Genome

The Extinction Files, Book 2

By: A. G. Riddle

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 13 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's Summary

The thrilling conclusion to The Extinction Files is finally here!

A code hidden in the human genome...will reveal the ultimate secret of human existence.

And could hold humanity's only hope of survival.

In 2003, the first human genome was sequenced. But the secrets it held were never revealed.

The truth was discovered 30 years ago, almost by accident. Dr. Paul Kraus had spent his entire career searching for what he called humanity's lost tribes - human ancestors who had gone extinct. When Kraus compared the DNA samples of the lost tribes with our own, he found a pattern of changes: a code. At the time, the technology didn't exist to unravel what it meant. To protect the secret, Kraus hid his work and disappeared. Now the technology exists to finally understand the mysterious code buried in the human genome, but finding the pieces of Kraus' research is more dangerous than anyone imagined.

Dr. Peyton Shaw and her mother have obtained part of Kraus' research - and a cryptic message that could lead to the remaining pieces. They believe his work is the key to stopping a global conspiracy - and an event that will change humanity forever.

The ultimate secret, buried in the human genome, will change our very understanding of what it means to be human. For Peyton, finding it may come at an incredible price. She must weigh the lives of strangers against those she loves: Desmond Hughes and her mother. With time running out, Peyton makes a fateful choice - one that can never be undone.

©2017 A. G. Riddle (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Disappointing finish

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was hoping we wouldn’t go there with the love triangle bit—totally unnecessary to the story AND a bit of a betrayal of Des one of our main characters. To me, it simply did not fit with his character. The triangle was so obnoxious and made so little sense to me that I had a hard time finishing the last 2.5 hours of the book. I kept arguing with the story teller, reminding him that this made absolutely no sense!!

a Masterp8ece

one of the best books I've ever read. the narrator could well be the best to bring emotion and authenticity ever in a book.Get it Now

Exciting and interesting, but confusing and weird

Although this is a pretty exciting and interesting story, there are several problems that get in the way of interest. First, there are the myriad chapter jumps from character to character and from time to time with no clues. It is very confusing trying to figure out if a given chapter is happening now or some time in the past. And there is a LOT of past here, more than 50 years of it, and we have to keep those pasts straight for so many people. Stalingrad, Australia, Oklahoma, Germany, Spain, the North Atlantic. Now, last year, 5 years ago, 50 years ago, a billion years ago. I lost my place in the book once when my phone kept playing after I had put it down. It took me over half an hour, and a lot of relistening to figure out where I had been. THAT is a confusing story.

This has sort of mixed up genres. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't. This one started out (in book 1) as a biological pandemic which then turned out to be a Lex Luther bioterrorism theme but now there's Virtual Reality and computer-controlled everything. This current volume takes it even further into VR and super computers. It's already confusing trying to figure out how their computer programs can do what they say they can, and then you have to understand how the Neanderthal cave paintings fit in (?), and then it just keeps getting weirder. Something is hidden in the human genome and it is supposed to answer the deepest questions of Man's existence. What's that question again? And where in the story, or Lin Shaw's genetic research, was this answered? Not much is answered because the question isn't clear. Most of the themes have been dealt with anyway in Star Trek in far less time and with less confusion.

It's a bit sci-fi. Our hero has hidden his memory in some computer somewhere? He has to find it to save the world.

It's a bit romance. Two women love him. Unless one just shrugs it off, there are only two ways for that to resolve, either one dies, or one has her heart broken. Take your pick.

The people cleverly change from being good guys to being bad guys or visy-versy. Who's hiding something? Who can you trust? You'll start with the eye rolling.

There are some good action scenes, but even they are confusing chronologically.

The last conversation of the story is the most confusing of all. It's supposed to be all high-brow intellectual philosophical and just ends stultifying: Let's not call the highest peak of our world by the name we use, let's be sly and use the name of the first surveyor-general of India and call it..... wait for it......Mt. Everest. Yeah, that'll obfuscate things.

Even though the story can keep you entertained, it is not satisfying because there's not a real moral, or a real conclusion. It's just kind of woo-woo, aren't we mysteriously esoteric!

Mr. Ballerini does well with all the voices except Lin Shaw's. She has to be 50-60 years old, but sounds like her daughter's sister.

interesting

took me forever to figure out what was going on in book 2. but the finish was well worth it

Did not disappoint!

I enjoyed the series. There could be more, but if he doesn't write another book in the extinction files, that will be ok too, it ended with enough closure.

Loved it!

Great story, can be a bit hard to follow at times, but stick with it, it proves to fill the gaps nicely. Very well read, Ballerini pulls you into the story and keeps you wanting more.

Good follow up

Went a very different route from when I started at the beginning of the first book. Not at all a bad thing but it was far from what I expected. Overall it was a good follow up to the first book and it wrapped the story up nicely.

one of the best

I cant wait for the conclusion of this amazing story. it has been amazing so far. ..I look forward to the film adaptation as well.

Be prepared to fall into the rabbit hole

It amazed me that where this book began is so far from where it ended. It was a good transition but just don’t enter with expectations based on where you thought the series was headed. If this seems confusing just wait until you read the book. For those of us who “see” deeper into the world around us and have an inkling or have peeked behind the curtain, you’ll really appreciate the path taken by this author
Enjoy the ride

I Loved it! I Can't wait for the next one!

I Loved it! I Can't wait for the next one! Hopefully we won't have to wait long!

The last was OK - this is less of the same

The first book promised much but was only OK by the end. This is less interesting and seems to be made up of a great deal of chasing around about nothing. Contrived, dull and a bit silly really.

Messy story line

I cannot resist a sequel, the temptation to see what happened next is just too great.

I felt the ending of Pandemic was a bit fuzzy so looked forward to seeing where the plot went. The plot was good and the slow reveal that I enjoyed in the first book did not initially disappoint. Sadly the main plot was interlinked with a 'who will he choose' love story that I just found irritating.

I disliked the narration and felt the characterisation was poor especially the women who became more and more stereotypical and whiny as the story progressed. I would have preferred the main story line to have been uncomplicated by the superfluous love angle. The two main female characters had strong enough story lines to not need a weak romantic side story.

Great Reality/ Sci-fi Fusion

I love books that explore the possibility of string theory and alternative lives in parallel universes in a manor an idiot (me) can comprehend. Very well done Mr Riddle your books have kept me engrossed and engaged for many hours- Thank you

Book 1 is much better.

I'm gutted with this book, I thoroughly enjoyed the first of these books, and was excited to listen to book 2, sadly it just doesn't live up to the story of book 1.

Lot's of going here, being chased there, double crossing and back stabbing, but not a strong story, just lots of going here and there.
If there is a book 3, I probably won't bother.

just ok

not as good as the Atlantic gene series. science is all over the place. story is easy to follow though

A good companion novel to the first

I enjoyed listening to this book but like the first it takes a lot of effort and understanding. I had to re-listen to a few chapters to really understand it. Will enjoy listening to it again and again.

Great book enjoyed l

Great book loved it enjoyed every moment in this series can't wait for last one

enjoyable read

huge improvement on book one. entertaining RIGHT from the getgo up to the last page. highly recommend.

Disapointed

first book was intresting another to buy the the 2nd in the series. But this 2nd book is long winder and unable to keep you intrested.
never finished it

Wow!

Really enjoyed this different twist on the post apoc / dystopian tale. Thoroughly enjoyable, and the last phrase actually made me stop work and say out loud "no way!!"
Excellent listen!