What do you think?
Rate this book
The X-Files: Young Adult #3
Bad Sign
When agents Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate the bizarre, ritualistic murders at Grover Cleveland High School, they stumble upon a strange planetary phenomenon-- one that might have a disastrous effect on two cheerleaders. But are Terri and Margi really being controlled by the cosmos, or are they just out for revenge?
134 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
87 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 30, 2017
“Sure. Fine. Whatever.”
Bad Sign, which is a novelization of The X-Files episode titled “Syzygy”, is set in the small town of Comity where FBI Agents Mulder and Scully assist a young detective with investigating the seemingly ritualistic deaths of several high school students. However, everyone in the town is behaving strangely—including Mulder and Scully. The agents soon discover that two teenage girls are responsible, due to a rare planetary alignment that’s affecting them.
Before delving into my review of this book, I should point out that “Syzygy” is my least favorite episode of Season Three; this is due in large part to series creator Chris Carter’s crude effort to emulate the outstanding writing talents of Darin Morgan, the show’s best comedic writer whom—unlike Carter—knew how to instill the right blend of eccentricity into his X-Files scripts without making the show seem too ridiculous and over-the-top. This episode wasn’t nearly as bad as some of Carter’s other lame attempts at humor (i.e. “Fight Club” and “Improbable”), but “Syzygy” was notable for being his inaugural effort at taking the show into the realm of comedy/dark humor with, as I see it, distasteful results. Unlike most other fans who feel the inclusion of Agents Doggett and Reyes constituted the lowest point of the series, I disagree. In my opinion, it's stultifyingly unfunny episodes from Seasons Seven and Nine that effectively undermined the series.
That being said, I have to praise author Easton Royce (which is a pseudonym for writer Neal Shusterman) for crafting a commendable novelization. Despite my misgivings about "Syzygy" (which is still better than a lot of other TV shows out there), Royce clearly scrutinized the episode with a fine-tooth comb and crafted a faithful adaptation. Nothing was omitted or glossed over—except for Scully’s erroneous mention that she and Mulder have been working together “for two years” at this point in the show (at this point it's been closer to four years), so I’m pleased that Royce excised that little miscalculation.
In addition to being a true-to-form adaptation, Bad Sign clarifies some of the ambiguity of this episode by including small bonus scenes and highlighting the minute details. For instance, Chapter One includes an extended scene inside Jay DeBoom’s truck that reveals what led up to his untimely death: a fatal foot-in-mouth moment that caused the uncheerful cheerleaders to turn on him. Royce even goes out of the way to account for where the rope came from that was used to hang DeBoom.
My four-star rating of this book is in recognition of the satisfactory job the author did in adapting the episode, even though I didn’t much care for the episode. Fans of “Syzygy”—who didn’t mind seeing Scully reduced to a passive-aggressive and hyper-clingy girlfriend—will appreciate this well-constructed book.
Mulder to Det. White: “I was hoping you could help me solve the mystery of the horny beast” (p.44). Keep it classy, Mulder!
Bad Sign, which is a novelization of The X-Files episode titled “Syzygy”, is set in the small town of Comity where FBI Agents Mulder and Scully assist a young detective with investigating the seemingly ritualistic deaths of several high school students. However, everyone in the town is behaving strangely—including Mulder and Scully. The agents soon discover that two teenage girls are responsible, due to a rare planetary alignment that’s affecting them.
Before delving into my review of this book, I should point out that “Syzygy” is my least favorite episode of Season Three; this is due in large part to series creator Chris Carter’s crude effort to emulate the outstanding writing talents of Darin Morgan, the show’s best comedic writer whom—unlike Carter—knew how to instill the right blend of eccentricity into his X-Files scripts without making the show seem too ridiculous and over-the-top. This episode wasn’t nearly as bad as some of Carter’s other lame attempts at humor (i.e. “Fight Club” and “Improbable”), but “Syzygy” was notable for being his inaugural effort at taking the show into the realm of comedy/dark humor with, as I see it, distasteful results. Unlike most other fans who feel the inclusion of Agents Doggett and Reyes constituted the lowest point of the series, I disagree. In my opinion, it's stultifyingly unfunny episodes from Seasons Seven and Nine that effectively undermined the series.
That being said, I have to praise author Easton Royce (which is a pseudonym for writer Neal Shusterman) for crafting a commendable novelization. Despite my misgivings about "Syzygy" (which is still better than a lot of other TV shows out there), Royce clearly scrutinized the episode with a fine-tooth comb and crafted a faithful adaptation. Nothing was omitted or glossed over—except for Scully’s erroneous mention that she and Mulder have been working together “for two years” at this point in the show (at this point it's been closer to four years), so I’m pleased that Royce excised that little miscalculation.
In addition to being a true-to-form adaptation, Bad Sign clarifies some of the ambiguity of this episode by including small bonus scenes and highlighting the minute details. For instance, Chapter One includes an extended scene inside Jay DeBoom’s truck that reveals what led up to his untimely death: a fatal foot-in-mouth moment that caused the uncheerful cheerleaders to turn on him. Royce even goes out of the way to account for where the rope came from that was used to hang DeBoom.
My four-star rating of this book is in recognition of the satisfactory job the author did in adapting the episode, even though I didn’t much care for the episode. Fans of “Syzygy”—who didn’t mind seeing Scully reduced to a passive-aggressive and hyper-clingy girlfriend—will appreciate this well-constructed book.
Mulder to Det. White: “I was hoping you could help me solve the mystery of the horny beast” (p.44). Keep it classy, Mulder!
February 13, 2020
I have most likely mentioned this before, in one or a few of my previous book reviews. But for me personally, there is nothing like a good mystery book. Nothing can keep me more engaged in reading than simply having no idea what is going to happen next. This X-Files book fit the mold for what I enjoy reading as well as having interesting concepts that I had never thought of before or seen in a story.
What could possibly get worse than a night of mourning a popular football player who just tragically passed away? How about a close friend of his and also another football player mysteriously being murdered the night of the ceremony. In a small town that is already shocked by one death, this murder will shake up the people of the town especially the two main detectives Mulder and Scully. The two struggle through much of the story to identify evidence, suspects, and close up the murder case. Two girls, popular cheerleaders, Terri and Margi start out as witnesses, but soon their story becomes a little bit more twisted. Strange things are happening again and again with the two girls who were born on the same day, at the same time in the same place, oh and they also spend their entire lives together. When they are brought in for questioning, once they are together something out of hell occurs. The entire town starts rumbling and buildings are breaking down into pieces, objects flying around, all glass shattered. The people have no idea what to think of the two seemingly innocent girls, but for the detectives, theories of the girls being controlled by the Cosmos may just be the crack to these murders.
By definition, yes, this was a mystery book and had all the qualities of one. But it was unlike any mystery book or any book that I have read before. I am not traditionally a fan of deeper meanings and higher powers in stories such as the Cosmos. Although the way it was blended into this story in my opinion was brilliant. I had an immediate sense from reading the book and the use of dramatic irony that the girls were probably responsible for the murders. Except the detectives did not know about the events of that night, and like many mystery books, obvious red herrings are put in to get readers to believe something before a major shake up at the end. So throughout reading this book I was definitely on edge about the truth of who was responsible. The Cosmos and weird happenings only added into my suspicion and I seriously had no idea whether I should believe what I already knew, or not be alarmed by the ending.
For a mystery book, it was definitely one of the most straightforward ones I have read out of the genre. What I talked about previously, authors throwing in fake clues in many different places to make you almost sure you know the outcome is common. This book seemed to have a lot of that, although then in the end, the outcome I was so sure of yet so unsure of…..was true. So in a way in that sense I was almost a little bit disappointed. I read through the entire book for the ending to be known and predictable. A good book with an underwhelming ending.
I definitely enjoyed reading this book a lot. Sometimes a short and quicker read is nice. This story was short and not very complicated. I was easily able to comprehend it and have a sense of what was going on. Even though it was a little bit predictable and wacky. Not one of my all-time favorites but definitely would recommend to just about who is looking for a quick read but at the same time an exciting story to get lost in.
What could possibly get worse than a night of mourning a popular football player who just tragically passed away? How about a close friend of his and also another football player mysteriously being murdered the night of the ceremony. In a small town that is already shocked by one death, this murder will shake up the people of the town especially the two main detectives Mulder and Scully. The two struggle through much of the story to identify evidence, suspects, and close up the murder case. Two girls, popular cheerleaders, Terri and Margi start out as witnesses, but soon their story becomes a little bit more twisted. Strange things are happening again and again with the two girls who were born on the same day, at the same time in the same place, oh and they also spend their entire lives together. When they are brought in for questioning, once they are together something out of hell occurs. The entire town starts rumbling and buildings are breaking down into pieces, objects flying around, all glass shattered. The people have no idea what to think of the two seemingly innocent girls, but for the detectives, theories of the girls being controlled by the Cosmos may just be the crack to these murders.
By definition, yes, this was a mystery book and had all the qualities of one. But it was unlike any mystery book or any book that I have read before. I am not traditionally a fan of deeper meanings and higher powers in stories such as the Cosmos. Although the way it was blended into this story in my opinion was brilliant. I had an immediate sense from reading the book and the use of dramatic irony that the girls were probably responsible for the murders. Except the detectives did not know about the events of that night, and like many mystery books, obvious red herrings are put in to get readers to believe something before a major shake up at the end. So throughout reading this book I was definitely on edge about the truth of who was responsible. The Cosmos and weird happenings only added into my suspicion and I seriously had no idea whether I should believe what I already knew, or not be alarmed by the ending.
For a mystery book, it was definitely one of the most straightforward ones I have read out of the genre. What I talked about previously, authors throwing in fake clues in many different places to make you almost sure you know the outcome is common. This book seemed to have a lot of that, although then in the end, the outcome I was so sure of yet so unsure of…..was true. So in a way in that sense I was almost a little bit disappointed. I read through the entire book for the ending to be known and predictable. A good book with an underwhelming ending.
I definitely enjoyed reading this book a lot. Sometimes a short and quicker read is nice. This story was short and not very complicated. I was easily able to comprehend it and have a sense of what was going on. Even though it was a little bit predictable and wacky. Not one of my all-time favorites but definitely would recommend to just about who is looking for a quick read but at the same time an exciting story to get lost in.
December 11, 2017
Oh wow, who would have thought I would pick another X-Files book? I sure didn't. As said in my previous book review, I picked the first X-Files book because I was in a time crunch to finish my October reading book. This time on the other-hand, I thought I'd return to the series because the first book had peaked my interest.
This book is very fast paced like the other books in the X-Files series. This is mostly due to it's short length. Every story seems to have something to do with some supernatural event in a town or city, or even multiple states. In this story however, there have been murders all around a town, and the townspeople think that a satanic cult is the reason for all of this. Scully and Mulder, the two main investigators in the series have been called to this town to get to the bottom of what is going on.
I think that Easton Royce did a very good job making the reader want to keep reading. He is able to provide enough detail to make you enthralled in the story, but also just enough to make you think about what might happen, or who the culprit(s) are of these mysterious murders.
I personally have no gripes with how the story was handled, and set out. I think that just enough detail was provided in just the right places for this story to earn my 5 star rating (which is kind of hard to do by my standards), and there was nothing that I did not like about this book.
This book is very fast paced like the other books in the X-Files series. This is mostly due to it's short length. Every story seems to have something to do with some supernatural event in a town or city, or even multiple states. In this story however, there have been murders all around a town, and the townspeople think that a satanic cult is the reason for all of this. Scully and Mulder, the two main investigators in the series have been called to this town to get to the bottom of what is going on.
I think that Easton Royce did a very good job making the reader want to keep reading. He is able to provide enough detail to make you enthralled in the story, but also just enough to make you think about what might happen, or who the culprit(s) are of these mysterious murders.
I personally have no gripes with how the story was handled, and set out. I think that just enough detail was provided in just the right places for this story to earn my 5 star rating (which is kind of hard to do by my standards), and there was nothing that I did not like about this book.
December 18, 2014
Hmm. It was ok. A short little read that I picked up purely to help me meet my Goodreads Reading Challenge for the year! I always have the same problems with direct novelisations of TV episodes or films. They usually aren't that good, have little or no character development and as a reading exercise they are usually a waste of time. However, I did quite like the story here (I watched the X-files as a teenager, but can't remember this exact episode)- the scary twins influenced by some planetary convergence, even if a lot of the 'horror' was strangely diluted. Still, it filled up a lunch break and added one more book to those read in 2014!
February 24, 2018
Ag weet jy, eintlik kon ek maar net die opsomming by http://x-files.wikia.com/wiki/Syzygy gaan lees het. Wat jy daar lees, is presies wat jy in hierdie boekie sal kry. Sal nie weer so 'n fout op 'n Vrydagaand maak nie. Uit persoonlike ervaring wat ek van die reeks in die verlede gehad het dink ek die Duitse vertaling sien veel beter daar uit as die oorspronklike weergawe. Ek wou eintlik net die hele 1990's-gevoel weer beleef. Moet egter erken die woord "Funktelefon" vir die selfoon was vir my "nuut".
July 27, 2023
Me: Wow, this is exactly like an X-Files episode, except that it's REALLY WEIRD knowing what Mulder and Scully are thinking.
*looks up*
Oh, because it IS an X-Files episode, literally. Not sure why they changed the name from Syzygy, though.
I don't know if I like this version. I feel like the point of the X-Files is watching it, not reading it.
*looks up*
Oh, because it IS an X-Files episode, literally. Not sure why they changed the name from Syzygy, though.
I don't know if I like this version. I feel like the point of the X-Files is watching it, not reading it.
May 4, 2021
A direct novelisation of the TV episode "Syzygy". This was a brilliant adaptation that, for a novelisation, was able to add a fair bit to the TV show. Certain details that were not made clearly apparent fleshed out the story nicely. A fun episode to watch, and a fun one to read.
April 26, 2021
Uno de los mejores que he leído
May 25, 2021
An easy read with lots of action.
July 14, 2024
Diese kurze Romanfassung der TV-Episode „Syzygy“ bietet 100% Akte-X-Feeling und ist ein sehr kurzweiliger Gruselgenuss für Fans der Fernsehserie.
January 30, 2016
Kind of a strange book. I thought it took the main characters too long to figure out who was behind everything and I didn't like that Overall, it was a quick and easy read, and I'm sure I'll be reading more in the series soon.
November 28, 2015
I remember watching this episode a couple of times since I was a kid, but I enjoyed reading it more. When your watching it, you see the exchange between Mulder and Scully as being childish. But when reading it, you can actually feel the anger, and pain between the two. I loved it, and I can't wait to finish the next one.
August 22, 2009
Nice book for it's time easy to read and follow. For a young adult it was decent with it's graphic kills. Could be better but for young adult not much more is expected.
All in all a great little book to past the time.
All in all a great little book to past the time.
September 8, 2007
Tą lubię najbardziej z mojej małej kolekcji 3 książeczek :) Nawet czytałem ją dwa razy (choć tego aż to chyba nie była warta ;) ). W każdym razie fajna historia.
June 23, 2008
Awesome...i didnt expect the ending
January 4, 2010
Straight from Season 3, Episode 13, "Syzygy".
January 6, 2013
L'episodio da cui viene tratta questa novellizzazione non è uno dei miei preferiti. L'autore ha fatto un pessimo lavoro. Ma io adoro Mulder&Scully.
December 13, 2013
Nota: 2.5
January 10, 2014
Used to get this book out all the time
July 9, 2014
Como se nota que es un episodio de la serie y por eso me ha encantado. Especialmente leer a Scully cabreada y celosa ha sido lo más.
Read
March 1, 2014I read this in English, but it's not listed anywhere here.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews