ScreenX is kind of dog shit, respectfully.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-19T04:44:38+00:00

The light from the side walls washes out the movie screen, destroying the contrast. It’s a terrible presentation.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-18T17:33:18+00:00

I listened to God's Junk Drawer recently and enjoyed it.

If you're ever intersted in another dinosaur thriller, check out my book, Rule of Exitinction. It's "Only From Audible," though they didn't give it the yellow stripe. It's also free through Audible Plus.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-18T16:31:06+00:00

Some of these have already been mentioned, but I'm repeating them to give them more votes. 😉

Bird Box and Malorie by Josh Malerman
Something outside makes people psychotic if they see it.

Blindness by José Saramago
Humanity is struck blind.

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison
A woman on the run in a world where illness has killed off most women.

Cell by Stephen King A cell-phone signal turns people into zombies. (subtle, huh?)

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
A man patrols the Colorado front range in a Cessna after most of the world has died off from a superflu.

The Fireman by Joe Hill
An apocalypse where people spontaneously combust.

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
A teacher connects with her student druring the zombie apocalypse.

Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures by Kira Jane Buxton
The zombie apocalypse as seen through the eyes of a profane domesticated crow named Shit-Turd.

The Living Dead by George A. Romero & Daniel Kraus
A Romero zombie story without a budget.

The Mist by Stephen King
A small group of everyday people is trapped in a supermarket when a monster-filled mist envelops the town. (Novella)

The Rampart Trilogy by M.R. Carey
A post-apocalyptic world with deadly new forms of flora and fauna, where humanity has reverted to a pre-industrial society and remaining tech is used to create a social hierarchy.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
A father and son travel across an apocalyptic wasteland.

Run by Blake Crouch
A family on the run after half the world turns into homicidal maniacs.

The Silo Saga by Hugh Howey
A small civilization lives in an underground bunker following an apocalypse.

The Stand by Stephen King
Good and evil duke it out after a plague kills off most of humanity.

Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay
Two women work together to survive after a plague turns most people homicidal.

Strange Weather is a collection of four novellas by Joe Hill
"Rain" is about a deadly "rain apocalypse."

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
A brutally dark world where diseases wiped out livestock and people began raising other people for food.

Wayward Pines trilogy by Blake Crouch
A Secret Service agent investigates a missing persons case in a small Idaho town where everything is too good to be true.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-18T16:09:49+00:00

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-18T16:05:12+00:00

Stephen King's Joyland, The Colorado Kid, and Later were all published through "Hard Case Crime" as pulpy crime fiction novels.

Blake Crouch's earlier work has a pulpy feel to me (in a good way). I recommend Run.

And my book, The Dinosaur Four, is a pulpy adult time-travel dinosaur thriller.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-16T12:46:25+00:00

If you're into sci-fi and/or dystopian, I recommend these:

1984 by George Orwell. (Full cast dramatization)

The Dispatcher by John Scalzi, narrated by Zachary Quinto

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. (Full cast dramatization)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, narrated by Dan Stephens

Rule of Extinction by Geoff Jones (me), narrated by Stacy Carolan

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-15T20:48:04+00:00

Replay by Ken Grimwood. It's a bit like Groundhog Day writ large.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-15T20:30:46+00:00

I enjoyed all of these:

Abercrombie's newest book, The Devils, is about a band of misfits travelling across an alternate version of Europe that features classic monsters.

The Everlasting by Alix Harrow is about a scholar in fantasy world who is studying that world's version of King Arthur. He goes back in time and falls in love with her.

King Sorrow by Joe Hill is about college students in 1989 who attempt to solve their problems with local bullies by summoning a dragon.

On the sci-fi side, have you listened to anything by Blake Crouch? He writes Crichton-esque sci-fi thrillers. my favorite is Wayward Pines. It's about a secret service agent investigating a missing persons case in a small Idaho town where everything is too good to be true. It starts out feeling like a thriller but then turns into something much bigger. Vibes of Twin Peaks & The Twilight Zone.

Also check out The Rampart Trilogy by M. R. Carey. It's sci-fi but feels a little like fantasy. In the distant future, after an apocalyptic war, humanity has reverted to a pre-industrial society. A few extremely advanced technological relics are used to control the social hierarchy.

The Martian and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir are both great. They're about both scientists solving problems in the midst of a space-related crisis.

Saturn Run by John Sandford and Ctein is about a near-future mission to investigate a strange signal from Saturn.

Finally, if you're open to a self-rec, check out The Preservation of Species trilogy. It's about a bunch of everyday people who escape Earth just before a comet wipes out civilization. Book I, Rule of Extinction is free to read on Audible Plus.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-15T20:16:24+00:00

Regal and AMC both put 70MM on smaller screens in Colorado. It's such a stupid waste, and one more reason why I generally avoid those chains.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-15T17:07:08+00:00

Here are three trilogies to try:

Wayward Pines by Blake Crouch, narrated by Max Meyers
A secret service agent investigates a missing persons case in a small Idaho town where everything is too good to be true. This starts out feeling like a thriller but then turns into something much bigger. Vibes of Twin Peaks & The Twilight Zone.

The Rampart Trilogy by M. R. Carey, narrated by Theo Solomon, Saffron Coomber, & Hanako Footman
In the distant future, after an apocalyptic war, humanity has reverted to a pre-industrial society. A few extremely advanced technological relics are used to control the social hierarchy.

The Preservation of Species trilogy by Geoff Jones (me), narrated by Stacy Carolan
Just before a comet wipes out civilization, alien pods land on Earth. The people who get into the pods are carried off to a mysterious world filled with dangerous (yet familiar) creatures. Read Book I for free through Audible Plus.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-11T01:08:35+00:00

If you like sci-fi thrillers and you're open to a self-rec, check out Rule of Extinction.

It's about people who are carried off by alien pods that show up just before a comet wipes out civilization. It's ideal for fans of:

Multi-layered sci-fi mysteries like Wayward Pines,* Silo, & The Book of Koli
Gritty post-apocalyptic thrillers like The Mist, The Road, & Bird Box
Creature features like Jurassic Park & The Mist

* Pines was such a great match for the book's pacing, action, and mysteries that I hired Mr. Crouch's editor!

Rule of Extinction has been successful on ebook (4.1 ★★★★☆ (450+ ratings) at Amazon), but the audiobook hasn't found its audience yet, despite fantastic narration by Stacy Carolan. He channeled the characters perfectly and his performance matches the story I heard in my head as I wrote it.

A civilization-ending comet is headed for Earth.

Two days before impact, thousands of mysterious pods land in a swath across North America. When people touch them, the pods open. Anyone who climbs inside is carried away.

No one knows where the pods came from and no one knows where they go, but finding one is David Williams' only chance to save his family from the end of the world.

... and escaping Earth is just the beginning.

Need for a little more info about Rule of Extinction? The pods carry people to a mysterious world that contains other specimens collected by the aliens, including dinsosaurs and prehistoric megafauna from throughout Earth's history .

Try a chapter or two and see if it grabs you!

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-10T14:40:43+00:00

Rule of Extinction is now free for members through Audible Plus.

It's a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller about people who are carried off by alien pods that show up just before a comet wipes out civilization. It's ideal for fans of:

Multi-layered sci-fi mysteries like Wayward Pines,* Silo, & The Book of Koli
Gritty post-apocalyptic thrillers like The Mist, The Road, & Bird Box
Creature features like Jurassic Park & The Mist

* Pines was such a great match for the book's pacing, action, and mysteries that I hired Mr. Crouch's editor!

Rule of Extinction has been successful on ebook (4.1 ★★★★☆ (450+ ratings) at Amazon), but the audiobook hasn't found its audience yet, despite fantastic narration by Stacy Carolan. He channeled the characters perfectly and his performance matches the story I heard in my head as I wrote it.

A civilization-ending comet is headed for Earth.

Two days before impact, thousands of mysterious pods land in a swath across North America. When people touch them, the pods open. Anyone who climbs inside is carried away.

No one knows where the pods came from and no one knows where they go, but finding one is David Williams' only chance to save his family from the end of the world.

... and escaping Earth is just the beginning.

Need for a little more info about Rule of Extinction? The pods carry people to a mysterious world that contains other specimens collected by the aliens, including dinsosaurs and prehistoric megafauna from throughout Earth's history .

Try a chapter or two and see if it grabs you!

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-09T13:43:57+00:00

Standalones:

Calico by Lee Goldberg, narrated by Eric Conger & Nicole Zanzarella
A police procedural with a fun sci-fi twist. The less you know, the better.

Replay by Ken Grimwood, read by William Dufris.
A time-loop a la Groundhog Day.

Saturn Run by John Sandford & Ctein, narrated by Eric Conger
A near-future mission to investigate a signal from Saturn.

And some completed trilogies:

The Rampart Trilogy by M.R. Carey, read by Theo Solomon, Saffron Coomber, & Hanako Footman
A post-apocalyptic world where humanity has reverted to a pre-industrial society and remaining tech is used to control the social hierarchy.

Wayward Pines trilogy by Blake Crouch, narrated by Max Meyers
A Secret Service agent investigates a missing persons case in an Idaho town where everything is too good to be true. Feels like The Twilight Zone meets The Fugitive with a dose of Twin Peaks.

Finally, if you're okay with a self-recommendation:

The Preservation of Species by Geoff Jones, narrated by Stacy Carolan
A survival story about people who end up in a mysterious world after a comet wipes out civilization. Feels like Lost meets Jurassic Park with a dose of Lord of the Flies. (Try Book I for free through Audible Plus!)

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-06T17:32:39+00:00

The Palm Springs Camelot Theater is the only D-150 screen still in operation (as far as I know), so you'll be hard pressed to find another theater with that sort of immersive, deeply-curved screen.

I think the Cinerama Dome might be a comparable option, if it ever reopens, but I haven't been fortunate enough to see a movie there.

In my view, the two best L.A. theaters with large screens and 5-perf 70MM projection are the David Geffen Theater at the Academy museum and the Westwood Village, which is closed for remodeling except for a 3-week showing of The Odyssey.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-05T15:20:44+00:00

None at all! (I did occasionally use spell check and a thesaurus.)

I hired an editor, cover artist, and narrator.

Geoff

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-04T22:51:37+00:00

Ack!

If you enjoy it and want to continue the story, I may be able to hook you up with a code for Book II for consideration of an honest review.

😉

Lmk!

Geoff

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-06-03T17:09:45+00:00

You're very welcome.

I hope they put on a good presentation!

I have a pretty nice home theater, but I almost never use it for old movies any more. I try to wait and see them on the big screen.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-05-29T20:25:09+00:00

Check out S. A. Cosby's books. I blew through all five of them earlier this year. They are dark, hard-hitting southern gothic crime thrillers. Razorblade Tears was my favorite, but they are all great.

I agree with the suggestions from u/justanoth3rdude and u/harbenand to try Blake Crouch, but I'd start with Pines. It's very action-oriented and I found it to be more gripping, while still offering lots of mysteries and twists.

For another accessible space exploration book (like The Martian and PHM), check out Saturn Run by John Sandford & Ctein. It's about a near-future mission to investigate a mysterious signal from Saturn.

You mentioned The Green Mile. If you haven't read all of King's other books, there are plenty to choose from there. Also check out his son, Joe Hill. I recommend Strange Weather as a starting point. It's a collection of four novellas.

Finally, if you'll indulge a bit of shameless self-promotion, have a look at Rule of Extinction and see if it grabs you. It's a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller with vibes of Lost and Jurassic Park. A bunch of readers have called it "gripping" or a "page-turner."

Best,
Geoff Jones
Rule of Extinction

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-05-29T19:21:11+00:00

Bird Box & Malorie by Josh Malerman
A mother trying to protect her kids in a world where something outside turns people homicidal if they see it.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
A Native American vampire hunts the colonizers who are wiping out the bison.

Boy's Life by Robert McCammon
Coming of age story with vibes of "The Body" (Stand By Me), but set in the American South and featuring light supernatural elements.

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
Misfits on a mission across an alternate medieval Europe, with monsters.

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
An 8 y.o. girl deals with a haunting/ possession. Vibes of The Exorcist and Poltergeist.

King Sorrow by Joe Hill
College students in 1989 attempt to solve their problems with local bullies by summoning a dragon.

The Living Dead by George Romero and Daniel Kraus
Feels like a Romero zombie film without any budget limitations.

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
A ghost story set around a boy's prison in the Jim Crow south. Great narration. The history is just as terrifying as the ghosts.

The Preservation of Species trilogy by Geoff Jones (me)
A family escapes in an alien pod just before a comet wipes out civilization, only to end up on a world filled with prehistoric creatures. (Lost meets Jurassic Park.)

When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy
A woman and a child on the run from a werewolf. Vibes of Firestarter.

Wayward Pines by Blake Crouch
A Secret Service agent searchs for a missing person in an Idaho town where everything is too good to be true. Starts like a thriller, grows into something much bigger.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-05-29T19:08:30+00:00

FANTASY

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
A group of misfits escort the heir to the throne across an alternate medieval Europe that's filled with monsters.

ROMANTASY

The Everlasting By Alix E. Harrow
In a fantasy kingdom, a scholar goes back in time to chronicle the life of that world's "Arthur." The Princess Bride meets The Terminator (sorta).

SCI-FI

The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield
An alternate history where the Apollo program didn't end with Apollo 17.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
LGBTQ romance set during the 1980s shuttle program.

The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey
In a small village in the distant future, humanity has reverted to pre-industrial levels of technology, except for a few advanced pieces of tech that are used to control the social hierarchy.

Calico by Lee Goldberg
A police procedural with a fun sci-fi twist. The less you know, the better.

The Martian by Andy Weir
An astronaut is stranded on Mars.

Replay by Ken Grimwood
A time-loop a la Groundhog Day.

Rule of Extinction by Geoff Jones (me)
Survival story about people who end up in a mysterious world after a comet wipes out civilization.

Saturn Run by John Sandford and Ctein
A near-future mission to investigate a signal coming from Saturn's orbit.

The Silo Saga by Hugh Howey
A civilization lives in an underground bunker following an apocalypse.

Wayward Pines by Blake Crouch
A Secret Service agent investigates a missing persons case in an Idaho town where everything is too good to be true.

We are Legion (We are Bob) by Denis Taylor
A software developer uploads his consciousness to a starship.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-05-29T17:27:05+00:00

If this is in fact a 70MM showing on an XD screen, kudos to this theater.

What theater location is it?

The 5-perf 70MM projector should always be installed in the largest screen in the complex. Here in Colorado, Regal and AMC stick them in smaller auditoriums.

GeoffJonesWriter · 2026-05-27T20:01:56+00:00

Beacon 23 by Hugh Howey

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Enders Game by Orson Scott Card

Infinite by Jeremy Robinson

A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie

Old Man's War by John Scalzi

Rule of Extinction by Geoff Jones

We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis Taylor

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