The ''Alien'' / ''Aliens'' literary franchise consists of multiple

novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...

s and short stories based on the eponymous film franchise, which began in 1979 with the release of '' Alien''. In the 20th century, all ''Alien''-related novels published were adaptations of pre-existing material. From 1979 up to 1997, Warner Books published novelizations of the first four films in the year of release; 1979, 1986, 1992, and 1997, respectively. The first three novelizations were written by Alan Dean Foster. Throughout the 1990s, Bantam Books published nine novelizations of ''Alien'' comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. After going on a hiatus, the franchise returned in book form in 2005. DH Press—Dark Horse Comics' novel publishing imprint—published six original novels from 2005 to 2008. This marked the first time in the franchise where novels were original stories, rather than adaptations. DH Press' series took place after the events of the fourth film; '' Alien Resurrection'' (1997), despite the fact that it was based on the second film. Following the release of ''Aliens: No Exit'' in 2008, the novel series once more went into hiatus. In 2014, after six years, Titan Books started publication of ''Alien'' novels once more, starting with '' Alien: Out of the Shadows'', written by Tim Lebbon. ''Out of the Shadows'' was the first in a trilogy of books, and is canon to the events of the film series. In 2016, ''Alien: Invasion'' was published, which is the second book in Lebbon's ''The Rage Wars'' trilogy; a crossover between the ''Alien'', '' Predator'', and '' Alien vs. Predator'' franchises. The following year, Foster would write both a novelization and prequel to '' Alien: Covenant'' (2017). The success of the novels led to the publication of further stories, including a novelization of the video game '' Alien: Isolation'' (2014).

Film and game novelizations

Dark Horse Comics adaptions

Further novels

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" , - ! scope="col" , Title ! scope="col" , Author ! scope="col" , Publisher ! scope="col" , Date ! scope="col" , Length ! scope="col" class="unsortable" , Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" , , - ! scope="row" , ''Aliens: Original Sin'' , , rowspan="6", DH Press , , , A sequel to the 1997 film '' Alien Resurrection.'' It brings back characters like Ripley 8, the clone of Lt. Ellen Ripley, and android Call. It also sorts out unanswered questions from the movies and raises entirely new ones. Was it just coincidence that the Nostromo happened to pass by the desolate planet? Why was the alien on the crashed ship in the first place? , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , ''Aliens: DNA War'' , rowspan="2", , , , It follows detective Rory Malvaux and the crew of the ''Vinza'' as they attempt to extract a group of scientists — including Rory's mother Jocasta — who have unexpectedly encountered Xenomorphs on the planet Rosamond 6. However, upon arriving, the ''Vinzas crew discover the scientists are not only unwilling to leave, but may be engaging in foul play to preserve the very creatures that stalk them. , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , ''Aliens: Cauldron'' , , , It follows the crews of two cargo starships, the ''Virginia'' and the ''Umiak'', as an attempt to illicitly smuggle live Xenomorphs unleashes the deadly creatures upon them. , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , ''Aliens: Steel Egg'' , , , , Set several decades before the events of the original ''Alien'', the story concerns the crew of the UNIC ''Hornblower'', who are dispatched on a routine survey mission to Saturn where they discover an ancient alien spacecraft in orbit around one of the planet's moons. Upon boarding the mysterious vessel, the unprepared crew soon find themselves trapped in a fight for survival against the Xenomorphs that they accidentally awaken on board. , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , ''Aliens: Criminal Enterprise'' , , , , When his brother falls into debt with ruthless drug dealers, Tommy Chase is forced to take a one-time assignment piloting one of the organization's transport ships to wipe the slate clean. The journey takes him to the remote planet called Fantasia, where the dealers operate a secret drug lab kept safe by the horde of frenetic Xenomorphs that swarm Fantasia's surface. However, when the facility comes under attack from rival forces, the creatures intended to keep the operation safe become an unstoppable threat to everyone on the planet. , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , ''Aliens: No Exit'' , , , , , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , '' Alien: Out of the Shadows'' , , rowspan="6" , Titan Books , , , Set between the events of '' Alien'' and '' Aliens''. The novel tells the story of a group of miners harvesting trimonite, the hardest material known to man, on the planet LV-178. Deep within the mines, they uncover the ruins of an ancient civilization infested with Xenomorphs, which infiltrate the miners' spaceship, the ''Marion''. Ellen Ripley's shuttle, the ''Narcissus'', picks up a distress call from the ''Marion'' and docks with it, and she is left to help the miners survive the Xenomorphs as well as uncover why the shuttle seemed to dock on its own accord. , style="text-align: center;" ,

, - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Sea of Sorrows'' , , , , A follow-up to ''Out of the Shadows'', set many years after '' Alien Resurrection''. LV-178 is now colonized and renamed New Galveston, with Alan Decker, a deputy commissioner for the ICC, charged with making sure the settlements on the planet follow all the rules. While investigating region of the planet with incredibly toxic sands, dubbed the Sea of Sorrows, Decker's previously latent empathic abilities cause him to briefly connect with the Xenomorphs still lying dormant beneath the planet. The Weyland-Yutani Corporation sees this as another opportunity to capture one of the creatures, forcibly recruiting Decker onto a team of mercenaries to accomplish this. Decker is unable to refuse, as centuries ago, his ancestor fought the Xenomorphs, launching a bloody vendetta that was never satisfied. That was when the creatures swore revenge on the Destroyer… Ellen Ripley. , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: River of Pain'' , , , , In this novel, the Xenomorph infestation of Hadley's Hope on Acheron (LV-426), which occurred off-screen in ''Aliens'', is depicted. It notably incorporates several sequences previously seen in the comic ''Aliens: Newt's Tale'' and also references the events of the '' Fire and Stone'' comic. , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Invasion'' , , , , This book is the second chapter in the ''Rage War'' trilogy, following up after the events of the novel ''Predator: Incursion''. The trilogy tells the story of a rogue human faction known as the Rage, who launch an invasion against the primary human sphere of influence using an army of Xenomorph shock troopers, with the Yautja caught in the crossfire. It was succeeded by ''Alien vs. Predator: Armageddon''. , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Covenant - Origins'' , {{sortname, Alan Dean Foster , {{sort, 2017/09/26, September 26, 2017 , 346pp , Prequel to the 2017 film '' Alien: Covenant'' , , - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: The Cold Forge'' , {{sortname, Alex, White, Alex White (author) , {{sort, 2018/04/24, April 24, 2018 , {{sort, 332, 332 pp , The Weyland-Yutani Corporation breeds Xenomorphs from eggs acquired through unknown means aboard the Cold Forge, a secret deep space research station on which the company is hoping to develop the creatures as biological weapons. Dr. Blue Marsalis, the physically handicapped scientist heading the experiments, secretly seeks to harvest a sample of a virulent mutagen produced by the Xenomorphs to cure her terminal degenerative illness. Her research is put in jeopardy when Dorian Sudler, a malicious auditor from Weyland-Yutani, is sent to review the station's work. Things are only further complicated when an unknown saboteur unleashes the Xenomorph specimens from containment, setting them loose aboard the station. , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Echo'' , {{sortname, Mira, Grant, Seanan McGuire , Imprint , {{sort, 2019/04/09, April 9, 2019 , {{sort, 304, 304 pp , The first young adult novel in the ''Alien'' franchise, ''Echo'' is set on the planet Zegreus, home to a human agricultural colony that becomes the site of a Xenomorph outbreak. The protagonist, a young woman named Olivia Shipp, relies on knowledge of xenobiology taught to her by her parents to get her and her twin sister Viola offworld alive. , style="text-align: center;" ,
, - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Prototype'' , {{sortname, Tim, Waggoner , rowspan="13" , Titan Books , {{sort, 2019/10/19, October 29, 2019 , 352 pp , A sequel to ''Alien: Isolation'', ''Prototype'' is a completely original story starring Zula Hendricks, a character from the comic books. A member of the United States Colonial Marine Corps, Hendricks is assigned with training a group of security recruits on the colony of Jericho 3, where a Xenomorph egg is unknowingly being studied by a rival corporation of Weyland-Yutani. The resulting Xenomorph inherits a genetic mutation from its host that gives it the ability to release a deadly pathogen, putting everyone in the colony at risk. , style="text-align: center;" , , - ! scope="row" , '' Aliens: Phalanx'' , {{sortname, Scott, Sigler , {{sort, 2020/02/25, February 25, 2020 , {{sort, 340, 340 pp , Ataegina is an isolated world of medieval castles, varied cultures, and conquests, vibrant until a massive infestation of Xenomorphs arises and spreads relentless destruction, killing ninety percent of the planet's population. Terrified survivors flee to hidden mountain keeps where they eke out a meager existence. When a trio of young warriors discovers a new weapon, they see a chance to end the infestation. To save humanity, the trio must fight their way to the tunnels of Black Smoke Mountain—the lair of an Alien Queen, the mythical Demon Mother. , style="text-align: center;" , {{cite web , last1=Squires , first1=John , date=July 15, 2019 , title=Scott Sigler Announces New Novel 'Alien: Phalanx' for 2020! , url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/books/3572729/scott-sigler-announces-new-novel-alien-phalanx-2020/ , url-status=live , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715192719/https://bloody-disgusting.com/books/3572729/scott-sigler-announces-new-novel-alien-phalanx-2020/ , archive-date=July 15, 2019 , access-date=July 15, 2019 , publisher= Bloody Disgusting , - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Into Charybdis'' , {{sortname, Alex, White, Alex White (author) , {{sort, 2021/02/23, February 23, 2021 , 560 pp , A follow-up to ''The Cold Forge'', ''Into Charybdis'' follows the crew of the science vessel USS ''Gardenia'', which is working for the technology supplier company McAllen Integrations. Under the company's instructions, the ship travels to Charybdis, an

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

ian colony set up on the planet LV-991, to design and install vital systems to the colony's infrastructure. They instead find a Xenomorph running lose in the facility, and the chaos brewed from the creature's rampage threatens to cause a diplomatic crisis between the Americans and the Iranians, prompting the Colonial Marines to respond. , style="text-align: center;" , , - ! scope="row" , ''Aliens: Infiltrator'' , {{sortname, Weston, Ochse , {{sort, 2021/04/20, April 20, 2021 , 344 pp , A prequel to the video game '' Aliens: Fireteam Elite'', ''Infiltrator'' stars Weyland-Yutani scientist Dr. Timothy Hoenikker. Hired by the company under the presumption that he is needed to study extraterrestrial artifacts, Hoenikker instead ends up on Pala Station, a facility run by a warped bureaucracy where Xenomorphs are being bred and the species' bio-materials are being used on other life forms. Due to the actions of an unknown saboteur, the operation predictably falls out of control. , style="text-align: center;" , , - ! scope="row" , ''Alien 3: The Unproduced Screenplay'' , {{sortname, Pat, Cadigan , {{sort, 2021/08/31, August 31, 2021 , 340 pp , Based on the earliest screenplay concept by William Gibson for the film '' Alien 3'', ''The Unproduced Screenplay'' is an original story and sequel to ''Aliens'' that ignores the events of ''Alien 3'' and ''Alien Resurrection''. The ''Sulaco'', after leaving LV-426, drifts into the territory of the Union of Progressive Peoples, a socialist human polity operating outside of the primary human sphere of influence. The four survivors are brought to the space station Anchorpoint where scientists for both the UPP and Weyland-Yutani begin experimenting with cloned Xenomorphs grown from genetic material left behind by the queen on the ''Sulaco''. This is the third adaptation of Gibson's script, as the novel was preceded by a comic book adaptation and audio drama. , style="text-align: center;" , , - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Colony War'' , {{sortname, David, Barnett, nolink=1 , {{sort, 2022/04/26, April 26, 2022 , 416 pp , The story deals with rampant political discontent between the nations of Earth after the events of ''Into Charybdis'', and introduces Chad McLaren, the husband of Amanda Ripley, who is caught in the middle of both the interhuman conflicts and efforts by the conflicting sides to weaponize the Xenomorph. The novel also contains an exclusive tie-in game scenario based on '' Alien: The Roleplaying Game'' titled ''Fallout''. , style="text-align: center;" , , - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Inferno's Fall'' , Philippa Ballantine , July 26, 2022 , 464 pp , Starring recurring protagonist Zula Hendricks, the novel is set on Shānmén, a mining colony run by the Union of Progressive Peoples which comes under attack by an Engineer starship that unleashes various Xenomorph-like mutations upon that planet. , style="text-align: center;" , {{Cite web , last=Squires , first=John , date=May 9, 2022 , title='Alien: Inferno's Fall' – Next Official 'Alien' Book Unleashes a Black Rain of Death This Summer , url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/books/3714206/alien-infernos-fall-official-alien-book/ , access-date=2022-11-16 , website=Bloody Disgusting! , language=en-US , - ! scope="row" , ''Aliens: Vasquez'' , V. Castro , October 25, 2022 , 432 pp , The novel tells the life story of Jenette Vasquez long before the doomed mission to Hadley’s Hope, from joining a street gang, followed by prison, joining the Colonial Marines, and giving up her twin children Leticia and Ramón to be raised by her sister, leading into the events of ''Aliens'', before cutting decades later to the Vasquez twins respectively joining the military and Weyland-Yutani, their independent investigations into their mother's death leading the two to a world soon-to-be-ravaged by xenomorphs. , style="text-align: center;" , , - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Enemy of My Enemy'' , Mary SanGiovanni , February 21, 2023 , 416 pp , All across the galaxy, the mysterious black substance "Prometheus fire" is rained down on Earth settlements, creating hideous monsters from indigenous creatures and human beings, sent by a secret society worshipping the xenomorph, seeking to set off a civil war between the human colonies of the known universe. , style="text-align: center;" , , - ! scope="row" , ''Aliens: Bishop'' , T. R. Napper , December 12, 2023 , 496 pp , Following the events of '' Alien 3'',

Bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

is reawakened and repaired by his creator Michael Bishop Weyland, seeking to "advance medical research for the benefit of humanity". Bishop finds himself pursued by Colonial Marines, "Dog Catchers" commandos employed by Weyland-Yutani, and others seeking Bishop's knowledge on the xenomorph. , style="text-align: center;" , , - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Uncivil War'' , Brendan Deneen , July 30, 2024 , 352 pp , After leaving a ruined Earth and escaping a Xenomorph attack, Chris Temple and his daughters crash-land on a planet on the verge of

civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

. A former military man, Chris must call on the skills he never wanted to use again to protect his daughters, deal with violent marines, and battle the xenomorph killing people regardless of which side of the civil war they are on. , style="text-align: center;" , , - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Seventh Circle'' , Philippa Ballantine & Clara Carija , January 7, 2025 , 416 pp , Following the events of '' Alien: Inferno's Fall'', a family of scavengers who recover an amnesiac Mae Hendricks from the wreckage of an unidentified ship bring a world of pain on themselves and the residents of Guelph Station as a result. , style="text-align: center;" , , - ! scope="row" , ''Alien: Cult'' , Gavin G. Smith , November 4, 2025 , 496 pp , In this murder mystery, FBI agent Tyler Matterton and his synthetic partner Serena investigate xenomorph-related deaths circling around a xenomorph-worshipping religion in service of their goddess. , style="text-align: center;" ,

Collections

* ''The Complete Aliens Omnibus: Volume 1'' – collects ''Earth Hive'', ''Nightmare Asylum'' and ''The Female War'' (Titan Books, January 2016, {{ISBN, 1-78329-901-0) * ''The Complete Aliens Omnibus: Volume 2'' – collects ''Genocide'' and ''Alien Harvest'' (Titan Books, June 2016, {{ISBN, 1-78329-903-7) * ''The Complete Aliens Omnibus: Volume 3'' – collects ''Rogue'' and ''Labyrinth'' (Titan Books, December 2016, {{ISBN, 1-78329-905-3) * ''The Complete Aliens Omnibus: Volume 4'' – collects ''Music of the Spears'' and ''Berserker'' (Titan Books, June 2017, {{ISBN, 1-78329-907-X) * ''The Complete Aliens Omnibus: Volume 5'' – collects ''Original Sin'' and ''DNA War'' (Titan Books, December 2017, {{ISBN, 1-78329-909-6) * ''The Complete Aliens Omnibus: Volume 6'' – collects ''Cauldron'' and ''Steel Egg'' (Titan Books, June 2018, {{ISBN, 1-78329-912-6) * ''The Complete Aliens Omnibus: Volume 7'' – collects ''Criminal Enterprise'' and ''No Exit'' (Titan Books, December 2018, {{ISBN, 1-78329-913-4) * ''The Complete Alien Collection: The Shadow Archive'' – collects ''Out of the Shadows'', ''Sea of Sorrows'', and ''River of Pain'' (Titan Books, January 2023, {{ISBN, 1-80336-116-6) * ''The Complete Alien Collection: Symphony of Death'' – collects ''The Cold Forge'', ''Prototype'', and ''Into Charybdis''(Titan Books, November 2023, {{ISBN, 1-80336-658-3) * ''The Complete Aliens Collection: Living Nightmares'' – collects ''Phalanx'', ''Infiltrator'', and ''Vasquez'' (Titan Books, November 2024, {{ISBN, 1-80336-660-5) * ''Aliens: Bug Hunt'' ( Titan Books, April 18, 2017, {{ISBN, 978-1785654442)

References

{{Reflist

External links