Best Alien vs. Predator Books: A Complete Reading Guide

The Alien vs. Predator novel line was never large (containing only seven books), but it played a major role in shaping the shared mythology between the two franchises. Several ideas that later became central to Predator lore first appeared in these crossover books, especially in the earliest entries. This guide ranks the core Alien vs. Predator novels based on their influence on canon and overall readability, starting with the weakest and ending with the most essential entry.

7. Aliens vs. Predators: Rift War

Rift War is the worst Alien vs. Predator book, and one of the worst Alien and Predator books in general. The novel was set on LV-363, a planet exploited for a valuable narcotic plant, where corporate interests, criminal gangs, and colonists already existed in a fragile balance before the arrival of Predators. The Yautja deliberately introduced Xenomorphs into the planet's deep rift to create a prolonged hunting environment. While the premise allowed for large-scale chaos promising a "war", it was more of a skirmish. In addition, it was difficult to root for the human slavers or junkies, and the incompetent young Predators.

6. Alien vs. Predator Novelization

The novelization of Alien vs. Predator closely followed the 2004 film, depicting the discovery of a buried pyramid beneath the Antarctic ice and the activation of an ancient hunting ground used by the Predators. Human characters descended into the structure unaware that Alien eggs had been preserved inside, triggering the release of Xenomorphs and the return of a Predator hunting party. While the book expanded slightly on character motivations and added internal monologue, it remained tightly bound to the film's structure and pacing. The book featured five Young Blood Predators instead of three, but they were all still slaughtered fairly quickly. The result was a readable but limited adaptation that offered little new insight beyond what appeared on screen. Unfortunately, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem never received a novelization.

5. Aliens vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet

Hunter's Planet followed Machiko Noguchi after her separation from the Predators, placing her in a corporate role far removed from her earlier experiences. She was recruited to investigate and resolve a Xenomorph outbreak on a privately owned hunting world designed for wealthy clients, involving robotic Xenomorphs. The planet featured engineered wildlife meant to challenge elite hunters, but the introduction of Aliens destabilized the entire ecosystem. As Machiko became entangled with both human agendas and Predator involvement, the story explored her difficulty adjusting to a normal life after Ryushi. The novel was a disappointment and conflicted with other sequels, creating continuity issues around Machiko's character arc.

4. Aliens vs. Predators: Ultimate Prey

Ultimate Prey was an anthology made up of fifteen short stories set across different points in the Alien vs. Predator universe. It followed in the success of the Predator anthology novels, If It Bleeds and Eyes Of The Demon, but was not as good as them. The stories ranged from small-scale hunts to large confrontations, often focusing on Predators engineering situations where Xenomorphs could be used as prey. Humans typically appeared in supporting roles, while Predator stories more frequently included female Yautja. The quality varied between entries, with the standout being Scott Sigler's "Another Mother", which was a sequel to Aliens: Phalanx, one of the best Alien books ever.

3. Alien vs. Predator: Armageddon

Armageddon is the third book in the Rage War trilogy (including Predator: Incursion and Alien: Invasion), and it is recommended to read the first two beforehand. The Rage War trilogy shifted the Alien vs. Predator conflict into a far-future of the 27th century, involving a large-scale war setting. Humanity faced extinction as the Rage, a hostile faction, deployed Xenomorphs as weapons across multiple systems. Armageddon is the most epic of the three books, already featuring the biggest event in the Alien and Predator franchise. The novel moved between personal survival stories and massive fleet-level engagements, emphasizing how completely the conflict had escaped anyone's control.

2. Aliens vs. Predator: War

Aliens vs. Predator: War adapted the Dark Horse Comics sequel to AvP: Prey and ignored the events of Hunter's Planet, returning Machiko Noguchi to the direct continuation of Ryushi. After a year with a Yautja clan, Machiko finally broke away when the other Hunters refused to accept her as an equal. She ended up on the swamp-jungle planet Bunda, where three survivors from Aliens: Berserker also arrived: Lieutenant Kat Lara, Martin Jess, and technician Brian Ellis, who still carried trauma from the Berserker suit incident on DS 949. When a Weyland-Yutani outpost pulled them in under quarantine, the situation collapsed into open violence as Predators struck the station and Xenomorphs spread through the area. Machiko eventually fought against the same clan that once Blooded her, including a final confrontation with the Yautja she nicknamed "Shorty". War is an action-packed and fun novel, which tries to bring the bigger Alien and Predator franchise together with a crossover with Aliens: Berserker.

1. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey

Aliens vs. Predator: Prey is the first Alien vs. Predator book and was based on the original Alien vs. Predator comic series. It also works as an excellent Predator novel, as many elements of the expanded Predator lore were introduced here by author Steve Perry. The word "Yautja", along with several other Predator names and expressions, first appeared in this book. Like the comic it adapted, Prey introduced the Young Blood Predators led by Dachande during their first hunt on the planet Ryushi. The book received two conflicting sequels with AvP: War and AvP: Hunter's Planet, which were not as good as Prey.

Conclusion

The Alien vs. Predator novels varied widely in quality and focus. Some played a key role in shaping long-term lore, while others leaned more toward standalone action stories with fewer lasting consequences. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey clearly stood above the rest, introducing characters and ideas that continued to influence both franchises for years. Later novels expanded the conflict in different ways, but none had the same impact or sense of direction as the original book.

Tag Categories: Alien vs. Predator Lore, Predator Merchandise