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The Rage War #3
Alien vs. Predator: Armageddon
The Rage launch the ultimate assault on the Human Sphere. Their greatest weapons are the most fearsome creatures in the galaxy—the Xenomorphs.
Having fled centuries before, the Rage return to take revenge and claim the planet for their own. Now, through a deal struck with the unlikeliest of allies, the human race may rely on the Predators to ensure mankind’s ultimate freedom. Yet even the combined might of the two races may not be enough. The fate of the Earth may rest with a single android—Liliya of the Rage.
Having fled centuries before, the Rage return to take revenge and claim the planet for their own. Now, through a deal struck with the unlikeliest of allies, the human race may rely on the Predators to ensure mankind’s ultimate freedom. Yet even the combined might of the two races may not be enough. The fate of the Earth may rest with a single android—Liliya of the Rage.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2016
59 people are currently reading
756 people want to read
About the author
Tim Lebbon
290 books1,519 followersI love writing, reading, triathlon, real ale, chocolate, good movies, occasional bad movies, and cake.
I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. And our dog, Blu, who is the size of a donkey.
I love the countryside ... I do a lot of running and cycling, and live in the best part of the world for that.
I've had loads of books published in the UK, USA, and around the world, including novels, novellas, and collections. I write horror, fantasy, and now thrillers, and I've been writing as a living for over 8 years. I've won quite a few awards for my original fiction, and I've also written tie-in projects for Star Wars, Alien, Hellboy, The Cabin in the Woods, and 30 Days of Night.
A movie's just been made of my short story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage and Sarah Wayne Callies. There are other projects in development, too.
I'd love to hear from you!
I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. And our dog, Blu, who is the size of a donkey.
I love the countryside ... I do a lot of running and cycling, and live in the best part of the world for that.
I've had loads of books published in the UK, USA, and around the world, including novels, novellas, and collections. I write horror, fantasy, and now thrillers, and I've been writing as a living for over 8 years. I've won quite a few awards for my original fiction, and I've also written tie-in projects for Star Wars, Alien, Hellboy, The Cabin in the Woods, and 30 Days of Night.
A movie's just been made of my short story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage and Sarah Wayne Callies. There are other projects in development, too.
I'd love to hear from you!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
November 26, 2022
A good conclusion to the trilogy by Lebbon, although I was expecting a little more after all the build up in the previous two installments. The main cast of characters remains the same, although Lebbon adds in a few more Predators to the mix. In the Predator asteroid base, the Rage 'general' is interrogated and perhaps the secret to stopping the Rage is found. Lebbon tosses in lots of action, mainly as asides, as Weaver's World is attacked by the Rage, primarily as a distraction from the impending attack on Sol...
The further development of the Predators was my favorite aspect of the book as we learn more about them in fits and stars. The enigmatic 'Faze' alien which rebuild the Rage ships also gets some further light as the Predators know something about it. The denouement was surprisingly anti-climatic as you kinda knew where the story was going to go. All in all, a solid trilogy in the Alien/Predator universe; this would make a nice series of films, and at times that is what it felt like Lebbon was shooting for here. 3 stars!
The further development of the Predators was my favorite aspect of the book as we learn more about them in fits and stars. The enigmatic 'Faze' alien which rebuild the Rage ships also gets some further light as the Predators know something about it. The denouement was surprisingly anti-climatic as you kinda knew where the story was going to go. All in all, a solid trilogy in the Alien/Predator universe; this would make a nice series of films, and at times that is what it felt like Lebbon was shooting for here. 3 stars!
July 2, 2017
3.5 for the series.
A decent entry into the AVP ouevre, even if much of it is telegraphed.
Marginally better than the canonical Aliens trilogy released recently, if only because this has one writing style as opposed to three.
A decent entry into the AVP ouevre, even if much of it is telegraphed.
Marginally better than the canonical Aliens trilogy released recently, if only because this has one writing style as opposed to three.
February 19, 2017
Amazing
If you are even considering reading an aliens or predator book you need to read this series. I did not want to finish this book as im now stuck back in crappy reality!
This book tops if the series brilliantly, the rage, the predators, aliens, humans and androids in one massive action packed epic war. Definitely one of the best series I have read, I cannot rate it high enough. This needs to be made into a film!!!
Definitely a fan of Tim lebbon now.
Excellent work, highly recommended.
If you are even considering reading an aliens or predator book you need to read this series. I did not want to finish this book as im now stuck back in crappy reality!
This book tops if the series brilliantly, the rage, the predators, aliens, humans and androids in one massive action packed epic war. Definitely one of the best series I have read, I cannot rate it high enough. This needs to be made into a film!!!
Definitely a fan of Tim lebbon now.
Excellent work, highly recommended.
April 26, 2022
Thought I’d already reviewed this. Huh, must’ve forgot. Well, it was good. The whole trilogy was excellent and I’d recommend to fans of any of the franchises (aliens, predator and AVP) and those who aren’t into it. Tim Lebbon is quite the scribe, balancing horror, action and the right amount of hard science fiction in each of the books.
September 27, 2018
A great conclusion to the trilogy – the novel was fast-paced, contained far more action than the second, and had a resolution and ending that was logical and not entirely predictable. We finally get to see more Predators in action and there is the same military banter that I enjoyed throughout. I didn’t say a perfect ending though – there are a lot of loose ends that I would have liked to have seen wrapped up and the last 30 pages go by very quickly.
As a series, I’m still disappointed in the lack of real depth regarding the Yuatja culture. I wish we’d been able to spend more time with Isa Palant and the parts where she conversed with the Yuatja had been more drawn out. But, this trilogy was above all else an action-sci-fi-horror that isn’t meant to be an anthropological study. I guess I was hoping for some scenarios where humans and Predators converse and learn things about one another (more of a first contact situation). Upon reflection my review of the second book was a bit harsh in that regard, but I really was rather frustrated. Still am a bit – no Predator home world yet again!? At least the novel references a home world, so my complaints in my previous review about the illogical social and logistical idea regarding "Yuatja being loners" are assuaged somewhat.
To anyone who likes Alien and Predator and even just action-sci-fi, you’d probably enjoy this series. While there is some repetition of phrases/concepts and the characters aren’t very complicated, it’s very fun. Don’t expect to be scared of the xenomorphs though; they are used more as cannon fodder zerg-rush soldiers than creepy, menacing terrors that stalk from the shadows. But really, can’t blame the author for that – I thought what he did with them was a rather clever way to bring them into the conflict in a technologically advanced era (though the idea with outfitting them in little breathing masks made me laugh, as logical as it was. It just sounded super, well, cute!).
[Will someone just write a spin-off book set in this universe where a bunch of humans and predators get stuck somewhere and have to survive against xenomorphs together? And the whole book just focuses on their small group? Hell, maybe I'll just write it myself. :) ]
As a series, I’m still disappointed in the lack of real depth regarding the Yuatja culture. I wish we’d been able to spend more time with Isa Palant and the parts where she conversed with the Yuatja had been more drawn out. But, this trilogy was above all else an action-sci-fi-horror that isn’t meant to be an anthropological study. I guess I was hoping for some scenarios where humans and Predators converse and learn things about one another (more of a first contact situation). Upon reflection my review of the second book was a bit harsh in that regard, but I really was rather frustrated. Still am a bit – no Predator home world yet again!? At least the novel references a home world, so my complaints in my previous review about the illogical social and logistical idea regarding "Yuatja being loners" are assuaged somewhat.
To anyone who likes Alien and Predator and even just action-sci-fi, you’d probably enjoy this series. While there is some repetition of phrases/concepts and the characters aren’t very complicated, it’s very fun. Don’t expect to be scared of the xenomorphs though; they are used more as cannon fodder zerg-rush soldiers than creepy, menacing terrors that stalk from the shadows. But really, can’t blame the author for that – I thought what he did with them was a rather clever way to bring them into the conflict in a technologically advanced era (though the idea with outfitting them in little breathing masks made me laugh, as logical as it was. It just sounded super, well, cute!).
[Will someone just write a spin-off book set in this universe where a bunch of humans and predators get stuck somewhere and have to survive against xenomorphs together? And the whole book just focuses on their small group? Hell, maybe I'll just write it myself. :) ]
June 8, 2025
Tim Lebbon's The Rage War trilogy ends in the way all good trilogies should: in exciting and satisfying fashion.
My fourth Lebbon read of the year was easily his best, building nicely on what he established in Books One and Two of the trilogy, even if the last 50 pages were tried to pack too much action into its climax. One character's fate is left completely hanging, which another couple are said to have died, only to re-appear three pages later, seemingly fine.
Those minor complaints aside, Lebbon puts you reader right in the middle of the action as the Predators join forces with humanity on a scale never before seen to stand up to the biggest threat the galaxy has ever faced. Characters fall, ships explode, villains are vaporised, and a new mysterious threat is sketched in - one that has even the Yautja frightened. There's also a massive development at the end of the series which has the potential to pin this universe off into very interesting directions .. but sadly, I don't think there are many more novels set in this Universe.
Regardless, fans of the Aliens and Predator franchises are unlikely to be disappointed by this trilogy, and especially Armageddon as the final book in it.
4 Marines Gone Rogue for Alien vs. Predator: Armageddon.
My fourth Lebbon read of the year was easily his best, building nicely on what he established in Books One and Two of the trilogy, even if the last 50 pages were tried to pack too much action into its climax. One character's fate is left completely hanging, which another couple are said to have died, only to re-appear three pages later, seemingly fine.
Those minor complaints aside, Lebbon puts you reader right in the middle of the action as the Predators join forces with humanity on a scale never before seen to stand up to the biggest threat the galaxy has ever faced. Characters fall, ships explode, villains are vaporised, and a new mysterious threat is sketched in - one that has even the Yautja frightened. There's also a massive development at the end of the series which has the potential to pin this universe off into very interesting directions .. but sadly, I don't think there are many more novels set in this Universe.
Regardless, fans of the Aliens and Predator franchises are unlikely to be disappointed by this trilogy, and especially Armageddon as the final book in it.
4 Marines Gone Rogue for Alien vs. Predator: Armageddon.
July 1, 2023
What a great ending to the trilogy. Very nostalgic series for me to read and I'm glad that they continued these pocket sci-fi novels. They were a big reason of why I turned into a constant reader. The ending gives way to many possibilities for future novels. Can't wait for the next ones
September 20, 2023
4.1 (audiobook)
July 27, 2024
More like 3.5 stars for me
If I were to rate this as just a sci-fi action story then I'd give it around 4-5 stars. But in terms of an AVP trilogy I found it a bit of a letdown at times.
It was cool seeing an alien and predator story being portrayed as an epic space opera, so in that sense it felt like a refreshing change.
But it was still the same old routine of:
1) Predators and humans join forces (not again)
2) Predators turn out to be good guys (omg!)
3) Aliens are massacred (easily) by the dozens / hundreds
4) Predators (and most humans) turn out to be practically invincible
It was an enjoyable read with some really interesting elements such as 'Hell' and the indies, along with their interactions with the you-know-what
Midsummer and The Faze, and the mysteries surrounding them, were fascinating and mysterious
But the marines were just so overpowered and noble to the point where it was just annoying, repetitive and corny.
Most of the xeno action was insinuated rather than covered in any detail, it would cut off just as things were getting interesting and you'd be left to just use your imagination.
Novels aren't exactly restricted by budgets for VFX are they? Why not just tell us what actually happened?
I would have preferred more unexpected human deaths, more marines / predators killed by xenos, and less of this totally overdone concept of the predators being portrayed as the good guys.
Anyway that's enough ranting, if you don't mind Aliens being shit-on yet again, then you'll probably love these stories.
If I were to rate this as just a sci-fi action story then I'd give it around 4-5 stars. But in terms of an AVP trilogy I found it a bit of a letdown at times.
It was cool seeing an alien and predator story being portrayed as an epic space opera, so in that sense it felt like a refreshing change.
But it was still the same old routine of:
1) Predators and humans join forces (not again)
2) Predators turn out to be good guys (omg!)
3) Aliens are massacred (easily) by the dozens / hundreds
4) Predators (and most humans) turn out to be practically invincible
It was an enjoyable read with some really interesting elements such as 'Hell' and the indies, along with their interactions with the you-know-what
Midsummer and The Faze, and the mysteries surrounding them, were fascinating and mysterious
But the marines were just so overpowered and noble to the point where it was just annoying, repetitive and corny.
Most of the xeno action was insinuated rather than covered in any detail, it would cut off just as things were getting interesting and you'd be left to just use your imagination.
Novels aren't exactly restricted by budgets for VFX are they? Why not just tell us what actually happened?
I would have preferred more unexpected human deaths, more marines / predators killed by xenos, and less of this totally overdone concept of the predators being portrayed as the good guys.
Anyway that's enough ranting, if you don't mind Aliens being shit-on yet again, then you'll probably love these stories.
October 24, 2021
I really enjoyed the rage war but each of the three books in the trilogy were way too short for me (cash grab by Disney). I do appreciate the movement and unification of the Aliens and Predator universes rather than the tired and recycled clinging to Ripley. She was a great introduction to the Alien world but "come on people", the story-verse is way bigger than one person and trying to tie her into each story diluted the alien franchise more and more. This whole series didn't even mention her which was fantastic but still, this series should have been packaged into one book titled "The Rage War", which in itself deserves a five-star rating for plot, setting, characters, contribution to the franchise and horror / sci-fi genre. The series was significantly better than the mostly terrible trilogy of AVP movies that preceded it. Enjoy.
July 23, 2022
Tim Lebbon remains consistent in his writing and offers a fun summer read with the Rage War trilogy. The third book shakes things up ever so slightly by offering the perspective of the enemy throughout, questionable motives and all, while escalating further into all out *you guessed it* armageddon. It's hardly original but stays enjoyable nonetheless.
All in all The Rage War novels are a very entertaining entry into AVP series as a whole and arguably better compared to what we've seen from this particular franchise on the big screen. That said, as fun and competent as these novels are you're never going to see these floating around on any top 100 sci-fi lists though. They're predictable from start to finish and never amount to anything other than mere guilty pleasure. Go in with moderate expectations and you'll enjoy the ride. Probably.
All in all The Rage War novels are a very entertaining entry into AVP series as a whole and arguably better compared to what we've seen from this particular franchise on the big screen. That said, as fun and competent as these novels are you're never going to see these floating around on any top 100 sci-fi lists though. They're predictable from start to finish and never amount to anything other than mere guilty pleasure. Go in with moderate expectations and you'll enjoy the ride. Probably.
November 27, 2022
Simply … awful!
The third in the series. Oh how I don’t really know how I managed to get through it, I just haven’t got anything better to do I guess?
1st was great, 2nd was bad, 3rd was awful. Oh dear! These will definitely not go down as works of wonderful fiction by a long way I’m sorry to say.
So boring and so too much of a muchness going on. It was like Star Wars rewritten but in a childish infantile manner with no need for about 80% of the drivel.
And again, we see this flitting back and forth characters chapters. There are SO MANY characters that by the time their turn came around I had forgotten what they were up to last. Oh so confusing.
Not impressed at all and I’m glad that’s over with. At least I can now say I’ve read all the books. And that is about it!
The third in the series. Oh how I don’t really know how I managed to get through it, I just haven’t got anything better to do I guess?
1st was great, 2nd was bad, 3rd was awful. Oh dear! These will definitely not go down as works of wonderful fiction by a long way I’m sorry to say.
So boring and so too much of a muchness going on. It was like Star Wars rewritten but in a childish infantile manner with no need for about 80% of the drivel.
And again, we see this flitting back and forth characters chapters. There are SO MANY characters that by the time their turn came around I had forgotten what they were up to last. Oh so confusing.
Not impressed at all and I’m glad that’s over with. At least I can now say I’ve read all the books. And that is about it!
February 2, 2021
This series wasn’t bad but didn’t blow me away either. I guess I prefer Aliens to one or even a handful at a time. When you start talking about thousands upon thousands you lose a lot of what makes them terrifying, IMO.
A lot of throw away characters throughout the series but i think there was just so much going on that trying to do character development over action wasn’t the route the author was going for, which is fine.
I think the series is good, I just prefer a different style of Alien writing and story....
....Plus that ending, ugh....
A lot of throw away characters throughout the series but i think there was just so much going on that trying to do character development over action wasn’t the route the author was going for, which is fine.
I think the series is good, I just prefer a different style of Alien writing and story....
....Plus that ending, ugh....
January 21, 2019
This was a story that started slow, tossed out characters left and right then sprinted to the end. Those few characters you came to care about had satisfying arcs but the end was not satisfying. The galaxy was left splintered, mysteries were left unsolved and the only lesson learned was that there is no hope beyond dying well.
August 9, 2017
Armageddon
A good conclusion to this series full of action suspense death but no taxes. Characters reach new heights and some die on the road to the end of this story however it can all so me a n a new beginning.
A good conclusion to this series full of action suspense death but no taxes. Characters reach new heights and some die on the road to the end of this story however it can all so me a n a new beginning.
October 30, 2023
Wow, just wow!!!
This book was awesome! Book 1 set everything up, including the tension, the action, and the depth of story. Book 2 you could breath a little, everything was still there, but not as intense. Book 2 moved the peaces around the board in preparation for book 3. Then book 3 started and wow, everything went into overdrive, right to the very end. And wow what an end.
Looking forward to reading more in this Aliens/Predator/Aliens v Predator Universe. Hopefully the writers will incorporate what has taken place here in these books and account for it in future books set after these.
This book was awesome! Book 1 set everything up, including the tension, the action, and the depth of story. Book 2 you could breath a little, everything was still there, but not as intense. Book 2 moved the peaces around the board in preparation for book 3. Then book 3 started and wow, everything went into overdrive, right to the very end. And wow what an end.
Looking forward to reading more in this Aliens/Predator/Aliens v Predator Universe. Hopefully the writers will incorporate what has taken place here in these books and account for it in future books set after these.
September 3, 2024
Out of the 3, this is the superior one. The story is much improved and does actually have a lot of action for once between the Predators and Aliens - hence the title Alien vs Predator lol 😂😂.
Yaquita the Yautja is pretty cool as are Liliya and Jiango once again.
For me, there’s too much human drama and dialogue and not enough ass kicking to be honest haha
Yaquita the Yautja is pretty cool as are Liliya and Jiango once again.
For me, there’s too much human drama and dialogue and not enough ass kicking to be honest haha
December 26, 2022
I am slightly disappointed because I thought I will love the whole series, and unfortunately I didn’t. I mean the whole trilogy is good, very well written, the story is flowing, but my problem was that I didn’t care about any of the characters, not a single one, hence only three stars.
October 18, 2023
This was a pretty enjoyable read for the series
November 28, 2024
**** 3.8 STARS **** words 80,238
A very good end to a very good Alien vs Predator trilogy.
The story, overall, in this trilogy was excellent. High stakes, lots of human drama and a lot of action between Colonial Marines, Predators and Aliens; what's not to like. I also thought Tim Lebbon did a great job of satisfyingly bringing to a conclusion each and every characters storyline, and there were a lot, throughout all three books.
The only kind of negative I was left with was the lack of Alien action in this third and final book. There was one big scene, in particular, involving the Aliens. But, I was left wanting more, and not in a good way.
A very good end to a very good Alien vs Predator trilogy.
The story, overall, in this trilogy was excellent. High stakes, lots of human drama and a lot of action between Colonial Marines, Predators and Aliens; what's not to like. I also thought Tim Lebbon did a great job of satisfyingly bringing to a conclusion each and every characters storyline, and there were a lot, throughout all three books.
The only kind of negative I was left with was the lack of Alien action in this third and final book. There was one big scene, in particular, involving the Aliens. But, I was left wanting more, and not in a good way.
June 15, 2019
The final entry in the Rage War trilogy brings humanity and the Yautja together to fight against their greatest enemy, the Xenomorphs. After two books of build-up, the war that readers were promised finally comes to a head as the Rage invade human space, launching vicious assaults on human worlds and space stations with deadly effect.
Where in previous entries of the series, and Predator literature as a whole, humans have been fighting against the alien hunters, here an alliance is formed in a way that’s not really been seen before. Yes, the Yautja and humans have worked together before, such as Machiko Noguchi in the original Alien vs. Predator comic, or Lex Woods in the Paul Anderson film of the same name, but here we see an alliance in a much grander scope.
Yautja ships engage in space battles to protect human fleets, and dozens of their warriors fight alongside colonial marines on planets overrun with thousands of xenomorphs. These scenes are some of the best in the whole series, watching humanity fighting alongside creatures that in normal circumstances would hunt them like animals.
A new Yautja character called Yaquita is also introduced in the final volume of the trilogy, a female scientist with a mechanical lower body. As the films have only ever shown hunters and chieftains/elders (as far as we know anyway), it’s nice to explore a different side of the Predator universe. Yaquita is quiet and reserved, interested in understanding how the universe works, and more than willing to work alongside her human allies.
Whilst the Rage target human colonies with the aim to cause as much death and destruction as possible in order to draw out Marine forces, the main ship travels to the sol system to target earth itself. The assault on the sol system and the Colonial Marine command should feel like an epic battle. It involves ships, a space station, xenomorphs, and marines in spacesuits flying around, but instead it’s a tough thing to read. There’s a sense of hopelessness throughout as the human forces slowly lose, and characters we’ve come to know die.
It would be impossible to write a story about war and not have characters die, and we’ve already lost a lot in the first two books, but the final chapters of The Rage War Book 3: Alien vs Predator Armageddon feel especially grim. You know that you’re coming close to the end, and you’re desperately willing characters to survive just a bit longer. Despite a human and Yautja victory, the book doesn’t end on a happy note. Characters that the reader will care about will have died, humanity is left in tatters, and there’s no real answer as to what might happen next.
The Rage War trilogy is a great reinvention of the Alien and Predator universes, one that crafts its own version of the shared universe, yet feels true to what has come before. It combines the things that we know and love from the films and books of the past, whilst taking the story in bold and dynamic new directions. Tim Lebbon has written an engaging and dramatic tale, one filled with wonder, action, and horror, that is sure to stick with readers.
Where in previous entries of the series, and Predator literature as a whole, humans have been fighting against the alien hunters, here an alliance is formed in a way that’s not really been seen before. Yes, the Yautja and humans have worked together before, such as Machiko Noguchi in the original Alien vs. Predator comic, or Lex Woods in the Paul Anderson film of the same name, but here we see an alliance in a much grander scope.
Yautja ships engage in space battles to protect human fleets, and dozens of their warriors fight alongside colonial marines on planets overrun with thousands of xenomorphs. These scenes are some of the best in the whole series, watching humanity fighting alongside creatures that in normal circumstances would hunt them like animals.
A new Yautja character called Yaquita is also introduced in the final volume of the trilogy, a female scientist with a mechanical lower body. As the films have only ever shown hunters and chieftains/elders (as far as we know anyway), it’s nice to explore a different side of the Predator universe. Yaquita is quiet and reserved, interested in understanding how the universe works, and more than willing to work alongside her human allies.
Whilst the Rage target human colonies with the aim to cause as much death and destruction as possible in order to draw out Marine forces, the main ship travels to the sol system to target earth itself. The assault on the sol system and the Colonial Marine command should feel like an epic battle. It involves ships, a space station, xenomorphs, and marines in spacesuits flying around, but instead it’s a tough thing to read. There’s a sense of hopelessness throughout as the human forces slowly lose, and characters we’ve come to know die.
It would be impossible to write a story about war and not have characters die, and we’ve already lost a lot in the first two books, but the final chapters of The Rage War Book 3: Alien vs Predator Armageddon feel especially grim. You know that you’re coming close to the end, and you’re desperately willing characters to survive just a bit longer. Despite a human and Yautja victory, the book doesn’t end on a happy note. Characters that the reader will care about will have died, humanity is left in tatters, and there’s no real answer as to what might happen next.
The Rage War trilogy is a great reinvention of the Alien and Predator universes, one that crafts its own version of the shared universe, yet feels true to what has come before. It combines the things that we know and love from the films and books of the past, whilst taking the story in bold and dynamic new directions. Tim Lebbon has written an engaging and dramatic tale, one filled with wonder, action, and horror, that is sure to stick with readers.
February 24, 2021
This one is a hit and miss at some points. There are times where I found myself skimming over parts that were just full of prior knowledge. The first few chapter (for me) felt like just an explanation of the first two books and offered hardly anything new. A quarter of the way through is when my attention was really brought back. The book finally gives the Predator more to do and adds some neat ideas to their scientific backgrounds. It is still a good read and is recommended, if you are willing to look past some flaws.
*SPOILRES*
The ending though. It felt as if the writer was being rushed to finish the book and could not tell the ending they wanted. The ending itself has me split. They presumably destroyed the Rage, but at the same time Gerard Marshall shut down the drop holes that are used for space travel. That leaves whole worlds stranded lightyears away with no way of receiving help. The Yautja, however, seemed to be willing to share their drop hole technology with the humans. The book is left very open-ended, as if there could be a small short story afterwards.
*PERSONL ISSUES*
They killed off Johnny Mains and Lieder at the tail end of book 2 after saving them at the beginning of it. Now, halfway through this book, a set of two new characters are introduced that are essentially the same charters as Mains and Lieder. There is a hint of flirting and one even carries an old pump action shotgun like Mains. They are only present for two chapters. Why kill off two characters that have been around for two books, not to mention one being touted as the main character on the back of book one, only to bring in two new ones who are essentially the same? Why not keep Mains and Lieder? Also, WHAT IS THE FAZE? It is never explained what it actually is. It literally disappears at the very end of the book. It RUNS away. The Yautja know about the species it comes from, yet they didn't notice it when they were being attacked? Why do the Yautja keep it a huge secret from the humans during the war being waged on them that is being fought with the help of the Faze?
*SPOILRES*
The ending though. It felt as if the writer was being rushed to finish the book and could not tell the ending they wanted. The ending itself has me split. They presumably destroyed the Rage, but at the same time Gerard Marshall shut down the drop holes that are used for space travel. That leaves whole worlds stranded lightyears away with no way of receiving help. The Yautja, however, seemed to be willing to share their drop hole technology with the humans. The book is left very open-ended, as if there could be a small short story afterwards.
*PERSONL ISSUES*
They killed off Johnny Mains and Lieder at the tail end of book 2 after saving them at the beginning of it. Now, halfway through this book, a set of two new characters are introduced that are essentially the same charters as Mains and Lieder. There is a hint of flirting and one even carries an old pump action shotgun like Mains. They are only present for two chapters. Why kill off two characters that have been around for two books, not to mention one being touted as the main character on the back of book one, only to bring in two new ones who are essentially the same? Why not keep Mains and Lieder? Also, WHAT IS THE FAZE? It is never explained what it actually is. It literally disappears at the very end of the book. It RUNS away. The Yautja know about the species it comes from, yet they didn't notice it when they were being attacked? Why do the Yautja keep it a huge secret from the humans during the war being waged on them that is being fought with the help of the Faze?
November 14, 2017
What a cracking finale to The Rage War trilogy. Tim Lebbon managed to keep my attention throughout and this was my favourite of the three. That's probably because I was keenly anticipating how everything was going to turn out. Once again there was plenty of scifi and sci fact blended together and at times, I admit, I couldn't make any sense of it. For example, the good guys have plans how to win the War but it didn't always make much sense to me, not even on a sci fi level. I think we are supposed to simply accept what we are told as fact. A bit like accepting the technology we all use today without (most of us) understanding how it actually works.
It's very rare (actually I don't ever remember it happening) that I get excited and agitated when reading a thriller, and The Rage War trilogy is a thriller, but this last book certainly did it. I found myself holding my breath for certain action scenes and the adrenalin was pumping, and I'm thinking that reading this book is not doing me any good. But I read on. Go Yautja (Predators)! I mean, for me they were the most interesting characters in the whole movie and when passages of Lebbon's text got me all agitated, then you can be sure it was when the Yautja were involved. If I ever needed anyone on my side in a battle, I'd pick one of them.
It's an excellent trilogy written by an author with an excellent command of English but who doesn't write above the heads of his readers (way-out-there scifi excepted). Sure, in my opinion, there are plot-holes and a number of implausibilities but you get that in any genre of book and Lebbon has woven a gritty and complex story that has been written in such a way that helps a reader keep on track of who is doing what to whom, when, and where.
It's very rare (actually I don't ever remember it happening) that I get excited and agitated when reading a thriller, and The Rage War trilogy is a thriller, but this last book certainly did it. I found myself holding my breath for certain action scenes and the adrenalin was pumping, and I'm thinking that reading this book is not doing me any good. But I read on. Go Yautja (Predators)! I mean, for me they were the most interesting characters in the whole movie and when passages of Lebbon's text got me all agitated, then you can be sure it was when the Yautja were involved. If I ever needed anyone on my side in a battle, I'd pick one of them.
It's an excellent trilogy written by an author with an excellent command of English but who doesn't write above the heads of his readers (way-out-there scifi excepted). Sure, in my opinion, there are plot-holes and a number of implausibilities but you get that in any genre of book and Lebbon has woven a gritty and complex story that has been written in such a way that helps a reader keep on track of who is doing what to whom, when, and where.
April 19, 2017
I really liked this series. I have read all of the Alien books that have been published to date. Most of them are garbage. This series was really well written. This is the third book that sums up the war going on between humans and predators that have teamed up against other humans, androids, and Aliens. It was entertaining, but it did have some flaws. The characters were meh. The engineers and space jockeys were non-existent. There was not even a hint of them. There was a new species introduced that plays a role in things. The only problem I had with that is that this species was so advanced it was pretty much written off as magic. It would have been cool to have some of the advanced Alien tech explained instead of leaving that a mystery. It also had an Alien queen in it that really served no purpose to the story. She was just kind of there in the background doing her thing. Those were my only problems with the story, but it was a big story with lots of stuff going on, so I let that slide. The ending to the whole thing was kinda cool, but I could honestly care less about the survivors. Not enough character development to care. I also liked the future human tech that was introduced in the story. It had a scifi feel that is missing from a lot of Alien stories which mostly focus on the Alien, the company, and space colonies - mostly. See what I did there?
October 6, 2022
Okay, this was a big book and the action really picks up after Book 2. The war is in full swing and this volume includes a lot more POV chapters told from the perspective of the leaders of the Rage Army.
This book also has a glimmer of hope as some of our POV characters may be on track to find a way to defeat the Rage - or perhaps at least take out the android generals that have been leading the charge across space. But Earth and its forces aren't just waiting for the Rage either. They're trying to come up with their own plans for dealing with the seemingly unstoppable army - even if it means isolating and sacrificing a lot of different planets in order to save humanity somehow.
The action in this book is pretty involved, especially with greater participation by the Yautja. And they may be precisely the forces humanity needs to buy enough time to find a way to stop the Rage. We get some efforts to have them to be more than just silent giant hunters thanks to android translation and all that good stuff. And everything sort for comes together in the end.
After this book, I have no idea where they're going to take things. And that's part of the excitement.
This book also has a glimmer of hope as some of our POV characters may be on track to find a way to defeat the Rage - or perhaps at least take out the android generals that have been leading the charge across space. But Earth and its forces aren't just waiting for the Rage either. They're trying to come up with their own plans for dealing with the seemingly unstoppable army - even if it means isolating and sacrificing a lot of different planets in order to save humanity somehow.
The action in this book is pretty involved, especially with greater participation by the Yautja. And they may be precisely the forces humanity needs to buy enough time to find a way to stop the Rage. We get some efforts to have them to be more than just silent giant hunters thanks to android translation and all that good stuff. And everything sort for comes together in the end.
After this book, I have no idea where they're going to take things. And that's part of the excitement.
February 1, 2021
A good end to the series, it starts a little slower but soon gets its stride and the action commences. We're given insight into a few more background bits on the galaxy and the yautja and their role in the galaxy plus the 'Thirteen' and their power.
The Rage's story is still a little cliched and not exactly very deep but still ok to further the plot. I did feel however that this series lacked one thing that whilst part of the plot was sadly missing, the Aliens true menace.
Now saying this I concede that the Aliens being used as soldiers was a plot point but in doing so they lost probably the largest part of their menace, that of their breeding and intelligent form of attacking. They are still a formidable foe and id certainly not want to fight one but I think the biggest part of their fear factor is you dont want to end up baby food.
Still a really nice series that left us with some more questions as well as answers and I hope will lead to more Aliens universe stories in the future.
July 9, 2022
The conclusion of the Rage War draws near and I thought it would've involved a lot more fighting than it did and the fate of some of the Marines, Yautja and Mercs who we've gotten to know in this series aren't fleshed out enough(for me anyway). But all this aside, it is still an excellent conclusion to the Rage War and ties up the endings for all our major characters and also opens up the universe for some future adventures.
Major Halley and her marines, Dr Palant, Liliya, Ware and her Mercs and the Tann's, as wel as their accompanying Yautja's finally meet and are on the offensive and go after Beatrix Maloney and the Macbeth.
Marshall has his own Doomsday solution to the problems facing the Human Sphere, will they both succeed and if they do, what will become of humanity - well have a listen/read and find out. It is worth it.
Major Halley and her marines, Dr Palant, Liliya, Ware and her Mercs and the Tann's, as wel as their accompanying Yautja's finally meet and are on the offensive and go after Beatrix Maloney and the Macbeth.
Marshall has his own Doomsday solution to the problems facing the Human Sphere, will they both succeed and if they do, what will become of humanity - well have a listen/read and find out. It is worth it.
December 23, 2021
The Rage has arrived and unleashed their superior tech ships and massive horde of mechanized Xenomorphs on the Human Sphere. Devastation is everywhere. Two small bands of renegades and a few Yautja are all that stand a chance of defeating the nearly invincible foes. Lebbon pulls out all the stops in the trilogy finale. The battles are tremendous, the intensity non-stop. At times the story even feels a bit nihilistic as many of the characters we've gone with throughout the journey don't survive. And the ending was mildly frustrating as there is a lot left open-ended with the possibility of it being revisited in the future. But overall, this series had some of the best stories in the whole of the Alien novels.
December 23, 2021
It wasn't that this wasn't a good book or a good end to this trilogy as it was both these things, but by this stage i didn't care for the human characters, and just wished that the last marines went out in a blaze of glory and it was down to the Predators to save the human race! And get some amazing Alien vs Predator action!!! But you don't really get that here sadly, some fights like that happen, but not as much as you'd be lead to believe, and for me i was let down by the name and the cover, and the moaning humans in this book 😔
This is good science fiction in the world of aliens and Predators and colonial marines, but they should of used another name for this series instead of using the Alien vs Predator names to sell more books 📚 🤔
This is good science fiction in the world of aliens and Predators and colonial marines, but they should of used another name for this series instead of using the Alien vs Predator names to sell more books 📚 🤔
June 12, 2017
Thrilling, Chilling End to the Series
This book is the exciting conclusion of the Rage War. All loose ends are tied up and paths intersect to change the course of the war. Lilliya finally meets those who can help and a desperate plan is put into action. Along the way the slaughter continues. It is ironic that while humanity has ventured out into the stars and met threats like the Aliens and Yaujita predators, the biggest threat comes from humanity itself. A thrilling, chilling end to the series, that also sees the Company enacting its own doomsday. The audio book version was good, read by John Chancer who did a decent job with the material.
This book is the exciting conclusion of the Rage War. All loose ends are tied up and paths intersect to change the course of the war. Lilliya finally meets those who can help and a desperate plan is put into action. Along the way the slaughter continues. It is ironic that while humanity has ventured out into the stars and met threats like the Aliens and Yaujita predators, the biggest threat comes from humanity itself. A thrilling, chilling end to the series, that also sees the Company enacting its own doomsday. The audio book version was good, read by John Chancer who did a decent job with the material.
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