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Fossil River
Fossil fuel has an ageless affinity with dinosaurs. To create oil, dinosaurs died. Now the tables are turning!
The perfect energy storm is sweeping over the United States: Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown has paralyzed nuclear expansion globally, BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill has stalled deep water drilling, Arab oil countries are in turmoil causing doubt about access to future oil, the intensity of hurricanes hitting the Gulf’s oil rigs and refineries has intensified due to global warming, and the nation’s Strategic Oil Supply is riding on empty.
As the energy storm intensifies, the nation’s access to Arab oil, once supplying over sixty percent of our fossil fuel, is being threatened causing people to panic for lack of gas at the pumps, stranding cars across the country and inciting riots.
The U.S. Military is forced to cut back air, land, and sea operations sucking up 58% of every barrel of oil to protect the nation; U.S. commercial airlines are forced to limit flights for lack of jet fuel; and businesses are challenged to power up their factories, and offices as the U.S. Department of Energy desperately tries to provide a balance of electric power from the network of aged power plants and transmission lines that power up the nation.
The United States must find new sources of domestic fossil fuel urgently or face an energy crisis that will plunge the nation into a deep depression worse than 1929.
The energy storm is very real and happening this very moment. But, at the last moment of desperation, the United States discovers the world’s largest fossil fuel deposit found in a remote inaccessible mountain range within Alaska’s Noatak National Preserve surrounding six and a half million acres.
Preventing access to the oil is a colony of living fossil dinosaurs that will protect its territory to the death.
Nobody gets out alive; nobody can identify the predator--until Dr. Kimberly Fulton, Curator of Paleontology at New York’s Museum of Natural History, is flown into the inaccessible area by Scott Chandler, the Marine veteran helicopter pilot who’s the Park’s Manager of Wildlife. All hell breaks loose when Fulton’s teenage son and his girlfriend vanish into the Park.
Will the nation’s military be paralyzed for lack of mobility fuel, and will people across America run out of gas and be stranded, or will the U.S. Military succeed in penetrating this remote mountain range in northwestern Alaska to restore fossil fuel supplies in time to save the nation from the worst energy driven catastrophe in recorded history?
The perfect energy storm is sweeping over the United States: Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown has paralyzed nuclear expansion globally, BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill has stalled deep water drilling, Arab oil countries are in turmoil causing doubt about access to future oil, the intensity of hurricanes hitting the Gulf’s oil rigs and refineries has intensified due to global warming, and the nation’s Strategic Oil Supply is riding on empty.
As the energy storm intensifies, the nation’s access to Arab oil, once supplying over sixty percent of our fossil fuel, is being threatened causing people to panic for lack of gas at the pumps, stranding cars across the country and inciting riots.
The U.S. Military is forced to cut back air, land, and sea operations sucking up 58% of every barrel of oil to protect the nation; U.S. commercial airlines are forced to limit flights for lack of jet fuel; and businesses are challenged to power up their factories, and offices as the U.S. Department of Energy desperately tries to provide a balance of electric power from the network of aged power plants and transmission lines that power up the nation.
The United States must find new sources of domestic fossil fuel urgently or face an energy crisis that will plunge the nation into a deep depression worse than 1929.
The energy storm is very real and happening this very moment. But, at the last moment of desperation, the United States discovers the world’s largest fossil fuel deposit found in a remote inaccessible mountain range within Alaska’s Noatak National Preserve surrounding six and a half million acres.
Preventing access to the oil is a colony of living fossil dinosaurs that will protect its territory to the death.
Nobody gets out alive; nobody can identify the predator--until Dr. Kimberly Fulton, Curator of Paleontology at New York’s Museum of Natural History, is flown into the inaccessible area by Scott Chandler, the Marine veteran helicopter pilot who’s the Park’s Manager of Wildlife. All hell breaks loose when Fulton’s teenage son and his girlfriend vanish into the Park.
Will the nation’s military be paralyzed for lack of mobility fuel, and will people across America run out of gas and be stranded, or will the U.S. Military succeed in penetrating this remote mountain range in northwestern Alaska to restore fossil fuel supplies in time to save the nation from the worst energy driven catastrophe in recorded history?
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First published May 21, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
July 13, 2012
I hate to give a bad review, especially for a debut author, because I always like to give them the chance to success. That's why I read this book all the way to the end, even though it failed once past the first 2 chapters. I had really high hopes for this book. The premise of our world being on it's last drop of oil and a huge oil field found in Alaska was so real. Finding dinosaurs in the state park was a really nice scifi twist. But what the book turned out to be was not what I expected at all. Without giving away spoilers, the premise became completely unbelievable and the solution to the problem couldn't work in any realty, especially the "it's exactly our world only some living dinosaurs have been discovered." Also, poor editing (typos, the wrong name used for the state park in one section, repeated information just paragraphs after it was first told to us.)
Don't waste your time on this one.
Don't waste your time on this one.
November 21, 2019
The United States is on the brink of disaster. They are running out of oil and it’s only a matter of time before the country goes dark. When a huge deposit of oil is discovered in a remote Alaskan National Reserve, the choice is simple. Plunder the park, but try to leave the smallest footprint possible. Only problem is, something has already made a claim on the land. Something ancient and deadly.
I wasn’t going to tell you what the ancient creatures were, but the blurb gives it away. It’s dinosaurs. Smart ones. They can perform coordinated attacks. Are almost impossible to defend against. And they don’t like us in their territory. That’s my kind of story and I ate this up. And how fun that the very thing we get oil from is the very thing that bars our access.
There are plenty of characters. Those that become dinosaur chum. Those that fight for protecting the dinosaurs. And Those that want to go in and bomb them back into extinction. And those caught in the middle. I really became attached to some. And that made for thrilling reading.
Lots of books give you bits and pieces about the creatures they feature. In Fossil River you get lots of up close and personal encounters. There are plenty of tense scenes. Especially when they start to encounter the dinosaurs. A military team goes in and things get nuts. I accepted that some of the characters I liked would meet their end. And so would some of the dinosaurs. It saddened me. But the suspense was greater because of those very things.
I liked this one a lot. Read it twice. And will probably read it again when I’m in the mood for some dinosaur mayhem.
I wasn’t going to tell you what the ancient creatures were, but the blurb gives it away. It’s dinosaurs. Smart ones. They can perform coordinated attacks. Are almost impossible to defend against. And they don’t like us in their territory. That’s my kind of story and I ate this up. And how fun that the very thing we get oil from is the very thing that bars our access.
There are plenty of characters. Those that become dinosaur chum. Those that fight for protecting the dinosaurs. And Those that want to go in and bomb them back into extinction. And those caught in the middle. I really became attached to some. And that made for thrilling reading.
Lots of books give you bits and pieces about the creatures they feature. In Fossil River you get lots of up close and personal encounters. There are plenty of tense scenes. Especially when they start to encounter the dinosaurs. A military team goes in and things get nuts. I accepted that some of the characters I liked would meet their end. And so would some of the dinosaurs. It saddened me. But the suspense was greater because of those very things.
I liked this one a lot. Read it twice. And will probably read it again when I’m in the mood for some dinosaur mayhem.
June 25, 2012
I love this book! SO well-written! Being an experienced reader, I had "what's gonna happen next" figured out 3 times -- and got surprised each time. Surprised in a way that kept me reading!
The 1st chapter has way more technical data than I like, altho some may find it fascinating, and I prepared myself to be bored. Not so. Really, SO not so!
And I was convinced that aggressive Sec'y of Defense would leave everyone
else shaking their heads. Hehehe!
It's a little bit detective story, little bit adventure, little bit horror, little bit sci-fi, with a smidge of romance thrown in -- mmmmmm! A delicious mix, baked just right!
A Good Read! A very Good Read.
The 1st chapter has way more technical data than I like, altho some may find it fascinating, and I prepared myself to be bored. Not so. Really, SO not so!
And I was convinced that aggressive Sec'y of Defense would leave everyone
else shaking their heads. Hehehe!
It's a little bit detective story, little bit adventure, little bit horror, little bit sci-fi, with a smidge of romance thrown in -- mmmmmm! A delicious mix, baked just right!
A Good Read! A very Good Read.
August 5, 2013
I read this book in a single afternoon, sitting in the bathtub as the water changed from hot to cold :p Even though I had this "must finish!" feeling while reading it, the story also went from hot to cold. The beginning was great- lots of excitement, likeable characters, nature realistically winning against the humans. I liked Kim Fulton and her close relationship with her son (aw, so sweet)... but after they arrived in Alaska and the girlfriend showed up, ugh. The girlfriend was idiotic and annoying and Dr. Fulton suddenly went from a strong female lead to merely an overprotective mom. The "super-intelligent" beasts who tore apart almost 70 marines were then outwitted by two dumb bug-eating teens? All the new marines just hover in the background dying? Too convenient. In fact, the whole ending was just too convenient and feel good: rather "all our problems are solved! my son has a father! I have a man to kiss! humans can drive their gas-guzzlers while coexisting peacefully with savage dinosaurs... who are actually kinda cute as they frolic on the riverbank!"
That said, I still sat in a tub of water for 3 hours to read the whole thing, so that kind of addictiveness merits four stars.
That said, I still sat in a tub of water for 3 hours to read the whole thing, so that kind of addictiveness merits four stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2013
It was an enjoyable read. The character development was rich and deep. Their reactions and thoughts were accurately recorded. The author had a true grasp as to who each of these people were and what drove them on a deeper level.
It was an exciting adventure. I did enjoy some serious adrenaline rushes, which for me is mandatory for an action/adventure novel.
One big sore thumb that should have been addressed early on was the setting up of the desperate need for energy by the United States. The author gave us all the usual government rhetoric up to that point in Chapter 2; sounds as though he almost quoted all the government sponsored hype verbatim. But what I'm talking about is at the very end of chapter two. Jock...you gave us page after page of government propaganda, but only one page at the end that truly describes the desperate situation they have gotten into. It was so small that I had to go back and reread it just to see if I missed something. As a suggestion for your future, and much looked for, endeavors, less government propaganda and more major story development.
Otherwise, this was a good read.
It was an exciting adventure. I did enjoy some serious adrenaline rushes, which for me is mandatory for an action/adventure novel.
One big sore thumb that should have been addressed early on was the setting up of the desperate need for energy by the United States. The author gave us all the usual government rhetoric up to that point in Chapter 2; sounds as though he almost quoted all the government sponsored hype verbatim. But what I'm talking about is at the very end of chapter two. Jock...you gave us page after page of government propaganda, but only one page at the end that truly describes the desperate situation they have gotten into. It was so small that I had to go back and reread it just to see if I missed something. As a suggestion for your future, and much looked for, endeavors, less government propaganda and more major story development.
Otherwise, this was a good read.
September 2, 2022
I found most of this story to be quite entertaining, and at least a little relatable to current events.
A global fuel shortage is the backdrop. The chance discovery within an Alaskan national park of an enormous oil field seems to answer the nation's needs. But, mother nature does not make it easily accessible. Not only terrain, but, a colony of living dinosaurs call the area home.
I truly enjoyed the characters of Scott and Brave Wolf. After that, most of the characters were there to check boxes. While the overall story was fairly predictable, there were a few "oh boy" moments.
I had fun while I was reading it, I'll describe it as brain candy.
A global fuel shortage is the backdrop. The chance discovery within an Alaskan national park of an enormous oil field seems to answer the nation's needs. But, mother nature does not make it easily accessible. Not only terrain, but, a colony of living dinosaurs call the area home.
I truly enjoyed the characters of Scott and Brave Wolf. After that, most of the characters were there to check boxes. While the overall story was fairly predictable, there were a few "oh boy" moments.
I had fun while I was reading it, I'll describe it as brain candy.
February 8, 2022
A four-quadrant adventure about a burning issue of our times: the oil shortage. Along with a colony of creatures who protect the largest cache the US has ever discovered. Creatures so strong the US Marines are no match for them. I see it as a major motion picture.
January 5, 2020
Oh dear... I wasted so much time.
Where do I start? Well there's the typos, the grammatical errors to begin. Next, referencing a story from France as if it was true that was a complete hoax. Next, way too much detail in areas. We didn't really need a complete detailed history of how Jennifer got to where she was. And of course what we have is a mighty strong and intelligent woman who of course is hot. She must be very hot because she is able to... wait, a little background. We have a decorated Marine helicopter pilot who lost his arm in Afghanistan. Great guy but after nearly losing his life to a mysterious predator along with a few dozen marines in the Alaska wilderness he takes the above mentioned Jennifer to the same spot to identify it. Naturally thay have a past. Several times he tells her that the chopper will be kept running and they stay in it. Oh but Jennifer begs and begs until our aforementioned Marine gives in and shuts off the chopper. When I was in the service they would say the man is... uh, something whipped. You fill in the blamk.
Also Jennifer has an eighteen year old son from a tryst. He has never known his father. Guess who she had the trust with. Yup, our Marine. Now Jennifer, being an utterly intelligent woman takes her son to this dangerous area. Well just outside it. Said son wants to bring girlfriend. Jennifer says no. What does son do? Plans with erstwhile girlfriend to sneak her up to where they are. By golly they want to see this dangerous creature.
What happens when Jennifer finds out that she had been lied to, disobeyed and deceived. Well of course she is angry at first but a shot, very short while later all is well and girlfriend stays. That's the way to show them kids the consequences of their actions by golly.
Next Kennifer must give a speech to a bunch of marines close to the danger zone. She hauls the kiddos along and leaves the, alone in the Forestry cabin with a line of four wheel ATVs outside. Mind you, these are the same kids who just showed they can't be trusted. Guess what? You got it. Kiddos get into trouble where the creatures are.
At this point I finally gave up. The story is so trite and the characters are idipts for being so intelligent. The Marine and the son can't say no to their cute little women. Ugh. I got as far as I could because I was curious about the ending. When son and girlfriend zipped off on the ATVs and got into trouble. I'd had enough.
Oh, and add extensive use of pretty foul language. Why did I waste valuable time on this book?
Where do I start? Well there's the typos, the grammatical errors to begin. Next, referencing a story from France as if it was true that was a complete hoax. Next, way too much detail in areas. We didn't really need a complete detailed history of how Jennifer got to where she was. And of course what we have is a mighty strong and intelligent woman who of course is hot. She must be very hot because she is able to... wait, a little background. We have a decorated Marine helicopter pilot who lost his arm in Afghanistan. Great guy but after nearly losing his life to a mysterious predator along with a few dozen marines in the Alaska wilderness he takes the above mentioned Jennifer to the same spot to identify it. Naturally thay have a past. Several times he tells her that the chopper will be kept running and they stay in it. Oh but Jennifer begs and begs until our aforementioned Marine gives in and shuts off the chopper. When I was in the service they would say the man is... uh, something whipped. You fill in the blamk.
Also Jennifer has an eighteen year old son from a tryst. He has never known his father. Guess who she had the trust with. Yup, our Marine. Now Jennifer, being an utterly intelligent woman takes her son to this dangerous area. Well just outside it. Said son wants to bring girlfriend. Jennifer says no. What does son do? Plans with erstwhile girlfriend to sneak her up to where they are. By golly they want to see this dangerous creature.
What happens when Jennifer finds out that she had been lied to, disobeyed and deceived. Well of course she is angry at first but a shot, very short while later all is well and girlfriend stays. That's the way to show them kids the consequences of their actions by golly.
Next Kennifer must give a speech to a bunch of marines close to the danger zone. She hauls the kiddos along and leaves the, alone in the Forestry cabin with a line of four wheel ATVs outside. Mind you, these are the same kids who just showed they can't be trusted. Guess what? You got it. Kiddos get into trouble where the creatures are.
At this point I finally gave up. The story is so trite and the characters are idipts for being so intelligent. The Marine and the son can't say no to their cute little women. Ugh. I got as far as I could because I was curious about the ending. When son and girlfriend zipped off on the ATVs and got into trouble. I'd had enough.
Oh, and add extensive use of pretty foul language. Why did I waste valuable time on this book?
April 17, 2020
The US is almost out of oil and the lights are not going to stay on long. Chandler was a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan and Iraq wars and now is in charge of a large National Park in Alaska. He and his partner Brave Wolf are in the Fossil River park where some fisherman and wildlife have disappeared. The government has sent in a research team where they think is a large area of oil, ripe for the taking. This team disappears and now Chandler and Brave Wolf are looking for them. They discover something very frightening in their search and in trying to get away, they are almost killed but manage to acquire some parts of an animal they have never encountered before.
This was an entertaining book, some parts were predictable and some parts were somewhat absurd, but if you're looking for some excitement and adventure, this is for you.
This was an entertaining book, some parts were predictable and some parts were somewhat absurd, but if you're looking for some excitement and adventure, this is for you.
July 8, 2018
Hackneyed reductive crap served with a steaming side of lazy characterisation and premises ex machina. Save yourself the time and skip this one. Look at my reading history and you will see I am a sucker for pulp Dino books but honestly this one just made me angry, the dinosaurs also suck. Avoid.
I am giving one extra star for having dinosaurs in it at all.
I am giving one extra star for having dinosaurs in it at all.
May 29, 2020
This was a fascinating adventure, although a lot of good people were killed, which is sad. It might stretch the belief of some readers, but I found it very interesting. I'd love to read more by this author, but haven't found anything else. I read it several years ago and I think I'm going to read it again.
November 29, 2021
interesting book
I liked the premise of the book and it was decently written I just get frustrated at some authors lack of good science in their writing. For instance if the dinosaurs he had for protagonists existed they would either have eaten all the prey animals around or already have spilled out of the area especially since they can fly
I liked the premise of the book and it was decently written I just get frustrated at some authors lack of good science in their writing. For instance if the dinosaurs he had for protagonists existed they would either have eaten all the prey animals around or already have spilled out of the area especially since they can fly
November 7, 2016
Exciting read
Very great read. Totally believable story. I want to go to Alaska and see the dinosaur park!! Maybe get the oil changed in my car while I am there. As good as Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park!!!
Definitely pick this one up!!!!!
Very great read. Totally believable story. I want to go to Alaska and see the dinosaur park!! Maybe get the oil changed in my car while I am there. As good as Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park!!!
Definitely pick this one up!!!!!
July 30, 2023
good but flawed
The premise for this book is good. There are, however, many editing mistakes and some improbable plot lines that make the book less enjoyable. Too wordy in sections where more concise language would have sufficed.
The premise for this book is good. There are, however, many editing mistakes and some improbable plot lines that make the book less enjoyable. Too wordy in sections where more concise language would have sufficed.
April 19, 2018
It was good and kept me interested. I was able to finish in about 8 hours of long distance traveling.
April 12, 2019
Great book!
This was an excellent book. I called it Jurassic Park meets Alaska! Had to stop when it got to intense and pick it up after I calmed down!
This was an excellent book. I called it Jurassic Park meets Alaska! Had to stop when it got to intense and pick it up after I calmed down!
July 29, 2020
Exciting science fiction story. I liked the living fossil angle.
October 6, 2020
What a page turner
Great read - kept me up wanting to know what would happen next - I would love to see this made into a movie
Great read - kept me up wanting to know what would happen next - I would love to see this made into a movie
February 26, 2017
Fossil River review
Great story, nice read. One section, two thirds of the way through, was too long and unnecessary. Also the two kids did some really dumb things that got people killed and they weren't held accountable, scolded or made to understand what they did was wrong.
Great story, nice read. One section, two thirds of the way through, was too long and unnecessary. Also the two kids did some really dumb things that got people killed and they weren't held accountable, scolded or made to understand what they did was wrong.
October 4, 2013
Fossil fuel has an ageless affinity with dinosaurs. To create oil, dinosaurs died. Now, in this riveting action thriller, the tables are turning!
The perfect energy storm is sweeping over the United States: Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown has paralyzed nuclear expansion globally, BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill has stalled deep water drilling, Arab countries are in turmoil causing doubt about access to future oil, hurricanes hitting the Gulf’s oil rigs and refineries have increased due to global warming, and the nation’s Strategic Oil Supply is riding on empty.
As the energy storm intensifies, the nation’s access to Arab oil, once supplying over sixty percent of our fossil fuel, is being threatened causing citizens to panic for lack of gas at the pumps, stranding cars across the country and inciting riots.
The United States must find new sources of domestic fossil fuel urgently or face an energy crisis that will plunge the nation into a deep depression, much worse than that of 1929.
At the last moment of desperation, the U.S. discovers the world’s largest fossil fuel deposit, in a remote mountain range revealed by glacier thaw within Alaska’s Noatak National Preserve surrounding six and a half million acres.
Preventing access to the oil is a colony of living fossil dinosaurs that will protect its territory to the death.
In preliminary civilian and military scouts, nobody gets out alive; nobody can identify the predator--until Dr. Kimberly Fulton, Curator of Paleontology at New York’s Museum of Natural History, is flown into the nearly-inaccessible area by Scott Chandler, the Marine veteran helicopter pilot who’s the Park’s Manager of Wildlife. After page after compelling page of non-stop action, all hell breaks loose when Fulton’s teenage son and his girlfriend vanish into the Park.
Will the nation’s military be jeopardized for lack of mobility fuel, and will Americans nationwide run out of gas and be stranded, or will the U.S. Marines succeed in penetrating this remote mountain range in northwestern Alaska to restore fossil fuel supplies in time to save the nation from the worst energy catastrophe in recorded history?
I LOVED IT!!
The perfect energy storm is sweeping over the United States: Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown has paralyzed nuclear expansion globally, BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill has stalled deep water drilling, Arab countries are in turmoil causing doubt about access to future oil, hurricanes hitting the Gulf’s oil rigs and refineries have increased due to global warming, and the nation’s Strategic Oil Supply is riding on empty.
As the energy storm intensifies, the nation’s access to Arab oil, once supplying over sixty percent of our fossil fuel, is being threatened causing citizens to panic for lack of gas at the pumps, stranding cars across the country and inciting riots.
The United States must find new sources of domestic fossil fuel urgently or face an energy crisis that will plunge the nation into a deep depression, much worse than that of 1929.
At the last moment of desperation, the U.S. discovers the world’s largest fossil fuel deposit, in a remote mountain range revealed by glacier thaw within Alaska’s Noatak National Preserve surrounding six and a half million acres.
Preventing access to the oil is a colony of living fossil dinosaurs that will protect its territory to the death.
In preliminary civilian and military scouts, nobody gets out alive; nobody can identify the predator--until Dr. Kimberly Fulton, Curator of Paleontology at New York’s Museum of Natural History, is flown into the nearly-inaccessible area by Scott Chandler, the Marine veteran helicopter pilot who’s the Park’s Manager of Wildlife. After page after compelling page of non-stop action, all hell breaks loose when Fulton’s teenage son and his girlfriend vanish into the Park.
Will the nation’s military be jeopardized for lack of mobility fuel, and will Americans nationwide run out of gas and be stranded, or will the U.S. Marines succeed in penetrating this remote mountain range in northwestern Alaska to restore fossil fuel supplies in time to save the nation from the worst energy catastrophe in recorded history?
I LOVED IT!!
November 6, 2015
Starved for oil and on the brink of a nationwide blackout, the U.S. faces an uncertain future until a previously unknown fossil fuel deposit is found in a remote national park in northern Alaska. In a desperate move, the President orders the military to move in to secure the deposit for exploitation. What they encounter, though, is beyond anything they’ve ever before experienced; a colony of living fossils, the most dangerous predators to ever live, still live, and their territory happens to be where the oil is. They’re prepared to fight to the death to protect their nesting grounds. It’s left to wildlife expert and war hero, Scott Chandler, and paleontologist, Kimberly Fulton, to find a way to get the oil, while at the same time preserving these living remnants of a long-past age. Their quest is complicated by the rashness of the military and its belief that its weapons and machines can prevail against a predator that has had millions of years to evolve, and possesses the intelligence to be a more than formidable foe, and Fulton’s son, Ken, who is lost in the park with his girlfriend.
Fossil River by Jock Miller is a riveting thriller that tells the gut-wrenching story of their quest to find the kids and avoid a catastrophe. Filled with technical and tactical details that are sure to satisfy fans of military thrillers, this story also pulls back the covers on America’s addiction to fossil fuels and the hubris that can infect those in power who have never before had to face a foe they cannot defeat with force alone.
A page-turner with thrills and chills on every page. There were a few places where the author got his facts wrong; a Marine is never, ever referred to as a soldier – especially by another Marine, and Marines say Hoo-rah, not Hoo-ah, but these few glitches can be forgiven. After all, you’re supposed to suspend disbelief when you read fiction, and only former military people (including yours truly) would notice, or even care. The few flaws don’t damage a chilling tale that could someday be true – maybe.
Fossil River by Jock Miller is a riveting thriller that tells the gut-wrenching story of their quest to find the kids and avoid a catastrophe. Filled with technical and tactical details that are sure to satisfy fans of military thrillers, this story also pulls back the covers on America’s addiction to fossil fuels and the hubris that can infect those in power who have never before had to face a foe they cannot defeat with force alone.
A page-turner with thrills and chills on every page. There were a few places where the author got his facts wrong; a Marine is never, ever referred to as a soldier – especially by another Marine, and Marines say Hoo-rah, not Hoo-ah, but these few glitches can be forgiven. After all, you’re supposed to suspend disbelief when you read fiction, and only former military people (including yours truly) would notice, or even care. The few flaws don’t damage a chilling tale that could someday be true – maybe.
June 4, 2012
Enjoyed this book, definitely action/adventure with a hint of Jurassic Park and a plot built around the oil crisis. Moved along well, good characterizations and plenty of action.
The first 3/4 of the book was headed to a 5-star rating but unfortunately the ending seemed to run out of steam and fall back on stereotyped additional characters/plot themes which I found disappointing.
The main female character was brought in late in the book with a real stretch for a backstory and the end was built around her teenage son, his idiot/arrogant girlfriend and a situation that occurred because of their ignorance. The ending felt rushed and cobbled together, with the three characters introduced only to set up the ending. Did not feel their actions did not fit with the characteristics established for them.
On a purely personal note, one of the main characters was Native American (Blackfoot tribe). I grew up near an Indian reservation and went to school at a reservation school, am very familiar with the culture and there were some inaccuracies relating to the culture/people that were inaccurate and to me, annoying. If an author is going to include what purports to be Native American culture and myths, they need to do a little better job of research.
Overall ... 5 star for the first 3/4 of the book and 1 star for the ending (didn't hate it but didn't like it) so I compromised with a 3-star rating. I would read another book by this author in hopes that he is able to develop better endings.
The first 3/4 of the book was headed to a 5-star rating but unfortunately the ending seemed to run out of steam and fall back on stereotyped additional characters/plot themes which I found disappointing.
The main female character was brought in late in the book with a real stretch for a backstory and the end was built around her teenage son, his idiot/arrogant girlfriend and a situation that occurred because of their ignorance. The ending felt rushed and cobbled together, with the three characters introduced only to set up the ending. Did not feel their actions did not fit with the characteristics established for them.
On a purely personal note, one of the main characters was Native American (Blackfoot tribe). I grew up near an Indian reservation and went to school at a reservation school, am very familiar with the culture and there were some inaccuracies relating to the culture/people that were inaccurate and to me, annoying. If an author is going to include what purports to be Native American culture and myths, they need to do a little better job of research.
Overall ... 5 star for the first 3/4 of the book and 1 star for the ending (didn't hate it but didn't like it) so I compromised with a 3-star rating. I would read another book by this author in hopes that he is able to develop better endings.
November 7, 2013
The US is down to just days’ worth of oil and an all-out push to find a source within the US finds a huge field in Alaska. The find is in a remote valley surrounded by tall mountains and Volcanoes, It’s a region that difficult to get into, but where several intrepid fishermen have gone in search of record catches. None have returned. A couple of park Rangers investigate the latest missing fisherman and discover that the valley harbors a living fossil, or rather a whole bunch of them and they are deadly. The country is desperate for the oil and despite warnings from the rangers, a squad of Marines is sent in. None return. It now becomes a race to get the oil, loose no more troops and not destroy the valley and the inhabitants many of which hark back to the age of the dinosaurs.
December 5, 2012
I shouldn't really call this fantasy, but...
Think of this as a more advanced, more accurate, and slightly more-poorly-written Jurassic Park. I found myself skimming towards the end, not too interested in this chapter's "OMG the dinosaur is going to get us!" development. I like the concept, but some of the dialogue might as well have been replaced with plot developments snippets, ala "[This character is being unsympathetic so you can start to dislike her.]" Transparent and unsubtle.
Core story is interesting, but I just don't think the author created a real or believable character set.
Think of this as a more advanced, more accurate, and slightly more-poorly-written Jurassic Park. I found myself skimming towards the end, not too interested in this chapter's "OMG the dinosaur is going to get us!" development. I like the concept, but some of the dialogue might as well have been replaced with plot developments snippets, ala "[This character is being unsympathetic so you can start to dislike her.]" Transparent and unsubtle.
Core story is interesting, but I just don't think the author created a real or believable character set.
August 24, 2013
Set in Alaska. Oil explorations discovers valley with prehistoric climate and fauna. Looming energy crisis creates a conflict between preservation of the ecosystem and harvesting the oil. Park rangers and marines struggle with raptors. Paleontologist and ranger work for preservation of valley. Recommended
Good Reads Rating system
My rating system (*]star)
1* couldn't finish book
2* finished book, but didn't like it
3* a good read
4* a very good read often with a novel concept or unusual plot
5* an exceptionally good read, a prominent example of the genre
Good Reads Rating system
My rating system (*]star)
1* couldn't finish book
2* finished book, but didn't like it
3* a good read
4* a very good read often with a novel concept or unusual plot
5* an exceptionally good read, a prominent example of the genre
Read
January 12, 2015"Pitiful. Jes pitiful". Quoting Jed Clampet here. It had a great idea for a plot. There were lots of editing mistakes. I work in the oil industry. There is no way on God's green earth that a "industrial rig" as was mentioned in the climax of the story could be carried across mountains in Alaska by helicopter. Pipelines do not appear over night.
I am glad this was a freebie on Amazon so I don't feel bad about deleting this book. I can't give it one star. I'm sorry for the first time author because his research team did him no favors. Write about a subject you know.
I am glad this was a freebie on Amazon so I don't feel bad about deleting this book. I can't give it one star. I'm sorry for the first time author because his research team did him no favors. Write about a subject you know.
March 16, 2016
Dinosaurs Alive?!
An exciting adventure book. The plot was set in very plausible circumstances. The whole world is running out of oil. Governments are getting desperate.
And, then, the possibility of a vast oil field is found. Only two problems. One, it is in one of the harshest landscapes in THE most remote National Parks in Alaska,
And, two, a fierce predator Colony surviving from the age of Dinosaurs lives there.
A good read. It also addresses teen angst, and the importance of telling parents the truth.
An exciting adventure book. The plot was set in very plausible circumstances. The whole world is running out of oil. Governments are getting desperate.
And, then, the possibility of a vast oil field is found. Only two problems. One, it is in one of the harshest landscapes in THE most remote National Parks in Alaska,
And, two, a fierce predator Colony surviving from the age of Dinosaurs lives there.
A good read. It also addresses teen angst, and the importance of telling parents the truth.
October 2, 2013
Yes Dinosaurs!
That is how I felt about this story going into it. Did it deliver...for the most part yes; I am not sure how accurate the science/technical aspect of it is, since most of my dinosaur knowledge comes from Jurassic Park. ( I Love Jurassic Park, btw) Overlooking that, then yeah it was good. Towards the end they are a lot of typos, which drove me crazy. But I love a good dinosaur book.
That is how I felt about this story going into it. Did it deliver...for the most part yes; I am not sure how accurate the science/technical aspect of it is, since most of my dinosaur knowledge comes from Jurassic Park. ( I Love Jurassic Park, btw) Overlooking that, then yeah it was good. Towards the end they are a lot of typos, which drove me crazy. But I love a good dinosaur book.
February 13, 2013
If you've ever read a Michael Creighton book then you will appreciate Fossil River. It is a great novel, however, you do have to get through a lot of technical stuff at the beginning. I admit I did skim over the technical stuff (as I do with Creighton's books) because I don't understand it or don't need to know it for the story. Once you get to the story it is a wild ride with living fossils, terror, and a nation on the brink of an energy crisis. I look forward to more books by Jock Miller.
August 26, 2016
Not much I can say about this one. Just didn't grab me. Did make it to the end and was glad to get there. The author did do a half way good job with the characters, I could see who they were but just didn't like any of them that much. The story line was so so. The author seems to know how to write he just needs to be able to tell a tale. Of course I'm just a reader and couldn't write short story worth reading so it's best to read it yourself and make up your own mind.
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