Golden, Christopher
About the Author:
Christopher Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, USA, where he still lives with his family. His website can be found at www.christophergolden.com.
AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:
4 out of 5
(2 books)
TOP PICK:
Alien: River Of Pain
Alien: River Of Pain
Set amid the events of the opening act of 'Aliens', this book tells the full story of the Hadley's Hope colony on LV-426 and how, after being sent to investigate a derelict alien vessel, the colonists find themselves in a desperate struggle to survive.
This book is sometimes referred to as part of a trilogy but is, in fact, a standalone novel that just happens to be the third book released in the new era of (supposedly) canon Alien novels. And although it begins amid the events of 'Alien' and has that branding on the cover, this is definitely a companion story to James Cameron's 'Aliens' rather than Ridley Scott's original (both novelised by Alan Dean Foster).
I was a bit worried going into this book by the fact that the ending seemed a foregone conclusion. We know that Newt is the only survivor found on LV-426, so there felt like this book might just be an exercise in inevitability. However, I can honestly say that I became fully invested, despite thinking I knew how it would end.
Golden expands characters who largely only appeared in the Extended Edition of 'Aliens' and also creates a cast of characters of his own whom we come to know, like, hate, respect, etcetera. It means that the cost of lives, which we already knew going in, genuinely has some emotional impact for the reader. You actually find yourself hoping that their colonists' latest survival idea will work out, despite knowing that it almost certainly won't. And you'd be wrong in thinking that you know exactly how this is going to turn out too, as the book does have a surprising element to the ending that I enjoyed.
All that said, you will finish this book, like me, with an overwhelming urge to go and re-watch 'Aliens', so factor the movie's length into the time set aside for reading this book.
4 out of 5
Spike & Dru: Pretty Maids All In A Row
Now, I'm not a fan of Buffy or Angel, but I received this book for free and thought 'what the hell'. I was pleasantly surprised.
Rather than being about some all-action, bantering teenage Slayer (although there is one of them in it), this book's focus is on the vampire lovers Spike and Drucilla. Spike and Dru make such good main characters because they really revel in being evil and, lets face it, we all love a good villain.
It is 1940 and as World War II rages across Europe, Spike has to meet with the demon Skrymir to aquire the magical necklace Freyja's Strand for Dru. I was pleased to note that Freyja's Strand is a genuine feature of Norse mythology, adding a little more depth to the book. In exchange for the necklace, Skrymir commands Spike to kill the young Slayers-in-waiting, the pretty maids all in a row. There follows some rather brutal scenes in which Spike and Dru assault the safehouse of the Watchers' Council and kill lots of little girls. I was shocked by how adult these events are.
I was a bit disappointed that the war wasn't made more of a feature in the story though, as there's a lot of potential in the idea of two vampires wandering the battlefields of the Second World War and maybe meeting some famous faces.
Ultimately the book is carried by the witty and ruthless Spike and the charming but insane Drucilla. I particularly enjoyed the scene towards the end in which Skrymir makes the mistake of annoying Spike.
4 out of 5