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Rule of Extinction
A civilization-ending comet is headed for Earth.
Two days before impact, thousands of mysterious pods land in a swath across North America. When people touch them, the pods open. Anyone who climbs inside is carried away.
No one knows where the pods came from and no one knows where they go, but finding one is David Williams’ only chance to save his family from the end of the world.
… and escaping Earth is just the beginning.
The Preservation of Species trilogy begins with Rule of Extinction, a post-apocalyptic science-fiction adventure filled with unforgettable heroes, terrifying monsters, and heart-pounding action.
Two days before impact, thousands of mysterious pods land in a swath across North America. When people touch them, the pods open. Anyone who climbs inside is carried away.
No one knows where the pods came from and no one knows where they go, but finding one is David Williams’ only chance to save his family from the end of the world.
… and escaping Earth is just the beginning.
The Preservation of Species trilogy begins with Rule of Extinction, a post-apocalyptic science-fiction adventure filled with unforgettable heroes, terrifying monsters, and heart-pounding action.
421 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 25, 2025
353 people are currently reading
381 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
June 5, 2025
I couldn’t put this book down. Fast paced, action packed and thought provoking.
A cataclysmic comet is heading for earth. Survival seems impossible. Society is collapsing as the human race counts down the days to their extinction.
Then the pods arrive.
Faced with the impossible and the unknown, how do you choose?
Thousands take a chance on survival.
The author has a sophisticated and immersive writing style. I read this book in one sitting. There’s multiple POV’s switching between earth before the comet hit and the new world our characters find themselves in. Jones navigates this really well. Helping us piece together the characters and their lives without it becoming too confusing. There’s a lot of chaos pre-comet, but there’s also people still fighting to protect and take care of those who need it. Disaster brings out the best and the worst of humanity.
After they leave the pods, our characters have to figure out how to survive the new world and each other.
There are good people and there are bad people. The rest fall into the grey area between. Not everyone who survives the end of the world will do so with good intentions.
A spectrum of morality is explored.
What are you willing to do to survive? Who are you willing to sacrifice to ensure you see another day? What type of world are you looking to create and how do you get there?
The characters are fantastic , fleshed out and complicated. Each is driven by their history, experiences and hopes for the future. Ultimately these goals can’t Co-exist and we watch them grapple for control.
Jones is ruthless in the deaths of characters. No one is safe, just like the real world. Nature is indifferent.
Bonus points for man’s best friend surviving the end of the world❤️
The lines between a fresh start and prison become blurred. How do we feel about preservation of species in an artificial environment when we’re the specimen ? Can something be a saviour and a captor at the same time?
A cataclysmic comet is heading for earth. Survival seems impossible. Society is collapsing as the human race counts down the days to their extinction.
Then the pods arrive.
Faced with the impossible and the unknown, how do you choose?
Thousands take a chance on survival.
The author has a sophisticated and immersive writing style. I read this book in one sitting. There’s multiple POV’s switching between earth before the comet hit and the new world our characters find themselves in. Jones navigates this really well. Helping us piece together the characters and their lives without it becoming too confusing. There’s a lot of chaos pre-comet, but there’s also people still fighting to protect and take care of those who need it. Disaster brings out the best and the worst of humanity.
After they leave the pods, our characters have to figure out how to survive the new world and each other.
There are good people and there are bad people. The rest fall into the grey area between. Not everyone who survives the end of the world will do so with good intentions.
A spectrum of morality is explored.
What are you willing to do to survive? Who are you willing to sacrifice to ensure you see another day? What type of world are you looking to create and how do you get there?
The characters are fantastic , fleshed out and complicated. Each is driven by their history, experiences and hopes for the future. Ultimately these goals can’t Co-exist and we watch them grapple for control.
Jones is ruthless in the deaths of characters. No one is safe, just like the real world. Nature is indifferent.
Bonus points for man’s best friend surviving the end of the world❤️
The lines between a fresh start and prison become blurred. How do we feel about preservation of species in an artificial environment when we’re the specimen ? Can something be a saviour and a captor at the same time?
March 21, 2025
Not typically a sci-fi fan? Me neither! So why the 5 stars? Rule of Extinction has the character development, relationships, and back stories that I enjoy in realistic fiction and dystopia, resulting in a story that feels like "realistic" science fiction.
Jones introduces the multiple characters one-by-one (or pod-by-pod), giving the reader a good understanding of each one's true personality before they (figuratively) mask up and present themselves to their new community. Each character is memorable, unique, and has a distinctive voice, so I did not need to keep a written list of who's who as I often do when reading books with multiple characters across various scenes.
I've now pre-ordered books 2 and 3 in the trilogy and am counting down to June 2025 to see what happens next. (Fingers crossed that David gets some downtime to rest and recover!)
Jones introduces the multiple characters one-by-one (or pod-by-pod), giving the reader a good understanding of each one's true personality before they (figuratively) mask up and present themselves to their new community. Each character is memorable, unique, and has a distinctive voice, so I did not need to keep a written list of who's who as I often do when reading books with multiple characters across various scenes.
I've now pre-ordered books 2 and 3 in the trilogy and am counting down to June 2025 to see what happens next. (Fingers crossed that David gets some downtime to rest and recover!)
March 24, 2025
*Received an ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review*
Amazing first instalment to the 'The Preservati0n of Species' Series which is sure to be a big hit!
I CANNOT WAIT to get my hands on the rest of this series! Fresh content in the sci-fi sphere that blasts you off your feet.
Geoff Jones is seriously amazing, and carries the cadence and intrigue of the greats of science fiction like Michael Crichton and Stephen King.
Rule of Extinction follows a blend of existentialism, crossed with raw survival, all with the amazing addition of prehistoric creatures stalking the rich cast of characters as they bid to survive.
Amazing first instalment to the 'The Preservati0n of Species' Series which is sure to be a big hit!
I CANNOT WAIT to get my hands on the rest of this series! Fresh content in the sci-fi sphere that blasts you off your feet.
Geoff Jones is seriously amazing, and carries the cadence and intrigue of the greats of science fiction like Michael Crichton and Stephen King.
Rule of Extinction follows a blend of existentialism, crossed with raw survival, all with the amazing addition of prehistoric creatures stalking the rich cast of characters as they bid to survive.
June 27, 2025
A fun read for me, end of the world, aliens, heroic characters, villains, dinosaurs - you name it, I would have really loved this book as a middle schooler/teenager. It did keep my interest but not enough to keep on with the sequels. Would make a great movie.
February 19, 2025
Rule Of Extinction: The Preservation Of Species by Geoff Jones is out of this world, literally. A comet is headed to Earth and no one will be spared, until the pods arrive. Could they be their salvation? Who sent them? Why did they send them? It doesn’t matter. It’s time to climb in and find out.
When I found out what was going on, I was shocked. I never anticipated the truth.
Geoff Jones is not afraid to kill off his characters. No one is safe, and a time or two I felt like asking him why that person.
I love apocalyptic and dystopian novels. I love seeing what the characters will do. Man’s basest nature is exposed and the characters cover the spectrum. Good ones. Bad ones. Ones who will sacrifice themselves for others. Ones that will do anything to survive.
The novel moved at a steady pace and I never lost interest. The world Geoff Jones created was fascinating and well developed, surprises popping up here and there.
I didn’t realize that Rule Of Extinction (The Preservation Of Species was a trilogy, so I’m crossing my fingers that I will be around at the end.
I want to thank Geoff Jones for the opportunity to read and review Rule Of Extinction.
See more at http://www.fundinmental.com
When I found out what was going on, I was shocked. I never anticipated the truth.
Geoff Jones is not afraid to kill off his characters. No one is safe, and a time or two I felt like asking him why that person.
I love apocalyptic and dystopian novels. I love seeing what the characters will do. Man’s basest nature is exposed and the characters cover the spectrum. Good ones. Bad ones. Ones who will sacrifice themselves for others. Ones that will do anything to survive.
The novel moved at a steady pace and I never lost interest. The world Geoff Jones created was fascinating and well developed, surprises popping up here and there.
I didn’t realize that Rule Of Extinction (The Preservation Of Species was a trilogy, so I’m crossing my fingers that I will be around at the end.
I want to thank Geoff Jones for the opportunity to read and review Rule Of Extinction.
See more at http://www.fundinmental.com
March 26, 2025
Full disclosure: I am a friend of Geoff’s and had the privilege of offering feedback on this book throughout the writing process in a writers group several years ago. It was always a pleasure to read every few months, and even more so in its finished form. Read it!
February 25, 2025
I read a pre-release version of Rule of Extinction, and I loved it. I normally read nonfiction, so I haven't led a lot of science fiction or action adventure books and yet I still couldn't put this one down. It reminded me of a lot of my favorite movies based on the memorable characters, the non-stop action, and the seriousness of the plot. I especially liked seeing the breakdown of civilization. It bugs me that many post-apocalyptic stories don't show how we got there, and this book has a great perspective on what the end of the world might feel like. I highly recommend it!
July 4, 2025
I only read 4 chapters
Even though I found the story intriguing I was turned off by the prevalence of swearing. I could appreciate that the situation was highly stressful and many folks turn to swearing under those circumstances despite having children involved. It was too much for me and greatly reduced my enjoyment of the story.
Even though I found the story intriguing I was turned off by the prevalence of swearing. I could appreciate that the situation was highly stressful and many folks turn to swearing under those circumstances despite having children involved. It was too much for me and greatly reduced my enjoyment of the story.
November 20, 2024
I was lucky enough to be offered an ARC (advance reader’s copy) of this book, which is planned for release in February 2025.
The Ender, a great fiery comet of doom, is about to hit Earth and totally fuck it up. Humanity collectively loses its shit, and we zoom in on the last few days of a few of them, starting with David and his kids Kim and Barry. They’re doing the best they can, amidst loss of basic services, mass suicides, looting and other stuff. Lindsey, the kids’ mum, is off looking after senile grandma instead of being with her family. I awarded points to her for humanity but deducted slightly more points for being a big dumb pain in the arse, but anyway that’s not the point.
(I will do my best to avoid spoilers from here on out, although I will assure readers that the dog survives, so don’t worry about that. Jones isn’t a monster. Kona is a Good Girl and must be protected at all costs, 13/10 would bet on against a T-Rex again.)
A bunch of strange alien rescue pods arrive, landing across the United fucking States specifically and nowhere else (seriously, Geoff, my brother in Christ, the rest of the world exists man), and people are their usual predictable gut-wrenchingly awful selves trying to get to them. The first part of the story follows a few little groups of specifically USians (although there are a couple of fucking tourists who get lucky, golly gee), as they arrive at their strange new location, with flashbacks to their last few days on Earth. It’s a really excellent structure and allows Jones to indulge what might be his greatest strength – character creation. We get to see a bunch of people in their shitty extremes, and then have their context filled in for us over time. This doesn’t necessarily redeem all of them, but it makes for immersive reading.
I have previously likened Jones’s characters and character writing to Stephen King’s work, and he has only gotten better between books[1]. Right when you’re ready to say “fuck these guys with the power of a billion exploding suns” (which I did, incidentally, about the people in the pickup truck, before laughing and wincing at the follow-up to that thread), more is revealed about them and leaves you feeling a little bit guilty for being so judgemental. Or, as was often the case as I was reading, the more you find out the more justified you feel in your earlier judgements. In conclusion, if you ever find yourself in a post-apocalyptic proto-society, be Sierra. You can be Waldmire, but only if you have a Sam Elliott moustache. I don’t make the rules. And that’s all I’ll say on the matter.
Our heroes explore their new reality and slowly come to terms with it, and in the second part of the book they start meeting up with other groups of survivors. The third part of the book covers the inevitable clusterfuck that occurs when more than four people gather literally anywhere, especially when a not-inconsiderable number of them are crazy, or armed, and there is a heavy overlap between those two unfortunate conditions.
All in all this is an excellent introduction and setup to a very cool story with an amazing premise. A solid pair of sci-fi tropes put together in a new and interesting way, with readable characters and steadily-ratcheting tension throughout. The settings are vivid, the threats even more so. At a certain point (a point I will not specify for spoiler reasons but let’s just say it rhymes with breatening to blorture and bill bildren) I was tempted to just skim through the rest of the book until one of the characters hopefully got their fucking head smashed open like an overripe melon by some kind of falling object, but I was glad I kept my cool. You’re in good hands with this author.
Let’s dust off the meters.
Sex-o-meter
We get a nice little inner monologue about Kim being conceived, that’s a sex. Josh doesn’t get raped in mid-apocalyptic L.A., that’s … a not sex. Although I’m not saying he doesn’t get screwed, that’s not a sex either. Some survivors pair up and become a mini plot point, Randall has a tastefully understated and disappointingly brief fuck, and obviously the main bad guys all have to be varying degrees of rapey, that comes with the territory. All in all this is a believably horny tale of mostly-hairless apes being put in a second location. Three Chris Pratts doing the zookeeper hands thing out of a possible Jeff Goldblum doing the hahahrawrrahaha on the sex-o-meter.
Gore-o-meter
You may not know simply from me saying “this is a Geoff Jones book”, but you should. There’s a whole lot of death and blood in this one, and that’s after Earth was demolished by the Ender. Jones tops his “problematic things to feed to T-Rexes” achievement from The Dinosaur Four and that’s really saying something. Four and a half flesh gobbets out of a possible five, mainly because I am still giving myself room to expand.
WTF-o-meter
A whole lot of unanswered questions by the end, and one of my favourite sci-fi tropes in the “mysterious advanced aggressor / saviour” thing that I, again, won’t spoil but was extremely enjoyable to watch. These are technically low-level WTFs in that they’re not examples of true cosmic bizarreness, but they’re solid mysteries. I can’t wait to get to the bottom of them. The WTF-o-meter is giving this one a Joe’s father out of a possible Al’s mother, and I will not be taking further questions at this time.
My Final Verdict
What a great story! I really enjoyed this and thoroughly recommend you pick it up when it becomes available in February 2025. A lot of fun to read, and one of the first times in recent memory I actually sat up late to finish reading a book. And I’m old now, I can’t do that shit.
You know what? Five stars! I’m deducting a star for the fact that there really seems to be no indication that the aliens sent pods even to Canada or Mexico, let alone the rest of the motherfucking planet, and another star for the fact that none of the characters even seem to think that’s strange or noteworthy at all – not even the smart characters who are collecting information about shit. Fortunately, if I hadn’t deducted those stars the book would have gotten seven stars and that’s just not a feasible allocation.
---
[1] Obviously, if Jones wrote this one first, his character work has slipped a little and my face is red – but it seemed clear that more work went into these people than the hapless dinosaur-food of previous outings.
The Ender, a great fiery comet of doom, is about to hit Earth and totally fuck it up. Humanity collectively loses its shit, and we zoom in on the last few days of a few of them, starting with David and his kids Kim and Barry. They’re doing the best they can, amidst loss of basic services, mass suicides, looting and other stuff. Lindsey, the kids’ mum, is off looking after senile grandma instead of being with her family. I awarded points to her for humanity but deducted slightly more points for being a big dumb pain in the arse, but anyway that’s not the point.
(I will do my best to avoid spoilers from here on out, although I will assure readers that the dog survives, so don’t worry about that. Jones isn’t a monster. Kona is a Good Girl and must be protected at all costs, 13/10 would bet on against a T-Rex again.)
A bunch of strange alien rescue pods arrive, landing across the United fucking States specifically and nowhere else (seriously, Geoff, my brother in Christ, the rest of the world exists man), and people are their usual predictable gut-wrenchingly awful selves trying to get to them. The first part of the story follows a few little groups of specifically USians (although there are a couple of fucking tourists who get lucky, golly gee), as they arrive at their strange new location, with flashbacks to their last few days on Earth. It’s a really excellent structure and allows Jones to indulge what might be his greatest strength – character creation. We get to see a bunch of people in their shitty extremes, and then have their context filled in for us over time. This doesn’t necessarily redeem all of them, but it makes for immersive reading.
I have previously likened Jones’s characters and character writing to Stephen King’s work, and he has only gotten better between books[1]. Right when you’re ready to say “fuck these guys with the power of a billion exploding suns” (which I did, incidentally, about the people in the pickup truck, before laughing and wincing at the follow-up to that thread), more is revealed about them and leaves you feeling a little bit guilty for being so judgemental. Or, as was often the case as I was reading, the more you find out the more justified you feel in your earlier judgements. In conclusion, if you ever find yourself in a post-apocalyptic proto-society, be Sierra. You can be Waldmire, but only if you have a Sam Elliott moustache. I don’t make the rules. And that’s all I’ll say on the matter.
Our heroes explore their new reality and slowly come to terms with it, and in the second part of the book they start meeting up with other groups of survivors. The third part of the book covers the inevitable clusterfuck that occurs when more than four people gather literally anywhere, especially when a not-inconsiderable number of them are crazy, or armed, and there is a heavy overlap between those two unfortunate conditions.
All in all this is an excellent introduction and setup to a very cool story with an amazing premise. A solid pair of sci-fi tropes put together in a new and interesting way, with readable characters and steadily-ratcheting tension throughout. The settings are vivid, the threats even more so. At a certain point (a point I will not specify for spoiler reasons but let’s just say it rhymes with breatening to blorture and bill bildren) I was tempted to just skim through the rest of the book until one of the characters hopefully got their fucking head smashed open like an overripe melon by some kind of falling object, but I was glad I kept my cool. You’re in good hands with this author.
Let’s dust off the meters.
Sex-o-meter
We get a nice little inner monologue about Kim being conceived, that’s a sex. Josh doesn’t get raped in mid-apocalyptic L.A., that’s … a not sex. Although I’m not saying he doesn’t get screwed, that’s not a sex either. Some survivors pair up and become a mini plot point, Randall has a tastefully understated and disappointingly brief fuck, and obviously the main bad guys all have to be varying degrees of rapey, that comes with the territory. All in all this is a believably horny tale of mostly-hairless apes being put in a second location. Three Chris Pratts doing the zookeeper hands thing out of a possible Jeff Goldblum doing the hahahrawrrahaha on the sex-o-meter.
Gore-o-meter
You may not know simply from me saying “this is a Geoff Jones book”, but you should. There’s a whole lot of death and blood in this one, and that’s after Earth was demolished by the Ender. Jones tops his “problematic things to feed to T-Rexes” achievement from The Dinosaur Four and that’s really saying something. Four and a half flesh gobbets out of a possible five, mainly because I am still giving myself room to expand.
WTF-o-meter
A whole lot of unanswered questions by the end, and one of my favourite sci-fi tropes in the “mysterious advanced aggressor / saviour” thing that I, again, won’t spoil but was extremely enjoyable to watch. These are technically low-level WTFs in that they’re not examples of true cosmic bizarreness, but they’re solid mysteries. I can’t wait to get to the bottom of them. The WTF-o-meter is giving this one a Joe’s father out of a possible Al’s mother, and I will not be taking further questions at this time.
My Final Verdict
What a great story! I really enjoyed this and thoroughly recommend you pick it up when it becomes available in February 2025. A lot of fun to read, and one of the first times in recent memory I actually sat up late to finish reading a book. And I’m old now, I can’t do that shit.
You know what? Five stars! I’m deducting a star for the fact that there really seems to be no indication that the aliens sent pods even to Canada or Mexico, let alone the rest of the motherfucking planet, and another star for the fact that none of the characters even seem to think that’s strange or noteworthy at all – not even the smart characters who are collecting information about shit. Fortunately, if I hadn’t deducted those stars the book would have gotten seven stars and that’s just not a feasible allocation.
---
[1] Obviously, if Jones wrote this one first, his character work has slipped a little and my face is red – but it seemed clear that more work went into these people than the hapless dinosaur-food of previous outings.
March 20, 2025
It has been a long time coming for me to read this, but my god was it worth it.
Absolutely first class story, incredibly detailed and unique feel with so many rich characters. It has Lost meets Lord of the Flies meets Jurassic Park with a huge helping of scifi.
Honestly, I flew through this book and am desperate to get onto the next one as soon as possible!
Fantastic stuff!
Absolutely first class story, incredibly detailed and unique feel with so many rich characters. It has Lost meets Lord of the Flies meets Jurassic Park with a huge helping of scifi.
Honestly, I flew through this book and am desperate to get onto the next one as soon as possible!
Fantastic stuff!
June 12, 2025
Remember kids: don't get into strange vehicles.
Unless it's to save your life.
The mystery of the pods (where they came from, who sent them, for what purpose, etc.) is the strongest aspect of the book. Despite the fact that David and kids get to the mysterious other world pretty quickly, there's still a lot of confusion around where they are and how they got there. There are a slew of odd occurrences and little things in the environment that don't add up. Not to mention that their supposed home away from home isn't the safest place to be. Now they're forced to navigate deadly beasts while they try to figure out if they were saved or captured.
I appreciated how hard the author was willing to go when it came to the danger. Named characters that had their own POV chapters, their own flashback "who were they on earth" scenes, were just as likely to die as random side characters. While I still think there are a few characters that do have plot armor, it made the danger more intense when death was on the line for almost everyone.
There was a bit of a lull for me when it came to the inter-survivor drama. Certain other survivors gun for power and it causes the rest of the camp to fall in line out of fear, making a few chapters where it felt like every other "man is the real monster" sci-fi dystopian. I could go into detail on how, historically, humans are actually more likely to work together in times of severe crises than not, but suffice to say it's just not my favorite theme. The story was at it's best when giant beast attacks or surprise reveals about the "watchers" broke up the drama with a reminder about the bigger problem.
All in all, this is definitely a more intense sci-fi with plenty of gore and death, but with some level of heart at it's center. David may be an annoying character for most of the book, but I'd read plenty more with Sierra. A great pick for sci-fi thriller fans that don't mind blood... and y'know, bodies getting torn apart.
Unless it's to save your life.
The mystery of the pods (where they came from, who sent them, for what purpose, etc.) is the strongest aspect of the book. Despite the fact that David and kids get to the mysterious other world pretty quickly, there's still a lot of confusion around where they are and how they got there. There are a slew of odd occurrences and little things in the environment that don't add up. Not to mention that their supposed home away from home isn't the safest place to be. Now they're forced to navigate deadly beasts while they try to figure out if they were saved or captured.
I appreciated how hard the author was willing to go when it came to the danger. Named characters that had their own POV chapters, their own flashback "who were they on earth" scenes, were just as likely to die as random side characters. While I still think there are a few characters that do have plot armor, it made the danger more intense when death was on the line for almost everyone.
There was a bit of a lull for me when it came to the inter-survivor drama. Certain other survivors gun for power and it causes the rest of the camp to fall in line out of fear, making a few chapters where it felt like every other "man is the real monster" sci-fi dystopian. I could go into detail on how, historically, humans are actually more likely to work together in times of severe crises than not, but suffice to say it's just not my favorite theme. The story was at it's best when giant beast attacks or surprise reveals about the "watchers" broke up the drama with a reminder about the bigger problem.
All in all, this is definitely a more intense sci-fi with plenty of gore and death, but with some level of heart at it's center. David may be an annoying character for most of the book, but I'd read plenty more with Sierra. A great pick for sci-fi thriller fans that don't mind blood... and y'know, bodies getting torn apart.
December 29, 2024
3.5 stars, Metaphorosis reviews
Summary
A comet is coming, and it's going to wipe out life on Earth. But just two days before, mysterious white pods start landing, mostly in the midwest USA. Touch them and they open for a few minutes before taking off again. This is the story of what happens to those who got in them.
Review
I picked up Rule of Extinction based solely on the listed premise – that mysterious pods rescue humans just before a comet hits Earth. I was disappointed to find that while that’s accurate, the ensuing plot is far more familiar – that the pods randomly drop a few people on a mysterious archipelago.
This is a trope that’s very well established in science fiction. The book is even very reminiscent of Lost, the show I’m only now getting around to watching. And any ‘abandoned on an island’ story is going to echo Robinson Crusoe one way or another. I’ve literally had dreams that were essentially this plot, and I’ve read a lot of books with the same theme.
Disappointing plot aside, Rule of Extinction is well put together. The characters are engaging, credibly flawed, and the author kills them off left and right. We get backstory for each as we go, and the whole fits together well. There’s a little repetition in how strong men keep taking charge, but, sadly, that’s probably a reflection of human nature.
If this were the first time I’d seen this idea, I’d have scored the book higher. Jones does a good job, and, despite the familiarity, I’m interested to keep on with the series.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Summary
A comet is coming, and it's going to wipe out life on Earth. But just two days before, mysterious white pods start landing, mostly in the midwest USA. Touch them and they open for a few minutes before taking off again. This is the story of what happens to those who got in them.
Review
I picked up Rule of Extinction based solely on the listed premise – that mysterious pods rescue humans just before a comet hits Earth. I was disappointed to find that while that’s accurate, the ensuing plot is far more familiar – that the pods randomly drop a few people on a mysterious archipelago.
This is a trope that’s very well established in science fiction. The book is even very reminiscent of Lost, the show I’m only now getting around to watching. And any ‘abandoned on an island’ story is going to echo Robinson Crusoe one way or another. I’ve literally had dreams that were essentially this plot, and I’ve read a lot of books with the same theme.
Disappointing plot aside, Rule of Extinction is well put together. The characters are engaging, credibly flawed, and the author kills them off left and right. We get backstory for each as we go, and the whole fits together well. There’s a little repetition in how strong men keep taking charge, but, sadly, that’s probably a reflection of human nature.
If this were the first time I’d seen this idea, I’d have scored the book higher. Jones does a good job, and, despite the familiarity, I’m interested to keep on with the series.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2025
"Most of life's biggest questions never get answered. You know that. There's nothing we can do about it. All we can do is take care of each other."
Imagine you're facing the certain doom of your species on account of a giant meteor heading for Earth. Most societies have already collapsed when unexpected aid of seemingly alien origin offers you an escape. Transported to isolated islands, you and your compansions are forced to contend with your new environment, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Earth - but Earth when? And are the giant pre-historic creatures the most dangerous threat, or is it your fellow survivors?
Rule of Extinction is the first book in a trilogy, and I truly would have loved to start the second one immediately. This story is bloody, loud, gritty, taut. Even when the action died down a bit, I was never bored and always interested in what would come next. The strain on the characters was truly palpable, and their fear and sweat, along with the dinosaurs' saliva, basically dripped off the page (well, screen).
I'm not giving it 5 stars because the high number of POVs didn't fully work for me, but I like that there was a bunch of characters the reader can connect with. Also, I found the human antagonists to be more miss than hit (the most interesting ones are not the main villains, in my opinion).
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a digital copy of this book for review consideration.
Imagine you're facing the certain doom of your species on account of a giant meteor heading for Earth. Most societies have already collapsed when unexpected aid of seemingly alien origin offers you an escape. Transported to isolated islands, you and your compansions are forced to contend with your new environment, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Earth - but Earth when? And are the giant pre-historic creatures the most dangerous threat, or is it your fellow survivors?
Rule of Extinction is the first book in a trilogy, and I truly would have loved to start the second one immediately. This story is bloody, loud, gritty, taut. Even when the action died down a bit, I was never bored and always interested in what would come next. The strain on the characters was truly palpable, and their fear and sweat, along with the dinosaurs' saliva, basically dripped off the page (well, screen).
I'm not giving it 5 stars because the high number of POVs didn't fully work for me, but I like that there was a bunch of characters the reader can connect with. Also, I found the human antagonists to be more miss than hit (the most interesting ones are not the main villains, in my opinion).
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a digital copy of this book for review consideration.
February 21, 2025
Overview
This is a quick read, action-oriented book.
Though the situation seems unbelievable as an overall plot, the writing leads you step by step into the scenario so that you're totally bought into the narrative such that I finished this in two evenings (and I read about four books at a time).
The writing is crisp, the characters varied and with perspective, and the underlying mystery teased just enough (without hitting you over the head) to make you want to read the next book.
Action flows into the next sequence smoothly, the characters are developed sufficiently to provide three dimensions but, not enough to force you to slog through detailed "mommy and daddy" issues that slow the pace of a storyline.
The characters DO make some questionable "next step" decisions, but, Jones gives you the right kind of dialogue to understand why the decision was made. This is a pet peeve of mine that Jones avoids. I find many authors have a set narrative to follow and their characters make inexplicable decisions with no context just so the author can take you to the next scene. Not in this case. Scenes all fit together.
Jones likes gore. One detailed dinosaur mauling is sufficient for me in a book. Several overdoes it IMO. But, that's a preference and doesn't detract from the other qualities of the book.
(I was given an advanced copy of the book).
This is a quick read, action-oriented book.
Though the situation seems unbelievable as an overall plot, the writing leads you step by step into the scenario so that you're totally bought into the narrative such that I finished this in two evenings (and I read about four books at a time).
The writing is crisp, the characters varied and with perspective, and the underlying mystery teased just enough (without hitting you over the head) to make you want to read the next book.
Action flows into the next sequence smoothly, the characters are developed sufficiently to provide three dimensions but, not enough to force you to slog through detailed "mommy and daddy" issues that slow the pace of a storyline.
The characters DO make some questionable "next step" decisions, but, Jones gives you the right kind of dialogue to understand why the decision was made. This is a pet peeve of mine that Jones avoids. I find many authors have a set narrative to follow and their characters make inexplicable decisions with no context just so the author can take you to the next scene. Not in this case. Scenes all fit together.
Jones likes gore. One detailed dinosaur mauling is sufficient for me in a book. Several overdoes it IMO. But, that's a preference and doesn't detract from the other qualities of the book.
(I was given an advanced copy of the book).
November 4, 2025
Rule of Extinction by Geoff Jones launches a high-stakes, emotionally charged sci-fi survival saga that begins just days before a cataclysmic comet is set to strike Earth. As panic spreads, mysterious white pods descend from the sky, offering a cryptic escape, but only to those who dare to enter.
The story centers on David Williams, a devoted father who makes the agonizing decision to leave his wife behind in order to save his children and their loyal dog. When they awaken in a strange, alien wilderness, they discover they’re not alone, other survivors have also arrived, each with their own secrets, traumas, and agendas. The new world is lush, dangerous, and teeming with prehistoric creatures, forcing the group to navigate both external threats and internal tensions.
As the survivors struggle to understand their environment, they begin to suspect that their arrival was no accident. The pods, the creatures, and the timing of the comet all point to a larger, possibly extraterrestrial design. David must lead his fractured group while grappling with guilt, loss, and the primal drive to protect his family.
Appreciated the premise but found the execution reminiscent of familiar sci-fi programs comparing it to Lost and other “stranded on an island” scenarios.
Enjoyed the book, right up my alley, easy read, 31/2 to 4 stars, hopefully, the next books will be as good.
The story centers on David Williams, a devoted father who makes the agonizing decision to leave his wife behind in order to save his children and their loyal dog. When they awaken in a strange, alien wilderness, they discover they’re not alone, other survivors have also arrived, each with their own secrets, traumas, and agendas. The new world is lush, dangerous, and teeming with prehistoric creatures, forcing the group to navigate both external threats and internal tensions.
As the survivors struggle to understand their environment, they begin to suspect that their arrival was no accident. The pods, the creatures, and the timing of the comet all point to a larger, possibly extraterrestrial design. David must lead his fractured group while grappling with guilt, loss, and the primal drive to protect his family.
Appreciated the premise but found the execution reminiscent of familiar sci-fi programs comparing it to Lost and other “stranded on an island” scenarios.
Enjoyed the book, right up my alley, easy read, 31/2 to 4 stars, hopefully, the next books will be as good.
January 6, 2026
This isn’t my usual genre, so I can’t say how unique it is in that regard, but it was definitely unique to me. This book was incredible. Action-packed, full of twists and turns, and completely unputdownable. It’s a doomsday sci-fi that pops on page one and doesn’t relent. It weaves a tale of the good and the worst of humankind.
I couldn’t help but picture David as Jason Bateman, he fit the role perfectly. The story is loaded with blood and gore, whiny kids, arrogant men, people with good hearts, and the worst of society (let’s not forget the badass women!) The characters are diverse and intriguing, and yes, sometimes teeth-clenching levels of annoying (which honestly just made it feel more real).
Imagine the end of the world is approaching via a comet dubbed The Ender. Days before impact, pods suddenly drop across the Midwest, and people climb inside as they rocket off to an unknown destination. Chaos erupts as people do what people do best panic, turn awful, and scramble to secure a pod.
And then you get one.
But where does it take you?
An entirely different place. A new world full of unknowns and creatures that only exist in books. Who sent them, and why are you here? Ahhhh. So good.
I genuinely could not put this down, and it did not disappoint. This is officially an all-time favorit and I am harsh on books. I can’t wait for the next one in this trilogy.
I couldn’t help but picture David as Jason Bateman, he fit the role perfectly. The story is loaded with blood and gore, whiny kids, arrogant men, people with good hearts, and the worst of society (let’s not forget the badass women!) The characters are diverse and intriguing, and yes, sometimes teeth-clenching levels of annoying (which honestly just made it feel more real).
Imagine the end of the world is approaching via a comet dubbed The Ender. Days before impact, pods suddenly drop across the Midwest, and people climb inside as they rocket off to an unknown destination. Chaos erupts as people do what people do best panic, turn awful, and scramble to secure a pod.
And then you get one.
But where does it take you?
An entirely different place. A new world full of unknowns and creatures that only exist in books. Who sent them, and why are you here? Ahhhh. So good.
I genuinely could not put this down, and it did not disappoint. This is officially an all-time favorit and I am harsh on books. I can’t wait for the next one in this trilogy.
August 21, 2025
Rule of Extinction has a fantastic premise: as a comet bears down on Earth, mysterious alien pods appear and whisk away a fraction of humanity to… somewhere. That “somewhere” turns out to be a strange world full of dangers—both prehistoric and human. It’s a setup with loads of potential, and Geoff Jones wastes no time diving into the action. It's an enjoyable read that moves quickly, with multiple POVs providing a range of perspectives, and the blend of sci-fi, survival, and post-apocalyptic themes is well done.
While the concept is strong, though, the execution left me underwhelmed. The characters are interesting enough in the moment, but rarely deep enough to invest in the long-term. The stranded/displaced setup has been done before, but the book doesn’t do quite enough to distinguish itself. As the first entry in a series, it’s clearly designed to set up a bigger story, but I can't say I'm invested enough to keep going.
While the concept is strong, though, the execution left me underwhelmed. The characters are interesting enough in the moment, but rarely deep enough to invest in the long-term. The stranded/displaced setup has been done before, but the book doesn’t do quite enough to distinguish itself. As the first entry in a series, it’s clearly designed to set up a bigger story, but I can't say I'm invested enough to keep going.
January 16, 2025
A book I could not put down. A comet is on a collision course with Earth and will end all life. At the last moment hundreds of pods appear to rescue whoever can get into them by whatever means necessary. A few of the survivors emerge on a strange island with prehistoric creatures as neighbours. Are they back in the past or in an alien zoo? The book keeps up guessing until the reveal at the end that opens the wHole for the next book. Geoff Jones tells a fascinating and very entertaining story and is definitely not afraid to kill leading characters off in various gruesome manners. Great story that shows the best and worst of humanity. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of this series. I received a complimentary copy from Voracious readers and am leaving a voluntary honest review.
May 9, 2025
“Rule of Extinction” is book 1 of the Preservation of Species” series. A world-ending comet is headed to Earth in a matter of days. David Williams has resided to spending as much time as he can with his family before the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. A post-apocalyptic sci-fi meets dinosaurs, a cult, and a psychopath who hears his dead father all wrapped up in a found-family! It’s a lot, but it all makes sense when you read it. There are multiple POVs in this story including David’s. His love for his children is prominent throughout the tale and he’s truly a good guy, but for a majority of the story he’s missing a bit of a backbone. His children each have their own voice and personality, mourning loss and dealing with life as it comes. Find the full blog post at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. A post-apocalyptic sci-fi meets dinosaurs, a cult, and a psychopath who hears his dead father all wrapped up in a found-family! It’s a lot, but it all makes sense when you read it. There are multiple POVs in this story including David’s. His love for his children is prominent throughout the tale and he’s truly a good guy, but for a majority of the story he’s missing a bit of a backbone. His children each have their own voice and personality, mourning loss and dealing with life as it comes. Find the full blog post at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
November 19, 2024
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This post contains no spoilers.
This book is literally so good. Im not one to usually read apocalyptic type stories but once I started reading I couldn’t stop. I got through the first 15 chapters in like an hour which is pretty amazing for me. The characters are so diverse and well fleshed out. Mr. Jones encapsulates the good, the bad, and the neutral of humanity very well. Not all the characters are good people and because of that it makes everything so much more interesting. It gets you wondering ‘how will they work together? Will they make it to the end alive? How will person a react to person b’s actions?’ Overall 10/10 read. Super interesting and I am excited for more!
This book is literally so good. Im not one to usually read apocalyptic type stories but once I started reading I couldn’t stop. I got through the first 15 chapters in like an hour which is pretty amazing for me. The characters are so diverse and well fleshed out. Mr. Jones encapsulates the good, the bad, and the neutral of humanity very well. Not all the characters are good people and because of that it makes everything so much more interesting. It gets you wondering ‘how will they work together? Will they make it to the end alive? How will person a react to person b’s actions?’ Overall 10/10 read. Super interesting and I am excited for more!
February 2, 2025
I will start by saying I am not really a science fiction guy. I'm more of a horror reader, but this book was able to grab my interest pretty quickly and hold onto it until the very end.
I won't give away too much of the plot, except to say that the Earth is doomed when a massive comet is heading its way. Before they hit, though, these pods begin to appear all over the country, allowing people to enter and be taken to safety.
But where are they taken? And is it safe?
Mr. Jones has done a great job at character building. We really come to know these people, the good and the not-so-good. The book has some interesting twists and turns, but action galore, that's for sure. I hear there's a 2nd book coming. I don't know, Geoff Jones may make a Sci-Fi fan out of me yet.
I won't give away too much of the plot, except to say that the Earth is doomed when a massive comet is heading its way. Before they hit, though, these pods begin to appear all over the country, allowing people to enter and be taken to safety.
But where are they taken? And is it safe?
Mr. Jones has done a great job at character building. We really come to know these people, the good and the not-so-good. The book has some interesting twists and turns, but action galore, that's for sure. I hear there's a 2nd book coming. I don't know, Geoff Jones may make a Sci-Fi fan out of me yet.
February 26, 2025
A new take on a disaster/ post apocalyptic horror. This story starts right in with a disaster, a comet about to hit the earth. We meet our main characters a man and his 2 kids, and a strange development that is interesting and leaves you helpless to stop reading because you want to find out what is going to happen. You will be held hostage. I'm sorry, if you have any kind of life outside of sitting down and reading this, it will be put aside until you finish. Luckily I have no life and read it in one go. Being apocalyptic, it has good people that you root for, and people that are bad, power hungry and make you want to stuff fireworks in their underwear. Lots of action, mystery, creatures, brutality and gore. Yum. Fun, and I will definiely be watching out for the next in the series.
February 12, 2026
The end of the world is near. What would you do?
Praying to God? Enjoying a bowl of Indomie Goreng? Or getting into a curious pod sent by who knows who? Some people choose the third alternative and it marks the beginning of an intriguing post-apocalyptic adventure.
Rule of Extinction by Geoff Jones is a fun exploration of what would happen if a group of humans survived a bolide apocalypse. This book features extremely well-developed, believable characters – you might feel you know someone like them in real life! I also love the fact that the author presents a huge number of conflicts throughout, which provides grounds for reflection on how human nature works.
Sounds like something you might enjoy? Grab it before the comet strikes the earth!
Praying to God? Enjoying a bowl of Indomie Goreng? Or getting into a curious pod sent by who knows who? Some people choose the third alternative and it marks the beginning of an intriguing post-apocalyptic adventure.
Rule of Extinction by Geoff Jones is a fun exploration of what would happen if a group of humans survived a bolide apocalypse. This book features extremely well-developed, believable characters – you might feel you know someone like them in real life! I also love the fact that the author presents a huge number of conflicts throughout, which provides grounds for reflection on how human nature works.
Sounds like something you might enjoy? Grab it before the comet strikes the earth!
January 20, 2025
In "The Preservation of Species: The Rule of Extinction," the author crafts a compelling narrative that delves into a diverse cast of characters for which the reader becomes emotionally involved. The depth of the characters resonates throughout the narrative, drawing readers into their struggles and triumphs, thus personalizing the stakes involved in the survival of the species. The innovative plot includes unexpected twists and conflicts, making this book an addictive page-turner and leaves the reader hungry for more. How soon until book 2 is published.... and how about the movie!?
This review is based off an advanced pre-release copy.
This review is based off an advanced pre-release copy.
March 3, 2025
The Preservation of Species Book 1 of 3. A civilization-ending comet is headed for Earth. Before the comet strikes, mysterious white pods appear to whisk some people away from the distater. A man, David, and his 2 children get into one of the pods and end up on an island with a few other survivors. A definite page-turner with constant action. By the time David got to the 3rd island, I had a little trouble keeping track of who was who. A map/drawing of the location on the last island would have been helpful to me, as I never could really picture the setup. I would have preferred a stand-alone book, but I will definitely buy the next 2 books in the series. C. 2025.
April 26, 2025
Rule of Extinction is filled with Mystery, Suspense, and Page-Turning Action!
Wow! This book grabs you from the first scene and never lets go. I loved following the adventures of David, Sierra, and others in the place where they find themselves after Earth is destroyed. The believable characters face multiple threats from monsters and other humans as they attempt to survive. I enjoyed trying to solve some of the mysteries along with the characters. The tension builds inexorably toward the satisfying conclusion of Book 1.
I can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy, Preservation of Species!
December 4, 2025
I like the plot, generally speaking and the character development is actually pretty good, but I’m afraid there were some areas that slipped into unreal decisions made by the characters which I found somewhat unforgettable. I think many of us, placed in those situations would not have done with some of the people did in this book without giving away any spoilers, but the characters were interesting in some pretty well developed with a wide range from what we determine as good people or leaders to disaster as people or low level people
December 22, 2025
Ok it was a fun read but. The loose ends never got tied. I was disappointed. This could have been a great story if written a little different. In one place it dragged but toward the end it exploded and then ended. The ending is a bag of crap. It should have been a great part but I think the author got tired of the story and let it die.
I spent a lot of time reading this and wish I had not. It’s easy to get missed up on who is doing what.
Four stars because I liked the story. Not five because of the ending.
I spent a lot of time reading this and wish I had not. It’s easy to get missed up on who is doing what.
Four stars because I liked the story. Not five because of the ending.
March 21, 2026
This was SO good. An apocalyptic sci-fi setting that documents the end of the world, swiftly shifting into an alien first contact experience as some people are mysterious saved by "escape pods" that drop from the sky just before the end. But saved to what? To where? By who? And are they REALLY safe? All this, and more, the author packs into an intense, well-written start to a series. Great characters, excellent pacing, and a little bit of darkness makes this a fantastic read. I flew right through it!
June 18, 2025
Lots of surprises
Just when you thought who would survive, bam! They didn't. There are a lot of characters in this story.
But don't get to like one too much, because most likely he or she won't make it.
A very interesting story. I can't quite call it science fiction or post-apocalyptic. It's a bit of both.
I look forward to the next one in this series and highly recommend it.
Just when you thought who would survive, bam! They didn't. There are a lot of characters in this story.
But don't get to like one too much, because most likely he or she won't make it.
A very interesting story. I can't quite call it science fiction or post-apocalyptic. It's a bit of both.
I look forward to the next one in this series and highly recommend it.
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