Literature

Surprisingly, this book is reminiscent of X-COM Strategies And Secrets by Neil Randall as it prefers to focus more on the strategic element rather than the statistical. That's great news for players who are seeking tactical aid. Some things which set this guide apart are the weapon quick reference card which can be detached from the manual, information on editors and websites (these sections are a must-read), plus the interview with Julian Gollop about developing X-COM, TFTD and Apocalypse. Unfortunately there are some concerns to mention: the research tree seems to be flawed in a few areas and the text can be hard to read in the tips and notes boxes due to the graph paper background. Otherwise, this is a great supplement to the OSG for TFTD.

The LCCN link does not work anymore for some reason.

While exploring the online Library of Congress for X-COM literature, I ran across this entitled simply as "X-COM III". At first I assumed it was another Apocalypse strategy text (hence the III), but further searches revealed the cover art looks exactly like the Totally Unauthorized Terror From The Deep guide except for a few small features. Debra Kempker (editor of the TA: TFTD title and now the head of Prima Games) was contacted to resolve these issues but we did not receive a reply to our query. Apparently, this is a digital CD-ROM version of the text itself so the author is likely to be Jeff James. Nevertheless, this adaptation was never released to the public so this is all conjecture until the information is authenticated by someone like the author.

Just to note, the LCCN link doesn't work anymore, maybe they realized this isn't going to be published anytime soon and removed it. Also, there are certain online retailers still trying to peddle this title on (eternal) backorder. Be warned.

With a circulation of just 10,000 copies, this Russian novel is impossible to get (I acquired mine from Amazon.com after an exhaustive 9-year search). You could try searching the internet with the author's name (Владимир Васильев) or the title (Враг неведом) for further information but your best bet is the ISBN number. Here's a short description (loosely translated) from the back cover: "Hard to believe that, in the very beginning, there were only eight of them. Eight tough, reckless guys, who couldn't care less who to fight - terrorists, mafia, or... aliens. And then a war hell, warships, combat robots, secret labs and hangars. And ruthless conquerors from space, who for thousands of years have been subduing thousands of inhabited worlds".

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AST LTD, Terra Fantastica

With a circulation of just 13,000 copies, this Russian novel is tough to get (I acquired mine from Amazon.com after an exhaustive 8-year search). You could try searching the internet with the author's name (Николай Гуданец) or the title (Главнокомандующий) for further information but your best bet is the ISBN number. Here's a short description (loosely translated) from the back cover: "The aliens show up on Earth without warning. They did not bother negotiating or demanding anything. They simply turned our planet into their hunting grounds, where the role of the prey is played by innocent humans. Of course, humanity is not about to accept this fate. Only one man can command the defense of this planet - the Russian General Berezin, Commander-in-Chief. But even he has a hard time figuring out where the main enemy is hiding".

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