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A master class in action-oriented SciFi from James A. Moore

It is often easy to overlook these types of books as genre fiction or books for hardcore fans only.

What people forget is that when franchises anoint a novelist to write these things, they often go for Bram Stoker-award winning writers like James A. Moore.

I am reminded of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom by A.C. Crispin - Disney had a franchise, they went for the best in Crispin, and the book is beyond incredible.

I'm also reminded of Valerie Frankel, who collaborates with people like Snooki and makes surprisingly good books - but that is for another tale.

What James A. Moore has done is made a book that is just as good as any Alien tale

It starts out like a cannon, and every chapter leads to the next. Every sentence is either character development or plot-pushing, and usually the latter.

The one minor critique I had with action-oriented tales, like the great Ice Hunt by James Rollins, is that each chapter predictably takes out the lesser characters and bad guys, and you kind of know where it is going.

Not so with this tale - some survive, and many do not. You don't know what is going to happen.

Finally - a great character in Decker, and a great exploration of Weyland-Yutani

James A. Moore introduces many Alien-type characters, Manning the tough Colonial Marine, Rollins the person who pushes the plot along by holding up the Weyland-Yutani corporation's end of the bargain.

Decker is the main character - and very interesting. He deals with Weyland-Yutani, a corporation that puts the East India Company to shame with its power and its ability to change the world, or in this case solar system.

But Decker is great.

You don't need to read the others of this Canonical trilogy to understand this - it seems to fit in well with them, but it also stands by itself.

Great tale!