Adding lore to a franchise with a fanatic fanbase is not an easy task. Oftentimes, it’s best if the creators involved are fans themselves. There’s a sense of responsibility to the revered work and mythos already established. There’s a danger of retreading too much familiar ground or, on the other hand, taking liberties that might break the trust with the readers who are devoted the established rules of the world. How do you overcome the challenge and create something truly memorable? Ask James Stokoe, cause this son of a gun has done it twice! First with Godzilla: Half-Century War and now he tackles a completely incomparable genre with Aliens: Dead Orbit. The collection of which is our spotlight coming out this New Release Day!
The plot’s as simple as it gets. An engineering officer is screwed royally. He’s trapped on a space station after a catastrophic accident. Now, he has only his mitts, wits, a utility kit, and a timer to survive. What is he in danger of getting killed by? Come on, this is a freaking Aliens story! Again, that’s a slim plot. That doesn’t make a it a slight serving of story though. Because every plot’s been done to death across every genre. What makes Mr. Stokoe special is he’s always excellent at execution. And man, are people being executed in this horrific tale.
The sense of claustrophobia that longtime fans may remember from the first two films is visceral. Everything in this book is paced to perfection on both the macro and micro levels. There’s hardly a chance to catch your breath and yet there may be more words written in this article than lines of dialogue across the whole book. Mr. Stokoe is a master of silence. His characters are compelling, the stakes are terrifying, and you just might be wishing this story will end up on a screen near you someday. Perhaps the highest compliment I can pay Mr. Stokoe, and my best foot forward to assure you of Aliens: Dead Orbit being a must-read, is that the creator doesn’t try to outthink the material. Mr. Stokoe doesn’t attempt to revolutionize but he does succeed in revitalizing the genuine terror of a creature we’ve loved to fear for decades.
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