Aliens: Phalanx – A Brief Recommendation

Aliens: Phalanx is an original novel written by Scott Sigler set in the Aliens universe , and it’s pretty damn great! Set on a planet that isn’t earth, at some point in an ambiguous time, AP tells the story of various enclaves of humans eking out an existence in a semi-feudal setting. Humanity has divided itself into camps, each one living in an old fortress, each with their own religion and ways of life. Some are warriors specializing in spear and crossbow combat, some harvest moss to make medicine, and others create nets and other tools. Their world is infested with Xenomorphs who are constantly on the hunt, looking to capture as much prey as possible, and take them back to the Black Smoke Mountains where they will be impregnated with more Xenos.

AP focuses on a young woman named Ahiliyah, a runner, a person who must complete a series of missions running from one fortress to the next to gather supplies, news, and trading, while avoiding the Xenomorphs at all costs. The very survival of her fortress depends on her ability to do her job efficiently and stay alive.

If you liked the recent Predator movie Prey, then I think you’ll like this. It’s fascinating to see the Aliens franchise set in a different kind of non-futuristic setting. There are no power lifters, flamethrowers, plasma rifles, or fully automated assault cannons. When the humans do have to fight, it’s literally with sticks and stones, and rudimentary weapons. The Xenos are viewed as demons by the primitive people, as something unnatural. The shift in setting is thoughtful and meaningful, and it does a lot to inject some fresh ideas into this old franchise.

One super cool moment focuses on Ahiliyah’s ability to think tactically and strategically, and she plays a table top war game with a grizzled old veteran. The game becomes a kind of primitive Space Hulk, where one side plays as the Xenos and the other plays as the humans as the players explore different strategies to stand and fight against a Xenomorph onslaught.

The story does sometimes veer a little too close to YA style fiction for my tastes, and it does suffer a bit in its pacing, with Sigler choosing to spend too much time detailing the trips too and from the fortresses, but over all it’s highly engaging, entertaining, and a very fast read.

It’s highly recommended.