Review in 10-ish words: Confused for the majority of the plot. Cardboard characters.

Synopsis:
'The change' has occurred. A global event which no one understands. Six strangers wake up in a research facility together and must figure out wtf has happened.

My thoughts:
I didn't love this book. It was confusing and I found it a little corny.
The premise was interesting- It gave me similar vibes to the TV show 'Lost'- if you loved the twists and turns and multiple story lines/complex plot of that show, you'll probably love this.

This book gives the reader a lot to think about (human condition, mind control/thought alteration, apocalypse, government/science authoritarianism). I just held a general air of not really knowing what was happening.. who was fighting who etc. It was not clear enough for me. I also feel towards the end I was just being told a bunch of stuff over and over and it got a little boring.



Thank you to Netgalley for providing a complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Because we can't control the next human extinction, this story focuses on a project to restart the human race after the fall. I love the premise.

If apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic is your jam, do not miss A.G Riddle's new novel, "The Extinction Trials". This is a techno sci-fi thriller, but the selfless and heroic main characters; a fireman Owen and a neuroscientist Maya, are very well written and will pull you in. The story is so engaging that I completely forgot all the sciency stuff I don't understand. The pacing is excellent, with a plot twist that gives me goosies. The audio narration by John Skelley is terrific. This will be an excellent re-read/listen for details I missed the first time.

I have so many questions! I hope there will be a discussion group on Goodreads once this novel is released. Let's talk!

THANK YOU RB Media/Recorded Books via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC for review.
Available November 2, 2021.

The Extinction Trails by A.G. Riddle
4.5 Stars

Firstly I would like to thank NetGalley and RB Media for gifting me with this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I picked up Extinction Trails in the hope for a sci-fi dystopian mystery perfect for escapism. And that’s exactly what I got!

From the first page I was hooked into this story - first following the everyday lives of Owen and Maya until suddenly ‘The Change’.

Now it’s up to six ‘strangers’ to survive the now hazardous world and follow the clues to their salvation.

I quite enjoyed all the characters within this story (Though my favourite will continue to be Will). I do agree that some could have been fleshed out a little more - however due to the genre of the book and the circumstances they were under I think it fits more that we were left with only a glimpse into these characters lives before the world ‘ended’.

I really liked the character of Owen. I found him quite real in the situations he was placed in and liked following the connections of knowledge he already had in emergency situations and placing it in a more broad survival sense.

One part I quite enjoyed was watching the pattern recognition that allowed him to solve complex clues that the others overlooked. In any other character these situations would have seemed far fetched without explanation however due to the way in which his character is portrayed it didn’t feel like a cheap guess when he would suddenly know the answer.

One thing I do want to touch on however is the part within the book were they ‘fix’ his limitation. Throughout the book Owen’s condition is only referred to as his limitation, though it is never explicitly stated, through context clues such as his inability to read facial expressions or body language, his pattern recognition and medical statements within the book, Owen is autistic.
I for one cannot speak on this representation or how people in the community will feel about the belief held in this book; that it is ‘necessary’ to ‘fix’ Owen. I simply wanted to bring attention to this point and am interested in hearing further from the community as I have yet to see mention of this aspect in reviews.

Nearing the end the plot did start to feel a little rushed, puzzles and situations started to be solved far too quickly for proper tension to build. The entry into the Garden State I feel could have been extended a little bit with the lack of oxygen and a code pad some real suspense could have been developed instead of being solved in the first guess. Minor details but kind of took me out of the reading experience near the end.

Following on from that the audiobook switching to three perspectives 40 pages from the end (at least in the audiobook arc I was given) and the decision to mashed them together into each chapter rather then spread one chapter to one character (as for the rest of the book previously) made it more difficult to differenciate the different POV’s. I found myself having to replay the same parts having realised it had suddenly changed perspective with no warning or chapter break. This may however just be an error in the ARC or an odd transcription of what is printed in the book. Regardless this did begin to impact my enjoyment nearing the end as it pulled me out of what was otherwise an amazingly imperative story

The ending twist was amazing, the way it was executed in making you rethink entirely how you imagined the world throughout the story was such an interesting writing technique that I have never come across quite in this manner. I highly commend the author for turning what could otherwise have been a generic sci-fi trope into an interactive reading experience, being able to totally reconstruct this imagined world right at the end of the novel was a stroke of genius I haven’t seen it praised nearly enough in other reviews.

Overall I highly enjoyable reading experience, exactly the type of sci-fi I enjoy and I wish this wasn’t a standalone, I would love to continue learning about these characters and definitely miss Will’s personality.

For lovers of Maze Runner, Dune and Planet of the Apes.
Thank you again to NetGalley and RB Media for the ARC.
This is my first time reading A.G Riddle and I look forward to picking up more of his work.

Format: audiobook
Author: A.G. Riddle ~ Title: The Extinction Trials ~ Narrator: John Skelley
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars

Strangers wake up in some sort of underground research facility. They learn that in the meantime The Change happened and that they are part of The Extinction Trials, a scientific experiment to restart the human race. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so that’s all for the plot part.

The Extinction Trials was my first novel by A.G. Riddle, and I have to say that this was a pleasant surprise. It is a fast-paced, dystopian science fiction. I liked short and gripping chapters. I would recommend it especially to fans of futuristic, dystopian, and sci-fi thrillers.

John Skelley narrated the complete novel, and he did great.

Thanks to Recorded Books for the ARC and the opportunity to listen to this! All opinions are my own.

The Extinction Trials by A.G. Riddle
Narrated by John Skelley
Publisher: Recorded Books
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Genre: Sci Fi & Fantasy

The Extinction Trials by A.G. Riddle is a standalone, futuristic, dystopian science-fiction thriller. I could have used a lot more adjectives, but it's more fun to just read it and find out for yourself!

This is a fast-paced thrill ride that I could not get enough of! The survival aspects reminded me of Lost and had me questioning EVERYTHING!

This book was fascinating, built around interesting characters and the unknown future. I was captivated by the conspiracies woven throughout and the divide created within the world.

I also found it intriguing that this book initially is set in the "near" future, but the actual timing quickly became irrelevant. When the government and other factions can keep people asleep without aging for an indefinite amount of time, the year no longer matters.

The narration by John Skelley was amazing! He brought this story to life!

I highly recommend reading this book! I was on the edge of my seat all the way to the very end!

I'm so grateful to A.G. Riddle, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

The narration was brilliant for this book and really suited the story. This was the first time that I have read/listened to this author and I was not disappointed.

I could really imagine this being a movie as I could really get involved in the story.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

Narrator 5 stars
Great voice

Story 2 stars
I've read all A.G Riddle books and over all I really enjoy them, but this one I struggled to get into to. It's felt quite repetitive for most of the book and when it did start to pick up I was pretty keen for it to end.

This was an excellent, heart pumping, unputdownable book! I am always down for a good post-apocalyptic adventure and this one did not disappoint. Short chapters, each ending with mini-cliffhangers, leaves the reader hungry for more and makes for a quick and exciting experience. This is the first time I've read any of AG Riddle's novels but it certainly won't be the last.

The story starts off with a cyber terror-attack causing fires and mass chaos throughout the city. The main character, Owen, a firefighter is among the first to respond to the attacks. The world crumbles around him, the hospitals are overrun, the apocalypse is now.

Later he wakes up in a bunker, among a group of strangers who soon find out that they've been captured to participate in the "Extinction Trials" -- and their mission is to work together and figure out a way to save the human race from extinction. What follows is an adventure with shocking and unexpected plot twists at every turn. Will they choose their own survival? Or head straight into the eye of danger, face the unknown, and potentially save all of mankind?

This story is an excellent account of the value of human connectedness and interpersonal relationships. And the power of the choices we make, and their consequences, when faced with danger.

Oh, and the ending!!! Without giving anything away, the ending is completely unexpected, will blow your mind and leave you grinning ear to ear.

This review pertains to the audiobook version, with excellent narration by John Skelley.

Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of The Extinction Trials in exchange for an honest review.

The Extinction Trials is expected to be released on Nov 2nd and if you're a fan of post-apocalyptic / dystopian adventures then I highly recommend putting this on your TBR list!

This was a fun, interesting, and different book! It's a story set in world where everything is collapsing. A chosen few are put into the extinction trials to find people that can live to help save the human race.

The group that we follow has a variety of characters with very different talents and personalities. I enjoyed learning about them and what they can do. I loved the surprises that we get along the way. It made the story exciting! I felt like we had twist after twist, and I enjoyed each of them!

I would recommend this one for any reader that enjoys post-apoc type stories!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

What a wild ride this was!

The Extinction Trials had a distinctly claustrophobic Wool Omnibus feel to it, plus a pace so fast I couldn't catch my breath.

I need more time to wrap my head around this post-apocalyptic novel from one of my favorite sci-fi authors. After finishing this book in a mere two days, I'm still reeling, and more than a bit startled by the Planet of the Apes-styled ending I never saw coming.

I received a copy of this audiobook as an eARC from Netgalley. All opinions are my own!

The world has Changed and 6 strangers have woken up with no idea of how they got there or what has happened. But they have one mission: survive. Complete the Extinction Trials and save the human race. But what will it cost them to do so? And what secrets will they uncover along the way?

I really liked the premise of this story and the way that it unfolded! I feel like it really gave you a lot to think about, especially as it wrapped up, and it was a very philosophical book in general. It beautifully painted a picture of what it means to be human and the human condition.

I think my biggest issue was that the book was confusing to me for a good portion of it. Even when the characters began figuring things out, I felt like I still had no idea what was going on or who was who on each side of the battle. Even at the end I still wasn't sure what had really happened in the war or what was going on.

I really enjoyed the story overall, I just wish things had been a little easier to follow! I do like the plot-twist at the end and the way that things were wrapped up! If you like sci-fi with a twist, this book might just be for you!