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Aliens / Predator / Prometheus Universe
The Complete Predator Omnibus
CONCRETE JUNGLE**
New York City’s Detective Schaefer has seen it all, from domestic murders to drug-gang executions. But Schaefer’s never seen the Big Apple awash in so much blood as tonight, with flayed bodies hung like meat being cured for mealtime. When Schaefer has a close encounter with one of the murderers, he realizes he’s run into something much bigger than the police suspect. Can even the toughest cop stand up to the ultimate hunter?
**COLD WAR**
Something has fallen from the sky over the Siberian wilderness and soon decapitated human bodies are littering the surrounding area. The Russian authorities are baffled, but deep within the Pentagon, someone knows that the Predators are back.
**BIG GAME**
Deep in the rugged New Mexico desert, a strange aircraft has landed: an alien Predator has arrived, hunting for human prey. For Corporal Enoch Nakai, a Navajo soldier, it is a legend come back to life: the return of the horned monster who was destroyed by the hero Nayenezgani, the mythical monster slayer. Using the wisdom of his ancestors, Nakai will confront the Predator in a final battle worthy of legend. But this time, will the hero emerge the victor?
New York City’s Detective Schaefer has seen it all, from domestic murders to drug-gang executions. But Schaefer’s never seen the Big Apple awash in so much blood as tonight, with flayed bodies hung like meat being cured for mealtime. When Schaefer has a close encounter with one of the murderers, he realizes he’s run into something much bigger than the police suspect. Can even the toughest cop stand up to the ultimate hunter?
**COLD WAR**
Something has fallen from the sky over the Siberian wilderness and soon decapitated human bodies are littering the surrounding area. The Russian authorities are baffled, but deep within the Pentagon, someone knows that the Predators are back.
**BIG GAME**
Deep in the rugged New Mexico desert, a strange aircraft has landed: an alien Predator has arrived, hunting for human prey. For Corporal Enoch Nakai, a Navajo soldier, it is a legend come back to life: the return of the horned monster who was destroyed by the hero Nayenezgani, the mythical monster slayer. Using the wisdom of his ancestors, Nakai will confront the Predator in a final battle worthy of legend. But this time, will the hero emerge the victor?
832 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published January 30, 2018
219 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 22, 2017
CONCRETE JUNGLE:
Even for a novelization of a comic book that's based on a movie franchise, this book is lousy--complete with terrible dialog, cartoonish characters, and a plot that simply rehashes a bunch of stuff we've already seen in the first two Predator movies. The ending is original, but also happens to be even more anti-climatic than the final reel of Spielberg's War of the Worlds, when all the aliens just up and die because of contracting the virus. That's a brilliant ending compared to the way Archer gives his Predators the send off.
COLD WAR:
Concrete Jungle was a terrible Predator novel, but somehow its sequel, Cold War, ends up being one of the best early Alien/Predator books out there. Still, it's not a great book, by any means--just a competent one. The action is decent and the dialog is surprisingly ok. The characters are better than those in Concrete Jungle, but the two leads still remain very one-dimensional. Even after two books, Archer doesn't even bother to give his two heroes first names. The Siberian setting is cool, and there are lots of good details regarding the landscape and weaponry. There are, however, a bunch of silly parts (including most of the ending), and Archer's Predators are far too easy killed, in my opinion.
BIG GAME:
This one starts out with some surprisingly good writing, then quickly devolves into the same 'ole, same 'ole basic Predator story line we've seen done a million times before. Only instead of Arnie, we have a Native American hero with all the attendant stereotypes you'd expect from a pulp novel like this, such as visions from the spirit realm, the main character's battle with alcoholism, and the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. Over-the-top silliness abounds.
Even for a novelization of a comic book that's based on a movie franchise, this book is lousy--complete with terrible dialog, cartoonish characters, and a plot that simply rehashes a bunch of stuff we've already seen in the first two Predator movies. The ending is original, but also happens to be even more anti-climatic than the final reel of Spielberg's War of the Worlds, when all the aliens just up and die because of contracting the virus. That's a brilliant ending compared to the way Archer gives his Predators the send off.
COLD WAR:
Concrete Jungle was a terrible Predator novel, but somehow its sequel, Cold War, ends up being one of the best early Alien/Predator books out there. Still, it's not a great book, by any means--just a competent one. The action is decent and the dialog is surprisingly ok. The characters are better than those in Concrete Jungle, but the two leads still remain very one-dimensional. Even after two books, Archer doesn't even bother to give his two heroes first names. The Siberian setting is cool, and there are lots of good details regarding the landscape and weaponry. There are, however, a bunch of silly parts (including most of the ending), and Archer's Predators are far too easy killed, in my opinion.
BIG GAME:
This one starts out with some surprisingly good writing, then quickly devolves into the same 'ole, same 'ole basic Predator story line we've seen done a million times before. Only instead of Arnie, we have a Native American hero with all the attendant stereotypes you'd expect from a pulp novel like this, such as visions from the spirit realm, the main character's battle with alcoholism, and the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. Over-the-top silliness abounds.
February 7, 2018
I'd read the first two stories before in standalone novels and comics but it was nice re-reading them again. The first story is similar in some ways to Predator 2 and I've seen people complain about this, personally aside from the basic setting I think the stories are very different and in many ways the book is better. The second story is a continuation of this with the same characters in a new situation and while not quite as good as the first still is full of action and good characters.
The last story is a very different kettle of fish. Where the others are very much comic book action the third is a more spiritual story in some ways adding some mysticism to the predator, there's still guns blood and Predator hunting hi-jinks but its a very different pace and feel to the story. I'm not sure I liked how the author had portrayed the Predator in some ways making it smell of death and calling it evil, they also played about with the Predators behavior a little and didn't seem to be the same as portrayed in other lore.
Still all three were enjoyable to read, if you're a fan of Predator then you should enjoy this.
The last story is a very different kettle of fish. Where the others are very much comic book action the third is a more spiritual story in some ways adding some mysticism to the predator, there's still guns blood and Predator hunting hi-jinks but its a very different pace and feel to the story. I'm not sure I liked how the author had portrayed the Predator in some ways making it smell of death and calling it evil, they also played about with the Predators behavior a little and didn't seem to be the same as portrayed in other lore.
Still all three were enjoyable to read, if you're a fan of Predator then you should enjoy this.
March 22, 2023
These three novels--though engaging--are quite formulaic: A Predator (or Predators) appear and kill some people, it takes the survivors a while to figure out what is hunting them, these survivors (often with reinforcements) eventually overcome the predators. The setting changes: New York, Siberia, New Mexico; the lead characters change: a New York Cop, a Russian Lieutenant, and a U.S. Army Corporal; the nature of the Predator’s defeat changes: retreat, escape, killed. This is not meant to be a harsh criticism: if you picked up these novels, you should know what you were getting. That being said, I hope (and suspect) that future installments will veer from this pattern. The Machiko Noguchi Saga and Rage War Trilogy (both Aliens vs. Predator) both seem promising.
June 11, 2023
I see that others that read this book found all kinds of things wrong with it. So let explain why I liked this book. You know there are times when you just want to read what I call candy for the brain. You know something that can bring a laugh to drab day. Where you don't have deep existential thoughts about why this character or that character did what they did. Now don't get me wrong you should read what you want. Remember one person's classic book is another person's trash. If you like monster stories then you might like this one or not. But I liked this one.
June 13, 2019
I couldn't finish the second story. The first story was terrible because the main character gets away with absolutely EVERYTHING he does and suffers no visible consequences for very serious actions. The second story, revolving around a powerful female character who is later turned into a scapegoat for an incident she had no control over, the author played up "agencies that aren't supposed to exist" to the point where I dreaded continuing to read it. Terrible, all in all. Would not recommend.
December 9, 2019
The titan publishers need new editors, some of the glaring spelling mistakes are horrendous. Not misspent exactly, but a whole wrong word used, like they were using Microsoft word spell check while not really paying attention. It happened three times in this novel and countless times in the aliens 7 book omnibus. Besides that, it's exactly what you want from the book. Predator mutilation action.
May 17, 2020
Two out of three ain't bad
The first two books with Schaeffer were gold. I wish the predator film sequels had used them. Concrete Jungle had an exceptionally epic finale. The third book was terrible. It was a new character and author, neither entertained me. Don't bother with the final book.
The first two books with Schaeffer were gold. I wish the predator film sequels had used them. Concrete Jungle had an exceptionally epic finale. The third book was terrible. It was a new character and author, neither entertained me. Don't bother with the final book.
August 23, 2020
Best take on The Predator Series YET!
The author very creative writing surprises me fully. His take on The Predator Series had an American Indian theme filled with very emotional way of writing. I felt all my emotions being touched with this very well written story. I WANT TO HEAR MUCH MORE FROM THE HERO OF SAGA!
The author very creative writing surprises me fully. His take on The Predator Series had an American Indian theme filled with very emotional way of writing. I felt all my emotions being touched with this very well written story. I WANT TO HEAR MUCH MORE FROM THE HERO OF SAGA!
November 4, 2020
So bad it was laughable entertainment.
I had to speed read most of the 3rd section as it was so laborious in parts. It could have been so good if written with proper story telling ability. More like a kids book I thought. Each section starts off with an excellent location and potential plot but loses its way so badly half way in. So frustrating.
I had to speed read most of the 3rd section as it was so laborious in parts. It could have been so good if written with proper story telling ability. More like a kids book I thought. Each section starts off with an excellent location and potential plot but loses its way so badly half way in. So frustrating.
December 8, 2021
Archer's cheerily violent, pulpy tales are exactly what I'm looking for in a Predator tie-in, mixed with some nice worldbuilding ideas like Earth's authorities letting the Predators kill a few people a year for fear of pissing them off and someone wondering if _all_ the Preds are into this or if there's Predator hippies protesting it
February 4, 2025
Hands down going in my top 10 most enjoyed books for the year!
I honestly haven't enjoyed a Predator movie (since the OG movie was released), nearly as much as I enjoyed reading these three adventures. I felt that excitement again I got from the original movie, and loved getting stuck into this book.
I honestly haven't enjoyed a Predator movie (since the OG movie was released), nearly as much as I enjoyed reading these three adventures. I felt that excitement again I got from the original movie, and loved getting stuck into this book.
February 28, 2018
A FINE BUNCH OF HUNTING TALES IT IS...
Hello, I really like the Predator idea, who ever came up with it was a genius. In all honesty though, the Predator's get killed far too easily for my taste in these stories. Good stuff. Thanks.
Hello, I really like the Predator idea, who ever came up with it was a genius. In all honesty though, the Predator's get killed far too easily for my taste in these stories. Good stuff. Thanks.
January 18, 2024
I read the second book in here before, didn't disappoint to read it again. The first book, Concrete Jungle was really good even better than the movie, as always. I still appreciate the film still. Big Game was a quick and enjoyable read and even had a smile with the ending. Enjoyable.
February 17, 2019
Awesome
Great book all stories were well done. Well written enjoyed them all especially the last story. Would love to see this on the big screen or in theatres
Great book all stories were well done. Well written enjoyed them all especially the last story. Would love to see this on the big screen or in theatres
June 5, 2021
I would have rated this higher, but the numerous typos and punctuation errors drove me nuts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2022
Just as nail-biting as the original movie. Well worth reading for any fan of the Predators.
February 8, 2023
This omnibus collects three novels from the Predator universe. Sadly, the first two of these were big stinkers. Big Game is worth reading. Concrete Jungle was a slog, and I did not finish Cold War.
January 8, 2025
Concrete jungle was great 4/5
Cold War was good 3.5/5
Big game was ok 3/5
So overall 3.5/5 stars could of been better it the final book was better
Cold War was good 3.5/5
Big game was ok 3/5
So overall 3.5/5 stars could of been better it the final book was better
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews