Extinction Darkness (Extinction Cycle: Dark Age 4) by Nicholas Sansbury Smith and Anthony J Melchiorri

Format: Kindle
Rating:  5 Stars
Reviewer: Laurel

What an explosive, fantastic conclusion to one of the best series I’ve read in a long time. The Extinction world has been around for a good few years now, and it was wonderful to see Melchiorri and Smith team up to write this sequel series to the original. And what a ride it has been.

Thank you SO much for taking the time to give us more of Fitz, Reed, Horn and all the other characters in this series, and for introducing us to some fabulous new ones. Cornelius, Corrin, Timothy and Azrael, to name a few. If you ever want to write more, I’ll be ready to read more any day.

Extinction Ashes by Nicholas Sansbury Smith and Anthony J Melchiorri

Format: Kindle
Rating:  5 Stars
Reviewer: Laurel

Following the attack on Manchester, we rejoin the story with Beckham and his family and friends in the air, hoping for a safe landing somewhere. That turns out to be the beleaguered New York outpost and the brave men and women fighting to protect their own.

I found this book the darkest of the series this far, and as a consequence it was a difficult read. But this is all good, as I’m heavily invested in the characters, so it makes for challenging reading when they’re going through tough times. At one point I almost gave up hope, but then I learned that there’s another book to come, so that perked me up a bit.

It was really good to spend more time with Team Ghost and the rest of the characters between the pages of this book. The ending was satisfactory in terms of some issues being resolved, and I look forward to the next book very much.

Extinction War by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Source: Amazon
Format: Kindle
Rating:  5 Stars
Reviewer: Laurel

At long last, the eagerly-anticipated finale to the Extinction Cycle. I was very glad to finally be able to get my hands on this (Oh, the hardships of waiting for the author to write, then edit, a new book!) and dig in.

And I was not disappointed. Not one bit. It was really good to get back in touch with Reed, Kate, Horn, Fitz and Rachel. Can’t say I was as pleased to be reaquainted with some of the other characters, but I suppose villains must have their moments. I didn’t do a re-read of the previous book prior to picking this one up, so I did have to stop and think a few times at the beginning about just where the previous book had left off – but that was my own fault for not being prepared. Smith gave an adequate account to recall events to my memory, and that was all that he needed to do. I actually found it fun to be reminded of where things were at. One of the hazards of reading a lot of books. Also, huge kudos to Smith for not dropping a single thread. This story is very complex, with action taking place all over the Northern Hemisphere between Alaska and Rome, and each story line was tightly controlled and clearly related.

The quality of writing in this book was of a very high standard, and exactly what I’ve come to know and expect from Smith. The storytelling too was exemplary – Smith certainly likes to keep us on the edges of our nerves! But then, what would a Smith book be if that wasn’t the case?

Overall, a MUST read for Extinction Cycle fans, and if you like post-apocalyptic fiction mixed with military action, biomedical disaster and some (highly-plausible, thus scary) science fiction, then do pick up Extinction Horizon, the first in the series. A solid five stars from me.

Thank you for the wild ride!!

Extinction Evolution by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Source: ARC from author.
Format: Kindle ebook
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewer: Laurel

There’s a storm on the horizon…  Central Command is gone, the military is fractured, and the doomsday clock continues to tick. Despite overwhelming odds, Dr. Kate Lovato has developed a new weapon to defeat the Variants–a weapon that could end the war sweeping the globe. But can Master Sergeant Reed Beckham and the remaining members of Team Ghost protect her and the survivors of Plum Island long enough to save the human race? 

Fans of this series won’t be disappointed to pick up this next instalment in the Extinction saga. Well written and fast-paced,  Smith’s writing continues to be of a quality that draws you right into the heart of the action and holds you there. The characters were still in my head a good couple of days after I finished the book.

In Extinction Evolution we get another roller-coaster ride as Beckham and Kate – and a few others – work to reclaim the world from the Variants. As usual, there are complications along the way and some pretty big challenges – not least that the Variants are, well, evolving. Things get serious, but we finally begin to see some real glimmers of hope. Even so, the situation is more dangerous than ever, and our heroes are getting tired.

Very well-written and vivid, an excellent continuation of the Extinction story. Now I need the next one please!

Extinction Age by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Source: ARC from author
Format: Kindle ebook
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewer: Laurel

On the eve of extinction all seems to be lost, but there is still one final hope…

 

Operation Liberty has failed. Humans are losing the war. With no other option, General Kennor decides to pull back the troops and give science a second chance. 

 

Trapped in the extensive sewer system beneath New York, Master Sergeant Reed Beckham and the survivors of 1st Platoon must battle through the tunnels–where they make a grisly discovery in their attempt to escape. 

 

At Plum Island, Dr. Kate Lovato is working on a new bioweapon to destroy the Variants. But when a derelict Navy Destroyer crashes into the Connecticut shoreline, she is forced to deal with a nightmare she thought had ended. 

 

As the doomsday clock ticks down and military bases fall across the country, the human race enters the age of extinction. Will science prevail–or will mankind vanish off the face of the planet?

 

Book three in this series, and Smith isn’t done with us yet! For which, I must say, I’m grateful, as I’m really enjoying this series… if one can enjoy books that are essentially a never-ending (apparently) nightmare.

That said, this book makes one consider who really *is* the true monster: the human who has been turned into a monster as a result of a virus, or one who is yet human, yet turns on his fellow man?

It’s funny. Whenever I read these books, the predominant colour in my mind is grey. I’m not sure if that’s as a result of the covers depicting grey people, or how my mind deals with the horror within these books’ pages. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but an interesting fact I just realised. Everything is grey.

This book again expands our knowledge of the post-apocalyptic nightmare the characters are dealing with. We get to see a few more locations, and revisit a few as well. The action is relentless, with Team Ghost again getting little more than a few hours’ recovery time at best (less than 72 hours, mostly) between missions. I appreciated the few moments of beauty that were able to creep into the pages, reminding us of what Team Ghost is fighting for.

An excellent instalment of the saga, and I look forward to the next one with relish. Bring it on!