Alien Invasion The Rage War #2 by Tim Lebbon

Alien: Invasion by Tim Lebbon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 319

Publisher - Titan books

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

For centuries Weyland-Yutani has tried to weaponize the aliens. Now someone has beaten them to it, sweeping through Yautja space and turning predator into prey.Faced with the overwhelming forces of the Rage, Earth envoys forge an unprecedented alliance with the Predators. Yet even the combined might of two races may not be enough to stop the carnage, as an unstoppable swarm of Xenomorphs topples planet after planet, penetrating ever deeper into the Human Sphere.


My Review

This is book two but you can absolutely read it as a standalone! Predators and humans, marines and a synthetic are joining forces to face the ultimate threat. Aliens have always been sought after by the company because of their value as a weapon, well someone has beat them to it. Not only have they honed it to weaponize them, control them and added some even more deadly features *gasp* I know right!

It took me a wee bit to settle into this one as it jumps about a fair bit, the marines, the synthetics, the predator(s), there are so many characters/scenes. Once I did get into it and settle to what was going on I did enjoy it. The aliens, your chances have always been low with them but once weaponised and controlled, especially in the numbers these guys are, ooft.

I am hoping we see more of the queen in book three and things come to a head, that karma finds those that need it AND get to see more of the predators. There really has only been one main featured with little mention of the others even though we know they are there and teaming up with us, at a distance.

The people behind the alien weaponization are not just sickos but absolutely mad, like genuine madness. Even the whole plan I am like what the actual so it will be interesting to see what book three holds and where it is going to take the story. I do quite like the synthetic, ours not the other side, 3/5 for this one.

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Predator: Incursion by Tim Lebbon book 1

Predator: Incursion by Tim Lebbon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 1 week

Pages - 270

Publisher - Titan

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Predator ships stream into human space in unprecedented numbers. The Colonial Marines, controlled by Weyland-Yutani, respond to the incursion, thus entering the Rage War. This terrifying assault by the Yautja cannot go unchallenged, yet the cost of combat is high. Predators are master combatants, and each encounter yields a high body count. Then when Lt. Johnny Mains and his marines—the VoidLarks—enter the fray, they discover an enemy deadlier than any could imagine. Book one in an epic trilogy that continues in INVASION and concludes in ALIENS VS. ARMAGEDDON. The universe will forever be changed.



My Review

Opening scene, xenomorph choas and then we flip to the Colonial Marines who guard earth'/space boundaries (ish) - I am the first to admit I don't describe stuff perfect but you get the jist. Anyway they clock the Predators (the ultimate fighting aliens in the movie with Arnie Schwarzenegger, they can't see us when we have mud all over us and by us I mean humans) although in the book they are referred to as Yautja. Anyway there has always been a bit of barny/murder death kill between us (marines) and them but something isn't right and soon both realise that a bigger foe is coming and our only chance may be to put our differences aside and unite.

I LOVE the alien universe and also the predator so a book that sees crossover HELLO sign me up! It does jump about a wee bit to start with and a wee bit of time jump but once you get into it and understand what the chat it it is good. I felt we had echoes of Predator 2 with Danny Glovers character, a wee bit of a mash between Bishop/Ash/Andy in one artificial human.

If you haven't come to this from the movies/franchise and this is your first dance I think you will still like it but maybe not quite appreciate it just as much as us who consume all the movies (I am still quite new to the books so playing catch up). 4.5/5 for me, I have books two and three at the ready (this is a trilogy set but there are MANY of the xeno books), I absolutely recommend and look forward to book two!

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Aliens Bishop by T R Napper

Aliens: Bishop by T.R. Napper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 2 days

Pages - 496

Publisher - Titan Books

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

A direct sequel to Aliens and Alien 3 —Weyland-Yutani, the Colonial Marines, and Bishop’s creator all pursue the android for the deadly Xenomorph data contained in his brain. Written by T. R. Napper, author of the acclaimed 36 Streets , whose explosive work explores the artificial intelligence and what it is to be human.


My Review

YOU GUYS! I LOVE the aliens franchise and Bishop is one of my faves, the dude is a good yin, loyal and obviously if you have seen the movies you know how we left Bishop and the book picks up from there. The book is split, we have the new team of marines and one of them is brother of Apone (Aliens), a new recruit and with any marine squad you aren't accepted until you proved yourself. A ship earmarked for a fate worse than death and Michael Bishop, creator of our beloved Bishop is bringing our boy back, upgraded and some other AI *twitch*.

We bounce between the three, Michael wants something from Bishop and Bishop as always is loyal and an upstanding guy. We have some real shady characters and low to no morals, xenomorphs, facehuggers and the old humans will never learn or see past their greed.

New characters and some impressive feats and shows of bravery, courage and preservation and Bishop, aw I missed Bishop. I know some folks felt the book had more of the newbs and not as much of Bishop (considering the book is named Bishop) however I thought he featured well/decent amount. Don't get me wrong we are always gonna want more but I think it is well balanced. The xenos/facehuggers took a while to appear but I think with so many characters we did need time to get to know the players.

I did have some outrage and want to shake some characters but you know an author has done a great job when you get the rage and emotive shouting lol. I think this is my first by this author, I hope they do more of the Aliens franchise and I will check out their other stuff, 4/5.

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The War of The Worlds by H G Wells

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 6 days

Pages - 192

Publisher - 451 Flame Tree

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Cylinders land on Earth ans the invaders, from Mars, with heir huge, round bodies with tentacles, start to vaporize people on earth. Houses, towns ans cities are soon destroyed in a spiral of violence, creating civil panic ans mass evacuations before a foul black smoke is released by the agressive alien force. But the fightback must begin, and it comes from an unexpected quarter. H. G. Wells' classic tale of invasion has stirred our imagination for over a hundred years. Its intense mix of realism and fantasy continues to prick at anyone interested in a great adventure story by a master storyteller.


My Review

I don't think there is many, if any, who aren't familiar with The War of the Worlds, be it book or movies(s), I have seen some of the films but never read the book. Told in first person point of view we follow the main character, middle aged/older gentleman who lives near the first crash landing. From the initial speculation, group gathering, sightings to the realisation of the threat to all out war against humans.

With this guy we go through each stage, speculation, intrigue, fear to running for your life, survival and trying to keep ahead of the aliens, their weapons and the uglier dangerous side of humanity/survivors.

Absolute survivalism and we get to see a few sides to humanity and how people deal with it, tackle it and get through it (or not). The advancement of the aliens, how quickly they overcome us and how utterly helpless we are against their attack and different weapons. At one point he likens us to ants and or how humans treat animals as food and now we are on the receiving end of an unstoppable predator(s) and slaughter.

I absolutely will be rewatching the movies I think, I do enjoy a good alien read/film and enjoyed reading this one, I also think I will rewatch the one Stephen King done. Everytime I read of the red material covering stuff in my head all I kept saying was Ripley :P, if you know you know, 4/5 for me this time.

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Alien River of Pain by Christopher Golden

Alien: River of Pain by Christopher Golden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 352

Publisher - Titan

Source - bought

Source from Goodreads

When Ellen Ripley finally returns to Earth, she learns that the planet LV-426—now called Acheron—has been colonized. But LV-426 is where Ripley and the crew of the Nostromo found the original Xenomorph—the killing machine known as the Alien.

Protected by the Colonial Marines, the colonists seek to terraform the storm-swept planet. Two such residents are Anne and Russell Jorden, seeking a fortune that eluded them on Earth. On Acheron, Anne gives birth to the colony’s first newborn. Rebecca Jordan, also known as Newt.

The wildcatters discover a vast, decaying spaceship. The horseshoe-shaped vessel is of particular interest to Weyland-Yutani, and may be the answer to their dreams. But what Anne and Russ find on board proves to be the stuff, not of dreams, but of nightmares.


My Review

Right guys just to be clear this book is NOT the story of Ripley and the marines going to LV-426 but rather what happens before they get there. The book does open with Ripley and ends with her chat with Gorman and Burke but the meat of the book is the colonists and them pre, during and post finding the ship Kane encountered in the the first movie Alien.

We meet Newt, her parents/brother and some of the adults and soldiers (not those from the movie Aliens) and get to know more of the people, not just wee Newt. I always said I would love to know more about them and the book did give us a fair bit about them,the horror and helplessness against the feriocious Xenomorphs.

What I did like and wasn't expecting was there was more input from the company and representatives than just a message from Burke to check it out. I love anything that gives us a bit more about the franchise be it characters/xenomorphs or any additional bits about them we didn't know.

I am such a huge fan of the series/franchise that I don't think there would be one book/show/movie that I wouldn't try/tune into. When you are a big fan you sometimes let things slip/go but there wasn't any huge complaints or free passes, I think it is a decent offering and liked the Ripley link pre and post main story. I was just a bit disappointed because I thought it was going to be the marines and Ripley going in, I will check out the other books because I love them but also I may yet find the Ripley/Marines book! 4/5 for me this time and I have a few on the tbrm and now knowing there are AVP books too I will be getting them, how could I not!

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Alien: Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon

Alien: Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 347

Publisher - Titan books

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

As a child, Chris Hooper dreamed of monsters. But in deep space, he found only darkness and isolation. Then on planet LV-178, he and his fellow miners discovered a storm-scoured, sand blasted hell — and Trimonite, the hardest material known to man.

When a shuttle crashes into the mining ship Marion, the miners learn that there was more than Trimonite deep in the caverns. There was evil, hibernating — and waiting for suitable prey.


My Review

You guuuuuuuuuys! You know I love horror and the Alien movies are some of my faves - Ellen Ripley is one of the most epic characters in horror/sci-fi especially against one of the most deadly enemies. Here the book is set just after Alien movie, the original and before Aliens (the one with the marines) and to be honest I am so here for it.

Ripley ends up on LV178 I think it was, they were mining for trimonite, a substance really hard and I imagine like steel or something to that effect. Of course there is contact with our known apex predators and infection hits. For reasons to become clear later Ripley is pulled from her hyper sleep and docked into a nightmare she barely survived.

Tense, creepy, shocking and I LOVE that we get a bit more of Ripley's metal/character and again a horrible situation against the deadliest adversaries. I think this hits a few things that fans would have liked that we didn't see in the first movie and maybe even a few nods to the second.

And you know me, even briefly, bringing a cat, especially the legend that is Jonesy back D E lighted, and *gasp* the aliens are not the only adversary, if you are a fan of the series/movies I think you will really enjoy this, 4.5/5 for me!

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The Trusted by Michelle Medhat Blog Tour

Today is my stop on the blogtour, please check out the other stops as we all have different content.

About the author -

Author bio:

USA Today Best-Selling Author, Michelle Medhat (known as Mish to her friends) writes fast-moving, ruthless political spy thrillers blended with thought-provoking sci-fi. Readers and fans call her addictive The Trusted Thriller Series “007 on acid with aliens” or “Bond meets The X-Files”. Her books are loaded with incredible technologies, but in every case, they’re grounded in real science. Mish’s passion is taking technologies of today and thinking about what they could be tomorrow. She enjoys pushing the envelope on the art of the possible, and turning the maybe into potential reality. And it’s not just creative speculation either…because, for 28 years of Mish’s life, she’s lived and breathed science, engineering and technology, including programming chips for different bleeding edge applications, established and run technology software companies, developed programmes to bring sci-tech closer to the public, and was heavily involved in the early 90’s in bringing to the UK the first notion of technologies we now take for granted, such as film-on-demand (hello Netflix and Prime Video!), pause and rewinding live tv, virtual reality and sensor applications (now known as the Internet of Things). Despite all this sci-tech focus, Mish actually read Business Finance and Law at University, but her love of technology shone through, after she landed a marketing role to support an electronics design business within a University. Love being the operative word, as she met during that interview, her future husband Professor Sam Medhat, who has been her inspiration throughout all of her books. Mish has lived and worked in many places across the world, including Dubai, where she along with her husband, were the co-founders of Dubai University. She currently resides in the UK, and she is Director of Operations and Strategic Development at the UK’s professional body for Innovation – the Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (IKE), which she co-founded with her husband where she helps government, business and industry and academia improve their innovation capabilities. Over the years, the Institute’s Foundation has donated millions of pounds to the science, engineering and technology education sector, and has helped to improve the lives of over 700,000 people by providing educational opportunities. In her spare time (which is a laugh as Mish has none!) - so apart from trying to invent a time machine which could her some more hours - Mish also enjoys writing, reading (thrillers and adventures novels from all genres), painting and singing.


For my stop I have my review, enjoy.

The Trusted by Michelle Medhat
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 293

Publisher - Mindblowing books ltd

Source - Review copy

Blurb from the back cover

Sam Noor keeps his double lives seperate with expert precision. But whe the MI6 agent's wife discovers the life, he fears that both his worlds may shatter. Distraught and conflicted, Noor concentrates on his latest mission and discovers a weapon that could cause a global catastrophe..

Drawn into the fight against a sinister terrorist group with powerful connections, Noor must uncover the faction's secrets by any means necessary. Even if it puts the woman he lives in the line of fire.

But Noor has no way of knowing a supernatural war rages within his nation. And the winner could take charge of humanity's very soul.

Against forces that defy his reality, can Noor protect millions of innocents from a bloody end?


My Review

Ellie and Sam are very much in love, despite being married for many years, Ellie is looking forward to spending time with Sam. When Sam's job spills over into his personal life the gig is up - Sam is MI6 Ellie can't believe everything about their life is a lie. Whilst Sam tries to juggle his personal life things are work are becoming tense. The biggest terrorist group in the world is becoming more dangerous, the government are struggling to keep up and there may be other things at work than the humans anticipated.

Think James Bond with echoes of Marvel with a pinch of X files. We have nanotechnology, super smart terrorists, secret agents, relationships, friendships, missions and extraterrestrial God like beings outside our universe.

It is a page turner - I had no idea where the plot was going and really wanted to know. An action packed book despite being under 300 pages, oodles of geekery which will will delight many readers. Certainly different from any books I have read in a while. Whilst it will appeal to sci-fi/fantasy lovers I think it will also appeal to fans of spy/thrillers because it covers so much ground. Book one of a series - I look forward to seeing where the story goes and what is next for the characters!

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