Imagine a place where prehistoric giants roam free – woolly mammoths grazing, giant short-faced bears lumbering by. Erebus Resort offers this extraordinary experience, a chance to witness extinct creatures brought back to life through genetic manipulation. But what happens when paradise turns deadly? This is the chilling premise of Douglas Preston’s gripping thriller, Extinction.
The story unfolds in the majestic Colorado Rockies, where Erebus promises luxury adventure amidst a bygone era. Honeymooners Mark and Olivia Gunnerson embark on a backpacking trip, ready to be awestruck by these resurrected marvels. However, their dream vacation takes a horrifying turn when they become victims of a brutal attack.
Enter Agent Frances Cash of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Sheriff James Colcord. As the body count rises and the idyllic facade of Erebus crumbles, they find themselves in a desperate race against time. The idyllic resort becomes a hunting ground, and the perpetrators remain mysterious. Are they eco-terrorists, as initially suspected, or is something far more sinister lurking in the shadows?
Preston, a master of weaving science with suspense, masterfully portrays the chilling possibilities of genetic engineering. He doesn’t bog the reader down with complex scientific jargon, yet the novel feels grounded in a frightening real-world plausibility. As Cash and Colcord delve deeper, they uncover a terrifying truth – the resurrected creatures may not be as docile as advertised.
Extinction evokes comparisons to Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, but with a chilling twist. Preston doesn’t shy away from the ethical dilemmas surrounding the manipulation of life itself. Is it our right to tamper with the natural order? The consequences, as the novel chillingly demonstrates, can be catastrophic.
“[Extinction] is 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.” With its fast-paced plot, well-developed characters, and a healthy dose of scientific intrigue, Extinction is a must-read for fans of Preston’s work and anyone who enjoys a good sci-fi thriller.
Read the full Novel Here
Extinction by Douglas Preston | Goodreads
