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Extinction  By  cover art

Extinction

By: Douglas Preston
Narrated by: David Aaron Baker
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Publisher's summary

With Extinction, #1 New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston has written a binge-worthy thriller in the Michael Crichton mode that explores the possible and unintended dangers of the very real efforts to resurrect the woolly mammoth and other long-extinct animals.

Erebus Resort, occupying a magnificent, hundred-thousand acre valley deep in the Colorado Rockies, offers guests the experience of viewing woolly mammoths, Irish Elk, and giant ground sloths in their native habitat, brought back from extinction through the magic of genetic manipulation. When a billionaire's son and his new wife are kidnapped and murdered in the Erebus back country by what is assumed to be a gang of eco-terrorists, Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Frances Cash partners with county sheriff James Colcord to track down the perpetrators.

As killings mount and the valley is evacuated, Cash and Colcord must confront an ancient, intelligent, and malevolent presence at Erebus, bent not on resurrection—but extinction.

©2024 Douglas Preston (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

An April 2024 Library Reads pick

An April 2024 best new science fiction book at New Scientist

“A thriller as breathlessly riveting as you would expect from a genre master like Douglas Preston, but much more too: it's meaty and thought-provoking, and tells us a lot about our distant past—and our immediate future. Spectacular!”—Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Preston’s latest thriller, Extinction, is Jurassic Park for the Pleistocene Era—and that’s no exaggeration. It’s got everything I love: fantastic creatures, wild adventures, and dynamic heroes. But most frightening of all, it shines a disturbing light on where the science of genetic engineering might be venturing next. Read at your own risk!”—James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Doug Preston is a master storyteller. I’m still thinking about Extinction—which is both entertaining and frightening—every page like a tasty treat. You have to read this!—Steve Berry, #1 New York Times bestselling author

What listeners say about Extinction

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Shades od Michael Chrichton

Hoping to read more from this author. The ending hints that there is more to follow about the quest of the unextincted.

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  • Overall
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Solid story

Douglas Preston's Extinction is a must-read for fans of Preston and Child. Anyone familiar with their work will not be disappointed. However, it still seems that these authors deliver their best stories when collaborating.

The storytelling in Extinction is as compelling as ever, featuring a few memorable characters. Sheriff Colcord stood out to me, and if this book is ever made into a movie, Sam Elliott would be perfect for the role. The story is well-paced, with a good balance of narrative, action, and suspense. Preston keeps you engaged from start to finish. The ending hints at the possibility of a sequel, which is exciting for those who enjoy this book.

The performance of the narrator, David Aaron Baker, was solid throughout and contributed nicely to the story.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Entertaining overall

Overall I did enjoy the authors story and development. Several parts where rather predictive, but they did not take away from my enjoyment of the story overall. Perhaps a minor thorn that took me out of the story, but as prior military member, my greatest issue was the mis-identifing of every small arms rifle as an AR-15, This really struck me as low information as if the author had identified every vehicle in the story, be it a car, sedan, convertible or truck, as a Ford Taurus.

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A great story, with plenty of twists and frightening moments

I was especially infatuated with the characters. they were very much normal people and not overblown. it was almost believable.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Don't waste your credit

I'm very disappointed in this book, I have read almost all of the author's other books and have been very happy with them. this one is just boring and very poorly narrated. I do not care for it. I'm going to ask for a refund on my credit and next time they send out a book. I'm going to be very careful before I buy it if this is the quality he has come to

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Strong Sci-Fi book

Well written and I enjoyed the pacing of the novel. A nice homage to Jurassic Park. I could visually imagine every part of the story. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

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loved it

Kept my interest through out the book. Very entertaining. I would most heartily recommend it.

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Another winner from Preston

I’ve always enjoyed the collaboration between Preston and Child so once I read all of their books, I started listening to Preston’s individual works.

This book is thoughtful and contains the research I’ve come to expect from his books.

I enjoyed the science and the plot that seems all too plausible.
I hope that the two main characters make it into subsequent books.

Definitely worth the listen!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Jurassic park meets murder mystery meets planet of the apes

The story is well written and entertaining. It grabs you from the opening and the intrigue continues throughout. The leading character is strong and believeable and the narrator did a good job.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Solid until the end!

Great story and premise but lost momentum for me at the end. Fine storytelling throughout the entire book and it’s exactly what I’ve come to expect from such a great author. I just wanted something a little more at the end.

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1 person found this helpful