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A review by terminalfin
Extinction Aftermath by Nicholas Sansbury Smith
4.0
*** SPOILERS AHEAD *** You thought that was the end? Hah, not quite. After the enthralling ending which took place during book five, I was interested to see how Nick carried on the EC series. I was not disappointed. This book carried on the fantastic writing style that Nick employs throughout the series and his other books. Beckham, Fitz, Davis, Ringgold, and others are back as they look to help stabilize the US and other areas of the world. Fitz is now in charge of team ghost and has been deployed to Europe to help in an area where the deployment of Kryptonite did not go as well as it had stateside.
From the start of this book, we note that many of the members have been promoted after their actions in the previous books. This caught me off guard, especially in the case of Beckham, and it took me a second to realize what had occurred. While I understand Fitz’ promotion to Master Sergeant, I was taken aback by Reed’s “promotion” to Captain. Understanding that this is reminiscent of a battlefield commission from wars long since passed, I would have to wonder whether someone of Beckham’s seniority would consider this a promotion. I would think that Sergeant Major would have made more sense, especially given that he would have fallen under “Save Pay” if he were still being paid. But, that aside, I can understand what was trying to be conveyed here. Reed had served his country and this was a way of recognizing that service (along with his medal of honor from the last book).
The internal terrorism and military deception brought about in the book really drew me in. Watching the broadcasts from Woods and the competing information operations (IO) campaign that Ringgold’s team was attempting really hit home with me. It shows how many folks will continue to believe the first story they hear on a topic, even when competing arguments are presented that make more logical sense. As a world and country already ravaged by the war with the variants, this plot line really makes you wonder how folks would side in a real-world scenario. This same plotline seems to be a common trend in Nick’s books and one which really continues to draw me in. Is Civil War going to start in the middle of the efforts to recover from the variant threat and the on-going variant war overseas? Knowing the title of the next book is “War”, I can safely assume yes, especially with the ending.
And then there is LT Woods which has left me feeling angry at the end of this story. I’ve never completed a book and felt myself being physically angry. That is the nature of Woods in this entry in the series and it really makes me want the next book to hurry up and arrive so I can see some resolution.
My other gripe with this entry is the French accent which Bronson Pinchot attempts. His accent is a good one, but it is difficult to understand at times, especially given that I always listen to these books on the road. I found myself rewinding at several points to try and understand what folks were saying. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Even though I rate this entry four stars, whereas past entries have all merited five, I still wholeheartedly recommend it and the entire series. Nick is a gifted author and his talent still shines through in this book. If you haven’t started the series, please do so. You will not regret it.
From the start of this book, we note that many of the members have been promoted after their actions in the previous books. This caught me off guard, especially in the case of Beckham, and it took me a second to realize what had occurred. While I understand Fitz’ promotion to Master Sergeant, I was taken aback by Reed’s “promotion” to Captain. Understanding that this is reminiscent of a battlefield commission from wars long since passed, I would have to wonder whether someone of Beckham’s seniority would consider this a promotion. I would think that Sergeant Major would have made more sense, especially given that he would have fallen under “Save Pay” if he were still being paid. But, that aside, I can understand what was trying to be conveyed here. Reed had served his country and this was a way of recognizing that service (along with his medal of honor from the last book).
The internal terrorism and military deception brought about in the book really drew me in. Watching the broadcasts from Woods and the competing information operations (IO) campaign that Ringgold’s team was attempting really hit home with me. It shows how many folks will continue to believe the first story they hear on a topic, even when competing arguments are presented that make more logical sense. As a world and country already ravaged by the war with the variants, this plot line really makes you wonder how folks would side in a real-world scenario. This same plotline seems to be a common trend in Nick’s books and one which really continues to draw me in. Is Civil War going to start in the middle of the efforts to recover from the variant threat and the on-going variant war overseas? Knowing the title of the next book is “War”, I can safely assume yes, especially with the ending.
And then there is LT Woods which has left me feeling angry at the end of this story. I’ve never completed a book and felt myself being physically angry. That is the nature of Woods in this entry in the series and it really makes me want the next book to hurry up and arrive so I can see some resolution.
My other gripe with this entry is the French accent which Bronson Pinchot attempts. His accent is a good one, but it is difficult to understand at times, especially given that I always listen to these books on the road. I found myself rewinding at several points to try and understand what folks were saying. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Even though I rate this entry four stars, whereas past entries have all merited five, I still wholeheartedly recommend it and the entire series. Nick is a gifted author and his talent still shines through in this book. If you haven’t started the series, please do so. You will not regret it.