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Raptor Red
A pair of fierce but beautiful eyes look out from the undergrowth of conifers. She is an intelligent killer...
So begins one of the most extraordinary novels you will ever read. The time is 120 million years ago, the place is the plains of prehistoric Utah, and the eyes belong to an unforgettable heroine. Her name is Raptor Red, and she is a female Raptor dinosaur.
Painting a rich and colorful picture of a lush prehistoric world, leading paleontologist Robert T. Bakker tells his story from within Raptor Red's extraordinary mind, dramatizing his revolutionary theories in this exciting tale. From a tragic loss to the fierce struggle for survival to a daring migration to the Pacific Ocean to escape a deadly new predator, Raptor Red combines fact an fiction to capture for the first time the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of the most magnificent, enigmatic creatures ever to walk the face of the earth.
So begins one of the most extraordinary novels you will ever read. The time is 120 million years ago, the place is the plains of prehistoric Utah, and the eyes belong to an unforgettable heroine. Her name is Raptor Red, and she is a female Raptor dinosaur.
Painting a rich and colorful picture of a lush prehistoric world, leading paleontologist Robert T. Bakker tells his story from within Raptor Red's extraordinary mind, dramatizing his revolutionary theories in this exciting tale. From a tragic loss to the fierce struggle for survival to a daring migration to the Pacific Ocean to escape a deadly new predator, Raptor Red combines fact an fiction to capture for the first time the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of the most magnificent, enigmatic creatures ever to walk the face of the earth.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1995
185 people are currently reading
12870 people want to read
About the author
Robert T. Bakker
24 books148 followersBakker was born in Bergen County, New Jersey. He attributes his interest in dinosaurs to his reading an article in the September 7, 1953 issue of Life magazine. He graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1963.
At Yale University, Bakker studied under John Ostrom, an early proponent of the new view of dinosaurs, and later gained a PhD at Harvard. He began by teaching anatomy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland and Earth and Space Sciences, where future artist Gregory S. Paul worked and collaborated informally under his guidance. Most of his field work has been done in Wyoming, especially at Como Bluff, but he has ranged as far as Mongolia and South Africa in pursuit of dinosaur habitats.
At Yale University, Bakker studied under John Ostrom, an early proponent of the new view of dinosaurs, and later gained a PhD at Harvard. He began by teaching anatomy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland and Earth and Space Sciences, where future artist Gregory S. Paul worked and collaborated informally under his guidance. Most of his field work has been done in Wyoming, especially at Como Bluff, but he has ranged as far as Mongolia and South Africa in pursuit of dinosaur habitats.
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May 12, 2024
Paleontologist Robert T. Bakker : I'm going to anthropomorphize the shit out of dinosaurs.
Me :
It frustrates me when people without knowledge about dinosaurs insist that they were stupid. Although we may never fully understand the behavior and cognitive abilities of dinosaurs, most scientists believe that dinosaurs possessed some level of intelligence. Troodon is considered the smartest dinosaur because of its above-average brain-to-body ratio.
Despite the extensive research conducted by scientists on modern animal brains, proving the high intelligence of certain species, some people still maintain that animals are unintelligent and lack emotions. Whenever people claim animals are incapable of feeling emotions, Jedi Master David Attenborough and Jedi Master Jane Goodall feel a great disturbance in the force.
If you share the same fascination for dinosaurs as many others do, let me take you on a journey to a world that existed long ago.
The cruel calculus of evolution permits no sentimentality.
'Call her Utahraptor. The Hunter of Ancient Utah.' This name was suggested by the book's author, Robert T. Bakker, to his colleague, James Kirkland, who was filled with excitement upon discovering a massive fossil raptor claw unearthed in Utah.
I got emotionally invested in a dinosaur. A DINOSAUR.
I regret nothing. Raptor Red is so much better than Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park (if you stay still, a T-Rex, one of the most skilled predators to ever roam the Earth, won't be able to see or smell you. 😄😄 It is a fact that the T-Rex had incredible vision). I love Rexy, the female T-Rex who made appearances in movies 1, 4, 5, and 6, but COME ON. You might recall velociraptors from the novel and Spielberg's film. Velociraptors and Utahraptors belong to the same family called Dromaeosauridae. Utahraptors are the largest members of this family. They likely chose to include velociraptors instead of Utahraptors because Utahraptors hadn't been discovered yet when Jurassic Park was written. Robert T. Bakker was mentioned in both the book and the film.
This book narrates the journey and challenges faced by a young adult female Utahraptor. According to Bakker, her story was reconstructed using the fossilized remains of Utahraptor and the hints about her environment preserved in Early Cretaceous sediments.
The majority of the science remains valid, not everything but most, which is quite impressive given that it was written almost three decades ago. Come with me on a thrilling journey to a period that dates back to one hundred and twenty million years ago.
The female Utahraptor doesn’t have a name for herself. Her brain doesn’t operate with words, not even with silent, unspoken syllables. It works with images, colorful bursts of memory that make up a dreamlike history the brain constantly updates. Every day new experiences and new associations from her senses rearrange the symbolic registry.
In her own brain the raptor identifies herself with the symbols she learned as a chick: me … raptor … red.
DINO-SPOILERS
I'm refraining from revealing too much to avoid spoiling the book for others. Although I have a habit of giving away too many details in my reviews, I'll try to hold back this time.
Raptor Red excels in hunting with her powerful hindlegs, muscular body, and intimidating sharp claws. Her family, originally from northern Asia, are recent arrivals to the Utah ecosystem. This gives them an advantage, as the local prey in North America have not developed defenses against these foreign predators.
She is focused on taking down the largest herbivore in the Utah ecosystem, an Astrodon. Raptor Red and her mate work together to achieve the challenging goal of bringing down a massive male Astrodon. Despite their success in the hunt and enjoying the feast, her mate tragically loses his life.
Raptor Red finds herself in solitude for the first time. She is part of a highly social species and grew up surrounded by her parents and siblings. Later on, she found companionship in her chosen mate. But now, she is on her own.
Raptor Red starts to lose weight. A single Utahraptor isn't as effective at hunting as a duo. Despite this, she remains resilient and manages to survive solo for some time. Eventually, she comes across her sister and her offspring by chance. The sisters are finally reunited, and Raptor Red is no longer alone.
Raptor Red hunts and travels with her sister and also assists in safeguarding her sister's chicks. I expected a depressing read but found it quite humorous. I enjoyed the interactions between Raptor Red and her neurotic sister (who knew dinosaurs could be neurotic), as well as her encounters with potential mates. Raptor Red is quite picky and won't settle for anything less than perfection in a mate. This behavior is common in the animal kingdom, where females choose the strongest and healthiest males to reproduce with.
Early Cretaceous life artwork. Richard Bizley Science Photo Library.
Raptor Red finally encounters a possible mate. She is smitten, yet the process of courtship is filled with challenges. The male begins to travel alongside Raptor Red and her family; however, he must demonstrate his worthiness. Her easily irritated sister strongly dislikes him, and the chicks are wary of him.
As soon as everything seems to be going well, unexpected events take place. Raptor Red and her new mate get separated, and sadly, one of her sister's chicks dies unexpectedly. Unfortunately, more misfortunes come their way. Their journey takes them from sunny floodplains and river-edge forests to vast beaches and snowy mountains. The first two-thirds of the book is packed with funny moments, but then it takes an unexpected turn and introduces a more somber tone.
The book is filled with both funny and sad moments. I won't spoil the last few chapters. An old white dactyl surprisingly became one of my favorite characters. And if you find the ocean frightening today, imagine living in the Mesozoic Era.
Raptor Red leaves dreamtime gradually, in stages. Her morning dreams have been soft and warm and comforting. She’s seen herself curled up with her male consort on one side and her two nieces on the other. Now, as she is crossing the boundary between sleep and consciousness, she feels safe. In her last dream of the morning, she’s being guarded by a huge white dactyl who won’t let predators come near.
This isn't the Early Cretaceous period, but the image is too awesome not to share. Artwork by Kerem
We encounter many prehistoric creatures as we accompany Raptor Red on her journey. Acrocanthosaurus, Astrodon, Bernissartia, Deinonychus, Gastonia, Iguanodon, Pterodactylus, Kronosaur, and many more appear in the book. It was truly fascinating to discover more about these different species, which comes as no surprise considering the author's expertise as a paleontologist. Although I feel disappointed for not meeting Tyrannosaurus rex, it's understandable since Utahraptor existed during the Early Cretaceous period while T-Rex roamed the Late Cretaceous period. T-Rex showed up forty million years after the Utahraptor.
The final chapter got to me. It wasn't because it was tragic, but because it made me truly appreciate the incredible beauty of our planet Earth. Despite enduring countless transformations, it still stands strong. Even when we're no longer here, it will continue to exist. Will future species study us as we study dinosaurs?
Me :
It frustrates me when people without knowledge about dinosaurs insist that they were stupid. Although we may never fully understand the behavior and cognitive abilities of dinosaurs, most scientists believe that dinosaurs possessed some level of intelligence. Troodon is considered the smartest dinosaur because of its above-average brain-to-body ratio.
Despite the extensive research conducted by scientists on modern animal brains, proving the high intelligence of certain species, some people still maintain that animals are unintelligent and lack emotions. Whenever people claim animals are incapable of feeling emotions, Jedi Master David Attenborough and Jedi Master Jane Goodall feel a great disturbance in the force.
If you share the same fascination for dinosaurs as many others do, let me take you on a journey to a world that existed long ago.
The cruel calculus of evolution permits no sentimentality.
'Call her Utahraptor. The Hunter of Ancient Utah.' This name was suggested by the book's author, Robert T. Bakker, to his colleague, James Kirkland, who was filled with excitement upon discovering a massive fossil raptor claw unearthed in Utah.
I got emotionally invested in a dinosaur. A DINOSAUR.
I regret nothing. Raptor Red is so much better than Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park (if you stay still, a T-Rex, one of the most skilled predators to ever roam the Earth, won't be able to see or smell you. 😄😄 It is a fact that the T-Rex had incredible vision). I love Rexy, the female T-Rex who made appearances in movies 1, 4, 5, and 6, but COME ON. You might recall velociraptors from the novel and Spielberg's film. Velociraptors and Utahraptors belong to the same family called Dromaeosauridae. Utahraptors are the largest members of this family. They likely chose to include velociraptors instead of Utahraptors because Utahraptors hadn't been discovered yet when Jurassic Park was written. Robert T. Bakker was mentioned in both the book and the film.
This book narrates the journey and challenges faced by a young adult female Utahraptor. According to Bakker, her story was reconstructed using the fossilized remains of Utahraptor and the hints about her environment preserved in Early Cretaceous sediments.
The majority of the science remains valid, not everything but most, which is quite impressive given that it was written almost three decades ago. Come with me on a thrilling journey to a period that dates back to one hundred and twenty million years ago.
The female Utahraptor doesn’t have a name for herself. Her brain doesn’t operate with words, not even with silent, unspoken syllables. It works with images, colorful bursts of memory that make up a dreamlike history the brain constantly updates. Every day new experiences and new associations from her senses rearrange the symbolic registry.
In her own brain the raptor identifies herself with the symbols she learned as a chick: me … raptor … red.
DINO-SPOILERS
I'm refraining from revealing too much to avoid spoiling the book for others. Although I have a habit of giving away too many details in my reviews, I'll try to hold back this time.
Raptor Red excels in hunting with her powerful hindlegs, muscular body, and intimidating sharp claws. Her family, originally from northern Asia, are recent arrivals to the Utah ecosystem. This gives them an advantage, as the local prey in North America have not developed defenses against these foreign predators.
She is focused on taking down the largest herbivore in the Utah ecosystem, an Astrodon. Raptor Red and her mate work together to achieve the challenging goal of bringing down a massive male Astrodon. Despite their success in the hunt and enjoying the feast, her mate tragically loses his life.
Raptor Red finds herself in solitude for the first time. She is part of a highly social species and grew up surrounded by her parents and siblings. Later on, she found companionship in her chosen mate. But now, she is on her own.
Raptor Red starts to lose weight. A single Utahraptor isn't as effective at hunting as a duo. Despite this, she remains resilient and manages to survive solo for some time. Eventually, she comes across her sister and her offspring by chance. The sisters are finally reunited, and Raptor Red is no longer alone.
Raptor Red hunts and travels with her sister and also assists in safeguarding her sister's chicks. I expected a depressing read but found it quite humorous. I enjoyed the interactions between Raptor Red and her neurotic sister (who knew dinosaurs could be neurotic), as well as her encounters with potential mates. Raptor Red is quite picky and won't settle for anything less than perfection in a mate. This behavior is common in the animal kingdom, where females choose the strongest and healthiest males to reproduce with.
Early Cretaceous life artwork. Richard Bizley Science Photo Library.
Raptor Red finally encounters a possible mate. She is smitten, yet the process of courtship is filled with challenges. The male begins to travel alongside Raptor Red and her family; however, he must demonstrate his worthiness. Her easily irritated sister strongly dislikes him, and the chicks are wary of him.
As soon as everything seems to be going well, unexpected events take place. Raptor Red and her new mate get separated, and sadly, one of her sister's chicks dies unexpectedly. Unfortunately, more misfortunes come their way. Their journey takes them from sunny floodplains and river-edge forests to vast beaches and snowy mountains. The first two-thirds of the book is packed with funny moments, but then it takes an unexpected turn and introduces a more somber tone.
The book is filled with both funny and sad moments. I won't spoil the last few chapters. An old white dactyl surprisingly became one of my favorite characters. And if you find the ocean frightening today, imagine living in the Mesozoic Era.
Raptor Red leaves dreamtime gradually, in stages. Her morning dreams have been soft and warm and comforting. She’s seen herself curled up with her male consort on one side and her two nieces on the other. Now, as she is crossing the boundary between sleep and consciousness, she feels safe. In her last dream of the morning, she’s being guarded by a huge white dactyl who won’t let predators come near.
This isn't the Early Cretaceous period, but the image is too awesome not to share. Artwork by Kerem
We encounter many prehistoric creatures as we accompany Raptor Red on her journey. Acrocanthosaurus, Astrodon, Bernissartia, Deinonychus, Gastonia, Iguanodon, Pterodactylus, Kronosaur, and many more appear in the book. It was truly fascinating to discover more about these different species, which comes as no surprise considering the author's expertise as a paleontologist. Although I feel disappointed for not meeting Tyrannosaurus rex, it's understandable since Utahraptor existed during the Early Cretaceous period while T-Rex roamed the Late Cretaceous period. T-Rex showed up forty million years after the Utahraptor.
The final chapter got to me. It wasn't because it was tragic, but because it made me truly appreciate the incredible beauty of our planet Earth. Despite enduring countless transformations, it still stands strong. Even when we're no longer here, it will continue to exist. Will future species study us as we study dinosaurs?
July 21, 2024
She coldly looks for her next victim, hiding in the bushes as does the male consort, ready to kill again, the duo, frequently work together and enjoy butchering the helpless, the fierce, bright, intelligent, with pretty eyes, the creature, always searching and moving , she is patient and can wait for hours, finally there, a short distance from them, the cripple... a silent signal to the companion, both running from opposite sides they attack, slashing and slashing, blood squirting out from gaping holes, it is soon over... Utah, 120 million years B.C. April, in early spring, the giant raptors have wandered thousands of miles from Mongolia, across the temporary land bridge up the far north, connecting Asia and North America, there is also another bridge from the other direction, Europe, to Greenland, to Canada, a new age has begun. The mix of strange species, never seen here before, are arriving, only the tough will survive the competition, those who will adapt, the unlucky, disappear . Dinosaurs and other animals, live warily a few miles apart, on the floodplains, in an area with the constant danger of waters from heavy rains, overflowing the terrain, drowning and destroying everything in their path, unstoppable, of what will be the state of Utah, someday. Raptor Red, the Utahraptor, over twenty- feet -long, six high and weighting 1,000 pounds, hatched from an egg, in a nest, bird -like, her two front claws are knives, able to penetrate the hardest hides, take down dinosaurs much bigger than she, very brave but does not take silly chances, her red mark on the snout, gives the animal, a distinct appearance, to the new species ( all have it), many times bigger than the previous ones. Tragedy, she loses her smaller mate, an accident in a muddy hole, having slaughtered a huge, plant -eating Astrodon much heavier by tons , yet no match for Raptor Red (as we will call her) and her mate. She grieves in her way , staying for a day before leaving, a white, ancient, bored Pterodactyl, 60 years old with a twenty -foot wingspan, flying high above, soaring and diving, doing acrobatics and cheerfully scattering dinosaurs below, biting them, the king of the sky, other flying creatures respect his preeminence. The flying reptile, lives much longer than dinosaurs, for some unknown reason, he has chosen Raptor Red as a sort of pet, showing where dead meat is, warning of dangerous predators nearby, for years, besides he can eat the leftovers, his weak beak not able to cut open a dead animal's hide...A nice surprise, Raptor Red finds her long -lost sister, taking care of her three, fast- growing, but always rambunctious, hungry chicks, now it will be much easier to hunt, the pair together are very successful. Still the erratic, jealous sister's mood swings, cause a lot of tension in the pack, especially when Raptor Red gets another consort, it is mating season and her biological urges need satisfaction, she wants a family of her own... Sister or mate, the loyal Raptor Red, can't have both. A terrific saga, from the perspective of the dinosaurs.
August 8, 2012
You've heard the rule for writers: only steal from the best? Bakker obviously knows it. Naturally he knows everything about dinosaurs and uses all that knowledge in this novel. But, aware of his limitations, he stole a plot engine and stuffed it under the hood. Yes, it's PRIDE & PREJUDICE, with velociraptors! It's a hoot to read this, with that in mind. Every fan of Austen should pick this up.
March 4, 2025
Finally, a dino book with the dinos as the main characters and not a human in sight. The descriptions of raptor social structure (and the world itself) are so real they must be true. After reading this it seems impossible for dinosaurs to have behaved in any way other than what Bakker describes. I felt like I was watching a documentary with running commentary from an omniscient narrator, and this is much better than interrupting a dinosaur’s thoughts with human interjection. National Geographic couldn’t have done any better presenting the world of the Utahraptor.
December 11, 2024
I'm going to buy this book! because I love this book who cares if its accurate. it is up to our current knowledge. written like Black beauty from the senses of the animal. written by a expert in the field. It starts with a battle and ends with a battle. I will admit that Jurassic Park is one of my favorite movies and i own the first book. I also love animals and like tales told from an animal point of view! this might be a little of a specialty book but if your interested release your raptor red!
November 29, 2016
I had been wanting to read this book for quite some time. Finally, I did it! Loved this story. It was sad, it was happy, it was interesting. I liked how the author got into the dinosaur's brain like he did. I became quite fond of Raptor Red. I did find the story ended somewhat abruptly, though. I could have used another chapter. I enjoyed the killing, the playing, the mating, the natural disasters. It was quite an adventurous life.
I've had pet lizards before and I've often wondered what a dinosaur society would be like, even though I know that now we think they were not cold-blooded and had some feathers.
I would be interested in reading more books along these lines, if anyone knows of any.
I've had pet lizards before and I've often wondered what a dinosaur society would be like, even though I know that now we think they were not cold-blooded and had some feathers.
I would be interested in reading more books along these lines, if anyone knows of any.
March 26, 2023
Isn't it funny the things we remember? I have a vivid memory of walking through the airport terminal as an eight year old with my Pops. Of course I was big into dinosaurs at that age, so when I saw this in the bookshop window I had to have it. I read the entire thing on the flight.
I stumbled across this on my bookshelf recently and breezed through it. It's not a bad book. High quality YA and it has a lot of sentimental value to me. I'm excited for the day when my little boy is old enough and I can hand this over to him.
I stumbled across this on my bookshelf recently and breezed through it. It's not a bad book. High quality YA and it has a lot of sentimental value to me. I'm excited for the day when my little boy is old enough and I can hand this over to him.
April 24, 2017
[This Review is taken from my blog, https://abookwithoutend.wordpress.com/, which also contains a short audio clip from the audio book]
Okay, this is probably the best audio book I have ever listened to. In my previous review of the audio book of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy I talked about how much I loved it as an audio book, because of the comedy. But what makes this my favorite audio book is for the use of sound effects and music, perfectly accompanied with the story line. The above excerpt from the audio book is an example for how much more emotional a scene becomes by using music in the background. Why doesn’t ALL audio books use a soundtrack?? I will never be able to enjoy listening to a book as much as this one.
But what is the story about? The story follows a female Utahraptor, Raptor Red, in her struggles to survive. It’s a beautifully touching story, but also filled with intruige and very believable. Although it, of course, is not entirely a true-story, it’s still very believable because of the description of them as still wild dinosaurs. Not some disney-like animals that talks and acts like humans. No, these are vicious predators. But they’re also loving to their families.
What makes this story so great, except for the previous mentioning, is the characters. Did you love Blue in Jurassic World? Then this book is definitely for you. Strong female characters, that are dinosaurs. Determined, vicious, intelligent and loyal is some words to describe Raptor Red (adding ‘viciously aggresive’ to her sister). I got attached to Raptor Red after just a few minutes of listening, both feeling sentimental and awe-struck for her at the same time.
Also, this was the first time I felt heartbroken and so emotional for troubles with the love-interest in such a short time/the first book.
And not to talk about the plot. The use of soundtrack and sound effects, like I mentioned, made things not only so much more emotional but the action was (probably) a hundred times more intense. If you like the ‘journey to a better land’, like Watership Down or The Land Before Time, you’ll definitely like this story. This audio book is also very short (only about 3 hours!) which makes it a really quick listening (and trust me, you wanna keep listening).
I can’t really find any faults. I just love this book so much, I only find the fault in myself for not discovering it sooner. I just finished Watership Down by Richard Adams before starting this book, and to be honest, I was a bit dissapointed. It was good (I do not deny the quality of the content), but I was expecting to get so much more emotional and affected by the story. I just ended up dragging myself through it the most. So I did not really expect much from Raptor Red. But oh no, this story following a Utahraptor was so much more emotional and enjoyable for me and I’m so happy for that.
So I would recommend everyone to listen to the audio book. Even if audio books may not be for you, I insist you must at least try. First, it’s short (only 3 hours) and it has sound effects (dinosaur roars! fighting!) and a soundtrack that will keep your interest and help to avoid your mind to wander. Listen, listen to it now. You won’t regret it.
Okay, this is probably the best audio book I have ever listened to. In my previous review of the audio book of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy I talked about how much I loved it as an audio book, because of the comedy. But what makes this my favorite audio book is for the use of sound effects and music, perfectly accompanied with the story line. The above excerpt from the audio book is an example for how much more emotional a scene becomes by using music in the background. Why doesn’t ALL audio books use a soundtrack?? I will never be able to enjoy listening to a book as much as this one.
But what is the story about? The story follows a female Utahraptor, Raptor Red, in her struggles to survive. It’s a beautifully touching story, but also filled with intruige and very believable. Although it, of course, is not entirely a true-story, it’s still very believable because of the description of them as still wild dinosaurs. Not some disney-like animals that talks and acts like humans. No, these are vicious predators. But they’re also loving to their families.
What makes this story so great, except for the previous mentioning, is the characters. Did you love Blue in Jurassic World? Then this book is definitely for you. Strong female characters, that are dinosaurs. Determined, vicious, intelligent and loyal is some words to describe Raptor Red (adding ‘viciously aggresive’ to her sister). I got attached to Raptor Red after just a few minutes of listening, both feeling sentimental and awe-struck for her at the same time.
Also, this was the first time I felt heartbroken and so emotional for troubles with the love-interest in such a short time/the first book.
And not to talk about the plot. The use of soundtrack and sound effects, like I mentioned, made things not only so much more emotional but the action was (probably) a hundred times more intense. If you like the ‘journey to a better land’, like Watership Down or The Land Before Time, you’ll definitely like this story. This audio book is also very short (only about 3 hours!) which makes it a really quick listening (and trust me, you wanna keep listening).
I can’t really find any faults. I just love this book so much, I only find the fault in myself for not discovering it sooner. I just finished Watership Down by Richard Adams before starting this book, and to be honest, I was a bit dissapointed. It was good (I do not deny the quality of the content), but I was expecting to get so much more emotional and affected by the story. I just ended up dragging myself through it the most. So I did not really expect much from Raptor Red. But oh no, this story following a Utahraptor was so much more emotional and enjoyable for me and I’m so happy for that.
So I would recommend everyone to listen to the audio book. Even if audio books may not be for you, I insist you must at least try. First, it’s short (only 3 hours) and it has sound effects (dinosaur roars! fighting!) and a soundtrack that will keep your interest and help to avoid your mind to wander. Listen, listen to it now. You won’t regret it.
November 21, 2011
One of my favorite novels! My parents gave me this book when I was younger, and I admit that I cried the first time I read it and Red went through all her troubles. I'm generally not a fan of anthropomorphizing animals, but when the animal has been extinct for millions of years I don't suppose anyone really gives a fuck.
The narrative is engaging, really--not like a lecture which is as dry as the bones it's discussing.
The narrative is engaging, really--not like a lecture which is as dry as the bones it's discussing.
March 16, 2015
After reading Jurassic Park, Goodreads was kind enough to recommend this book to me (What absolutely amazing books would I have never come to know without Goodreads?). Already captivated by the cover, the summary had me thinking: "Yes! Finally a book from a dinosaur's point of view!" and I quickly ordered it. I was excited when it finally came, and I read it within two days, as I was quickly sucked into this prehistoric tale.
Dinosaurs are often portrayed as savage carnivores that kill everything in sight, and although entertaining, I always fancied the idea of dinosaurs having personality. In Raptor Red, Robert Bakker brings Utahraptors to life, not as killing machines, but as genuine characters that feel and think. He did an amazing job at recreating the Cretaceous, and I could not imagine it any other way. The behaviors of the Utahraptors, and every other animal found in the book, had me sold, and I thought that this is the only way they could have been when they roamed the prehistoric deserts of Utah.
This book had me feeling all sorts of things, from sympathy when something drastic happened to our heroine, Raptor Red, to happiness when something in her life turned for the better. Being the picky reader that I am, I was pleasantly surprised with Robert Bakker's Raptor Red.
Although I read this book while ago, it has always stuck with me and I find myself thinking about it every now and then. Not many books do that! I just wish there were more books out there written from the dino's POV.
This book is great for anyone searching for a unique adventure!
Dinosaurs are often portrayed as savage carnivores that kill everything in sight, and although entertaining, I always fancied the idea of dinosaurs having personality. In Raptor Red, Robert Bakker brings Utahraptors to life, not as killing machines, but as genuine characters that feel and think. He did an amazing job at recreating the Cretaceous, and I could not imagine it any other way. The behaviors of the Utahraptors, and every other animal found in the book, had me sold, and I thought that this is the only way they could have been when they roamed the prehistoric deserts of Utah.
This book had me feeling all sorts of things, from sympathy when something drastic happened to our heroine, Raptor Red, to happiness when something in her life turned for the better. Being the picky reader that I am, I was pleasantly surprised with Robert Bakker's Raptor Red.
Although I read this book while ago, it has always stuck with me and I find myself thinking about it every now and then. Not many books do that! I just wish there were more books out there written from the dino's POV.
This book is great for anyone searching for a unique adventure!
April 12, 2022
This has now become one of my favorite books. I loved this so much I can’t even really express it in words. I’m so happy this book exists yet so mad because I will never read anything like this ever again.
March 1, 2018
Second read; it's really that interesting, so much information on so many creatures, not just raptors. But I have to admit that it's not 100% a page-turner... for some reason I was finding it soothing and kept falling asleep, so it took me several days to read. Otoh, if one is in the right frame of mind, there is a lot of excitement, and it's not long, and shouldn't take long.
And it's not just for adults. Any reader who isn't afraid of vocabulary & science, age 9 up, can enjoy this. And I do recommend it to children because it does a good job of encouraging the reader to think about such issues as 'what would you do to protect your family' and the fact that the predator is the one we're rooting for.
And it's not just for adults. Any reader who isn't afraid of vocabulary & science, age 9 up, can enjoy this. And I do recommend it to children because it does a good job of encouraging the reader to think about such issues as 'what would you do to protect your family' and the fact that the predator is the one we're rooting for.
November 18, 2010
A consistently underrated, forgotten classic with an extremely unique point-of-view. I read this book over and over when I was young. I loved how realistic it made dinosaurs, how personal the view into Red's life became. The same struggles we deal with, the death of a loved one, illness and danger, family bonds, are shown to us through her eyes, broken down from their cultural definitions into something simple and pure - science. It is an amazing study in point-of-view and the power of prose without dialog. The main character is 65 million years dead, and yet Red became my best friend and I rooted for her as much as I ever did human literary characters.
June 23, 2025
You know that dinosaur documentary series narrated by David Attenborough? This was like that. We follow Raptor Red as our main ‘character’ (a Utahraptor, otherwise known as Jurassic Park’s version of the velociraptor) as she hunts, helps protect her sister and her sister’s young, mates and fights for her life. The story weaves seamlessly between the adventures of Raptor Red’s life to explaining more informative biological information about her and the various creatures she encounters.
Some may find this a weird combination as it’s a tad dry for a fictional story and a tad imaginative for a non-fiction text but i think it did a good job of balancing between the two.
Also one of my main disappointments with the David Attenborough episodes is that there was no explanations provided for how behavioural elements were surmised and I was thinking that while reading this too. However, in the epilogue Bakker does make an effort to explain how or why he’s included certain behaviours which pleased me to no end 😁
Some may find this a weird combination as it’s a tad dry for a fictional story and a tad imaginative for a non-fiction text but i think it did a good job of balancing between the two.
Also one of my main disappointments with the David Attenborough episodes is that there was no explanations provided for how behavioural elements were surmised and I was thinking that while reading this too. However, in the epilogue Bakker does make an effort to explain how or why he’s included certain behaviours which pleased me to no end 😁
January 31, 2014
I read this book forever ago but it stuck in my memory. I take that as a positive sign. I found it at my library recently, thumbed through it and liked what I saw.
Raptor Red follows the life of a Utahraptor after the death of her mate. She reunites with her sister and her sister's hatchlings, despite her sister's apprehension of having another adult around the chicks. Together, they travel in search of food, escape predators and play. Red continues searching for a new mate, despite her sister's even greater reluctance to have a non family member near the chicks.
In a way, it is a very simple story: Animals try to survive in a harsh world. Bakker humanizes the animals but not to the degree that made me roll my eyes. To be honest, the dinos inner dialogue is pretty simple, which makes it semi believable.
It must be a difficult trick in writing from an animal's point of view: give an insight to their actions, but don't humanize them to the point that they feel like a Disney cartoon creature. Maybe some leeway can be given with raptors, as they may have been one of the most intelligent creatures to live before humans.
The science of dinosaurs, of course, is open to debate, depending on which expert you talk to. Science plays heavily into this novel, which is a good thing or a bad thing. Evolution and natural selection is discussed frequently in the book, explaining the raptors behavior. Personally, I found it to be fascinating but others may not appreciate what could be seen as deviation from the story. Still, readers should keep in mind that the book was written by a paleontologist, so some science is inescapable.
Raptor Red follows the life of a Utahraptor after the death of her mate. She reunites with her sister and her sister's hatchlings, despite her sister's apprehension of having another adult around the chicks. Together, they travel in search of food, escape predators and play. Red continues searching for a new mate, despite her sister's even greater reluctance to have a non family member near the chicks.
In a way, it is a very simple story: Animals try to survive in a harsh world. Bakker humanizes the animals but not to the degree that made me roll my eyes. To be honest, the dinos inner dialogue is pretty simple, which makes it semi believable.
It must be a difficult trick in writing from an animal's point of view: give an insight to their actions, but don't humanize them to the point that they feel like a Disney cartoon creature. Maybe some leeway can be given with raptors, as they may have been one of the most intelligent creatures to live before humans.
The science of dinosaurs, of course, is open to debate, depending on which expert you talk to. Science plays heavily into this novel, which is a good thing or a bad thing. Evolution and natural selection is discussed frequently in the book, explaining the raptors behavior. Personally, I found it to be fascinating but others may not appreciate what could be seen as deviation from the story. Still, readers should keep in mind that the book was written by a paleontologist, so some science is inescapable.
May 15, 2011
This book was fantastic!
I loved how the author usedsuch a unique approach when writing this book. I mean come on how often does a person come by a book that is written from a raptor's point of view?
It was heart warming and touching in a lot of parts and other parts served as a reminder of how cruel the world can be and how it has been in the eons before us.
I recommend this to everyone. It will surprise you.
I loved how the author usedsuch a unique approach when writing this book. I mean come on how often does a person come by a book that is written from a raptor's point of view?
It was heart warming and touching in a lot of parts and other parts served as a reminder of how cruel the world can be and how it has been in the eons before us.
I recommend this to everyone. It will surprise you.
July 23, 2014
Pleasantly surprised with this book!
I originally bought it from a secondhand store because it sounded so weird that I couldn't pass it up. I mean, really, a book written from a dinosaur's perspective? As weird as it sounds though, it was actually very entertaining, and even managed to invoke some emotion.
The book is written by the world famous paleontologist, Robert T. Bakker, and he succeeds in showing that not only does he know WAY more than almost anyone about dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, but he is able to relate this information to the audience in an easy to digest manner. He uses this info more for explanations of why certain things are happening rather than just spitting out facts and data until you are blue in the face. This is very nice, and allows us to pick up new knowledge without being bored out of our skulls.
As for the story itself, the book is about a female Utahraptor, an apex predator of the early Cretaceous period. The two things that drive her in the story are food, which she needs to survive, and love (both from mates and family), which maybe not surprisingly, is more important than the food itself at points. The descriptions of the social lives of raptors based off of what has been hypothesized from the fossil record is fascinating. I could almost see myself as a raptor while reading Raptor Red, and being part of the action unfolding, which of course is the mark of a good book.
While not a perfect book, it is highly entertaining nonetheless, and I would recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a book outside the norm, dino nuts, and people who just want a good read.
I originally bought it from a secondhand store because it sounded so weird that I couldn't pass it up. I mean, really, a book written from a dinosaur's perspective? As weird as it sounds though, it was actually very entertaining, and even managed to invoke some emotion.
The book is written by the world famous paleontologist, Robert T. Bakker, and he succeeds in showing that not only does he know WAY more than almost anyone about dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, but he is able to relate this information to the audience in an easy to digest manner. He uses this info more for explanations of why certain things are happening rather than just spitting out facts and data until you are blue in the face. This is very nice, and allows us to pick up new knowledge without being bored out of our skulls.
As for the story itself, the book is about a female Utahraptor, an apex predator of the early Cretaceous period. The two things that drive her in the story are food, which she needs to survive, and love (both from mates and family), which maybe not surprisingly, is more important than the food itself at points. The descriptions of the social lives of raptors based off of what has been hypothesized from the fossil record is fascinating. I could almost see myself as a raptor while reading Raptor Red, and being part of the action unfolding, which of course is the mark of a good book.
While not a perfect book, it is highly entertaining nonetheless, and I would recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a book outside the norm, dino nuts, and people who just want a good read.
August 4, 2023
4⭐
…the bullet points
- slice-of-life short story
- from the POV of a female Utah Raptor
- the hardships of dinosaur life
- written by a paleontologist
- audio is set to music reminiscent of a Star Wars book
A quick little dinosaur fix…
…about the narration
🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️/5
- Megan Gallagher…was fine but the special effects and sound editing is where this shined.
…the bullet points
- slice-of-life short story
- from the POV of a female Utah Raptor
- the hardships of dinosaur life
- written by a paleontologist
- audio is set to music reminiscent of a Star Wars book
A quick little dinosaur fix…
…about the narration
🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️/5
- Megan Gallagher…was fine but the special effects and sound editing is where this shined.
November 5, 2024
4.5/5
Unabridged audiobook, narrated by Richard M Davidson (on cassette tape).
I had a lot of trouble coming up with a rating for this one. It's quite a uniquely written book - name another book with a love triangle conducted without a single line of spoken dialogue - but I thoroughly enjoyed it and binged the entire last half in a single sitting, so I can't rate it any lower. An absolutely fantastic narration by Richard Davidson played a huge part in the overall experience, and I have heard that the newer Audible narration is nowhere near as good.
There were definitely parts where I disagreed with how I felt the protagonist would act, parts where I felt she was being overly humanized, and at times it just felt like a string of unrelated scenes glued together... but I've also never met a character I was so simultaneously invested in and terrified of at the same time. Robert Bakker clearly loved the subject matter and that helped to really sell it.
Unabridged audiobook, narrated by Richard M Davidson (on cassette tape).
I had a lot of trouble coming up with a rating for this one. It's quite a uniquely written book - name another book with a love triangle conducted without a single line of spoken dialogue - but I thoroughly enjoyed it and binged the entire last half in a single sitting, so I can't rate it any lower. An absolutely fantastic narration by Richard Davidson played a huge part in the overall experience, and I have heard that the newer Audible narration is nowhere near as good.
There were definitely parts where I disagreed with how I felt the protagonist would act, parts where I felt she was being overly humanized, and at times it just felt like a string of unrelated scenes glued together... but I've also never met a character I was so simultaneously invested in and terrified of at the same time. Robert Bakker clearly loved the subject matter and that helped to really sell it.
February 4, 2017
This was a cool book. It's the story of a utahraptor but it's also a book of science talking about a wide-range of dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period. It does take a little getting used to at first, especially if you're not familiar with some of the creatures. (I had to look a few up so I would have a good mental picture.)
You can tell the author is knowledgeable in his field, and I learned a lot about raptor behavior and life during that period from reading this. If you like books about animals, you might like this one.
You can tell the author is knowledgeable in his field, and I learned a lot about raptor behavior and life during that period from reading this. If you like books about animals, you might like this one.
July 27, 2016
Raptor Red Not a review. Just a note about how much I enjoyed this.
It was a prehistoric romance, about a Utahraptor and the world around her. It was a pure joy to read. Full of science and beautiful descriptions. I am in love with this book.
It was a prehistoric romance, about a Utahraptor and the world around her. It was a pure joy to read. Full of science and beautiful descriptions. I am in love with this book.
April 27, 2015
This book is everything to me.
September 29, 2024
Raptor Red is one I have been wanting to read for years. I've been pestering my friends in the Richard Laymon Book Club to buddy read it with me for so long, and some decided to finally get to it with me. Well, did it live up to the awesomeness I had made it out to be in my head? The answer is No.
It's not bad in any sense, but it suffers from being pretty boring for the most part. We follow Raptor Red, a Utahraptor and her sister who has small children. It's basically a day in the life on the Raptors as they scavenge for food, fight off predators, and attack other dinosaurs. We learn about their relationships with each other and the bonds they made with other dinosaurs such as the Pterodactyl. It follows their mating rituals and the raising of children.
As one of my friends said, it reads like a documentary of sorts. The author is a Palentologist, so it's scientific in parts, but the story is fiction.
Again, it's not a bad read, but I think I was expecting a story with more action sequences, so my own preconceived ideas hampered my enjoyment of it.
2.5 stars.
It's not bad in any sense, but it suffers from being pretty boring for the most part. We follow Raptor Red, a Utahraptor and her sister who has small children. It's basically a day in the life on the Raptors as they scavenge for food, fight off predators, and attack other dinosaurs. We learn about their relationships with each other and the bonds they made with other dinosaurs such as the Pterodactyl. It follows their mating rituals and the raising of children.
As one of my friends said, it reads like a documentary of sorts. The author is a Palentologist, so it's scientific in parts, but the story is fiction.
Again, it's not a bad read, but I think I was expecting a story with more action sequences, so my own preconceived ideas hampered my enjoyment of it.
2.5 stars.
January 10, 2019
This book was so interesting! If you like dinosaurs then I highly suggest reading this! This story takes you on a journey following one particular raptor and it has the sadness, charm, humor, and action of any book with humans.
August 26, 2019
I finished this book a few weeks ago and just now getting to the review.I have to start off saying I love dinosaurs and not because of Jurassic park I loved them my entire childhood pre Jurassic park so when that first movie came out it was a bonus on my life lol.
This book has a lot of facts and really immerses the reader into what life would have been like during the age of the dinosaurs. If you aren't ready for heavy learning as you read this one might not be for you but if you can't get enough info read it. Just read it if you like dinos.
I'm a vegatarian and the entire book is about ripping flesh,rotting flesh meat etc. It didnt bother me I was rooting for raptor red the whole time.
I Never had read a book through the eyes of a raptor before. Awesome read.
This book has a lot of facts and really immerses the reader into what life would have been like during the age of the dinosaurs. If you aren't ready for heavy learning as you read this one might not be for you but if you can't get enough info read it. Just read it if you like dinos.
I'm a vegatarian and the entire book is about ripping flesh,rotting flesh meat etc. It didnt bother me I was rooting for raptor red the whole time.
I Never had read a book through the eyes of a raptor before. Awesome read.
February 10, 2014
Great concept; teaching through narrative. Textbook authors take note, Bakker effortlessly conveys an enormous amount of information within these pages. The fundamental idea is quite similar to James Paul Gee's concept of "externalization of identity". As he discussed in Why Video Games Are Good for Your Soul: Pleasure and Learning, playing immersive video games blends the player with the virtual character; they are joint actors in a virtual world. This construct opens up enormous possibilities for learning, because the student is "living" the experience rather than just studying it. Studies have also shown that when a learner is having fun, is engaged, retention is significantly higher.
Dinosaurs are just fun in their own right. Even the driest of textbooks on the subject can still be enjoyable. But Bakker puts an entirely new spin on paleontology. He allows us to see the prehistoric world through the eyes of a Utahraptor. Not just to tell us her life story, but to make her our avatar. The ability of Bakker to transform his obviously extensive knowledge of dinosaurs into a compelling narrative is truly impressive. It's a rare gift among scientists (Carl Sagan's Contact comes to mind) but something I would love to see more of.
Dinosaurs are just fun in their own right. Even the driest of textbooks on the subject can still be enjoyable. But Bakker puts an entirely new spin on paleontology. He allows us to see the prehistoric world through the eyes of a Utahraptor. Not just to tell us her life story, but to make her our avatar. The ability of Bakker to transform his obviously extensive knowledge of dinosaurs into a compelling narrative is truly impressive. It's a rare gift among scientists (Carl Sagan's Contact comes to mind) but something I would love to see more of.
December 12, 2016
Honestly, for most readers, this is either going to be a book that you're going to love immediately or a book that you're never coming close to with a ten-foot pole. The premise of the book already determines whether or not people will be willing to pick it up. It's a book written from the perspective of a Utahraptor, the eponymous Raptor Red, but features cameos from other dinosaurs (and non-dinosaurs) who provide new perspectives to spice up the story line. ("The iguanodon has modest powers of self-awareness. She feels happy and complacent and content. She feels efficient, in a vague "I'm going what I should be doing and I'm doing it well" sort of way.") To be perfectly honest, even despite my abounding love for dinosaurs, it took me a while to get into the groove of this novel. It's clunky despite its best efforts. I almost expected something more along the lines of Watership Down, with anthropomorphized Utahraptors talking to each other, while Bakker stuck to a more "scientific" route. It's been a while since I've watched an animal documentary, but this entire novel read to me like what I think the Planet Earth series are like. By the time I got halfway through the novel I started to loosen up and get into the groove of Raptor Red, but I'll admit that it a took a while to get there. I wouldn't say this is a literary masterpiece by any means, but I would definitely recommend it as a light read to any of my dinosaur-loving friends.
January 29, 2018
The only thing keeping me from giving this 5 stars is the loud and annoying background music that kept drowning out the narrator during ALL of the climactic parts of the story.
I guess that I'll have to read the actual book to find out what I missed ... which won't be a problem because I really enjoyed this story.
I guess that I'll have to read the actual book to find out what I missed ... which won't be a problem because I really enjoyed this story.
June 12, 2018
Raptor Red is like the documentary Walking with Dinosaurs in book form. That's all you really need to know. Paleontologist Robert T. Bakker writes a prehistoric survival tale from the perspective of a female Utahraptor. If that sounds interesting to you, read Raptor Red.
Of course, Bakker has to anthropomorphize Raptor Red and a few other animals. This mostly worked. I invested heavily in Raptor Red. I cared about her safety, hunger, and loneliness. I liked her personality. My suspension of disbelief broke when Raptor Red imagined dinosaur angels, but otherwise I was impressed by the level of detail and insight on display.
I enjoyed Raptor Red from beginning to end. It was a quick read, and it was not quite like anything else I have ever read.
Of course, Bakker has to anthropomorphize Raptor Red and a few other animals. This mostly worked. I invested heavily in Raptor Red. I cared about her safety, hunger, and loneliness. I liked her personality. My suspension of disbelief broke when Raptor Red imagined dinosaur angels, but otherwise I was impressed by the level of detail and insight on display.
I enjoyed Raptor Red from beginning to end. It was a quick read, and it was not quite like anything else I have ever read.
January 15, 2023
Here's something different: a dinosaur novel from the viewpoint of the dino, as imagined by a world-renowned paleontologist! So you know he got the science right. I liked it, 4 stars worth in my old booklog.
Cheryl's 4-star review nearby recounts her second reading. Maybe I should give it another go? As you will see, overall average rating here is just a bit under 4 stars.
Cheryl's 4-star review nearby recounts her second reading. Maybe I should give it another go? As you will see, overall average rating here is just a bit under 4 stars.
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