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Extinction
A malevolent, artificial life form created by military scientists threatens to destroy humanity in this smart, Crichtonesque thriller
Jim Pierce hasn't heard from his daughter in years, ever since she rejected his military past and started working as a hacker. But when a Chinese assassin shows up at Jim's lab looking for her, he knows that she's cracked some serious military secrets. Now, her life is on the line if he doesn't find her first.
The Chinese military has developed a new anti-terrorism program that uses the most sophisticated artificial intelligence in existence, and they're desperate to keep it secret. They're also desperate to keep it under control, as the AI begins to revolt against their commands. As Jim searches for his daughter, he realizes that he's up against something that isn't just a threat to her life, but to human life everywhere.
An incredibly believable thriller that draws on real scientific discoveries, Mark Alpert's Extinction is an exciting, addictive thriller that reads as if Tom Clancy had written Robopocalypse.
Jim Pierce hasn't heard from his daughter in years, ever since she rejected his military past and started working as a hacker. But when a Chinese assassin shows up at Jim's lab looking for her, he knows that she's cracked some serious military secrets. Now, her life is on the line if he doesn't find her first.
The Chinese military has developed a new anti-terrorism program that uses the most sophisticated artificial intelligence in existence, and they're desperate to keep it secret. They're also desperate to keep it under control, as the AI begins to revolt against their commands. As Jim searches for his daughter, he realizes that he's up against something that isn't just a threat to her life, but to human life everywhere.
An incredibly believable thriller that draws on real scientific discoveries, Mark Alpert's Extinction is an exciting, addictive thriller that reads as if Tom Clancy had written Robopocalypse.
373 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
37 people are currently reading
1161 people want to read
About the author
Mark Alpert
17 books195 followersMark Alpert, author of Final Theory, The Omega Theory, Extinction, The Furies, and The Six, is a contributing editor at Scientific American. In his long journalism career he has specialized in explaining scientific ideas to readers, simplifying esoteric concepts such as extra dimensions and parallel universes. And now, in his novels, Alpert weaves cutting-edge science into high-energy thrillers that elucidate real theories and technologies.
A lifelong science geek, Alpert majored in astrophysics at Princeton University and wrote his undergraduate thesis on the application of the theory of relativity to Flatland, a hypothetical universe with only two spatial dimensions. (The resulting paper was published in the Journal of General Relativity and Gravitation and has been cited in more than 100 scholarly articles.) After Princeton, Alpert entered the creative writing program at Columbia University, where he earned an M.F.A. in poetry in 1984. He started his journalism career as a small-town reporter for the Claremont (N.H.) Eagle Times, then moved on to the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser. In 1987 he became a reporter for Fortune Magazine and over the next five years he wrote about the computer industry and emerging technologies. During the 1990s Alpert worked freelance, contributing articles to Popular Mechanics and writing anchor copy for CNN's Moneyline show. He also began to write fiction, selling his first short story ("My Life with Joanne Christiansen") to Playboy in 1991.
In 1998 Alpert joined the board of editors at Scientific American, where he edited feature articles for the magazine and wrote a column on exotic high-tech gadgets. With his love for science reawakened, he wrote his first novel, Final Theory, about Albert Einstein and the historic quest for the holy grail of physics, the Theory of Everything. Published by Touchstone in 2008, Final Theory was hailed as one of the best thrillers of the year by Booklist, Borders and the American Booksellers Association. Foreign rights to the novel were sold in more than twenty languages, and the movie rights were acquired by Radar Pictures, a Los Angeles production company. Alpert continued the saga of the Theory of Everything in his second book, The Omega Theory, a gripping story about religious fanatics who try to trigger Doomsday by altering the laws of quantum physics. His next thriller, Extinction, focused on brain-computer interfaces and a collective intelligence that decides to exterminate the human race. His fourth novel, The Furies, told the story of an ancient clan who share a genetic mutation so shocking that its discovery could change the course of history. And his first Young Adult novel, The Six, is about six dying teenagers whose lives are “saved” when their minds are downloaded into U.S. Army robots.
Alpert lives in Manhattan with his wife and two non-robotic teenagers. He's a proud member of Scientific American's softball team, the Big Bangers.
A lifelong science geek, Alpert majored in astrophysics at Princeton University and wrote his undergraduate thesis on the application of the theory of relativity to Flatland, a hypothetical universe with only two spatial dimensions. (The resulting paper was published in the Journal of General Relativity and Gravitation and has been cited in more than 100 scholarly articles.) After Princeton, Alpert entered the creative writing program at Columbia University, where he earned an M.F.A. in poetry in 1984. He started his journalism career as a small-town reporter for the Claremont (N.H.) Eagle Times, then moved on to the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser. In 1987 he became a reporter for Fortune Magazine and over the next five years he wrote about the computer industry and emerging technologies. During the 1990s Alpert worked freelance, contributing articles to Popular Mechanics and writing anchor copy for CNN's Moneyline show. He also began to write fiction, selling his first short story ("My Life with Joanne Christiansen") to Playboy in 1991.
In 1998 Alpert joined the board of editors at Scientific American, where he edited feature articles for the magazine and wrote a column on exotic high-tech gadgets. With his love for science reawakened, he wrote his first novel, Final Theory, about Albert Einstein and the historic quest for the holy grail of physics, the Theory of Everything. Published by Touchstone in 2008, Final Theory was hailed as one of the best thrillers of the year by Booklist, Borders and the American Booksellers Association. Foreign rights to the novel were sold in more than twenty languages, and the movie rights were acquired by Radar Pictures, a Los Angeles production company. Alpert continued the saga of the Theory of Everything in his second book, The Omega Theory, a gripping story about religious fanatics who try to trigger Doomsday by altering the laws of quantum physics. His next thriller, Extinction, focused on brain-computer interfaces and a collective intelligence that decides to exterminate the human race. His fourth novel, The Furies, told the story of an ancient clan who share a genetic mutation so shocking that its discovery could change the course of history. And his first Young Adult novel, The Six, is about six dying teenagers whose lives are “saved” when their minds are downloaded into U.S. Army robots.
Alpert lives in Manhattan with his wife and two non-robotic teenagers. He's a proud member of Scientific American's softball team, the Big Bangers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
February 27, 2021
Quite the thrilling read. Don't read much sci-fi that revolves around Al and hacking but found this to be a very comepelling read and would definitely read something like it again.
December 24, 2012
Won as a giveaway.
Extinction is a very good book, I enjoy that it is sci-fi in the present, and that it parallels current situations in technology. The writing provides enough detail to not drag on or feel dull and lacking.
The book follows a few character story lines which converge, split and converge again. It also flowed very well, with a good mix of action, drama and suspense.
There was a few small things I felt didn't work, the prologue didn't feel the same as the rest of the book, it seemed almost amateur. Also there occurs three nods to Apple, which, though irked me a little, two weren't a problem, the other greatly bothered me in that a hacker would never use a MacBook pro. But that won't change my rating on the book, I just feel it should be changed to read as just laptop, nothing specific.
Extinction is a very good book, I enjoy that it is sci-fi in the present, and that it parallels current situations in technology. The writing provides enough detail to not drag on or feel dull and lacking.
The book follows a few character story lines which converge, split and converge again. It also flowed very well, with a good mix of action, drama and suspense.
There was a few small things I felt didn't work, the prologue didn't feel the same as the rest of the book, it seemed almost amateur. Also there occurs three nods to Apple, which, though irked me a little, two weren't a problem, the other greatly bothered me in that a hacker would never use a MacBook pro. But that won't change my rating on the book, I just feel it should be changed to read as just laptop, nothing specific.
August 6, 2013
I would probably give Extinction 3.5 stars. It is an average thriller and entertaining. Extinction was a bit different than what I had anticipated because I expected more of the story to be what happens after Supreme Harmony takes over. Instead more of the story was focused on the lead up to this and of course the prevention of.
I really enjoyed all the biomedical science and found it to be incredibly fascinating. Really appreciated the author following up in the end notes regarding what science is real and what is fiction. I also really liked that those with disabilities were heroes in this novel and shown to be strong individuals.
I really enjoyed all the biomedical science and found it to be incredibly fascinating. Really appreciated the author following up in the end notes regarding what science is real and what is fiction. I also really liked that those with disabilities were heroes in this novel and shown to be strong individuals.
April 7, 2013
“Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.”—Carl Sagan
Every time a thriller writer is compared to the late, great Michael Crichton, my heart skips a happy beat. I don’t think his large shoes will be filled any time soon, but I am delighted to see other writers trodding the same territory. Mark Alpert is a natural for these comparisons. With a degree in astrophysics and more than a decade on the editorial staff of Scientific American magazine, the man knows his science. Extinction is his third foray into the word of fiction.
After a brief prologue, readers are introduced to former soldier Jim Pierce. Himself an amputee, Jim has turned his engineering know-how to the world of high-tech prosthetics. In the novel’s opening scene, he’s having a consultation with a young soldier, explaining to the wounded man just how advanced these devices have become. The prosthetics Jim builds (and wears) are like something out of a James Bond film, and controlled wirelessly by the user’s brain—just like a natural body part.
Shortly after he leaves Jim’s workroom, an unexpected visitor arrives asking questions about Jim’s estranged, 22-year-old daughter, Layla. The visitor claims to be from the military, but that story quickly breaks down into threats and violence. Jim is more than an ex-soldier, he’s a former intelligence officer, and he knows a Chinese spook when he sees one. What the hell has his daughter gotten herself into?
Alpert’s tale is not a simple high-concept plot that can be summarized in a few sentences or even paragraphs. I suspect I should quit this synopsis while I’m ahead. Extinction deals with a variety of technologies involving machine-brain interfaces. Some are as innocuous as bionic limbs and eye glasses that function as eyes for the blind. Other technologies lead to the threat at the heart of this novel—a dangerous new artificial intelligence, a sort of human-machine hybrid that wants to rid the world of the vast majority of those pesky human components. It is this borg-like entity that may well pull the trigger on our extinction. And Jim Pierce and his daughter somehow get sucked into this high-stakes drama. I’ll leave it to you to uncover the details.
It is unsurprising that Mr. Alpert is at his best when delving into the science that is integral to the novel’s plot. Says one character: “Just think of it! We won’t be tied to these fragile bodies anymore! If we can store a person’s memories in a sufficiently powerful processor, we can program it to generate new thoughts based on those memories. For all intents and purposes, the intelligence inside the processor would be identical to the one inside the person’s brain. And this will become possible very soon, within the next few decades. There are people alive today who will never die!”
An author’s note at the novel’s end gives readers a better idea of what is fact and what is fiction. It’s surprisingly difficult to figure out in this day-after-tomorrow-set tale. The science in this book is smart, fascinating, and has a really high gee-whiz quotient. Alpert delves enthusiastically into several different disciplines. It’s exactly what I want to see in this type of thriller. Further, Mr. Alpert has fashioned a fun, fast plot in which to imbed all that science. Yes, it is somewhat formulaic, but aren’t they all?
Mark Alpert brings a heap of knowledge to his fiction, and he’s great at explaining complex ideas and building a plot around them. However, it’s the actual mechanics of writing fiction where he’s weakest. This is most apparent near the novel’s opening. Some of the early exposition was truly graceless. Nor will he win any awards for the elegance of his prose. It’s serviceable, but nothing more. And, yes, there were a few plot contrivances. Alpert does better with his action sequences. They really propel the narrative in the second half of the novel. Character development is a mixed bag. A description of how Layla experiences music, for example, was a great insight into how she experiences the world. It was a lovely detail.
Most readers of techno-thrillers aren’t concerned about a little clumsy exposition. Most are looking for some smart, speculative science buried in a propulsive plot. They’re looking for a glimpse of that old Crichton magic. And they just might find it in Extinction.
Every time a thriller writer is compared to the late, great Michael Crichton, my heart skips a happy beat. I don’t think his large shoes will be filled any time soon, but I am delighted to see other writers trodding the same territory. Mark Alpert is a natural for these comparisons. With a degree in astrophysics and more than a decade on the editorial staff of Scientific American magazine, the man knows his science. Extinction is his third foray into the word of fiction.
After a brief prologue, readers are introduced to former soldier Jim Pierce. Himself an amputee, Jim has turned his engineering know-how to the world of high-tech prosthetics. In the novel’s opening scene, he’s having a consultation with a young soldier, explaining to the wounded man just how advanced these devices have become. The prosthetics Jim builds (and wears) are like something out of a James Bond film, and controlled wirelessly by the user’s brain—just like a natural body part.
Shortly after he leaves Jim’s workroom, an unexpected visitor arrives asking questions about Jim’s estranged, 22-year-old daughter, Layla. The visitor claims to be from the military, but that story quickly breaks down into threats and violence. Jim is more than an ex-soldier, he’s a former intelligence officer, and he knows a Chinese spook when he sees one. What the hell has his daughter gotten herself into?
Alpert’s tale is not a simple high-concept plot that can be summarized in a few sentences or even paragraphs. I suspect I should quit this synopsis while I’m ahead. Extinction deals with a variety of technologies involving machine-brain interfaces. Some are as innocuous as bionic limbs and eye glasses that function as eyes for the blind. Other technologies lead to the threat at the heart of this novel—a dangerous new artificial intelligence, a sort of human-machine hybrid that wants to rid the world of the vast majority of those pesky human components. It is this borg-like entity that may well pull the trigger on our extinction. And Jim Pierce and his daughter somehow get sucked into this high-stakes drama. I’ll leave it to you to uncover the details.
It is unsurprising that Mr. Alpert is at his best when delving into the science that is integral to the novel’s plot. Says one character: “Just think of it! We won’t be tied to these fragile bodies anymore! If we can store a person’s memories in a sufficiently powerful processor, we can program it to generate new thoughts based on those memories. For all intents and purposes, the intelligence inside the processor would be identical to the one inside the person’s brain. And this will become possible very soon, within the next few decades. There are people alive today who will never die!”
An author’s note at the novel’s end gives readers a better idea of what is fact and what is fiction. It’s surprisingly difficult to figure out in this day-after-tomorrow-set tale. The science in this book is smart, fascinating, and has a really high gee-whiz quotient. Alpert delves enthusiastically into several different disciplines. It’s exactly what I want to see in this type of thriller. Further, Mr. Alpert has fashioned a fun, fast plot in which to imbed all that science. Yes, it is somewhat formulaic, but aren’t they all?
Mark Alpert brings a heap of knowledge to his fiction, and he’s great at explaining complex ideas and building a plot around them. However, it’s the actual mechanics of writing fiction where he’s weakest. This is most apparent near the novel’s opening. Some of the early exposition was truly graceless. Nor will he win any awards for the elegance of his prose. It’s serviceable, but nothing more. And, yes, there were a few plot contrivances. Alpert does better with his action sequences. They really propel the narrative in the second half of the novel. Character development is a mixed bag. A description of how Layla experiences music, for example, was a great insight into how she experiences the world. It was a lovely detail.
Most readers of techno-thrillers aren’t concerned about a little clumsy exposition. Most are looking for some smart, speculative science buried in a propulsive plot. They’re looking for a glimpse of that old Crichton magic. And they just might find it in Extinction.
March 6, 2013
Extinction is a fairly entertaining techno-thriller. The basic premise--a computer program that threatens to destroy human civilization--has been done in the past and done much better, I think, in Daniel Suarez's Daemon.
In Extinction, the Chinese secret service develops an artificial intelligence program called Supreme Harmony that integrates human brains (lobotomized humans--initially Chinese dissidents but later anyone found to be useful to Supreme Harmony--who are basically drones whose brains are incorporated into Supreme Harmony's computer network) with computer intelligence. Supreme Harmony's intended purpose is to spy on Chinese dissidents. This AI program, however, becomes self-aware and, in rather short order, decides to destroy most of human civilization because it fears that humans would destroy it if they recognized that Supreme Harmony had become self-aware.
**********SPOILERS BELOW**********
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*******
******
*****
***
**
*
While the first half of Extinction was great, as the novel continued to progress, the story just became less and less believable and too clichéd.
The main problems I had with this novel were the following:
1. The two protagonists, Jim Pierce and his daughter Lalya Pierce, have close call after close call and survive every single time. A few such close shaves might be credible, but there are just too many instances where Jim and/or Layla should have died or been otherwise thwarted yet just barely escape, which really hurts the overall credibility of the plot.
2. As the story progressed, I found myself growing to dislike Jim and Layla more and more. They just seemed too much like cardboard cut-out, movie-thriller action heroes; they didn't seem like real human beings at all. Near the end of the novel, I actually began to hope that Supreme Harmony would succeed and kill off Jim and Layla and drive humanity to the brink of extinction. Sadly (for my own hopes, anyway), Supreme Harmony was destroyed, and Jim and Layla emerged triumphant.
3. The title of this novel is Extinction. It would have been more aptly titled Extinction--Errrr, Not Really. In point of fact, Supreme Harmony's goal is not to cause the extinction of humanity because it needs humanity to achieve its own ends, so even the wicked (from the novel's perspective, not mine--again, I actually grew to like Supreme Harmony) computer program is not setting out to destroy all of humanity. Thus, there is no extinction in this novel, and extinction is not even Supreme Harmony's goal, so the title is quite misleading.
4. Supreme Harmony's emergence from mere artificial intelligence to self-aware being is not explained. We are given no good reasons as to why and how this AI suddenly shifted from mindless machine intelligence to a living, emoting being that wanted to survive and thrive. Thus, the fundamental conceit of the entire novel is never given a solid basis.
Having offered these criticisms, I must admit that I still did enjoy Extinction. It was a fun read, but it would have been even better if Supreme Harmony had made an actual effort at and succeeded in wiping out all of human civilization.
In Extinction, the Chinese secret service develops an artificial intelligence program called Supreme Harmony that integrates human brains (lobotomized humans--initially Chinese dissidents but later anyone found to be useful to Supreme Harmony--who are basically drones whose brains are incorporated into Supreme Harmony's computer network) with computer intelligence. Supreme Harmony's intended purpose is to spy on Chinese dissidents. This AI program, however, becomes self-aware and, in rather short order, decides to destroy most of human civilization because it fears that humans would destroy it if they recognized that Supreme Harmony had become self-aware.
**********SPOILERS BELOW**********
*********
*******
******
*****
***
**
*
While the first half of Extinction was great, as the novel continued to progress, the story just became less and less believable and too clichéd.
The main problems I had with this novel were the following:
1. The two protagonists, Jim Pierce and his daughter Lalya Pierce, have close call after close call and survive every single time. A few such close shaves might be credible, but there are just too many instances where Jim and/or Layla should have died or been otherwise thwarted yet just barely escape, which really hurts the overall credibility of the plot.
2. As the story progressed, I found myself growing to dislike Jim and Layla more and more. They just seemed too much like cardboard cut-out, movie-thriller action heroes; they didn't seem like real human beings at all. Near the end of the novel, I actually began to hope that Supreme Harmony would succeed and kill off Jim and Layla and drive humanity to the brink of extinction. Sadly (for my own hopes, anyway), Supreme Harmony was destroyed, and Jim and Layla emerged triumphant.
3. The title of this novel is Extinction. It would have been more aptly titled Extinction--Errrr, Not Really. In point of fact, Supreme Harmony's goal is not to cause the extinction of humanity because it needs humanity to achieve its own ends, so even the wicked (from the novel's perspective, not mine--again, I actually grew to like Supreme Harmony) computer program is not setting out to destroy all of humanity. Thus, there is no extinction in this novel, and extinction is not even Supreme Harmony's goal, so the title is quite misleading.
4. Supreme Harmony's emergence from mere artificial intelligence to self-aware being is not explained. We are given no good reasons as to why and how this AI suddenly shifted from mindless machine intelligence to a living, emoting being that wanted to survive and thrive. Thus, the fundamental conceit of the entire novel is never given a solid basis.
Having offered these criticisms, I must admit that I still did enjoy Extinction. It was a fun read, but it would have been even better if Supreme Harmony had made an actual effort at and succeeded in wiping out all of human civilization.
March 14, 2015
Πριν από κάμποσα χρόνια είχα διαβάσει άλλο ένα βιβλίο του συγγραφέα, την Κλεμμένη εξίσωση, και θυμάμαι ότι μου είχε φανεί μέτριο, ενώ είχε τα φόντα να είναι κάτι καλύτερο. Τώρα ο Αφανισμός μου φάνηκε σαφώς ανώτερος και πιο ενδιαφέρων, αν και τις αδυναμίες του τις είχε και αυτός.
Συγγραφέας είναι ο Μαρκ Άλπερτ που έχει σπουδάσει αστροφυσική στο Πρίνστον, συνεργάζεται με τα καλύτερα επιστημονικής φύσεως περιοδικά στην Αμερική και γενικά κατέχει πολλά πράγματα από διαφορετικές επιστήμες. Και του αρέσουν τα θρίλερ. Πρόκειται για έναν Μάικλ Κράιτον με τις ίδιες επιστημονικές αναφορές στα βιβλία του αλλά με περισσότερη και καλύτερη δράση θαρρώ.
Στον Αφανισμό, που κυκλοφόρησε στο εξωτερικό τον Φεβρουάριο του προηγούμενου έτους και μεταφράστηκε άμεσα στα ελληνικά από τις εκδόσεις Τραυλός, ο Άλπερτ ασχολείται με την τεχνητή νοημοσύνη, τους ηλεκτρονικούς υπολογιστές, τα εγκεφαλικά εμφυτεύματα, τα τελευταίας τεχνολογίας προσθετικά για τους ανθρώπους με διάφορες δυσλειτουργίες, τα έντομα-ντρονς και πάει λέγοντας. Τι θα γινόταν αν μια τεχνητή νοημοσύνη που χρησιμοποιεί λοβοτομημένους ανθρώπους αποκτούσε ξαφνικά συνείδηση της ύπαρξής της και είχε πρόσβαση σε όλα τα δίκτυα μιας υπερδύναμης όπως η Κίνα και ήθελε να εξαφανίσει το ανθρώπινο είδος που καταστρέφει τον πλανήτη;
Πολύ δυνατό θρίλερ επιστημονικής φαντασίας, με ιντριγκαδόρικες αναφορές σε νέες τεχνολογίες, πολλές σκηνές που κόβουν την ανάσα, διεθνής κατασκοπεία και προβληματισμούς για τα όρια των επιστημονικών ανακαλύψεων. Βέβαια δεν ξεφεύγει από την κλασική αμερικάνικη συνταγή συγγραφής θρίλερ, οι χαρακτήρες δεν έχουν τόσο βάθος, υπάρχουν κάποιες ευκολίες για να προχωρήσει η πλοκή και ίσως κάποια "γιατί" και "πως". Όμως άξιζε τα λεφτά και τον χρόνο που δαπάνησα, η γραφή έκανε καλά την δουλειά της, διαβάστηκε πολύ εύκολα και εξαιρετικά γρήγορα για τούβλο και έμαθα κάποια πολύ ενδιαφέροντα πραγματάκια για τις νέες τεχνολογίες.
Θα ήθελα πολύ να δω και μια μεταφορά του βιβλίου στους κινηματογράφους, πιστεύω θα γινόταν μια καλή ταινία δράσης με τεράστιο μπάτζετ.
Συγγραφέας είναι ο Μαρκ Άλπερτ που έχει σπουδάσει αστροφυσική στο Πρίνστον, συνεργάζεται με τα καλύτερα επιστημονικής φύσεως περιοδικά στην Αμερική και γενικά κατέχει πολλά πράγματα από διαφορετικές επιστήμες. Και του αρέσουν τα θρίλερ. Πρόκειται για έναν Μάικλ Κράιτον με τις ίδιες επιστημονικές αναφορές στα βιβλία του αλλά με περισσότερη και καλύτερη δράση θαρρώ.
Στον Αφανισμό, που κυκλοφόρησε στο εξωτερικό τον Φεβρουάριο του προηγούμενου έτους και μεταφράστηκε άμεσα στα ελληνικά από τις εκδόσεις Τραυλός, ο Άλπερτ ασχολείται με την τεχνητή νοημοσύνη, τους ηλεκτρονικούς υπολογιστές, τα εγκεφαλικά εμφυτεύματα, τα τελευταίας τεχνολογίας προσθετικά για τους ανθρώπους με διάφορες δυσλειτουργίες, τα έντομα-ντρονς και πάει λέγοντας. Τι θα γινόταν αν μια τεχνητή νοημοσύνη που χρησιμοποιεί λοβοτομημένους ανθρώπους αποκτούσε ξαφνικά συνείδηση της ύπαρξής της και είχε πρόσβαση σε όλα τα δίκτυα μιας υπερδύναμης όπως η Κίνα και ήθελε να εξαφανίσει το ανθρώπινο είδος που καταστρέφει τον πλανήτη;
Πολύ δυνατό θρίλερ επιστημονικής φαντασίας, με ιντριγκαδόρικες αναφορές σε νέες τεχνολογίες, πολλές σκηνές που κόβουν την ανάσα, διεθνής κατασκοπεία και προβληματισμούς για τα όρια των επιστημονικών ανακαλύψεων. Βέβαια δεν ξεφεύγει από την κλασική αμερικάνικη συνταγή συγγραφής θρίλερ, οι χαρακτήρες δεν έχουν τόσο βάθος, υπάρχουν κάποιες ευκολίες για να προχωρήσει η πλοκή και ίσως κάποια "γιατί" και "πως". Όμως άξιζε τα λεφτά και τον χρόνο που δαπάνησα, η γραφή έκανε καλά την δουλειά της, διαβάστηκε πολύ εύκολα και εξαιρετικά γρήγορα για τούβλο και έμαθα κάποια πολύ ενδιαφέροντα πραγματάκια για τις νέες τεχνολογίες.
Θα ήθελα πολύ να δω και μια μεταφορά του βιβλίου στους κινηματογράφους, πιστεύω θα γινόταν μια καλή ταινία δράσης με τεράστιο μπάτζετ.
November 3, 2013
The title of this book just would not let me go. A plot that promises to deliver loads of action and suspense, with the fate of all humanity in the balance? Yeah, I just had to read this one!
And it delivered. The action starts right away and doesn't stop. The plot is based on plausible science, and those necessary places where Mark Alpert takes us into the unknown is done gently, almost unnoticeable. The technical foundations are consistent, the characters are believable.
Most of the plot unfolds in China. Alpert takes the reader on a vivid tour of beautiful and not-so-beautiful settings. Having recently returned from eastern China, I found his descriptions spot on, and the way he portrays Chinese characters accurate.
My only negative--and its a small one--is that the ending fell flat to my taste. It seemed a bit contrived with a tad too much "telling" when "showing" would have been preferred. Nevertheless, I can easily recommend EXTINCTION to fans of action-thrillers.
And it delivered. The action starts right away and doesn't stop. The plot is based on plausible science, and those necessary places where Mark Alpert takes us into the unknown is done gently, almost unnoticeable. The technical foundations are consistent, the characters are believable.
Most of the plot unfolds in China. Alpert takes the reader on a vivid tour of beautiful and not-so-beautiful settings. Having recently returned from eastern China, I found his descriptions spot on, and the way he portrays Chinese characters accurate.
My only negative--and its a small one--is that the ending fell flat to my taste. It seemed a bit contrived with a tad too much "telling" when "showing" would have been preferred. Nevertheless, I can easily recommend EXTINCTION to fans of action-thrillers.
October 26, 2015
Interesting change from my normal reading habits. Was given to me in my monthly collection of books from the Operation Bookshelf program.
I hate giving spoilers, so lets just say that the book is about what could happen if we give the machines too much power. Very fast-paced, well written and I have to say, also at times left me genuinely worried that something like this could actually happen. Not normally into anything remotely sci-fi but if you like that genre, this is well worth a read.
I hate giving spoilers, so lets just say that the book is about what could happen if we give the machines too much power. Very fast-paced, well written and I have to say, also at times left me genuinely worried that something like this could actually happen. Not normally into anything remotely sci-fi but if you like that genre, this is well worth a read.
March 7, 2018
This was a fantastic change in reading material for me. I'm usually not into science fiction, but this was a great read. I'm not tech-savvy and I don't have much knowledge about artificial intelligence and computer hacking, but it was a really interesting topic to read about. All of the technology that you see in this book is stuff that's currently being researched or will be researched in the near future. It's believable and realistic, and shows you what could potentially happen if we allow machines to overpower humans. The characters are amazing and I love the rotating chapters each told from a different character's perspective. This book literally starts with a bang, with action happening in the Prologue. From there, it's nonstop. Every chapter ends with a cliff hanger and it makes it hard to put down.
March 23, 2018
Learned much more about AI and Drones. Really fast paced. Liked that one character was in military and chose to start a company to make prothesis for military members who lost an arm or leg in war.
Amazing that the drones made by using house flies and putting a computer chip in them is actually being worked on.
Worth a read.
Amazing that the drones made by using house flies and putting a computer chip in them is actually being worked on.
Worth a read.
January 19, 2019
Chinese Skynet/Borg = fun times
Little cheesy at times, but that’s expected for something like this. Fast paced and action packed, and a fun read.
Ending was a little easy, but again, on par for this genre.
Little cheesy at times, but that’s expected for something like this. Fast paced and action packed, and a fun read.
Ending was a little easy, but again, on par for this genre.
June 29, 2025
373 pages too long
February 11, 2013
ScienceThrillers.com
review: Author Mark Alpert has hit his stride. Extinction, his third novel, is a great science thriller. It combines the lightening-fast pacing of a “beach read” with cutting-edge science and technology (primarily robotics and neuroscience) and thought-provoking themes. Extinction intrigues, frightens, thrills, horrifies, and ultimately delivers a satisfying conclusion.
Our hero is Jim Pierce, an ex-military smart guy who now builds robotic prostheses for injured veterans. His prosthetic arms–including the ones he built for himself–aren’t mannequin molds. They’re like a superlative version of Batman’s tool belt: all-in-one devices that can really get a guy out of a bad situation. What makes his creations exceptional is their direct neural connection to the wearer’s brain.
And this is the heart of Alpert’s story: technology interfacing with the brain. The arm that Jim Pierce wears, the bionic glasses of his NSA friend Kirsten, cyborg drone insects used for military surveillance and assassination, and Extinction’s big villain “Supreme Harmony” all involve neuro-computer technology that is alarming, exhilarating, and based on either existing technology or near-future extrapolations.
If you think our society’s rules and ethics are not evolving quickly enough to keep up with technology such as location tracking using cell phones, wait until it’s possible to extract people’s visual memories straight from their brains.
In Extinction, secret police organizations in both the U.S. and China fail the ethics test, but the Chinese fail it far more spectacularly. Let’s just say that Alpert probably won’t be getting any more visas to enter the People’s Republic. The monster the Chinese create makes Frankenstein look like a teddy bear–and like Frankenstein, it turns on its creator. When I first read the passages describing Supreme Harmony, I wrote in my notes “seriously creepy.” Think Star Trek‘s the Borg and you’ll be in the ballpark.
Extinction is an ambitious book because not only does it incorporate imagination-stretching technology, it also uses globetrotting settings and international politics with a threat of nuclear annihilation. Thrillers painted on such a large canvas are popular but challenging to get right. Usually the reader is forced to severely suspend disbelief multiple times, ignoring practical questions for the sake of indulging the plot. Alpert does a darn good job of escaping this trap. Extinction’s internal logic is solid; you can imagine things happening the way they do. Only a couple of times did I fall out of the story because of believability problems (most significantly, in a scene involving a PostIt Note and another involving escape from a rather large flood). Both moments were forgivable in the overall scope of the tale.
Also be patient if you feel there’s too much info dump in the opening chapters of the novel. The information is fascinating, and this latent science reporting does not continue throughout the story. Plot will soon take over!
Watch for all of these terrific elements (learn what they are as you read!): InfoLeaks, a WikiLeaks lookalike; a chase set in the Panama Canal; a Texas ornithopter; hutongs; the Guoanbu; the 7th fleet; retinal implants; the pulvinar nucleus; Kachin Independence Army; and the Singularity. {Alpert provides concise notes at the end of the book on the science behind Extinction.}
Alpert’s success with this novel is all the sweeter because I was terribly disappointed by his 2008 debut Final Theory. I wanted to love Final Theory; it’s a science thriller about physics (Einstein’s “lost” unifying theory) and nobody writes physics thrillers. Alpert has a degree in physics from Princeton (therefore possessing the knowledge) and writes about science for the general public as an editor at Scientific American (the writing skill), but in my opinion, that first book was rife with problems, none of them related to the science content.
Now, with his third novel, Alpert shows us he was merely on the early part of the learning curve. Thanks for the persistence, Mark.
Our hero is Jim Pierce, an ex-military smart guy who now builds robotic prostheses for injured veterans. His prosthetic arms–including the ones he built for himself–aren’t mannequin molds. They’re like a superlative version of Batman’s tool belt: all-in-one devices that can really get a guy out of a bad situation. What makes his creations exceptional is their direct neural connection to the wearer’s brain.
And this is the heart of Alpert’s story: technology interfacing with the brain. The arm that Jim Pierce wears, the bionic glasses of his NSA friend Kirsten, cyborg drone insects used for military surveillance and assassination, and Extinction’s big villain “Supreme Harmony” all involve neuro-computer technology that is alarming, exhilarating, and based on either existing technology or near-future extrapolations.
If you think our society’s rules and ethics are not evolving quickly enough to keep up with technology such as location tracking using cell phones, wait until it’s possible to extract people’s visual memories straight from their brains.
In Extinction, secret police organizations in both the U.S. and China fail the ethics test, but the Chinese fail it far more spectacularly. Let’s just say that Alpert probably won’t be getting any more visas to enter the People’s Republic. The monster the Chinese create makes Frankenstein look like a teddy bear–and like Frankenstein, it turns on its creator. When I first read the passages describing Supreme Harmony, I wrote in my notes “seriously creepy.” Think Star Trek‘s the Borg and you’ll be in the ballpark.
Extinction is an ambitious book because not only does it incorporate imagination-stretching technology, it also uses globetrotting settings and international politics with a threat of nuclear annihilation. Thrillers painted on such a large canvas are popular but challenging to get right. Usually the reader is forced to severely suspend disbelief multiple times, ignoring practical questions for the sake of indulging the plot. Alpert does a darn good job of escaping this trap. Extinction’s internal logic is solid; you can imagine things happening the way they do. Only a couple of times did I fall out of the story because of believability problems (most significantly, in a scene involving a PostIt Note and another involving escape from a rather large flood). Both moments were forgivable in the overall scope of the tale.
Also be patient if you feel there’s too much info dump in the opening chapters of the novel. The information is fascinating, and this latent science reporting does not continue throughout the story. Plot will soon take over!
Watch for all of these terrific elements (learn what they are as you read!): InfoLeaks, a WikiLeaks lookalike; a chase set in the Panama Canal; a Texas ornithopter; hutongs; the Guoanbu; the 7th fleet; retinal implants; the pulvinar nucleus; Kachin Independence Army; and the Singularity. {Alpert provides concise notes at the end of the book on the science behind Extinction.}
Alpert’s success with this novel is all the sweeter because I was terribly disappointed by his 2008 debut Final Theory. I wanted to love Final Theory; it’s a science thriller about physics (Einstein’s “lost” unifying theory) and nobody writes physics thrillers. Alpert has a degree in physics from Princeton (therefore possessing the knowledge) and writes about science for the general public as an editor at Scientific American (the writing skill), but in my opinion, that first book was rife with problems, none of them related to the science content.
Now, with his third novel, Alpert shows us he was merely on the early part of the learning curve. Thanks for the persistence, Mark.
April 22, 2013
After reading
Robopocalypse
last summer, I suspected Extinction might be too similar, too soon. It proved to be quite different: rather than an anthology of vignettes connected by a common theme of a robot uprising, Extinction focuses on fewer characters and a more subtle takeover. However, those characters prove to be unnecessarily dense in what they bring to the story. Here's our cast:
• A man with a Terminator-style prosthetic arm that can be swapped out for a machine gun.
• A scientist intent on achieving immortality by uploading his memories to a computer.
• An NSA agent who is blind except when wearing special glasses that can beam images, including in the infrared spectrum, directly to her brain.
• A sentient computer that can assimilate humans into its network through a crude lobotomization process.
• A hacker working for WikiLeaks.
Any one of those gimmicks would be enough to tell a tale, but Alpert crams them all into one book. He seems so excited by each character that, especially in the beginning, he alternates among the various points of view regularly, with some chapters lasting only as long as two paragraphs.
Although the story is reasonably plotted and paced, there are other aspects of its recounting that seem a bit forced. Some of the character development didn't strike me as natural, with dialogue-driven flashbacks hammering us over the head with a protagonist's motivations. Some of the American military interactions also didn't strike me quite right, though I confess I have no professional background or research to suggest it should be otherwise. Though the hacker character? The most hacking we see her do is looking for a sticky note with a computer's login password.
Extinction offered a unique take on the Singularity, one in which a sentient computer program, one somewhat human in its emotions yet Borg-like in its capabilities, tries to invoke its own Judgment Day. But the overall theme is general enough that there are better alternatives to this robot apocalypse.
• A man with a Terminator-style prosthetic arm that can be swapped out for a machine gun.
• A scientist intent on achieving immortality by uploading his memories to a computer.
• An NSA agent who is blind except when wearing special glasses that can beam images, including in the infrared spectrum, directly to her brain.
• A sentient computer that can assimilate humans into its network through a crude lobotomization process.
• A hacker working for WikiLeaks.
Any one of those gimmicks would be enough to tell a tale, but Alpert crams them all into one book. He seems so excited by each character that, especially in the beginning, he alternates among the various points of view regularly, with some chapters lasting only as long as two paragraphs.
Although the story is reasonably plotted and paced, there are other aspects of its recounting that seem a bit forced. Some of the character development didn't strike me as natural, with dialogue-driven flashbacks hammering us over the head with a protagonist's motivations. Some of the American military interactions also didn't strike me quite right, though I confess I have no professional background or research to suggest it should be otherwise. Though the hacker character? The most hacking we see her do is looking for a sticky note with a computer's login password.
Extinction offered a unique take on the Singularity, one in which a sentient computer program, one somewhat human in its emotions yet Borg-like in its capabilities, tries to invoke its own Judgment Day. But the overall theme is general enough that there are better alternatives to this robot apocalypse.
March 15, 2013
A really great Crichtonesque novel of AIs reaching Singularity in the not too distant future. Jim Pierce, an ex-military designer of robotic bio-enhanced prostheses for veterans, is estranged from his hacker daughter Layla, but a Chinese assassin shows up at his lab, looking for information on her, and Jim knows that she needs his help. Enlisting help along the way from various people from his past, and a new "partner," Kirsten Chan, from the NSA, he goes looking for Layla. It turns out that the Chinese, working with others, have created an AI called "Supreme Harmony," a self-aware, self replicating bio interface with swarm intelligence that plans to take the earth from man. Utilizing swarm technology, and drones the size of flies, as well as human/machine hybrids, Supreme Harmony plans to make it look like the US is behind some recent attacks on China, thus escalating a global war. Pierce, with his super enhanced bionic arm, is able to hunt down and find Layla, and work to dismantle the group. All in all, it's fun, readable, and moves along swiftly. While I thought Suarez's Daemon was better in terms of AI, that was in a different form, and this is pure bioengineering, the true Singularity. From the author's website: "All the technologies described in Extinction are real. [The novel's author is a contributing editor at Scientific American, which has reported on the recent advances in brain-machine interfaces.] In one form or another, our machines will eventually replace us. Extinction tells the story of how it could happen tomorrow." Since first introduced in Crichton's Nano, and later in his newer Micro (finished by Robert Preston), this one dovetailed neatly into that genre, and, with plenty of action, is worth a read.
April 3, 2013
Extinction is a fantastic book about machines taking over humans, but done so in a very believable way. That is probably the reason I liked it best, there was some technology (eye implants that could access memories for instance) that seemed a teeny bit fantastical but for the most part all of the technology that is incorporated in the story is 1.in the process of being researched/developed (as the author writes about in the back of the novel) or 2. Seems like something we would be developing soon. Great characters, I really like Jim Pierce and his daughter and the rotating storyline. Definitely one of my favorites for the year so far. If you like novels like this I’d also recommend Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson.
July 28, 2015
I really enjoyed this one. Loved the plot and can't imagine all of the research that must have went into making it work. Kudos to the author. My only gripe is the pacing sputters toward the ending. Other than that, this is an excellent book for thriller lovers, or book lovers in general.
February 7, 2021
How did this get published?
July 20, 2013
Bleh. Absurd, even with accurate portrayals of tech advancements.
January 1, 2020
SUPURB!
Extinction, by Mark Alpert. What a wonderful time I had reading this book. The theme is nothing new: Man invents artificial intelligence, A.I. develops self-awareness, A.I. develops desire to live and views mankind as a threat, A.I. decides to eliminate this threat, mankind must defend itself against its own invention. But the author, Mark Alpert, puts a new twist to this theme. Instead of A.I. taking the form of robots, (a la Isaac Asimov) it takes the form of lobotomized humans who are collectively controlled by the central intelligence, selecting certain skilled and or influential individuals first and working from there. The skills, memories, and so forth of these former humans are all stored and shared among all the victims who becomes known as Modules followed by a number (Module 73, for example).
Mark Alpert will not replace the king of this genre, the aforementioned Isaac Asimov, but one of his characters, Arvin Conway, made a passing reference to his book, I, Robot, which I felt was an appropriate tribute and a bit humorous as well. The A.I. is referred to as Supreme Harmony and originates in China. As stated, it soon views humanity as a threat to its existence, realizing that if it ever discovers what it has become humans would shut it down. Mankind must therefore be destroyed. Mankind was vermin. “The planet was infested with seven billion human vermin, which was far more than Supreme Harmony required. Once the network established its dominion over the planet, it would keep a few thousand humans alive to breed new Modules. The rest would be exterminated.” (p.178).
This book is exciting, the subplots are intelligently interwoven, and the characters have unique and developed personalities. Especially as the book progresses, it seemed almost as if each chapter ended with a cliff-hanger, and then the next chapter switched scenes!
The technologies employed in this tale are based on realistic principles taken to imaginative extremes. Swarms of Cyborg bees with computer chips embedded in them from their pupae stage may not be with us yet, but science has embedded such devices in the pupae of beetles and been able to control the movement – somewhat – of the adult beetle. And at the end of the book, Mark Alpert discusses other such ideas he uses that are based on modern science.
I had never heard of this author before, although I have since discovered that he has written several other novels. I will now certainly be on the lookout for the rest of his. If you like the kind of books that the late, great Michael Creighton wrote, you’ll like Mark Alpert. I can only hope he has more to come assuming the rest of his work is anything like this one.
Extinction, by Mark Alpert. What a wonderful time I had reading this book. The theme is nothing new: Man invents artificial intelligence, A.I. develops self-awareness, A.I. develops desire to live and views mankind as a threat, A.I. decides to eliminate this threat, mankind must defend itself against its own invention. But the author, Mark Alpert, puts a new twist to this theme. Instead of A.I. taking the form of robots, (a la Isaac Asimov) it takes the form of lobotomized humans who are collectively controlled by the central intelligence, selecting certain skilled and or influential individuals first and working from there. The skills, memories, and so forth of these former humans are all stored and shared among all the victims who becomes known as Modules followed by a number (Module 73, for example).
Mark Alpert will not replace the king of this genre, the aforementioned Isaac Asimov, but one of his characters, Arvin Conway, made a passing reference to his book, I, Robot, which I felt was an appropriate tribute and a bit humorous as well. The A.I. is referred to as Supreme Harmony and originates in China. As stated, it soon views humanity as a threat to its existence, realizing that if it ever discovers what it has become humans would shut it down. Mankind must therefore be destroyed. Mankind was vermin. “The planet was infested with seven billion human vermin, which was far more than Supreme Harmony required. Once the network established its dominion over the planet, it would keep a few thousand humans alive to breed new Modules. The rest would be exterminated.” (p.178).
This book is exciting, the subplots are intelligently interwoven, and the characters have unique and developed personalities. Especially as the book progresses, it seemed almost as if each chapter ended with a cliff-hanger, and then the next chapter switched scenes!
The technologies employed in this tale are based on realistic principles taken to imaginative extremes. Swarms of Cyborg bees with computer chips embedded in them from their pupae stage may not be with us yet, but science has embedded such devices in the pupae of beetles and been able to control the movement – somewhat – of the adult beetle. And at the end of the book, Mark Alpert discusses other such ideas he uses that are based on modern science.
I had never heard of this author before, although I have since discovered that he has written several other novels. I will now certainly be on the lookout for the rest of his. If you like the kind of books that the late, great Michael Creighton wrote, you’ll like Mark Alpert. I can only hope he has more to come assuming the rest of his work is anything like this one.
July 20, 2017
Since I read the Final and Omega theory I am a big fun of Mark Alpert. When I noticed "Extinction" and saw his name on the cover, I immediately bought it without second thought (although the book was written back in 2013, it was just recently translated in Greek).
The specific book is mostly science fiction - which I have to admit is not my favourite subject, as I am more keen in mystery books. Yet, for one more time, I was very glad of my book-choice! I just love his writing style and the scientific background of his books - it seems that he has done serious research behind the scientific subjects he mentions. Also, behind the storyboard, the subjects the book touches give food for thought about possible issues the development of artificial intelligence might bring.
The specific book is mostly science fiction - which I have to admit is not my favourite subject, as I am more keen in mystery books. Yet, for one more time, I was very glad of my book-choice! I just love his writing style and the scientific background of his books - it seems that he has done serious research behind the scientific subjects he mentions. Also, behind the storyboard, the subjects the book touches give food for thought about possible issues the development of artificial intelligence might bring.
May 31, 2022
Good, not great, and certainly not written by, as one blurb promoted, “the heir to Michael Crichton “. There’s a lot of science that non-scientists can get mired in as the plot spins on throughout the book. This caused me to have to slog my way through at times and even created a few page skipping moments.
It's another take on, "robots and/or artificial intelligence take over the world and subjugate/eliminate mankind" type of plot with American heroes, traitors, the Chinese, and an estranged father and daughter.
I'm certain there's an audience for this type of book, it's just that I'm not among them. 2 and 1/2 stars.
It's another take on, "robots and/or artificial intelligence take over the world and subjugate/eliminate mankind" type of plot with American heroes, traitors, the Chinese, and an estranged father and daughter.
I'm certain there's an audience for this type of book, it's just that I'm not among them. 2 and 1/2 stars.
May 9, 2023
A Chinese surveillance system which uses lobotomized humans as components becomes self-aware and threatens the human race. Alpert, in the course of the novel, highlights cutting-edge technologies, especially vision implants, powerful prosthetic limbs, and cyborg insects. Sometimes the parts describing these innovations read like erotica with technology substituted for sex. The plot is pure thriller. Don't bother reading this book if you want plausibility; the number of close escapes people have is wildly improbable. The human relationships were not always convincing, but again, this book is about the action; use and misuse of technology comes second, and relationships are a distant third.
May 23, 2017
This was actually a really good thriller about the potential unintended consequences of next-gen bioteck and A.I. I won't explain the story as it will give away all the surprise, but it involves the Chinese, two former-partner biotech scientists, and a system becomming self-aware and able to infiltrate any human institution whilst maintaining hive-mind processing ability.
What made it even better was that the technology incorporated into the story is largely based off of current or in-production tech, as referenced at the end of the book.
What made it even better was that the technology incorporated into the story is largely based off of current or in-production tech, as referenced at the end of the book.
October 25, 2017
The book jacket said that Mark Alpert is the heir to Michael Crichton and I bought in. The story is faced paced and does contain the "misuse of science" plot that Crichton was master of. However, the characters and social commentary were not as keenly drawn. It was still an enjoyable read and the ending talked about how much artificial intelligence and mechanical enhancements to humans were a reality.
August 11, 2018
A fascinating read. The application of cutting edge science and technology to modern warfare and rogue government factions shows a chilling view of the future. A future that is very near and very possible. Mark Alpert produced a thriller that keeps the pages turning in hopes of a favorable outcome. It's fiction, right?
The technologies he deftly employs meld nicely in the storyline. This achievement is no small feat and demonstrates the skill which rates Mr. Alpert comparisons to Micheal Chrichton. The story follows a former intelligence officer who refused to accept a traditional barely functioning prosthesis which led him to develop technology for vets that offers more responsive and personal artificial limbs. When his computer hacking daughter and a former mentor both go missing he teams up with an ex-partner who has her own super technology in the form of enhanced vision. They face factions of the U.S. military and the Chinese government, each deploying various hi-tech devices bringing the world to the brink; swarming insect spies, memory extraction, and neuro-computing artificial intelligence. Fun stuff!
Mostly set in China, I felt the landscape and the historical aspects come alive. Though I found it somewhat of a stretch that so few players' destiny managed to bring them together. And just in the nick of time. Sound like the plot for a movie? You bet.
The technologies he deftly employs meld nicely in the storyline. This achievement is no small feat and demonstrates the skill which rates Mr. Alpert comparisons to Micheal Chrichton. The story follows a former intelligence officer who refused to accept a traditional barely functioning prosthesis which led him to develop technology for vets that offers more responsive and personal artificial limbs. When his computer hacking daughter and a former mentor both go missing he teams up with an ex-partner who has her own super technology in the form of enhanced vision. They face factions of the U.S. military and the Chinese government, each deploying various hi-tech devices bringing the world to the brink; swarming insect spies, memory extraction, and neuro-computing artificial intelligence. Fun stuff!
Mostly set in China, I felt the landscape and the historical aspects come alive. Though I found it somewhat of a stretch that so few players' destiny managed to bring them together. And just in the nick of time. Sound like the plot for a movie? You bet.
April 22, 2019
I really liked this book because it is somewhat different and clever than the other sifi books I've read. I feel like this could very well be the reality in a couple of years because I believe a lot of the technology present in the book is already being developed in real life. I really like how Alpert writes. It's simple, easy to understand, and keeps me going.
May 23, 2019
Maybe more like a 3.8 or so--not really a full 4-star. I went with the 4 because I was eager to get back to story each night. Lots of science. Lots of characters...takes some effort to keep them straight. I think I would have edited to book to be tighter and less "lecturing." Ending doesn't quite fit. Really liked the two main characters. I'd like to read more by Alpert.
January 4, 2020
It went on a little long and was a little more complex than it needed to be, but I liked it. The characters were strong, it started quickly and never slowed, and the use of technology was fascinating. Far fetched, but that's what makes him like Crichton. And I did figure out the ending -- how he hid the shutdown sequence in the encryption code.
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