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Resident Evil #5
Nemesis
Zombies. Mutant animals. Bioengineered weapons and surgically enhanced monsters. Secret labs and widespread conspiracies. It seemed impossible, but Kill Valentine and her teammates among the S.T.A.R.S. had seen it all firsthand when the Umbrella Corporation turned Raccoon City into a staging ground for the most insidious genetic experiments ever conceived. After all she's been through, Valentine is ready to leave that remote mountain community forever. But Umbrella isn't finished with Raccoon City. Too much evidence of their unethical and immoral research still exists. It must be recovered or destroyed -- and quickly -- before it can be traced back to Umbrella. And with William Birkin's mutagenic virus already spreading through the city like wildfire, drastic measures are needed. Under cover of night, mercenary teams have entered the city, along with something else -- Umbrella's failsafe: an evolved version of its Tyrant-class killing machines, a lethal creature code-named Nemesis. Now Nemesis is on the hunt. And Jill Valentine is about to become prey.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
S.D. Perry
84 books755 followersSD Perry (Stephani Danelle, by the way, though she prefers SD or Danelle) has been writing novelizations and tie-ins for most of her adult life. Best known for her work in the shared multiverses of Resident Evil, Star Trek, and Aliens, SD is a horror nerd and an introvert. Her father is acclaimed science fiction author Steve Perry. SD lives with her family in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
September 15, 2021
I read this entire series a few years ago. I am a huge fan of the games and the books are more or less just written adaptations of each video game. The writing is good, but for those not familiar with the video games, these may or may not peak your interest.
Want to read
August 8, 2022anime jill
disney styled jill
resident evil 2 the movie, sienna guillory jill
the face model in the remake of the game, sasha zotova jill
lego jill
funko jill
my kinda jill
😆
disney styled jill
resident evil 2 the movie, sienna guillory jill
the face model in the remake of the game, sasha zotova jill
lego jill
funko jill
my kinda jill
😆
December 2, 2021
Super fast-paced, not as engaging as the best in the series and the antagonists were a bit bland but a fun, quick read nonetheless.
March 31, 2020
Después del amargo sabor que me dejó Inframundo, cuarto libro de la saga de libros de Resident Evil (uno de los no canon por cierto) admito que me costó un poco la idea de empezar este inmediatamente, pero debido a que el 3 de abril de este 2020 salía el remake quería saborear el libro antes de que saliese el mencionado título (jugada que ya hice con el remake de la segunda entrega y La ciudad de los muertos, hace poco más de un año).
En esta entrega, como ya intuirán los que vengan de la saga de videojuegos, el protagonismo reside en Jill Valentine tras las "aventuras" que vivió en la mansión Spencer (La conspiración Umbrella). De manera inesperada acaba atrapada en Raccon City lleno de zombies, criaturas nuevas y una especialmente aterradora que será su sombra, no importa donde vaya. Aún así, a pesar de su terror a estas criaturas, su deseo de ayudar a civiles en apuros hace que vaya avanzando por esta sombría ciudad.
Pero algo que cambia respecto al videojuego original es que tanto el compañero de Jill, Carlos Oliveira, como otro personaje que prefiero que descubráis vosotros, ganan mucho más protagonismo haciendo que la historia se enriquezca aún más. Admito aquí que Carlos Oliveira nunca me llamó la atención especialmente, sin embargo, aquí se ha ganado todo mi cariño.
(Como dato curioso hay que decir que por los trailers del remake da la sensación de que se han inspirado más en el libro que en el propio juego original, y eso me encanta).
De forma sencilla pero aceptable, S.D. Perry nos hace rememorar los acontecimientos del videojuego original aportando un poco de su cosecha, siendo a mi parecer el mejor libro de la saga de libros. Quizá cuatro estrellas es demasiado, pero lo he disfrutado tanto que no me importa dar una puntuación totalmente subjetiva.
Y una vez más, lo digo: solo lo recomiendo para los fans de la saga de videojuegos, serán quienes los puedan disfrutar.
En esta entrega, como ya intuirán los que vengan de la saga de videojuegos, el protagonismo reside en Jill Valentine tras las "aventuras" que vivió en la mansión Spencer (La conspiración Umbrella). De manera inesperada acaba atrapada en Raccon City lleno de zombies, criaturas nuevas y una especialmente aterradora que será su sombra, no importa donde vaya. Aún así, a pesar de su terror a estas criaturas, su deseo de ayudar a civiles en apuros hace que vaya avanzando por esta sombría ciudad.
Pero algo que cambia respecto al videojuego original es que tanto el compañero de Jill, Carlos Oliveira, como otro personaje que prefiero que descubráis vosotros, ganan mucho más protagonismo haciendo que la historia se enriquezca aún más. Admito aquí que Carlos Oliveira nunca me llamó la atención especialmente, sin embargo, aquí se ha ganado todo mi cariño.
(Como dato curioso hay que decir que por los trailers del remake da la sensación de que se han inspirado más en el libro que en el propio juego original, y eso me encanta).
De forma sencilla pero aceptable, S.D. Perry nos hace rememorar los acontecimientos del videojuego original aportando un poco de su cosecha, siendo a mi parecer el mejor libro de la saga de libros. Quizá cuatro estrellas es demasiado, pero lo he disfrutado tanto que no me importa dar una puntuación totalmente subjetiva.
Y una vez más, lo digo: solo lo recomiendo para los fans de la saga de videojuegos, serán quienes los puedan disfrutar.
March 2, 2019
The story is engaging.
May 14, 2021
A fast paced read that is based on the epic video game. Based on the OG Resi title. Not the one that was just released last year in 2020.
April 22, 2021
Jill is a bad ass!
October 4, 2020
"Trent had known what was going on." Oh good, because I sure as heck didn't. I'm going to be honest, I actually quit this book halfway through so apologies if my review comes off shallow.
The beginning was positively weak, Jill is somehow still in Raccoon and spends the first several chapters trekking through the streets, trying to find someone to save. It's basically just a long, dull monologue.
To use one of Perry's own phrases against her: she knows "dick" about setting an atmosphere. It's super bland and boring all the way through, most of the time it's completely nonexistent which leaves the reader wondering where in the world we are now. And, if my aforementioned example wasn't clear enough, language is not the author's strong suit.
At this rate, I just don't think the author knows how to handle Jill Valentine as a character, she's allegedly a great character but I'm getting none of that from Perry's writing. First of, when Jill finds Barry's gun at the S.T.A.R.S. office, her reaction is to go "whee". No literally, she says that! What in the world, am I right?
Or like how she had to make Jill's father a master thief, back in the first novel, and that's basically how Jill is so great with lockpicks because she was essentially a criminal herself before being "rescued" by RPD and S.T.A.R.S. - alas, I'm paraphrasing but isn't that pretty much the gist of it? Perry didn't know how to write Jill interestingly enough so she had to come up with this farfetched backstory, which makes zero sense. Or how she keeps thinking about all the "helpful crime tips" dear ol' daddy taught her when she was a child. I know, I know. Writer's freedom. But still! All Jill seems to think about is her not-very-child-friendly dad or finding a hot guy to bone rather than, I dont know, escaping the zombie-infested city she's somehow still in.
Okay so, in City of The Dead, Jill is about to leave the city with Chris so seeing as she did not do that in this novel was almost a shock to me. There is no red thread between these novels, nothing particular to tie them all together-- and yet. The Trent subplot is somehow still around - whenever the author decides to remind us anyway - because honestly I keep forgetting about it. I just don't care enough, you know?
I do not for the life of me understand why one would create a novel from an already established piece of media, especially something as grand as Resident Evil (I realize the novels are from the 90s but even then the franchise was well established on its own), when you're basically handed everything on a silver platter: from the characters to the conflict, to the monsters, to the setting, to every little detail. And yet, you decide that's just not your jam so you pick it apart.
I suppose I can excuse the new Umbrella creatures such as the brain-sucker, poor choice of name aside, but when there's already an established scene that portrays a character's final moment just before his death (namely Brad), why not just stick with the script? What's the point of changing it up? To show that you're edgy and can think for yourself? No I'm asking because I really do not know!
Speaking of characters, from what I did manage to read before I finally gave up, it seems to me that the author was paying more attention to detail when writing the bad guy's point of view, in this case Nikolai's. Not that it's better per se but there's a clear difference in detail and mood when compared to the book's protagonists, you know, Jill and Carlos.
These two seem more occupied with making bedroom eyes at each other than actually getting out of Racoon City. That being said, their "relationship" barely scratches the surface seeing as there's actually no chemistry between them other than the author ocassionally reminding the reader that "oh, they still wanna bone later".
Speaking of bone though (yea, I know), even our big bad Nikolai has time to worry about that when meeting up with a scientist in the sewers; remarking that she was just his type and that he wouldn't have minded going a few rounds with her before popping a bullet in her head. But alas, dear old saint Nik has a rule of not killing those he sleeps with. Sucks to be that scientist as he thought of all this very useful, very plot-related bull *after* shooting her in the face.
What a way to end this, huh?
I'm still on the fence with whether I should continue this series or not seeing as it's clearly not getting any better from here, and I'm left more confused and agitated than any of the games (not to mention the previous novels) ever managed. But at the same time I'm too curious for my own good - and curiosity did kill the cat.
The beginning was positively weak, Jill is somehow still in Raccoon and spends the first several chapters trekking through the streets, trying to find someone to save. It's basically just a long, dull monologue.
To use one of Perry's own phrases against her: she knows "dick" about setting an atmosphere. It's super bland and boring all the way through, most of the time it's completely nonexistent which leaves the reader wondering where in the world we are now. And, if my aforementioned example wasn't clear enough, language is not the author's strong suit.
At this rate, I just don't think the author knows how to handle Jill Valentine as a character, she's allegedly a great character but I'm getting none of that from Perry's writing. First of, when Jill finds Barry's gun at the S.T.A.R.S. office, her reaction is to go "whee". No literally, she says that! What in the world, am I right?
Or like how she had to make Jill's father a master thief, back in the first novel, and that's basically how Jill is so great with lockpicks because she was essentially a criminal herself before being "rescued" by RPD and S.T.A.R.S. - alas, I'm paraphrasing but isn't that pretty much the gist of it? Perry didn't know how to write Jill interestingly enough so she had to come up with this farfetched backstory, which makes zero sense. Or how she keeps thinking about all the "helpful crime tips" dear ol' daddy taught her when she was a child. I know, I know. Writer's freedom. But still! All Jill seems to think about is her not-very-child-friendly dad or finding a hot guy to bone rather than, I dont know, escaping the zombie-infested city she's somehow still in.
Okay so, in City of The Dead, Jill is about to leave the city with Chris so seeing as she did not do that in this novel was almost a shock to me. There is no red thread between these novels, nothing particular to tie them all together-- and yet. The Trent subplot is somehow still around - whenever the author decides to remind us anyway - because honestly I keep forgetting about it. I just don't care enough, you know?
I do not for the life of me understand why one would create a novel from an already established piece of media, especially something as grand as Resident Evil (I realize the novels are from the 90s but even then the franchise was well established on its own), when you're basically handed everything on a silver platter: from the characters to the conflict, to the monsters, to the setting, to every little detail. And yet, you decide that's just not your jam so you pick it apart.
I suppose I can excuse the new Umbrella creatures such as the brain-sucker, poor choice of name aside, but when there's already an established scene that portrays a character's final moment just before his death (namely Brad), why not just stick with the script? What's the point of changing it up? To show that you're edgy and can think for yourself? No I'm asking because I really do not know!
Speaking of characters, from what I did manage to read before I finally gave up, it seems to me that the author was paying more attention to detail when writing the bad guy's point of view, in this case Nikolai's. Not that it's better per se but there's a clear difference in detail and mood when compared to the book's protagonists, you know, Jill and Carlos.
These two seem more occupied with making bedroom eyes at each other than actually getting out of Racoon City. That being said, their "relationship" barely scratches the surface seeing as there's actually no chemistry between them other than the author ocassionally reminding the reader that "oh, they still wanna bone later".
Speaking of bone though (yea, I know), even our big bad Nikolai has time to worry about that when meeting up with a scientist in the sewers; remarking that she was just his type and that he wouldn't have minded going a few rounds with her before popping a bullet in her head. But alas, dear old saint Nik has a rule of not killing those he sleeps with. Sucks to be that scientist as he thought of all this very useful, very plot-related bull *after* shooting her in the face.
What a way to end this, huh?
I'm still on the fence with whether I should continue this series or not seeing as it's clearly not getting any better from here, and I'm left more confused and agitated than any of the games (not to mention the previous novels) ever managed. But at the same time I'm too curious for my own good - and curiosity did kill the cat.
October 21, 2018
Should I tag this romance since Jill and Carlos spent most of the book looking awkwardly into each other's eyes and wondering if a city in the middle of a zombie crisis is the best time to have an one night stand with someone you just met - particularly someone who was, essentially, on the opposite side of the conflict as you?
Because that seems to take just as much time as Nemesis (who, despite being one of the most fearsome enemies in the game series, is utterly un-terrifying in this) does in this book, let's be real. It was really awkward to read about. At one point, Jill's trying to make sure she's not caught by the huge killer monster that's programmed to hunt her and she's wondering if her and Carlos should hook up? Not about how can she not die, but how the nice South American boy might be a good lay. Like fucking priorities, Jill.
Never fear though, we get to follow the evil Russian do dastardly things when we want a break from the romantic comedy.
Honestly, the RE novels started out promising to me, but they're just boring as balls and kind of stupid now. At least, there's only one left.
Because that seems to take just as much time as Nemesis (who, despite being one of the most fearsome enemies in the game series, is utterly un-terrifying in this) does in this book, let's be real. It was really awkward to read about. At one point, Jill's trying to make sure she's not caught by the huge killer monster that's programmed to hunt her and she's wondering if her and Carlos should hook up? Not about how can she not die, but how the nice South American boy might be a good lay. Like fucking priorities, Jill.
Never fear though, we get to follow the evil Russian do dastardly things when we want a break from the romantic comedy.
Honestly, the RE novels started out promising to me, but they're just boring as balls and kind of stupid now. At least, there's only one left.
May 16, 2017
+I rated this book five, which is RE3 Nemesis!! Or Biohazard when u play PS1. :) I bet those who have the chance to play the actual game would be very surprised and happy reading this book, I think those who played the game will understand my sentiments about this cool epic story.
+Probably this is my fave. book among the series. Also, I can't compare this to the movie of Resident evil. IT WAS WAY WAY TOO DIFFERENT, AND WAY WAY MORE GOOD. I promise! When you experience playing the game of RE. You will certainly love it.ü
+By reading this I want to play again the RE3.
+Thanks S.D. PERRY! Reliving for the moment, remembering those times when I played this game with my older brother Katsu. KUDOS! YOU DID GREAT! BRILLIANT!
+Highly recommended to those who love a good story of zombie world and conspiracy. 😋
+Probably this is my fave. book among the series. Also, I can't compare this to the movie of Resident evil. IT WAS WAY WAY TOO DIFFERENT, AND WAY WAY MORE GOOD. I promise! When you experience playing the game of RE. You will certainly love it.ü
+By reading this I want to play again the RE3.
+Thanks S.D. PERRY! Reliving for the moment, remembering those times when I played this game with my older brother Katsu. KUDOS! YOU DID GREAT! BRILLIANT!
+Highly recommended to those who love a good story of zombie world and conspiracy. 😋
October 20, 2018
This book pretends to be nothing else but what it is, an entertaining novelization of a videogame. If you can accept that any city would have a municipal gate activated by a complex puzzle activated by glass crystals, or that a giant company would release a giant monster to kill the cities' law enforcement teams, than you can handle this book. A word of warning, if you are facing a zombie apocalypse, I would ignore Jill's contention that a tight tank top and a mini skirt is the best attire for running around the city.
May 14, 2021
فضا و اتمسفر کتاب درست همون چیزیه که تو بازی های ویدئویی این مجموعه میشه پیدا کرد... گیرا و جذاب بهمراه شخصیت های عالی...
The atmosphere and atmosphere of the book is exactly what you can find in the video games of this series ... captivating and attractive with great characters ...
The atmosphere and atmosphere of the book is exactly what you can find in the video games of this series ... captivating and attractive with great characters ...
March 17, 2022
Nicholai and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
OR
Do Nemeses dream of Electric Jills?
OR
Dr. Birkin or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb destroying Raccoon City
OR
Do Nemeses dream of Electric Jills?
OR
Dr. Birkin or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb destroying Raccoon City
March 30, 2020
Relectura sencilla y sin pretensiones que adapta Resident Evil 3 al formato libro.
No puedo decir mucho si ya conoces el videojuego, aparte de profundizar bastante en el carácter de varios personajes secundarios (Carlos y Nicholai) nos presenta una Jill Valentine mucho más carismática y humana que en su versión digital.
Recomendado si tienes curiosidad sobre como se narrarían algunas de las peleas contra Nemesis y todo el caos de Raccoon City,
No puedo decir mucho si ya conoces el videojuego, aparte de profundizar bastante en el carácter de varios personajes secundarios (Carlos y Nicholai) nos presenta una Jill Valentine mucho más carismática y humana que en su versión digital.
Recomendado si tienes curiosidad sobre como se narrarían algunas de las peleas contra Nemesis y todo el caos de Raccoon City,
March 19, 2023
Accidentally read this one instead of the 4th book but that didn't actually matter. This was probably one of the better books but suffered the same problem as the others. Lots of great setting up at the start and then a rush to the end. Good action though, but the final parts are just running through the beats to get to the finish line.
December 5, 2023
الان که دارم فکر می کنم، این که یهو بیدار شم و متوجه شم همه ی این ها یه خواب بوده هم چیز بدی نیست.
October 31, 2020
Ah, the Nemesis. To me, he is the "Pyramid Head" of the Resident Evil series. Everybody knows who he is and he is one of the scariest opponents in the entire franchise. He also made an appearance on the movie adaptation, just like his Silent Hill counterpart. But if you must know, the Nemesis is a creature from Umbrella Labs programmed to hunt and kill S.T.A.R.S. members. He appears in the third Resident Evil game and the fifth book adaptation.Jill Valentine was part of the S.T.A.R.S. team that survived the Spencer Mansion incident in the first book/game. Several weeks after the events of the third book, City of the Dead, we find Jill, now a vigilante, going solo in not only taking down Umbrella but helping survivors. Raccoon City is in ruins, overrun by the undead and unnatural. She finds herself roaming the streets of Raccoon, ending up at the RPD precinct, and being chased by the Nemesis.Once again, SD Perry did a great job at translating the game into a book. The plot is very faithful, if not, better than the game plot. The game is played solely in Jill's POV but in the book, the author included a separate plot line from the point of view of Carlos Oliveira. Carlos is a playable character that helps Jill throughout the game, even saves her life. I love that the author gave him a voice in the book and it made the story so much better. We get to see his journey through the story and not just his parts in the game where we meet or get to play as him. At first I thought I wasn't going to like the non-Jill POV but I ended up liking that more. Jill's parts are pretty much exactly the same as in the game. If you're familiar with the game, then this won't give you anything new Jill-wise. It's the Carlos parts that make this book my favorite from the series so far.The portrayal of the Nemesis was good although I feel that you have to see what he actually looks like in order for you to really get him. I never liked playing against the Nemesis because he's big, scary, and tough to kill. But he's less scary when I'm reading about him. The whole "STARSSSS...." thing is creepy in the book also. So far, the book series had held up its own. I've only read those with game equivalents and I liked them. They give insight to the lesser characters from the game and in the process, gives the reader/gamer more stuff to think about. I've often wondered how the other characters felt during their individual journeys so I appreciate how SD Perry makes it a point to include those in her book adaptations.Rating: 4/5.Recommendation: Not a good place to start the series. But if you've read the previous books and/or played the games, it's a nice companion Tie-in piece.
June 10, 2020
Excellent novelisation of a fantastically memorable game. I see the literary snobs are out in full-force, as appears to be the norm with GoodReads, and as usual they are talking out their arses.
The book stays relatively true to the original game, a few omissions, but nothing unnecessary. Nicholai, Carlos, Mikhail, and Umbrella themselves have expanded and better backstories and motivations. The atmosphere is good, the pacing is good, and the source material speaks for itself. Perry used her own existing timeline and the timeline of the series as efficiently as she could. People need to realise that Perry's timeline was approved by, and even overwritten, as the games came out. She even addresses this herself. Fantastic novelisation and the best in Perry's series by far.
Don't pay any attention to the stuck-up, conceited opinions of people who need to critique everything mercilessly. Is the novelisation lawless? No. Does it tell an engaging, memorable, and well rounded story within the confines of the games' timeline? Absolutely.
The book stays relatively true to the original game, a few omissions, but nothing unnecessary. Nicholai, Carlos, Mikhail, and Umbrella themselves have expanded and better backstories and motivations. The atmosphere is good, the pacing is good, and the source material speaks for itself. Perry used her own existing timeline and the timeline of the series as efficiently as she could. People need to realise that Perry's timeline was approved by, and even overwritten, as the games came out. She even addresses this herself. Fantastic novelisation and the best in Perry's series by far.
Don't pay any attention to the stuck-up, conceited opinions of people who need to critique everything mercilessly. Is the novelisation lawless? No. Does it tell an engaging, memorable, and well rounded story within the confines of the games' timeline? Absolutely.
February 10, 2020
Resident Evil 3 Video game Novelized!
S.D. Perry did it again! This novelization of the video game "Resident Evil 3: Nemesis" was amazing. The author did a wonderful job blending the main characters together along with their separate stories. The background of each character was evolved deeper in this book. If you are a fan of the video game series then this is a must read! 5 stars all day!
S.D. Perry did it again! This novelization of the video game "Resident Evil 3: Nemesis" was amazing. The author did a wonderful job blending the main characters together along with their separate stories. The background of each character was evolved deeper in this book. If you are a fan of the video game series then this is a must read! 5 stars all day!
June 13, 2021
Rating this 5 stars, I really enjoyed the novelisation of one of my all time favourite games.
Pros;
-Easy to read
-True to the Game while adding background to an established story
-Better writing than RE3 remake
Cons;
-Second half of the book is a little rushed but still leads to a good ending
-Missed out on one of the best Nemesis transformations
Pros;
-Easy to read
-True to the Game while adding background to an established story
-Better writing than RE3 remake
Cons;
-Second half of the book is a little rushed but still leads to a good ending
-Missed out on one of the best Nemesis transformations
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2017
Starsssss
The titular monstrosity of the series and one of the most well known monsters makes its debut. Resident Evil 3 is adapted well in this book and makes for a thrilling tale as our characters do all they can to survive. Won't be disappointed!
The titular monstrosity of the series and one of the most well known monsters makes its debut. Resident Evil 3 is adapted well in this book and makes for a thrilling tale as our characters do all they can to survive. Won't be disappointed!
July 13, 2023
Now THIS is a book! Nicholai is handled perfectly, Carlos's thoughts add a lot, and Jill is portrayed in an extremely human way, which the game wouldn't achieve until the RE3make that came out 20 years after this book's publication.
December 2, 2016
Uma palavra "incrível".
March 14, 2019
A good novelization of one of my favorite games. Overall I’m a fan of S.D. Perry, and this book is one of the reasons why.
February 1, 2021
In 1999, Capcom returned players to Raccoon City to endure the horrors with Jill Valentine and her sweater, mini skirt combo. Now, author S.D. Perry returns in volume five of her adaptation of the series but is this walk down the blood-soaked streets worth the day trip?
Story:
The story takes place in the final days of Raccoon City before the U.S. government turns the city into rubble. Raccoon City S.T.A.R.S officer Jill Valentine is continuing her investigation into the Umbrella Corporation when a zombie apocalypse lays waste to the city. With no other choice, Jill has to flee the city all the while being hunted by a new form of Tyrant, code-named: Nemesis. Along the way, she meets up with other characters from the game, including Bred Vickers, U.C.B.S members Carlos, Mikhail, and Nicholai.
For fans of the series and anyone either curious into reading this book, S.D. Perry's adaptation of this story leaves a lot to be desired. The story moves at a break-neck pace that familiar environments and locations from the game are breezed through rather quickly. Apart from that, many series of veterans and keen-eye readers will notice several inconsistencies and plot holes that are littered through the narrative. Characters become information dumps to keep the story moving forward with no logical explanation as to how they have that information. Additionally, the cast on occasion contradicts themselves when not only a few pages prior planned to do the opposite of what they planned. It feels like the book went through constant revisions and perhaps was left unattended for a while, leaving a book plot that feels empty.
Design:
Like the other books in her series, Stephanie opts to use third-person to move the proceedings along. The plot is simple enough, however, Perry makes some odd choices that leave the story feeling hollow. The titular villain Nemesis plays second fiddle in this book, only appearing in a few sequences; the traitorous Nicholai given more screen time. Whatever horror he had chasing players throughout Raccoon City is gone; made even worst by how short-lived he is on the page. Any events that have Nemesis typically last two pages that he feels more of an afterthought.
Character's story-arcs suffer as well. While Jill is a name stay and has had a few books under her belt in the Perry universe and therefore been able to be fleshed out. Perry writing this time round removes all that character for a robot. Jill's thoughts, fears, anxiety, and determination of getting out of Raccoon City alive are foot-notes that are hard to be fully invested in a character that seems completely unresponsive to anything that is going around her, or her internal monologue only comprising of a few short sentences. This is made worst in the character Nicholai who is one-dimensional to the point of parody. It appears that Perry did not know what to do with this character and inside opted for a mustache-twirling villain.
Worst of all is Perry's writing seems to suffer as well. In previous stories that she has written, Perry's use of language gave a sense of dread, horror, and unease that highlighted the survival horror that the franchise is known for. Moreover, Perry is typically very detailed in setting up the environment and painting a picture in the reader's mind. However, Raccoon City, (where this book takes place), is devoid of any life. The lack of any visual language makes the city feel like a set of action sequences from the bar, police station, gas station, water treatment plant than an actually lived-in city. Because the book moves quickly, everything feels rushed and in a hurry to get to the end.
Final Thoughts:
As a fan of S.D. Perry's previous work into the Resident Evil mythos, Resident Evil: Nemesis is an empty husk devoid of what makes the franchise great. Instead of sticking to her strengths, Perry opts for a fast-paced action that sacrifices tension and dread for a menagerie of bullets and mayhem. While it made the book a quick read and had its moments where Perry was in form, these are fleeting at best much like this book.
Story:
The story takes place in the final days of Raccoon City before the U.S. government turns the city into rubble. Raccoon City S.T.A.R.S officer Jill Valentine is continuing her investigation into the Umbrella Corporation when a zombie apocalypse lays waste to the city. With no other choice, Jill has to flee the city all the while being hunted by a new form of Tyrant, code-named: Nemesis. Along the way, she meets up with other characters from the game, including Bred Vickers, U.C.B.S members Carlos, Mikhail, and Nicholai.
For fans of the series and anyone either curious into reading this book, S.D. Perry's adaptation of this story leaves a lot to be desired. The story moves at a break-neck pace that familiar environments and locations from the game are breezed through rather quickly. Apart from that, many series of veterans and keen-eye readers will notice several inconsistencies and plot holes that are littered through the narrative. Characters become information dumps to keep the story moving forward with no logical explanation as to how they have that information. Additionally, the cast on occasion contradicts themselves when not only a few pages prior planned to do the opposite of what they planned. It feels like the book went through constant revisions and perhaps was left unattended for a while, leaving a book plot that feels empty.
Design:
Like the other books in her series, Stephanie opts to use third-person to move the proceedings along. The plot is simple enough, however, Perry makes some odd choices that leave the story feeling hollow. The titular villain Nemesis plays second fiddle in this book, only appearing in a few sequences; the traitorous Nicholai given more screen time. Whatever horror he had chasing players throughout Raccoon City is gone; made even worst by how short-lived he is on the page. Any events that have Nemesis typically last two pages that he feels more of an afterthought.
Character's story-arcs suffer as well. While Jill is a name stay and has had a few books under her belt in the Perry universe and therefore been able to be fleshed out. Perry writing this time round removes all that character for a robot. Jill's thoughts, fears, anxiety, and determination of getting out of Raccoon City alive are foot-notes that are hard to be fully invested in a character that seems completely unresponsive to anything that is going around her, or her internal monologue only comprising of a few short sentences. This is made worst in the character Nicholai who is one-dimensional to the point of parody. It appears that Perry did not know what to do with this character and inside opted for a mustache-twirling villain.
Worst of all is Perry's writing seems to suffer as well. In previous stories that she has written, Perry's use of language gave a sense of dread, horror, and unease that highlighted the survival horror that the franchise is known for. Moreover, Perry is typically very detailed in setting up the environment and painting a picture in the reader's mind. However, Raccoon City, (where this book takes place), is devoid of any life. The lack of any visual language makes the city feel like a set of action sequences from the bar, police station, gas station, water treatment plant than an actually lived-in city. Because the book moves quickly, everything feels rushed and in a hurry to get to the end.
Final Thoughts:
As a fan of S.D. Perry's previous work into the Resident Evil mythos, Resident Evil: Nemesis is an empty husk devoid of what makes the franchise great. Instead of sticking to her strengths, Perry opts for a fast-paced action that sacrifices tension and dread for a menagerie of bullets and mayhem. While it made the book a quick read and had its moments where Perry was in form, these are fleeting at best much like this book.
May 30, 2020
I gave it a three because it brought back the joy I had playing the game when it was first released. The book though is really more like a 2. There could have been so much more done with this chapter of the Resident Evil series.
I felt as if there was too much time spent on the Nicholai then there should have been and found myself dreading having to read his parts which seemed repetitive. We know he's a sociopath that is willing do to whatever it takes to further is own agenda. Instead I wish there would have been more focus on the Nemesis which didn't seem nearly as terrifying as it was in the games. In fact it was pretty lackluster and seemed more like the filler than the ultimate villain it was supposed to be.
Jill Valentine is one of my favorite characters but I felt like there was too much of her crushing/thinking about Carlos then about Umbrella and the situation at hand. I could have lived with a one time mention/thought about her being slightly attracted to him and then have moved on considering the maturity that we are suppose to see from her having had a unique childhood and survived the mansion incident. The explanation for the choice of clothing was pretty lame. I think there could have been a different way to go about why she ended up in her trademark skirt and blue tube top then it allowed for better movement. We pretty much can guess why the game developers decided on this but with the book you are allowed more explanation and creativity.
Carlos is well Carlos. His character pretty much mirrors who he was in the game. He thinks he's got the winning charm and has this youthful naiveté which considering his background as a merc in South America shouldn't really be there given the horrors of what he's seen and lived through.
Overall it wasn't a terrible read but it just didn't have the punch that the game had. I feel like the further along the series we get in the book the more lackluster they become which is disappointing as I really like the first few.
I felt as if there was too much time spent on the Nicholai then there should have been and found myself dreading having to read his parts which seemed repetitive. We know he's a sociopath that is willing do to whatever it takes to further is own agenda. Instead I wish there would have been more focus on the Nemesis which didn't seem nearly as terrifying as it was in the games. In fact it was pretty lackluster and seemed more like the filler than the ultimate villain it was supposed to be.
Jill Valentine is one of my favorite characters but I felt like there was too much of her crushing/thinking about Carlos then about Umbrella and the situation at hand. I could have lived with a one time mention/thought about her being slightly attracted to him and then have moved on considering the maturity that we are suppose to see from her having had a unique childhood and survived the mansion incident. The explanation for the choice of clothing was pretty lame. I think there could have been a different way to go about why she ended up in her trademark skirt and blue tube top then it allowed for better movement. We pretty much can guess why the game developers decided on this but with the book you are allowed more explanation and creativity.
Carlos is well Carlos. His character pretty much mirrors who he was in the game. He thinks he's got the winning charm and has this youthful naiveté which considering his background as a merc in South America shouldn't really be there given the horrors of what he's seen and lived through.
Overall it wasn't a terrible read but it just didn't have the punch that the game had. I feel like the further along the series we get in the book the more lackluster they become which is disappointing as I really like the first few.
April 11, 2023
S.D. Perry's Resident Evil #5: Nemesis is a thrilling continuation of the Resident Evil series that fans of the franchise will surely enjoy. Set in the aftermath of the events in Raccoon City, the book follows Jill Valentine as she tries to come to terms with the horrors she experienced and the loss of her comrades.
The plot is gripping, and the tension is palpable as Jill finds herself embroiled in a new conspiracy involving the Umbrella Corporation and their latest bioweapon, Nemesis. The stakes are high, and the action is intense as Jill fights for survival while trying to uncover the truth behind the company's nefarious activities.
One of the strengths of Perry's writing is her ability to capture the essence of the Resident Evil universe. The book is filled with references to the games, from the familiar characters and locations to the various monsters that Jill encounters. This attention to detail is sure to please fans of the series and make them feel right at home in the world of the book.
Another highlight of the book is the character development. Jill is a compelling protagonist, and it's fascinating to see her struggle with PTSD and survivor's guilt while trying to stay alive in the face of overwhelming danger. The supporting cast is also well-developed, and Perry does an excellent job of exploring their motivations and personalities.
The only minor quibble I have with the book is that at times the pacing can be a bit slow. There are a few sections where the story seems to drag, and I found myself wishing for more action or plot development. However, these moments are few and far between, and overall, the book is an engaging and entertaining read.
In conclusion, Resident Evil #5: Nemesis is a solid addition to the series and a must-read for fans of the franchise. Perry's writing is top-notch, the characters are well-developed, and the plot is exciting and filled with twists and turns. If you're looking for a fast-paced and thrilling horror novel, look no further than Nemesis.
The plot is gripping, and the tension is palpable as Jill finds herself embroiled in a new conspiracy involving the Umbrella Corporation and their latest bioweapon, Nemesis. The stakes are high, and the action is intense as Jill fights for survival while trying to uncover the truth behind the company's nefarious activities.
One of the strengths of Perry's writing is her ability to capture the essence of the Resident Evil universe. The book is filled with references to the games, from the familiar characters and locations to the various monsters that Jill encounters. This attention to detail is sure to please fans of the series and make them feel right at home in the world of the book.
Another highlight of the book is the character development. Jill is a compelling protagonist, and it's fascinating to see her struggle with PTSD and survivor's guilt while trying to stay alive in the face of overwhelming danger. The supporting cast is also well-developed, and Perry does an excellent job of exploring their motivations and personalities.
The only minor quibble I have with the book is that at times the pacing can be a bit slow. There are a few sections where the story seems to drag, and I found myself wishing for more action or plot development. However, these moments are few and far between, and overall, the book is an engaging and entertaining read.
In conclusion, Resident Evil #5: Nemesis is a solid addition to the series and a must-read for fans of the franchise. Perry's writing is top-notch, the characters are well-developed, and the plot is exciting and filled with twists and turns. If you're looking for a fast-paced and thrilling horror novel, look no further than Nemesis.
August 9, 2022
Perry's gift for pacing continues to impress; this one takes off immediately and in particular the last half of the book is a race to the finish. As an antagonist, I thought Nicholai was more successful than most of the rest in the RE book series so far, more so as he becomes more unhinged towards the end of the novel, but nobody will ever accuse one of Perry's Resident Evil protagonists of subtly. What worked beautifully for Iron's decline felt a little too cartoonishly evil for Nicholai. Also, pretty tired of hearing about Trent and how amazingly smart, competent, attractive, and intelligent he is--the rest of the cast falls over themselves to come to a full-stop and mentally review just how terrific he is in all conceivable ways, and it's a strange, contrived bit of writing that clashes pretty hard against the rest of Perry's writing. Carlos and Jill are both wonderful and in character, Perry's action scenes and creature descriptions are just as excellent as I've come to expect for her writing, and she puts so much love and attention to detail into recognizable settings from the games...and then there's Trent, a monologuing sore-thumb in a suit. It's honestly bizarre, especially since the behind the scenes manipulations are attributed to Wesker in later games (which, I know, Perry couldn't possibly have had any knowledge of; it's still weird to see) and are here foisted off on this random (albeit handsome, intelligent, amazing mastermind) character out of nowhere. I guess it's interesting that Perry kept him as a consistent plot thread throughout the novels, making him an important tie for this alternate canon.
And now, on to Code Veronica--the book in the series I've been most looking forward to! If anyone suits a writing style of flamboyant, outlandishly evil villains, it's Alfred and Alexia Ashford.
And now, on to Code Veronica--the book in the series I've been most looking forward to! If anyone suits a writing style of flamboyant, outlandishly evil villains, it's Alfred and Alexia Ashford.
January 18, 2018
Gran capítulo a la altura de "La ciudad de los Muertos", de hecho comparten muchas similitudes que voy a desgranar.
Lo primero decir que el libro tiene lugar en el mismo tiempo/espacio que el capitulo mencionado (ciudad de los muertos) salvo que ahora tenemos otros protagonistas: Jill Valantine, Carlos Oliveira y Nikolai. A este elenco de personajes (y algunos secundarios que aparecen en otras novelas anteriores) hay que sumar uno de lo más variopinto y que pondrá las cosas más difíciles, si es que cabe, llamado Némesis. Un sujeto creado por Umbrella con solo una misión por delante: aniquilar a los STARS.
El libro cuenta con su homónimo juego (Resident evil 3) salvo que solo podemos controlar a Jill y el resto de personajes salen en mayor/menor medida y no tienen el mismo impacto que en el relato (salvo alguna circunstancia en especial que controlaremos a Carlos) y es una pena, porque la historia tiene mucha miga y tanto Carlos como Nikolai merecen tener el mismo protagonismo en pantalla.
No solo de zombies bebe el terror de nuestros héroes, nos encontraremos con una fauna de todo tipo: gusanos gigantes, hombres sapos, chupaderos.....y por encima de todos, la obra maestra de Umbrella: Némesis, grano en el culo donde los haya.
No falta de nada: grandes protagonistas (Jill y Carlos) y mejores antagonistas (Némesis y Nikolai), ambientación en la ciudad por excelencia (Raccoon City) y grandes dosis de supervivencia.
Veremos que nos depara el último capítulo numerado, pero si es la mitad de bueno que el juego (Code verónica) estaremos ante un cierre sublime.
Lo primero decir que el libro tiene lugar en el mismo tiempo/espacio que el capitulo mencionado (ciudad de los muertos) salvo que ahora tenemos otros protagonistas: Jill Valantine, Carlos Oliveira y Nikolai. A este elenco de personajes (y algunos secundarios que aparecen en otras novelas anteriores) hay que sumar uno de lo más variopinto y que pondrá las cosas más difíciles, si es que cabe, llamado Némesis. Un sujeto creado por Umbrella con solo una misión por delante: aniquilar a los STARS.
El libro cuenta con su homónimo juego (Resident evil 3) salvo que solo podemos controlar a Jill y el resto de personajes salen en mayor/menor medida y no tienen el mismo impacto que en el relato (salvo alguna circunstancia en especial que controlaremos a Carlos) y es una pena, porque la historia tiene mucha miga y tanto Carlos como Nikolai merecen tener el mismo protagonismo en pantalla.
No solo de zombies bebe el terror de nuestros héroes, nos encontraremos con una fauna de todo tipo: gusanos gigantes, hombres sapos, chupaderos.....y por encima de todos, la obra maestra de Umbrella: Némesis, grano en el culo donde los haya.
No falta de nada: grandes protagonistas (Jill y Carlos) y mejores antagonistas (Némesis y Nikolai), ambientación en la ciudad por excelencia (Raccoon City) y grandes dosis de supervivencia.
Veremos que nos depara el último capítulo numerado, pero si es la mitad de bueno que el juego (Code verónica) estaremos ante un cierre sublime.
July 23, 2018
I've been pretty generous with S.D. Perry's Resident Evil novels thus far, mostly because the first few surpassed my expectations and were much better than I expected them to be. Nemesis I didn't enjoy very much, though - and I think the reason for this is because the plot of Resident Evil 3 is really pretty thin, and trying to stretch that skinny amount of story out for 150+ pages just results in a book that is sort of...boring. All the book really does is showcase a bunch of chapters about Jill and Carlos running from Nemesis, who was a compelling enemy in the game because of the jump scare factor. But since you can't really do jump scares in a novel, there's not much intriguing about him here at all. He's just a big dumb hunk of bioweapon that shows up every few chapters to growl and make Jill wax exposition about how she's in danger, and most of the time S.D. Perry doesn't even focus on him as a major antagonist. Instead she spends too much time delving into the psyche of Nicholai, one of the Umbrella mercenaries hired to clean up the city. The guy was a boring baddie in the game and he's a boring baddie here as well, quickly falling into the psychotic tropes that Perry's used time after time again in previous books in this series.
Maybe after 5 Resident Evil novels the formula that Perry's been using is getting tired, and the fact that she didn't have much to work with from the source material probably didn't help much. Either way, this one was dull.
Maybe after 5 Resident Evil novels the formula that Perry's been using is getting tired, and the fact that she didn't have much to work with from the source material probably didn't help much. Either way, this one was dull.
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