"Tusks of Extinction" First Impressions *No Spoilers*

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Come share your initial, spoiler free thoughts about this book!

Please save all discussion of particulars, details from the story, character choices, plot questions, etc. for the full spoiler thread.

Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[ animal death/cruelty, gore, violence, death, loss of loved ones (hide spoiler)]

User-submitted content warnings on Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b...

(More about CWs here.)

[Becky]

I have read this a little bit in dribs and drabs, but I will likely try to finish it today or tomorrow now that the discussion threads are open.

This story just plops you right down and forces you to just accept the ride for where it goes. I was initially really confused, but it clears up pretty quickly.

It is making me sad and heartsick though. People are terrible.

[DivaDiane]

I think I will start this tomorrow.

[Meredith]

I picked up the audiobook over the weekend and I've been enjoying the performance. The beginning was a bit confusing, but you catch up pretty quick. I agree with Becky, people are the worst.

[Kim]

I got my copy from the library so I’m hoping to start tomorrow once I finish my current read.

[Becky]

Meredith wrote: "I picked up the audiobook over the weekend and I've been enjoying the performance. The beginning was a bit confusing, but you catch up pretty quick. I agree with Becky, people are the worst."

I would have preferred this on audio (as I do with most things lol) but it was only available via Kindle.

I'm about 18% in now, and it's starting to meld into a cohesive story now instead of vignettes of unrelated and confusing scenes.

The concept of memory Nayler is exploring is really intriguing to me. Really interested to see where it goes.

[Meredith]

My library only had the audio available. I definitely was thinking in the first section that I wish I had a book version to flip back and see what I had missed. I usually listen while driving in my car, so rewinding is not an option.

[Becky]

It definitely is trickier to go back to relisten to something confusing. Re-reading a section is much easier. Especially on kindle.

[DivaDiane]

I started to listen today. I’m not having issues with understanding what’s going on, but I find Stefan Rudnicki’s gravelly (and getting gravellier by the year), difficult to understand! Maybe I’m going deaf.

[Anna]

DivaDiane wrote: "Stefan Rudnicki"

Thanks for the heads up, I can't listen to anything narrated by him :S

[Becky]

Corinne wrote: "I meant that you must not have had that comprehension problem if the audio is working out for you."

I'm not sure if this is a reply to me, but if so, I'm not actually listening to the audio. I prefer them these days, but I'm actually reading this one on my kindle. I was just agreeing that going back in an audiobook is harder than on kindle. :)

[Becky]

No worries! Those kinds of things happen to me all the time. :)

[Michelle]

DivaDiane wrote: "I started to listen today. I’m not having issues with understanding what’s going on, but I find Stefan Rudnicki’s gravelly (and getting gravellier by the year), difficult to understand! Maybe I’m g..."

YES! The male narrator is rather off-putting with how rumbling his gravel voice is at times. and there's a couple places where he apparently had to go back in and re-record a sentence or two, and it's utterly jarring how different the voice is for that sentence (maybe he over-rumbled and an editor asked for a take 2?).

In any case, i discovered this morning that I'm already halfway through the audiobook after just 2 days' commutes of listening, this is a rather short novel. I'm feeling it's either going to be utterly genius by the end (those descriptions of how memory works!!) or somehow fail to stick the landing...

[Alex]

Finished the first chapter and grinding my teeth.

[Becky]

Michelle wrote: "and there's a couple places where he apparently had to go back in and re-record a sentence or two, and it's utterly jarring how different the voice is for that sentence (maybe he over-rumbled and an editor asked for a take 2?)."

This is one of my least favorite things about audiobooks. It's often SO obvious when there's a do-over take, or even when they start a new session. It can be so jarring. That's a perfect word for it.

[Kim]

I’m about halfway through. I’m glad I’m reading it instead of listening as I feel like I would have gotten completely loss.

[Cheryl]

Yes, it's the different viewpoints. Do not listen to it if you can avoid doing so. I'm done now, but I can see that even on paper there could have been more cues w/ the shifts.

[Becky]

I don’t think that was the case, personally. There’s no delineation between perspective shifts, just new paragraphs. I still found it a bit confusing at first.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

The opening of this was BRUTAL. I almost didn't make it past the first scene!

[Aga]

Allison wrote: "The opening of this was BRUTAL. I almost didn't make it past the first scene!"

Totally agree. The first chapter is so shocking and sad.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

I am very sad after that first chapter! However, continuing on.. I am happy I have an ebook and not the audiobook. Not sure I could finish an audiobook with such a sad chapter.

[Becky]

It really is a brutal start!

[CBRetriever]

how did a 101 page (in Kindle format) book end up being chosen? And BTW, it's $2.99 today which is why I bought it.

I know the hard copy said 90 more pages, but is that correct? I'm asking those who are reading the DTB version.

The Hardcover version on Amazon says 112 pages.

[Stephen]

CBRetriever wrote: "how did a 101 page (in Kindle format) book end up being chosen? And BTW, it's $2.99 today which is why I bought it.

I know the hard copy said 90 more pages, but is that correct? I'm asking those w..."

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[CBRetriever]

thanks - I just bought it on sale and was surprised at the page length

[Mareike]

Started the book this morning and I'm enjoying it so far.
I agree that the shifting viewpoints are a bit of a challenge in the audio version.

[Gabi]

I just found that this is a available to me on audio. I'm glad that I've read the blurb before I started. This way the changing POVs and time jumps are no problem for me.
But I agree - this is very hard on the soul because of its topic.

[CJ]

I'm just coming back to Goodreads and reading this at the 11th hour. I am using the Spotify audio version because it's on Scribd/Everand and I can see why some are not fond of Stephan Rudnicki's narrating. I have hyperacusis and with it, difficulty with deep voices, and his voice is difficult on my ears. Fortunately he's one of 2 narrators, the other, Gabrielle de Cuir, is a bit more appealing.

I'm about 1/3 in, have gotten far enough to understand the changing POVs in the narrative, but this is already not a happy read for me. I grew up in love with natural science and animals, have done work in exotic animal rescue, the story revolves around topics that are deeply upsetting for me, even in a SF/speculative context, because the underlying problem is so, so disheartening. However, this is a short read, so I think I can manage to finish it in a day.

[Bonnie]

My mind can't seem to settle on the other things I am reading, so thought I would try this. It's pretty short. I was OK with the author's The Mountain in the Sea, which I read last year at some point.

This seems like an interesting premise, certainly.

I wish the chapters were labelled so it was clear who is what and where.

[Cheryl L]

I'm just getting to this on audio. I agree with other's previous comments that the narration by the man is somewhat irritating. Until he forgets to use the gravely voice. Then it's ok.

The first scene is absolutely brutal but also realistic.

I'm enjoying the author's writing style quite a bit and the shifting back and forth in time by our protagonist.