Well, this was a disappointing read.
First off a few definitions of overused terms within this "novel".
Lesion: An injury, wound or abnormal change in a bodily area/organ often caused by disease or infection. examples would include the wound channel left by a venomous spider/snakebite or an ulcer, or the sores left by syphillis or herpes.
Necrosis: A form of injury to the body's cells caused by either trauma, infection or disease via autolysis (self - digestion of the cell by its own enzymes), leading to premature and rapid cellular death/destruction. Examples would include gangrene and Necrotizing Fasciitis (flesh eating disease).
So now that I've defined a few oft over - used terms from this dumpster fire. Let's jump feet first into the summary of this "novel" and point out the many times Mr. Waggoner fails high school biology throughout the course of it.
1. Alien egg found by freelance corporate spy in cryostasis.
2. Egg brought to research lab on a colony planet owned by the Venture megacorporation.
3. Volunteer who had previously been exposed to various diseases including one that causes cellular necrosis as part of clinical studies is impregnated by facehugger released from the alien egg. All fine and dandy so far.
4. Chestburster erupts from human host and immediately shows the same symptoms of being infected with the deceased host's cellular necrosis disease, just at a far more accelerated rate to the point where it's exoskeleton can be seen forming and rupturing lesions in real time over the entirety of its body. Alien survives and doesn't dissolve into a puddle of organic sludge due to its hyperactive metabolism - wait WHAT?
Hold on for a minute and let's go over that last point in the summary: The Alien (Xenomorph) contracts a disease that causes its very cellular structure to self - destruct and devour itself from its host (which right off the bat shouldn't be possible due to the xenomorph's selective biology). and yet it happens anyways and the little monster survives because it has a fast metabolism? That's not how a metabolism works Mr. Waggoner.
Metabolism: The chemical processes that occur within the body to maintain life, specifically the conversion of food to energy for cellular processes, the creation of necessary compounds necessary to maintain growth (amino acids, fats and lipids etc.) and the elimination of waste matter.
Having a fast metabolism would encourage the spread of the cellular necrosis not render the xenomorph resistant to it as the xenomorph's own body would effectively devour itself at an even faster rate ultimately leading to a short painful existence followed by death and dissolution into an organic soup of chitin and acid. The faster one's bodily processes operate the faster diseases transmit through one's system. There is a reason slowing a person's bodily functions down via both medical and environmental methods is used to slow the spread of disease within a person.
Anyways on with the show.
5. The chestburster (zombieburster?) escapes containment by tearing its way through a grate and entering the ventilation system. Pretty bog standard xenomorph maneuver there.
6. The chestburster, now hungry and needing more biomass to grow attacks a pair of warehouse workers and defends itself from one of them by spraying acidic pus from several of its various lesions. said pus is apparently highly virulent and causes the same cellular necrosis that has infected the xenomorph to infect anyone who is sprayed by it. HUH?
You would think having molecular acid for blood and pus would neutralize any sort of virus within one's bloodstream. Apparently not according to Mr. Waggoner. Somewhere a biologist and a chemist are crying.
7. Chestburster continues to feed and grow and quickly morphs in an adult. (The Alien Covenant school of thought is strong with this one).
8. Adult xenomorph attacks several colonists at the colony's shopping center/bazaar. During the attack it is confronted by several security guards and dispatches them via more acidic/viral pus showers courtesy of the newly formed lesions covering its entire exoskeleton.
9. The doctor that was experimenting on the xenomorph egg decides to call the creature a "Necromorph" due to the cellular necrosis disease it's spreading.
10. Xenomorph escapes back into the ventilation system before reappearing back in the station's medical bay. The Xenomorph kills several patients before security forces arrive and open fire on it.
11. The xenomorph proves to be immune to bullets due to the Lesions on its exoskeleton acting as another layer of armor plating - Must be some strong stuff the author was imbibing when he wrote this.
A lesion can best be described as an open sore/breach in the body's exterior skin/exoskeleton. In other words it's a weakpoint on the xenomorph's hide, not armor plating. At least it would be if M.r. Waggoner knew that of which he wrought!
12. Xenomorph continues to kill colonists, it spreads the cellular necrosis virus throughout the ventilation shafts of the colony's admin building. With the way this thing continues to gain new powers as the plot demands, it sounds like a monster out of a lame Greg Bear novel.
13. More people die, including the corporate spy from the beginning of the book after she stupidly infects herself with the cellular necrosis virus a la some ridley scott - esque moment of sheer and utter idiocy.
14. Xenomorph is lured towards the colony junkyard by surviving security forces, ambushed by training robots controlled by the protagonist's synthetic buddy Davis and gets shot up with pulse rifles - the end. NOPE JUST KIDDING JAJAJAJAJAJAJA! The glorious biology defying lesions again render the space cockroach impervious to weapons - fire even from weapons such as pulse rifles that (as seen repeatedly through all of Jame's Cameron's Aliens) should be tearing the bug into tiny pieces of kibble.
15. The bug is finally lured into the security force's air skimmer/VTOL which the protagonist's synthetic pal Davis self destructs via engine overload. The bug finally dies.
AAaanndd that's a wrap! To be frank the minute The colony doctor (a sop by the name of Millard Gagnon) decided to call the Xenomorph a "Necromorph" everything just went down hill. Suspension of disbelief was tossed out for the crows to feast on and the novel ended up reading like some bad Greg Bear inspired fanfiction.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle Cloud Reader.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
| Price | New from | Used from |
|
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry" |
$0.00
| Free with your Audible trial | |
|
Mass Market Paperback
"Please retry" | $6.76 | $2.03 |
|
Audio CD, Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry" | $22.71 | — |
 |
Frequently bought together
- +
- +
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Customer reviews
Top reviews from other countries
KoffinCass
Cool Alien, terrible book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 19, 2021
Amazon Customer
I enjoy reading the Alien books, just love them
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 3, 2022
