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Permian: Emissary of the Extinct
Their vastnesses concealed since an era predating the earliest mammals, two titanic chasms are uncovered beneath the canopy of modern Siberia.
Lining the granite walls of the first, high above an orderly reservoir of fossilized eggs, an inscription spanning eighty-five miles describes the genome of a proto-mammalian species eradicated during the Permian Extinction. In the next, researchers discover etchings of the constellations as they would have appeared across the eons; a global timeline of ten billion years remembered and foretold by a primordial intelligence beyond our own. Armed with a genetic recipe, compelled to act by the harrowing implications of a pattern detected in the timeline, an international effort begins to return that species from extinction before mankind encounters its own.
The human race has only just learned to pluck at the strings of life on Earth. Will the curtains rise on a siren's song?
Where will they fall?
Lining the granite walls of the first, high above an orderly reservoir of fossilized eggs, an inscription spanning eighty-five miles describes the genome of a proto-mammalian species eradicated during the Permian Extinction. In the next, researchers discover etchings of the constellations as they would have appeared across the eons; a global timeline of ten billion years remembered and foretold by a primordial intelligence beyond our own. Armed with a genetic recipe, compelled to act by the harrowing implications of a pattern detected in the timeline, an international effort begins to return that species from extinction before mankind encounters its own.
The human race has only just learned to pluck at the strings of life on Earth. Will the curtains rise on a siren's song?
Where will they fall?
- GenresScience Fiction
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 30, 2019
275 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Devyn Regueira
8books9followersDevyn's unique approach to science fiction as a genre has inspired tens of people, although there is speculation that that figure may now be in the dozens. He attended Florida State University, graduating pseudo cum laude with a major in Political Science and a Minor-In-Possession.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
December 23, 2019
Others have said it better!
This is not your run of the mill 21st century read. It is more like Heinlein in its wittiness and cleaned up without his non PC content.
I agree with another reviewer that the individual characters� voices sounded the same. Setting that aside, it would probably be like listening to a genius entertaining him/herself! Seemingly insane, but wonderfully engaging and tremendously beneficial mind exercise.
You’ll either love it or hate it! If you enjoy watching a good book as a movie, then don’t waste your time, because the craftsmanship will be wasted on your lazy mind!
This is not your run of the mill 21st century read. It is more like Heinlein in its wittiness and cleaned up without his non PC content.
I agree with another reviewer that the individual characters� voices sounded the same. Setting that aside, it would probably be like listening to a genius entertaining him/herself! Seemingly insane, but wonderfully engaging and tremendously beneficial mind exercise.
You’ll either love it or hate it! If you enjoy watching a good book as a movie, then don’t waste your time, because the craftsmanship will be wasted on your lazy mind!
April 12, 2020
When I first learned that someone wrote a scifi novel about the Permian extinction, I expected an exciting story about time travelers cowering beneath runaway volcanic eruptions in prehistoric Siberia.
But this wordy tale about long boring conversations with a cloned synapsid who talks about everything EXCEPT the fate of her species during the worst mass extinction in earth history turned into a missed opportunity. Especially since she borrows so many highfalutin words from Roget's thesaurus.
Which is too bad because there are so few exciting stories that take place during the Paleozoic era.
But this wordy tale about long boring conversations with a cloned synapsid who talks about everything EXCEPT the fate of her species during the worst mass extinction in earth history turned into a missed opportunity. Especially since she borrows so many highfalutin words from Roget's thesaurus.
Which is too bad because there are so few exciting stories that take place during the Paleozoic era.
March 4, 2021
Just... WOW!
While I have to admit to some annoyance at first with all the heavy language, I couldn't stop reading. I gradually came to appreciate the amazing, if pedantic wordplay
necessary to the exchanges between the humans and Ma'am. It is an intriguing story, and great fun too.
While I have to admit to some annoyance at first with all the heavy language, I couldn't stop reading. I gradually came to appreciate the amazing, if pedantic wordplay
necessary to the exchanges between the humans and Ma'am. It is an intriguing story, and great fun too.
December 12, 2019
Heady, humorous science fiction of the highest grade!
A highly entertaining and convincing sci-fi jaunt that employs a very engaging if, at times overbearing, writing style within the dialogue-driven narrative, I both loved and found myself feeling excluded from the highly educated, metaphor-spitting voices used by all of the writer's cast of characters though this is also the grounds upon which I cast my one major criticism of the author: I found the uniformity of vocabulary and speaking style of each and every character in the book highly unbelievable. Still, a wonderful story that I did not want to put down until finished. I will now proceed in hopes that there is a sequel to continue my journey.
A highly entertaining and convincing sci-fi jaunt that employs a very engaging if, at times overbearing, writing style within the dialogue-driven narrative, I both loved and found myself feeling excluded from the highly educated, metaphor-spitting voices used by all of the writer's cast of characters though this is also the grounds upon which I cast my one major criticism of the author: I found the uniformity of vocabulary and speaking style of each and every character in the book highly unbelievable. Still, a wonderful story that I did not want to put down until finished. I will now proceed in hopes that there is a sequel to continue my journey.
January 7, 2020
Fun!
To be honest the 50-50 split in the loved it or hated it reviews got my attention. Once I got accustomed to the author’s writing style I really enjoyed this. It is a complicated read but a fun challenge for the logophiles out there!
To be honest the 50-50 split in the loved it or hated it reviews got my attention. Once I got accustomed to the author’s writing style I really enjoyed this. It is a complicated read but a fun challenge for the logophiles out there!
January 16, 2021
Wow!
I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down from the moment I downloaded it. I look forward to the continuing story and will look up other books by this author.
I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down from the moment I downloaded it. I look forward to the continuing story and will look up other books by this author.
February 4, 2021
I love this book!! I just finished and seriously had to check everywhere to make sure that my copy didn’t just get cut off because it seems to just end in the middle of the story. Very witty way to create a cliffhanger but there was no ending authors notes and nothing letting me know when/if a new book will be coming out at any point. So I can only hope that there’s going to be a next book in the series I wanna find out what happens to P-999 or P-000!!!! And I can’t precall anything (love that term) so it’s up to the author to make it happen soon please! 😉
Let’s just say if you like speculative fiction that involves “alien� minds, sciency thrillers racing to solve a mystery and prevent catastrophe, a bit of witty banter and an interest in the Heisenberg principal you might like this book!
Let’s just say if you like speculative fiction that involves “alien� minds, sciency thrillers racing to solve a mystery and prevent catastrophe, a bit of witty banter and an interest in the Heisenberg principal you might like this book!
May 2, 2021
This book captured me in the first chapter (although they are called ”Installments� in the book). It maybe the best first chapter I have ever read. The rest of the story was very good but I had to struggle with some of the long, complex, sentences. It’s plain the author has a science background or he researches well. The storyline reminded me of “The Mote in God’s Eye� but unlike that book the ending was very satisfying.
September 6, 2020
Excellent! Well done, intelligent, seriously well researched but fun.
October 29, 2020
Is this the Flatland for Biology Students?
This is one book, I'll be back to read again. The next time I'll be armed with a stack of books on palentology, genetics, and experimental genetics. This is one of the most fascinating scifi books I have read in a very long time. The typical.boom is entertaining, not fascinating... this was both. I initially read some reviews that called it a primer in genetics and they may very well be right. My knowledge in the area is simply too limited to assess. But from a layman's standpoint, my gut hunch is that if I can get my knowledge up to par... I just received a free education. Conceptually I suppose its along the lines of Flatland and Sphereland, those two old math primers in 2d and 3/4d thinking written by a professor seeking an easier way to convey a very complex mathematical idea to his students. And no... I did not read the authors bio!
This is one book, I'll be back to read again. The next time I'll be armed with a stack of books on palentology, genetics, and experimental genetics. This is one of the most fascinating scifi books I have read in a very long time. The typical.boom is entertaining, not fascinating... this was both. I initially read some reviews that called it a primer in genetics and they may very well be right. My knowledge in the area is simply too limited to assess. But from a layman's standpoint, my gut hunch is that if I can get my knowledge up to par... I just received a free education. Conceptually I suppose its along the lines of Flatland and Sphereland, those two old math primers in 2d and 3/4d thinking written by a professor seeking an easier way to convey a very complex mathematical idea to his students. And no... I did not read the authors bio!
January 18, 2023
interesting read
Truthfully I had to fight through some of this book, but it’s a very interesting read and the last few chapters were worth it
Truthfully I had to fight through some of this book, but it’s a very interesting read and the last few chapters were worth it
February 23, 2020
Oh! That was it?
I loved this thing ( I can't call it a book )but it was all too brief. I may read again to get some details straight so my imagination can be kept honest.
I loved this thing ( I can't call it a book )but it was all too brief. I may read again to get some details straight so my imagination can be kept honest.
March 15, 2023
This Book Made Me Smarter While Being More Interesting Than School
And I loved going back to school. I had to research many of the sciences and concepts while reading this to understand the story and I did so happily. Reading on Kindle too is great because I could also easily retrieve word definitions with a click. The characters and plot are mind bending. My view and understanding of our world and universe have expanded.
And I loved going back to school. I had to research many of the sciences and concepts while reading this to understand the story and I did so happily. Reading on Kindle too is great because I could also easily retrieve word definitions with a click. The characters and plot are mind bending. My view and understanding of our world and universe have expanded.
October 20, 2019
Precalling The End
A crash course in Geology, Cultural Anthropology and Genetics, a unique and intriguing take on what can only be considered First Contact. A great, scientifically challenging and fascinating read!
A crash course in Geology, Cultural Anthropology and Genetics, a unique and intriguing take on what can only be considered First Contact. A great, scientifically challenging and fascinating read!
June 16, 2021
Powerful premise. Unfortunate execution.
The premise of this book is mind blowing. And the story is most interesting…where it doesn’t detour off into a really frustrating effort to be hard science. The writer can’t meld storytelling and hard science together very well at all. The story will be cruising along wonderfully and a page flip bogs the reader down into totally unnecessary screeds that seem to be nothing more than vehicles for the writer to show off a deep knowledge of certain scientific principles.
And while interesting…and laudable…absolutely unnecessary to the flow of the story in the depth and quantity put forth. Did I finish the book? Absolutely. Did I end up skimming through a quarter of it in frustration? Absolutely. And just as the story hit its stride? An absolutely ham fisted, and in my opinion, lazy ending that left my mouth hanging open in utter disbelief. An ending that probably would have made more sense had I NOT skimmed through the incredibly plodding and overly deep science lessons.
The writer has great potential. But must decide how to balance storytelling and dissertation.
The premise of this book is mind blowing. And the story is most interesting…where it doesn’t detour off into a really frustrating effort to be hard science. The writer can’t meld storytelling and hard science together very well at all. The story will be cruising along wonderfully and a page flip bogs the reader down into totally unnecessary screeds that seem to be nothing more than vehicles for the writer to show off a deep knowledge of certain scientific principles.
And while interesting…and laudable…absolutely unnecessary to the flow of the story in the depth and quantity put forth. Did I finish the book? Absolutely. Did I end up skimming through a quarter of it in frustration? Absolutely. And just as the story hit its stride? An absolutely ham fisted, and in my opinion, lazy ending that left my mouth hanging open in utter disbelief. An ending that probably would have made more sense had I NOT skimmed through the incredibly plodding and overly deep science lessons.
The writer has great potential. But must decide how to balance storytelling and dissertation.
May 28, 2022
I loved the premise of this book, that ancient proto-mammalians left a message about the end of the world to us. It was frightening that they could send that information through the millennia, and give us the genetic information to revive them.
However, the style is difficult to get through. The author sucked us in, then left us with stilted, long passages of barely understandable dialog. There's a lot of great science in there and compelling characters as well as that great premise, but it falls a little short. The opening actually had me terrified, but the rest didn't follow through.
The book was compelling enough for me to read a sequel if there is one. The ending was abrupt and sort of vague, but there could be another book, I don't know. The whole alpha and omega ending left that unclear.
If you like lots of science and long speeches, you'll like this book, it has a lot of potential, but it's not quite there yet. However, it was compelling enough to have me finish to the end and want more so I gave it four stars. It would appeal to hardcore science fiction/science horror fans I believe.
However, the style is difficult to get through. The author sucked us in, then left us with stilted, long passages of barely understandable dialog. There's a lot of great science in there and compelling characters as well as that great premise, but it falls a little short. The opening actually had me terrified, but the rest didn't follow through.
The book was compelling enough for me to read a sequel if there is one. The ending was abrupt and sort of vague, but there could be another book, I don't know. The whole alpha and omega ending left that unclear.
If you like lots of science and long speeches, you'll like this book, it has a lot of potential, but it's not quite there yet. However, it was compelling enough to have me finish to the end and want more so I gave it four stars. It would appeal to hardcore science fiction/science horror fans I believe.
May 4, 2021
Interesting idea, poor execution.
The idea of resurrecting a sentient species from the Permian era is fascinating, and they’re convincingly alien while still feeling something that could have arisen on earth. Unfortunately, the characters don’t quite come off right� many of them are convinced their too clever for their own good, without actually being all that clever. Reactions are a little overboard in many cases. Motivations a little opaque. Dialogue a little technically dense, even for a guy used to hard scifi jargon like myself.
At 140 pages, The book was readable, but I feel like a longer book would’ve outlived its welcome� though maybe it needed that length to flesh things out and make them feel more normal.
The idea of resurrecting a sentient species from the Permian era is fascinating, and they’re convincingly alien while still feeling something that could have arisen on earth. Unfortunately, the characters don’t quite come off right� many of them are convinced their too clever for their own good, without actually being all that clever. Reactions are a little overboard in many cases. Motivations a little opaque. Dialogue a little technically dense, even for a guy used to hard scifi jargon like myself.
At 140 pages, The book was readable, but I feel like a longer book would’ve outlived its welcome� though maybe it needed that length to flesh things out and make them feel more normal.
April 8, 2024
Intriguing plot
I think all with an interest in biology, palaeontology and/or quantum physics are well-served by reading this tale, with its thought-provoking speculations in all these fields, and hints of a new world-view, pertaining to which the reader is left hungry for more detail; this is both asset and deficit.
There are, unfortunately, a fair number of typos and bungled word-choices. Not a major obstacle, these, but it is evident a bit more proof-reading and editing was called for. Hence the four-star rating.
On balance, quite an entertaining tale, and highly recommended by me!
I think all with an interest in biology, palaeontology and/or quantum physics are well-served by reading this tale, with its thought-provoking speculations in all these fields, and hints of a new world-view, pertaining to which the reader is left hungry for more detail; this is both asset and deficit.
There are, unfortunately, a fair number of typos and bungled word-choices. Not a major obstacle, these, but it is evident a bit more proof-reading and editing was called for. Hence the four-star rating.
On balance, quite an entertaining tale, and highly recommended by me!
April 30, 2022
what the blank.
No just no. As much as I read for entertainment this was a struggle. I kept thinking it would get better but am I missing something? I’m a science person and thought I was getting it. Yes it was wordy, but science wordy. Something so bizarre was discovered and how this was imagined and where are they going with this being? It’s when I began to not care what happens that I’m like no on book 2 and the ending still didn’t pique any interest to draw to #2. I apologize to the author.
No just no. As much as I read for entertainment this was a struggle. I kept thinking it would get better but am I missing something? I’m a science person and thought I was getting it. Yes it was wordy, but science wordy. Something so bizarre was discovered and how this was imagined and where are they going with this being? It’s when I began to not care what happens that I’m like no on book 2 and the ending still didn’t pique any interest to draw to #2. I apologize to the author.
June 13, 2022
A timeless warning
This book goes between the Permian era and present day. A formation in the rock of our genetic sequence was found and from that sequence a creature involved. The scientist of the day we’re assembled to talk to her. And the being known as ma’am was put to the test. I found the book some other interesting but also had a lot of scientific terms and unless you were a geologist or a geneticist it was hard to get through it. I would recommend this book if you’d like a purely scientific book. It was somewhat hard to read and I hope there is a sequel coming out.
This book goes between the Permian era and present day. A formation in the rock of our genetic sequence was found and from that sequence a creature involved. The scientist of the day we’re assembled to talk to her. And the being known as ma’am was put to the test. I found the book some other interesting but also had a lot of scientific terms and unless you were a geologist or a geneticist it was hard to get through it. I would recommend this book if you’d like a purely scientific book. It was somewhat hard to read and I hope there is a sequel coming out.
May 1, 2021
My review in one line: very odd but enjoyable!
The book has a Jurassic Park vibe to it, however I had to take one star away because I got lost between almost every "installment". I honestly hope that there will be a second book based on the offspring of Ma'am.
The narrator was fantastic and possibly one of my new favorite narrators. Very easy to listen to.
Disclaimer - I received this book for free in exchange for an unbiased review.
The book has a Jurassic Park vibe to it, however I had to take one star away because I got lost between almost every "installment". I honestly hope that there will be a second book based on the offspring of Ma'am.
The narrator was fantastic and possibly one of my new favorite narrators. Very easy to listen to.
Disclaimer - I received this book for free in exchange for an unbiased review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2021
Pedantic and pretentious narrative, complete with nonsensical and overly divergent similes, along with copious use of commas and run on sentences, diverted my considerable inquisitiveness regarding the ingenious plot idea to intense distraction. Read my first sentence and multiply by a factor ten to get the gist of my pain in reading this book. The thesis of the tale is original and compelling. In the hands of a more humble writer and an experienced editor it would have been amazing.
April 12, 2020
This should be burned and the author sent to college , for the Author obviously has never set foot in a worrying class and also obviously never heard of an editor
Editor . I tried to read this deal 3 times and have up in disgust . Do not buy this book other than for toilet paper ,which makes the e version less than useless
Editor . I tried to read this deal 3 times and have up in disgust . Do not buy this book other than for toilet paper ,which makes the e version less than useless
July 13, 2020
The premise of this book is really good and the first few chapters are real page turners. Unfortunately the author reveals all his cards in the first third of the book and there isn't enough mystery left to fill the rest of the pages. Then the book just ends. No answers, no resolutions, not even a new mystery that might explain the necessity for a sequel.
November 12, 2021
Intellectually snobbish
Excessively convoluted sentence structure made this very difficult to read. Seems like the author's primary objective was to show off his intellect rather than engage the reader. The book ended in such a way that it felt like the writer just got up and walked away mid sentence.
Excessively convoluted sentence structure made this very difficult to read. Seems like the author's primary objective was to show off his intellect rather than engage the reader. The book ended in such a way that it felt like the writer just got up and walked away mid sentence.
May 31, 2022
I struggled at times to keep up with the plot as the POV shifted, especially when the non-humans were the POV. But it was worth the struggle. The central idea of the plot was not one I've come across before and kept me guessing to the end.
The end is where I had my biggest issue: 95%+ of the book was build-up and less than 5% was resolution, which was too little for a satisfying ending.
The end is where I had my biggest issue: 95%+ of the book was build-up and less than 5% was resolution, which was too little for a satisfying ending.
April 16, 2020
Extinction
Interesting ideas abound in this short novel. They come firehose fast as the story rockets through twist and turns. The ending is why it gets three stars. While not illogical, it seemed non-sequitor.
Interesting ideas abound in this short novel. They come firehose fast as the story rockets through twist and turns. The ending is why it gets three stars. While not illogical, it seemed non-sequitor.
April 21, 2021
Interesting premise
Lots of scientific jargon, ended abruptly. I would assume there's a sequel, or will be, but was absolutely surprised when moving to the next page, that there wasn't one.
Lots of scientific jargon, ended abruptly. I would assume there's a sequel, or will be, but was absolutely surprised when moving to the next page, that there wasn't one.
May 14, 2022
Don't Bother Reading
Sorry this book starts with a great
story but never delivers. I keep reading looking for that moment when the book matched the initial premise but it never csme
Sorry this book starts with a great
story but never delivers. I keep reading looking for that moment when the book matched the initial premise but it never csme
July 4, 2022
It started good, but turned into a big muddle. Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, talks in circles, in pedantic and obscure language, and then, then the book ends not in a cliffhanger, but complete butcher knife cutoff of the story. Although I should be happy just that it ended, however.
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