AVP: Alien vs. Predator: The Movie Novelization [Mass Market Paperback]

Marc Cerasini (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 29, 2004

The movie, scheduled to be released in October, 2004, is being directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, a veteran of this genre (Resident Evil, Mortal Kombat, Soldier, Event Horizon, and Shopping. It also stars Lance Henriksen of X-Files, Millenium and previous Alien films fame. A team of drillers, scientists and archaeologists led by a billionaire industrialist travel to Antarctica to investigate ancient pyramid ruins where they not only discover terrorized human skeletons among the fossilized remains of these alien creatures, but they also find further evidence that these aliens are still alive! As if that's not frightening enough, vicious Predators lay in wait above for the release of these aliens from the centuries-old ice in which they've been preserved! Thus begins the show-down between two of the greatest film horrors of all time.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Marc Cerasini's numerous writing credits include The Complete Idiot's Guide to the U.S. Special Ops Forces and Heroes: U.S. Marine Corps Medal of Honor Winners, a jacketed hardcover that recounts the history of the Marine Corps through the story of its nearly 300 medal of honour winners. Marc has also written for Tom Clancy in a number of capacities, creating the bible for the Clancy Power Plays series (set in Russia), writing the YA action/adventure thriller The Ultimate Escape for Clancy's Net Force series and writing one of the major essays on Clancy's contribution to the genre of the techno thriller for the Berkley trade bestseller The Tom Clancy Companion. Other works include 24: The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: HarperEntertainment (June 29, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060735376
• ISBN-13: 978-0060735371
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #643,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty darn decent, September 6, 2004

By 

Annaleise Ferreira "Acolyte of Cthulhu" (Marina, California ,United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: AVP: Alien vs. Predator: The Movie Novelization (Mass Market Paperback)

Having seen the movie first and being dissapointed at the lack of gore due to the producers wanting a PG rating, I was happy to see the author wasn't afraid to graphically describe what was going on. The book is written for people without much knowledge about the whole Predator/Aliens universe except what's in the movies, I think, since it doesn't use any Yautja language terms or discuss their culture much. So if you're deep into the fandom, you might be unsatisfied with this. Otherwise, it's entertaining and contains an alternative spin on the movie, getting deeper into the plot and explaining quite a few things that were unclear. The book does tend to overexplain sometimes, but a good read overall.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SCARY SCIENCE FICTION, July 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: AVP: Alien vs. Predator: The Movie Novelization (Mass Market Paperback)

Having read the Alien vs Predator comics back when I read comic books, I was thrilled when I saw the trailer for this film at the local multi-plex. Then I saw the book and had to have it because I think the Predator movies are great, and so are the first two Alien flicks. I even thought Alien 3 and Resurrection were okay (Ron Pearlman is in Resurrection!), though they both had dull parts and lacked the horrific and spooky stuff from the first two Alien movies.

Now comes AVP, and if this novelization is any indication, the movie is gonna kick A! The fusion of the two series monsters into a single book/movie is really well done. It's smart and original and yet faithful to elements from both movie series.

There's a Sigourney Weaver/Ripley character, called Lex, who gets sucked into the action against her will, and (expect no spoilers from me) a really clever connection to the first two Alien films that is all the more impressive because the action in AVP is set on Earth in the present, while the previous Alien films all take place in the future in outer space.

There is a sense of wonder in the novel (I haven't seen the movie so can't comment) that is lacking in most of the science fiction I've read lately. AVP gives you a feeling of awe and creepiness at the same time--dark science fiction at its best.

The setting, Antarctica, is also cool (forgive the pun). This book reminded me of The Thing with Kirk Russell because it's frightening and gory and full of action at the same time--and both are set at the South Pole, too.

Some of the most interesting stuff comes in the middle of the action, when Lex speculates on how the Predators evolved. She even has a theory about why Predators have crab-faces that is neat and gross at the same time. This section of the novel takes place in Lex's head, so I don't know if it will be in the movie, but fans of the Alien/Predator series should not miss this speculation because it is original and really believable, too. After you read it, you won't be able to look at the Predators in quite the same way again!

Weirdest of all, you find yourself rooting for either Aliens or Predators (depending on which creature is your favorite) and glad that Lex decides to pick a side, even if its not the side you would have picked. The monster she hooks up with is as real a character as the humans, and you want to see him again just like you want to see Lex--in a sequel maybe?

In a really fascinating prolog we see the Aliens and Predators in action in the past--both in prehistoric times and in the early part of the last century, at a whaling station. The author even compares and contrasts the humans who hunt food, or whales, or who work for a corporate 'predator' with the real Predators from outer space.

Who wins? I'll never tell. But if you read this book and see the movie, I'll bet you'll come away feeling like you are the real winner!

AVP rocks!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just as good, but different..., March 7, 2005

By 

Michael Valdivielso (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: AVP: Alien vs. Predator: The Movie Novelization (Mass Market Paperback)

First off, this is not really a novelization of the final movie, but of the screenplay. For example, the movie had three hunters, the book has five - The first drafts of the film started out with five hunters. Also, the first chapter is set in 2000 BC and the second in 1904, so the book lays more of a foundation for the plot than the movie. Of course a book can get into details and character's thoughts, so it seems a tad more complex. I really enjoyed it, but thought more could have been done with both the Predators and the Aliens.