Status Updates From Predator: If It Bleeds

Recon: almost an alternate take on the original movie. With the changes that the Predator is the main character and no one as cool or as experienced as Dutch is there to match. 3.75/5

So we get a Predator 2 novel sequel and it’s … mid. I enjoyed Danny Glovers Harrigan returning but the Brazilian lad making poor action hero references was annoying and the lethal weapon reference was so obvious and painful. 3/5

Buffalo jump: decent story, liked the Wild West setting but felt like a run of the mill predator story. 3/5

The Pilot story was fantastic and a slightly different spin on things. I’m actually surprised how long it took me to realise who ping was! I always love when Yaujta are protagonists or team up with “worthy” humans. 4.75/5

Three sparks was another top tier story. Samurai, ancient Japan setting and the Yaujta is extremely feared? Yeah I loved this story. Only complaint is the Predator is defeated fairly quick after a lot of vocal hype and a few pages of stalking the army. 4.5/5

Story - the tin man. Another interesting perspective and one where the Yaujta is a victim and the military are… the bad guys?! Finally! 3.5/5 story, the Yaujta wasn’t in it much but had some cool moments.

Blood and sand was a fascinating encounter with a Yaujta through a child’s eyes and how he uses this predator to sort his abusive aunt out. Cool concept, loved the build up. If I didn’t know this was a predator book, the ‘fallen star’ mystery would be an awesome reveal. 4/5

Next story was a cool concept. I liked the humans are abandoned on a planet that they’re trying to survive on. I enjoyed that the predators aren’t antagonistic here but it’s a competition / marking territory story. It’s refreshing to not constantly have Yautja get their asses kicked by humans.

Book seven: peak story. Norse mythology, three newly blooded Yautja learning the hunt of man isn’t as easy as they’d expect. Yautja lore drive stories are my favourite and Steve Perry knocks it out the park again!

Story 6: decent horror vibes, interesting take but wasn’t anything special 3/5

Story five was fairly decent. I liked the Hurricane Katrina setting and the Yautja hunting a creature instead of just humans. Shame it was shorter than the previous stories and felt a bit too fast paced at points.
3/5

Story four: 4/5 predators that straight up want to throw hands but have the honour and respect to make it 4 v 4 and let the rest go? Top tier story. Only downside (even if it was a product of the time) was the setting and racism to both Indians and black people.

Third story: 4.5/5 Steve Perry novels are always solid. A tale of two Yautja out for revenge, against a couple who killed predators 9 years prior. It’s cool to see humans who know what they’re against and are complete idiots. Only gripe was I wanted it longer and female Yautja are massive, not small…

Stonewalls last stand: 4/5 echoes the first movie but set in civil war America in the 1800s which is a welcome setting. The use of the Yautja was top tier, very formidable and again has echoes of it’s Jungle Hunter ancestor’s story. Shame the ending miffed me!

Story one: a short but sweet story. Very classic avp. Not a lot of Yautja and classic company is bad writing. 2.5/5