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Alien Nation #3
Body and Soul
Based on the teleplay by Diane Frolov & Andrew Schneider.
ALIEN NATION was a ground-breaking and thought-provoking television program that was part science fiction and part hard-hitting police drama - taking on tough social issues. Despite raves from critics as well as a loyal following, ALIEN NATION was canceled but not before additional scripts were created. Now Pocket Books is proud to present the novelization of one of these never-before-seen scripts.
BODY AND SOUL
Matthew Sikes and his Tenctonese partner George Francisco try to unearth the truth behind the hysteria generated by the reports of the birth of the first half-human, half-Tenctonese child. Meanwhile, Sikes and his Tenctonese friend Cathy find their relationship heating up and realize they can no longer deny their feelings. They quickly learn just how dangerous human-Tenctonese love can be, and how far it can go ...
ALIEN NATION was a ground-breaking and thought-provoking television program that was part science fiction and part hard-hitting police drama - taking on tough social issues. Despite raves from critics as well as a loyal following, ALIEN NATION was canceled but not before additional scripts were created. Now Pocket Books is proud to present the novelization of one of these never-before-seen scripts.
BODY AND SOUL
Matthew Sikes and his Tenctonese partner George Francisco try to unearth the truth behind the hysteria generated by the reports of the birth of the first half-human, half-Tenctonese child. Meanwhile, Sikes and his Tenctonese friend Cathy find their relationship heating up and realize they can no longer deny their feelings. They quickly learn just how dangerous human-Tenctonese love can be, and how far it can go ...
277 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1993
79 people want to read
About the author
Peter David
3,570 books1,358 followersaka David Peters
Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.
Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 15, 2022
This follows the TV movie "Body and Soul" very closely.
It has the giant Newcomer and the Baby.
Is the baby a Newcomer Human hybrid? No one knows. They don't know where the Giant or Baby came from.
Cathy and Matt want to take their relationship to the next level. However, the mixed relationship can be dangerous if they are not in sync. A class is recommended to help mixed couples. Matt is thoroughly embarrassed. Will he go through with it?
Albert and May want to have a baby. But they need another male to help since Albert can only catalyze. Yes, interesting Alien reproduction. (Main info about reproduction is from the TV show)
It has the giant Newcomer and the Baby.
Is the baby a Newcomer Human hybrid? No one knows. They don't know where the Giant or Baby came from.
Cathy and Matt want to take their relationship to the next level. However, the mixed relationship can be dangerous if they are not in sync. A class is recommended to help mixed couples. Matt is thoroughly embarrassed. Will he go through with it?
Albert and May want to have a baby. But they need another male to help since Albert can only catalyze. Yes, interesting Alien reproduction. (Main info about reproduction is from the TV show)
July 19, 2023
While this was written based upon an unproduced television episode screenplay, the idea was brought out in one of the movies that followed the series. I loved on writer Peter David really understood the world and the characters, filling in a lot more details than you saw in the movie. As a fan of the series and movies, I was very pleased.
April 16, 2025
Very different to the actual film that was made. The basic story is the same but the way things unfold are quite different. I think the changes made to the story for the film are for the better. One of the sub plots in the book was used in a later TV movie so to read this book with that sub plot in it was interesting. It still worked really well.
February 19, 2018
An interesting blend of plots of romance and genetic engineering.
January 17, 2016
The book opens with two Newcomers going into a building. They find the giant Newcomer who grabs one of them and throws him into some crates. The other Newcomer sets fire to some papers under a crib in order to distract the giant and escape. (In the script, the show opens with a giant Newcomer running and holding a little girl Newcomer. Several men attack the giant who ends up falling off an overpass. Police arrive and take the girl into their protection.)
The giant is cradling a baby and he steals a truck and flees the area, heading to Little Tencton in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile Matt and Cathy are starting to make out but she warns him it is dangerous. It's really, really funny in the novel.
The giant is cornered by others and ends up leaving the baby behind as he falls off an overpass. The baby is rescued by human police.
He gets made fun of the next day at work when his neck is at an angle and the Newcomers are able to recognize what happens when a unprepared human tries to have sex with a Newcomer.
Albert and May want George to help father their child. Matt's concerned Susan will not approve.
Matt and George go to look at the young child that was found and George says he's never seen a Newcomer like her before. Susan and a female coworker talk about men and how they cheat on wives. Susan says George never would.
The giant Newcomer is wandering around. George tells Susan about fathering Albert and May's child and Susan reacts quite negatively.
Cathy wants Matt to take a sex-ed class with her to learn how to have sex with a Newcomer woman. Safely.
Cathy examines the infant and finds out she only has one heart (Newcomers have two.) She has no spots, her motor skills are like a human's, yet her head is shaped like a Newcomer's. Cathy thinks the child might be a hybrid. Grazer, always looking for his own personal glory, decides to call a news conference and make an announcement about the child. He refuses to realize the controversy that such an announcement will start, particularly with the Purists.
Matt and George capture the giant Newcomer. They take him to the station and put him behind bars but he goes nuts when the baby is given to some foster parents and they start to leave.
Later Matt and Cathy go to sign up for the sex-ed class.
Susan tries the approach of not allowing George to have sex with her in order to get her way about Albert and May and George.
Sikes is very, very uneasy in the sex-ed class.
Buck gets attacked at school by some jocks. This is related to the anti-Newcomer prejudice that has been stoked by the news of the supposed hybrid baby. Buck is attacked in a classroom, but the teacher realizes who is responsible and punishes the offender and not Buck.
The baby is brought back to the station and shown to the giant who grabs it. When he does, he is able to speak. He warns them that Chorboke is coming.
Matt lies to Cathy in order to get out of going to sex-ed class.
Susan goes out at night to make George jealous. Meanwhile Matt and George play poker with some other guys, but they get a call to go to the sex clinic where's there's a Purist demonstration that's becoming violent.
The giant becomes ill and the baby becomes ill.
Emily is trying to act more grown-up by wearing a revealing dress but things backfire for her.
George and Matt investigate and find Chorboke's experimental results in bottles. They and Cathy realize the Giant and the baby are two parts of a whole and they must be near each other in order to survive.
Chorboke has the baby stolen.
They locate him and a fight ensures. The giant manages to start a fire and Chorboke is killed and his experiments destroyed.
Susan agrees to let George father May's child, and Cathy and Sikes graduate from the sex-ed class.
Without doubt, the anti-prejudice message of the entire series and this particular book is quite strong and quite important. What is really bad is that, no matter how much time passes from the end of a series to the present day, the main themes still remain; there is as much prejudice in the U.S. today as when this series was filmed.
The targets change over time, of course. Once it was typified by the signs that said “No Irish Need Apply.” Virtually every immigrant group encountered some form of major prejudice. Native Americans and Blacks have had hatred directed their way for hundreds of years. In today's world, the main targets seem to be gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered people, and anyone who is not a Christian.
No matter how good the series, and no matter how important the message, people never seem to listen.
The giant is cradling a baby and he steals a truck and flees the area, heading to Little Tencton in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile Matt and Cathy are starting to make out but she warns him it is dangerous. It's really, really funny in the novel.
The giant is cornered by others and ends up leaving the baby behind as he falls off an overpass. The baby is rescued by human police.
He gets made fun of the next day at work when his neck is at an angle and the Newcomers are able to recognize what happens when a unprepared human tries to have sex with a Newcomer.
Albert and May want George to help father their child. Matt's concerned Susan will not approve.
Matt and George go to look at the young child that was found and George says he's never seen a Newcomer like her before. Susan and a female coworker talk about men and how they cheat on wives. Susan says George never would.
The giant Newcomer is wandering around. George tells Susan about fathering Albert and May's child and Susan reacts quite negatively.
Cathy wants Matt to take a sex-ed class with her to learn how to have sex with a Newcomer woman. Safely.
Cathy examines the infant and finds out she only has one heart (Newcomers have two.) She has no spots, her motor skills are like a human's, yet her head is shaped like a Newcomer's. Cathy thinks the child might be a hybrid. Grazer, always looking for his own personal glory, decides to call a news conference and make an announcement about the child. He refuses to realize the controversy that such an announcement will start, particularly with the Purists.
Matt and George capture the giant Newcomer. They take him to the station and put him behind bars but he goes nuts when the baby is given to some foster parents and they start to leave.
Later Matt and Cathy go to sign up for the sex-ed class.
Susan tries the approach of not allowing George to have sex with her in order to get her way about Albert and May and George.
Sikes is very, very uneasy in the sex-ed class.
Buck gets attacked at school by some jocks. This is related to the anti-Newcomer prejudice that has been stoked by the news of the supposed hybrid baby. Buck is attacked in a classroom, but the teacher realizes who is responsible and punishes the offender and not Buck.
The baby is brought back to the station and shown to the giant who grabs it. When he does, he is able to speak. He warns them that Chorboke is coming.
Matt lies to Cathy in order to get out of going to sex-ed class.
Susan goes out at night to make George jealous. Meanwhile Matt and George play poker with some other guys, but they get a call to go to the sex clinic where's there's a Purist demonstration that's becoming violent.
The giant becomes ill and the baby becomes ill.
Emily is trying to act more grown-up by wearing a revealing dress but things backfire for her.
George and Matt investigate and find Chorboke's experimental results in bottles. They and Cathy realize the Giant and the baby are two parts of a whole and they must be near each other in order to survive.
Chorboke has the baby stolen.
They locate him and a fight ensures. The giant manages to start a fire and Chorboke is killed and his experiments destroyed.
Susan agrees to let George father May's child, and Cathy and Sikes graduate from the sex-ed class.
Without doubt, the anti-prejudice message of the entire series and this particular book is quite strong and quite important. What is really bad is that, no matter how much time passes from the end of a series to the present day, the main themes still remain; there is as much prejudice in the U.S. today as when this series was filmed.
The targets change over time, of course. Once it was typified by the signs that said “No Irish Need Apply.” Virtually every immigrant group encountered some form of major prejudice. Native Americans and Blacks have had hatred directed their way for hundreds of years. In today's world, the main targets seem to be gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered people, and anyone who is not a Christian.
No matter how good the series, and no matter how important the message, people never seem to listen.
November 14, 2015
I loved Alien Nation when it was a television show. I saw the movie and enjoyed it, but the TV show was great! And this book of one of the shows was a fun read. As I read the book, some of the story seemed familiar. It took me about 100 pages to realize that I had seen this episode, like 7 years ago. I remembered the giant. And I remembered Sikes being uneasy about the sex education class. Then it all came back.
Peter David is a good comic book writer, but I had never read one of his novels before. When he wrote this book, he was also the writer for the Incredible Hulk, which he wrote for over 100 issues. So, I was not too surprised when Cathy bumped into Betty Banner and walked away with the parting remark, “Say Hi to Bruce.” Funny!
The characters in the book are right on part with the TV series and it is a fast read. If you loved the show, this book is a must read. Besides, I always loved the interaction between Matt and Cathy.
I rated this book an 8 out of 10.
Peter David is a good comic book writer, but I had never read one of his novels before. When he wrote this book, he was also the writer for the Incredible Hulk, which he wrote for over 100 issues. So, I was not too surprised when Cathy bumped into Betty Banner and walked away with the parting remark, “Say Hi to Bruce.” Funny!
The characters in the book are right on part with the TV series and it is a fast read. If you loved the show, this book is a must read. Besides, I always loved the interaction between Matt and Cathy.
I rated this book an 8 out of 10.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews