ochii extraterestrului păreau uriaşi, complet disproporţionaţi faţă de capul ţuguiat şi caraghios. Irisul eliptic părea să se curbeze în jurul pupilei, având un aspect nepământean. Clipea şi pleoapele lui transparente se mişcau atât de repede încât Vinnie nu-şi dădea seama dacă această clipire începuse de sus, de jos sau din lateral. De fapt, pleoapele nu se vedeau deloc când nu se mişcau. Clipi din nou, rapid, de două-trei ori iar apoi întoarse capul.

Oare era conştient de prezenţa lui?

Ah, fir-ar să fie!

Fălcile arătării se deschiseră ameninţător. Îi curgeau balele încet printre dinţii ascuţiţi, periculoşi. Ce mulţi dinţi are! Buzele se întinseseră într-un rânjet şi arătarea făcu un pas înainte.

Vinnie încercă să rămână nemişcat când botul extraterestrului se deschise şi se închise încet, lăsând să picure saliva groasă, lipicioasă.

Dacă această arătare a ajuns aici, înseamnă că mai sunt şi altele, se gândi el. Poate e un cuib întreg! De unde au venit? Şi cum au ajuns la bordul navei?

De fapt, nu conta. Acesta era aici, acum, cu el, şi nu rezolva nimic dacă îşi punea atâtea întrebări. Extraterestrul se opri după ce se aruncase rapid înainte. Înainta ca o insectă şi îşi folosea coada ca pe un senzor. Oare îl vedea? Ochii aceia uriaşi îi foloseau la ceva sau detectau doar hrana ori prada prin intermediul unei surse de lumină sau printr-o senzaţie insesizabilă de fiinţele umane? Oare simţul mişcării ori al mirosului erau mai sensibile decât văzul?

Capul grotesc şi ţuguiat al extraterestrului se rotea ca şi când arătarea ar fi încercat să studieze împrejurimile. Probabil că sutele de leduri active şi ecrane multicolore ale tabloului de comandă îi distrăgeau atenţia. Poate că tabloul de comandă îl va împiedica să-l depisteze pe Vinnie. El cel puţin aşa spera. Înghiţi în sec.

În momentul acela, unul din ecranele de observaţie clipi, schimbând imaginile atât de rapid încât extraterestrul se întoarse imediat spre el. Planeta Pluto, care stătea tăcută sub navă, apăru brusc într-un prim plan, când unul din micile ei gheizere erupse, împrăştiind hidrogen lichid în spaţiu. Luminozitatea benzilor de gheaţă ale planetei contrasta şocant cu bezna spaţiului din jurul ei. Extraterestrul îşi bălăbănea capul dintr-o parte într-alta, observând activitatea planetei. Activitatea gheizerului se intensifică, iar tromba de lichid ajunse la zenit. Ecranul se concentrase asupra acestui fenomen, cercetându-l în cele mai mici detalii. Drept răspuns, ciudata creatură se întoarse complet cu spatele la Vinnie şi o porni deodată spre ecran, sprintenă ca un păianjen.
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