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Aliens / Predator / Prometheus Universe
Alien: Enemy of My Enemy
While a moon hurtles toward certain destruction, taking with it a Weyland-Yutani bioweapons lab, talks on a nearby colony could lead to all-out war among the colonies.
Hygeia, an outer rim colony, is doomed as the moon on which it was built hurtles toward an inevitable collision with the dead planet Hephaestus. When a distress signal arrives from a Weyland-Yutani biowarfare outpost near the colony, a desperate plan is launched to evacuate the trapped scientists and colonists. Their destination: LV-846, a key United Americas colony where high-level talks are scheduled to address the galaxy-wide hostilities between the colonies. Once there the evacuees, including a contingent of Colonial Marines, discover a plot that could plunge the colonies into all-out war. Their only hope may be an alliance with the deadliest ally imaginable.
BONUS MATERIAL: exclusive to this book, a new RPG scenario from Free League, publishers of the award-winning Alien role-playing game.
Hygeia, an outer rim colony, is doomed as the moon on which it was built hurtles toward an inevitable collision with the dead planet Hephaestus. When a distress signal arrives from a Weyland-Yutani biowarfare outpost near the colony, a desperate plan is launched to evacuate the trapped scientists and colonists. Their destination: LV-846, a key United Americas colony where high-level talks are scheduled to address the galaxy-wide hostilities between the colonies. Once there the evacuees, including a contingent of Colonial Marines, discover a plot that could plunge the colonies into all-out war. Their only hope may be an alliance with the deadliest ally imaginable.
BONUS MATERIAL: exclusive to this book, a new RPG scenario from Free League, publishers of the award-winning Alien role-playing game.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 21, 2023
About the author
Mary SanGiovanni
81 books489 followersMary SanGiovanni is the author of over twenty books in horror and supernatural thrillers. Her fiction has appeared in periodicals and anthologies for the last decade. She has a Masters degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, Pittsburgh, where she studied under genre greats. She is currently a member of The Authors Guild, The International Thriller Writers, and Penn Writers, and was previously an Active member in the Horror Writers Association.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
July 4, 2023
An intensely boring Alien book. Let's rehash every element from Aliens (Ripley-esque female main character, colonial marines speaking in action movie oorah nonsense, a little girl who instantly imprints on a marine) but with severely underwritten cardboard characters with flatlining IQs.
The characters encounter xenomorphs (why the book insists on capitalising 'xenomorph' I don't know - you don't write Humans, or Cats, why Xenomorphs? Especially when later we get genetically altered xenomorphs called 'biodrones', which is never capitalised - pick a lane!) on one planet, then when approaching a different planet there's a recorded warning of 'an infestation', I wonder what that'll turn out to be. Our main characters don't seem to have an idea.
A character mysteriously disappears early on in the book, and your storytelling instincts will make you wonder where that'll go, some form of betrayal, that's very Alien-esque, isn't it? Nope, they reappear, there wasn't any real point to it.
The biodrones - someone has genetically engineered xenomorphs into things called biodrones. How are they different? No idea. Characters speculate beforehand that they must be much like xenomorphs, and when the biodrones appear they're barely described, and no one says "oh wow, they sure are like xeno's!". They seem to behave and brutalise human anatomy just like xenomorphs, and it just makes you wonder why there is such a thing as a 'biodrone', why make the distinction?
(A character rams a spear into a xenomorph queen's back, right through her. The character isn't a synthetic, or even a trained marine. I need receipts, or it never happened.)
It all feels deperately uninspired, nothing interesting or surprising happens. There's a badly written romance, that never convinces. You may think, why expect anything original from an Alien book? Because there's so much you can do within that universe - I've said it before, the horror in Alien media lies in how the humans behave in reaction to xenomorphs/black goo/etc. The xenomorphs are the lighters, the human characters are the fuel. Write interesting characters with interesting motivations within the confines of the Alien universe, and you're off! Just rehashing the movies is boring and a waste.
(Thanks to Titan Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)
The characters encounter xenomorphs (why the book insists on capitalising 'xenomorph' I don't know - you don't write Humans, or Cats, why Xenomorphs? Especially when later we get genetically altered xenomorphs called 'biodrones', which is never capitalised - pick a lane!) on one planet, then when approaching a different planet there's a recorded warning of 'an infestation', I wonder what that'll turn out to be. Our main characters don't seem to have an idea.
A character mysteriously disappears early on in the book, and your storytelling instincts will make you wonder where that'll go, some form of betrayal, that's very Alien-esque, isn't it? Nope, they reappear, there wasn't any real point to it.
The biodrones - someone has genetically engineered xenomorphs into things called biodrones. How are they different? No idea. Characters speculate beforehand that they must be much like xenomorphs, and when the biodrones appear they're barely described, and no one says "oh wow, they sure are like xeno's!". They seem to behave and brutalise human anatomy just like xenomorphs, and it just makes you wonder why there is such a thing as a 'biodrone', why make the distinction?
(A character rams a spear into a xenomorph queen's back, right through her. The character isn't a synthetic, or even a trained marine. I need receipts, or it never happened.)
It all feels deperately uninspired, nothing interesting or surprising happens. There's a badly written romance, that never convinces. You may think, why expect anything original from an Alien book? Because there's so much you can do within that universe - I've said it before, the horror in Alien media lies in how the humans behave in reaction to xenomorphs/black goo/etc. The xenomorphs are the lighters, the human characters are the fuel. Write interesting characters with interesting motivations within the confines of the Alien universe, and you're off! Just rehashing the movies is boring and a waste.
(Thanks to Titan Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)
March 11, 2023
Even if you are not a fan of the Alien franchise, this was a highly enjoyable sci-fi / horror novel. A great starting point for the works of Mary SanGiovanni.
A bit formulaic, but what can you expect from an Alien novel there isn't a whole lot of directions you can take one of these, so the key is to fill it with engaging characters and great set pieces which the author has done. So for a fun quick read you can't go wrong here.
A bit formulaic, but what can you expect from an Alien novel there isn't a whole lot of directions you can take one of these, so the key is to fill it with engaging characters and great set pieces which the author has done. So for a fun quick read you can't go wrong here.
November 28, 2023
A perfect popcorn movie enjoyable Alien novel. More aliens, more action, more horror. Sure, was it cliched, yes, but what a wonderful ride along the way. Enjoy the bloody fun and horror and tune out reality for a while.
June 21, 2023
This is the worst Alien book I've ever read (and I've read and enjoyed plenty).
The plot twists aren't surprising and yet the crew can't put two and two together, walk into every trap and behave like idiots. The ending is stupid and don't even get me started on the unnecessary romance between the main character Siobhan and First Sergeant Alec.
I mean seriously, the crew gets a distress message about an accident at the lab, head over there, find a lot of blood and while they try to find out what happened, Siobhan is thinking: “Thick dark hair with hints of gray, blue eyes, rugged build, the scruff of a beard just starting along his jaw—sure, he was a good-looking guy. It wasn’t that, though. Perhaps it was his voice, the look in those blue eyes. Both were reassuring, strong…”
There is another romance scene that had me rolling my eyes (I’m putting it in a spoiler tag because it's much later in the book):
If I wanted to read a romance novel, I would've done just that and not pick an Alien novel. Siobhan's thoughts in general are the worst thing about this book. There is a scene where Alec is fighing a Xenomorph and the Xenomorph is squealing a threat in his direction. Alec grunts back at it and Siobhan thinks: “Two alphas squaring off.”
I normally love a good Alien novel, it doesn't have to be extra creative, the old formula (there's a distress signal because of a Xenomorph outbreak, someone encounters a Xenomorph egg or an experiment goes wrong and the Xenomorph escape and everyone has to fight for their lives) works well - but the plot has to be somewhat coherent and at least one of the characters shouldn't be annoying or flat. It's never a good sign if you root for the Xenomorph and hope that every last member of the crew dies.
I can't recommend this book, not even for fans of the Alien franchise.
The plot twists aren't surprising and yet the crew can't put two and two together, walk into every trap and behave like idiots. The ending is stupid and don't even get me started on the unnecessary romance between the main character Siobhan and First Sergeant Alec.
I mean seriously, the crew gets a distress message about an accident at the lab, head over there, find a lot of blood and while they try to find out what happened, Siobhan is thinking: “Thick dark hair with hints of gray, blue eyes, rugged build, the scruff of a beard just starting along his jaw—sure, he was a good-looking guy. It wasn’t that, though. Perhaps it was his voice, the look in those blue eyes. Both were reassuring, strong…”
There is another romance scene that had me rolling my eyes (I’m putting it in a spoiler tag because it's much later in the book):
If I wanted to read a romance novel, I would've done just that and not pick an Alien novel. Siobhan's thoughts in general are the worst thing about this book. There is a scene where Alec is fighing a Xenomorph and the Xenomorph is squealing a threat in his direction. Alec grunts back at it and Siobhan thinks: “Two alphas squaring off.”
I normally love a good Alien novel, it doesn't have to be extra creative, the old formula (there's a distress signal because of a Xenomorph outbreak, someone encounters a Xenomorph egg or an experiment goes wrong and the Xenomorph escape and everyone has to fight for their lives) works well - but the plot has to be somewhat coherent and at least one of the characters shouldn't be annoying or flat. It's never a good sign if you root for the Xenomorph and hope that every last member of the crew dies.
I can't recommend this book, not even for fans of the Alien franchise.
April 25, 2023
Alien: Enemy Of My Enemy By Mary SanGiovanni, is a media-tin novel based on the “Alien” film franchise, and the third book in the “Colony War” arc.
Mary SanGiovanni’s latest Alien novel, Alien: Enemy of My Enemy, is a hefty read with straight-forward storytelling and ideas faithful to the sci-fi/horror of the Alien movies. And it lands as the best of the Alien expanded adventure tie-ins, filled with all-new characters. Author Mary SanGiovanni uses all the key elements: a powerful woman in the vein of Ripley but also very different, Colonial Marines on a life-or-death mission, Weyland-Yutani corporate antics, Xenomorphs in all their forms, marooned humans, and many strange, new, dark and scary places.
No character is safe, and that may be the best part, as the author isn’t afraid to sweep away anyone at any moment. More than any prior Alien novel, she demonstrates she understands that the rules of sci-fi storytelling go out the window when a nasty monster can swing down from the ceiling and pluck away even the most interesting characters with no notice. And that’s different than most of the franchise stories, which tend to follow a protagonist from page one to the very end. It also has less slasher-horror gore and more Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park-esque demises.
The author also skips the origin story and background bits, diving right into the vile nature of the story’s villain, a mad scientist named Dr. Fowler. Basically your average evil corrupt company man in the vain of Aliens Carter Burke. Fowler is running a bio-weapons lab on Hygieia, an Outer Rim colony, built on a moon of the dead planet Hephaestus, and the moon is on a collision course with the planet. He has conned “volunteers” into testing his latest weapon, which involves the implant of a Xenomorph–the kind of thing we’ve seen before in Alien stories. The twist here is that it’s part of a serum he’s developing for his program ultimately designed to make super-soldiers.
Without hesitation the story delves in with the inevitable, out-of-control experiment, and the colony quickly becomes a “run for your life,” “every man for himself” scenario. Characters on the colony are introduced, then written off the page just as quickly. Which ones get to stay? You can’t predict it, although one rises as a more likely potential survivor. But that doesn’t mean anyone necessarily makes it out alive.
Meanwhile a few days travel away on United Americas colony LV-846, a major meeting of rival political, military, and corporate factions are scheduled to discuss the simmering colonial hostilities, and the very type of program of biological warfare being developed on Hygieia. And there may not be only one villain. Some characters are thrown in as red herrings. A little girl is alone and relying on others to get her off planet. A pregnant woman struggles to get somewhere safe. A synthetic seems to be the perfect companion when trying to escape the toothy terrors. Who is the title’s “enemy of my enemy”? Theres a reason it sounds like humans are stuck again in a scenario like Aliens vs Predator.
I love that this novel takes a break from the often Tom Clancy-deep political machinations and technobabble of the last few recent Alien novels. Every character who has a chance to survive only focuses on survival, and only once does a Colonial Marine go a little gung-ho with his comments. One character is conscientious enough to return to a facility to get any survivors on the way out, which arrives at a rare glimpse of nobility when you can imagine everyone probably would be screaming. Likewise some expressions of compassion are filtered in, but no time for tears and discussions of the future or reminiscences of day’s past with monsters breathing down their necks, unlike what we’ve seen in other Alien novels. It’s close to the vibe of the original movies–think of it as the Rogue One of the Alien tie-in novels It even has a rewarding, surprise ending, and only one denouement.
All in all, While it may not tread new ground in terms of the Aliens, it does offer plenty of action and well-developed characters whose motivations are well-defined which helps them become more than cannon fodder for the ravenous Xenomorph hordes.
Mary SanGiovanni’s latest Alien novel, Alien: Enemy of My Enemy, is a hefty read with straight-forward storytelling and ideas faithful to the sci-fi/horror of the Alien movies. And it lands as the best of the Alien expanded adventure tie-ins, filled with all-new characters. Author Mary SanGiovanni uses all the key elements: a powerful woman in the vein of Ripley but also very different, Colonial Marines on a life-or-death mission, Weyland-Yutani corporate antics, Xenomorphs in all their forms, marooned humans, and many strange, new, dark and scary places.
No character is safe, and that may be the best part, as the author isn’t afraid to sweep away anyone at any moment. More than any prior Alien novel, she demonstrates she understands that the rules of sci-fi storytelling go out the window when a nasty monster can swing down from the ceiling and pluck away even the most interesting characters with no notice. And that’s different than most of the franchise stories, which tend to follow a protagonist from page one to the very end. It also has less slasher-horror gore and more Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park-esque demises.
The author also skips the origin story and background bits, diving right into the vile nature of the story’s villain, a mad scientist named Dr. Fowler. Basically your average evil corrupt company man in the vain of Aliens Carter Burke. Fowler is running a bio-weapons lab on Hygieia, an Outer Rim colony, built on a moon of the dead planet Hephaestus, and the moon is on a collision course with the planet. He has conned “volunteers” into testing his latest weapon, which involves the implant of a Xenomorph–the kind of thing we’ve seen before in Alien stories. The twist here is that it’s part of a serum he’s developing for his program ultimately designed to make super-soldiers.
Without hesitation the story delves in with the inevitable, out-of-control experiment, and the colony quickly becomes a “run for your life,” “every man for himself” scenario. Characters on the colony are introduced, then written off the page just as quickly. Which ones get to stay? You can’t predict it, although one rises as a more likely potential survivor. But that doesn’t mean anyone necessarily makes it out alive.
Meanwhile a few days travel away on United Americas colony LV-846, a major meeting of rival political, military, and corporate factions are scheduled to discuss the simmering colonial hostilities, and the very type of program of biological warfare being developed on Hygieia. And there may not be only one villain. Some characters are thrown in as red herrings. A little girl is alone and relying on others to get her off planet. A pregnant woman struggles to get somewhere safe. A synthetic seems to be the perfect companion when trying to escape the toothy terrors. Who is the title’s “enemy of my enemy”? Theres a reason it sounds like humans are stuck again in a scenario like Aliens vs Predator.
I love that this novel takes a break from the often Tom Clancy-deep political machinations and technobabble of the last few recent Alien novels. Every character who has a chance to survive only focuses on survival, and only once does a Colonial Marine go a little gung-ho with his comments. One character is conscientious enough to return to a facility to get any survivors on the way out, which arrives at a rare glimpse of nobility when you can imagine everyone probably would be screaming. Likewise some expressions of compassion are filtered in, but no time for tears and discussions of the future or reminiscences of day’s past with monsters breathing down their necks, unlike what we’ve seen in other Alien novels. It’s close to the vibe of the original movies–think of it as the Rogue One of the Alien tie-in novels It even has a rewarding, surprise ending, and only one denouement.
All in all, While it may not tread new ground in terms of the Aliens, it does offer plenty of action and well-developed characters whose motivations are well-defined which helps them become more than cannon fodder for the ravenous Xenomorph hordes.
August 2, 2023
The reviews are all over the place for this book....I'm a big fan of the original movie and I have read and enjoyed some of the Tim Lebbon Alien titles but typically I don't read many titles from movie franchises. I thought this was a well paced story with a couple of concepts that I thought worked pretty well. Overall a good read.
7/10
7/10
November 5, 2023
A young or new musician composing a song requires the musician to create something out of nothing. It is different when Tony Iommi plugs in his guitar and goes to write a Black Sabbath song he has certain expectations. He has chords, a guitar sound, and he has Ozzy or Dio’s voice in his head, I know Geezer wrote most of the lyrics but you get the idea.
Writing a tie-in novel is a tricky thing. Fans of the franchise, are like fans of a band. You have to hit the recognizable notes like a power cord. This novel has to feel like it is in the Alien universe, some readers will complain if something is too different, it has to simply feel like something they have seen before. At the same time, other readers will complain if they don't get something new. I enjoyed it when Brian Evenson (written as B.K. Evenson) did something wild and out there with his Alien: No Exit. That novel was a like noir with a detective who sleeps in hypersleep until Xenomorph events happen. Some readers complained it wasn’t Alien enough. Threading that needle in this novel is a great writer.
Mary Sangiovanni is a knowledgeable writer who has been on my podcast a few times to bring her expertise on all things cosmic horror. I was excited to see Mary write a science fiction novel, I was personally less interested in Xenomorph of the whole thing as I was at seeing what Mary did with Sci-fi. This is the third in a self contained trilogy, but I didn't read the other books and I think I was fine.
Mary stuck close to the formula, which is fine because there are many times she gave it her special touch – namely reminding the reader that these monsters are a creation of the darkest corners of the cosmos. Space is always trying to kill us. Consider this moment on page 78…
“Another pass of light showed even larger holes in the floor and more yellow acid that had eaten through the floor around the medical pods.
“Blood can’t do that,” Siobhan said, shaking her head. I don’t care what kind of experiments they’re doing here. How could any living thing have blood like that?”
A moment of suspense for sure, that will remind us that feeling we got watching the movies. The question at the end of this quote speaks to cosmic horror at the heart of these killing machines. It is the reason that the corporation in this franchise want to make the Xenomorph into a weapon. Some writers doing Alien novels just set up the action scenes. No moment of cosmic dread is left behind in moments like this. Many of the best moments of this novel are in the execution.
The set-up is an interesting one. I don't know how much comes from the first two books in the trilogy. A Weyland-Yutani bioweapons lab is under the gun to provide results as the Moon they are stationed on is in sudden danger as the orbit is collapsing into the planet Hepaestus. Again, the cosmos itself working to kill the characters and creating an added ticking clock besides the Xenomorphs running around. There is another research labs near and they are a different corporation making drugs. They are all waiting to be evacuated just as a major peace conference is set begin on the nearby conference.
Quickly, maybe too quickly the Xenomorphs escape the lab, and in the prologue start the killing. This maybe a function of being a third book, and I get why you do that as a writer to open with action and give yourself some room for a little more build-up later. Sangiovanni certainly uses build up and tension through the rest of the book so this is minor complaint and I absolutely understand why you would start this way.
There are a couple of elements that give the framing story something original to the alien franchise. The concerns of the two corporations, the ticking clock of the dying moon, the peace conference. These are balanced with moments that feel very familiar, dynamics between the colonial Marines, the lead character, but those are features not bugs.
If you want to go in cold that stop here, buy and read the book and meet me back here. I really enjoy when writers like Tim Lebbon or Mary Sangiovanni play with the tropes and make solid as a rock Alien novels. I think I personally enjoy the weird B.K. Evenson No Exit style but we are not here to talk any other Alien books and this one is super fun.
For those of you who complain there is nothing new here, let me stop you and present a scene for further evidence. In the first one hundred pages the local wildlife who are like massive elk on the dying moon are seeded into the background. This pays off on page 120.
“The Xenomorph clinging to the outer wall was enormous, two or three times the size they’d seen so far. Tufts of fur grew between the jutting blades of its shoulders and black spines, and it’s chest was much broader. Most notable, though- most terrifying – was the set of gigantic bony antlers protruding from the curved, eyeless heads.”
I kinda always understood that the Xenomorphs we’ve seen face hug a human and then they are a human like version. This scene really got me. Cool stuff.
I admit I don’t know the Alien universe, but when the novel get into world-building and background of the conference is when we get details of the wider universe which in the main franchise is mostly expressed in corporate greed. We knew they wanted bioweapons so in this we get some information about the seeds of the conflict, it is light seasoning, a pinch of salt but it did tons for this reader. I am assuming there is more details in the first two books. I suppose I will have to go back and check them out at some point.
The most interesting character was Weyland-Yutani researcher Dr. McCormick, who created meds he thought could slow down the process of Xenomorph gestation up to three weeks. Running out of time this crazy fucker allows himself to become a host, figuring he can prove his science, and in a sense make himself valuable to be saved after he realizes the whole mission will be written off.
This character might be the most interesting thing in the novel, and I was impressed by this whole storyline. It is a interesting wrinkle that comes logically out of the world building we've seen. I also liked that the novel touched on the Prometheus/Covenant events as I am one of the rare fans of Prometheus and the bold swing it took mythology-wise.
Alien: Enemy of My Enemy is a strong powerful power cord that is played with great skill. A fun read for fans of the franchise who want to familiar story with elements of cosmic horror and minutes of elevation. As a writer I was playfully jealous that Mary got to play in this sandbox and was constantly thinking about more Alien novels that could be. That shows that this novel was stimulating my imgination, telling a fun story and entertaining. Mission accomplished.
Writing a tie-in novel is a tricky thing. Fans of the franchise, are like fans of a band. You have to hit the recognizable notes like a power cord. This novel has to feel like it is in the Alien universe, some readers will complain if something is too different, it has to simply feel like something they have seen before. At the same time, other readers will complain if they don't get something new. I enjoyed it when Brian Evenson (written as B.K. Evenson) did something wild and out there with his Alien: No Exit. That novel was a like noir with a detective who sleeps in hypersleep until Xenomorph events happen. Some readers complained it wasn’t Alien enough. Threading that needle in this novel is a great writer.
Mary Sangiovanni is a knowledgeable writer who has been on my podcast a few times to bring her expertise on all things cosmic horror. I was excited to see Mary write a science fiction novel, I was personally less interested in Xenomorph of the whole thing as I was at seeing what Mary did with Sci-fi. This is the third in a self contained trilogy, but I didn't read the other books and I think I was fine.
Mary stuck close to the formula, which is fine because there are many times she gave it her special touch – namely reminding the reader that these monsters are a creation of the darkest corners of the cosmos. Space is always trying to kill us. Consider this moment on page 78…
“Another pass of light showed even larger holes in the floor and more yellow acid that had eaten through the floor around the medical pods.
“Blood can’t do that,” Siobhan said, shaking her head. I don’t care what kind of experiments they’re doing here. How could any living thing have blood like that?”
A moment of suspense for sure, that will remind us that feeling we got watching the movies. The question at the end of this quote speaks to cosmic horror at the heart of these killing machines. It is the reason that the corporation in this franchise want to make the Xenomorph into a weapon. Some writers doing Alien novels just set up the action scenes. No moment of cosmic dread is left behind in moments like this. Many of the best moments of this novel are in the execution.
The set-up is an interesting one. I don't know how much comes from the first two books in the trilogy. A Weyland-Yutani bioweapons lab is under the gun to provide results as the Moon they are stationed on is in sudden danger as the orbit is collapsing into the planet Hepaestus. Again, the cosmos itself working to kill the characters and creating an added ticking clock besides the Xenomorphs running around. There is another research labs near and they are a different corporation making drugs. They are all waiting to be evacuated just as a major peace conference is set begin on the nearby conference.
Quickly, maybe too quickly the Xenomorphs escape the lab, and in the prologue start the killing. This maybe a function of being a third book, and I get why you do that as a writer to open with action and give yourself some room for a little more build-up later. Sangiovanni certainly uses build up and tension through the rest of the book so this is minor complaint and I absolutely understand why you would start this way.
There are a couple of elements that give the framing story something original to the alien franchise. The concerns of the two corporations, the ticking clock of the dying moon, the peace conference. These are balanced with moments that feel very familiar, dynamics between the colonial Marines, the lead character, but those are features not bugs.
If you want to go in cold that stop here, buy and read the book and meet me back here. I really enjoy when writers like Tim Lebbon or Mary Sangiovanni play with the tropes and make solid as a rock Alien novels. I think I personally enjoy the weird B.K. Evenson No Exit style but we are not here to talk any other Alien books and this one is super fun.
For those of you who complain there is nothing new here, let me stop you and present a scene for further evidence. In the first one hundred pages the local wildlife who are like massive elk on the dying moon are seeded into the background. This pays off on page 120.
“The Xenomorph clinging to the outer wall was enormous, two or three times the size they’d seen so far. Tufts of fur grew between the jutting blades of its shoulders and black spines, and it’s chest was much broader. Most notable, though- most terrifying – was the set of gigantic bony antlers protruding from the curved, eyeless heads.”
I kinda always understood that the Xenomorphs we’ve seen face hug a human and then they are a human like version. This scene really got me. Cool stuff.
I admit I don’t know the Alien universe, but when the novel get into world-building and background of the conference is when we get details of the wider universe which in the main franchise is mostly expressed in corporate greed. We knew they wanted bioweapons so in this we get some information about the seeds of the conflict, it is light seasoning, a pinch of salt but it did tons for this reader. I am assuming there is more details in the first two books. I suppose I will have to go back and check them out at some point.
The most interesting character was Weyland-Yutani researcher Dr. McCormick, who created meds he thought could slow down the process of Xenomorph gestation up to three weeks. Running out of time this crazy fucker allows himself to become a host, figuring he can prove his science, and in a sense make himself valuable to be saved after he realizes the whole mission will be written off.
This character might be the most interesting thing in the novel, and I was impressed by this whole storyline. It is a interesting wrinkle that comes logically out of the world building we've seen. I also liked that the novel touched on the Prometheus/Covenant events as I am one of the rare fans of Prometheus and the bold swing it took mythology-wise.
Alien: Enemy of My Enemy is a strong powerful power cord that is played with great skill. A fun read for fans of the franchise who want to familiar story with elements of cosmic horror and minutes of elevation. As a writer I was playfully jealous that Mary got to play in this sandbox and was constantly thinking about more Alien novels that could be. That shows that this novel was stimulating my imgination, telling a fun story and entertaining. Mission accomplished.
April 3, 2023
This is for the audiobook.
One of the worst Alien books I have had the displeasure to attempt to listen to for an 90 minutes.
Nothing new, and it's all been done better before, just hope I can help someone else out there to avoid wasting their time.
Avoid.
One of the worst Alien books I have had the displeasure to attempt to listen to for an 90 minutes.
Nothing new, and it's all been done better before, just hope I can help someone else out there to avoid wasting their time.
Avoid.
April 30, 2023
It all depends on the reader's perception, some would say that it serves as a great homage to the original films, while others may see it as a jigsaw almost entirely composed of elements already established with very little to innovation. Sadly I fall more to the latter...
August 11, 2023
This was a great Alien novel. Some of them are a slow burn but not this one. While it’s the third novel with an RPG tie in, it’s the best of them. The aliens introduced are a new enemy and the characters this time are engaging and unique. The RPG scenario is also really fun
June 8, 2025
Enemy of My Enemy is an overall solid entry into the Alien Universe novels from Mary SanGiovanni. The first two-thirds are far better than the final tacked on third, as SanGiovanni creates a small cast of likeable characters (and one asshole reminiscent of Dr Smith from the old TV show Lost in Space) and puts them in peril amidst our old pals the Xenomorphs. Her two mains have a simple but engaging bond, and the marines that fight alongside them (at least those make it past page 100) are easy to root for. The action also starts early and never lets up, which makes for a well-paced read.
Unfortunately, once the characters make it to another world and run into trouble there, everything seems rushed. And, inexplicably, what should have been a major event in everything that the previous novels have been building to somehow takes place in the background to this smaller story, with this one then swooping in to kickstart the next novel in the series.
It's not SanGiovanni's fault, but whoever plotted out this series of novels at Alien HQ needs a right kick in the ass.
Anyway, near as I can tell the newly released Seventh Circle tangentially continues this storyline, so I guess I'll be going over there sometime soon to see if that one provides some more direct answers.
3 High Level Peace Talks for Enemy of My Enemy.
Unfortunately, once the characters make it to another world and run into trouble there, everything seems rushed. And, inexplicably, what should have been a major event in everything that the previous novels have been building to somehow takes place in the background to this smaller story, with this one then swooping in to kickstart the next novel in the series.
It's not SanGiovanni's fault, but whoever plotted out this series of novels at Alien HQ needs a right kick in the ass.
Anyway, near as I can tell the newly released Seventh Circle tangentially continues this storyline, so I guess I'll be going over there sometime soon to see if that one provides some more direct answers.
3 High Level Peace Talks for Enemy of My Enemy.
September 22, 2024
I’m a simple man that can embrace cliche when it’s done correctly. This is not the case. The opening ‘hits the ground running’ but then we as the reader are left going in circles for the better part of 200 pages. Xenomorph hatches - xeno shenanigans happen - people die - people betray - xeno escapes - cause shenanigans - so on and so on.
The premise is interesting for sure, it’s why I picked this book over a myriad of others, but it’s just padded to the point of tedium.
Could’ve been 100 or so less pages for a more concise and fun read.
2/5
The premise is interesting for sure, it’s why I picked this book over a myriad of others, but it’s just padded to the point of tedium.
Could’ve been 100 or so less pages for a more concise and fun read.
2/5
February 28, 2023
This was SO GOOD.
Everything I could possibly want from an Alien story.
Mary SanGiovanni manages to really make the titular alien scary and there is a big ole monster battle during the finale that I love so much.
Everything I could possibly want from an Alien story.
Mary SanGiovanni manages to really make the titular alien scary and there is a big ole monster battle during the finale that I love so much.
April 26, 2023
I am hoping that I have not grown weary of Alien franchise because this book hardly gave me any enjoyment. Nothing different happens, no new types of xenomorphs, no twists, nothing.
June 14, 2023
I have read a lot of alien books - I enjoy when they do something 'new' but also have to stay with the original roots. This one did both. Full review to come when I'm in the mood, but I was pleasantly surprised and par this as one of my top two favorite Alien books right now, the other being Alien: The Cold Forge audio. I bought this one in Kindle so cannot say how well the narration was. There were plenty of tense senses, and enjoyably instead of this being one-long action fest in the same spot, we have various scenes and three phases to keep things rolling. Besides nods to the original Alien movies and themes including mentioning alien prisons, the Engineers are mentioned, and "black goo" as mentioned in the Promethius films. I'm also pleased as a fan that Weyland-Yutani is focused on mainly as the primary greedy corporation instead of a replacement company as some other books - and the fourth film - have done.
May 13, 2024
Formulaic and predictable Alien novel, which is also exactly what you want from the series. I love how the same sh*t happens to different people every time. The scientists and the marines always manage to fit perfectly together with good characters. There are always the right amount of twists. And thankfully in this book we get the right amount of xenomorphs too, something that can sadly be lacking in other novels in the series.
May 8, 2024
I am a nerd for these books haha. I love the flow of the story, just keeps going along. You get to know the characters more as you go, but in the back of your mind you know most will not make it to the end. At times a little less back story would be nice for someone who is going to die in the next 2 pages, but oh well. This was not the best of this series, but it was still a fun, quick read. Great for a rainy day.
August 29, 2024
[3.5] I have conflicting feelings about this book. First off, it throws aside character development and world building to straight action. So, the pacing is neck speed but there is not a lot of substance and - after a while - I started to get bored with action piece to action piece feeling the same. Also, these characters make some dumb decisions. But, it was still entertaining overall.
April 10, 2024
It worked for me. Unpopular opinion time
January 15, 2024
Title: Alien: Enemy of My Enemy
Authors: Mary Sangiovanni
Publisher: Titan Books, 20th Century Studios
Release Date: March 2023 (USA) / February 2023 (UK)
Price: US $16.95 / CA $22.95 / UK £9.99
The following review contains mild spoilers.
The latest Alien novel from Titan Books and 20th Century Studios is the third novel in a loosely connected trilogy. Alien: Enemy of My Enemy comes after Alien: Inferno’s Fall and the events of Alien: Colony War.
It’s unclear how many additional novels from Titan Books will directly tie into this trilogy; however the way these books have masterfully expanded the Alien storytelling universe, it’s likely further entries will come, making Alien: Enemy of My Enemy and the other two novels must-read books for hardcore fans of the franchise.
Synopsis
HYGIEIA—AN OUTER RIM COLONY—IS DOOMED. The moon on which it was built hurtles toward an inevitable collision with the dead planet Hephaestus. The clock is ticking, yet when a distress signal arrives from a Weyland-Yutani biowarfare outpost, a desperate plan is launched to evacuate the trapped scientists. Meanwhile, across the galaxy a mysterious black substance rains down on Earth settlements, creating hideous monsters from indigenous creatures . . . and from human beings.
Alien: Enemy of My Enemy checks all the boxes fans will love, from classic Weyland-Yutani greed to expanding the narrative universe via exploration of competitor corporations like Seegson and via pushing forward the meta-story of the colony wars and terrorist bombings.
The novel is divided into three main acts: Part I: Serpent Moon; Part II: Exit Plan; and Part III: Into the Fire. The narrative arc winds around the fate of Seegson researcher Dr. Siobhan McCormick and Colonial Marine Sargent Alec Brand, the latter of whom fans will recognize from the Dark Horse Comics publications Aliens: Resistance and Aliens: Rescue. Brand had previous dealings with Amanda Ripley, Zula Hendricks, and the synthetic Davis, thus making his inclusion in this trilogy yet another connection to previously established lore and the storytelling of the comics.
What the Novel Does Well
From the moment readers begin Alien: Enemy of My Enemy, it is clear that they are in good hands. Sangiovanni is without a doubt one of the more talented writers to craft a story for the beloved science-fiction / horror franchise. Her writing is smooth and engaging, successfully avoiding the mistakes of less experienced writers in the series, who at times fall into the navel-gazing and poor pacing that unfortunately pull readers out of the story and break the magic. In contrast, Sangiovanni presents a master class in storytelling.
Enemy of My Enemy is a page-turning drama from the start, and each act of the story builds on the intensity and gravitas of the last. While there is so much to love about this novel, the following three factors made this book a personal favorite.
A Royal Treatment for the Xenomorphs
If you’ve read any of my previous reviews, you know that respecting the Xenomorph is paramount for me. I’m happy to report that Sangiovanni’s depiction of the aliens is right there with the work of the best authors in the franchise.
Readers will feel the terror of the Xenomorph. This isn’t a story where the monsters are dispatched with ease, cut down by rifles shot from the hip, reducing the perfect organism to a mere bug. Sangiovanni’s Xenos are “enhanced” by an experimental drug from Dr. Fowler, a Weyland-Yutani scientist trying to prolong the gestation period of the chestbursters; as such, when the creatures emerge, they grow rapidly and have heightened aggression.
As a result, the Xenos are nearly unfazed by pulse rifle fire. Marines blow off an arm or punch a hole through the alien’s torso, but the creatures keep coming. The resiliency and tenacity of Sangiovanni’s Xenomorphs is refreshing and makes them truly terrifying because readers never quite feel at ease that their heavily armed Colonial Marines will be able to defend themselves against the hive or even live to the end of the chapter.
Beyond the physical nature of the creatures, the manner in which they attack marks a return to the terror of the first two films. These Xenos surprise soldiers, dragging them away in air ducts; they tail whip and use the impaled victims as projectiles against would-be attackers; they are intelligent and cunning. The way Sangiovanni writes the combat sequences leaves the reader with a clear message: these are the most dangerous organisms in the universe.
Finally, Alien: Enemy of My Enemy gives readers unique variations of the Xenomorph and uses them for some thrilling encounters. I won’t give spoilers here, but the tension created by the variants reaches its peak in the third act of the story and absolutely delivers the goods.
If you share my frustration over the taming of the Xenomorph or the way the creature has drifted from the terror of the “Big Chap,” then rest assured, Alien: Enemy of My Enemy is the book for you.
Character-Driven Action
While respecting the Perfect Organism is priority one for any Alien story, priority two is certainly delivering characters that readers and audiences care deeply for. Sigourney Weaver’s performance of Ellen Ripley played a huge role in the success of the films and the many creative offspring generated from the films. When Ripley charges heroically into the hive to save Newt, her own motivations as a grieving mother trying to save an orphaned girl elevated the story from an exciting action adventure to a moving work of art. (I still believe the deleted scene of Ripley getting the news about her daughter Amanda’s death should have made the theatrical cut.)
It is in this sense that Sangiovanni’s Enemy of My Enemy is a huge success. She masters the artistic balance of pushing the plot forward at a steady pace that maintains tension while working in moments of character building that bond readers with the protagonists and avoid disruption of the narrative.
Dr. Siobhan McCormick, who prefers to go by her first name, is carved from the mold of an Ellen Ripley, yet maintains her own personality and motivations. Siobhan is courageous, adaptive, and protective of the innocent. Her training as a scientist allows her to analyze danger and make calculated decisions that are founded in her moral center.
Similarly, readers unfamiliar with Sargent Alec Brand will immediately take a liking to his character. Alec has a tenderness that underlies his lethal efficiency as a Colonial Marine; as readers learn about his past and why he won’t back down from the Xenomorphs, they will feel the weight and terror of his journey.
The bottom line is that when Sangiovanni’s characters face danger, readers will care what happens to them; she also establishes very early on that she isn’t afraid to kill her darlings. It is because of this that Alien: Enemy of My Enemy presents readers with an authentic world where very real dangers await beloved characters.
An Expanded Universe
Titan Books commissioned David Barnett; Philippa Balantine and Člara Carija; and Mary Sangiovanni to each take a faction within the Alien universe and develop new storylines. While some of the entries are more successful than others, each of these writers wrote novels that breathe fresh air into the franchise.
Barnett’s work develops the Three World Empire (3WE) and the Independent Core System Colonies (ICSC), raising the narrative stakes through the political tensions between colonies and the terrorist acts of the pathogen bombs.
Balantine and Carija develop the Union of Progressive Peoples (UPP), giving readers an up-close experience of the pathogen bombs via the terrifying events on the planet Shānmén, a mining colony run by the Jùtóu Combine.
Bringing these disparate storylines together is Sangiovanni’s Enemy of My Enemy, which follows the experiences of those closely connected to the United Americas, the political power broker wielding the Colonial Marines, the one most closely tied with Weyland-Yutani and the one readers are most familiar with.
Bonus Content: Tabletop RPG One Shot
Like Alien: Colony War and Alien: Inferno’s Fall before it, Alien: Enemy of My Enemy also contains a bonus scenario for the ALIEN tabletop role-playing game from Free League Publishing. The one shot allows players to experience a key moment from the novel, granting deeper insight into the lore of the story, as well as a chance to save certain characters from tragedy; the one shot is well written and is best led by someone who has finished the novel, while being enjoyed by other players who haven’t yet read the story and know the outcome.
Final Score
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
As you likely know if you’ve read my other reviews and gaming content, I’m extremely passionate about the Alien franchise. I consume as many comics, novels, games, and fan content that I can get my hands on. I’ll be honest, there are times when I worry that the material has run dry or that the franchise has hit a rut it might not climb out from.
For those reasons, I even put off reading and reviewing this novel, electing to explore other franchises, so I could get a fresh perspective. I can honestly say that I was caught off guard by how much I enjoyed Alien: Enemy of My Enemy. I mean from page one, I was hooked. The novel is a refreshing reminder that in the right hands, there is PLENTY of content left to be explored in my favorite franchise.
It is my sincere hope that Titan Books gives Mary Sangiovanni additional opportunities to tell stories in the Alien universe and that the publisher continues to recruit top-level talent such as her.
I'm proud to give Alien: Enemy of My Enemy a perfect five-star rating.
David Lasby is the Editor-in-Chief for Boss Rush Network. His favorite video games are The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and the Aliens franchise. You can find him on Twitter to talk all things Nintendo, sci-fi / fantasy, and creative writing.
Authors: Mary Sangiovanni
Publisher: Titan Books, 20th Century Studios
Release Date: March 2023 (USA) / February 2023 (UK)
Price: US $16.95 / CA $22.95 / UK £9.99
The following review contains mild spoilers.
The latest Alien novel from Titan Books and 20th Century Studios is the third novel in a loosely connected trilogy. Alien: Enemy of My Enemy comes after Alien: Inferno’s Fall and the events of Alien: Colony War.
It’s unclear how many additional novels from Titan Books will directly tie into this trilogy; however the way these books have masterfully expanded the Alien storytelling universe, it’s likely further entries will come, making Alien: Enemy of My Enemy and the other two novels must-read books for hardcore fans of the franchise.
Synopsis
HYGIEIA—AN OUTER RIM COLONY—IS DOOMED. The moon on which it was built hurtles toward an inevitable collision with the dead planet Hephaestus. The clock is ticking, yet when a distress signal arrives from a Weyland-Yutani biowarfare outpost, a desperate plan is launched to evacuate the trapped scientists. Meanwhile, across the galaxy a mysterious black substance rains down on Earth settlements, creating hideous monsters from indigenous creatures . . . and from human beings.
Alien: Enemy of My Enemy checks all the boxes fans will love, from classic Weyland-Yutani greed to expanding the narrative universe via exploration of competitor corporations like Seegson and via pushing forward the meta-story of the colony wars and terrorist bombings.
The novel is divided into three main acts: Part I: Serpent Moon; Part II: Exit Plan; and Part III: Into the Fire. The narrative arc winds around the fate of Seegson researcher Dr. Siobhan McCormick and Colonial Marine Sargent Alec Brand, the latter of whom fans will recognize from the Dark Horse Comics publications Aliens: Resistance and Aliens: Rescue. Brand had previous dealings with Amanda Ripley, Zula Hendricks, and the synthetic Davis, thus making his inclusion in this trilogy yet another connection to previously established lore and the storytelling of the comics.
What the Novel Does Well
From the moment readers begin Alien: Enemy of My Enemy, it is clear that they are in good hands. Sangiovanni is without a doubt one of the more talented writers to craft a story for the beloved science-fiction / horror franchise. Her writing is smooth and engaging, successfully avoiding the mistakes of less experienced writers in the series, who at times fall into the navel-gazing and poor pacing that unfortunately pull readers out of the story and break the magic. In contrast, Sangiovanni presents a master class in storytelling.
Enemy of My Enemy is a page-turning drama from the start, and each act of the story builds on the intensity and gravitas of the last. While there is so much to love about this novel, the following three factors made this book a personal favorite.
A Royal Treatment for the Xenomorphs
If you’ve read any of my previous reviews, you know that respecting the Xenomorph is paramount for me. I’m happy to report that Sangiovanni’s depiction of the aliens is right there with the work of the best authors in the franchise.
Readers will feel the terror of the Xenomorph. This isn’t a story where the monsters are dispatched with ease, cut down by rifles shot from the hip, reducing the perfect organism to a mere bug. Sangiovanni’s Xenos are “enhanced” by an experimental drug from Dr. Fowler, a Weyland-Yutani scientist trying to prolong the gestation period of the chestbursters; as such, when the creatures emerge, they grow rapidly and have heightened aggression.
As a result, the Xenos are nearly unfazed by pulse rifle fire. Marines blow off an arm or punch a hole through the alien’s torso, but the creatures keep coming. The resiliency and tenacity of Sangiovanni’s Xenomorphs is refreshing and makes them truly terrifying because readers never quite feel at ease that their heavily armed Colonial Marines will be able to defend themselves against the hive or even live to the end of the chapter.
Beyond the physical nature of the creatures, the manner in which they attack marks a return to the terror of the first two films. These Xenos surprise soldiers, dragging them away in air ducts; they tail whip and use the impaled victims as projectiles against would-be attackers; they are intelligent and cunning. The way Sangiovanni writes the combat sequences leaves the reader with a clear message: these are the most dangerous organisms in the universe.
Finally, Alien: Enemy of My Enemy gives readers unique variations of the Xenomorph and uses them for some thrilling encounters. I won’t give spoilers here, but the tension created by the variants reaches its peak in the third act of the story and absolutely delivers the goods.
If you share my frustration over the taming of the Xenomorph or the way the creature has drifted from the terror of the “Big Chap,” then rest assured, Alien: Enemy of My Enemy is the book for you.
Character-Driven Action
While respecting the Perfect Organism is priority one for any Alien story, priority two is certainly delivering characters that readers and audiences care deeply for. Sigourney Weaver’s performance of Ellen Ripley played a huge role in the success of the films and the many creative offspring generated from the films. When Ripley charges heroically into the hive to save Newt, her own motivations as a grieving mother trying to save an orphaned girl elevated the story from an exciting action adventure to a moving work of art. (I still believe the deleted scene of Ripley getting the news about her daughter Amanda’s death should have made the theatrical cut.)
It is in this sense that Sangiovanni’s Enemy of My Enemy is a huge success. She masters the artistic balance of pushing the plot forward at a steady pace that maintains tension while working in moments of character building that bond readers with the protagonists and avoid disruption of the narrative.
Dr. Siobhan McCormick, who prefers to go by her first name, is carved from the mold of an Ellen Ripley, yet maintains her own personality and motivations. Siobhan is courageous, adaptive, and protective of the innocent. Her training as a scientist allows her to analyze danger and make calculated decisions that are founded in her moral center.
Similarly, readers unfamiliar with Sargent Alec Brand will immediately take a liking to his character. Alec has a tenderness that underlies his lethal efficiency as a Colonial Marine; as readers learn about his past and why he won’t back down from the Xenomorphs, they will feel the weight and terror of his journey.
The bottom line is that when Sangiovanni’s characters face danger, readers will care what happens to them; she also establishes very early on that she isn’t afraid to kill her darlings. It is because of this that Alien: Enemy of My Enemy presents readers with an authentic world where very real dangers await beloved characters.
An Expanded Universe
Titan Books commissioned David Barnett; Philippa Balantine and Člara Carija; and Mary Sangiovanni to each take a faction within the Alien universe and develop new storylines. While some of the entries are more successful than others, each of these writers wrote novels that breathe fresh air into the franchise.
Barnett’s work develops the Three World Empire (3WE) and the Independent Core System Colonies (ICSC), raising the narrative stakes through the political tensions between colonies and the terrorist acts of the pathogen bombs.
Balantine and Carija develop the Union of Progressive Peoples (UPP), giving readers an up-close experience of the pathogen bombs via the terrifying events on the planet Shānmén, a mining colony run by the Jùtóu Combine.
Bringing these disparate storylines together is Sangiovanni’s Enemy of My Enemy, which follows the experiences of those closely connected to the United Americas, the political power broker wielding the Colonial Marines, the one most closely tied with Weyland-Yutani and the one readers are most familiar with.
Bonus Content: Tabletop RPG One Shot
Like Alien: Colony War and Alien: Inferno’s Fall before it, Alien: Enemy of My Enemy also contains a bonus scenario for the ALIEN tabletop role-playing game from Free League Publishing. The one shot allows players to experience a key moment from the novel, granting deeper insight into the lore of the story, as well as a chance to save certain characters from tragedy; the one shot is well written and is best led by someone who has finished the novel, while being enjoyed by other players who haven’t yet read the story and know the outcome.
Final Score
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
As you likely know if you’ve read my other reviews and gaming content, I’m extremely passionate about the Alien franchise. I consume as many comics, novels, games, and fan content that I can get my hands on. I’ll be honest, there are times when I worry that the material has run dry or that the franchise has hit a rut it might not climb out from.
For those reasons, I even put off reading and reviewing this novel, electing to explore other franchises, so I could get a fresh perspective. I can honestly say that I was caught off guard by how much I enjoyed Alien: Enemy of My Enemy. I mean from page one, I was hooked. The novel is a refreshing reminder that in the right hands, there is PLENTY of content left to be explored in my favorite franchise.
It is my sincere hope that Titan Books gives Mary Sangiovanni additional opportunities to tell stories in the Alien universe and that the publisher continues to recruit top-level talent such as her.
I'm proud to give Alien: Enemy of My Enemy a perfect five-star rating.
David Lasby is the Editor-in-Chief for Boss Rush Network. His favorite video games are The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and the Aliens franchise. You can find him on Twitter to talk all things Nintendo, sci-fi / fantasy, and creative writing.
July 3, 2025
Between 3,5 and 4/5. As some good unexpected moments, lots of expected ones and minor cringe passages. But at the end it’s allright.
September 21, 2023
Boring
Really disappointed and I'm easy to please when it comes to Xenomorphs.
It was like bits taken out of every movie and or book and had nothing new.
I guess at least the kid died, except that's the last thing anyone wants in a story.
The biodrones were okay, kinda remind of the little annoying things out of Diablo.
Sad that this wasn't anything new, but ways happy to have more Xenomorph content.
Really disappointed and I'm easy to please when it comes to Xenomorphs.
It was like bits taken out of every movie and or book and had nothing new.
I guess at least the kid died, except that's the last thing anyone wants in a story.
The biodrones were okay, kinda remind of the little annoying things out of Diablo.
Sad that this wasn't anything new, but ways happy to have more Xenomorph content.
October 19, 2023
Actually pretty enjoyable
April 21, 2023
There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with this book, but I struggled to connect with it.
Writing an Alien novel must be a challenge in that it’s difficult - if not impossible - to get a fresh new take.
If you’re looking for the familiarity of Alien/Aliens, then I think you’ll enjoy it.
Writing an Alien novel must be a challenge in that it’s difficult - if not impossible - to get a fresh new take.
If you’re looking for the familiarity of Alien/Aliens, then I think you’ll enjoy it.
April 4, 2023
It's an Alien book. Corporation is screwing around, Aliens get loose, there's screaming and yelling and running and people die.
It does advance the overall meta story a little but it's a pretty basic story. An enjoyable enough read.
It does advance the overall meta story a little but it's a pretty basic story. An enjoyable enough read.
May 13, 2026
So I feel like I’m sort of all over with these Alien books compared to the general sentiments of those Goodreads reviewers I’ve quickly skimmed. I think I tend to be pretty down on these, sometimes because they’re just okay as trashy pulp scifi, and sometimes because they’re really inspired in mostly equal proportion to being equally dreadful. I’ve even really liked a few (Into Charybdis and Echoes remain standouts of the last five years). I think the equally polarized definition fits this book best. There are moments where I almost felt like it was written by committee, where the inconsistency of calling a character a name (Private Rutiani, Rutiani, or Root/Dr McCormick, Siobhan, or Von…were sometimes illogically called by more than one by the same characters without contextual differences) or even using pronouns felt noticeable mostly in the first half. I was also really blown away how amazingly violent this book was in quick bursts that then left broad swaths of the book feeling like everyone was tightly enmeshed in plot armor, which also fit the tendency to pop in really convenient McGuffins and Deus Ex Machinas anytime we needed to move things along. The aliens were fine, and I found the strange ending weirdly compelling for the strange third act shift (which might be because it was unexpected, as opposed to inevitable in Vasquez when I read that earlier this year). Maybe this is my D&D bias too, but since this has a Free League supplement at the end, I was reminded of what a weirdly compelling choice it is to continue having these stories taking place mostly to show characters impacted by or caught up in peripheral elements of the ongoing weird events around the bio-bombing of the frontier worlds. I keep wanting a book to directly tackle this, but it’s also weird fun to glean that narrative as part of the background universe noise to any story’s actual central plot.
I can’t say I’d be in a rush to read more by SanGiovanni, but I’m kinda curious to see where the Alien EU goes from here.
I can’t say I’d be in a rush to read more by SanGiovanni, but I’m kinda curious to see where the Alien EU goes from here.
August 25, 2023
I have been an ALIEN fan my entire life, and this book pissed me off in new ways.
When they let a shady ass "scientist " talk them into bringing a girl they all know is infected with an Alien in her gd chest with them to their outpost where there are NO ALIENS, I WAS OUT.
It was absolute blatant stupidity by all of these twits. Marines who know about the Aliens and how deadly they are, a Doctor, a Synthetic, none of them actually used their brains and said, "This person is infected, there is no saving her. Full stop. We absolutely can't bring her to our safe zone, as that Alien inside her will burst free and get loose. Putting us all in mortal danger to the highest degree. "
So what happens????? Give ya 2 guesses........THE ALIEN BURST OUT OF HER CHEST AS SOON AS THEY BROUGHT HER INSIDE AND GOT LOOSE PUTTING THEM ALL IN MORTAL DANGER TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE. At that point, I just wanted every one of them to get merked by this Alien. They literally deserve it. I am on the Aliens side.
There had to be a better way to have an action filled, nail-biting, Alien experience without making these bozos make horrible decisions that make zero sense.
So disappointing. I love a good Alien story. This was not it.
When they let a shady ass "scientist " talk them into bringing a girl they all know is infected with an Alien in her gd chest with them to their outpost where there are NO ALIENS, I WAS OUT.
It was absolute blatant stupidity by all of these twits. Marines who know about the Aliens and how deadly they are, a Doctor, a Synthetic, none of them actually used their brains and said, "This person is infected, there is no saving her. Full stop. We absolutely can't bring her to our safe zone, as that Alien inside her will burst free and get loose. Putting us all in mortal danger to the highest degree. "
So what happens????? Give ya 2 guesses........THE ALIEN BURST OUT OF HER CHEST AS SOON AS THEY BROUGHT HER INSIDE AND GOT LOOSE PUTTING THEM ALL IN MORTAL DANGER TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE. At that point, I just wanted every one of them to get merked by this Alien. They literally deserve it. I am on the Aliens side.
There had to be a better way to have an action filled, nail-biting, Alien experience without making these bozos make horrible decisions that make zero sense.
So disappointing. I love a good Alien story. This was not it.
September 17, 2024
Formulaic and uninspiring. No hate to the author, I’m sure she can write other stories very well but I think this sort of IP-cash-grab-stuff that studios love so much is bound to result in something like this.
Also the pathogen’s Latin name in this is written as Plagiarus Praepotens. For biological nomenclature, the species name should NEVER be capitalized. It should be written as Plagiarus praepotens. It can then be shortened to P. praepotens if necessary. This error should have been caught by an editor. I know that’s a dumb thing to nitpick, but it really bothered me. Especially since “xenomorph” is also continuously capitalized.
Also the pathogen’s Latin name in this is written as Plagiarus Praepotens. For biological nomenclature, the species name should NEVER be capitalized. It should be written as Plagiarus praepotens. It can then be shortened to P. praepotens if necessary. This error should have been caught by an editor. I know that’s a dumb thing to nitpick, but it really bothered me. Especially since “xenomorph” is also continuously capitalized.
October 28, 2025
The first enjoyable Alien novel in what seems like an eternity. It's back to basics; Humans trying to survive against Aliens, with corporate corruption in the background. It's simple and formulaic, but that's what I want in an Alien story. None of that overly complicated political nonsense that's plagued recent novels. Good stuff.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews