The Complete Aliens Omnibus Volume 4
Authors: Yvonne Navarro/SD Perry
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 608
ISBN: -13: 978-1783299072
Reviewed by: Sandra Scholes
There are two stories in this fourth volume but I only want to concentrate in one as it fits in with this blog. 2124 is the year and the place New York City. A once great city it is now a haven for cranks, Alien jelly addicts and the homeless. Elsewhere the super rich elite loathe everything and everyone most of all Damon Eddington who wants to sample the sound of a real Alien scream for his new opus, The Symphony of Hate.
He takes his idea to Synsound's boss Jarlath Keene who thinks it would be a good idea to obtain an Alien egg. Keene tells Yoriku to find someone who will steal one for him in the most discreet way possible. This turns out to be Akiro one of his most trusted ninjas.
Akiro feels as though he is stuck in Manhattan miles away from home, which he fondly remembers is more beautiful near Christmastime, and cleaner than there. Navarro accurately gives readers the feelings associated with Akiro's fond memories; of sake and green tea, hot rice and fried veg, paper screened windows that comfort him while he is in what he considers to be the worst place imaginable.
Akiro is tasked with stealing the egg from MedTechs lab and he knows the other ninjas he comes with are in danger though he thinks it is worth it if he pleases Yoriku. Though the other ninjas fall Akiro proves he is a capable ninja by slaying his enemies and taking an egg to his master as he is always used to doing his duty. Akiro's devotion to Yoriku stems from when he was a child living with his kid sister, mother and yakuza father. A drug trafficker by trade his father met a dire end as other rival yakuza stormed their house, killed him and prepared to kill Akiro and his sister. What stopped him then was a much younger Yoriku who spared their lives taking the then ten-year-old Akiro into his service to be his ninja. This meant he would be trained in the art of infiltration, combat and quick assassination. Yoriku had him privately tutored to be able to do almost anything or obtain and traffic whatever his master needed.
His moving from Japan to New York might have hurt but under Yoriku's training he felt whole and part of something larger than him. As the man who steals and delivers the egg and brings s jelly addict to be the eggs host he sees how important he is in the grand scheme of things.
I was sent this book to review but Titan Books and thought it was great to be able to find something more Asian to write on it in a separate review for my readers. I enjoyed the four novel series as I have been familiar with the subject matter of the Alien movies for a while. The characters of Akiro and Yoriku sticking in my mind for obvious reasons.
