Audible Book Review: Extinction Inferno, Extinction Cycle: Dark Age, Book 2 by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

I enjoyed this and will be purchasing the next in series sooner rather than later.

Extinction Inferno:
Extinction Cycle: Dark Age, Book 2
By: Nicholas Sansbury Smith, Anthony J. Melchiorri
Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
Release date: 10-01-19
Publisher: Blue Heron Audio
Categories: Horror, Post Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
The government said the Variants were dying off....
That the beasts would be extinct in a matter of years....
That the Allied States had returned to prosperity and freedom....
The government was dead wrong. Deep under the cities, the Variants weren't just hiding, they were breeding. While the human survivors of the Extinction Cycle built outposts and brought back industries, the monsters were building something of their own. Working with human collaborators, they constructed a vast underground organic network to control this new army and launch a blitzkrieg assault across the Allied States. After tunneling under the walls, the beasts managed to overwhelm even the most fortified outposts. Many of them fell within days, forcing the military to abandon bases and retreat.
But not everyone is on the run. Team Ghost hunts a monster behind enemy lines that could change the tide of war. On the USS George Johnson, Doctor Kate Lovato and her team of scientists seek to understand and tap in to the Variant network while oil tycoon S. M. Fischer and his engineers come up with a plan to help buy time for the remaining outposts. And, at Outpost Portland, Captain Reed Beckham and Master Sergeant Parker Horn investigate a frightening conspiracy involving the human collaborators.
As the Variant armies surge across the Allied States, those working to stop them realize even desperate measures may not be enough to prevent the total annihilation of their country.
©2019 Nicholas Sansbury Smith (P)2019 Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Review:
This book picks up from Extinction Shadow. Our protagonists have learned that, rather than dying off, the Variants have been hiding and are now coming out in force with the aid of an evil and intelligent master. There are even human collaborators who are working with the Variants having decided that ultimately the humans will die and a new order will take over.

Kate and another doctor have found a communications link among the variants. They arrange to send int the Ghost Team, first to kill massive creatures controlling the Variant masses and then to capture one for study!

Beckham Reed and Fischer are in a new Outpost base trying to convince the leader there that he may not be as prepared as he thinks. They are just barely staying a step ahead of the Variant attacks. The Ghost Team go from one dangerous mission to another treacherous mission into territory that was abandoned to the hordes. They have no good intel but there are resources in the location that must be recovered to help the human race have a chance of survival.

Reed is distressed that he lost a young man, Timothy, who was captured by collaborators. Unknown to Reed and Horn (his faithful guard), Timothy escapes with crucial news for the survivors. As the base around him collapses, how can Timothy get the info back to Reed and those who need to know?

Once again, the story moves at high pace with action in multiple threads. I experience stress for all of the heroes not knowing when one or more of them will fall. I will be getting the next book in the series so I can follow the suspense, hoping that the humans can survive the evil that is hidden.

Audio Notes: I can’t say much more in favor of narrator R.C. Bray. He helps deliver an engaging suspense.

Source: October 2022 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Extinction Shadow, Extinction Cycle: Dark Age, Book 1 by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, Anthony J. Melchiorri

I totally enjoyed the action and characters in this story and finished it in two days.
Extinction Shadow
Extinction Cycle: Dark Age, Book 1
By: Nicholas Sansbury Smith, Anthony J. Melchiorri
Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
Release date: 08-13-19
Publisher: Blue Heron Audio
Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

About This Audible Audiobook
They thought they survived the extinction cycle, but a powerful evil lurks in the shadows...Now old and new heroes join forces to save what’s left of the world in this thrilling sci-fi audio adventure.
Eight years ago, an engineered virus ravaged the globe, infecting and transforming humans into apex predators called Variants. Billions died, civilization collapsed, and the human race teetered on the brink of extinction. Nations banded together and heroes rose up to fight these abominations. On the front lines, Captain Reed Beckham and Master Sergeant Joe "Fitz" Fitzpatrick of Delta Force Team Ghost fought against the Variant hordes. With the aid of CDC Doctor Kate Lovato, they helped lead humanity to victory.
Now, almost a decade after the end of the war, civilization has slowly clawed toward recovery. In the Allied States of America, survivors live in outposts where they have rebuilt industry, agriculture, and infrastructure. The remaining Variants are believed to be dying off under destroyed cities and the abandoned frontier. But evil and intelligent forces dwell in the shadows with the starving beasts, scheming to restart the extinction cycle and end humanity forever. And once again, Beckham, Fitz, and Kate will rise to fight them, along with new heroes to try and save what remains of the world.
R. C. Bray brings to life the beloved characters of this series and expertly depicts their turmoil and struggle for survival.
Note: This new season is a self-contained storyline. Listeners do not have to hear the first seven books of the Extinction Cycle to jump into book one of Extinction Cycle: Dark Age. For returning listeners, this audiobook takes place after book seven, Extinction War.
©2019 Nicholas Sansbury Smith (P)2019 Blue Heron Audio

Review:
This book begins a new but continuation series, Extinction Cycle: Dark Age, picking up eight years after the events of the original series, Extinction Cycle, where a man-made virus resulted in a zombie outbreak. The uninfected human survivors in the Allied States (mostly Midwest to eastern former United States) are still trying to survive the attacks of the Variant infected. Suddenly the Variants, with mutated smarter Alphas leading them, are beginning to escalate in aggressive attacks. They have learned a new way to encroach on the human communities and are causing massive and worrying losses.

I was able to enjoy this book even though it has been several years (2018) since I read books 1-3 of the Extinction Cycle series. (I have boxed set books 4-6 to listen to and there is also book 7.) I was glad to see characters I remembered and see how the survivors were getting along at rebuilding. The story focuses on three groups of fighters, as well as the beleaguered President and Vice President.

Captain Reed, his wife, virologist doctor, Kate, and Reed’s right hand ‘guard’, Master Sergeant Horn, are trying to live calmly with their growing families. A second group, Team Ghost, consisting of a handful of injured Army Delta Force Vets, is being deployed for the most dangerous missions. Their motto is “All it takes is all you got.” There is a third set of Variant fighters emerging as a Texas tycoon, S.M. Fischer, and his elite security team try to save the oil operations that are helping to rebuild society.

I love the camaraderie and action in these stories. I felt emotional tension as different members faced the evils and I suspected that not all the good guys would survive. Most of our favorites continue to have miraculous escapes, but the country and already low level of survivors is being decimated. The struggle is hard and real. I was well engaged and was glad to have book 2 in this series to continue the fight. I recommend this to fans of survival action.

Audio Notes: R.C. Bray is a wonderful narrator who excels in presenting this type of action -packed suspense. Bray delivers great voices and spot on energy. He always contributes to my enjoyment of the story as he did in this performance.

Source: June 2021 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audio Book Review: Wild Fire by Nicholas Sansbury Smith and Anthony J. Melchiorri

I enjoyed the full on action in this dystopian thriller.

Wild Fire
New Frontier, Book 1
By: Nicholas Sansbury Smith, Anthony Melchiorri
Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Series: New Frontier, Book 1
Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
Release Date: July 2022
Publisher: ‎ Aethon Books
Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Summary
From the embers of a burned America rises new hope … and a new threat.
Two years after an attack brought down the electrical grid across the United States, the recovery effort is well underway. A new network of armored trains carry supplies and industrial equipment crucial to rebuilding the country.
But along the rails, one area of America is still mired in darkness, violence, and danger. Some call it the Badlands. Others the Wild West. The government simply refers to it as the New Frontier.
Retired Marine Sergeant Sam “Raven” Spears makes a living tracking down people and treasures in this lawless void. When raiders target a supply train in the New Frontier, Colorado Sheriff Lindsey Plymouth asks Raven to work with ex-Navy SEAL Calvin Jackson to secure the train’s vital cargo. All is going to plan until one fateful disaster changes everything.
As the trail heats up to find those responsible, a mysterious virus starts spreading across the New Frontier. Raven soon realizes the two events might be connected.
If he doesn’t find the insidious forces behind this conspiracy, the entire country will go up in flames.
Listener Note: New Frontier is a brand-new series set in the bestselling Trackers universe by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. For listeners of Trackers, this spin-off written with Anthony J. Melchiorri takes place two years after the end of Trackers 4. While Trackers was an EMP/war story about the destruction of the power grid in America and the chaos that followed, New Frontier is a story about the aftermath. For new listeners, you can dive into New Frontier without reading the four Trackers books.

Review:
Sam “Raven” is a retired Marine and a man of Native American (Sioux) decent. Raven is sought after for his skills in tracking down people and treasures in what has become known as the lawless Badlands or the Wild West. The East has begun to rebuild after an EMP/war strike plunged the country into chaos.

The Badlands are dangerous, but supplies are coming through on the trains to the New Frontier. Ex-Navy SEAL, Calvin, is a security guard on the train lines. Raiders begin to hit the trains going west and Calvin discovers that the raiders are taking a mysterious cargo off the trains.

Meanwhile, a frightening virus is spreading among the settlements in the West. Raven begins to suspect that the raiding and the virus are connected. He and Calvin team up to find the base of the raiders in order to determine what is going on, and stop it before it’s too late.

I like the characters, Raven, Calvin, and Raven’s former love, Colorado Sheriff Lindsey Plymouth. There is good action and suspense that kept me engaged. This is a spinoff from the original series, Trackers, where I first met Raven. I have intended to read/listen to the rest of that series, but it isn’t necessary to enjoy this book. I recommend this to fans of dystopian and suspense.

Audio Notes: Bronson Pinchot did a fine job with the character voices in this book. Each character has a unique sound, and they are delivered with strong energy. I am glad I had the chance to listen to this.

Source 3/23/2023 Two For One Credit Audiobooks.com. This qualifies for 2023Audiobook goal.

Audible Book Review: Eternal Frontier by Anthony J. Melchiorri

This is full of action with one fight and miraculous escape after another.

Eternal Frontier
By: Anthony J. Melchiorri
Narrated by: Bradford Hastings

Series: Eternal Frontier, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
Release date: 04-18-17
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Adventure, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Humanity has avoided interstellar war for centuries.
It was a time of peace, prosperity, and exploration. But when an unexpected attack cripples a scientific vessel, the SRES Argo, it appears that time has come to an end.
Chief Medical Officer Tag Brewer is the ship's only survivor. He is alone in the far reaches of space. To survive, he must restore and protect the downed vessel from its unknown attackers on a planet as deadly as it is mysterious. He vows to do everything in his power to seek justice for his fallen crew.
When Tag uncovers a sinister secret about those who attacked the Argo, he realizes far more is at stake than just his survival. Something more powerful, more technologically advanced, and more ruthless has emerged from the darkest voids of the galaxy. It's up to Tag to survive long enough to warn humanity and stop the dawn of a new war.
©2017 Anthony J. Melchiorri (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Tag Brewer once trained to be a captain, but one failed exercise resulted in a change in his career. He still wanted to go to space, so he became a Chief Medical Officer on a scientific ship, the Argo. The ship is headed to a particular inhospitable planet to pick up a biologist who was left there to explore the local life. When the ship enters the planet atmosphere, they begin to lose communication abilities. Then they are attacked by ‘pirates’ who swiftly take control of the ship poisoning all humans on board…except Tag who watches in horror from his secured medical bay.

Tag manages to stay alive and take out the three aliens who remained on the bridge in spite of their superior weapons and armor. Tag finds himself without any AI which has been compromised. He cannot make repairs or man the ship without aid, so he implements an experiment he has been working on. He implants brain tissue from one of his dead friends into the medical robot. The robots reaction when activated is to attack its creator!

Tag has to dodge the pirates, land a badly damaged ship and hope he can find the biologist if he wants a chance of finding another human and getting the Argo back running. He survives one death situation after another to finally gather a handful of companions to help make a risky, miraculous escape and then an equally risky and unexpected rescue.

It doesn’t take long into the book to wonder at Tag’s remarkable escapes and versatile skills. He is the sole character for the beginning of the book. The story was full of action which was good although it required a suspension of belief. I downloaded this book and its sequels for free through the Audible Plus Catalog, so I have the next two books in the series and will read them at some point. I don't count this as stellar space opera but it should be entertaining for action junkies.

Audio Notes: Bradford Hastings does a good job with the narration. He provides distinct voices (when there is more than one character) and he brings good energy to the presentation. I enjoyed the audio.

Source: January 2021 Free Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.