I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

While I really liked this one (as I had Nayler's previous book) I would have been just fine if this had been a much longer read! That being said, it's refreshing that an idea was explored and not dragged on.

I was surprised when I started reading this to discover that it was very short, novella length. At first I was worried because I knew it was going to explore some big concepts. But I LOVED this. The page count absolutely worked for me and I didn’t feel like it was missing out. If anything, the short length helped it avoid meandering or getting boring.
This book is fantastic if you love eco thrillers, animal POVs, tense moments between different groups of people, and nature. It was fascinating to me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Could not put it down.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I had read and loved Nayler's The Mountain in the Sea, so it was a no-brainer that I should want to read this novella. There are some similarities between the two, and a whole lot of differences.

Most importantly, it's fantastic.

I hadn't read the blurb before diving in - why would I, when I had high expectations? I assumed it was going to be about elephants, or maybe mammoths, and honestly that was enough. So yes, it's about mammoths - although not quite as I expected. Nayler dives into the thorny questions around what it might mean, and require to bring mammoths back from extinction: in terms of science (although it's not overly science-heavy; it's only novella-length, after all), in terms of mammoths learning how to BE mammoths, and in terms of the human reaction as well. In particular, the focus is on poachers, beginning with elephant poachers and the people attempting to thwart them in various parts of Africa.

There's a lot of humanity, there's a lot of animal conservation, there's a lot of scientific consideration. It's provocative in the best way - no devil's advocate crap, but raising important issues that don't have simple answers. Well-written and engaging, this is a further evidence that Nayler is someone to keep watching out for.

Beautifully written. I really loved this little novella, it fits so much in less than 200 pages and never feels rushed. There were so many different ways that the idea of extinction were explored, from death of a feeling to the death of a species. The multiple POVs thread together and create a poignant climax to the story. This is definitely something I will come back to and enjoy again. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the Arc.

Extremely exposition heavy, didn’t grab me personally. I stopped at the end of chapter 1 (5%) but guessing a solid three stars, four for the right readers. It flows well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

4.5 stars



This novella was unlike anything I've ever read before. It's a very skillful scifi (mid-apocalyptic?) story, and the way the narrative unfolds is incredibly captivating. We're invited to think about the practical ethics of poaching, non-human personhood, and environmental conservation. I was captivated the entire time, and I read it almost in one sitting. I will definitely be revisiting this in the future, and I plan to recommend it to others and recommend my library to purchase.

This is the first I've read from Ray Nayler. His novella is incredibly sharp. The story he tells is one of utmost importance for our generation, and of those soon to come. It's a heartfelt meditation on our actions as humans in today's age, reflecting on greed, ethics & morals, perspectives, and how the legacy of individuals is much larger than it seems.

Nayler creates a full world rich with culture, politics and unique technologies. He has a full cast of characters from a variety of circumstances and positions within the poaching industry. Some chapters were difficult, but in a good way. Many of the characters are very flawed and very realistic. Even within such few pages, the character development progressed perfectly. I finished reading very satisfied and not wishing for more; the story wraps up in exactly the way it needs to.

I'm left with a deep respect for the author and will definitely be reading his debut novel.

4 stars

The Tusks of Extinction was not quite what I was expecting, but it was very good nonetheless. This is a very relevant and very near future reality. A book that I will definitely recommend.

Tusks of Extinction should win both the Nebula and the Hugo. It is remarkable that so many wonderful ideas and concepts can fit in such a small package.
I look foreword to your next novel. As much as I enjoyed the first, it seems likely that the next will be even better.
Anyone who cares about the future of the world should read this book. It makes clear just what mankind stands to lose if we do not change the careless thoughtless way we live.

The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler, I struggled to get into this book and it failed to capture my attention while reading it. I do think others will enjoy it and thank you for giving me a chance with this book.

Mammoths are brought back from extinction-- but after humans have already hunted elephants to the point that they only exist in captivity, will wild mammoths really be able to survive, much less thrive? I thoroughly enjoyed Nayler's follow up to the brilliant The Mountain in the Sea, which focuses on mammoths and poachers instead of octopuses and fishing. It's shorter and not as mysterious, but just as good.

An intriguing, intelligent, and empathetic “eco-thriller”

Ray Nayler’s novel The Mountain in the Sea has been generating a lot of buzz since its publication, and racked up a number of award wins and nominations (most recently, the Locus Best First Novel Award). When The Tusks of Extinction popped up available for review, I thought it would be a good introduction to the author’s work, and I dove in as soon as I got it. I’m happy to report that I enjoyed it, and it’s a well-written and engaging eco-mystery.

At first, it took me a little while to get situated in the story. (I’ll note I was traveling when I started it, which meant my first few reading sessions were a bit fractured and short, so this may have been my problem, not the book’s.) When I was able to give the novella some proper attention, I found myself sinking into the story and getting invested in the various character’s stories — and, in a couple of cases, their fates. The story is told through a small handful of characters, each offering quite different perspectives on the ecological situation of this future: those who wish to genuinely protect and revive the environment, those who wish to profit from the return of mammoths and other ancient creatures, those swept up into illegal trades through family or situation, and, of course, the mammoths.

Nayler does a very good job of painting a picture of this future in relatively tight, focused passages — it’s not too removed from our present, but obviously some certain ecological disasters have been fast-forwarded. Similarly, the author does a good job of making sure his characters are properly three-dimensional — again, done very well in a relatively small amount of space. (So many novellas fail to do this, and that’s usually why people say they “should have been longer”.) It’s tricky to go into too much detail without throwing out spoilers, but quickly: many of these characters have duelling agendas and needs. Those who aren’t ideological nevertheless can be conflicted by their actions and the needs of their professions. Vague, I know, but Nayler does a very good job of creating full, well-rounded and realistic characters.

I thought the idea of having to employ a human’s consciousness into the mind of a recently-resurrected species was an intriguing idea: in some ways, it perfectly exhibits the arrogance of humans, believing that we can become so expert in other species as to tell them how to be — in this case, telling a mammoth how to mammoth. (“Mammoth-splaining?) Nayler does a great job of bringing these creatures to life on the page — he doesn’t anthropomorphize them, despite the human consciousness that is driving and teaching the herd. The threat posed to the mammoths (and, by extension, elephants today) is conveyed intelligently and empathetically.

In some ways, this is a bit of a strange novella, but one that ultimately packs a fair punch. If you’re a fan of eco-thrillers/cli-fi, then I think you’ll find a lot to like this The Tusks of Extinction. It also serves as a very good introduction to Nayler’s writing, if you’re looking for something a little shorter than a full length novel to dip into.

Recommended.

This was an intriguing novella that I quite enjoyed. The Tusks of Extinction is a science fiction, eco-thriller based in *mostly* current day with some advancements in technology that allowed humanity to bring back mammoths after the Ivory Wars left all species of elephants on the planet extinct.

There were some interesting conversations surrounding the decimation of species by humanity, the greed of humanity, and what kind of world we are left with when these factors are not controlled.

With perhaps all-too-timely themes of consciousness, inter-species empathy, and divided bonds, THE TUSKS OF EXTINCTION asks -- When do necessary acts become greed? When does greed become cruelty? When does cruelty become justice? And, in humanity's quest for greater technologies and the power it grants us -- how far is too far?