2008-10-07 Oh no, what a dire update

Oh so so bad. Like many I an an avid fan of the original (excluding the series). I loved the original and final battle including its characters so when I heard about this, I was eagerly awaiting its release.

As for the book, starts of decently with a hint of more to come but sadly it falls apart soon after. I dont want to give the book away but its hard not to without explaining why this book falls down so hard but I will try.

Plot: So easily seen coming well in advance. Not a single part of the plot catches you by surprise/

New aliens: Like something from a bad 1980's TV series. They outmatch the visitors too much and this leaves you feeling that humanity really are the dregs of the universe. Your also left wondering just how the visitors are still in existence having 'narrowly' been beaten when the new aliens could so easily have destroyed them.

Technology: Hasnt moved on at all really. Again the stuff you see reads from the 1970s and is just cheesy (flying bikes with nukes and the like)

Earth and the last 20 years: It gets a little better here, some aspects of modern earth are interesting and depict a world in decline and this bleak view peaks your interest. Also, the history of the resistence is interesting but only briefly mentioned and seems (again like a cheap series) to have only effected unknown characters. Sadly the visitor friends have also gone down hill while strangely, the worlds armies and police still exist and co-operate despite not wanting to( believe me it makes no sense)

Visitors: As pathetic and easily outwitted / out fought that the ones from the TV series seem like elite SAS soldiers in comparison. How can we not beat them? That question remains unanswered.

Resistence: Appears to have done little over the 20 years and dont seem to be suffering in any way. Strangly stagnant/

Overvall: Again Im restricted because I dont want to give much away but lets just say, it makes no sense from start to finish. Characters that we saw die are alive, others never existed. Many new characters are straight from 1980s shows and have no appeal. Even the main characters are hard to empathise with and the main shocking plot twist involving a character and teh visitors is so boring and obvious within 10 pages.

I really really dont get this book, Mr Johnston, stick to TV and for the sake of a good book / show, accept what actually happened in the TV series even if it was muck