#Extinction #DouglasPreston #MacmillanAudio #DavidAaronBaker #NetGalley

This is an Advanced Listening Copy of the audiobook from Net Galley.

Douglas Preston has crafted another winner that grips you from the first chapter. Set at Erebus Resort in the Colorado Rockies, where scientists have brought back woolly mammoths and other extinct creatures through genetic engineering, this thriller starts as what appears to be a straightforward murder investigation. When a billionaire's son and his wife are brutally killed, CBI Agent Frances Cash and Sheriff James Colcord assume they're dealing with eco-terrorists. They couldn't be more wrong.

What sets this apart from other "resurrected creatures" stories is Preston's commitment to making the impossible feel absolutely real. The ancient evil lurking in the valley isn't some cartoon monster but something genuinely terrifying in its intelligence and malevolence. Preston takes his time building the mystery, letting the dread seep in gradually as Cash and Colcord realize they're facing something far beyond their experience.

David Aaron Baker's narration perfectly captures the escalating tension and brings authentic voices to each character. His performance adds another layer to an already compelling story.

Macmillan Audio has done an excellent job of producing this content with clarity and depth.

Fans of Preston's Tyrannosaur Canyon will find this just as engaging, with that same blend of solid science and edge-of-your-seat suspense. This one will keep you listening well past your bedtime.

This is a review of the audiobook.

There have been MANY knockoffs of Jurassic Park over the years - both cinematic and literary. Some have been truly terrible, but most have at least some of the wish fulfillment that made the original so popular. Extinction starts off as one of the fun but dumb versions - the author clearly is no Michael Crichton when it comes to science, or even to basic modern technology ("I'll bluetooth that picture to you"), but the main characters are fun and there are plenty of boo-able villains and exotically described "deextincted" wildlife. The audiobook narrator is a perfect match, doing the over the top accents you would expect in a movie version. Adding in a murder mystery just enhances the b-movie fun!

But then things take a turn. There's a twist, which I won't spoil here, that probably could have been interesting in the hands of a better writer. But there are some deeply unfortunate choices of language and tone that put the brakes on the fun. The ending makes it clear that this twist will be the central focus of the series moving forward, which is especially disappointing.

I'm all for a mindless roller coaster ride of a book now and then - we all need a break, especially these days. This one came so close to providing that - but I can't in good conscience recommend it, which is a bummer.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

With recent news from current bioscience companies I am having to amend my review as I now feel that this book is more relevant than ever. The writing sticks with you and makes you think “how far will a company go”. Far.


That being said, the narrator did a FANTASTIC job! Extremely well narrated.

I look forward to the sequel



Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.
My review is my own honest opinion.

I think a couple things for me went wrong with this book. I read the synopsis of course prior to starting and just did not snap that this book would be a complete police procedural.

I also was really put off with the authors lack of any physical description of the main characters (skin color, eye color, hair, ethnicity, nothing) except to make sure we knew that the main female characters boss thought she was “too wide in the hips and not good to look at” as well as needing to add in a throw away comment at the end about the main female character eating HALF a pecan roll and skipping dinner to “even it out”. This is a woman who is high up in a state’s law enforcement bureau who we know hikes regularly and has to be fit to pass and do her job. It’s asinine to say she can’t eat half a pastry when in reality as active as she is she would need to eat much more than that just to fuel her body.

The book went by easy enough to read, I wish we had more mammoths and I was stunned by the choice of murderer, as well as the audiobook narrator mispronouncing their name the entire book.

This book was a ride and a half but based on the authors choices of only describing what he seems as negative parts of his female main character’s appearance and literally nothing else, I would not recommend this book to any of my friends nor would I read a second.

5 Stars.

This gripping thriller, filled with hidden dangers and twists, kept me hooked. The search for missing campers leads to shocking discoveries. I highly recommend this thriller.

The author of one of my favorite long standing series & the Jurassic Park similarities hooked me! Anytime I can get more of either, I’m there!!

We’re in a park in Colorado where extinct animals have been cloned back to life by a secretive big company. Mammoths!! Love it!

Newlyweds are kidnapped and murdered. Agent Frankie Cash and the town sheriff are on the case! Who did it?

It feels possible. Scary!

I love the prehistoric life and a crime that needs solving! We need so much more of this!

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio. The book is on my Amazon list!

I have enjoyed all of the books written by Douglas Preston.
As a fan of Jurassic Park I jumped right into the book from the beginning.
The author's descriptions and the narrator's colorful writing made this such a fun book to read.
I will recommend to fans of Michael Crichton.

I did not finish this book. I couldn't jive with the narration and struggled with the violent start.

This is a great thriller where science vs nature has a big role. Lots of action and a nice pacing of the plot unfolding.. great ending.
Nicely done by the narrator

Another great standalone adventure/thriller from Preston is a fast and fascinating listen, and a reminder that he can write wonderful stories all by himself and not just when in partnership with Lincoln Child. When a very secretive company devoted to genetic research manages to rebreed a number of extinct mammals including the woolly mammoth, its very restricted and expensive Colorado wilderness resort is invaded by law enforcement investigators after a pair of wealthy young campers disappear. It's pretty clear that animals weren't responsible for anything, particularly when a young mammoth is brutally butchered. This "what if" novel is lots of fun, and the fast moving plot is filled with suspense and danger. What else is lurking in those mountains? Well performed by narrator David Aaron Baker--a voice well loved by many audiobook fans.

2.5 stars. This book was rather painful. The beginning made me cringe and was clearly a male trying to write from a female perspective and it felt SO off and as a female reader almost made me put the book down. I maybe should have because the rest of the book was absurd. The narrators voice also made me cringe especially since the main character was a female. I think it should have been read by one. His "female voice" was whiney and breathy and added to the cringe. Also all the body talk by the main character and all the men around her about her body was annoying and ridiculous. The rest of the plot was fine if very absurd. Felt like an homage to Jurassic Park but wanting to be darker and with way more "twists". The ending was absurd and unbelievable like most of the story was. The redeeming qualities were the main character Agent Cash and her counterpart the Sheriff Colcord were intriguing and I liked their dynamic working together, and the descriptions of the Erebus resort were great.

One technical note- Audio book chapter 14 around the 7 minute mark there was a duplicate sentence about cups of coffee that seemed like a continuity in editing mistake of maybe piecing the different narrator sessions?

Extinction by Douglas Preston
Narrated by David Aaron Baker
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers
Expected Publication Date: April 23, 2024

Extinction by Douglas Preston is a standalone mystery. At first, I thought it was going to be a lot like Jurassic Park, but the author pointed out in the story this is not like Jurassic Park and he was so right!

I haven’t read a lot by the author and will be working to correct that. I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was so cool that this book combined genetics and crime solving!

There really were so many unexpected twists and turns in this book and I could not put it down! This is definitely one of my “Must Reads” for 2024.

I really enjoyed the narration by David Aaron Baker. He did such a great job bringing this story to life!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Extinction is a very Michael Crichton-esque concept, but not as well executed as a true Michael Crichton book. A group of scientists "de-extincts" animals like the Wooly Mammoth. They roam freely in a valley, and visitors can pay to see them and camp/sleep with them roaming around. When a murder occurs, outside police and federal agents come to investigate what exactly is going on.

This book is nearly a copy cat of books like Jurassic Park, etc. where animals that have gone extinct are brought back using ancient, frozen DNA. It is a story that has been told on several occasions, and this one didn't seem to be super unique or catch my interest as much as I thought it would. Although it had solid writing, the characters were loosely developed, and I just didn't connect with any of them. The concepts were borrowed from Michael Crichton, and I would recommend if you would like to read a book like this, read Jurassic Park.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars rounded up.

Personally, I struggled through this one for a bit. I started listening as soon as I received that ALC for it courteous of Macmillan Audio and I was fully anticipating that I would LOVE IT. The premise sounded fantastic. A Jurassic Park-esque thriller vibe but it just left me unfullfilled at the end unfortunately. I've been hearing so many wonderful things about this author and this was my first read from them. I don't think it will be my last but it wasn't a strong first impression.

The narration on this is good. I enjoyed the narrator. It was clear and concise. Easy to listen to at your preferred speed.

I listened to the audiobook of this new release. It was an easy listen. The narrators were nice but not ones who kept my attention. I felt something was lacking in their entertainment.

The story itself has a nice &, I assume, an easy to read writing style. My issue with this novel, however was the story was not as thrilling as I hoped it would be.

I have had Douglas Preston on my TBR list for awhile and this was my first book by him. I think I will try the ones on my list, but likely won’t read more unless those change my mind.

Special Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced listeners copy.

I really liked this book. Loved the lead characters. Loved the premise. It was high on the adventure and suspense quotient with really intriguing science. It was too gory for me. I did not love that it felt preachy/screechy sometimes. But on balance, with the great narrator, story, and leads, I enjoyed it and recommend it.

What a perfect airport/popcorn thriller! This one gave me ALL the Jurrasic Park vibes I needed! It was such a fast listen too and I didn't want to put it down! Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

OMG! That was a wild ride! I could totally see this happening today if we could do this...which is terrifying. I love that Cash & Colcord were not letting anything get in the way of figuring out what was going on! This was my 1st book by Douglas Preston, but will not be my last! I am adding all of his books to my TBR!

🦣Another new book that I highly recommend to add to your TBR: EXTINCTION by Douglas Preston is available now!

Wooly mammoths, giant ground sloths, and Irish elk brought back from extinction through genetic manipulation and vacationers can view them in their natural habitat at Erebus Resort in Colorado. Sounds like Jurassic Park, but this is a different and much scarier story. The bulk of the story surrounds a murder investigation at the resort. A couple has disappeared leaving only a blood stained area in their place. Great for fans of police procedural/detective stories and also fans of sci-fi (not too much science so don’t let that scare you). Trust me this is so good and creepy!

I listened to this audio read by David Aaron Baker. I enjoyed his narration— giving different voices and personalities helped differentiate the many characters. Thank you @macmillan.audio and Netgalley for this copy!

I know many will look at this book and just think ‘great another Jurassic Park clone’. And I have to say when I first started reading Extinction I thought something similar. As a huge fan of Douglas Preston, I’d have been more than happy to see his take on Jurassic Park, and at first I thought it was going to turn out to be just that. Sure the idea that they were only bringing back herbivores would have been different, but I figured there’d be some kind of sneaking researcher bringing back more dangerous creatures. And in a way I guess I was right, just not how I originally thought.

Erebus Resort is something special. Not unlike Isla Nublar from Jurassic Park, it’s a place where rich people can come and see animals that have been de-extincted. But when a couple goes missing, and a large amount of blood indicates foul play, Agent Francis Cash is called into investigate. And she has her work cut out for her. Has something gone wrong with the animals Erebus has brought back? Or is it something much worse. It doesn’t take Cash long to realize they are hiding something and this was no simple animal attack. So what exactly is Erebus really up to? And is it too late to stop them and get out alive?

Preston hooked me right from the start. And I’d honestly have been more than happy had he just made an entertaining JP clone, but of course he didn’t do that. Preston is a master storyteller (both a solo writer as well as his wonderful collaborations with Lincoln Child) and delivers an excellent thriller with an great cast of characters and wonderfully complex storyline. I don’t know if he has plans for a sequel but he’s definitely left room for the story to continue and I’d love to see where he’d take the story next. David Aaron Baker does a great job with narration. I’d like to thank Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced audio copy of Extinction.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R25BUWMGFSHH3X/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv