Extinction

Somer (Fishbowl) paints an unsettling picture of a future in which Earth is all but abandoned to the ravages of climate change in this vivid but uneven cli-fi survival tale. Ranger Ben is an anomaly, one of only a few humans choosing to stay on Earth instead of emigrating to a lunar colony. In vibrant, lyrical prose, Somer depicts Ben’s struggles with loneliness and the approaching winter as he watches over the last living grizzly bear in an unnamed North American forest. Details of Ben’s involvement in the three-member Ursa Project come to light organically as he discovers poachers in the valley set on killing the bear. To find the bear, the men will need to get their hands on Ben’s tracker, sending Ben on the run. Sometimes hunter and sometimes hunted, Ben traverses a wilderness largely devoid of animals. His hardships are keenly felt due to Somer’s masterful characterization, but the plot itself feels predictable, following familiar thriller beats that readers will easily anticipate. Thankfully, a resurgence of the literary, introspective element brings Ben’s story to a poignant close. Readers will be impressed by Somer’s prose but long for more surprises along the way. Agent: Andrea Blatt, WME. (Nov.)