35 Sci-Fi Horror and Alien Books from the 90s
Over the past couple of weeks, I have really got the sci-fi bug. Whilst you won’t find me watching Star Trek or Star Wars anytime soon, I have been enjoying science fiction, particularly books that feature extra-terrestrials, but with a horror twist. This of course led me to research what sci-fi horror titles are out there.
Here is that list. If you are looking for your next 90s sci-fi horror read then you may find this list helpful in your search.
DOOM Novelization series
I couldn’t write a sci-fi horror book list without mentioning the DOOM novels! Dafydd ab Hugh and Brad Linaweaver wrote the 4 novels, which were published by Pocket Books between June 1995 and January 1996. Each of the four novels follows an ongoing story centred on Space Marine Flynn “Fly” Taggart and a motley crew of human survivors. All are written in first person, usually with Flynn Taggart as the narrator. Since their publication, some DOOM fans have maintained that “Flynn Taggart” is the Doomguy’s real name. However, id Software has not verified this.
Here is the list of the four original novels:
- Knee-Deep in the Dead
- Hell on Earth
- Infernal Sky
- Endgame
After the initial publication of these 4 books, DOOM by John Shirley was published in 2005, a novelisation of the movie (also released in 2005) which starred Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. If you’re interested in the game-inspired, horror-action movie trend of the noughties, then check out my review of Alone in the Dark (2005).
Loop by Ringu Author Koji Suzuki
Loop (1998) (ループ Rūpu) is Koji Suzuki’s third Ringu novel, which takes a sci-fi horror twist. The tale revolves around the Loop, a simulated reality that is identical to our own and was developed to recreate life’s emergence and evolution. The preceding novels, Ringu (1991) and Spiral (1995) were set in this parallel universe.
The plot revolves around a medical student named Kaoru Futami. His dad, Hideyuki, develops Metastatic Human malignancy (MHC), a fatal malignancy that affects all forms of biological life, including people, animals, and plants. Events prompt Hideyuki to tell Kaoru more about the LOOP project, a virtual reality simulator designed to depict the emergence of life and how the world most likely formed. It is known that practically everyone who was involved in the LOOP project died from the same cancer.
Birthday by Koji Suzuki
Birthday (バースデイ, Bāsudei) (1999) is a collection of short stories that focus on the Ringu universe. The final and titular story Birthday revolves around the Loop universe, spinning the yarn of the events of Loop. Reiko is summoned to meet with Toru Amano, a scientist from the LOOP project. She is shown incidents from the project, including the deaths of Mai Takano and Hiroshi Toyama, who are both linked by Sadako Yamamura. Amano tells Reiko about the LOOP project, a simulated but alive universe that mirrors the actual world, and how it was frozen 20 years ago, right before Sadako and her ring virus/Metastatic Human Cancer Virus (MHCV) consumed it. The lore gets deeper than the well Sadaoko crawls out of!
If you would like to know more about Koji Suzuki’s output during the 1990s, read my review of the film Ringu (1998).
Frankenstein’s Bride
The what could be argued fan-fiction sequel to Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, one of the original sci-fi horror classics! The original novel saw Frankenstein beginning to create a woman, a bride for his creature, only to destroy her. In this novel, Hilary Bailey imagines that he carried out the plan.
This novel was rated 4/5 in Hammer Horror magazine in 1995, described as “clever, suspenseful and more than a little chilling”. It is “a speculative ‘what-if’ piece, taking the premise […] Frankenstein did not destroy his Creature’s would-be bride in chapter 20”.
Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear series
Have you ever asked yourself the question, what if R. L. Stine wrote Star Wars? Well, you can gain somewhat of an idea of what that would look like with the Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear Series! Published between 1997 and 1998, written by John Whitman, the books follow Tash and Zak Arranda, their Shi’ido uncle Mammon Hoole, and his droid DV-9.
Tash and Zak are young survivors of Alderaan’s devastation. They are two Force-sensitive creatures attempting to hide from the Galactic Empire while revealing secrets during their adventures. They travel throughout the galaxy, encountering another Shi’ido scientist, Borborygmus Gog, and Darth Vader. Many more popular Star Wars characters make cameo cameos in the books.
Here is the list of the books in the series you may need to check out:
- Eaten Alive
- City of the Dead
- Planet Plague
- The Nightmare Machine
- Ghost of the Jedi
- Army of Terror
- The Brain Spiders
- The Swarm
- Spore
- The Doomsday Ship
- Clones
- The Hunger
Ghosts of Fear Street: The Ooze
The 8th book in the Ghosts of Fear Street series, The Ooze (1996), ghostwritten by Stephen Roos, tells the story of a kid called Al who has concocted a new stink bomb with his chemistry set. There is a problem though. It neither explodes nor stinks!
But just as Al is over the smell of disappointment, the ooze starts to seep out of its container, spreading all over Al’s cat! And now the Ooze is coming for Al!
This book, along with The Boy Who Ate Fear Street and Don’t Ever Get Sick at Granny’s was bundled into the Ghosts of Fear Street: Creepy Collection #6: Weird Science in 1998, a collection of 3 sci-fi horror/ weird science books from the series.
Ghosts of Fear Street: The Boy Who Ate Fear Street
Published in 1996, we read the story of Sam Kinney, who used to be an extremely finicky eater. Realising this, his Aunt Sylvie mixes a strange spice into his food. Soon Sam is not such a fussy eater… he eats everything he sees. He eats washing-up liquid, paste, dog food and pepper! He just cannot seem to stop!
How long will it be before he eats his home? Or will he end up eating his friends!?
Alien Resurrection: The Official Movie Novelization
Ellen Ripley awakens aboard the space station Auriga in the solar system’s furthest reaches. Her final memory is of her own fiery demise. And yet, she is still living. Ripley realises that her “resurrection” was the result of an amazing experiment that changed both her and the creature she was carrying. To confront the incalculable alien threat, she joins up with a rogue group of space smugglers.
Don’t Ever Get Sick at Granny’s
I reviewed this book back in May 2023. Don’t Ever Get Sick at Granny’s (1997) tells the tale of Corey, who is forced to stay at his weird Granny’s house whilst his parents take his sister to a ballet recital.
The only trouble is that Granny has some rather peculiar, and perhaps deadly, ways of dealing with kids who get sick! Then, shocker(!) Corey gets ill with a cold. Will this case of the sniffles be terminal?!
Invasion of the Body Squeezers Parts 1 and 2
Invasion of the Body Squeezers Part 1 and Part 2 were the 4th and 5th books in the Goosebumps Series 2000 series. The plot revolves around the Body Squeezers landing and attempting to take over Earth. Jack, who not only has to deal with his annoying sister, now has the task of convincing others he has seen aliens, but no one believes him!
Revenge of The Body Squeezers
While you were on holiday, green aliens invaded Los Angeles! At least that is what your best friend, Jack Archer, says. The same Jack from Goosebumps 2000: Invasion of the Body Squeezers! Now there is a second wave of blue aliens from the same planet who have invaded, and they intend to put the squeeze on all Earthlings!
Can you save humanity before it’s too late? In this horrifying Goosebumps choose-your-own-adventure with over 20 spooky endings, you get to choose what you would do in this situation!
Zapped in Space
Another Give Yourself Goosebumps Adventure! You’re invited to strap yourself into the console at Madame Zapp’s new virtual reality arcade. But once you go into these virtual worlds, you only have one life – your own life!
This sci-fi horror combines both alien and virtual reality themes. If you’re a true space cadet, try out “Adrift Off Vega,” in which you find yourself in space, fighting super-smart and deadly, Arcturian aliens. Perhaps you’d like to experience an Arctic adventure in “Abominable Snow Woman.” But don’t forget to bring your winter coat—otherwise, you might end up looking like a human ice lolly!
As the previous Give Yourself Goosebumps listed, you are promised the prospect of 20 super chilling endings in this choose-your-own-adventure!
Body Switchers from Outer Space
Wishing he could trade places with the coordinated, popular Chad (I will avoid going in-depth with Incel meme comparisons here), clumsy Will is taken aback when Chad, who owns a body-switching machine, offers a trade, but when Will discovers a terrifying reality, he is already locked in Chad’s body.
Egg Monsters from Mars
Egg Monsters from Mars (1996) tells the story of Dana who finds a very strange egg during her bratty sister’s easter egg hunt. It is the size of a football, and covered in repulsive veins! It soon hatches, revealing a blob-ish, yellow alien creature! But is it dangerous? Does it carry any alien diseases? Dana is soon to find out…
Vespers
Offering a very similar story to the film Bats, released in the following year, Vespers (1998) chronicles how a colony of mutant bats, poisoned by Russian radioactive waste, relocates to New York and attacks animals and little children, wreaking havoc. However, it is not long before they decide to exit their lairs and take over the entire city.
This book takes the sci-fi horror trope of genetically mutated killer animals gone wild!
Brain Juice
In Brain Juice (1998) 2 aliens, Morggul and Gobbul, have arrived in Maplewood, New Jersey, looking for strong and intelligent humans to serve as slaves on their planet.
The aliens hide in Dr. Frank King’s mansion (Frank-King-Stine… get it?), believing him to be the king of science. But he isn’t as brilliant or strong as they’d want.
Frank’s nephews, step-siblings Nathan and Lindy Nichols, arrive to see him. They inform him that they are criticised for being the stupidest students at school. Nathan and Lindy both consistently received bad school grades. They even were unable to construct a playhouse for their younger sister Brenda. The kids believe Frank can help them grow smarter!
Giving them a concoction called “Brain Juice,” which is simply grape juice, he hopes that believing they are smarter will increase their confidence. The aliens notice this and replace the grape juice with Brain Energising Fluid. Soon the kids will become fitting slaves for Morggul and Gobbul!
Earth Geeks Must Go!
The story begins with Jacob channel surfing, and coming across many weird shows… Shows showing fishermen pulling a two-headed fish out of the water, people receiving electric shocks on a game show, and then there is the news… “Earth Geeks have landed” the reporter announces, declaring that there is a state of emergency.
Jacob and Arleen, our 2 protagonists are soon kidnapped by aliens! They are sent to a planet where the locals read with their tongues, eat with their armpits, and see humans as earth geeks! This Goosebumps is downright weird.
Go Eat Worms!
The first book I ever reviewed here on the 90s Horror Blog! This book is chock full of Todd’s ‘experiments’, our main protagonist (who you will grow to hate), involving cruel situations cooked up for Todd’s pet worms. The plot is completely aimless, but a good ride nonetheless.
You can read the review of Go Eat Worms! here.
It Came from the Internet
The third Give Yourself Goosebumps title on this list! Whilst the technology seems dated nowadays, the internet was the breakthrough technology of the time, changing the world as we know it today.
A scary computer message has just appeared on your screen. It claims your web crawler contains a virus. And if you don’t get rid of it, you will contract the virus! Whilst this sounds like the most outrageous Microsoft Technician scam ever attempted, the ‘web crawler’ is indeed alive—and crawling right out of your PC. It is burrowing its fangs into you!
Now you have a computer virus. And it is wiping your memory! Can you find a cure before forgetting what’s wrong with you? Should you trust a doctor who encourages you to eat computer chips and dip? Should you let a hacker take you on a virtual reality vacation to Coffin City?
Spooksville: Aliens in the Sky
The 4th Spooksville book in the series. Authored by Christopher Pike, this tale tells us of 4 kids who go to a reservoir to cool down from the summer heat. The sun goes down, and 2 flying saucers land where the children’s bikes are left. They are cut off and cornered!
The extra-terrestrials kidnap the 2 boys, leaving it to the 2 girls of the group to save the day. This novel shows a lot of social awareness and has some surprisingly dark themes. You can read the Aliens in the Sky review on 90s-horror.com if you want to know more!
