Publishers Weekly
★ 02/19/2024
Bestseller Preston (coauthor of the Agent Pendergast series) spins a creepy and creative variation on Jurassic Park. In the near future, advances in gene editing have led to breakthroughs in de-extinction, bringing prehistoric mammals back to life by rebuilding their genomes and muting genes for aggression. The scientists behind the project have focused on reviving herbivorous megafauna, including mammoths and Irish elk, with the animals allowed to roam inside the spacious confines of Colorado’s Erebus Resort, a luxury attraction near the Rocky Mountains. When honeymooners Mark and Olivia Gunnerson fall victim to a savage attack at Erebus—their tent is slashed open, pools of blood are left at the scene, and authorities find no signs of their remains—the incident brings Frankie Cash from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to the resort. She initially believes the attack to be the work of eco-terrorists who object to Erebus’s mission, but as she investigates, more bodies pile up, and the evidence points toward a threat more terrifying than she could have imagined. Preston tweaks the “resurrected species go haywire” trope with a series of ingenious plot twists, and his well-rounded characters make this more than a knowing genre exercise. The results are as smart and spine-chilling as the best of Michael Crichton. (Apr.)
Correction: An earlier version of this review used the wrong pronouns for one of the characters.
From the Publisher
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
“One of the most heart-stopping, terrifying climaxes of any novel I've read in recent years. Preston ingeniously combines real-life science and technology into his novels, and Extinction brings it all together in a thriller that's truly thrilling!”
—Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Spy Coast
“There's a reason Douglas Preston is a bestselling author, and to say Extinction is a 'thrill ride' is one serious understatement. A suspenseful story with shocking reveal after shocking reveal, believe me when I say you are going to read this book quickly! And do yourself a favor, get prepared now for one heart-pounding conclusion!”
—Michael C. Grumley, bestselling author of the Breakthrough series and Deep Freeze
“A harrowing ride through a plausible near-future, in which humans’ own ingenuity creates the gateway to our destruction. It’s classic Douglas Preston—a mind-blowing thriller backed with enough science to make you worry about real-life dangers. Terrific.”
—Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of House on Fire
“Extinction kept me glued to the pages - a thriller with so many elements and great characters! A true keeper—I will read it again!”
—Heather Graham, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Thriller Writers of the World and Romance Writers Lifetime Achievement Awards
“The novel moves like a bullet, and I was hooked throughout. Preston’s research and scientific acumen were especially impressive. He really puts you there in the scene and convinces you . . . this is happening! An amazing achievement.”
—Larry Niven, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Footfall and Ringworld
“As with all of Preston's work, Extinction is clever, fast, and one hell of a good read. But most of all, it's smart. As anthropologists who write in this this genre, we consider Extinction outstanding. We raced through it and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next!”
—Kathleen O'Neal Gear, New York Times bestselling author of The Ice Orphan, W. Michael Gear, New York Times bestselling author of Dissolution and co-authors of the New York Times-bestselling People of the Earth series
“Completely entertaining! Douglas Preston's amazing ability to combine nonstop propulsive storytelling with captivating scientific reality is unrivaled. Clear your calendar and buckle in for this extraordinarily cinematic thriller. You will never look at our world—past or future—the same way again. Don't miss this!”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan winner of five Agatha Awards and USA Today bestselling author of The House Guest
“Preston tweaks the “resurrected species go haywire” trope with a series of ingenious plot twists, and his well-rounded characters make this more than a knowing genre exercise. The results are as smart and spine-chilling as the best of Michael Crichton.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Science, imagination, storytelling, and action are all here. Fast-moving fun and a highly creative plot.”
—Kirkus, starred review
“Preston’s novels are a lot of fun because he really commits to the stories. He might be writing about ordinary people in a fantastic situation, but he isn’t writing a fantasy. The villain of the story, as out-of-this-world as it might be, is presented as realistically as any human villain, which gives the story an unsettlingly plausible atmosphere. Highly recommendable.”
—Booklist
“A combination police procedural and adventure story, is engaging and suspenseful, with an interesting array of characters. For a glimpse of things we might see in the future, read the book. Highly recommended.”
—Mystery & Suspense Magazine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2024-02-12
Bloody murder spoils folks’ fun while megafauna return from extinction.
What a glorious way to spend a honeymoon: Mark and Olivia Gunnerson go backpacking through the vast Erebus Resort in the mountains of Colorado, where scientists have “de-extincted” species like the woolly mammoth and other Pleistocene megafauna. Just watch the peaceful beasts at their watering holes. Behold the giant armadillos, and the indricothere that make mammoths look like dwarfs. The scientists have removed genes for aggression in these re-creations, so humans will be safe unless they’re accidentally stepped on. And yet, someone doesn’t want the newlyweds camping there, made evident by their disappearance without a trace, save only a copious amount of blood outside their tent. Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent in Charge Frankie Cash takes the case. What happened to Mark and Olivia, and why? The park has no predators, so humans must be responsible. But where are the bodies? A doctor suggests that due to the amount of blood found, the victims may have—gasp!—been decapitated. The matter gathers national attention, and things only get worse as more people die. The late groom’s aggrieved billionaire father demands immediate answers, and of course he interferes with the investigation: “You’ll see me now, you son of a bitch, and tell me what the fuck you’re doing to find my son!” And speaking of F-bombs, surely it is possible to write a thriller with fewer—maybe use one or two to establish a character and then move on to more creative language? Anyway, the investigators are doing a lot. The action seldom lets up, and readers will feel the mounting tension and excitement. The setting itself is a scientific wonder, and it must tie into the murders somehow. Meanwhile, Hollywood is filming an action movie in the park, and the pièce de résistance will be the spectacular explosion of a train. But wouldn’t you know, Preston has other plans. Imagine Jurassic Park with the timeline brought forward to the Pleistocene, and you have the Erebus Resort. Science, imagination, storytelling, and action are all here.
Fast-moving fun and a highly creative plot.
