Review Tuesday - ALIEN: The Official Movie Novelization by Alan Dean Foster

ALIEN

The Official Movie Novelization

by Alan Dean Foster

The crew of a tug vessel make first contact with an ALIEN life form. 

I recently discovered this novelization of the 1979 movie that was based on the story by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. What better item to review on ALIEN Day? 

I would say, largely, this is an okay telling of the story from the movie. I have seen the movie numerous times and even read the original Lovecraft-inspired script by the name of "THE STAR BEAST" by O'Bannon (reviewed previously HERE). Why they only got around to making a novelization of a movie from 1979 in March of 2014 is quite beyond me. Plus they got Alan Dean Foster who seems to be the go-to guy for sci-fi movie novelizations these days.

What was good was the amount of detail that Foster shared with the reader that wasn't previously given. For instance, in the book Ash knew a lot told the crew about it before being de-activated. He also kept that same level of Jaws In Space suspense like in the original movie.

What I didn't care for were some of the added details, like the dreamer thing in the beginning, that added little-to-nothing to the story. Also, some details were changed or left out. The team never came across the Space Jockey, which is an important visual in the movie and even in the original script. There is, also, very little description of the ALIEN except during the face-hugger stage. And even the final scene when Ripley drives the ALIEN out of the shuttle was changed, why???

I would call this a mixed bag, but the good definitely outweighs the bad. A fan will certainly enjoy reading this book.

Got it on AMAZON