Book Review: The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler

 

The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler

101 pages, Hardcover
Published January, 2024 by Tordotcom

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Ray Nayler is the reigning author of my top reads of the year. The Mountain in the Sea won my attention for pretty much anything this guy does. That novel is a wonderful combination of all the things I love in great science fiction. Overstuffed with ideas and deep meaning Ray Nayler brings unique education and experiences to Science Fiction stories that take a sharp edge and stick it into the heart of our relationship to nature.

While Philip K. Dick often prompted us to question what is the reality of being human? Nayler asks what is the reality of being an earthling. The Tusks of Extinction is a short and powerful Science Fiction novella. Just under 100 pages I could have read a full novel of this easily. If you trust me, go in cold like I did. This is very PKD and Lem-influenced and it is clear that Nayler has an eye for philosophical SF.

Spoilers from here on out… Go READ this book and come back.

“When you bring back a long-extinct species, there's more to success than the DNA.”

Considering the title you should not be surprised that this story is about Wolly Mammoths brought back by scientists from extinction. Nayler ponders the idea that no one would ever put the effort into bringing us back from extinction. The effort to bring these great beings back is a struggle as they don't know at first how to survive.

The narrative and what is happening might be confusing at first, but stick with it and you’ll get a nice payoff. Damira is a great character, and it will be confusing at first. This book is from her point of view…she has human thoughts but subtle hints lead me to think this book was told by an Elephant. It is sorta.

Scientists have brought the extinct Mammoth back from extinction but they don’t know how to live or survive without past generations to guide them. Who could possibly train them? Nayler suggests a wonderful SF solution.

"Dr. Damira Khismartullina, you were murdered."
"injured you mean I'm in a hospital."

Damira has a lot to process, her murder, a century passing, and a new life thanks to her preserved memories. The hardest thing to except a new body and mission.
 
"I said before that you are the only existing human mind that worked and lived with wild elephants. And that is true. But I should have put it another way. You are the only existing mind of any kind that knows the culture of Elephants. the last wild elephant died over a half-century ago. Our surrogates were raised in captivity, as was every Elephant they know. Wild elephant culture is dead on planet Earth except in one place: Your mind."

The reveal that future technology was used so this woman who gave her life protecting elephants was resurrected in the body of Mammoth was jaw dropper for me, even though it happens somewhat early. Who else could teach these resurrected mammoths who were built out of extinct creatures and their DNA.  It is a wonderful reversal and story theme for a one-time protector to have to live as the species she once protected. Excellent SF concept.

Chapter nine starts with Damira trying to make sense of her human memories and accept her fate. This is both fascinating, as the concept gives Nayler a unique opportunity to explore not only the interior life of an elephant/mammoth but also this woman's crazy experience.

"For an elephant, smells did not conjure feelings, fragments of scenes. No - they brought memories back whole, as material as glass beads on a strong. One memory chained to another, and another, and another. Memories as complete and rich as the world of now."

The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler is a novella masterpiece in my opinion. A powerful and thoughtful piece of philosophical Science Fiction that explores the nature of what it means to be an Earthling.