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 Lost by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

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

In this short story, a quick trip to Greenland hot on the heels of their disastrous trip to France turns into a nightmare for Team Ghost. And beware – ghosts from the past may pop up when you least expect them!

Not to be overlooked, this short story is every bit what we’ve come to expect from Fitz and the rest of Team Ghost. Once again the recipients of an impossible mission, the stakes are raised on the team until it could go either way.

Gripping and fast-paced, Nicholas adds a new dimension to the Variant saga in this quick read. Excellent stuff.

Extinction Aftermath by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

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

When I think Smith can’t top the previous book in a series, he turns around and shows me just what stuff he’s made of. Bigger and better monsters, a dastardly villain who is seriously insane, and of course, Team Ghost and their friends, who as always try to hold the line. What more could I ask for? I simply devoured this book.

This is an author with a fantastic imagination, and the story isn’t all that far-fetched, which makes it all the more chilling. If these are Nick’s “daymares”, I hate to know what his nightmares are like! Now I truly cannot wait for the next book!

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!!

The Fall of Fort Bragg by Rachel Aukes

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

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This is a Kindle Worlds novella in the Extinction Cycle by Nicholas Sansbury Smith.

I appreciated the opportunity to read this story written in the Extinction Cycle world as created by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. In this book we get to meet Horn’s wife, Sheila, and their girls, Tasha and Jenny.

This story did not disappoint. For all Aukes is not Smith, her story had the same level of horror, suspense and pacing I have come to expect from Smith’s books. I could have easily been fooled into thinking Smith had written it. Kudos to Aukes for remaining true to the series in this regard. Not that a change would have been awful; after all, this story is about a different group of people.

Not much else to say, really, except that fans of the Extinction Cycle shouldn’t miss this addition to the canon. It’s excellent.