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Alien: The Shadow Saga #1
Alien: Out of the Shadows
About This Audible Original
In space, no one can hear you scream. In this gripping Audible Original performance, Ellen Ripley, the last human survivor of the salvage ship Nostromo, once again takes on the relentless Xenomorphs: vicious, intelligent extra-terrestrials notorious for tearing humans apart. When her lifeboat Narcissus locks onto the mining ship Marion, she awakes from hypersleep to a nightmare: the dreaded creatures are lurking on board, ominously prowling a sealed-off shuttle after slaughtering the crew. When one of the merciless beasts escapes the hold, acting Captain Chris “Hoop” Hooper and his team are faced with an unimaginable horror—and Ripley just may be the crew’s only hope.
An ensemble cast, featuring film icon Rutger Hauer and Harry Potter’s Matthew Lewis, commands this unforgettable performance, punctuated by immersive sound design from audio master and fan favorite Dirk Maggs. Awarded the 2017 Audie for Excellence in Production, the result is terrifying–and utterly pause-resistant.
In space, no one can hear you scream. In this gripping Audible Original performance, Ellen Ripley, the last human survivor of the salvage ship Nostromo, once again takes on the relentless Xenomorphs: vicious, intelligent extra-terrestrials notorious for tearing humans apart. When her lifeboat Narcissus locks onto the mining ship Marion, she awakes from hypersleep to a nightmare: the dreaded creatures are lurking on board, ominously prowling a sealed-off shuttle after slaughtering the crew. When one of the merciless beasts escapes the hold, acting Captain Chris “Hoop” Hooper and his team are faced with an unimaginable horror—and Ripley just may be the crew’s only hope.
An ensemble cast, featuring film icon Rutger Hauer and Harry Potter’s Matthew Lewis, commands this unforgettable performance, punctuated by immersive sound design from audio master and fan favorite Dirk Maggs. Awarded the 2017 Audie for Excellence in Production, the result is terrifying–and utterly pause-resistant.
5 pages, Audiobook
Published April 26, 2016
23 people are currently reading
355 people want to read
About the author
Tim Lebbon
294 books1,532 followersI love writing, reading, triathlon, real ale, chocolate, good movies, occasional bad movies, and cake.
I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. And our dog, Blu, who is the size of a donkey.
I love the countryside ... I do a lot of running and cycling, and live in the best part of the world for that.
I've had loads of books published in the UK, USA, and around the world, including novels, novellas, and collections. I write horror, fantasy, and now thrillers, and I've been writing as a living for over 8 years. I've won quite a few awards for my original fiction, and I've also written tie-in projects for Star Wars, Alien, Hellboy, The Cabin in the Woods, and 30 Days of Night.
A movie's just been made of my short story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage and Sarah Wayne Callies. There are other projects in development, too.
I'd love to hear from you!
I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. And our dog, Blu, who is the size of a donkey.
I love the countryside ... I do a lot of running and cycling, and live in the best part of the world for that.
I've had loads of books published in the UK, USA, and around the world, including novels, novellas, and collections. I write horror, fantasy, and now thrillers, and I've been writing as a living for over 8 years. I've won quite a few awards for my original fiction, and I've also written tie-in projects for Star Wars, Alien, Hellboy, The Cabin in the Woods, and 30 Days of Night.
A movie's just been made of my short story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage and Sarah Wayne Callies. There are other projects in development, too.
I'd love to hear from you!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 407 reviews
November 19, 2017
This was silly and fun and brilliant. Would I have read it in print format? No. But as an Audible dramatisation, it was thrilling. The sound effects were spot on, giving the story an atmosphere and immediacy that I doubt the book would match.
There were a few problems with the insertion of the story into the canon. There are very limited ways you can stick a whole episode between films but not have Ripley remember it. Still, it was delicious knowing that all the other characters had to die, but now knowing how or when. There was also quite a lot of 'borrowing' from the character styles in both Alien and Aliens. I see from other reviews that this annoyed some people, but I thought it was a useful trick for audio. It meant that the listener built up a mental picture of the people really quickly, without having to add lots of description, which is pretty difficult in dramatisations in any case.
Overall, I think it had more to it than some of the other episodes in the Alien franchise, i'm looking at you Prometheus and Alien Resurrection. It reminded me of how much I love Ripley- sod all these modern female heroines, Ripley has been kicking serious ass and saving lives since 1979. I'll be watching the films again soon for sure.
There were a few problems with the insertion of the story into the canon. There are very limited ways you can stick a whole episode between films but not have Ripley remember it. Still, it was delicious knowing that all the other characters had to die, but now knowing how or when. There was also quite a lot of 'borrowing' from the character styles in both Alien and Aliens. I see from other reviews that this annoyed some people, but I thought it was a useful trick for audio. It meant that the listener built up a mental picture of the people really quickly, without having to add lots of description, which is pretty difficult in dramatisations in any case.
Overall, I think it had more to it than some of the other episodes in the Alien franchise, i'm looking at you Prometheus and Alien Resurrection. It reminded me of how much I love Ripley- sod all these modern female heroines, Ripley has been kicking serious ass and saving lives since 1979. I'll be watching the films again soon for sure.
February 10, 2019
This was a full cast production offered for free at Audible and I enjoyed it! .
I'm not sure this would have worked as well for me in book form as it did in audio. The actress doing Ripley's voice was dead on, and Rutger Hauer as Ash's voice was also perfect.
Combined with the sound effects of the various ship functions, this production was a lot of fun to listen to: especially for free.
I'm not sure this would have worked as well for me in book form as it did in audio. The actress doing Ripley's voice was dead on, and Rutger Hauer as Ash's voice was also perfect.
Combined with the sound effects of the various ship functions, this production was a lot of fun to listen to: especially for free.
August 8, 2020
Surprisingly engaging and utterly thrilling, this audio dramatisation of an Alien novel is quite superb. I would not have picked this up if not for the freebie being offered by Audible during its 20th Anniversary celebration a few months ago, not even being aware that there are also official canonical novels in this science fiction horror franchise.
If you have never watched the movies before, please note that there will be spoilers for the first film, Alien.
In my opinion, the second film, Aliens, was one of the best sequels in the history of movie-making. I have less favourable views on the subsequent movies and the prequel series. In the sequel, sole survivor Ellen Ripley was rescued after 57 years in stasis and drifting in space onboard the Nostromo. The timeline in Alien: Out of the Shadows is set somewhere in between the first two movies.
The story commences with the Marion, a mining space vessel, orbiting planet LV178 where humans have discovered trimonite, the hardest material known to man. It would not be a spoiler, nor a surprise to learn that the miners stumbled upon a nest of Xenomorphs on the planet and the waking nightmare ensued after a dropship carrying frantic and terrified miners crashed into the main vessel. While the crew on the Marion remained relatively safe for the moment, their distress signal was picked up by the Nostromo in which Ripley had been drifting in deep space under stasis.
The new characters are all likeable, and their friendship and loyalty to one another feel genuine and compelling - especially when performed by a great cast. And I swear that Laurel Lefkow sounded so much like Sigourney Weaver that I initially thought Audible managed to get the talented actress to lend her voice - her portrayal of Ripley was spot on!
The two highlights in this story for me are the two familiar and fascinating characters from Alien. Firstly, we have Ellen Ripley who was my childhood hero and probably the most significant character in challenging gender roles in science fiction and action movies back in those days. And then, there is the return of Ash and the android's long endgame towards the goal of fulfilling Special Order 937 of Weyland-Yutani Corporation.
This Audible Original Drama version of the book is a worthy winner of the 2017 APA Audie Awards for Excellence in Production. All the sound effects from the ship's instrumentation and computers to the hair-raising hisses and screams of the Xenomorphs and an atmospheric soundtrack made for a most immersive experience and lent a palpable tension to the story. Even though I was only listening to the book, I literally cringed during some of the more violent and gory moments. I sincerely doubt that reading the novel itself will be even half as thrilling. Lebbon's prose has been stripped away - as a dramatisation; there is zero narration. While I've not read any of his books, I gathered from a few other reviews that one would not sorely miss the narrative if one chooses this dramatic version instead.
After being disappointed with the movies following Aliens and the prequel series, I am pleased to discover this great cinematic audio production of film canon material of one my old favourites. Recommended, especially for fans of the franchise
Check out the Audible ad.
If you have never watched the movies before, please note that there will be spoilers for the first film, Alien.
In my opinion, the second film, Aliens, was one of the best sequels in the history of movie-making. I have less favourable views on the subsequent movies and the prequel series. In the sequel, sole survivor Ellen Ripley was rescued after 57 years in stasis and drifting in space onboard the Nostromo. The timeline in Alien: Out of the Shadows is set somewhere in between the first two movies.
The story commences with the Marion, a mining space vessel, orbiting planet LV178 where humans have discovered trimonite, the hardest material known to man. It would not be a spoiler, nor a surprise to learn that the miners stumbled upon a nest of Xenomorphs on the planet and the waking nightmare ensued after a dropship carrying frantic and terrified miners crashed into the main vessel. While the crew on the Marion remained relatively safe for the moment, their distress signal was picked up by the Nostromo in which Ripley had been drifting in deep space under stasis.
The new characters are all likeable, and their friendship and loyalty to one another feel genuine and compelling - especially when performed by a great cast. And I swear that Laurel Lefkow sounded so much like Sigourney Weaver that I initially thought Audible managed to get the talented actress to lend her voice - her portrayal of Ripley was spot on!
The two highlights in this story for me are the two familiar and fascinating characters from Alien. Firstly, we have Ellen Ripley who was my childhood hero and probably the most significant character in challenging gender roles in science fiction and action movies back in those days. And then, there is the return of Ash and the android's long endgame towards the goal of fulfilling Special Order 937 of Weyland-Yutani Corporation.
This Audible Original Drama version of the book is a worthy winner of the 2017 APA Audie Awards for Excellence in Production. All the sound effects from the ship's instrumentation and computers to the hair-raising hisses and screams of the Xenomorphs and an atmospheric soundtrack made for a most immersive experience and lent a palpable tension to the story. Even though I was only listening to the book, I literally cringed during some of the more violent and gory moments. I sincerely doubt that reading the novel itself will be even half as thrilling. Lebbon's prose has been stripped away - as a dramatisation; there is zero narration. While I've not read any of his books, I gathered from a few other reviews that one would not sorely miss the narrative if one chooses this dramatic version instead.
After being disappointed with the movies following Aliens and the prequel series, I am pleased to discover this great cinematic audio production of film canon material of one my old favourites. Recommended, especially for fans of the franchise
Check out the Audible ad.
February 24, 2018
This is just ridiculous! How much better these books can become?!
I started reading this series out of the order, mostly because of the Audible's aggressive marketing campaign, but it doesn't really matter. If you like Alien these are all just new sequel/prequel episodes. Each one for itself in the well-interconnected universe.
Finally got time to read the leading story in the canonical Alien Trilogy. Was not disappointed!
I'm not even going to say anything more. For every Alien fan - this is as good as you're expecting it to be. And, due to it being recorded by a full cast, perhaps even better!
Rutger Hauer
Alien: Out of the Shadows (Canonical Alien Trilogy #1)
by Tim Lebbon (Goodreads Author), Dirk Maggs (Director), Rutger Hauer (Narrator), Corey Johnson (Narrator), Kathryn Drysdale (Narrator), Laurel Lefkow (Narrator), Andrea Deck (Narrator), Mac McDonald (Narrator)
Verdict: I got scared shitless and loved every second of it!
Overall:
Performance:
Story:
I started reading this series out of the order, mostly because of the Audible's aggressive marketing campaign, but it doesn't really matter. If you like Alien these are all just new sequel/prequel episodes. Each one for itself in the well-interconnected universe.
Finally got time to read the leading story in the canonical Alien Trilogy. Was not disappointed!
I'm not even going to say anything more. For every Alien fan - this is as good as you're expecting it to be. And, due to it being recorded by a full cast, perhaps even better!
Rutger Hauer
Alien: Out of the Shadows (Canonical Alien Trilogy #1)
by Tim Lebbon (Goodreads Author), Dirk Maggs (Director), Rutger Hauer (Narrator), Corey Johnson (Narrator), Kathryn Drysdale (Narrator), Laurel Lefkow (Narrator), Andrea Deck (Narrator), Mac McDonald (Narrator)
Verdict: I got scared shitless and loved every second of it!
Overall:
Performance:
Story:
November 22, 2017
I listened to this freebie audiobook on Audible. This was one of the best I've listened to as far as production quality goes. The voice actors were amazing. The music and sound effects made it feel like I was listening to a movie. Having said all of that, I didn't think the book itself was amazing but I did enjoy it much more than I thought I would. 3.5 stars.
October 31, 2022
Nach sehr langer Zeit habe ich mal wieder ein Hörspiel gehört und bin sehr begeistert. Natürlich trägt die Originalsynchronstimme von Sigourney Weaver (Karin Buchholz) sehr zur authentischen Atmosphäre bei. Und auch Dietmar Wunder (u.a. Daniel Craig) und David Nathan sind Teil der gelungenen Produktion. Doch das schönsten Stimmen bringen nichts, wenn die Geschichte hakt, aber das tut sie nicht. Sie spinnt die Story des 1. Teils der Verfilmung gekonnt weiter, wenn Ripley nach 37 Jahren Hyperschlaf plötzlich in einem anderen Sonnensystem auftaucht, in dem, wenn wundert es, Aliens ihr Unwesen treiben. Das Einzige, was nervt, waren die Dialoge, die im Angesicht der extremen Gefahr, die dann mir eindeutig zu oft albern statt cool vorkamen. Aber für die Produktion und die spannende Geschichte gibt es 4 interstellare Leuchtkörper.
November 30, 2019
Alien: Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon and Dirk Maggs, the narration was a full cast of characters making this story suspenseful and extra thrilling! I love these Alien stories. This one is after the first movie. She has drifted in space for 37 years before being found. It wasn't an accident either! The twists and turns match the terrors!
Wow, loved the cast of narrators! Excellent!
Wow, loved the cast of narrators! Excellent!
May 3, 2016
My original ALIEN: OUT OF THE SHADOWS audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
In 2014, Titan Books released the first in a new series of books set in the Alien film franchise under the supervision of the movie studio 20th Century Fox. These novels are considered part of the film canon and help expand and flesh out the movie universe, and they launched with Tim Lebbon’s Alien: Out of the Shadows, set between the first two movies and featuring the series’ heroine, Lt. Ellen Ripley.
Following the destruction of the Nostromo in the first Alien movie, Ripley put herself into hypersleep and drifted through space. Movie buffs know that 57 years passed between Alien and Aliens, but Lebbon has crafted a nicely fitting story that slots itself directly into the middle of this time gap. In Out of the Shadows, the damaged mining vessel Marion picks up a distress call from Ripley’s lifeboat, while the crew contends with the discovery of a vicious life-form on the planet LV-178. It’s not long before Ripley is pressed back into action, haunted by the events aboard the Nostromo, and hellbent on saving the crew of the Marion.
Rather than taking Lebbon’s novel and producing a straight-up audiobook, Audible Studios and director Dirk Maggs have turned Out of the Shadows into a brilliant audio drama, crafting a production that may well be the best Alien production since James Cameron’s own Aliens. Using an ensemble cast of voice actors, including actor Rutger Hauer in his first audio performance as the now-disembodied ghost in the machine of the android Ash, and an array of sound effects and musical score, the production quality on display here is downright phenomenal.
Actor Corey Johnson brings to life Chief Engineering Hooper, while Laurel Lefkow voices Ripley. The chemistry between these two is terrific and you get a great sense of camaraderie as they form a fast friendship under the threat of the alien menace. Lefkow in particular wowed the heck out of me, and a few times I could have positively sworn that Maggs had gotten Sigourney Weaver to reprise her role. Lefkow absolutely nails the tone, inflection, and speech patterns of Weaver’s Ellen Ripley and it’s mighty damn impressive to listen to.
Rounding out the voice talent is the full-fledged sonic experience of the work itself. From the familiar not-quite dot matrix noises of the computers as they display text, to the ferocious grunts, hisses, and screams of the aliens, and the attendant instrumental score, Out of the Shadows is a frighteningly immersive experience, and one that is very audibly an Alien story. Dirk Maggs has been credited with turning the audio drama into an audio movie for his BBC productions, and that particular knack is on full display here. Lebbon’s prose work has been stripped away, although the story and dialogue, with a bit of finessing for this dramatization, remain intact and is lovingly crafted in a highly cinematic experience for the mind. With the accompanying audio you can really let your imagination run wild and set the scene in your mind’s eye on this one. This is as much an audio movie as it as a movie of the mind, and it’s scarily effective. Be sure to listen to this one with a good set of headphones to fully appreciate the layers and depth that went into constructing this audio drama, but be careful not to fall off the edge of your seat.
Some may argue that by placing this story between the first two Alien films that it’s not an entirely necessary work. To this, and with a shoulder shrug, I can only say, “meh.” I, for one, don’t care a whit about this works “necessity” because it’s just too damn good to ignore. This is a fun listening experience, and one of the best Alien productions we’ve gotten in a long, long while. It’s great to see, or rather, hear, Ellen Ripley back in action and kicking butt on land and in space.
If I have to post one complaint, it’s that the inclusion of Ash serves mostly as story recaps. While Hauer is a great choice to voice this iconic character, a lot of the information Ash relays, in the form of status update reports to the Weyland-Yutani corporation, is redundant to the unfolding plot, and given the frequency at which this is done over the course of the production’s 4 hours and 28 minutes it often times feel highly repetitive. If you’re spreading this listen out over multiple days or longer, these updates may serve as helpful story recaps, but if you’re digesting the story in large chunks they ultimately add little. Like a television show’s “previously on” segment, these recaps don’t eat up a lot of time, so this is ultimately a very minor complaint in the grander scheme of things.
As they did with last year’s adaptation of Joe Hill’s Locke & Key, Audible Studios has delivered a knock-out win of an audio drama – and for a work set in one of my favorite film series, no less! I had read and enjoyed Lebbon’s novel of this work when it came out a few years ago, but I absolutely loved listening to this adaptation. Dirk Maggs and his cast and crew have created a very special production for Alien fans with this dramatization, released on Alien Day (4-26, as in LV-426), and it’s a work that I highly recommend. Now go give it a listen!
In 2014, Titan Books released the first in a new series of books set in the Alien film franchise under the supervision of the movie studio 20th Century Fox. These novels are considered part of the film canon and help expand and flesh out the movie universe, and they launched with Tim Lebbon’s Alien: Out of the Shadows, set between the first two movies and featuring the series’ heroine, Lt. Ellen Ripley.
Following the destruction of the Nostromo in the first Alien movie, Ripley put herself into hypersleep and drifted through space. Movie buffs know that 57 years passed between Alien and Aliens, but Lebbon has crafted a nicely fitting story that slots itself directly into the middle of this time gap. In Out of the Shadows, the damaged mining vessel Marion picks up a distress call from Ripley’s lifeboat, while the crew contends with the discovery of a vicious life-form on the planet LV-178. It’s not long before Ripley is pressed back into action, haunted by the events aboard the Nostromo, and hellbent on saving the crew of the Marion.
Rather than taking Lebbon’s novel and producing a straight-up audiobook, Audible Studios and director Dirk Maggs have turned Out of the Shadows into a brilliant audio drama, crafting a production that may well be the best Alien production since James Cameron’s own Aliens. Using an ensemble cast of voice actors, including actor Rutger Hauer in his first audio performance as the now-disembodied ghost in the machine of the android Ash, and an array of sound effects and musical score, the production quality on display here is downright phenomenal.
Actor Corey Johnson brings to life Chief Engineering Hooper, while Laurel Lefkow voices Ripley. The chemistry between these two is terrific and you get a great sense of camaraderie as they form a fast friendship under the threat of the alien menace. Lefkow in particular wowed the heck out of me, and a few times I could have positively sworn that Maggs had gotten Sigourney Weaver to reprise her role. Lefkow absolutely nails the tone, inflection, and speech patterns of Weaver’s Ellen Ripley and it’s mighty damn impressive to listen to.
Rounding out the voice talent is the full-fledged sonic experience of the work itself. From the familiar not-quite dot matrix noises of the computers as they display text, to the ferocious grunts, hisses, and screams of the aliens, and the attendant instrumental score, Out of the Shadows is a frighteningly immersive experience, and one that is very audibly an Alien story. Dirk Maggs has been credited with turning the audio drama into an audio movie for his BBC productions, and that particular knack is on full display here. Lebbon’s prose work has been stripped away, although the story and dialogue, with a bit of finessing for this dramatization, remain intact and is lovingly crafted in a highly cinematic experience for the mind. With the accompanying audio you can really let your imagination run wild and set the scene in your mind’s eye on this one. This is as much an audio movie as it as a movie of the mind, and it’s scarily effective. Be sure to listen to this one with a good set of headphones to fully appreciate the layers and depth that went into constructing this audio drama, but be careful not to fall off the edge of your seat.
Some may argue that by placing this story between the first two Alien films that it’s not an entirely necessary work. To this, and with a shoulder shrug, I can only say, “meh.” I, for one, don’t care a whit about this works “necessity” because it’s just too damn good to ignore. This is a fun listening experience, and one of the best Alien productions we’ve gotten in a long, long while. It’s great to see, or rather, hear, Ellen Ripley back in action and kicking butt on land and in space.
If I have to post one complaint, it’s that the inclusion of Ash serves mostly as story recaps. While Hauer is a great choice to voice this iconic character, a lot of the information Ash relays, in the form of status update reports to the Weyland-Yutani corporation, is redundant to the unfolding plot, and given the frequency at which this is done over the course of the production’s 4 hours and 28 minutes it often times feel highly repetitive. If you’re spreading this listen out over multiple days or longer, these updates may serve as helpful story recaps, but if you’re digesting the story in large chunks they ultimately add little. Like a television show’s “previously on” segment, these recaps don’t eat up a lot of time, so this is ultimately a very minor complaint in the grander scheme of things.
As they did with last year’s adaptation of Joe Hill’s Locke & Key, Audible Studios has delivered a knock-out win of an audio drama – and for a work set in one of my favorite film series, no less! I had read and enjoyed Lebbon’s novel of this work when it came out a few years ago, but I absolutely loved listening to this adaptation. Dirk Maggs and his cast and crew have created a very special production for Alien fans with this dramatization, released on Alien Day (4-26, as in LV-426), and it’s a work that I highly recommend. Now go give it a listen!
May 31, 2016
Okay, after thinking about it for several hours, I decided to raise my rating to 5 stars after originally giving it 4 stars. Maybe 4.5 stars, rounded up?
I'm not a fan of Audible's audio dramas at all, and I've tried to listen to quite a few. They leave so much out of the narration, and most of the details necessary for the story are just lost completely . This was definitely NOT the case with Tim Lebbon's Alien: Out of the Shadows.
Alien is probably my favorite sci-fi movie series/universe, more so than Star Wars (gasp!), though some movies and episodes of Star Trek run a close second to Ridley Scott's masterpiece. So going in, I was already a fan, and had high expectations for a fun read.
This book was set between the events of the original Alien movie, in which Ellen Ripley was the sole survivor of the Nostromo after the crew discovered the aliens, and Aliens, the second movie. If you haven't seen the first movie in a while, I'd recommend going back to watch that classic. There are many details from that movie that are vital to know as you listen to this book.
The story itself is intense; it is, after all, an Alien story. The trek through the mines, the fight to survive in the mines and on the ship, hearing the crew members be taken out, it all fit the overall Alien mythos perfectly.
The production was outstanding. The sound effects were perfectly recreated, from the sounds of the ship creaking, collapsing, and exploding, to the sounds of the Alien claws scraping across the metal floors and duct work, even the sounds of the face-suckers. Surprisingly, the cast could be heard perfectly over the sound effects (one of my main drawbacks with these Audible dramas), and there was no doubt as to what was happening, what their plans were, and what happened to each of them.
The one thing I didn't like was . Other than that, this was a near-perfect addition to the Alien universe.
I'm not a fan of Audible's audio dramas at all, and I've tried to listen to quite a few. They leave so much out of the narration, and most of the details necessary for the story are just lost completely . This was definitely NOT the case with Tim Lebbon's Alien: Out of the Shadows.
Alien is probably my favorite sci-fi movie series/universe, more so than Star Wars (gasp!), though some movies and episodes of Star Trek run a close second to Ridley Scott's masterpiece. So going in, I was already a fan, and had high expectations for a fun read.
This book was set between the events of the original Alien movie, in which Ellen Ripley was the sole survivor of the Nostromo after the crew discovered the aliens, and Aliens, the second movie. If you haven't seen the first movie in a while, I'd recommend going back to watch that classic. There are many details from that movie that are vital to know as you listen to this book.
The story itself is intense; it is, after all, an Alien story. The trek through the mines, the fight to survive in the mines and on the ship, hearing the crew members be taken out, it all fit the overall Alien mythos perfectly.
The production was outstanding. The sound effects were perfectly recreated, from the sounds of the ship creaking, collapsing, and exploding, to the sounds of the Alien claws scraping across the metal floors and duct work, even the sounds of the face-suckers. Surprisingly, the cast could be heard perfectly over the sound effects (one of my main drawbacks with these Audible dramas), and there was no doubt as to what was happening, what their plans were, and what happened to each of them.
The one thing I didn't like was . Other than that, this was a near-perfect addition to the Alien universe.
February 21, 2017
Now this was fun, ludicrous amounts of fun. My first ever audiobook was a full cast drama and from there on single narrators took a lot of adjusting to. This was more along the lines of an old time radio play, full cast and bombastic special effects, sort of like listening to a dynamic dramatically charged action adventure. Short one, just enough for two good walks and, again, great great fun. Enthusiastically recommended.
August 9, 2019
Amazing! Loved the sound effects, all the narrators and the story speaks for itself. Stupendous!
July 6, 2016
Though well-performed by all the cast members, within the limited time frame of events and the intensity of the action and imminent destruction, the format does not allow for the background material that the written word provides. The audio-drama, with its sound effects and the cast's dramatic performances, does capture the feel perfectly, but there’s no time to get to know or care about anyone but Ripley, who quickly takes over as the lead once she’s awakened, leaving Hooper in the dust. The rest of the cast is obvious fodder for the aliens’ and Ash’s machinations. Moreover, since this book is specifically labelled as canon, I found it difficult to sink myself into a story that I knew would have to end with a cop-out involving Ripley’s memories being conveniently wiped back to her exit from the Nostromo and Ash’s frequent transmissions drifting into nothingness.
Read more at Women Write About Comics
Read more at Women Write About Comics
April 20, 2019
8/10
This was plain fun. I can’t imagine this is a highbrow novel and anything to write home about but as an audio full cast production it was really good. The cast was spot on, the pacing made me want to listen to more and more, and the production made this like a movie for my ears.
It’s short, coming in at under 5 hours but there is plenty packed into that time. The main question is how does this fit in between Alien and Aliens but it’s dealt with in pretty much the only way they could do and it was predictable. But I didn’t care about that really. I’m not a massive fan of the movies, I enjoyed them but I’ve not seen them more than once or twice in passing, but this jumped straight in and felt like a worthy addition for any fan. The voice casting team nailed Ripley perfectly here and Ash was played really nicely too.
There isn’t much more I can add to this, I took a chance on it as it was free but it impressed me enough to pick the next one up straight away.
This was plain fun. I can’t imagine this is a highbrow novel and anything to write home about but as an audio full cast production it was really good. The cast was spot on, the pacing made me want to listen to more and more, and the production made this like a movie for my ears.
It’s short, coming in at under 5 hours but there is plenty packed into that time. The main question is how does this fit in between Alien and Aliens but it’s dealt with in pretty much the only way they could do and it was predictable. But I didn’t care about that really. I’m not a massive fan of the movies, I enjoyed them but I’ve not seen them more than once or twice in passing, but this jumped straight in and felt like a worthy addition for any fan. The voice casting team nailed Ripley perfectly here and Ash was played really nicely too.
There isn’t much more I can add to this, I took a chance on it as it was free but it impressed me enough to pick the next one up straight away.
May 21, 2016
***** 5 Ripley stars *****
Audio play, dramatized audio play.
Narrated by Laurel Lefkow (as "Ripley"), Rutger Hauer (as "Ash"), Corey Johnson (as "Hooper"), Matthew Lewis (as "Baxter"), Kathryn Drysdale (as "Snedin"), Andrea Deck (as "Kosinov"), Mac McDonald (as LeChance).
Narrated by Laurel Lefkow (as "Ripley"), Rutger Hauer (as "Ash"), Corey Johnson (as "Hooper"), Matthew Lewis (as "Baxter"), Kathryn Drysdale (as "Snedin"), Andrea Deck (as "Kosinov"), Mac McDonald (as LeChance).
4 hours 31 minutes
Overall: 5
Performance: (6!) 5
Story: 4
I'm so impressed!
This audio edition of Alien: Out of the Shadows is a dramatized version based on the book, meaning there's no narrator, but it is acted out like a radio play. There's a voice actor for each character, and they are acting their roles and not narrating them. So it's more an audio play than an audio book. Get it?
On top of that there are a lot of awesome sound effects and music score added. Like doors opening, computer sounds, ship creaking and sounds from equipment and weapons, elevator going down, alarms blaring, beeping sounds, echoes in hallways, basically everything you can think of to build an audible version around the characters, and making an atmosphere with music. And of course, not forget, the love-to-hate aliens or Xenomorphs. They tip toes, and clatter, shriek and scream as we all know from the movies. It was goosebump-inducing!
Overall: 5
Performance: (6!) 5
Story: 4
I'm so impressed!
This audio edition of Alien: Out of the Shadows is a dramatized version based on the book, meaning there's no narrator, but it is acted out like a radio play. There's a voice actor for each character, and they are acting their roles and not narrating them. So it's more an audio play than an audio book. Get it?
On top of that there are a lot of awesome sound effects and music score added. Like doors opening, computer sounds, ship creaking and sounds from equipment and weapons, elevator going down, alarms blaring, beeping sounds, echoes in hallways, basically everything you can think of to build an audible version around the characters, and making an atmosphere with music. And of course, not forget, the love-to-hate aliens or Xenomorphs. They tip toes, and clatter, shriek and scream as we all know from the movies. It was goosebump-inducing!
I literally had goosebumps listening to the first 30 minutes. It was all so... real! The sound effects, the "waiting-for-shit-hitting-the-fan" feeling, the slightly claustrophobic feeling of being on a space ship, and hearing Ripley's voice. I had to check the voice actor list twice to make sure that Sigourney Weaver wasn't in this. Laurel Lefkov, the voice actor of Ripley was SO good!
A little bit about the story.
Alien: Out of the Shadow takes place between the first Alien movie and the second, Aliens. After Ripley blew up the space ship Nostromo in Alien, she put herself (and Jones "Jonsey", the cat, remember him?) into hyper sleep. When Ripley wakes up in #2 Aliens 57 years have passed. This story takes place in the middle of this time gap, 30-ish years after the Nostromo.
The mining ship Marion with a small crew on board is orbiting around the planet LV-178 which is being mined for precious mineral. However, they dug too deep and the Marion gets into some "xeno-trouble" and then Ripley's drifting life boat gets picked up on their radar and they bring her aboard. Unlikely, you might say, but it's all explained in the story. And it was believable in my opinion.
What follows is true chaos in true Alien fashion. The crew and bad ass Ripley battles the vicious and violent Xenomorphs with barely any weapons, through both ship and mining hallways.
You know, the usual...
It was great listening to this!
Since what happens aboard the Marion is not mentioned in the following Alien movies, what happens to Ripley at the end is self explanatory. I've seen reviews saying it was a lazy way out, but I don't agree. What other "out" was there than what happened?
Highly, highly recommended if you are a fan of Aliens and murder and mayhem in space. And also of Ripley. Woot!
A little bit about the story.
Alien: Out of the Shadow takes place between the first Alien movie and the second, Aliens. After Ripley blew up the space ship Nostromo in Alien, she put herself (and Jones "Jonsey", the cat, remember him?) into hyper sleep. When Ripley wakes up in #2 Aliens 57 years have passed. This story takes place in the middle of this time gap, 30-ish years after the Nostromo.
The mining ship Marion with a small crew on board is orbiting around the planet LV-178 which is being mined for precious mineral. However, they dug too deep and the Marion gets into some "xeno-trouble" and then Ripley's drifting life boat gets picked up on their radar and they bring her aboard. Unlikely, you might say, but it's all explained in the story. And it was believable in my opinion.
What follows is true chaos in true Alien fashion. The crew and bad ass Ripley battles the vicious and violent Xenomorphs with barely any weapons, through both ship and mining hallways.
You know, the usual...
It was great listening to this!
Since what happens aboard the Marion is not mentioned in the following Alien movies, what happens to Ripley at the end is self explanatory. I've seen reviews saying it was a lazy way out, but I don't agree. What other "out" was there than what happened?
Highly, highly recommended if you are a fan of Aliens and murder and mayhem in space. And also of Ripley. Woot!
March 28, 2020
This is the German version of Alien: Out of the Shadows, which came for free from Audible Germany. And that is a full-cast, abbreviated version of the novel of the same name.
Set between the first two movies. Ripley was awoken somewhere else first and—you might have guessed already—things go downhill fast from there. Not bad. Although it was a little challenging at times to figure out what was going on. The mine reminded me very strongly of the setting of the second movie, especially the whole brouhaha with the escalator. The plot was not terribly imaginative. You basically wait for everybody to be decimated one by one with the exception of Ripley and generally just wonder who will bite the dust next.
Ripley sounds like Ripley (or rather like her German dubbing voice). Great voice casting in general. Ash is a little too repetitive for my taste.
I do not recommend this to anybody who hasn‘t seen some of the movies. As this is an abbreviated version with a lot of vague sound effects and there is little to no world building, I think it would be too meaningless to anybody completely new to the Alienverse.
3.5 stars rounded up.
P.S.:
FROM FILM TO FICTION: CREATING THE ALIEN FRANCHISE’S LITERARY CANON
https://bookriot.com/2020/03/19/alien...
Set between the first two movies. Ripley was awoken somewhere else first and—you might have guessed already—things go downhill fast from there. Not bad. Although it was a little challenging at times to figure out what was going on. The mine reminded me very strongly of the setting of the second movie, especially the whole brouhaha with the escalator. The plot was not terribly imaginative. You basically wait for everybody to be decimated one by one with the exception of Ripley and generally just wonder who will bite the dust next.
Ripley sounds like Ripley (or rather like her German dubbing voice). Great voice casting in general. Ash is a little too repetitive for my taste.
I do not recommend this to anybody who hasn‘t seen some of the movies. As this is an abbreviated version with a lot of vague sound effects and there is little to no world building, I think it would be too meaningless to anybody completely new to the Alienverse.
3.5 stars rounded up.
P.S.:
FROM FILM TO FICTION: CREATING THE ALIEN FRANCHISE’S LITERARY CANON
https://bookriot.com/2020/03/19/alien...
September 2, 2024
I listened to the audiobook of this and I'm very glad I did, the production and voice cast were brilliant and as others reviewers have said I believe that the book version wouldn't have been as good.
The story fits in well between Alien and Aliens and retains the atmosphere of the movies effectively whilst adding something that feels relevant. It's fast paced fun and whilst some parts were a bit silly I really enjoyed it.
The story fits in well between Alien and Aliens and retains the atmosphere of the movies effectively whilst adding something that feels relevant. It's fast paced fun and whilst some parts were a bit silly I really enjoyed it.
January 24, 2017
This is quite an entertaining book and is masterfully executed in terms of the and audible drama.
The story is sadly quite short which means that its over before you know it, if you havent been exposed to the alien universe this isnt for you and if you have this book doesnt really add more to the universe.
Overall if you want something different this is a fun listen , but dont expect either the horror or scares from the movie or the world building from the books. Instead this book sits in a unique position where it seems to just be there to entertain the listeners.
The story is sadly quite short which means that its over before you know it, if you havent been exposed to the alien universe this isnt for you and if you have this book doesnt really add more to the universe.
Overall if you want something different this is a fun listen , but dont expect either the horror or scares from the movie or the world building from the books. Instead this book sits in a unique position where it seems to just be there to entertain the listeners.
December 29, 2018
Hmm, I guess the first thing you should know is that this story takes place after the first Alien movie. If you have seen the movie, you will be able to follow along with this story just fine. When I first started listening to this I assumed this was a replacement/rewrite of the movie series, and would be ignoring the 2nd movie, etc. And that's still true, up to a point. Movie 1, this book, and movie 2 can timeline wise follow each other. It's hard to say these could truly follow each other content/story wise because due to circumstances .
I almost guilty/bashfully admit that I like the Alien movies. They are disgusting for sure and I make sure to hit mute or skip the really ucky parts, but I still find the movies enjoyable (except the one with Winona Ryder - I didn't like that plot :/). And I have seen the "prequels" which are interesting and hope they plan to make prequel prequels so we can see what happened to the "giants."
As for this story, I did enjoy it. Sometimes the action was a little hard to follow vice watching on a TV, but overall very enjoyable and the actors chosen to narrator were picked well. Ripley's voice was very similar to Sigourney Weavers, which I thought was cool. If you are a fan of the movie Alien, and/or like sci-fi, I do recommend this audio. 3.5 stars (because it's short, and actually felt like an abridged version, and I can't reconcile this storyline with the next film).
I almost guilty/bashfully admit that I like the Alien movies. They are disgusting for sure and I make sure to hit mute or skip the really ucky parts, but I still find the movies enjoyable (except the one with Winona Ryder - I didn't like that plot :/). And I have seen the "prequels" which are interesting and hope they plan to make prequel prequels so we can see what happened to the "giants."
As for this story, I did enjoy it. Sometimes the action was a little hard to follow vice watching on a TV, but overall very enjoyable and the actors chosen to narrator were picked well. Ripley's voice was very similar to Sigourney Weavers, which I thought was cool. If you are a fan of the movie Alien, and/or like sci-fi, I do recommend this audio. 3.5 stars (because it's short, and actually felt like an abridged version, and I can't reconcile this storyline with the next film).
October 9, 2019
Much like STAR WARS needs to tell tales that don’t involve The Skywalker family, so ALIEN needs to find a way to thrive beyond Ellen Ripley.
Now, I quite enjoyed ALIEN: OUT OF THE SHADOWS, but that did require me to get over that it rather incredibly and improbably slots between ALIEN and ALIENS. No, Ripley didn’t sleep uninterrupted for all those years, instead her pod – steered by the A.I. consciousness of Ash – battling more Xenomophs. Of course then, the cynic within me spent a lot of it waiting for the scene where Ripley loses her memory, so as not to disrupt what we see in ALIENS. And because of that, I did spend most of running time wondering whether we really needed Ripley there at all.
This free Audible dramatisations of the Tim Lebbon novel is – narrative contrivance apart – quite a fun listen. Bringing together elements from ALIEN, ALIENS and even PROMETHEUS. Of course, all those things we’ve seen before and it’s undoubtedly a bit of a re-tread, but the different medium helps in not making this feel utterly redundant.
The cast is great, with Laura Lefkow in particular evoking Ripley perfectly, and the production is top notch. I just wish it had created a completely original group of characters so that the ending wouldn’t have to fit in uncomfortably with what we’d already seen in 1986.
Is it essential? Hell no. Is it fun? Actually, it is.
Now, I quite enjoyed ALIEN: OUT OF THE SHADOWS, but that did require me to get over that it rather incredibly and improbably slots between ALIEN and ALIENS. No, Ripley didn’t sleep uninterrupted for all those years, instead her pod – steered by the A.I. consciousness of Ash – battling more Xenomophs. Of course then, the cynic within me spent a lot of it waiting for the scene where Ripley loses her memory, so as not to disrupt what we see in ALIENS. And because of that, I did spend most of running time wondering whether we really needed Ripley there at all.
This free Audible dramatisations of the Tim Lebbon novel is – narrative contrivance apart – quite a fun listen. Bringing together elements from ALIEN, ALIENS and even PROMETHEUS. Of course, all those things we’ve seen before and it’s undoubtedly a bit of a re-tread, but the different medium helps in not making this feel utterly redundant.
The cast is great, with Laura Lefkow in particular evoking Ripley perfectly, and the production is top notch. I just wish it had created a completely original group of characters so that the ending wouldn’t have to fit in uncomfortably with what we’d already seen in 1986.
Is it essential? Hell no. Is it fun? Actually, it is.
March 22, 2019
*3.5 Stars - 4 stars for the story, 3 for the audio.
As a Tim Lebbon fan, I jumped at the free Audible Original Drama of Alien: Out of the Shadows. This “radio play” was a great change of pace from the books I had been listening to.
Lebbon brought me back to the world of Alien, even the voice actor who did Ripley sounded similar enough to Sigourney Weaver. This gave me a comfort/familiarity level that got me more involved, more quickly. His story was creative, unique and well developed.
I had a couple of issues with this audio performance. First was the sound quality. I get that they were going for authenticity and I appreciate that, but at times it was difficult to follow the dialogue when the characters were speaking through their communications links.
I was additionally a tad disappointed that the big name, Rutger Hauer, had the smallest role. I’m certain there are good reasons for it, but it’s a recognizable name and he is listed first in the credits on Goodreads. You landed the big name, use it.
As a Tim Lebbon fan, I jumped at the free Audible Original Drama of Alien: Out of the Shadows. This “radio play” was a great change of pace from the books I had been listening to.
Lebbon brought me back to the world of Alien, even the voice actor who did Ripley sounded similar enough to Sigourney Weaver. This gave me a comfort/familiarity level that got me more involved, more quickly. His story was creative, unique and well developed.
I had a couple of issues with this audio performance. First was the sound quality. I get that they were going for authenticity and I appreciate that, but at times it was difficult to follow the dialogue when the characters were speaking through their communications links.
I was additionally a tad disappointed that the big name, Rutger Hauer, had the smallest role. I’m certain there are good reasons for it, but it’s a recognizable name and he is listed first in the credits on Goodreads. You landed the big name, use it.
June 29, 2018
This rent seeking left me emotionally cold. I didn't care about the characters or their situation. It just beeped and borked its way to its sleepy conclusion.
In the digital age I get tired of distorted audio used as a tension device. If you aren't using radio transmitters, like when inside a ship, the audio should be clear. You either have the sound file or you don't. There might be a bad speaker somewhere, but speaker tech is excellent now, why would it degrade in space where it is vital? The video version of this is the lens flare, which digi-cameras shouldn't produce, but digi-techs feel they need to add anyway.
This Canonical title makes me laugh. Now that Disney owns this franchise, this canon will go out the window with the rest. Ever seen what they did to Star Wars? This series may be my last visit since I won't pay Disney to destroy fond memories with crap reboots.
This adds little to the larger story, it just does plot back flips to make space for another product.
In the digital age I get tired of distorted audio used as a tension device. If you aren't using radio transmitters, like when inside a ship, the audio should be clear. You either have the sound file or you don't. There might be a bad speaker somewhere, but speaker tech is excellent now, why would it degrade in space where it is vital? The video version of this is the lens flare, which digi-cameras shouldn't produce, but digi-techs feel they need to add anyway.
This Canonical title makes me laugh. Now that Disney owns this franchise, this canon will go out the window with the rest. Ever seen what they did to Star Wars? This series may be my last visit since I won't pay Disney to destroy fond memories with crap reboots.
This adds little to the larger story, it just does plot back flips to make space for another product.
December 6, 2018
If you love the Alien franchise then you have to try these out, this isn't just some guy reading the book but a full cast acting out the story with decent sound effects. The actors are generally good with the woman playing Ripley a really great sound likeness, Rutger Hauer as Ash doesn't quite fit right from the film but he has the sort of monotone menace that works well enough.
The story is the same as the book so it still has the flaws of that (Ripleys whole involvement) but otherwise is an enjoyable alien romp with the usual mix of action and suspense.
The story is the same as the book so it still has the flaws of that (Ripleys whole involvement) but otherwise is an enjoyable alien romp with the usual mix of action and suspense.
April 5, 2017
I would give this 10 stars if I could. The chick voicing Ripley's character was amazeballs. Had me doing a double take at my speakers, because she really sounded a lot like Sigourney. Even had the same dark comic timing with the quips. Good story. And a truly fantastic cast of characters to act it out. Complete with sound effects, screams, and all the eerie alien atmosphere you love from the Alien franchise. Takes place between the movie Alien, and Aliens. Really well done.
January 30, 2019
Audible Cast Production: 5 Stars
Actual Storyline/Content: Torn between 3.75 & 4 Stars
(Also, still sick but my boss walking in on a screaming scene involving a face hugger and the words "it's impregnating her" made my day.)
This audio dramatization takes place 30-something years after Ripley's alien encounter on Nostromo. When she originally set the course toward safety (after her battle with the OG alien), she didn't consider the fact that Ash (evil android in disguise) had uploaded some of his code onto the ship before his untimely demise, thus making it possible to override her destination specifier. Basically, it sucks to be Ripley lol.
Annnnnyways - considering Ash is still following the protocol to bring back an extraterrestrial specimen, it shouldn't surprise us that he's been wandering around outer space in the hijacked ship with Ripley unknowingly sleeping away in a cryogenic machine. When a distress signal pings on his radar, he sets a course in that direction in the hopes of finally fulling his program-long dreams. Cuz any distress signal in space obviously means aliens.
Meanwhile, on mining ship Marion - shit is about to hit the fan. Not only are they low on resources, but a shuttle with (and you guessed it) aliens! has crash-landed onto their docking bay. Now they've got two options: 1. deal with the nightmare in hopes of getting access to a ship that can finally get them out of there or 2. leave the space-baddies inside but eventually starve. yay.
Ripley eventually gets woken up to this bullshit again, has no choice but to help the Marion crew, and the story unravels from there.
The writing could have been better (if I'm being completely honest) but it was also almost exactly like the movies - so in that sense it did the franchise plenty of justice.
What really sold this tale was the cast and overall production, this is probably the best audible story I've heard (yes - even slightly more so than the Illuminae Files) to date. If every audio version was presented like this I'd probably never read a book again tbh. It was like listening to a movie; the sound effects were fucking epic and absolutely deserving of the 2017 APA Audie Awards for Excellence in Production. Like YAS, werk it gang.
If you listen to audio books or would like to give it a shot, I highly recommend starting off here.
Bonus points for Laurel Lefkow who narrated Ripley's lines and sounds exactly like Sigourney Weaver to the point were I had to check whether or not it actually was her and for that terrific scene in the mines that made me burst out in goosebumps at work - I was able to visualize everything about that abhorrent scenario clearly.
Deducted points for that
If you enjoy the Alien franchise (or generally anything space-related like moi) you should definitely take time out of your day to listen to this.
There be my review :)
Updated Note: you may be missing out on content if you decide to listen to this without having watched the movie Alien. Everything is still understandable because context clues are a thing and also they tell you everything you need to know, but, like, it's better if you watch the movie first lol.
Actual Storyline/Content: Torn between 3.75 & 4 Stars
(Also, still sick but my boss walking in on a screaming scene involving a face hugger and the words "it's impregnating her" made my day.)
“Kasyanov, I think I’ve made it pretty clear,” Lachance said. “Our attitude controls is damaged beyond repair, retro capability is down to thirty percent. Several containment bulkheads are cracked, and there’s a good chance if we initiate thrust we’ll just flash-fry ourselves with radiation.” He paused briefly.
“We do still have coffee, though. That’s one positive.”
This audio dramatization takes place 30-something years after Ripley's alien encounter on Nostromo. When she originally set the course toward safety (after her battle with the OG alien), she didn't consider the fact that Ash (evil android in disguise) had uploaded some of his code onto the ship before his untimely demise, thus making it possible to override her destination specifier. Basically, it sucks to be Ripley lol.
Annnnnyways - considering Ash is still following the protocol to bring back an extraterrestrial specimen, it shouldn't surprise us that he's been wandering around outer space in the hijacked ship with Ripley unknowingly sleeping away in a cryogenic machine. When a distress signal pings on his radar, he sets a course in that direction in the hopes of finally fulling his program-long dreams. Cuz any distress signal in space obviously means aliens.
Meanwhile, on mining ship Marion - shit is about to hit the fan. Not only are they low on resources, but a shuttle with (and you guessed it) aliens! has crash-landed onto their docking bay. Now they've got two options: 1. deal with the nightmare in hopes of getting access to a ship that can finally get them out of there or 2. leave the space-baddies inside but eventually starve. yay.
Ripley eventually gets woken up to this bullshit again, has no choice but to help the Marion crew, and the story unravels from there.
The writing could have been better (if I'm being completely honest) but it was also almost exactly like the movies - so in that sense it did the franchise plenty of justice.
What really sold this tale was the cast and overall production, this is probably the best audible story I've heard (yes - even slightly more so than the Illuminae Files) to date. If every audio version was presented like this I'd probably never read a book again tbh. It was like listening to a movie; the sound effects were fucking epic and absolutely deserving of the 2017 APA Audie Awards for Excellence in Production. Like YAS, werk it gang.
If you listen to audio books or would like to give it a shot, I highly recommend starting off here.
Bonus points for Laurel Lefkow who narrated Ripley's lines and sounds exactly like Sigourney Weaver to the point were I had to check whether or not it actually was her and for that terrific scene in the mines that made me burst out in goosebumps at work - I was able to visualize everything about that abhorrent scenario clearly.
Deducted points for that
If you enjoy the Alien franchise (or generally anything space-related like moi) you should definitely take time out of your day to listen to this.
There be my review :)
Updated Note: you may be missing out on content if you decide to listen to this without having watched the movie Alien. Everything is still understandable because context clues are a thing and also they tell you everything you need to know, but, like, it's better if you watch the movie first lol.
May 21, 2016
Alien: Out of the Shadows
was a pretty good adaptation of the novel by the same name. The audio production was high quality, and it captured the Alien atmosphere well.
However, the pacing felt rushed in a lot of places, and due to the lack of a narrator, I often found that exposition was delivered in clumsy ways. Android Ash's intermissions, too, felt repetitive, like he was reiterating the same things and intentions over and over again.
While the actors' performances were spot on, the characters could've done more to stand out. Half the cast I didn't know much at all about before they died. Some I found interesting got killed off early on, and the hinted relationships with surviving characters never really amounted to anything. Chief Engineer Hooper, for example, has things hinted at, even gets his family brought up once, but there's never really anything more about it. And that was the character I liked most here!
The inclusion of Ellen Ripley was on one hand cool, especially since the actress picked for her role did a good job emulating her voice and attitude, but on the other it took attention away from the rest and even when she gets wounded, there's no real risk to her, since we know she survives for the other movies. The deus ex machina wipe of the slate at the end felt hamfisted as well.
What I really enjoyed was the small glimpse/summary of Amanda Ripley's experiences from the video game Alien: Isolation. It is only a short section in the midst of the action, but I liked the reference. It tied the Alien canon closer together.
One thing that bothered me about the audio production itself was how rapidly line followed after line, with little wiggle room to give you a sense of passing time. In one sentence the crew might be starting to venture into a ridiculously long tunnel, and two lines later they've arrived at the end, and they barely stopped talking in between. The sense of time felt off as a result. This could have been avoided by adding short bursts of music or talk-less parts with sound effects to the mix more often. Sure, it would have made the dramatization longer, but likely also more effective and satisfying.
Overall, I'm torn on this one. It felt like a bit of a chore to get through due to the rushed pace and, until the later parts, mostly faceless characters. The sound effects were great and all, but production-wise there could've been more to it. The plot itself was fairly predictable but still enjoyable, but drew too often on the other movies for its highlights.
It is a decent enough listen, but didn't rock my world.
However, the pacing felt rushed in a lot of places, and due to the lack of a narrator, I often found that exposition was delivered in clumsy ways. Android Ash's intermissions, too, felt repetitive, like he was reiterating the same things and intentions over and over again.
While the actors' performances were spot on, the characters could've done more to stand out. Half the cast I didn't know much at all about before they died. Some I found interesting got killed off early on, and the hinted relationships with surviving characters never really amounted to anything. Chief Engineer Hooper, for example, has things hinted at, even gets his family brought up once, but there's never really anything more about it. And that was the character I liked most here!
The inclusion of Ellen Ripley was on one hand cool, especially since the actress picked for her role did a good job emulating her voice and attitude, but on the other it took attention away from the rest and even when she gets wounded, there's no real risk to her, since we know she survives for the other movies. The deus ex machina wipe of the slate at the end felt hamfisted as well.
What I really enjoyed was the small glimpse/summary of Amanda Ripley's experiences from the video game Alien: Isolation. It is only a short section in the midst of the action, but I liked the reference. It tied the Alien canon closer together.
One thing that bothered me about the audio production itself was how rapidly line followed after line, with little wiggle room to give you a sense of passing time. In one sentence the crew might be starting to venture into a ridiculously long tunnel, and two lines later they've arrived at the end, and they barely stopped talking in between. The sense of time felt off as a result. This could have been avoided by adding short bursts of music or talk-less parts with sound effects to the mix more often. Sure, it would have made the dramatization longer, but likely also more effective and satisfying.
Overall, I'm torn on this one. It felt like a bit of a chore to get through due to the rushed pace and, until the later parts, mostly faceless characters. The sound effects were great and all, but production-wise there could've been more to it. The plot itself was fairly predictable but still enjoyable, but drew too often on the other movies for its highlights.
It is a decent enough listen, but didn't rock my world.
February 25, 2022
Me gustó mucho. La experiencia de estos audiolibros con cast y efectos sonoros es increíble, en especial si se desarrollan en otro lugar. Sobre esto, la razón por la que casí me encantó fue por el contexto en el espacio, ya que últimamente no disfruto mucho de las historias donde obviamente morirán casi todos los personajes quedando sólo la/el protagonista. Suena cómo otra película de terror más y "I think I've seen this film before and I didn't like the ending"... o sea, en teoría si me gustaba perder la esperanza en esas historias hasta que me di cuenta que, por más elementos que cambien o recursos que pongan, escencialmente sigue siendo lo mismo y, después de captar la fórmula, todo se vuelve monótono y aburrido. Lo que tengo que decir a favor de esto es que en realidad no me aburrí, incluso disfruté mucho todo aunque me confundiera en ciertas partes con los personajes. Pero eso es culpa de mi problema para recordar nombres y voces.
Supongo que el personaje que más me gustó fue Ash, sin embargo, aún no sé si es porque encuentro interesante que fuera una IA o porque tenía un racionamiento sobre la soledad que encontré interesante.
Supongo que el personaje que más me gustó fue Ash, sin embargo, aún no sé si es porque encuentro interesante que fuera una IA o porque tenía un racionamiento sobre la soledad que encontré interesante.
April 25, 2018
This was way more fun than I expected it to be.
January 28, 2019
You probably won’t enjoy this unless you are already a fan of the franchise, but if you are... YAY! ALIEN GOODNESS
This is full on sound effects, voices, EVERYTHING. It’s like watching a movie without the visuals.
These are really designed to add on to the movie universe, so if you’re expecting perfection you’re probably not going to find it. However, if you just want to be back in this dark and dim world we love so much then go for it. It’s like a radio show from back in the day... but, you know, for aliens.
The woman they chose for Ripley’s voice sounds almost identical to Sigourney Weaver, which made me really happy. All the voice actors did a great job.
I saw a few reviews saying they wished Ripley hadn’t been a part of this storyline. But, like I said, I’m not really here for perfection. I just want the world and one of my favorite characters back in my life for a few hours. Besides, what do they mean Ripley shouldn’t be in this? Ripley should be in everything. Hell, drop her in the middle of Pride and Prejudice and I’d still be happy to see her.
This is full on sound effects, voices, EVERYTHING. It’s like watching a movie without the visuals.
These are really designed to add on to the movie universe, so if you’re expecting perfection you’re probably not going to find it. However, if you just want to be back in this dark and dim world we love so much then go for it. It’s like a radio show from back in the day... but, you know, for aliens.
The woman they chose for Ripley’s voice sounds almost identical to Sigourney Weaver, which made me really happy. All the voice actors did a great job.
I saw a few reviews saying they wished Ripley hadn’t been a part of this storyline. But, like I said, I’m not really here for perfection. I just want the world and one of my favorite characters back in my life for a few hours. Besides, what do they mean Ripley shouldn’t be in this? Ripley should be in everything. Hell, drop her in the middle of Pride and Prejudice and I’d still be happy to see her.
July 30, 2019
If you like the Alien franchise you will like this book, it is well written , suitably atmospheric and disgusting in its goriness - exactly what I would expect from this franchise - well done.
As for the story itself, it’s a good one, the usual premise, that being “Aaaaaargh! Aliens!! We’re all gonna die!” set somewhere in space. All good.
I only have one complaint - and it’s not really about the book. I listened to it on audible and whilst I did like the narrator, he really got the right atmosphere across I did not like the way he voiced the female characters. They all came across as quite wishy washy and I think we all know Ripley is anything but that!
I can’t fault the actual book though, great story, well told, everything I expected and wanted, not disappointed. I guess on that basis it has to be a 5*/5.
As for the story itself, it’s a good one, the usual premise, that being “Aaaaaargh! Aliens!! We’re all gonna die!” set somewhere in space. All good.
I only have one complaint - and it’s not really about the book. I listened to it on audible and whilst I did like the narrator, he really got the right atmosphere across I did not like the way he voiced the female characters. They all came across as quite wishy washy and I think we all know Ripley is anything but that!
I can’t fault the actual book though, great story, well told, everything I expected and wanted, not disappointed. I guess on that basis it has to be a 5*/5.
August 23, 2019
Goodreads schimpft, weil ich das Buch doppelt bewerte.
Aber! Dies war eine Audible Hörspiel Produktion. Und eine ziemlich gute noch dazu. Alles das, was ich beim Buch zu bemängeln hatte, kommt hier quasi nicht vor.
Ellen Ripleys Auftritt hat plötzlich Sinn und wird gut umgesetzt. Sie nervt auch höchstens mit ihrem "ich hab's euch ja sagt, blabla" aber eben nicht mit "Visionen" von ihrer Tochter Amanda.
Alles in allem wirkt hier alles schlüssiger. Ich finde es auch gut, dass sie in der 20th Century Fox Tonkisten graben durften und Original-Filmsound verwenden konnten. Das macht die Sache authentischer. Japp, ich freu mich auf den nächsten Teil.
Aber! Dies war eine Audible Hörspiel Produktion. Und eine ziemlich gute noch dazu. Alles das, was ich beim Buch zu bemängeln hatte, kommt hier quasi nicht vor.
Ellen Ripleys Auftritt hat plötzlich Sinn und wird gut umgesetzt. Sie nervt auch höchstens mit ihrem "ich hab's euch ja sagt, blabla" aber eben nicht mit "Visionen" von ihrer Tochter Amanda.
Alles in allem wirkt hier alles schlüssiger. Ich finde es auch gut, dass sie in der 20th Century Fox Tonkisten graben durften und Original-Filmsound verwenden konnten. Das macht die Sache authentischer. Japp, ich freu mich auf den nächsten Teil.
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