Extremes

A Retrieval Artist Novel

By: Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Narrated by: Jay Snyder

His name: Miles Flint. His occupation: Retrieval Artist. His job: find the Disappeared - outlaws on the run, wanted for crimes against alien cultures. The catch: Flint isn't working on the side of the law anymore.

One simple mistake and a Disappeared could end up dead. But this time, the death of an ailing Retrieval Artist has caught Flint's attention. He suspects it was foul play, not a viral infection. Equally suspicious is a young woman's sudden demise during the Moon's prestigious Extreme Marathon. As Flint investigates, he finds an ominous connection. Both deaths lead back to a scientist - a scientist who is now one of the Disappeared.

Listen to more in the Retrieval Artist series.©2003 White Mist Mountain, Inc. (P)2008 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A very readable and thought-provoking novel that satisfied the reader in just about every possible way." (Analog)

"Top 10 Greatest Science Fiction Detective Novels of all Time." (io9.com)

"If you love puzzle mysteries, crime novels, well-invented sci-fi worlds or stories about characters you can believe in and care about, you owe it to yourself to give Rusch's Retrieval Artist novels a try." (Orson Scott Card)

A Gem of a Find

My first experience with Kristine Kathryn Rusch was the first novel of this series "The Disappeared" and it will not be the last. This novel ("Extremes") picks up where "The Disappeared" left off, on the moon, and ended up being even better than the first of the series. Flint is now a Retrieval artist and getting good at it. I can hardly wait until I get the next one downloaded to pick up where this left off. Rusch rates right up there with the Sci-Fi greats.

Engrossing and exciting.

This was my third novel by this author. What good writing. Everything is so interesting. The reader is excellent, too. This is science fiction that makes sense.

PLEASE stop voicing women in a whining falsetto

Any additional comments?

This is a pretty good series--interesting premise and a decent story. I've heard jay Snyder read the EX- series and he had to voice the women in the fourth book. He wasn't nearly as bad at it as he is in this series.. Why on earth do men think a breathy falsetto is what women sound like??? And why on earth is the producer letting it go thru??? It's annoying at the very least. I doubt I'll continue with the series.

A good second book in this series

Ms. Rusch delivered a good second book in this series, focusing on the characters and the detective work, even by the ex-detective Flint.

Some of the plot twists seem contrived, but not annoying.

Another stellar performance by Jay Snyder, as well.

A great continuation

This is the second book in the Retrieval Artist series of books and is a great continuation of the storyline.

In this book Flint and Noelle are no longer working together and Flint is learning that he really can’t trust anyone, which is very hard for him as he really wants to trust Noelle with everything he knows, but telling her to much will endanger his clients and their families.

The tension between Noelle and Flint is growing; they are trying to figure out what there new relationship is and how it will work in the future. It is not something that will be resolved anytime soon. It is this tension between the characters along with the crime-mystery drama that makes these books enjoyable for me.

Jay Snyder continues doing a great job bringing the characters to life.

Character dev. - break from the weird aliens

Not that I disliked the "weird aliens" introduced in the first book, but this humans-only followup was a nice break.

I've only heard these first two books, so I don't want to rush to judgment. The aliens in book one seem so alien it's a little difficult to relate. In this book, we have humans with accessible human motivations. The setting is good sci-fi, the main characters evolve, excellent second book in the series. Definitely enough for me to get book three.

Extreme Moon Marathon Murder Mystery

STORY (sci-fi) - This is Book 2 of the Retrieval Artist series. It occurs sometime in the future when humans live on the moon in a city under the Armstrong Dome...in a time when humans accidentally violate alien laws and are supposed to be surrendered for alien punishment. These humans often make arrangements to become "Disappeareds" to escape cruel alien punishment or death, and occasionally their families try to find them by using "Retrieval Artists" such as Miles Flint, the main character of the series.

The story begins as a female athlete's body is found curled up in the fetal position during an extreme marathon taking place outside Armstrong Dome. Did her survival suit fail causing her to die from lack of oxygen, or was it murder? And who is she...a frequent competitor with plenty of enemies, a brilliant scientist/murderess who has disappeared, or someone else? And why is there a mysterious virus which seems to be infecting people associated with the marathon? Flint and others are in a race against time to solve the crime and find the virus antidote before it's too late for everyone in Armstrong Dome.

PERFORMANCE - Jay Snyder has a sexy male voice and what I'd call an American accent. Some reviewers have criticized his attempts at female characters as sounding nasally. Bottom line...I knew when it was a female talking, so I appreciated the distinction.

OVERALL - Very "clean" book with no sex, cursing and only a small amount of violence. I'd recommend this book/series to anyone who likes sci-fi and might enjoy trying to solve a pretty intricate murder scenario.

Pedestrian and predictable

Nothing wrong with it - it just doesn't spark. A mildly interesting diversion from a not overly long book.

3.5 stars for this series

These are detective stories in space. No great strain on the brain matter and some gaping holes in the plot. I felt that I made a mistake buying the entire set after the first one thinking that the author was going to build on that story. She didn't really, The characters continue on with a series of detective stories that are not especially thrilling. I listened to them all and cannot say that I was inspired, but I enjoyed them for what they were, fairly bland. I wish we had 1/2 stars, these books only deserve three and half, the four is misleading but three would have been too low.

Great Aliens and 26K races on the Moon - love it!

What a great story arc---a marathon on the moon...Rusch really comes up with different ideas and I love it! Jay Snyder has the aliens down pat..voices and attitude-he's got it made.

A new protagonist-Miles Flint is introduced in this novel. He's a Retrieval Artist (why artist? I wonder)..someone who makes it safe for those who have crossed an alien culture go into hiding..ya gotta read these..or listen to them..to get what I'm talking about here.

In any case, as a former runner I could totally connect with this novel. And enjoyed it as much as the first. I'm sad to see there's only one more written in this series because I'm hooked as I haven"t been since "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo". And thats saying something!