The Umbrella Conspiracy
| The Umbrella Conspiracy paperback book cover art The Umbrella Conspiracy paperback book cover art | |
| Author | S. D. Perry |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Resident Evil |
| Genre | Horror |
| Publisher | Pocket Books |
Publication date | October 1, 1998 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 304 pp |
| ISBN | 0-671-02439-6 |
| OCLC | 59379439 |
| Followed by | Caliban Cove |
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy is the 1998 novelization of the 1996 video game, written by author S. D. Perry as the first book in her series of Resident Evil novels. The novel combines Jill and Chris' scenarios into one narrative and features all five of the main characters (including Barry Burton and Rebecca Chambers).
The book was written a few years before the Nintendo GameCube remake, and so omits the presence of Lisa Trevor in the mansion. However, the book does allude to the original version of George Trevor's journal from The True Story Behind Biohazard, as well as the short story it contained Biohazard: The Beginning, which involved the disappearance of Chris Redfield's friend, Billy Rabbitson. Another notable difference in the novels is moving the location of Raccoon City from the Midwest to Pennsylvania, and also a mysterious man who works for umbrella named Trent, who helps the main characters in various ways.
Contents
The book starts with a prologue, where the reader is taken into the events happening in Raccoon City using news articles, similar to those in the intro of the first game.
Chapter one follows Jill being late for the S.T.A.R.S. meeting that's about to start, Chris being worried about the disappearance of his friend Billy Rabbitson and Chief Irons forcing Albert Wesker to send the S.T.A.R.S. teams to the Raccoon Forest separately. None of the team members are happy about this, but Wesker claims he can't order otherwise. In this chapter George Trevor and his disappearance in the mansion is also mentioned. None of the events from this chapter happened in the game.
In the beginning of Chapter two, the S.T.A.R.S. meeting starts and lasts until the Bravo team reports their mission going wrong. That's when the Alphas start preparing for their flight over the Raccoon forest, the same flight during which the game begins.
"... you copy? Malfunction, we’re going to have to..."
The rest was lost in a burst of static. It sounded like Enrico Marini, the Bravo team leader. Jill chewed at her lower lip and exchanged a worried glance with Chris. Enrico had seemed... frantic. They all listened for another moment but there was nothing more than the sound of open air.
— S. D. Perry, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy, Chapter two
Chapter three talks about Jill being approached by Trent minutes before the flight and then about the flight itself. In this chapters, Alphas find the crashed Bravo helicopter. The chapter ends just when they land to rescue the other team members.
Then he saw it less than a mile away, even as Jill pointed and spoke, and his concern turned to cold dread.
"Look, Chris—"
An oily plume of black smoke boiled up through the last remnants of daylight, staining the sky like a promise of death.— S. D. Perry, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy, Chapter three
(This section is being expanded. There is a total of 20 chapters.)