Download Extinction Horizon The Extinction Cycle Book 1 eBook Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Product details File Size 3391 KB Print Length 356 pages Publisher Orbit (February 14, 2017) Publication Date February 14, 2017 Language English ASIN B01MSADR8M

Extinction Horizon The Extinction Cycle Book 1 eBook Nicholas Sansbury Smith Reviews

• *This review is for ALL of the books in this series*
  This is the craziest, most action packed post-apocalyptic novel I have ever read! When books use the term "action packed," what they mean is "action included." This book is figuratively crammed and stuffed to a near bursting capacity with thrilling action scenes. I've never been so oblivious to my surroundings before, as I read this in one sitting from start to finish! The military characters are intimidatingly rough, athletic and organized, so when they struggle for survival against some horrifying creatures, you really get nervous and fear for the wellbeing of the planet.
  Which brings me to the next point, that these are not typical zombies or diseased humans. These are disgusting and almost impossible-to-kill monsters that are the result of immense evolutionary twists from humans, who are turned into hungry beasts. Basically modified zombies on mass steroids. I think some of the scariest novels stem from having villains that overly dominate and have very few if any evident weaknesses. I was so nervous because it felt like characters were dying left and right, so you never really knew what would happen next. These creatures only seem to get stronger and stronger as you read through each book in this series.
  That brings me to yet another point. All of the books in this series are epic. Sometimes sequels pale in comparison, but every one of these was as terrifying and attention grasping as the first. Luckily, all the books are out, so if you experience any cliffhangers, you can dive right into the next book.
  If you want to read an intense and thrilling book that will stick with you long after you've finished, then I highly recommend this entire series!
• I am going to review the series as a whole. I absolutely love this post-apocalyptic series. It doesn't get bogged down with the day to day, menial average Joe apocalypse survial stuff... this is a series about how we respond as a country/military to the survival, and utter betrayal, of the human race.
  
  It focuses on one Delta Force Operations Team. Throughout the series, this team suffers some catastrophic losses, miraculous recoveries, new team additions (both of various species), changes of leadership, bullet wounds, bite wounds, chemical wounds, claw wounds, and emotional wounds. They were epic.
  
  Be prepared for non-stop action...and oh my gosh, the world building! It's phenomenal. The fighting is done from a military perspective. So there are call signs, and code names. Lots of specific military gun names, gear, vehicles, aircraft, rank, ships, jargon/vernacular. If you don't know or like books with a heavy military theme, then this is DEFINITELY not the book for you. If it bothers you to be reading, and not know the difference between an M110, M9, M4, and an M249 when the characters are talking about using them...then again, not the books for you (sniper rifle, hand gun, AR, Squad machine gun).
  
  I also love the science. However, my one and only complaint is that there was just nothing about VX-99. Nothing about how it was made, who made it? Without answering those questions, what's to stop this horrific event from happening again? I think Mr. Smith did a terrific job with putting just enough science in there to keep it believable and plausible, but not boring and too "blah blah blah blah blah".
  
  I normally hate audio books, but I just HAD to keep reading the book, so I got the audio for each book and listened to them during my 10 mile daily walks this week (I read the whole series 1-5 in 4 days). The person who does the audio narration is very, very good. Mr. Smith does an amazing job detailing the world in such a way, that it becomes like a movie in your head.
  
  As an Army Veteran, I want to thank Mr. Smith for having the character of Fitzpatrick. Showing a Wounded Warrior, though knocked down and not quite what he once was, is still a damn Warrior! And I think it's amazing that Mr. Smith didn't shy away from talking about the truth of Veteran's suicide rates. 22 veterans a day take their own lives. All it takes is one person Beckman, Horn, or Riley, to make that vet choose to fight instead. 22ADay
  
  Reading these books... you will gasp, you will curse (there are some truly evil people in here), you will cry, you will be on the edge of your seat, you will nervously chew on your nails, you will wish you could *pew pew pew* right along with Team Ghost, you will get very angry with anyone who interrupts you while you're reading, you will loose sleep, and you will forget to eat.
  
  For our brothers and sisters who didn't come home, or who came home broken and gave up the will to live...
  "Be ye at peace, brothers and sisters, we've got the watch now. The dark will nay longer touch ye."
• I think it is safe to say that no genre in modern, popular fiction has been as well mined as the zombie apocalypse – except for maybe sexy vampires but the less said about that the better. Yet in to this space boldly leaps author Nicholas Sansbury Smith and his novel “Extinction Horizon”. The first of The Extinction Cycle series is about, you guessed it, the zombie apocalypse. While you won’t find anything ground breaking in this first outing what you will find is a well written, fast paced and thrilling action novel that does a couple of thing very well.
  
  First of all the science and biology are first rate. I don’t know how accurate it is but the level of detail that Smith provides gives an eerie and plausible insight into how an extinction level event might unfold. Most of novels of this type gloss over the how’s and why’s associated with super-viruses. Smith attention to those details is one of the highlights of the novel.
  
  The second thing that Smith does exceedingly well is that he has created excellent characters with whom the readers will establish a connection and an interest in their welfare. He also writes first-rate dialogue. The human survivors are the stars. The zombies merely keep the action going. On a minor note, I am glad he selected members of the Delta Force as his protagonists. Nothing against members the Navy SEALS but they seem to be turning up everywhere these days. It’s nice to see the Deltas get their due.
  
  My only quibble surrounds a scene late in the book where a zombie attack literally comes out of nowhere, is not explained and seems out of place. It is not shocking as much as head scratching. I would be more specific but that would involve SPOILERS.
  
  All in all I thoroughly enjoyed “Extinction Horizon”. I digested it in a handful of sittings and am already half way through book two “Extinction Edge”. Well done!