Extinction: A Novel

Wow. This is a terrific thriller, and my favorite of Preston’s solo novels. While I’m a faithful reader of everything by Preston and/or Childs, this might be the most fun I’ve had since it all started with Relic.Preston knows readers will look at his valley of de-extincted Ice Age mammals and think, “Jurassic Park,” so he has fun by having his characters trash the films at every opportunity. While his wealthy entrepreneur and brilliant and slightly mad scientist didn’t bring back any apex predators, the vividly written mammoths, glyptodonts, Irish elk, and others draw a stream of healthy visitors to this beautiful site in Colorado.The murder of two guests kicks off the thread of an investigation that runs through the book. Agent Cash and Sheriff Colcord conduct a superbly written, suspenseful series of investigations as things get weirder and deaths continue. The company is up to something even stranger than bringing back mammoths, but the investigators don’t know what is or how it’s connected to the murders. A mix of grieving parents, secretive executives, cultists in the forest, and a movie company using mammoths in a Western (go with it) add to the fun and suspense. And when you think you’ve solved the mystery, you haven’t.The characters are excellent. Cash is especially notable because most writers would make her Hollywood pretty, not plain and a bit stout. She has a secret past which implies we’ll see her in another book, and I hope so. She and Colcord’s initially prickly partnership changes to professional respect and friendship, not a throwaway sex scene.I guessed the first of two twists - that they are breeding Neanderthals. The scientist in chief teaches the surprisingly intelligent “cave men” not just English, but use computers and other modern technology. What could go wrong? How about “everything?” Preston’s take on this subspecies is original and surprising.The second twist doesn’t strike until the last chapters, and I didn’t see it coming. I won’t spoil it, but it’s stunning and adds a great deal of emotional weight to the novel. Finally, an Afterword explains the scientific thinking, some of it controversial, Preston put into the novel. You’ll be disquieted about both the past and the future.There’s not much to nitpick here. All the animals are at the high end of their real-life sizes, but that’s logical if you’re choosing the genes for animals to exhibit. Preston’s ground sloth is too big, though. A “honey wagon” on a movie set is a portable bathroom, not a star’s trailer (unless the character mentioning it is being sarcastic).It's a satisfying read in every possible way. I stayed up late reading this, You will, too.

I've long been a fan of Douglas Preston's thrillers. He always teams a first-rate cast with insider knowledge and an edge-of-your-seat story. Since I'm also a Jurassic Park fan, Preston's story, which revolves around a resort containing Pleistocene megafauna, was right up my alley, too.The two main characters take some time to get used to each other. This is CBI Agent Frankie Cash's first case in Major Crimes. John Wayne lookalike Sheriff Jim Colcord takes one look at the heavy-set woman and mentally raises an eyebrow. It doesn't take long for him to learn that she has a razor-sharp mind... and that she's much fitter than he is. Cash loves Jurassic Park, but it's a bit of a bummer when she learns that the megafauna of Erebus have all had any aggressive genes removed, which has had the effect of turning them into scaredy cats. But that turns out to be a very good thing because something else is very wrong in this resort.Strong interesting characters. Check. A fast-paced, thrill ride of a story. Check. A setting that not only involves huge creatures from another age but a movie being filmed in the valley as well as a labyrinth of old mines. Check. All this was a treasure trove for my imagination, and I did "watch" a lot of it on my mental movie screen. But. For some reason, I couldn't completely buy into the secret heart of Preston's story. Even though his Afterward was fascinating. (Don't miss it.) And since I couldn't willingly suspend 100% of my disbelief, Extinction became a very good story instead of a fantastic one. However, it certainly does give readers plenty of food for thought.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of mystery, murder, and adventure set inside a Rocky Mountain wilderness park filled with “de-extincted” prehistoric animals.The story is amply summarized in the blurb and the reviews of other readers so I won’t duplicate those efforts here. Suffice it to say this is a mystery about science and nature filled with twists, turns, and surprises. As soon as one question seems answered, another takes its place. compelling readers to keep turning the pages.I’d never before read anything by Douglas Preston, so I had no idea what to expect. I was impressed by his ability to interweave disparate yet very well-researched elements into a thrilling story. Prehistoric creatures; Rocky Mountain topography, flora, and fauna; DNA and genetic manipulation; police and forensic procedure: mining and cave exploration; drone technology; the interplay of politics and bureaucracy; how to fashion gunpowder; and some of the techniques used to make “movie magic;” and more, all find their way into this novel.Preston is a master at creating both settings and suspense. As I read, I had very clear pictures of the places he described, both outside amongst the mountains, and inside the caves, laboratories, and luxury hotel involved. And I often found my eyes racing as I rushed to find out what happened next.His characters are well-drawn and can also be surprising, especially Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Frankie Cash, depicted initially as a large, no-nonsense, tactless woman who seems to have problems “playing well with others.” But her competence, bravery, professionalism, and even her directness, soon earn her the respect, not only of the other characters, but also of readers.Two cautions: The novel does include some gruesome, gory (indeed, for some, possibly stomach-turning) subject matter. At times, the “yuck” factor can get pretty intense. Then again, that’s part of what adds to the suspense. Also, harm does come to an animal (and a pretty cute one, at that).Obviously, when contemplating whether to choose this novel, many will wonder whether it is simply a “Jurassic Park” revisited. While “Extinction” shares a few similarities with that series, it is a very different story involving very different animals—a story which I found highly entertaining and enjoyable.

It’s been a while since I’ve last read such an engaging and terrifying story. But it’s not about cheap playing on readers emotions.Besides the horror of unfolding events, there’s another one- what mad scientists backed by rich benefactors can achieve!Unfortunately sooner or later the cat is out of the bag and regular bread eaters are paying the price of somebody’s irresponsibility and wickedness.The book is very well written, has nicely developed characters and the science supporting the main premise is sound.The accelerating pace of the action keeps a reader on the edge of the seat biting their nails.I loved it!

Tutto

Erebos Mountain Resort, Colorado. Ein urzeitliches Paradies mit friedvollen, genetisch wiedererstellten Bewohnern-fast zu friedlich, würde man sagen. MItten in dieses Idyll platzen auf einmal brutale Morde-Special Agent Frances Cash und Sheriff Colcord sollen die Vorkommnisse aufklären und treten auf mehr Zehen, als ihnen lieb ist. Die Auflösung ist grausamer als gedacht...Ist es nur Zufall, dass auch dieser Roman die Grenzen der machbaren Wissenschaft im Visier hat? Im einer Zeit, in der über die Grenzen der KI diskutiert wird, scheint mir das kein Zufall zu sein.Dennoch liest sich der Thriller flüssig und verdient seine fünf urzeitlichen Zacken!

Michael Crichton’s legacy has lived on in this excellent rendition of the dangers of biological genetic engineering. As suggested in the novel it is almost a given that these laboratory exercises are being performed as we read.Preston is always consistently good well worth the effort.

I enjoyed this book even though it slowed down a bit in the middle. I've read every one of his books, so I was surprised by the lull in the action. Even with the lull, I still read it in two days. :)