Aliens: Vasquez

A Novel

De: V. Castro

Narrado por: Lauren Rodriguez

A groundbreaking Latinx Aliens novel by a rising star Latina author, featuring the fan-favorite character PFC Jenette Vasquez from the hit movie Aliens and the family she is forced to leave behind

Even before the doomed mission to Hadley’s Hope on LV-426, Jenette Vasquez had to fight to survive. Born to an immigrant family with a long military tradition, she looked up to the stars, but life pulled her back down to Earth—first into a street gang, then prison. The Colonial Marines proved to be Vasquez’s way out—a way that forced her to give up her twin children. Raised by Jenette’s sister, those children, Leticia and Ramon, had to discover their own ways to survive. Leticia by following her mother’s path into the military, Ramon into the corporate hierarchy of Weyland-Yutani. Their paths would converge on an unnamed planet which some see as a potential utopia, while others would use it for highly secretive research. Regardless of whatever humans might have planned for it, however, Xenomorphs will turn it into a living hell.

©2022 Violet Castro (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing

Hey Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for an aliens novel?

Where to begin on this? First of all, the story. It’s almost like they wrote a young adult romance novel, and then realized at the very end. “oh crap! This is supposed to have xenomorphs in It! They’re not even mentioned until about halfway through the story, and no real action until the last hour of the book. Jeanette Vasquez’s character arc feels
forced and has no real originality to it. The arc about her kids had potential, but it falls flat.

The narration in this is just absolutely terrible. uninspired, monotonous, and so amateur that it felt like reading aloud while in school. I have been a fan of the alien series and have, for the most part, enjoyed all the novels. This is the first one that I was watching the clock HOPING it was over.

Unless you get it for free, just move on. It’s not worth it. If you can read this for free, you’ve been warned….

Light on the action

Not enough action for me. Aliens, and Predator for me should be mostly action. This one was mostly backstory from my point of view.

meh...left much to be desired

I've been an aliens fan since the first movie. Not to mention the comics and other novels. But I have to say I was so disappointed in how little Vasquez, J. was featured. The other characters didn't have much depth either. For an 11-hour read, only the last 50 minutes deal with xenomorphs, which was a letdown. I also felt like the musical references weren't realistic or relevant. The narration was robotic and lacked emotion. I didn't feel like I was "there". For example, after someone got killed, I had to play it back to make sure that's actually what happened because it's read in the same tone as if someone walked into a room and sat on the couch.

Decent but not my favourite

Was excited about this one but it didn't bring the same tension and resolution roller coaster as others in the series. While I liked the narrator and would listen to her read another book the overall lack of dynamic in the tone left the plot feeling very mellow and reflective. I liked the back story on Vasquez, examination of how she wound up where she did and how that legacy plays out, and connection with her family but overall the story didn't have the drive as other books. Maybe I like more dread and tension? Would love to see a followup that covers Leticia and her team, preferably by the same author.

Curious for her 2nd book

As others have said: hardly an ALIEN book. Characters are well written, though, and it didn't quite play out as I expected, so here's that. I'd be interested in the author writing a second one that did emphasize the alien in the ALIEN franchise.

Boo

Painfully boring. Do not waste your time. It’s a special feat to take a story about the most amazing science-fiction creatures and world building and make it uninteresting, but this book did it.

Poor narration! Barely any contact with aliens

Good premise but no real alien contact till the last 2 hours and it’s really brief. And the contact is treated as unimportant

Another long awaited alien disappointment

I do not know what it’s worse between the non-alien part of the book, or the fact that I waited four months after I pre-ordered this to be disappointing. On the plus side it is still better than alien echoes.

Disappointed

The narrator lapses into "valley girl" intonations. It is often difficult to distinguish the voices of different characters.
The book is targeted to young adults. The plot is meandering.

Great Story with a interesting viewpoint

Slow starting but well told story with a focus on “vasquez”. Great structure and an interesting viewpoint on different perspectives and theyr goal. It is missing a bit of drive in the chase and combat parts. A wonderful addition to the alien universe!