This pedal-to-the-metal speculative thriller revolves around the discovery of a highly territorial colony of predatory dinosaurs in Alaska that has survived undetected for millions of years.
The story begins in an
America on the verge of collapse: The nation’s oil reserve is almost gone, and,
within a matter of weeks, the country’s entire infrastructure could crumble.
However, scientists have discovered the largest fossil fuel deposit in the
world, within Alaska’s Noatak National Preserve, which could save the nation
from imminent disaster. But there’s one major drawback: a large colony of
vicious birdlike dinosaurs (classified as Deinonychus) that have lived
in the secluded area for millennia. Zoologist Scott Chandler and his
ex-girlfriend Kimberly Fulton, a pre-eminent paleontologist, are tasked by the
president of the United States himself to help identify and somehow suppress
the mysterious predators—– but an overzealous military presence turns the
volatile situation into an all-out blood bath, as dozens of Marines enter the
“lost world,” and none return alive. When Fulton’s wayward son and his
girlfriend venture into the area, Chandler and Fulton are forced to attempt a
desperate rescue.
The narrative features
well-developed characters, a plausible and well-researched premise, vivid
description and brisk pacing throughout. The only two significant criticisms
are that the conclusion is somewhat predictable, and the overall concept isn’t
particularly original; James Robert Smith’s The Flock (2006), for
example, features a very similar setup. That said, readers who like intelligently
written thrillers, à la Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park (1990) and
Frank Schätzing’s The Swarm (2006), will likely enjoy this
pulse-pounding trip into the Alaskan wilderness.
An undeniably readable
thriller with breakneck pacing and jaw-dropping action sequences.
