Author Tim Lebbon steps back into the Alien and Predator universe after having done so previously on Alien: Out of the Shadows. If you read my review of Out of the Shadows, you know that I liked what Mr Lebbon brought to the table and thankfully, with his newest trilogy, The Rage War, he seems to be still at the top of his game.
Although Predator: Incursion is not completely without flaws, the good far outweigh the bad. Read on to understand why.
SUMMARY
Predator ships stream into human space in unprecedented numbers. The Colonial Marines, controlled by Weyland-Yutani, respond to the incursion, thus entering the Rage War.
This terrifying assault by the Yautja cannot go unchallenged, yet the cost of combat is high. Predators are master combatants, and each encounter yields a high body count. Then when Lt. Johnny Mains and his marines—the VoidLarks—enter the fray, they discover an enemy deadlier than any could imagine.
Book one in an epic trilogy that continues in ALIEN: INVASION and concludes in ALIENS VS. PREDATOR: ARMAGEDDON. The universe will forever be changed.
Number of Pages: 400
REVIEW
First things first, going into a book titled Predator: Incursion, one expects the book to be filled with all sorts of Predator action and mayhem. Unfortunately, one would be mistaken, as the story for the first book in the Rage War trilogy tends to focus a lot of the human side of the conflict that is slowly starting. We spend a good amount of time with some Colonial Marines, who become stranded on a Predator habitat, but the Predators are mainly pushed to the side to give time for Lebbon to explain the beginnings of the Rage war. Which means we are spending most of the book with humans, scientists and those always lovable Xenomorphs. It isn’t until over halfway through the book, do the Predators start to get involved in the story.
This is going to frustrate some people, but if you can look past that, you’re in for an exciting story. However, a story that has been expanded into three books, so don’t expect lots of revelations at the end, as you are supposed to jump right into Book 2 – Alien: Invasion, if you want to know more of what happens.
My slight disappointment with the lack of Predator aside, I enjoyed the story. The book sets up events that are going to be huge in the next two books and not once is the book slow. There are also a few callbacks to previous Alien and Predator stories, like a reference to Predator 2 or the slight nod to Weyland and his tendency to go off on dangerous adventures. Are they referencing Alien vs Predator Weyland or Prometheus Weyland? That I’m not sure.
Quick note, the Predator are called Yautja correctly in the book, unlike the terrible Predator: Forever Midnight, which called them The Hish. Man, that book truly sucked.
If you’re a fan of the Alien vs Predator universe, Predator: Incursion is going to be a book that will bring a smile to your face. It’s jammed full of Colonial Marine action, Predator/Alien violence and gore, and expands even further on the universe we love to explore. As mentioned, fans might throw their arms up in frustration with the lack of Predator, but give the book a chance as I think you’ll end up enjoying it.