Customer Reviews

Aliens Colonial Marines Technical Manual

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4 star:		(6)
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Excellent book that goes into detail about almost every aspect of the colonial marines featured in Aliens. Also, it's clear that the creators of the game "Aliens vrs. Predator" used this book, as certain weapons, symbols, and features (such as the smartgun and SADAR) are explained in detail, and correlate with the game. If you can't get enough of an "Aliens" fix from the game and the first two movies (let's just leave Aliens3&4 alone, shall we?), then this is the book for you! On occasion, the book gets a little bit gory, with none-too-subtle allusions made to the vietnam war. This gives the book a much more realistic feel, but may make some folks uncomfortable. The Aliens section is kinda neat; gives a little more insight into the "Weyland-Yutani" corporation, and once again demonstrates the poor judgement of this profit-seeking company.

A very enjoyable read, especially to sci-fi "technophiles"!

It's a great informative book and covers USCMC tanks, ships, artillery, air-defense, personal weapons, armor, mines, spacesuits, etc...things not seen in the movie. What makes it superb is almost each weapon entry has a drawing so if you're a modeler, you can almost make a replica of the weapon or vehicle. Descriptive text accompanies each entry. And best of all, it MAKES SENSE! The drawings, ideas, and text aren't comic-book like or totally sci-fi fantasy but seemingly very real with today's weapons. I really liked the made-up Marine comments. The book's text says this missile works but then the Marine in the comment box says the opposite. You believe the Marine instead and not the engineers. Also, the book doesn't skimp...the photos aren't black and white and the drawings aren't kiddish. The book presents the USCMC in a very good light and as a true powerful force with many high-tech weapons and superior training that works (unlike the USS Sulaco Marines shown in the movie). A must-have if you're an ALIENS fan.

I only reluctantly picked up this book when I saw it in a bookshop--I figured, another cheesy fan-boy tie-in. Was I surprised! Utterly flabbergasted! The author obviously did his research. I've been in the Navy for a few years, and the Techman reads like a modern military digest. The weapons sound like plausible evolutions of modern weapons; they have their good points and kinks. They have correct military designations, even details like the naming of tanks after famous generals. An article on USCMC force resturcturing and tactics sounds eerily like something from today's "Proceedings" (the USN/USMC professional journal), including the Marines vs. Army gibes. Even the sections on theoretical stardrives and space-fighting tactics are wholly plausible. The ALIENS techman is easily the "best of the breed." You don't even have to be an Aliens fan to enjoy it.

Not much more I can add that others haven't other than to push the point home. This book is a technical sci-fi fan's dream come true. The level of detail and realism put into this book rivals that of the Star Trek technical books, and even surpasses them on some levels. This book is painstakingly researched and is an official and authorized explanation of the weapons, ships, tech and much more are covered in this book.

Just about everything you could want to know about the technical aspects of the Alien and Aliens universe are here. You can know exactly how a pulse rifle or a power loader works. You can see the inner workings of a dropship. You can see the full capabilities of the Sulaco. You name it, and it's there. You even get entries for military equipment that was not in the movie, but still part of the Alien universe.

Did I mention Alien? Yeah you get a ton of information on the Nostromo as well as details on the escape shuttle and equipment they used. You also get extensive details on androids as well (from both movies). They even go so far as to explain how faster than light travel works. Not only do you get all this, but you get some awesome information regarding the alien itself.

The book itself is very well made considering it's labelled as a paperback. The cover is a thicker card stock and glossy on the front while the pages are made from a quality paper as well. The book quality is like what you would find on the Star Wars technical books or better. Definitely bigger than those books.

I wish all sci-fi technical books would go into this much detail with their subject matter. This book is pretty much the standard I look for in other technical manuals. If you ever get a chance to find this one and are either a big Alien fan or just a big fan on these types of books I recommend getting it. For some of you even with the high prices (I think the original list price was around $20) you see in auctions and here you might still find this book worth it.

Ever wondered how the smartgun looks from the inside? What are the M577 APC specs? And what the HELL does the Company really want? Find out by reading this brilliant extension to the `Aliens' masterpiece. (If you're into guns, you'll notice that the M41A Pulse-rifle is a mocked-up version of the M1A1 Thompson, and the Smartgun is based on the german MG 42...) So, you're wishes will be fulfilled, and much, much more! ;o

This book is based off of the premise of a technical manual writen as a MArine PR piece. The book is full of psuedo scientific explanations for everything that we saw in the first and second movies, from the dropship design to the actual biology of the aliens themselves. It's all complemented very well by ample pictures and quotes from "actual" colonial marines. It's addicting, I find that i pick it up every now and again and re-read it, some of the "quotes" are very funny. Even if you are only a casual fan of the series, pick it up, it's sure to get you addicted.

This book is an indispensable companion for huge fans of the ALIEN series, especially those who, like me, think that ALIENS is the pinnacle of the franchise. But even if you're just a casual fan of the series but a major lover of science fiction, this is a great book to have.

The most amazing part of the book is the long essay on combat between capital ships in space. The essay is a very hard-science fiction oriented piece that addresses a lot of the issues with ship to ship combat that are taken for granted in works like Star Trek and Star Wars. It addresses issues like combat between two ships in orbit around a planet, cloaking against a starfield, space mine arrays, directed energy weapons, railguns, and the use of decoys in space combat.

The rest of the book is equally believable in its portrayal of futuristic warfare, and it does an excellent job of giving background information on the world of ALIEN without holding the reader's hand or revealing everything. The pictures, drawings, and schematics are nothing short of amazing.

this book provides a great deal of information on the Colonial Marines from "Aliens". all of you potential Aliens video game modders out there must get this book. it has served as an excellent reference book for all my "Aliens versus Predator" modifications. with several illustrations, it also provides the artist with valuable "Aliens" info. even the curious Sci-Fi geek will find this book thoroughly interesting.

a must for collectors and a basic instruments for whom, such i am, likes to create some model dioramas inspired by this fantastic saga or something about wargaming. the book contains the history of the colonial marines, the detalied description of their weapons and ships and also the description of the other ships of the saga, such as the nostromo. it talks about the weyland yutani and finally a chapter is for their counterpart, the aliens. a great book, with a lot of ilustrations, it's a pity that there are a few shots (pictures).

Amidst the avalanche of "art of" tie-ins and "technical manuals" about sci-fi films, this is the best. It helps that it has the most fertile soil to plow; the outstanding two Alien/Aliens films. As has been mentioned in other reviews, the plausibility of this book is boosted by the author's mastery of contemporary military terminology. Caustic quotations by the Grunts who "actually" use the cranky equipment provides a wry counterpoint to the optimistic claims of the military/industrial complex. The technical explanations about how everything works and is tactically employed is utterly engrossing. There's even a fascinating final chapter in which we are privy to secret memoranda between Company operatives, scheming about how to exploit the "Xenomorphs" to their greatest advantage.

Sadly, this slim, well-illustrated paperback is now as rare as it is admired. If you obtain one, you won't regret it.