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Aliens Omnibus #4
The Complete Aliens Omnibus: Volume Four: Music of the Spears & Berserker
In Music of the Spears by Yvonne Navarro, driven to madness by his rage against the ugliness of life in Manhattan in the year 2214, a composer tries to shock the world out of its ugliness with a fiendish piece of music and an alien called Mozart. Berserker by Stephani Perry tells the story of a group of reckless, desperate volunteers recruited by the Company who are tasked with destroying the biggest Alien infestation ever discovered.
529 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2017
43 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Yvonne Navarro
127 books174 followersYvonne Navarro is the author of Concrete Savior, Highborn, AfterAge, deadrush, Final Impact, Mirror Me and a bunch of other books, plus Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels and tie-in novels for Hellboy, Elektra, and others."
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August 15, 2017Another great entry in the "Up & Down" world of the Alien universe.
I firmly believe that there are some writers that "Get" the franchise (and it's constituent fans/readers) more than others.
I find the Perrys firmly in that camp, and I can usually read their titles with a reasonable expectation of excellence.
I firmly believe that there are some writers that "Get" the franchise (and it's constituent fans/readers) more than others.
I find the Perrys firmly in that camp, and I can usually read their titles with a reasonable expectation of excellence.
September 19, 2024
Two interesting stories that diverge from what has come before.
First is about a composer wanting to make music using an alien and the lengths gone to make this happen.
The second is about a hunter/killer team that uses a new berserker technology called a MAX to clean out infestations.
First is about a composer wanting to make music using an alien and the lengths gone to make this happen.
The second is about a hunter/killer team that uses a new berserker technology called a MAX to clean out infestations.
January 6, 2021
Music of the Spears.
This was a very different, but interesting story set in the Alien Universe. I had a little bit of a hard time trying to figure out where this book was going but by the time it picked up, I’d say I was pleasantly surprised.
Maybe because it was such a departure from the first few stories but I really liked the story focused mainly on the three characters (Eddington, Brangwen and Darcy) and insight into their thinking process and actions throughout the book. The author did a good job of setting up a rather bleak NYC and what the Jelly has done to some of its inhabitants. She got into much detail of what the substance does to an individual and the spiral they go down.
Maybe because it was different from having marines run around (which I don’t mind), navigating through mazes and surprisingly not one Android, but I liked the setting mostly taking place in the lab with trying to produce music from the screams of the Alien.
I still don’t know how I feel about MedTechs Security Force using an alien by the name of Ol Blue to navigate and find the missing egg/alien that Synsound stole from their laboratory. Or the fact that they even had a secret lab to begin with, which seems odd considering that Earth is still being rebuilt. It also seemed pretty easy for these ‘ninjas’ to sneak in, with no security cameras present in the hive lab and destroy the watcher aliens with swords.
But the focus on Eddington making his ‘Symphony of Hate’ and what he was willing to do in order to achieve it, was pretty crazy. I also liked how it ended with Brangwen and especially Darcy. She clearly loves the alien (Mozart) and what he represented, the lasting affects of her time with the alien completely changed her. As it did everyone else.
Berserker
Reallyly liked it. Loved what they did with the MAX mech and the overall concept of HK teams was cool.
I felt bad for Teape being the front man who’d purposely get dragged into the hive but I suppose someone’s gotta do it ha. Also liked how they had masks they could wear to protect them from facehuggers although I’m not sure why everyone wouldn’t wear one, just to be safe.
Took a little bit to get into but when it starts it really doesn’t hold back.
This was a very different, but interesting story set in the Alien Universe. I had a little bit of a hard time trying to figure out where this book was going but by the time it picked up, I’d say I was pleasantly surprised.
Maybe because it was such a departure from the first few stories but I really liked the story focused mainly on the three characters (Eddington, Brangwen and Darcy) and insight into their thinking process and actions throughout the book. The author did a good job of setting up a rather bleak NYC and what the Jelly has done to some of its inhabitants. She got into much detail of what the substance does to an individual and the spiral they go down.
Maybe because it was different from having marines run around (which I don’t mind), navigating through mazes and surprisingly not one Android, but I liked the setting mostly taking place in the lab with trying to produce music from the screams of the Alien.
I still don’t know how I feel about MedTechs Security Force using an alien by the name of Ol Blue to navigate and find the missing egg/alien that Synsound stole from their laboratory. Or the fact that they even had a secret lab to begin with, which seems odd considering that Earth is still being rebuilt. It also seemed pretty easy for these ‘ninjas’ to sneak in, with no security cameras present in the hive lab and destroy the watcher aliens with swords.
But the focus on Eddington making his ‘Symphony of Hate’ and what he was willing to do in order to achieve it, was pretty crazy. I also liked how it ended with Brangwen and especially Darcy. She clearly loves the alien (Mozart) and what he represented, the lasting affects of her time with the alien completely changed her. As it did everyone else.
Berserker
Reallyly liked it. Loved what they did with the MAX mech and the overall concept of HK teams was cool.
I felt bad for Teape being the front man who’d purposely get dragged into the hive but I suppose someone’s gotta do it ha. Also liked how they had masks they could wear to protect them from facehuggers although I’m not sure why everyone wouldn’t wear one, just to be safe.
Took a little bit to get into but when it starts it really doesn’t hold back.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2020
The first half this book was very difficult to get around. As with all the other books in the omnibus this split into two different stories.
The first one was not an aliens story at all.... I hated it. It revolves around a musician who wants to get alien screams to put into his music, his "art". It is so boring, so tedious and doesn't really seem to pick up or have any sort of decent background. I was so bored reading through it and it took a hell of a lot longer than the second story! However this is not the authors fault she was tasked with writing a book based on the comic book and to be fair the writing was very, very good. She does have a skill at describing in detail and adding atmosphere. However she was dealt a hospital ball with the story.
The second story was brilliant and i really enjoyed it. Based around a hunt/kill team that go into alien infested locations to deal with incidents and either rescue people, or destroy the location. However in true aliens style, everything ends up going wrong! I really liked all the characters, which is rare, even the additional characters such as the The Max which is a human merged with a robot killing machine. The story is very well written and the outcome is in line with true alien grit!
This is why i've only given it three stars, if it was based on the last book alone it would be 4/5 stars however the boring first story brought it down. However, i would like to emphasise it is not the author's fault!
I'll still be reading through the series and seeing as they all seem to loosely link to each other this book is worth reading to keep your head in canon and for the second book.
The first one was not an aliens story at all.... I hated it. It revolves around a musician who wants to get alien screams to put into his music, his "art". It is so boring, so tedious and doesn't really seem to pick up or have any sort of decent background. I was so bored reading through it and it took a hell of a lot longer than the second story! However this is not the authors fault she was tasked with writing a book based on the comic book and to be fair the writing was very, very good. She does have a skill at describing in detail and adding atmosphere. However she was dealt a hospital ball with the story.
The second story was brilliant and i really enjoyed it. Based around a hunt/kill team that go into alien infested locations to deal with incidents and either rescue people, or destroy the location. However in true aliens style, everything ends up going wrong! I really liked all the characters, which is rare, even the additional characters such as the The Max which is a human merged with a robot killing machine. The story is very well written and the outcome is in line with true alien grit!
This is why i've only given it three stars, if it was based on the last book alone it would be 4/5 stars however the boring first story brought it down. However, i would like to emphasise it is not the author's fault!
I'll still be reading through the series and seeing as they all seem to loosely link to each other this book is worth reading to keep your head in canon and for the second book.
October 24, 2024
The first book, The Music of the Spears, was not very good at all. A bonkers storyline about using an Alien's screams for a "Symphony of Rage" combined with a preachy tone about the depredations of the music industry and way too much character description just turned me right off. Then there's the music company's elite ninjas (yeah, I know), shown throughout the book as being virtually unkillable, getting dropped like Putties in an episode of Power Rangers for no reason at the end. The fact that only a single character in the entire book can garner even an iota of sympathy from the reader doesn’t help. Overall, would not recommend.
The second book, Berserker, about a group of convicts and their military handlers clearing out an Alien infestation, was a lot better, even if it still kinda stretched the loose boundaries of sci-fi credibility. The problem with this one was that it never seemed to quite get going, and the climatic scene, featuring a rampaging, invincible killer robot vs a legion of Aliens, seemed far too one-sided, with no real peril. Then the book just stopped, and left me feeling pretty disappointed.
Overall, a three for the omnibus, but I don’t think anyone other than completionists would miss these books as they don’t really bring much to the universe of Aliens.
The second book, Berserker, about a group of convicts and their military handlers clearing out an Alien infestation, was a lot better, even if it still kinda stretched the loose boundaries of sci-fi credibility. The problem with this one was that it never seemed to quite get going, and the climatic scene, featuring a rampaging, invincible killer robot vs a legion of Aliens, seemed far too one-sided, with no real peril. Then the book just stopped, and left me feeling pretty disappointed.
Overall, a three for the omnibus, but I don’t think anyone other than completionists would miss these books as they don’t really bring much to the universe of Aliens.
May 3, 2020
Ve čtvrtém Vetřelčím omnibusu je unifikujícím prvkem tentokrát "vliv korporací", což je v daném univerzu rekurentní a nebál bych se říci i trochu ohrané téma. Novela "Sebevražedná mise" ho pak zpracovává v ničím nezajímavém duchu, zkrátka jen další variace na souboj postradatelného lidského komanda s Vetřelci v uzavřených prostorách. Sympaticky akční čtení, které na svém kratším rozsahu docela slušně rozvíjí charaktery, ale až na pár drobností nepřinese nic, co by už fanoušek Alien světa neznal. Druhá novela, "Koncert zla", je ovšem vynikající, s naprosto originálním námětem, postupnou gradací a nečekaně promakanou strukturou, kdy jsou Vetřelci posazeni do úplně jiných rolí, než jsme zvyklí, ale pořád z nich jde hrůza, a kde obří korporace manipulují světem a osudy obyčejných lidí do takové míry, až je z toho úzko. Jeden z nejlepších příběhu, který dosud v rámci Vetřelčích kompletů vyšel.
Sebevražedná mise - 2,5/5, Koncert zla - 5/5; celkově tedy 3,75/5 a proto čtyři hvězdičky. Jsem zvědav na pátý omnibus, ve kterém poprvé nebudou přítomny komiksové novelizace, ale originální příběhy.
Sebevražedná mise - 2,5/5, Koncert zla - 5/5; celkově tedy 3,75/5 a proto čtyři hvězdičky. Jsem zvědav na pátý omnibus, ve kterém poprvé nebudou přítomny komiksové novelizace, ale originální příběhy.
September 21, 2021
Widely regarded as the best of the Complete Aliens Omnibus series, vol. 4 proves that the Alien franchise could still have life if studios and screenwriters actually delved into the novels rather than lazy "original" films.
vol. 4 contains "Music of the Spears" and "Berserker", which are arguably 2 of (if not the) best stories in the Aliens universe. Both stories actually manage to capture the essence of what makes the titular character so frightening, while, at the same time, telling damn good tales.
"Music of the Spears" is a decent into madness, highlighting obsession and desire and what ends one goes to to achieve their goals. Since this contains a kidnapped Xenomorph and crazy composer, you can guess just where this one goes.
"Berserker" goes the typical colonial marines vs. aliens storyline, but with an interesting twist that actually works.
Both Navarro and Perry are those rare authors that actually get their subject and it translates into 2 of the most thrilling and original Aliens related novels I've read...which is great considering just how hit or miss these kind of stories tend to be.
vol. 4 contains "Music of the Spears" and "Berserker", which are arguably 2 of (if not the) best stories in the Aliens universe. Both stories actually manage to capture the essence of what makes the titular character so frightening, while, at the same time, telling damn good tales.
"Music of the Spears" is a decent into madness, highlighting obsession and desire and what ends one goes to to achieve their goals. Since this contains a kidnapped Xenomorph and crazy composer, you can guess just where this one goes.
"Berserker" goes the typical colonial marines vs. aliens storyline, but with an interesting twist that actually works.
Both Navarro and Perry are those rare authors that actually get their subject and it translates into 2 of the most thrilling and original Aliens related novels I've read...which is great considering just how hit or miss these kind of stories tend to be.
March 17, 2023
Both of these novels diverge from their predecessors (I’ve been working through the Titan’s Complete Omnibus volumes) in two significant ways. First, the plots--though firmly planted within the Alien’s universe--are unique. Music of the Spears in particular uses the Xenomorphs as an instrument to explore the connection between art and obsession to great effect. Make no mistakes, the Aliens are there in all their malevolent glory, but somehow less terrifying. In fact, the use and domestication of these monsters is a pervading theme. Even in Berserker, the aliens are initially dealt with in controlled and predictable ways. A second aspect of these novels that sets them apart is the truly solid writing; specifically, the characterization is excellent. In Music of the Spears, Damon Eddington is a compelling character, and his supporting cast is well throughout and believable. That being said, the troupe of characters in Berserker is…just amazing. The author plays with stock characters, but manipulates those tropes and stereotypes to make each one come alive. I ended up believing in and caring for each one, and their actions--and inactions--made sense. In a minor spoiler alert, I know that some of the surviving characters from Berserker show up in one of the Alien Vs. Predator books, so I look forward to meeting them again as I meander through this universe.
August 4, 2023
Music of the Spears: 3/5 stars
Berserker: 4/5 stars
I enjoyed the concepts in Music of the Spears, it was more philosophical and contemplative that a typical Aliens novel, but it ultimately fell short for me. Berserker was better paced, and had a genuinely good set of characters that didn't come across as 2D copies of previous heroes; but that one wasn't enough to save the whole set from a 3 out of 5 rating.
Berserker: 4/5 stars
I enjoyed the concepts in Music of the Spears, it was more philosophical and contemplative that a typical Aliens novel, but it ultimately fell short for me. Berserker was better paced, and had a genuinely good set of characters that didn't come across as 2D copies of previous heroes; but that one wasn't enough to save the whole set from a 3 out of 5 rating.
January 27, 2021
Music of the spears is great fun, very different to other aliens stories but a real good mix of characters in a very different setting.
Berserker sees the aliens world from the perspective of a team who deal with outbreaks after the aliens are well known. The feel is right and theres plenty of action.
Berserker sees the aliens world from the perspective of a team who deal with outbreaks after the aliens are well known. The feel is right and theres plenty of action.
July 17, 2017
I'm a sucker for the Aliens franchise so I'll always enjoy these collections. I thought these two stories were a cut above the usual however. Interesting ideas, well drawn sympathetic characters, and visceral action. Damn good fun.
August 31, 2017
A TALE OF THOSE D$@M ALIENS AGAIN IT IS...
Hello, this is two very different stories. The first one was just O.K.. The second one was better, but not by much. It's like their running out of stuff to write about. BRING ON THE PREDATORS.
Hello, this is two very different stories. The first one was just O.K.. The second one was better, but not by much. It's like their running out of stuff to write about. BRING ON THE PREDATORS.
July 17, 2018
Half amazing, half horrible. The first story made no sense. Even a character mentioned how it made no sense that it would have been done. The second story was great. If they were separated I would give the first story 2 stars and the second one 5.
June 13, 2020
Another exciting chapter
I enjoyed this off shoot of the Alien Universe. It was well written and very exciting. But the ending left the story just hanging. I do hope the next book if there is one by this author will add closure to this story.
I enjoyed this off shoot of the Alien Universe. It was well written and very exciting. But the ending left the story just hanging. I do hope the next book if there is one by this author will add closure to this story.
November 7, 2021
Thrilling
Unpredictable and nerve racking. Couldn't put it down not knowing what would happen next. A good read for sure. Phil
Unpredictable and nerve racking. Couldn't put it down not knowing what would happen next. A good read for sure. Phil
October 23, 2023
First story was boring and the second one was very good
December 19, 2024
I liked both stories here. The first one is because of its unique way of Alien story the 2nd because it's a very classic way of telling it. Both have my favourite character.
July 18, 2025
1 star and 3 stars
Berserk was really good. Music of the spears was awful so I had to rank this omnibus in the middle of the two
Berserk was really good. Music of the spears was awful so I had to rank this omnibus in the middle of the two
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews