Customer Reviews

Hunter's Planet (Aliens Vs. Predator, Book 2)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

This series contains 3 books: Prey, Hunter's Planet, and War. The first and third are absolutely spectacular. The writing is fantastic--beautifully descriptive, with believable characters, and most importantly, they fit seamlessly with both the Alien and Predator universes. The second is a different story--Hunter's Planet certainly isn't the worst book I've ever read, but it's far inferior to the other two in this series. It is an enormous let-down, both in terms of writing quality and just plain fun. It makes all Machiko's adventures in Prey seem meaningless, and the behavior of both the Aliens and Predators just doesn't feel right, doesn't feel like things they would actually do. (Note that the first and third have the same author; the second is different.)

This is going to sound peculiar, but I recommend reading the first and third and skipping the second, and not just because of the differing quality of the novels. The events of War actually take place between Prey and Hunter's Planet, and War is perfectly readable without reading Hunter's Planet. In fact, several scenes that were told in flashback in Hunter's Planet are RETOLD in War, only told far more descriptively, and even with important events completely altered! If I had the chance to start over, I would skip Hunter's Planet entirely.

I have read many science-fiction novels, and I rank Prey and War among my absolute favorites, worthy members of the Aliens and Predator franchise. On the one hand, it's like getting more of the movies--more terrifying bugs, more awesome Predators, more battles, more excitement--and on the other, there is a lot of fascinating new information about the culture of the Predators, things I always wanted to know but never thought I would. I love the star character, and appreciated the fact that she wasn't the typical mindless sci-fi babe. If you love Aliens and Predator, you might find Hunter's Planet mildly interesting.

(As a side note, the AvP movie borrowed a LOT from these books :)

I think this is the first book by David Bischoff I've read, and so I don't know how it matches the quality of his other work, but this overall was passable but not up to my expectations after having read Prey. The only really good scenes are involving the Yautja, such as the opening scene, the Pack flashbacks, and the final fifty or so pages of climax. In between it does get rather boring.

I enjoyed the character of Atilla, I rather like the human characters, though they're written a bit broad (Dick Daniels, especially), Machiko is well-characterized, and the Yautja characters are well written as well, although they do tend to blend together and Bischoff actually calls them by the wrong names a few times.

Bischoff's style can get old fast. He's fond of cliched expressions and repeats himself, a lot. His dialogue isn't the most realistic I've read, either.

I also didn't like the inclusion of a love interest for Machiko. I wasn't interested in reading romance in a Predator novel, but if it must be done, I would prefer that it wasn't so thrown together and contrived. Fortunately it only takes up a few pages and is easily skipped if you don't like it.

I have to wonder why this is the second book in the trilogy, instead of the third, since I understand that the story that was glossed over in this novel will be described in detail in "War". The whole novel made me a little frustrated with the way Bischoff kept referring to the events at the mining colony but never elaborating on them. I'm off to read War and I really hope for a return to Prey-like greatness.

I've read the three novels in this trilogy but take issue with continuity. Hunter's Planet should be the last one you read!!! Why? Machiko Naguchi kills "Shorty" twice. Huh? Please believe me and read Hunter's last. You'll get more out of the story threads and development. Being a surviver, Machiko spends some time with the "Pack" as she dedicates herself to the Hunt. Dark Horse doesn't usually make mistakes as becomes so obvious in these 2 & 3 novels. So, read "War" after "Prey"and then, and ONLY then, read "Hunter's Planet. I believe you'll enjoy all three if you manage to "think Sanaa Lathan, pronounced Sa-NAA, "like Sinatra without the tra" as Machiko. Maybe I'll wander over to the DVD's and "Review" the AVP. Enjoy, it's just entertainment, right?

Having read AVP-Prey I was looking forward to learning more about the Predators society and customs in this novel. What I got was a weak plot, weak characters, and no useful information. I got so disgusted at times I wanted to throw the book in the trash. I would have had I had something else to read.

I hope the Perrys find the guy who wrote Hunters Planet and challenge him to a Duel of the Claws. #1 the queen capture mission is told two different ways #2 Naguchi kills Shorty TWICE. actually if you want to get into specifics she only kills him once (the other with the help of her synthetic counterpart). After reading Prey, Hunters Planet, and War, in that order I found myself waiting for Naguchi to wake up like it was all a flashback dream. To my dissapointment i got to page 210 which was the next page over after AVP: WAR was ended.

Hi,
Of course I got the book after reading prey in his two versions (comic and book) I was waiting for a lot of interaction (battle) between aliens, predators and some humans. I guess everything started to go wrong when the aliens where modified to see and use weapons by the all mighty humans (yeah! sure...tongue on cheek)

Then comes the frustration from Machiko after living and hunting with the predators and all her flashbacks, the also allmighty swiss army android in servant disguise and the "climax" in which basically the predators use the "blast'em all" strategy (under machiko's command) instead of something more worthy of the "yautja" testing themselves against a much more dangerous alien variant.

I don't think is a good strategy as a writter to create a more powerful enemy if you'll kill him using just brute force right? Otherwise, Superman would have smashed Luthor a long time ago...

Predators as far as I remember have a lot of tech to use, but they also have brains and just plain brute force is not their first and only option, in fact, under "their code" that wouldn't be honorable at all...

I didn't like the book at all...

This was the first book I read of the AvP series. I thought it was great. It tells the story of Livermore Evanston who creates a "Hunters Planet" with alterior motives and brings in the point of view of him, Machiko Noguchi, and the predators and melds it into one at the end finale. It is good has good action and overall I think gets unfair reviews by people who nit pick and read a book with the objective of expecting it to be the way they want it and not the way it is written if you can enjoy the series and read the book neutrally you will enjoy it. If you go in with the objective of reading it and expecting it a certain way you won't enjoy the book. Unfortunately many of the reviewers here don't give it a fair shake and mislead customers with their reviews.

Its true what they say, the first one is always the best one. This book wasn't bad at all, but I was disappointed. In AvP: Prey(book 1) the authors give you a point of view on the Predators side. Here, it's not the case. It kinda goes back to the movies and only shows you or lets you know what the humans are doing, thinking, etc. There were a few small details in this book that I liked, and thought that was kool. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to know what happens to Noguchi after reading book 1.

A thrilling and compelling story about two alien monsters battling it out with Machiko noguchi, veteran of war, cought in the middle. An awesome read full of action and twists. If you liked Aliens vs Predator; war , you'll love this.

I enjoyed this book, but not as good as the first one in the series, I love how she was able to join the Predator tribe but dousn't fit in and she's better than everybody and there trying to kill her. other than the book's good action sequences this book just dousn't compare to the first one.