Customer Reviews

Alien Factor

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Alien Factor is a sci-fi, action book based in a time that Stan Lee has practice with -- the Second World War. But this isn't exactly Captain America material. Rather, Lee makes heros out of Hogan, a thick skinned soldier, and a young French boy tangled in an intergalactic debacle.

The book has a great theme beneath its pages, though I often could sense that Stan Lee was straining to write the book. From time to time it can be hard to follow Lee's written form, and I often felt that if he had a picture next to the text (like in a comic book) it would have made much more sense. But if you can devote yourself to the book, you may find it worthwhile. I think this is a 3 star book that was written by a 5 star mind.

This is not a bad book, but is not the book it claims to be. Lee combines two favorite ideas in a story of alien contact during WWII. But the alien is really just a McGuffin, and the reader is treated to a tale of Allies, Nazis, Communists, spies and resistance all trying to outfox one another and protect their own ideas. The alien could easily be replaced with a munitions dump, secret weapon, or other typical WWII target without changing the story very much. Good war story but a lousy alien tale.

Sci Fi and WWII don't mix well in this failed effort. Imagine the Dirty Dozen saving ET from the Nazis in "Raiders of the Lost Ark", and you've got the story. Lee is not a bad writer, but there's just no originality here. He gets sloppy with his facts too. The villan's pistol is alternately a Luger and a Ruger. The good guy is sometimes referred to as a Captain, sometimes a Major, and sometimes a Colonel. Give this one a miss.

Forget just for the whole book that Stan Lee has created just about every character in the Marvel Universe and is a god to many. Do that and you'll be fine for the whole book.
Alien Factor tells the sci-fi story set in WWII about an alien ship crashing in Germany and who can get there first to claim it: The US or the Germans. We take the role of Joe Logan and his squad Logan's Losers as they try to get to the ship. We soon learn that the Germans got their first and have it in the "Forbidden Zone." The trek to get the ship now becomes a trek to destroy it before the Germans are able to use the ship. We also get the side story of a young French boy who saw one of the aliens and believes it to be god.(it makes sense in the book)
Stan the man Lee packs so much action into this book it puts some of his superheroes to shame. There is also a comparison between this book and Saving Private Ryan because of how tightly knit Logan's Losers become in the process of their operation. Although some of Lee's war information used in the book is inaccurate it is easily overlooked by how fast the plot moves, character development and excellent dialog between the characters. A great read not only for the comic buffs but also for the sci fi fans.

The idea of Stan Lee authoring a book had me hesitant to buy this book, but Stan Timmon's name sold me. I have read and enjoyed many of Timmon's previous works, and figured if anyone could make Lee sound like an author instead of a comic book dialouge man, he could do it. We all know that co-authors end up doing most of the work anyway, so really this book should say Stan Timmons AND Stan Lee, not the other way around.
Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Timmon shines in this book, with his colorful characters and and descriptive prose. And even if you aren't a sci-fi fan, the story draws you in like a vortex. A good read all around, even if Lee is getting all the kudos for it. Maybe it's time we give credit where credit is due, and pat Timmons on the back for a job exceptionally well done.

I started reading this thinking that it would some how link to the Marvel Universe. It did not, it in fact does not need to.
The Alien Factor stands on it's own feet!
Don't look for a comic book style of writing either, nope this is a book True Believers! Stan "The Man" Lee has done it again! Order it! Read it! Enjoy it!