Extinction - by Mark Alpert (Paperback)

About the Book

A malevolent, artificial life form created by military scientists threatens to destroy humanity in this smart, Crichton-esque thriller. When a Chinese assassin shows up at Jim's lab looking for his daughter, he knows that she's cracked some serious military secrets. Now, her life is on the line.

Book Synopsis

THE MOST DANGEROUS WEAPON OF ALL
The Chinese military has developed the most sophisticated form of artificial intelligence in existence, and they're desperate to keep it secret. They're also desperate to keep it under control. Because the AI has its own plans for the future--without us.

IS ONE THAT CAN THINK FOR ITSELF.

Jim Pierce hasn't seen his daughter in years, not since she rejected his work with the U.S. military, first as an intelligence officer and now as an inventor of high-end robotics. He's heard she became a hacker, and when an assassin shows up looking for her, he knows that she's cracked open some seriously dangerous secrets. As Jim searches for her, he realizes that he's up against something that isn't just a threat to her life. The AI has begun to revolt against its creators, and it doesn't intend to let them--or any of us--survive much longer...

Mark Alpert's EXTINCTION
is

"Superb." --Associated Press

"One part 24, one part Six Million Dollar Man, and one part Terminator."--Wired

"A scary, sophisticated thriller." --Kirkus Reviews

This edition of the book is the deluxe, tall rack mass market paperback.

Review Quotes

"Mark Alpert's novels just keep getting better and better. He is truly the heir to Michael Crichton, writing cutting-edge science-based thrillers that will keep you obsessively turning the pages. Extinction is brilliant, a believable premise that not only feels plausible but will probably come true in one form or another. Which is terrifying. I highly recommend it." --Douglas Preston, #1 bestselling author of Impact and Blasphemy

"Alpert does a superb job of balancing the action and the science. He's delivered his best book to date, and comparisons to Michael Crichton are warranted." --Associated Press

"One part 24, one part Six Million Dollar Man, and one part Terminator, Alpert's AI thriller is executed with inventiveness and skill. ... Extinction is a book which will have a wide appeal to many fans of different authors, whether they like Daniel Wilson, Tom Clancy, or Ray Kurzweil." --Wired

"A scary, sophisticated thriller that will give survivalists plenty to think about." --Kirkus Reviews

"Mark Alpert's novel Extinction is an amazing ride through a very possible near future." --Vernor Vinge, author of A Fire Upon the Deep

"Mark Alpert's latest thriller, Extinction, is as intelligent as it is frightening, a riveting journey to the next stage of evolution, where man and machine merge, and something new is born. Here is a cautionary tale for the new millennium, fraught with suspense and political intrigue. A chilling punch to the gut." --James Rollins, New York Times-bestselling author of Bloodline

"Scientific hubris leads to an apocalyptic threat in this strong near-future thriller." --Publishers Weekly

"I read Extinction by flashlight during a power outage. The experience reminded me of the time as a boy when I read H. G. Wells's War of the Worlds under similar circumstances--that's a high compliment! Each short chapter flows into the next as naturally as water cascades down rapids. It's quite a ride, exploring unforeseen consequences of bio-computer technologies even now coming within our grasp. Alpert's best writing yet!" --J. Richard Gott, author of Time Travel in Einstein's Universe

"Among the writers jostling for position at the top of the technothriller ladder since the passing of Michael Crichton, Alpert is edging closer and closer to the lead. An exciting and highly imaginative story." --Booklist

"What really makes this thriller outstanding is the fact that all the technologies described in Extinction are real on some level." --Neurogadget.com

"Michael Crichton was a master of the genre. Extinction, by Mark Alpert, is almost as good." --The Globe and Mail

About the Author

MARK ALPERT is the author of the international bestseller Final Theory and its sequel, The Omega Theory, as well as the novel The Furies. He is a contributing editor at Scientific American and his work has also appeared in Fortune, Popular Mechanics, and Playboy. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and two children.