EXTINCTION AFTERMATH: The Extinction cycle Book 6 by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Narrated by Bronson Pinchot

When Things Get Tough—The Tough Settle Down

This is a more contemplative episode in the Extinction Cycle books than any of  the previous installments.  This doesn't fit the typical model for a zombie novel; which are usually non-stop action shoot-em-ups. This book is an attempt to develop the characters and show their humanity in the face of horrific circumstances. In this I do not think it entirely succeeds. The situation of a zombie apocalypse where 99% of the population of the Earth is destroyed—or transformed into "variants" as the case may be—is not an ideal scenario for exploring the sensitive side of the characters. As a result, the human relationship-building exercises seem all to mundane for such a horrible circumstance. I am not saying that people do not react in ordinary ways in extraordinary situations but this type of introspection is not what has been driving the series up until this point. Previous books have been centered around the actions of the warriors and scientists in developing interesting ways to survive. This novel seems to be a departure, a shifting of gears, from the previous offerings. I liked it well enough—thanks largely to the always brilliant voicing of Bronson Pinchot—but cannot say that I would have continued with the series if this had been my first exposure to it.