# Alien Invasion Stories . . . .



## LensmanZ313 (Dec 13, 2004)

OK. What do you hate about alien invasion stories? What cliche do you dread seeing in alien invasion novels and movies? What would you like to see happen in an alien invasion story that has never been done before in your honest opinion? What's the best alien invasion story? The worst?


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## dwndrgn (Dec 13, 2004)

I dislike most alien invasion stories period.  However, I'm much more a fan of fantasy than scifi so maybe that could be it


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Dec 13, 2004)

Well, I disilike the obvious cliches, but immensely enjoy a truly unique story that contains an alien invasion theme - Barry Malzberg's Overlay is a great example of how this sort of theme can be handles in a completely original and gripping way.


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## Foxbat (Dec 13, 2004)

I like the oldies like Invasion Of The Body Snatchers - cliched or otherwise - although it could be argued that, given the time period it was created (50s), and, considering the rise of Cold War paranoia, it might not be a cliche at all


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## Alexa (Dec 13, 2004)

I don't like those with bugs who need a human body to reproduce themselves. Brrrrrrrr ! Creapy ! 

In exchange I like all of those with a superior techology and aliens aware of our "humanity", ready to help us or who ask for help to deal with their internal issues. Makes us people of the Universe.

I have to think about the best and the worst alien invasion. Actually, I'm inclined to think they are all bad.


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## polymorphikos (Dec 13, 2004)

I liked War of the Worlds (book), Invasion of the Body-Snatchers, and the Faculty especially. I'm not sure why I liked the Faculty so-much, but I did. Oh, and Rock Lobster, of course.


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## Leto (Dec 13, 2004)

After War of the Worlds, my favorite alien invasions story are a short story by Frank Herbert called Occupation forces (1955) and a recent novel by Robert Silverberg, The Alien Years (1998). In the latter, aliens behave like what they truly are : aliens. We don't know what do they want, we don't even understand their language and their way of thinking.

What I dislike the most ? All clichés that are in Independence Day.


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## xev2010 (Dec 15, 2004)

I don't dislike anything that has a story to it. I am a writer and I write alternative sci-fi/fantasy literature.


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## Robert M. Blevins (Dec 16, 2004)

If the aliens come, let's hope their message isn't the same as Klaatu's from 'The Day The Earth Stood Still...' (Straigten up humanity, or else!)
Anyone who believes that Earth is the ONLY home to life, according to the late Carl Sagan, is selfish. Sagan once said that Earth believing it is the only home to life in this galaxy is the same as one grain of sand on a beach believing it lives on the beach by itself.


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## Robert M. Blevins (Dec 16, 2004)

Foxbat said:
			
		

> I like the oldies like Invasion Of The Body Snatchers - cliched or otherwise - although it could be argued that, given the time period it was created (50s), and, considering the rise of Cold War paranoia, it might not be a cliche at all


From Robert M.--Original was great, and frightening. Remake with Donald Sutherland was pathetic. I laughed at the end when he put his mouth in a big "O" and made that noise while he pointed at the woman! Wonder how he kept a straight face doing that scene.


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## The Master™ (Dec 16, 2004)

I thought the part of the remake, (or the remake of the remake) where the tramp and his dog are merged was a laugh!!! 

Alien invasion stories on a whole don't interest me... Prefer something with a little more bite... Though, saying that, I enjoyed Man/Kzin Wars by Larry Niven...


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## Quest (Dec 19, 2004)

The original War of the Worlds with Gene Barry.  Independance Day did have some good moments, too.  Other than those two, I can't recall any other invasion movies I liked.


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## D6Veteran (Dec 21, 2004)

War of the Worlds is currently being remade by Spielberg.  I love the original film and as much as I'd love to see a remake, I can't see Spielberg providing it with the dark tone that made the original story/broadcast/film so eerie.

*Hey does anyone remember the rock album soundtrack for War of the Worlds?  My father had it ... like 1980ish.  It was great.  Can't remember who did it but it was basically a rock soundtrack with an updated version of the radio broadcast.  Kinda like a rock opera.*

I love alien attack stories.  The Forge of God and Pandora's Star are my two most recent favorites.


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## Brian G Turner (Dec 23, 2004)

The concept of "alien invasion" has been so heavily used - so, personally, I expect any modern revisiting of the concept should offer new and unique perspectives on the issue, to justify its use. 

2c.


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## The Master™ (Dec 23, 2004)

Hey, I have the War of the Worlds album on CD... With the voice over from Richard Burton... and Phil whats-his-face from Thin Lizzy... 

Some good music... 

Used to have the vinyl album... But got destroyed by my brother in one of his temper tantrums!!! Managed to win the CD in a quiz... I was so psyched... It was one of those clear moments in your life when you hear in your head: "THAT WILL BE MINE" and blow me, it came true!!!


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## Leto (Dec 23, 2004)

I said:
			
		

> The concept of "alien invasion" has been so heavily used - so, personally, I expect any modern revisiting of the concept should offer new and unique perspectives on the issue, to justify its use.
> 
> 2c.


Could be a test for writers. If you can come up with a good alien invasion story, then you can come up with any type of stories. Like "linguini a la vongole" are a clue to recognize a good Italian restaurant.

BTW, I remember a Fredric Brown's short stories avbout cats being benevolent aliens who protected Earth for malevolent mice aliens.


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## Princess Ivy (Jan 3, 2005)

Like DD i'm more a fantasy fan. i'm not keen on invasion stories, although destruction caused by our own carelessness from within does have some attraction


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## Hellsheep (Jan 4, 2005)

I really hate unrealistic stories, do you really believe that an ultra-advanced civilization, which wants to kill every living thing (it also might be interesting to know why they want to destroy everything) would bother to invade Earth? If they were as advanced as the author says, they would just push the red button and mankind would not be anymore.

Maybe someone has read "Roadside picnic" (also known as Stalker) by the Strugatsky brothers? I admit that the ending isn't really interesting, but it's interesting anyway, it even has to do something with alien-invasion


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## kyektulu (Aug 11, 2005)

I thought the whole Roswell alien disection was pretty lame....
There was an alien invasion movie I saw when I was a child, something about a little boy who drempt about aliens taking over the world, then he woke up only for his premonition to start coming true....
Sorry I have completely forgotten what it is called.


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## ajdecon (Aug 12, 2005)

The best-written alien invasion stories I've read are _Footfall_ by Niven and Pournelle, and of course _War of the Worlds_ by Wells.  Both very enjoyable reads, though in _Footfall_ the human characters get annoying enough you start rooting for the aliens.

But I also love the total opposite end of the scale: the alien invasion so cliche, so silly, that you can't help but enjoy it.  Note that this can be even harder to pull off than a "good" invasion story, though: really well-done sillyness isn't easy to do, especially if you're trying to look serious at the same time.


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## Setzertrancer (Aug 12, 2005)

I absolutly hate alien invasion movies or stories because they are quite predictable most of the time though I havn't read many so I can't judge fairly it's just that those word would put me off a book.

But here's the interesting thing I'm currently writing an Alien Invasion novel but I obviously see my Idea as very original and not done before, I might post my first few chapters some day soon of this and get everyone's feedback


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## don sky (Aug 12, 2005)

I just think in Alien "Invasion" stories, the whole malevolent, advanced aliens vs poor helpless humans with prototype weapon and America saving the day cliche has been too overused! I like invasion stories from The Outer Limits coz they are really creative and you have no way of telling what the outcome will be!

I'm yet to see Invasion stories that rivalthose told by the Outer Limits!


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## Stalker (Aug 12, 2005)

What about invasion to Earth of alien intelligent viruses and heroic American epydemiologists saving the humankind from the danger?  
If such a scenario will ever be filmed, I'd vote with both my hands for Bruce Willis as the chief rescuer of the Earth!


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## don sky (Aug 12, 2005)

That sounds a lot like Robin Cook's Invasion! Do you read Robin Cook, Stalker?

PS: Bruce Willis is the man, isn't he?


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## Stalker (Aug 12, 2005)

I've got him in the reading queue but haven't got to him yet. Maybe, a little bit later. Sounds intereting though. What is the precise title of the novel?


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## don sky (Aug 12, 2005)

"Invasion"
Havent read the book tho. Saw the miniseries adaptation on tv! Not bad at all!


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## Quokka (Aug 12, 2005)

I still like a good alien invasion story, though a _good_ alien invasion story isn't easy to find, normaly I like the aliens to stay _alien. _Where their motives and actions are unreadable for atleast a good part of the story (i think someone else posted something along that line). 

I may be wrong and often am but I just don't buy alien technology that is IBM compatable AKA independance Day. My other big gripe would be when an alien is introduced that has travelled light years and has technologies so much more advanced than ours, yet has the military intelligence or a two year old (unless it's a reverse of what i mentioned above, ie. they just can't understand us). The remake of War of The Worlds was entertaining enough but what Alien inventor thought "yep, unstable, slow, it'll disarm shields and fall over if the driver dies, nowthat's a winning design for our front line troops!"


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## Stalker (Aug 12, 2005)

Yes, I would agree on that! The aliens shoul look and behave in alien way. 
The most successful descriptions of aliens come from the books that use the human point of view of alient and focuse only on the way humans see them. This approach doesn't require serious elabouration of alien background.
The other approach is that uses Aliens as heroes of the plot and here we should take into account everything to the least detail because all alien behaviour would derive from alien environment, biology, history and social behaviour and language - all of these components related tightly with one another. That is an extremely hard task because it involvs the plotting in advance that would take into account all aforementioned factors, and each act of the alien protagonist should be subordinated to them, and the more conditions that gave birth to such a species differ from those of the Earth, the more alien such an alien protagonist should be.
For example, these conditions might have given birth to such intelligent social models as the Hive, the civilisation of individuals (as opposite to the Hive) that possibly might have derived from sole predators, the civ derived from pack predators or omnivors (we, humans), the civ derived from herd animals (possibly herbivorous) but I cannot imagine the conditions that could lead to this. The society, in its turn, will enrich its language with notions inherent to that society that would be completely alien to the society derived on basis of different model. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera...


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## don sky (Aug 12, 2005)

Stalker said:
			
		

> Yes, I would agree on that! The aliens shoul look and behave in alien way.
> The most successful descriptions of aliens come from the books that use the human point of view of alient and focuse only on the way humans see them. This approach doesn't require serious elabouration of alien background.
> The other approach is that uses Aliens as heroes of the plot and here we should take into account everything to the least detail because all alien behaviour would derive from alien environment, biology, history and social behaviour and language - all of these components related tightly with one another. That is an extremely hard task because it involvs the plotting in advance that would take into account all aforementioned factors, and each act of the alien protagonist should be subordinated to them, and the more conditions that gave birth to such a species differ from those of the Earth, the more alien such an alien protagonist should be.
> For example, these conditions might have given birth to such intelligent social models as the Hive, the civilisation of individuals (as opposite to the Hive) that possibly might have derived from sole predators, the civ derived from pack predators or omnivors (we, humans), the civ derived from herd animals (possibly herbivorous) but I cannot imagine the conditions that could lead to this. The society, in its turn, will enrich its language with notions inherent to that society that would be completely alien to the society derived on basis of different model. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera...


...et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera 

But seriously, you've got a very good point there coz I personally havent seen anything like what you've sed being done!


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## Rosemary (Aug 12, 2005)

As my personal preference is for Fantasy, I have seen or read very little SciFi.

I did however like the original War of the Worlds.  Sound track with Richard Burton voice over and I believe David Essex sang parts of the album.

I guess the only other 'alien invasion' movie which I enjoyed was "V'.  I believe it starred Signory Weaver (sp?).  It was on the TV here as a series.


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## Stormflame (Aug 13, 2005)

I have fond memories of my family setting at home in our little log cabin back in a valley of West Virginia, and greedily watching the TV series of "V".  
For years upon years, I wanted to the show again, and a few months ago, I had the sorrowful chance to watch an episode on cable.  OMG!  It suxed!
I have come to the conclusion that fond memories need to remain fond memories when it comes to 1980's movie network and magic.  
That brings my mind to "The Greatest American Hero" from the 80's.  I loved the show, however, not long ago, I looked it up on the internet and I had to laugh.  God, the simple things we love when we are children.  The show was of a 'then young actor' running around the world in red tights!  It was horrible.  
LOL!!!!


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## profeaston (Aug 13, 2005)

As a book reviewer (Analog), I tend to avoid any book with dragons, elves, pussy cats toting uzis.  Doesn't have to involve alien invasions.  The invasions themseves seem unlikely in the first place (no good reason for them), but if you grant that they might happen, then you have the problem of explaining why we always (almost) seem to be able to lick 'em despite superior numbers and weaponry.  Sheer wish-fulfillment.


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## Stormflame (Aug 13, 2005)

Good point.  Profeaston, I have commented on the way publishing houses and agents and even the reviewer looks upon books with dragons. I was reading the Guide to Publishers and the Guide to Agents not long ago, and throughout the books, I noticed these people downing the submissions that contained, dragons. They asked 'why does every one have to write about a dragon?" Dragons have been so 'over done' that the market is flooded with dragon based writing. Anne McCaffrey pretty much did that for us, I believe.
-
The whole topic of why we always 'lick 'em', I believe is plain. Stories are written to appease the audience and make the audience feel comfortable and able to relate. If the people of Earth 'band' together, like a 'band of brothers', we can overcome anything that confronts us. 
Yes. The whole alien invading Earth has NEVER found a twinkle in my eyes.


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## lazygun (Aug 13, 2005)

Phillip K Dick has a number of Invasion stories where the humans usually lose.... ..in the most Human of ways...
Always considered invasion stories as Human V Problem questions,and a legit. SF theme/genre?.
There may possibly too many "easy win" stories in general,but that _trend_ can be leveled at others as well,...?.

..just sticking up for the Invasion Story...

How many "Stories" was that?......


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## Rosemary (Aug 14, 2005)

Stormflame said:
			
		

> I have fond memories of my family setting at home in our little log cabin back in a valley of West Virginia, and greedily watching the TV series of "V". For years upon years, I wanted to the show again, and a few months ago, I had the sorrowful chance to watch an episode on cable. OMG! It suxed!I have come to the conclusion that fond memories need to remain fond memories when it comes to 1980's movie network and magic.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## cyborg_cinema (Aug 15, 2005)

LensmanZ313 said:
			
		

> What would you like to see happen in an alien invasion story...?


Eventhough it was kind of lame, I would like to see another movie like _Mars Attacks_, but done better this time. A hilarious spoof.


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## BAYLOR (May 8, 2022)

Independence Day  1996  an entertain film but use quite a number cliches.


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