List of Transformers books
There have been many publishers of a book bearing the name Transformers based on the toy lines of the same name. Most common are Ballantine Books and Ladybird Books.
Novels
''The Transformers Trilogy''
Live-action film series
| Title | Author | Publisher | Date | Length | |
| Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday | Del Rey Books | ||||
| Transformers | Del Rey Books | ||||
| Transformers: The Veiled Threat | Del Rey Books | ||||
| Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Del Rey Books | ||||
| Transformers: Dark of the Moon | Del Rey Books | ||||
| Transformers Classified: The Complete Mission | and | Little, Brown and Company |
''Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday''
Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday is a science fiction novel written by Alan Dean Foster. 'It is a prequel to the Michael Bay Transformers film. It is based on a story by David Cian.The story is set in 1969 and details the account of a top secret space ship called Ghost-1, built by the American organization known as Sector 7. The ship was built by examining and reverse engineering the frozen remains of the Transformer Megatron. Sent into space at the same time as Apollo 11 to hide its trail, the ship is sent to orbit the far side of Jupiter to look for any more alien activity. However, the ship falls into a wormhole that was apparently accidentally created by them due to a slingshot around the Sun and emerges in an unknown part of the galaxy - where it is not alone. The Ark and the Nemesis arrive, intrigued by the ship's Cybertronian design. Starscream leads the Decepticons on an attack as the humans flee. Bumblebee pursues them, as does Starscream, who hopes to annihilate the ship - and any traces of Megatron with it. Putting Bumblebee to flight, Starscream communicates with Ghost-1, pretending to be benevolent. Scanning their computers, he learns of the existence of the Allspark and Megatron and decides to string them along by telling them of the war. He hopes to provoke them into firing on the "evil" Autobots, who will destroy them. Optimus Prime arrives, having fought off Blackout's attack in orbit, saving Bumblebee from giant rock-chewing worms. They encounter Starscream and Ghost-1, who fire on them, burying them in the cave with more worms.
The humans, meanwhile, have become suspicious of Starscream's intentions, noting differences in the behaviors of his and Prime's. When their ship sinks into a sinkhole, Starscream betrays them and leaves them for dead. When Prime and Bumblebee cross paths with the ship underground, the Autobots communicate with the humans, who tell them of the in-stasis Megatron. Knowing that Megatron would decimate their people if he reactivated, Prime vowed to see the humans return to Earth to warn it. They eventually free themselves and head back into orbit, where a full-scale assault by the Decepticons is under way. Despite the Autobots' courage, they are outnumbered. Captain Walker of Ghost-1 makes the decision that they cannot flee, since doing so would lead the Decepticons straight to Earth. The wormhole eventually collapses as they prepare their attack on Starscream, which leaves them stranded. They fire on Starscream as he and Bonecrusher prepare to finish off Prime. Starscream annihilates them in retaliation and retreats, severely wounded. Prime laments their sacrifice, but had already begun to suspect that the Allspark was the reason Megatron went to Earth. Knowing that Starscream would seek Earth merely for revenge on the humans injuring him, Prime resolves to locate Earth before the Decepticons do.
On Earth, a different crisis unfolds. An order has come through to transport the frozen "Ice Man" from the Arctic to a place of safe keeping somewhere near the West Coast of the United States, to be studied more concretely. The convoy carrying him is sabotaged and derailed by a Soviet spy, who indicates a KGB assault will take place to recover Megatron. A more immediate problem presents itself when it is revealed that Megatron is thawing out. As the weather worsens and the Russian attack begins, Megatron reanimates. Lieutenant Colonel Nolan and Colonel Thomas Kinnear, both of them seasoned and fine commanders from Sector 7, managed to stop the disorientated Decepticon leader by first driving a snow truck into him, then freezing him once more with liquid Nitrogen even as he killed them both. The soldiers, under the command of the tenacious and resilient officer Lieutenant Jenson, fought off the Russian attack with the aid of a squad of Army Rangers, then resolve to complete Megatron's transportation.
The mission to move Megatron from the Arctic to the Hoover Dam is undertaken in 1969 — however both the movie and prequel comic series state that Megatron was relocated in the mid-late 1930s. To further complicate the issue, the prequel and the movie conflict, as the movie states Megatron was moved and cryo-frozen in 1934, yet construction on the dam was not completed until 1935. Also, the Decepticons are depicted in the novel as traveling in a spacecraft, but the movie and Target-exclusive prequel comic included with the DVD shows the Decepticons traveling to Earth as protoforms. This is later explained in the IDW comics in that the Decepticons left their ship on Mars and traveled to Earth as protoforms.
''Transformers: The Veiled Threat''
Transformers: The Veiled Threat is a science fiction novel set in between the events of the 2007 movie Transformers and its 2009 sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Alan Dean Foster, author of another Transformers novel and the novelizations of both movies, is the author of this novel also.The 304-page paperback novel was released April 2009. Foster is an established science fiction writer, having written many novels for both original and existing media properties such as Aliens, Star Trek, and Star Wars.
In the novel's present-day, Megatron lies dead, at the bottom of the sea. Cut to the Gulf of Aden where pirates attack a freighter which just so happens to be ferrying Epps, Lennox, Ironhide, Ratchet, and other NEST members to their base on Diego Garcia. Ironhide soon transforms to robot mode and scares the pirates off. Arriving at Diego Garcia, the boys meet up with cybernetics expert Kaminari Ishihara, who has been swimming in the lagoon with the newly arrived Autobot veteran Longarm serving as lifeguard. Everyone enters a briefing where a sighting of Starscream in Zambia is discussed and a plan is hatched with Optimus Prime to confront him.
Meanwhile, we find that Agent Simmons is now, with the disbanding of Sector Seven, working in his mother's deli in New York. He's also tinkering with Frenzy's disembodied head in his basement. In Africa, we learn that Starscream is not only in the area, he's gaining control over local rebel groups by using his internal synthesizers to create gold coins. He is also accompanied by three other Decepticons: Dropkick, Macerator, and Payload. They soon attack a local dam construction site, making short work of the security forces, and proceed to steal mass quantities of explosives.
The NEST team soon arrives in Africa with Prime, Ironhide, and Ratchet as well as new arrivals: Salvage and Beachbreak. The Autobots soon engage Dropkick, Macerator, and Payload in battle in the Zambezi River. This is all part of Starscream's brilliant plan, however, as the Autobots soon discover that the current is pushing them towards Victoria Falls. Everyone but Prime and Macerator gets out in time, as the dueling pair going over the side. Starscream swoops in to save Macerator while Prime dangles helplessly. Eventually the NEST team manages to haul Prime up using Beachbreak's tow-cable, but the celebration is short lived as Starscream swoops in and knocks the diminutive Beachbreak off the waterfalls and to his death.
The Autobots and their human allies soon realize that Starscream may try and destroy a series of dams along the Zambezi and head off after the fleeing Decepticons. At one of the dams, the ground-based Decepticons attack. Payload heads to the valley floor to try to crack the dam with repeated blasts while Dropkick and Macerator fend off the arriving Autobots.
After a short scuffle, Prime manages to knock Macerator over the side of the dam before dispatching his dangling foe with his built-in sword. Ratchet takes repeated hits from Payload while trying to melt the fissures in the cracking dam back together. Both Ratchet and the dam are ultimately saved when the humans enter the dam and open the flood gates, knocking Payload downriver. A damaged Dropkick escapes and everyone returns to Diego Garcia.
Again, we cut back to Simmons in his basement, experimenting on Frenzy and brooding that that Sam Witwicky has a "hot girlfriend" and is going to Princeton University. Frenzy suddenly comes to life and tries to subvert the building's electrical system. And after a little chaos, Simmons decides he needs to move the Decepticon head to a space beneath his mother's deli.
Back at NEST headquarters, two more Decepticon presences are detected and a pair of teams is readied to head out and take care of them. Epps and Russian scientist Petr Andronov accompany Longarm and the impetuous young motorcycle Knockout to Peru to find the Decepticons that have been detected in the deep jungles. On a steep mountain pass, the party is attacked by Decepticons Ruination and Blademaster. Despite inexperienced and risky behavior by Knockout, both are severely damaged and driven off.
Simultaneously, Lennox, Ishihara, Prime, Ironhide, and Salvage arrive in the Western Australian Outback and begin searching for Decepticons. Lennox soon realizes that the ‘Cons are attacking sites with energy reserves; oil and coal in Peru; and uranium in Australia. The team decides that there is a second group of Decepticons not under Starscream's command, harvesting massive amounts of energy in an attempt to revive Megatron.
Arriving at a uranium mining site, the NEST team discovers a trio of construction vehicles which, naturally, turn out to be Decepticons. The leader, Kickback, takes Prime on and is quickly run through with the Autobot leader's sword. The other two, Tread and Trample, are quickly killed through the combined efforts of the rest of the team.
Back at Diego Garcia, a small crab-like Decepticon infiltrates the base and hacks into the NEST computers before sneaking back into the sea and rendezvous with an unknown accomplice. Despite the break-in, the NEST team continues their usual business; discussing different ways the Decepticons could draw massive quantities of power to revive Megatron.
In Italy, Starscream enters into a deal with an Italian criminal named Bruno Carrera to help destroy Optimus Prime in exchange for dominion over Europe when the Decepticons triumph. A plan is hatched and Swindle and Deadend begin ripping through the streets of Rome causing general chaos and trying to draw the Autobots out. After an extended chase where Knockout proves he has what it takes, and Starscream challenges Prime to single combat inside Rome's Colosseum.
Prime and the Autobots enter the ancient structure, and Prime promptly falls through a trap door to a subway tunnel extension and into a strong set of restraints arranged by Carrera. Starscream then proceeds to attack the remaining Autobots while a helpless Prime is confronted by a vengeful Barricade. Before the Decepticon can dispatch Prime, the humans attack Barricade and Prime manages to work himself free. He easily defeats Barricade and returns to the surface where Starscream has fled.
On his way to whatever scheme he has come up next, Starscream takes the time to visit Carrera at this villa, where he pays him back for his “failure”. Finally, Epps and Lennox are relaxing on the beach back at Diego Garcia when Knockout approached and informs them that something significant is happening, mentioning how he is unfamiliar with the term “shanghaied”.
Transformers: The Veiled Threat has been called a lifeless read that is miserly in character development.
Aligned Continuity
| Title | Author | Publisher | Date | Length | Plot | |
| Transformers: Exodus | Del Rey Books | |||||
| Transformers: Exiles | Del Rey Books | |||||
| Transformers: Retribution | and | Del Rey Books | ||||
| Transformers: The Covenant of Primus | 47North | |||||
| Transformers: [Robots in Disguise |Transformers Robots in Disguise]: Action and Adventure Collection | and | Little, Brown and Company |
''Transformers: Exodus''
Transformers: Exodus – The Official History of the War for Cybertron is a science fiction adventure novel by Alexander C. Irvine and the first installment of the History of the War for Cybertron book trilogy. It revolves around the origin of the war and experiences prior to it. It was believed to be a possible prequel to Transformers: Prime as noted in the book Transformers Vault and verified as such in the Transformers: Prime episode "One Shall Rise part 3", which references the entire book as part of a flashback into the way the war between the Autobots and Decepticons began. Exodus explores the backgrounds of Optimus Prime and Megatron within the Prime universe, showing how they came to be the leaders of their respective factions. The book also delves more heavily into the mythology of other well-known aspects of the Transformers characters and locations, such as Alpha Trion and The Fallen, whose original name is revealed in this story for the first time as Megatronus. It received two sequels, Transformers: Exiles and Transformers: Retribution, both chronicling the Autobots and Decepticons' subsequent voyage following the titular exodus of Cybertron, and various adventures before finally arriving on Earth.It is implied that Transformers: Exodus, along with its two sequels, Exiles and Retribution are placed within the same continuity of the animated TV show Transformers: Prime and the video games Transformers: War for Cybertron, Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark and Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. This is because many of the elements introduced in Transformers: Exodus are either directly referenced or match with events that occur in the TV series and games. This is primarily the revised backstory with Optimus Prime and Megatron, which is explained by Ratchet in the 3-part episode "One Shall Rise" in Transformers: Prime. It has been confirmed by Hasbro that the books, video games and TV series are all in the same continuity. However, many details are largely inconsistent between each work, specifically War for Cybertron and Exodus itself. While it is believed by many that War for Cybertron is a video game adaptation of Exodus and vice versa, due to the similarities. However, the plots of both the book and game highly differ from each other.
Pamela Luke of FantasyBookReview.co.uk called Transformers: Exodus an easy read with good writing.
''Transformers: Exiles''
Transformers: Exiles is the sequel to Transformers: Exodus, and exists in the Aligned Continuity.Following their mass exodus from their home planet Cybertron, Optimus Prime and the Autobots are lost in deep space on board their spaceship, the Ark. The Matrix of Leadership projects a star map leading to Velocitron, one of the planets the Transformers colonized during Cybertron's golden age. When the Ark reaches Velocitron, Optimus Prime and a small group of other Autobots |Jazz], Bumblebee venture onto the planet's surface to investigate. They discover the planet is still inhabited by a population of Transformers, who have developed a culture centered on racing.
Travelling to the planet's capital city, Delta, the Autobots meet Velocitron's two rulers, [Ransack and Override. The Velocitronians falsely assume the Autobots are their saviors, and Override explains their sun is reaching the end of its life and the planet is low on resources. The other Autobots land the Ark in Delta for repairs, and the Ark crew is invited to watch the Great Speedia race. Meanwhile, Ransack is approached by a shadowy figure named "777", who intrigues him by talking about Megatron and the Decepticons. Visiting the ruins of Velocitron's Space Bridge, Optimus communes with the Matrix of Leadership, which shows him a cryptic vision and leads him to a strange metal shard. Returning to Delta, he discusses the shard's significance with the other Autobots, and they discover a similar shard embedded within the Speedia winner's trophy. The Arks repairs are mysteriously sabotaged, and Ransack and his followers try to wrest leadership from Override. As the Autobots leave in the Ark, the Velocitronians begin a civil war.
Eventually, the Autobots find another planet, Junkion, which is made entirely out of garbage and scrap metal. The Transformers inhabiting Junkion are scavenging tribes led by the eccentric Wreck-Gar. The Junkions are friendly towards the Autobots and set to work fixing the Ark. Meanwhile, the Decepticons on board the Nemesis detect the Arks signal and land on Velocitron in search of the Autobots. Ransack and several other Velocitronians pledge their allegiance to the Decepticons, but the Nemesis leaves shortly after arriving to continue tracking the Ark. The Matrix of Leadership projects another map leading to a working Space Bridge on Junkion, and Optimus makes plans to travel to it.
Prowl discovers the dead body of Shearbolt, but Ratchet determines Shearbolt died long before Prowl spoke to him, so they suspect there may be a Shifter hiding among the crew. Prowl interrogates Axer, and from the information given, Optimus and Jazz deduce that Hound is the Shifter. Sure enough, Hound is revealed to be 777 - whose true identity is the Decepticon spy Makeshift – and he is responsible for sabotaging the Arks repairs on Velocitron. The Autobots and Junkions lure Makeshift into a trap, and he is imprisoned, though Makeshift mentions that the real Hound might still be alive on Cybertron.
On Cybertron, Alpha Trion and Wheeljack experiment with Space Bridge technology. They succeed in opening a Space Bridge to the Arks current location, and an Autobot named Chaindrive is sent through. Optimus, Bumblebee, Jazz, and Silverbolt travel through the Junkion Space Bridge and find themselves on an asteroid, where they discover the tomb of Solus Prime, a deceased member of the original Thirteen Transformers. Chaindrive arrives and gives Optimus two more shards identical to the ones he found on Velocitron. Optimus realizes the shards are the Blades of Time, and after assembling them correctly, he contacts their owner Vector Prime, who tells him the location of the Requiem Blaster, an ancient weapon with devastating power.
The Autobots return to Junkion, but Megatron and the Decepticons arrive and launch an assault. As the two sides battle, Axer escapes into the depths of Junkion and finds the Requiem Blaster, which is holding the planet together with its strong gravity. He tries to move it, but the gravitational disturbance starts to tear Junkion apart. Clocker, Mainspring, and Chaindrive, along with the Junkions Cannonspring and Pinion, reveal their true identity and combine into Nexus Prime, another member of the original Thirteen. Nexus gives Optimus a legendary sword called the Cyber Caliber, which he uses to duel with Megatron. Optimus wins the fight, but has a vision of the AllSpark's location and retreats to the Ark with the rest of the crew. The Autobots and Decepticons leave Junkion, and the search for the AllSpark continues.
''Transformers: Retribution''
Transformers: Retribution is a science fiction adventure novel by David J. Williams and Mark S. Williams. It is the final installment of the History of the War for Cybertron trilogy, consisting of Exodus and Exiles. It differs in some respects from the previous installments in the trilogy, mostly in bringing the series closer to matching the established lore of Transformers: Prime.Continuing their search for the AllSpark, the Autobots and Decepticons encounter the Quintessons. The Decepticons also have a brief battle with the Star Seekers, with the pirates using the Requiem Blaster against the Decepticon flagship Nemesis before being forced to jettison it. They then follow the Autobots to the planet Aquatron, a water planet that doesn't appear in any of their records, where they find an apparently peaceful race who trade in Energon and welcome the arrival of the Autobots. This is all a front, however, as the planet is secretly dominated by the Quintessons, who aim to destroy all the Cybertronians in revenge for the defeat they previously suffered at their hands.
Back on Cybertron, Alpha Trion is captured by Shockwave, who attempts to use him to access the supercomputer Vector Sigma so that he may create a Decepticon Matrix of Leadership. Unbeknownst to the Decepticon scientist, the Quintessons have created their own Matrix replica which they have been using to manipulate Optimus Prime and cause him to doubt himself as leader of the Autobots. Furthermore, the Quintessons are aware of Shockwave's efforts and are using him to help lay the groundwork for their invasion of Cybertron by reactivating a long dormant Space Bridge. Claiming to be a peaceful, benevolent race, they disable both the Nemesis and the Autobot Ark and bring both parties together for negotiation, but in reality seek only to capture and enslave them.
Megatron and Optimus find themselves working together against the Quintessons, with the other Autobots and Decepticons following suit. The Quintessons succeed in sending their Sharkticon army to Cybertron, but are unaware that Megatron is a figure of Sharkticon legend who is destined to free them from the Quintessons. He does so by taking possession of the Quintessons' replica Matrix. The invasion of Cybertron is thwarted, and the Quintesson hold over Aquatron-revealed to be a lost colony world of Cybertron-is broken, though Megatron loses the replica Matrix and his Sharkticon form. Alpha Trion is saved from Shockwave by the Wreckers, and concludes the book by noting the existence of a certain planet that is destined to play a major role in the struggle between Autobot and Decepticon.
''Transformers: The Covenant of Primus''
Transformers: The Covenant of Primus is a companion novel to the Aligned Continuity. The term "Covenant of Primus" also describes an artifact featured in several continuities of the Transformers franchise, beginning with Beast Wars: Transformers, as well as an organization that was featured in storyline for the Botcon fan convention. The book is written from the perspective of the character Alpha Trion, and details the in-universe history of the planet Cybertron and its inhabitants, beginning with the Thirteen Primes.In several Transformers series, the Covenant of Primus is an actual relic in the Transformers universe. This concept was first introduced in Beast Wars, where the Covenant is regarded as a sacred text by the Transformers. Several passages of it are quoted in the series finale Nemesis, and several are known to be modified Bible verses.
From 1998 to 2000 the annual Transformers fan convention Botcon had exclusive storyline that included a group of characters known as the Covenant of Primus. This group consisted of Twelve pre-Cybertronian Transformers based on the Zodiac and created by Primus as a last resort defense against the return of his nemesis, Unicron. Of their membership, only the following were named:
- Leonicus-the group's leader
- Aquator
- Libras
- Scorpius-a member of the Covenant who disappeared in order to infiltrate the ranks of Shokaract, the villain who served as Unicron's new host
- Capricun
- Piscor
- Ariex
Short stories
Ballantine Books
[Find Your Fate] Junior
A series of Choose Your Own Adventure-style books based on The Transformers.Dinobots Strike Back
Book number 1 in the Transformers Find Your Fate Junior series. Dinobots Strike Back is a children's book. It was written by Casey Todd and illustrated by William Schmidt. It was published in 1985.Synopsis
The Insecticons gain control of the minds of the Dinobots, hoping to turn their powers to evil.Battle Drive
Book number 2 in the Find Your Fate Junior series.Written by Barbara Siegel and Scott Siegel. Illustrated by William Schmidt. The cover art features Jazz, Starscream and Optimus Prime. Characters in the story include Buster and Sparkplug Witwicky, Soundwave and Ransack. This book has 12 different endings.
Attack of the Insecticons
- Written by Lynn Beach
- Illustrated by William Schmidt
Earthquake
- Written by Ann Matthews
- Illustrated by William Schmidt
Desert Flight
- Written by Jim Razzi
- Illustrated by William Schmidt
Decepticon Poison
- Cover illustration of Bumblebee, Megatron and Dreadwing.
- Cast includes Blurr.
- Written by Judith Bauer Stamper
- Illustrated by William Schmidt
Autobot Alert!
- Written by Judith Bauer Stamper
- Illustrated by William Schmidt
Project Brain Drain
- Written by Barbara Siegel and Scott Siegel
- Illustrated by William Schmidt
Notes: Bumblebee sacrifices himself in one of the endings, thus he's not seen in the following book.
Spike is depicted as Sparkplug's son as opposed to Buster, who showed up earlier in the series.
The Invisibility Factor
The 9th and last book in the Transformers Find Your Fate Junior series. The Invisibility Factor is a children's book. It was written by Josepha Sherman and illustrated by William Schmidt. It was published in 1986.Synopsis
An experimental invisibility device that renders things invisible. It's up to you to decide whether the Autobots or Decepticons get their hands on it and how it is used.Fun Publications
Force of Habit
A 2008 Transformers: Cybertron story by Greg Sepelak and S. Trent Troop.Synopsis
Set during the events of the Transformers: Cybertron television series, Ultra Magnus is commander of various Autobot ships sent to other planets in search for the Cyber Planet Keys. Longrack serves as captain of the Spanner which was sent to Delta Draconis. Among the ship's crew are Armorhide, Blurr and Checkpoint.The New World
A 2007 Transformers Classicverse story by Greg Sepelak and S. Trent Troop.Synopsis
Set on the planet Cybertron after the events of the last issue of the original Marvel Transformers comic series, Mini-Cons created by the Last Autobot are restoring Cybertron for the return of their larger Autobot and Decepticon brothers who are in space. A conspiracy led by Broadside attempts to close of Cybertron for the Mini-Cons.HarperCollins
Satellite Meltdown
Satellite Meltdown is a 2010 children's book written by Lucy Rosen and published by HarperCollins. It has 24 pages.Transformers: Meet the Decepticons
Meet the Decepticons is a 2007 children's book written by Jennifer Frantz and illustrated by Guido Guidi. It has 32 pagesIDW Publishing
Transformers: The Ark – A Complete Compendium Of Transformers Animation Models
The Ark is a compendium of Transformers animation models, released by IDW Publishing on 5/31/2007. Jim Sorenson and Bill Forster authored the volume. It is a 208-page trade paperback,. The cover was drawn by Don Figueroa and the foreword written by Bob Budiansky.The Ark contains the original animation models, robot and alt mode, for every character with a toy who appeared in the four seasons of the original Transformers cartoon, which ran from 1984-1987. Most of the characters are shown with multiple angles. Some feature head shots, transformation storyboards or close-ups of their weapons.
In addition to the toy based characters, a few characters unique to the cartoon also appear in these pages, including Autobot X, Devcon and Alpha Trion. Humans such as Spike, Chip Chase and Dr. Arkeville appear, as does a one-page mosaic of the planet Cybertron. Ships included are most of the ships from the original animated movie, as well as The Ark and The Nemesis. Unicron, the Junkions, the Lithones and the Quintessons each receive 2 to 4 pages of models. A three-page spread details the pre-earth modes of Soundwave, Jazz, Bumblebee, Laserbeak, Wheeljack and the Seekers.
In the back is a bonus section. Included are alternate model sheets for Jetfire, Megatron, some Stunticons, the Combaticons, some characters from the movie, some season 3 beast Decepticons and Broadside. Also present is a two-page sheet of the faction sigil from multiple angles and scale guide with most season 1 and season 2 characters represented.
Organization is chronological by faction. An index in the back gives page reference for each character in the book.