Struggle for Existence by Geoff Jones

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✦ BLURB ✦

Escaping Earth was just the beginning.

Two days before a comet wiped out civilization, mysterious pods carried dozens of people to a strange menagerie inhabited by deadly specimens from Earth’s past.

Sierra Preston made first contact with an alien that had been observing humans from an invisible floating platform. The creature claimed the comet was sent by a race known as gorgers and warned that no one could leave the menagerie.

Sierra isn’t about to let that stop her.

The Preservation of Species trilogy continues in Struggle for Existence, a post-apocalyptic science-fiction adventure filled with unforgettable heroes, terrifying monsters, and heart-pounding action.

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✶ PRE-READING ✶

The first book set up a fascinating premise with strong survivalist energy and alien intrigue. I expected more high-stakes exploration, cryptic cosmic hints, and evolution under pressure. I was especially curious to see how the "menagerie" would evolve - and how Sierra’s defiance would shake up the rules. A highlight of the first book was David's protectiveness of his children, and I was looking forward to more of that in this one.

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✶ POST-READING ✶

As I thought... The sequel amps up the pace and danger. Jones doesn’t hold back on the creature feature elements, and the menagerie continues to be an eerie, thrilling backdrop. Sierra’s resilience and refusal to accept alien limits is a standout again.

It surprised me by... Leaning harder into the lore - especially the gorgers and the intentions behind the "preservation." There’s a chilling implication about humanity's place in the universe, and the book starts asking bigger questions about agency, autonomy, and sacrifice. It’s not just survival anymore - it’s rebellion.

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✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦

📚 Book Pairing:
Zoo City by Lauren Beukes
Set in a gritty, near-future Johannesburg, this novel features a protagonist bound to an animal familiar as a result of a mysterious metaphysical phenomenon. Much like Sierra, Zinzi has to navigate a dangerous and unpredictable environment filled with hidden forces and existential stakes. It's speculative, strange, survivalist - and absolutely gripping.

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📺 Screen Pairing:
The Silent Sea (Netflix series)
This Korean sci-fi thriller follows a team sent to a lunar research base on a desperate mission to retrieve a mysterious sample. The isolation, mounting tension, and creeping sense of something very wrong beneath the surface parallels the menagerie setting. Like Struggle for Existence, it blends survival horror with cryptic alien tech and a slow-burn mystery about humanity’s future.

✦ MUSIC PAIRING ✦

Because sometimes, the heart of a story plays out like a song.

🎵 Featured Song: “Radioactive” – Imagine Dragons
🎶 Vibe Album: Fever Daydream – The Black Queen
🎧 Artist Recommendation: HEALTH – especially their ambient-cyberpunk tracks for tension and futuristic dread

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✧ VIBE CHECK ✧

A colour palette: Infrared, obsidian black, biohazard green
A soundtrack: Electric pulses, low growls, panicked breaths
A season: Deep winter - harsh, unpredictable, and quiet between storms
A mood: Trapped but defiant
A scent: Burnt ozone and damp stone

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★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★

Card Pulled: The Chariot – from Tarot Draconis
Here, The Chariot is drawn by two powerful dragons - a perfect symbol for Sierra and David’s determination to take control in a world ruled by monstrous chaos. This version of the card doesn’t just represent movement - it demands willpower strong enough to command the wild. In a story where survival means mastering ancient predators and alien tech, the Draconis Chariot charges forward with burning resolve.

Struggle for Existence publishes on the 24th of June, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.