Misleading Description Yet Excellent Tale. Just Not Anything Really Remotely Like Jurassic Park. Ok, the few things that *are* like Jurassic Park: human hubris leads to “de-extincting” long-extinct plants and creatures. Commentary on modern science baked into the story. Commentary on history baked into the story. Thus ends the things that are like Jurassic Park.
In other words… don’t go into this book expecting “Jurassic Park… With Mammoths”. This is *NOT* that story. Instead, it is more “murder mystery at a park similar to Jurassic Park”. Go into this book with those at least somewhat lower expectations… and this is an awesome book with plenty of wonder, action, thrills, chills… and a few cheeky meta references. (Such as when a character is reading one of his and longtime writing partner Lincoln Child’s Pendergast books – a trope many authors use to plug their own books or sometimes friends’ books or even just random books the author has read and enjoyed.)
For the story we *do* get here, it is truly well done, a fast paced action thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat and keep you guessing about what will come next.
Very much recommended.
This review of Extinction by Douglas Preston was originally written on April 24, 2024.