I try not to make my endorsements with histrionic zeal, but there's no getting around this one. If you're an Alien fan, you need to have The Book of Alien in your life. Returning to print for the first time in decades, just in time for Prometheus, The Book of Alien by Paul Scanlon and Michael Gross is an exhaustive collection of behind the scenes photos, early concept art, and stories from the cast and crew about the film that launched one of the most influential franchises in science fiction or horror today. About the only criticism I can really levy against it is that the book is overwhelmingly an art book, with barely ten pages of text in the entire thing. While I'd love for more personal insights into the film's genesis and production, the art included with the book speaks volumes.

Surprisingly, there's also some minor stuff in here that could very well connect to the upcoming Prometheus. In a sequence excised from the script at the last minute before shooting, the crew of the Nostromo, while investigating the distress beacon on LV-426 that brings them in contact with the xenomorph, stumbles upon an ancient alien temple, featuring hieroglyphics of the life cycle of the alien creatures. I've included some of those hieroglyphics, along with a choice quote about the temple, after the jump. Eagle-eyed readers may recognize some of the concept art as similar to what we've seen in trailers for Prometheus.

The Book of Alien hits stores May 29th, and I urge all you Alien fans gearing up for Prometheus to snag a copy.