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Queensland Crater #2
River Trap: A Queensland Crater Story
In the New Outback, you'll miss the good old days of deadly snakes and crocodiles.
In 2084, Australia is infested with cloned prehistoric animals, and humans must fight to reclaim every square inch of civilization.
Dinosaur hunter Helen Larkwood is invited to take down the largest carnivore she's ever hunted. Her daughter Marie has come along to find veterinary work, but the New Outback has other ideas. Together, they're about to find out just how unforgiving their homeland can be.
Welcome to the Land Down Under that Time Forgot. Prehistory meets a high-tech future in the Queensland Crater universe, with primal thrills and pulse-pounding action!
In 2084, Australia is infested with cloned prehistoric animals, and humans must fight to reclaim every square inch of civilization.
Dinosaur hunter Helen Larkwood is invited to take down the largest carnivore she's ever hunted. Her daughter Marie has come along to find veterinary work, but the New Outback has other ideas. Together, they're about to find out just how unforgiving their homeland can be.
Welcome to the Land Down Under that Time Forgot. Prehistory meets a high-tech future in the Queensland Crater universe, with primal thrills and pulse-pounding action!
- GenresScience Fiction
40 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2023
19 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 28, 2023
This is the future. Australia is infested with cloned dinosaurs. Dinosaur hunter Helen Larkwood and her daughter go hunting for a big spinosaurus that’s threatening the local fish population.
I absolutely love this concept. It’s like: what would have happened to the world if the dinosaurs didn’t get stopped at the end of a Jurassic Park movie. There are basically just a few places left in Australia where mankind has been able to keep the dinosaurs out with huge fences and armored walls, so they can still survive there and keep some sort of civilization intact. But it’s a life where danger is always lurking around the corner. And Australia is the perfect setting for this concept, because they’re already very familiar with being overrun by invasive species.
It’s well written. The characters are better fleshed out than you’d expect them to be in such a short story. This does come at a bit of a cost, as the story is a bit light in terms of plot. But it’s still a pretty solid read.
Overall, a cool little story about dinosaurs. Would have been great had it been expanded a bit, to give some more room to the plot.
I absolutely love this concept. It’s like: what would have happened to the world if the dinosaurs didn’t get stopped at the end of a Jurassic Park movie. There are basically just a few places left in Australia where mankind has been able to keep the dinosaurs out with huge fences and armored walls, so they can still survive there and keep some sort of civilization intact. But it’s a life where danger is always lurking around the corner. And Australia is the perfect setting for this concept, because they’re already very familiar with being overrun by invasive species.
It’s well written. The characters are better fleshed out than you’d expect them to be in such a short story. This does come at a bit of a cost, as the story is a bit light in terms of plot. But it’s still a pretty solid read.
Overall, a cool little story about dinosaurs. Would have been great had it been expanded a bit, to give some more room to the plot.
October 3, 2025
Quick dino-hunting adventure. There's more to the backstory that I hope to find out when I read the author's second short, but this installment was interesting and exciting, though there was a longish build-up before the action started. 40 pages, was free on Amazon when I downloaded it.
February 18, 2023
Another Winner
I'm loving the Queensland Crater stories! The mix of sci-fi, Jurassic Park, and the Carnivores games is perfect. This story saw the return of Helen and Clyde from the previous story, Midnight Chase. It was an engaging read and it was cool he used the mechs in this story, it gave it a Pacific Rim vibe. All-in-all, a great read that begs for a book series set in this world!
Another great read from John. I can't wait for more!
I'm loving the Queensland Crater stories! The mix of sci-fi, Jurassic Park, and the Carnivores games is perfect. This story saw the return of Helen and Clyde from the previous story, Midnight Chase. It was an engaging read and it was cool he used the mechs in this story, it gave it a Pacific Rim vibe. All-in-all, a great read that begs for a book series set in this world!
Another great read from John. I can't wait for more!
October 26, 2024
Epic action. Chompy dinosaurs. Characters you root to not get chomped. This is dino fiction as it should be.
Content: adults drinking, dinosaur violence.
Content: adults drinking, dinosaur violence.
June 7, 2024
3.5 rounded up to 4.
Interesting adventure. Occasional language. Alcohol consumption. Otherwise clean.
Interesting adventure. Occasional language. Alcohol consumption. Otherwise clean.
February 23, 2023
Fun futuristic dino story
I always love a good dinosaur hunting story and this novella delivered. Good characters, strong emotions, intense dino fighting. Great story, and I'm excited to read more from this author.
I always love a good dinosaur hunting story and this novella delivered. Good characters, strong emotions, intense dino fighting. Great story, and I'm excited to read more from this author.
February 23, 2023
Patterson Delivers Again!
As usual, the story is excellent and the characters are well developed. I just wish it was a full-length novel.
As usual, the story is excellent and the characters are well developed. I just wish it was a full-length novel.
February 17, 2023
Book 2
Too short and too many questions left unanswered. At least the gore was very minimum and no cursing. Looking forward to more books.
Too short and too many questions left unanswered. At least the gore was very minimum and no cursing. Looking forward to more books.
April 29, 2023
What a river ride!
Not my typical fare, but I figured I give it a try since it was short.
Well written, well edited. Definitely upped my heartbeat.
A mother's worry and a mother's pride both came through.
Not my typical fare, but I figured I give it a try since it was short.
Well written, well edited. Definitely upped my heartbeat.
A mother's worry and a mother's pride both came through.
February 20, 2023
Another short but thrilling adventure in the world of the Queensland Crater. Picking up some character from the previous story (but works standalone if you haven't read that one) we are faced with a spinosaurus wreaking havok with the fish population in the river near a growing residential area in the bush.
I liked how the book delves a little into the ecological damage that can be done by introduced species, certainly a real-world problem in Australia, and in Queensland specifically.
This one adds a little more world-building to this setting. The outback has transformed into something of an American-style wild west where guns are common, but I think this is justified by the presence of dinosaurs.
Looking forward to seeing what John K. Patterson has in store for us next in the Queensland Crater.
I liked how the book delves a little into the ecological damage that can be done by introduced species, certainly a real-world problem in Australia, and in Queensland specifically.
This one adds a little more world-building to this setting. The outback has transformed into something of an American-style wild west where guns are common, but I think this is justified by the presence of dinosaurs.
Looking forward to seeing what John K. Patterson has in store for us next in the Queensland Crater.
March 18, 2023
Good, quick read. And dinosaurs!
This is an exciting, fun read about a near future Australia where dinosaurs once more roam and are a danger to man.
It's a short read that serves as a gateway to more of this world that I am interested in reading more of.
This is an exciting, fun read about a near future Australia where dinosaurs once more roam and are a danger to man.
It's a short read that serves as a gateway to more of this world that I am interested in reading more of.
July 22, 2023
Another excellent story
I'm impressed with how well I feel I know this world and its characters after only a couple short stories. I look forward to more of Helen's adventures in the future.
I'm impressed with how well I feel I know this world and its characters after only a couple short stories. I look forward to more of Helen's adventures in the future.
July 24, 2024
Review of this book.
A good read. Short and to the point. A world like that is too scary to consider. We have enough to worry about. As always mankind does not give up, but fights back. It was a fast read and was exciting. Lots of action.
A good read. Short and to the point. A world like that is too scary to consider. We have enough to worry about. As always mankind does not give up, but fights back. It was a fast read and was exciting. Lots of action.
April 5, 2023
If you liked Jurassic Park, you'll love the novelette "River Trap" by John K. Patterson! This rip-roaring adventure was just plain fun! A great introduction to John's Queensland Crater Stories.
January 16, 2024
5 Stars
Good short story about a mother, daughter, fellow dino hunter and a client who hires them to go after a giant Spinosaurus.
Good short story about a mother, daughter, fellow dino hunter and a client who hires them to go after a giant Spinosaurus.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews