Extinction by Douglas Preston - ARC Review

Jurassic Park meets the Island of Dr Moreau meets the X-Files

I am thankful to the folks at NetGalley for sending an ARC for review – this review reflects my thoughts on this engaging read

A trope-filled procedural SF thriller that pays loving respect to Jurassic Park, while a searing commentary on human greed, capitalism, and genetic engineering. A book that hits the expected notes, packs in a twist, and provides page-turning entertainment to make this a good pacey read

“Every extraordinary advance in technology offers a dark side”

When a billionaire's son and his wife go missing in the magnificent Erebus resort, a resort that has brought back to life extinct creatures like the mammoth, and elk through genetic manipulation, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is pulled in. Special Agent-in-charge Frances Cash partners with local sheriff James Colcord to get to the bottom of this disappearance only to encounter hidden agenda, politics, and skullduggery at every level with the looming presence of an extinction agent at work.

De-extinction through science has proven to be quite a staple diet for SF thrillers and Jurassic Park is the gold standard for books in such settings. The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly is Jurassic Park on steroids featuring Dragons. Recently, The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler features an almost similar concept - scientists playing God, resurrected mammoths, and a remote valley housing these creatures that becomes the setting for bloodshed and base human mentalities to emerge.

In light of all these existing works, Extinction doesn't exactly feel fresh. Early in the book, the scientists at Erebus take a dig at Jurassic Park and the science behind it. But then it completely embraces the tropes and templates of this genre to make that dig red herring almost. The scientists who don't disclose everything, power-hungry political bureaucrat, inventions having a mind of their own, and rebelling against their own creators are checklist items that are covered, and as Jeff Goldblum would have say "Life uhhhh… finds a way"

The element that differentiates the books from the others is how it is structured as a Procedural. Agent Cash and Sheriff Colcord are our eyes to this story and we see events unfold through their eyes and actions

“That’s the problem with science,” said Cash “If something can be done, it will be done - no matter how dangerous”

It also helps that both leads have significant agency. While they are at the mercy of their superiors and the political compulsions that come with the territory, they are tenacious, cunning, and rebellious enough to seek to solve the mystery on their own. As they uncover the secrets behind Erebus, they encounter various situations - some of which are claustrophobic. This and a few other elements also give the book a creepy undertone. There are a few quote-worthy statements as well on the nature of humans harnessing science and how we twist it which ties in with the theme of greed and eugenics as well.

The central mystery element has a juicy twist to it. To be honest, though the twist was completely workout-able, the motivation element does make for an intriguing read. It also helps that the book is pretty pacy as it goes through the hoops before the denouement.

On the whole, Extinction treads a well-trodden path in its own quick, pacy, and entertaining way with a nice twist to keep it engaging

Rating – 3.5 Extinction Events on 5