Do you wish JURASSIC PARK had more murder? Police procedurals meet the best of Crichton in this erudite & suspenseful pageturner where hubris, billionaires, and cutting edge science make a dangerous, high stakes mix.

The engaging, versatile narration of David Aaron Baker as well as the odd couple, high chemistry pairing of a hard charging, sharp minded investigator Frances Cash and local sheriff James Colcord really add to the enjoyability of this thriller evoking my favorite 90s and 00s disaster & sci fi movies.

Science, morality, and greed collide in a perfect storm of suspense and excitement......…..

Book Information

Extinction by Douglas Preston is a 384-page thriller with a publication date of April 23, 2024. The audio version, narrated by David Aaron Bakeris, spans 12 hours and 8 minutes. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.

Summary

Set in the breathtaking Colorado Rockies, Erebus Resort offers guests a unique experience: witnessing extinct creatures like woolly mammoths and giant ground sloths brought back to life through genetic manipulation. However, when a billionaire's son and his wife are brutally murdered by suspected eco-terrorists, Agent Frances Cash of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Sheriff James Colcord join forces to hunt down the killers. As the body count rises and the valley is emptied, they discover a sinister force at Erebus, not focused on reviving the past but on eradicating life itself.

My Thoughts

Douglas Preston's "Extinction" is a thrilling amalgamation of genres, weaving together elements of thriller, mystery, suspense, police procedural, science fiction, and adventure. It's an exciting, suspenseful, and mysterious journey that takes readers on a fun and crazy ride, filled with fast-paced action and disaster. Preston's ingenious blend of science fiction and ethical quandaries creates a narrative powder keg ready to explode in your mind.

The book is not only entertaining but also enlightening, inspiring, and ultimately terrifying. Preston's masterful storytelling makes this a must-read for fans, showcasing his well-thought-out plot and excellent pacing. There are shades of "Jurassic Park," albeit ironically mocked within the book. Like "Jurassic Park", it's a cautionary tale that echoes with the urgency of our times, serving as a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked ambition.

The characters are another highlight. Agent Cash and Sheriff Colcord aren't just characters; they're the dynamic duo you'll root for until the very end with very clear chemistry. Preston injects depth through entertaining scientific detail while exploring moral and ethical dilemmas, leaving readers with plenty to ponder. The ending sets up a sequel perfectly, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.

David Aaron Baker's narration adds another layer of brilliance to the experience, with his versatile voices and accents bringing the characters to life. This was a perfect book to show off his talents.

Recommendation

"Extinction" is an enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of thrillers, murder mysteries, and perhaps even "Jurassic Park" enthusiasts. It's a gripping tale that delivers on all fronts, making it a must-have for any bookshelf.

Rating

4 De-Extinct Stars

I love reading Douglas Preston's books and he does not disappoint with Extinction! I listened to the audiobook and around the 2nd chapter, I was pretty darn sure I knew exactly where the story was going, not that I was going to stop listening, but I just knew I had it figured out already. Wow! I could not have been more wrong. I didn't see where Extinction was going AT ALL! Takes place at the Erebus Resort deep in the Colorado Rockies that I would have wanted to go to if it was real. Until the unfortunate disappearance of a couple of honeymooners. It's being attributed to some crazy eco-terrorists. But are they the culprits?? You'll have to read it to find out! You've got amazing de-extincted animals, social engineering, Erebus security, Hollywood movie folk, an awesome local sheriff, CBI agents (good and bad) and some seriously deluded people! It was such a fun read! I hope we get another adventure with Cash & Colcord soon!

Dear Extinction,
You are what would happen if Tom Clancy tried to write Jurassic Park, but better. I was in for the ride 100%, despite a few glaring plot holes. (How long has Arabus been de-extincting animals, because there was no mention of accelerated aging....) I loved how all parts of the story tied together and I was so shocked when the big twist and motivation of the bad guys came to light. You were dark, and complex in the best way, and I really loved the ride.

I thought I was going to get another nonfiction from Douglas Preston because all of the books I read by him were nonfiction. Here I was waiting for these young couples story to end and Preston to tell about the bones they found. Instead, I got a back story of the couple and investigation around their disappearance

The US now had a theme park with extinct mammoths back alive. You could hike and see these beautiful giants in this park. I’m sure you would change your mind though, when you heard that a couple disappeared only to be found cannibalized. Like most, you might have thought that it must be a murderer who preferred to kill people in an ancient sacrificial manner. But trust was crazier than that

The ending of this book is horrific even if you might have guessed it. It’s an alternative look at eugenics and designer babies. Not everything that we buried in the past might want to come back or even if they come back would be happy to see our Homo sapiens sapiens faces

A thrilling and suspenseful mystery set in Colorado at an elite resort named Erebus.The Erebus is unique in that it has de-extincted several species including a family of Woolly Mammoths using DNA from these extinct animals. When newlyweds are attacked at Erebus Resort , CBI Frankie Cash and Sheriff Colcord team up to find the killers.
To begin with it looks like it is a deranged cult that have committed the murders but little do they know it is much worse than they can even imagine. You think you will know what happens but are surprised.
Very much enjoyed the characters and the narrator.
Many thanks to NetGalley , the author , Douglas Preston and publisher for an opportunity to read this outstanding novel.
Review was short as I didn’t want to give anything away.

Like a Disneyland for rich people, Erebus Resort offers guests views of de-extincted Pleistocene animals including the Wooly Mammoth, Irish Elk, and Giant Ground Sloths. The luxury resort has a magnificent lodge in a valley surrounded by over one hundred thousand acres of mountainous terrain. Honeymooners Olivia and Mark Gunnerson set off on an eight-day guided hike around Erebus Resort. They are attacked and abducted on their first night, while in their tent. Agent Frances Cash of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is sent to Erebus along with a CSI team. Cash collaborates with Sheriff James Colcord at the resort to search for the Gunnersons. While Cash and Colcord are collecting evidence, it becomes evident that some deception is occurring and shocking secrets are revealed.

I really enjoyed Douglas Preston’s world-building in this book. It is evident that he did a lot of research. I enjoyed the descriptions of Erebus. I also enjoyed learning about the de-extinction of different species. It was a good combination of world-building and police procedural. The characters of Cash and Colcord were solidly developed, and I enjoyed reading about their search for the killers. I listened to the audio version of this one and David Aaron Baker did an excellent job with the narration. I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys police procedurals especially if you like unique word-building. I give it 4/5 stars.

I have never read Douglas Preston but I plan to check into other books by him after listening to this book. I found it very well written and the topic was so interesting. I enjoy mystery, which this book has, and I enjoy learning about extinct animals, which this book has. I was recommended this book by my boss and I loved it.

Whenever I read one of Douglas Preston's novels, I'm not sure what to expect, but I know I'll be having an adventure. Extinction did not disappoint. It was a mystery that kept me up all night biting my nails. It was thrilling, thought provoking, and left me feeling a bit terrified of what our future may hold.

A big thanks to Net Galley for providing an early preview of this audiobook.

Well, I don’t know what it is, but this is finally the first book from Net Galley that I truly liked! I would like to propose the working title of “Pleistocene Park” for this book as I feel like it might have a better ring and might fit in better with all the comparisons to Jurassic Park.

This was a good and quick book that I would recommend. I have only done one Douglas Preston book before and it was nonfiction. I haven’t read/listened to his mystery books with Lincoln Child. Side note: this book drops a Preston Child book reference in it; some character is reading it, or it was seen on a shelf or something. They also randomly name drop Doc Brown from Back to the Future along with numerous Jurassic Park references.

Anyways, what I was getting at was that I wasn’t fully sure what to expect. What I found a little weird was that he starts the novel off with this interesting couple and throws in many illicit sexual references, indicating that this would be a pretty “adult” book. But then, that was it. It was pretty PG and PG-13 after that. Not that it matters but it seems like you might be limiting your audience that way or giving people the wrong impression. And I guess I was partially expecting something more with the potential ‘romance’ but that was as tame as can be and not really developed (between the main characters). It just seemed a little mismatched. Maybe that is expected of Preston and/or Preston/Child?

For whatever reason, this is the second book I have read this year that explicitly mentions the re-creation of woolly mammoths. I guess this idea may be gaining some traction since they have potentially fully sequenced that genome and this might could be a possibility? Either way, the science wasn’t as strong as I would have liked in this book, but it was enough to make things enjoyable. The premise, with the ethical implications, and the practical application of what is possible and who might have the means to do this kind of thing was what made this book interesting. The characters were good, and I suppose there is even a small chance for a sequel. I assume that won’t happen but there is definitely room for one!

Audiobook narrator David Aaron Baker rating: 4 stars
I was surprised how good this narrator was at reading this audiobook! His tough guy voice, John Wayne-character voice, female voice, and the weird people voices were good. There could have been a little more variation between some of the other characters. Again, the Net Galley app is a difficult app to use for listening to audiobooks.

I really enjoyed this as an audio book. All of the characters and voices made it that much better to listen to.
Is this a little Jurassic Park sci-fi thriller ish with de extinction and a lot of money ? Yep. It is. But there is enough reality to bring this cinematic experience off the pages. Lena into the sci fi part and the genetic mutation and think of possibilities and then try and solve a crime. Enjoy !

Douglas Preston is a master at taking an aspect of nature, science, or technology and pushing it to its limit. Extinction is Jurassic Park with a very interesting contemporary twist, and definitely a thrilling read! I loved the setting in the mountains of Colorado, I liked the array of characters—although each one largely fit a stereotype—and I adored the tug-of-war between what science/technology can do and it should do. I may be biased, as I have loved all of Preston’s books (fiction and non-fiction) but Extinction is a marvelous thriller. The audiobook is wonderfully narrated and kept me completely rapt. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Preston books! This story was fun to read.
This was very scientific which I love!!
Great story!!!

Erebus Retreat, a huge park set in a remote section of the Colorado Rockies, attracts tons of high-profile clientele. Inside the park, guests can observe long-extinct species that have been brought back to life by the resort's scientists. Unfortunately, one of those high-profile guests and his wife are kidnapped & murdered on the property and CBI Agent Cash & local Sherriff Colcord are brought in to track down what they believe to be a group of eco terrorists.... but the reality is so much worse than they ever could have imagined.

I really enjoyed this book! As a diehard Jurassic Park fan, this book was right up my alley. I liked the premise, most of the characters, and the writing was really good as was the narration. The whole first half was such a good take about being careful with the science because you can't control things once they're out there in the world again. The second half was a little harder for me- it definitely took a hard departure from the first half as far as plausibility goes so it required an extremely liberal amount of suspension of disbelief. Now, obviously I understand all stories like this require suspension of disbelief. I fully understand that a park full of 'de-extinct' animals is not a real thing. I fully understood going in that this would be science *fiction*...... but the first half is super grounded in a way that you feel like it *could* happen, and the back half was an unbelievable/implausible on a Stephen King level (No hate, I LOVE Stephen King, but his books typically end a bit.... fantastically). So, while overall I really enjoyed the book, I do wish the end was kind of reined in just a little bit.

This book was everything I hoped it would be an more. I loved everything about the story from the first chapter that grabs you to a hook that simply doesn't let go. I was delighted to find my suspicions confirmed (what's behind the door) and thoroughly enjoyed every word. I read it in a day, if that says anything. I can't wait for another new Preston title!

When I saw a new Douglas Preston book, I was thrilled to get approved as I've loved his other works. The book starts out great - imagine murders but at Jurassic Park, even getting some Jurassic Park jokes in as well. What turned me off was graphic descriptions of canabalism and lots of unnecessary language throughout. The narrator was great and really had the vocal inflections needed for each character.
If you can get through that, or if you are not squeamish, this book may be for you. I eagerly await more Preston novels but this one was not for me.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Douglas Preston has been one of my comfort authors for years. He’s one of those authors I will buy from without even reading the synopsis. I was so excited to get this one! Imagine Jurassic Park if it went even further down the ethics drain. I mean what the scientists did in this one… absolute insanity! Preston not only writes a great adventure novel, but creates incredible characters. Do yourself a favor and read this book if you’re a fan of this genre! You will not be disappointed!

Huge thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

Scientists have found a way to "de-extinct" animals that we thought would never walk the planet again. Unlike the failure of Jurassic Park, the scientists have only brought back herbivores that can tolerate the cold climate in Colorado's rocky mountains. Science has also found a way to ensure that there is no aggression in the animals that have been brought to life again. A couple on their honeymoon is enjoying the serene wilderness with the majestic mammoths of the past living among them. Something disastrous happens and the couple is believed dead despite any evidence beyond pools of blood. Because of the location of the event, the CBI and local authorities team up to try to piece together what could have happened.

WOW! This book was not what I expected, it was so much better! It is similar to Jurassic park in theory only. I am reeling from the shocking revelations in this story. The book starts out strong and never stops until the very end. Absolutely fantastic!

I am a big fan of Preston and Child books for sure. It is fun to read a book by just one of them. You can see where the two are separate. I prefer them together but they are both strong separately.

This is more “scientific” then I usually enjoy, but with the terrifying edge on this book it works really well. Lots of information comes at you fast. The pace is good and the “tells” are placed nicely.

Good solid read as always!!!

I was expecting extinction to have Jurassic Park vibes but it was much more than that. The plot was quite intricate and its set itself up nicely for a sequel. My only critique is that some parts were overly long and could have benefitted from some editing.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.