Experiments with dangerous computer virusses and hostile extraterrestrials in the same building: what could go wrong?
I have spent quite some time scouring through Reddit for recommendations on Alien books. The vast majority of the answers mentioned The Cold Forge as one of the best novels, and I must say that I agree.
The book follows physically handicapped scientist Blue Marsalis as she is researching a way to weaponize the Xenomorphs for good old Weyland-Yutani. When company auditor Dorian Sudler is sent to assess the station's progress, he discovers there is a saboteur on board. What follows is not just the clichƩ "all systems are failing and we also have to deal with Aliens hunting us", but an action-packed and thrilling story in with many characters acting in self-interest and following secret agenda's.
What makes the story strong is that it isn't purely fixated on action with Xenomorphs - though the action scenes are of good quality. The book has protagonists and side characters that are actually memorable. They are not merely the stale victims of an alien infestation, but people with interesting character arcs. Also, all characters could be deemed morally grey: there isn't a good or bad side (though I was rooting for the physically handicapped scientist more than the deranged businessman). As well as their perspectives, the book offers interludes from the perspectives of a few side characters to tell their parts of the stories when the main characters aren't near them.
I was also very intrigued by the author's take on the 'black goo', or as they call it: plagiarus praepotens (Latin for powerful mimic/kidnapper). Instead of the facehugger planting an embryo inside the host, this book assumes that it pukes black goo, which travels to the stomach to merge with human DNA. This theory doesn't fully match the lore from the movies, I think, but I did like this new perspective and the possibilities it presented for the protagonist.
Another fun thing that was new to me: the physically handicapped protagonist is able to take control over a synthetic's body with some very epic gadgets. She can still feel sensations in her own body, but whilst in Marcus' body can feel what he feels, see what he sees and even profit from his strength and speed. It's also described how she can feel her own body deteriorating and likes it better in Marcus' body. I'm not sure how much I can read into this, but when she (SPOILER) gets a new synthetic body to take over at the end of the novel, she makes it known that she would rather have a male android body. I don't know if the writer did this to highlight that she is used to inhabiting a male body, or that she would rather be a man. Either way, the concept of taking over robot bodies was very cool to me.
I think this book was very well written. Unlike other Alien novels, the action scenes are not better than the dialogue or parts where the reader is offered a back story, making this a very enjoyable read from start to finish. Despite the 'plot twists' being quite obvious sometimes (see the title of this post), it never got boring.
Final comment: the Xenomorphs are referred to as 'bugs' and are held in 'kennels'; terms that don't fit this species. I agree with the people on reddit that it takes away the mystery of the species and it doesn't do justice to their unique nature.
Rating: 5/5 Corporate Baddies













