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Dinotopia: Main #2
Dinotopia: The World Beneath
James Gurney's magnificent sequel to the bestselling Dinotopia returns in an anniversary hardcover edition. The World Beneath follows an intrepid band of Dinotopians — members of a society in which humans and animals peacefully coexist — as they explore a mysterious island. More than 160 full-color illustrations enhance this gripping adventure, in addition to a new Afterword and special behind-the-scenes studies.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
35 people are currently reading
1798 people want to read
About the author
James Gurney
45 books471 followersBorn June 14, 1958 in Glendale, California. Raised in Palo Alto, the youngest of five children of Joanna and Robert Gurney (a mechanical engineer). Earned a B.A. in Anthropology in 1979 with Phi Beta Kappa honors from the University of California at Berkeley. Studied painting at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena,California, where he met his wife Jeanette. In 1984 they moved to the Hudson Valley of New York State, where they raised two sons, Daniel and Franklin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
January 30, 2023
I loved this book as a kid. LOVED. The artwork is beautiful, and the story is fun. I wanted to share my love of it with my kiddos, but it looks like I'm gonna have to scour the earth for a new hardcover because mine got destroyed in a flood. Biscuits. Anyway, if you have kids, or if you just love dinosaurs, give this book a go. It's well worth your time.
March 8, 2022
Picking up almost where
Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time
left off, Dinotopia: The World Beneath is the second over-sized illustrated novel about a lost island where dinosaurs survive and live in peace with those humans who have washed up on their shores. In this second installment of the saga, which sparked a series of fantasy novels for young readers, as well as two television programs, Arthur Denison heads back to the cavernous world underneath the island of Dinotopia, taking Bix the Protoceratops with him. His voyage of discovery reveals the truth about the ancient Dinotopian civilization of Poseidos - the inspiration for the legend of Atlantis - and sees him reemerging into the world above in the dangerous Rainy Basin. Here his narrative joins up with that of his son Will, a Skybax rider who has been accompanying a convoy through the territory of the deadly Tyrannosaurus Rex...
Although not really the equal of the first - it lacked that wonderful feeling of discovering a new and wholly magical world - this second volume devoted to the Denisons and their adventures in Dinotopia was still quite entertaining. I enjoyed following both Arthur and Will's stories, although I do feel that author/artist Gurney stumbled a bit, in bringing his two narrative strands together. It almost felt as if the story-line involving Will disappeared, once Arthur reemerged into the world above. Their paths crossed, and Will just seemed to disappear. Leaving that issue aside, I found the story here engaging, and the artwork - the real star of the show! - absolutely gorgeous. Dinosaur and fantasy-lovers alike will enjoy poring over the paintings and diagrams here, deriving hours of pleasure imagining themselves exploring the vistas opening before them, or riding the various prehistoric creatures and/or vehicles. Recommended to anyone who enjoyed the first Dinotopia book.
Although not really the equal of the first - it lacked that wonderful feeling of discovering a new and wholly magical world - this second volume devoted to the Denisons and their adventures in Dinotopia was still quite entertaining. I enjoyed following both Arthur and Will's stories, although I do feel that author/artist Gurney stumbled a bit, in bringing his two narrative strands together. It almost felt as if the story-line involving Will disappeared, once Arthur reemerged into the world above. Their paths crossed, and Will just seemed to disappear. Leaving that issue aside, I found the story here engaging, and the artwork - the real star of the show! - absolutely gorgeous. Dinosaur and fantasy-lovers alike will enjoy poring over the paintings and diagrams here, deriving hours of pleasure imagining themselves exploring the vistas opening before them, or riding the various prehistoric creatures and/or vehicles. Recommended to anyone who enjoyed the first Dinotopia book.
May 2, 2012
Once in awhile, I like to review classic books of the 90s, the stuff that first got me into reading. High up on that list is 1992's Dinotopia, but very near the top is its 1996 sequel, The World Beneath. I don't use amazing, magical, pure genius, or any of those adjectives much at all, but this is the rare book that I don't hesitate to lavish with praise.
First of all, this is the only time I'll ever recommend getting the hardcover - don't waste time with the paperback, there's a huge difference. The illustrations are gorgeous, incredible, breathtaking, the kind of thing you just want to lay out on your coffee table and stare at while you're sitting on the couch, especially if you're absolutely fascinated by dinosaurs or landscapes (or both like me). Incredible work. Book should get five stars just based on the art alone.
But the reason I like this book so much, far over First Flight or Journey to Chandara or even the original, is the story. The original Dinotopia is already one of the most fascinating books I've ever read, incredible places of mystery, scenery, and lore, but the World Beneath was always the place that caught my imagination the most, where a river plunges into a hole in the ground, a place guarded by pteranodons where dinosaurs went to die. I absolutely hated Dinotopia for following Will's story instead of his father's, staying aboveground and leaving that mysterious place to my imagination.
And then this book came out, and, wow, I was not disappointed. Gurney's ideas for the World Beneath were amazing, better than anything I could ever come up with, part archeological lost window to the past, part mysterious subterranean environment, one hundred percent fascinating scientific expedition. And add in sunstones, the ending with Lee Crabb, I was not disappointed. Ok, maybe a little, but only because the underground scenes left me wanting more.
I think I've run out of words to use, but, yeah, awesome, plus there's steampunk in this book before steampunk was cool. I have two full bookshelves and this is one of the books I absolutely always look for first.
First of all, this is the only time I'll ever recommend getting the hardcover - don't waste time with the paperback, there's a huge difference. The illustrations are gorgeous, incredible, breathtaking, the kind of thing you just want to lay out on your coffee table and stare at while you're sitting on the couch, especially if you're absolutely fascinated by dinosaurs or landscapes (or both like me). Incredible work. Book should get five stars just based on the art alone.
But the reason I like this book so much, far over First Flight or Journey to Chandara or even the original, is the story. The original Dinotopia is already one of the most fascinating books I've ever read, incredible places of mystery, scenery, and lore, but the World Beneath was always the place that caught my imagination the most, where a river plunges into a hole in the ground, a place guarded by pteranodons where dinosaurs went to die. I absolutely hated Dinotopia for following Will's story instead of his father's, staying aboveground and leaving that mysterious place to my imagination.
And then this book came out, and, wow, I was not disappointed. Gurney's ideas for the World Beneath were amazing, better than anything I could ever come up with, part archeological lost window to the past, part mysterious subterranean environment, one hundred percent fascinating scientific expedition. And add in sunstones, the ending with Lee Crabb, I was not disappointed. Ok, maybe a little, but only because the underground scenes left me wanting more.
I think I've run out of words to use, but, yeah, awesome, plus there's steampunk in this book before steampunk was cool. I have two full bookshelves and this is one of the books I absolutely always look for first.
February 26, 2024
Bought these not long after they first came out and read them with my sons, so…children's books, I guess?? But in fact they're so much more than that - they're truly delightful for any grown-up fan of either dinosaurs or simply gorgeous illustration, as Gurney (a former National Geographic illustrator) is both an outstanding artist and creative world-builder (if a generally iffy writer).
Haven't reread them since the late '90s, since (as I recall) the third book in the series - Dinotopia: First Flight - paled in comparison to the originals (if not quite jumping the Megalodon)…but then I somehow only now just learned that after an eight-year gap, Gurney in 2007 produced another book that apparently picks up where his original duology left off; and since our library has that, I decided to revisit the earlier books first so I knew what the heck would be going on.
And glad I did - I had forgotten just how beautiful these books were, and can truly recommend at least these first two to both young and "the still young-at-heart" alike. I particularly like how he playfully incorporated interests (I'm assuming) from his NatGeo days, pulling in influences from Bali, Cambodia, Egypt, Mexico and other cultures to craft his prehistoric utopia. Although I do have to question how a Tibetan influence could have reached his remote island - by the mid-19th century, I don't think any Tibetans had even seen an ocean, much less set out to cross one!
Haven't reread them since the late '90s, since (as I recall) the third book in the series - Dinotopia: First Flight - paled in comparison to the originals (if not quite jumping the Megalodon)…but then I somehow only now just learned that after an eight-year gap, Gurney in 2007 produced another book that apparently picks up where his original duology left off; and since our library has that, I decided to revisit the earlier books first so I knew what the heck would be going on.
And glad I did - I had forgotten just how beautiful these books were, and can truly recommend at least these first two to both young and "the still young-at-heart" alike. I particularly like how he playfully incorporated interests (I'm assuming) from his NatGeo days, pulling in influences from Bali, Cambodia, Egypt, Mexico and other cultures to craft his prehistoric utopia. Although I do have to question how a Tibetan influence could have reached his remote island - by the mid-19th century, I don't think any Tibetans had even seen an ocean, much less set out to cross one!
May 1, 2022
4.5 ⭐️
Almost as good as the first one, in terms of world building it’s just as good if not better. And yes I will in fact be making an OC based off of these books 😭
Almost as good as the first one, in terms of world building it’s just as good if not better. And yes I will in fact be making an OC based off of these books 😭
July 25, 2020
5 full stars for worldbuilding and the truly amazing artwork.
It's this that makes this series so special. I loved all the paintings, the detail in them, the atmosphere, and the way it was all pieced together like the journal of a 19th centrury natural history researcher.
What a pity the story in itself was so thin and really quite superfluous, otherwise this series would really have it all!
As it stands, a 4,5 stars for the whole thing.
It's this that makes this series so special. I loved all the paintings, the detail in them, the atmosphere, and the way it was all pieced together like the journal of a 19th centrury natural history researcher.
What a pity the story in itself was so thin and really quite superfluous, otherwise this series would really have it all!
As it stands, a 4,5 stars for the whole thing.
May 3, 2019
Not as groundbreaking as the first book, but still just as beautiful.
Despite the lack of epistolary narrative, the story very much works as a Vernian style adventure of discovery and profundity that questions humanity's relationship to technology and to each other. Both are done in a subtle way so as to make the message feel natural by way of personal experience with the book.
As ever, the world-building is just splendorous in how much detail is created from one map or scene. In addition, finding bits and pieces of Dinotopia's past is a fascinating story in it's own right, one which I hope will be continued with the sequel.
In sum, not as unique as the first book but just as beautiful and creative with a more grounded story that serves to highlight what makes this Lost World so special.
Despite the lack of epistolary narrative, the story very much works as a Vernian style adventure of discovery and profundity that questions humanity's relationship to technology and to each other. Both are done in a subtle way so as to make the message feel natural by way of personal experience with the book.
As ever, the world-building is just splendorous in how much detail is created from one map or scene. In addition, finding bits and pieces of Dinotopia's past is a fascinating story in it's own right, one which I hope will be continued with the sequel.
In sum, not as unique as the first book but just as beautiful and creative with a more grounded story that serves to highlight what makes this Lost World so special.
October 24, 2017
I liked the first Dinotopia book so much, I decided to read the rest of the series. This one has more of the same stunning illustrations, but, uh... the writing really takes a left turn! The gentle pace of the first book and its themes of nature and sustainable living are traded in for lots of robot dinosaurs(!?!!) I was still able to roll with this, but I had a harder time forgiving the interplay of words and pictures here, which lacked the nuance of the first book. Often there is "duo-specific" overlap where the words are simply describing what is in the picture.
June 1, 2019
I've never quit gotten over the extinction of the dinosaurs.
The art in this book ranges from "fun!" to "gorgeous..." to "Holy crap, I'd risk being a Tyrannosaurus's afternoon snack just to live there."
That said, the art is what makes the book. The story is a lot of fun but feels a little rushed and packed full of a little too much (lost civilizations, robots, underground worlds, plus, you know, dinosaurs). The characters are a little two-dimensional and the dialogue is a bit quaint. Still this book has more heart and imagination than the next 5 books put together. It was a fun read and I'll definitely be re-visiting this world over and over again.
The art in this book ranges from "fun!" to "gorgeous..." to "Holy crap, I'd risk being a Tyrannosaurus's afternoon snack just to live there."
That said, the art is what makes the book. The story is a lot of fun but feels a little rushed and packed full of a little too much (lost civilizations, robots, underground worlds, plus, you know, dinosaurs). The characters are a little two-dimensional and the dialogue is a bit quaint. Still this book has more heart and imagination than the next 5 books put together. It was a fun read and I'll definitely be re-visiting this world over and over again.
November 13, 2017
The astounding fantasy artwork speaks for itself, as the text can be rather flat and listless for such fantastic imagery. However, those who love dinosaurs, sci-fi, and steampunk will really enjoy it.
January 1, 2021
Similar in quality to the first one. The world is inventive and fun. Who doesn't like dinosaur utopias? It also has some interesting ideas around the role of technology. In keeping with the plot/character development shallowness however, the themes lack nuance and depth. The book is interesting despite the (expected) flaws.
August 10, 2018
This one got a little too strange for my taste...
December 24, 2023
This series has masterclass artwork. It was unknowingly my first interaction with a passion of mine, concept art.
For the first time as an adult and an artist I have revisited this series. On this recent read, I am even more astonished by the craft and amazed at the magic found in this book.
Thank you for inspiring so many, Mr. Gurney.
For the first time as an adult and an artist I have revisited this series. On this recent read, I am even more astonished by the craft and amazed at the magic found in this book.
Thank you for inspiring so many, Mr. Gurney.
April 14, 2025
It’s a great picture book and work of art, it just is. There so much passion and thought from Gurney that I just felt it. Maybe not as good as the first, but still incredible.
4.8 🌟
4.8 🌟
January 1, 2024
The second Dinotopia book by James Gurney, while not being quite as magical as the first book, is still an extremely delightful read. The art is simply phenomenal. I really can't overstate just how much I love the artwork presented in this book. Gurney's gorgeous oil paintings do wonders to set the tone of this story and bring the world to life in a way that prose alone would be unable to. Among the many, many beautiful paintings, I'll shout out the two page spread on pages 52 and 53 of the 20th Anniversary Edition depicting what the characters see upon first entering the giant cave system they explore for most of this book. You can find this image quite easily by searching for this book, if you would like to see the art for yourself. I honestly could recommend the book for the art alone. Luckily, the story and characters are also quite fun.
While the plot itself is not the most engaging (I found the story of the first book where Arthur and Will had to learn how to fit into this new society much more interesting, although that may just be nostalgia talking), the world building and themes have a certain charm to them that is impossible to ignore. As with the first book, a lot of care went into imaging how this society would work, and as with most good settings, it feels like there's more going on under the surface that the characters we follow aren't a part of. The themes of societal cooperation and environmentalism really make this a world you wish you could step into. Arthur's character arc (despite being predictable) of learning to rely on others instead of just lifeless machines works really well for the world and story Gurney created.
Although I do like the book, there are still a few things that hold it back from perfection in my eyes. I do miss the framing device of the story being from Arthur's journal (as it was presented in the first book), and the romance did feel quite a bit rushed. The biggest problem I have with the book is the few times the story jumped suddenly and disoriently ahead, making it feel like I missed a part of the story. The example that comes immediately to mind is when Lee Crabb won his submersible back practically off screen. We had several paragraphs setting up the conflict of Lee not having a submersible like he said he did, and then the next prose section had the characters boarding his sub like nothing was wrong. There was a single picture with a caption in the corner of a page explaining Lee won his sub back in a game of chance, but the reader never got to see how Lee convinced the current owner to bet the sub or even how the rest of the group reacted to being obviously lied to. Obviously these instances were not so major that I couldn't follow the story, but they were nonetheless jarring.
Despite a handful of minor grievances, the story was short and sweet enough that any real problems are pretty easily ignored in favor of the book's many strengths. If you liked the first Dinotopia, this is an easy recommendation.
While the plot itself is not the most engaging (I found the story of the first book where Arthur and Will had to learn how to fit into this new society much more interesting, although that may just be nostalgia talking), the world building and themes have a certain charm to them that is impossible to ignore. As with the first book, a lot of care went into imaging how this society would work, and as with most good settings, it feels like there's more going on under the surface that the characters we follow aren't a part of. The themes of societal cooperation and environmentalism really make this a world you wish you could step into. Arthur's character arc (despite being predictable) of learning to rely on others instead of just lifeless machines works really well for the world and story Gurney created.
Although I do like the book, there are still a few things that hold it back from perfection in my eyes. I do miss the framing device of the story being from Arthur's journal (as it was presented in the first book), and the romance did feel quite a bit rushed. The biggest problem I have with the book is the few times the story jumped suddenly and disoriently ahead, making it feel like I missed a part of the story. The example that comes immediately to mind is when Lee Crabb won his submersible back practically off screen. We had several paragraphs setting up the conflict of Lee not having a submersible like he said he did, and then the next prose section had the characters boarding his sub like nothing was wrong. There was a single picture with a caption in the corner of a page explaining Lee won his sub back in a game of chance, but the reader never got to see how Lee convinced the current owner to bet the sub or even how the rest of the group reacted to being obviously lied to. Obviously these instances were not so major that I couldn't follow the story, but they were nonetheless jarring.
Despite a handful of minor grievances, the story was short and sweet enough that any real problems are pretty easily ignored in favor of the book's many strengths. If you liked the first Dinotopia, this is an easy recommendation.
December 29, 2020
The artwork is breathtaking and the story is very immersive and complex. Just as in the first book I enjoyed learning more about the secrets of Dinotopia and all the inhabitants (human and dinosaurs.) I'm looking forward to continuing this series unsure of what will happen next or where it will take me. This story is for all ages to enjoy and learn from as it has themes of friendship, perseverance, and standing up to bias to name a few. A great read in one sitting.
August 25, 2024
My prior 5 star ranking was solely based on nostalgia and the illustrations. Which, if I could rate this book just on the illustrations it would be a 5! And this is the book I remember the most of. I drew the strutters non-stop. But the sudden departure from the travel journal of the first book to a third person narrative creates a clunky prose that is wildly at odds with the epic adventure they are on and the gorgeous illustrations. Plus you've got the shoehorned romance at the end that just falls flat.
The story itself is really cool! Ancient technology, double crossings, perilous moments at sea! But the writing does it no favor. I'd like to keep it a 4, but I can't.
The story itself is really cool! Ancient technology, double crossings, perilous moments at sea! But the writing does it no favor. I'd like to keep it a 4, but I can't.
January 20, 2013
I am always amazed at anyone who can illustrate their visions, which is one reason I purchased this book. Children are not the only ones who will enjoy this as the artwork is lavish and incredibly logical. Sure, why couldn't dinosaurs and humans work and live together in one harmonious community? I certainly bought it. The writing doesn't match the art, but that's okay, as the pictures tell the story. The page showing 'Stinktooth', a Giganotosaurus, with its stinky mouth wide open is alone worth the look. I swear I could smell the dino breath.
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October 6, 2011fucking awesome
April 24, 2024
“We all find what we expect to find,” said Bix, “as long as we see with our hearts as much as with our eyes.”
—
The next “Dinotopia” book! Hurrah! These books are Awesome.
This one isn’t really a journal in the same way that the first one is, this one is straightforwardly narrated. Arthur Dennison wants to explore a place he managed to reach with Bix, but not enter: the World Beneath. There was a giant door, but only half a key, so they put out an announcement for whoever has the other half: finding Oriana, a musician who inherited it. She demands to come along for the ride, and so with Bix and Crabb providing a submarine, they go for the journey, all while Will is on a mission as a Skybax rider to protect a caravan in the Rainy Basin (where all the big carnivores live).
The point of opening a “Dinotopia” book is not really the story, although those are fun, too. It’s for the awesome art. That’s not to say that the stories are bad; they’re not. The first one really impressed me with its worldbuilding. But Gurney’s not telling something too deep when it comes to how he’s writing this story. Notably, the character work on this one’s a bit… iffy.
Like, over the course of the story, Arthur and Oriana fall in love; okay, fine, cool. But we don’t get enough character interaction leading to that; there’s a moment when Arthur declares that nothing will separate them, and I don’t know why he, Mr. Empirical Science, Knowledge Is Everything, feels so strongly about Oriana, who is kind of a hippie even by Dinotopian standards.
Will is also just kind of there. I like his character, but his story feels like there should be more there.
Bix is still awesome, we love you, you’re the best, ceratopsians 4ever. Sorry you have to deal with some of Arthur’s BS.
The worldbuilding is still interesting and cool, too. The art of the Rainy Basin, the World Beneath, heck, just… everything about life in Dinotopia–it shows that Gurney has actually thought about how people lived in this world.
There are so many things in this book that are just… lodged in my brain? The rock formation that Crabb and Oriana both see differently, the treasure of Poseidos, the Brachiosaur in armor, and the masks… it’s all so great! I love this art!
And it has mechs! A book with beautiful art of both dinosaurs and mechs! What else could you possibly ask for?!
—
The next “Dinotopia” book! Hurrah! These books are Awesome.
This one isn’t really a journal in the same way that the first one is, this one is straightforwardly narrated. Arthur Dennison wants to explore a place he managed to reach with Bix, but not enter: the World Beneath. There was a giant door, but only half a key, so they put out an announcement for whoever has the other half: finding Oriana, a musician who inherited it. She demands to come along for the ride, and so with Bix and Crabb providing a submarine, they go for the journey, all while Will is on a mission as a Skybax rider to protect a caravan in the Rainy Basin (where all the big carnivores live).
The point of opening a “Dinotopia” book is not really the story, although those are fun, too. It’s for the awesome art. That’s not to say that the stories are bad; they’re not. The first one really impressed me with its worldbuilding. But Gurney’s not telling something too deep when it comes to how he’s writing this story. Notably, the character work on this one’s a bit… iffy.
Like, over the course of the story, Arthur and Oriana fall in love; okay, fine, cool. But we don’t get enough character interaction leading to that; there’s a moment when Arthur declares that nothing will separate them, and I don’t know why he, Mr. Empirical Science, Knowledge Is Everything, feels so strongly about Oriana, who is kind of a hippie even by Dinotopian standards.
Will is also just kind of there. I like his character, but his story feels like there should be more there.
Bix is still awesome, we love you, you’re the best, ceratopsians 4ever. Sorry you have to deal with some of Arthur’s BS.
The worldbuilding is still interesting and cool, too. The art of the Rainy Basin, the World Beneath, heck, just… everything about life in Dinotopia–it shows that Gurney has actually thought about how people lived in this world.
There are so many things in this book that are just… lodged in my brain? The rock formation that Crabb and Oriana both see differently, the treasure of Poseidos, the Brachiosaur in armor, and the masks… it’s all so great! I love this art!
And it has mechs! A book with beautiful art of both dinosaurs and mechs! What else could you possibly ask for?!
March 1, 2016
The World Beneath, sequel to the first beloved Dinotopia, has many of the things that made the first book so spectacular--namely amazing art, and and interesting world. This time around it even has a plot, unlike the first one which was essentially plot-less, although I would argue that it was to the book's benefit and that the plot here is to this book's detriment. More on that later.
It's a simple adventure story that steals heavily from the Atlantis myth. There's a labyrinth of caves underneath Dinotopia, where the dinosaurs sheltered themselves from the meteor that killed the rest of their kind billions of years ago. Nobody has really been down there since, as much cultural and religious mystery surrounds the place. That is, until Arthur Denison came along. Arthur went into the caves alone near the end of the first book, and was later joined by his dinosaur friend Bix who went in after him. They made some interesting discoveries during their very brief time in the world beneath, including a power source called sunstones, and wish to go back on a longer and better financed expedition.
So, why two fewer stars than the first book? The first Dinotopia was written in first-person in the style of journal entries, first from Arthur and then, while Arthur was in the world beneath, by his son. This worked very well, especially for a book where so much more space is taken up by pictures than by words. You could have a character tell us exactly how they were feeling without it seeming too forced, because that's what people do in journals, and you save a lot of space by doing so. It also added a feeling of authenticity to a story where the world-building, and your faith in it, was so important to its success. It made sense for Arthur to be writing down and drawing all the things he was seeing, because of who he is. It felt natural. Not only was every word imparting character by being through Arthur's viewpoint, but so was every picture, because they were also drawn by him. This is what's called good writing. Having your words do more than one thing--impart narrative, character, and world-building all at the same time.
This book is written in third-person, which has no such advantages or shortcuts. It only does one of the above things at a time, and 90% of the time it's just the narrative aspect. There's very little character, and very little world-building, and what world-building there is is terrible.
The narrative is not coming from any particular character's viewpoint, since it's written in omniscient, and there's so little mention of anyone's internal thoughts or feelings that it's a hair's breath away from being third-person objective. What I'm trying to say, ultimately, is that the chosen viewpoint and how it's utilized is a problem that undermines my suspension of disbelief. It all just feels a lot more fake, and more forced. It feels more like I'm just reading a kid's book with a clear agenda for its story (which is none too impressive) rather than organically stepping into a world without any agenda, which is the feeling the first book went for and absolutely nailed. Again, having a narrative as opposed to not having one is not always the right decision. Plot-less stories can be great, just like the first Dinotopia was. It's a good fit for the series, so it's a shame it was abandoned in favor of something more traditional.
Another huge suspension of disbelief problem is that the book jumps the shark on the technology and world-building front. Arthur and friends discover dinosaur mechs in the world beneath. I'll say that once more in case you missed it. They discover dinosaur mechs.
Giant steel contraptions, modeled after dinosaurs and other real creatures, that walk and move like the real thing, and are powered by sunstones. Now, even if you accept that sunstones are essentially a limitless power source, it's silly to think that these things could have been created without similar advancements anywhere else. They would require things like steel smelting using molds, differential gears, extremely complex hydraulics, and, apparently, computers complex enough not only to control their fine motor movements (the driver only has levers to choose which direction to go, and all the complexity of actually getting there is done by the robot's programming) but also to impart personality and to fulfill basic needs on its own, such as drinking water for internal cooling when it needs to.
Why are these component technologies not evident anywhere else? The only similarly advanced technology we see is a camera from, I assume, the same time period, since the pictures show the same robots in them. But the pictures look like they are from the 1840s when photography first started being a thing, and there are gas lamps in the same photo. Considering we, in modern times, still don't have complex walking tanks it's a bit silly that these two technologies are so far removed from each other in complexity, and that there's a distinct lack of any other technology from that time. There's no consistency whatsoever.
It would make far more sense to find those pictures on an ancient computer in high definition. I mean, they had computers. There's computers in the dino robots. Why aren't they using them to store their pictures? It's obviously playing into the Atlantis myth of ancient but advanced technology that barely makes sense, but a book that succeeded so much on solid world-building is an odd place for it, and feels like a total misstep to me. The narrative it adds is fine but it's also cliche and does nothing to impress. More importantly though, it's taking away from what was good about the first book in the process, and totally undermining the history of the very world Gurney crafted in such loving detail, which impacts the believability and logic of said world in the present.
How did a man with a degree in anthropology and such attention to detail the first time around mess this up so badly? I hate to think that he was simply doing it to appeal to a wider audience. Maybe he just wanted to draw some cool scifi imagery and to hell with logic. There's no way to know, but the book definitely suffers from these poor decisions no matter the original intent. Such a shame.
It's a simple adventure story that steals heavily from the Atlantis myth. There's a labyrinth of caves underneath Dinotopia, where the dinosaurs sheltered themselves from the meteor that killed the rest of their kind billions of years ago. Nobody has really been down there since, as much cultural and religious mystery surrounds the place. That is, until Arthur Denison came along. Arthur went into the caves alone near the end of the first book, and was later joined by his dinosaur friend Bix who went in after him. They made some interesting discoveries during their very brief time in the world beneath, including a power source called sunstones, and wish to go back on a longer and better financed expedition.
So, why two fewer stars than the first book? The first Dinotopia was written in first-person in the style of journal entries, first from Arthur and then, while Arthur was in the world beneath, by his son. This worked very well, especially for a book where so much more space is taken up by pictures than by words. You could have a character tell us exactly how they were feeling without it seeming too forced, because that's what people do in journals, and you save a lot of space by doing so. It also added a feeling of authenticity to a story where the world-building, and your faith in it, was so important to its success. It made sense for Arthur to be writing down and drawing all the things he was seeing, because of who he is. It felt natural. Not only was every word imparting character by being through Arthur's viewpoint, but so was every picture, because they were also drawn by him. This is what's called good writing. Having your words do more than one thing--impart narrative, character, and world-building all at the same time.
This book is written in third-person, which has no such advantages or shortcuts. It only does one of the above things at a time, and 90% of the time it's just the narrative aspect. There's very little character, and very little world-building, and what world-building there is is terrible.
The narrative is not coming from any particular character's viewpoint, since it's written in omniscient, and there's so little mention of anyone's internal thoughts or feelings that it's a hair's breath away from being third-person objective. What I'm trying to say, ultimately, is that the chosen viewpoint and how it's utilized is a problem that undermines my suspension of disbelief. It all just feels a lot more fake, and more forced. It feels more like I'm just reading a kid's book with a clear agenda for its story (which is none too impressive) rather than organically stepping into a world without any agenda, which is the feeling the first book went for and absolutely nailed. Again, having a narrative as opposed to not having one is not always the right decision. Plot-less stories can be great, just like the first Dinotopia was. It's a good fit for the series, so it's a shame it was abandoned in favor of something more traditional.
Another huge suspension of disbelief problem is that the book jumps the shark on the technology and world-building front. Arthur and friends discover dinosaur mechs in the world beneath. I'll say that once more in case you missed it. They discover dinosaur mechs.
Giant steel contraptions, modeled after dinosaurs and other real creatures, that walk and move like the real thing, and are powered by sunstones. Now, even if you accept that sunstones are essentially a limitless power source, it's silly to think that these things could have been created without similar advancements anywhere else. They would require things like steel smelting using molds, differential gears, extremely complex hydraulics, and, apparently, computers complex enough not only to control their fine motor movements (the driver only has levers to choose which direction to go, and all the complexity of actually getting there is done by the robot's programming) but also to impart personality and to fulfill basic needs on its own, such as drinking water for internal cooling when it needs to.
Why are these component technologies not evident anywhere else? The only similarly advanced technology we see is a camera from, I assume, the same time period, since the pictures show the same robots in them. But the pictures look like they are from the 1840s when photography first started being a thing, and there are gas lamps in the same photo. Considering we, in modern times, still don't have complex walking tanks it's a bit silly that these two technologies are so far removed from each other in complexity, and that there's a distinct lack of any other technology from that time. There's no consistency whatsoever.
It would make far more sense to find those pictures on an ancient computer in high definition. I mean, they had computers. There's computers in the dino robots. Why aren't they using them to store their pictures? It's obviously playing into the Atlantis myth of ancient but advanced technology that barely makes sense, but a book that succeeded so much on solid world-building is an odd place for it, and feels like a total misstep to me. The narrative it adds is fine but it's also cliche and does nothing to impress. More importantly though, it's taking away from what was good about the first book in the process, and totally undermining the history of the very world Gurney crafted in such loving detail, which impacts the believability and logic of said world in the present.
How did a man with a degree in anthropology and such attention to detail the first time around mess this up so badly? I hate to think that he was simply doing it to appeal to a wider audience. Maybe he just wanted to draw some cool scifi imagery and to hell with logic. There's no way to know, but the book definitely suffers from these poor decisions no matter the original intent. Such a shame.
June 29, 2020
The continued adventures of Arthur and Will Denison. In this book, Arthur is returning to the underworld of Dinotopia to explore the history of the island. He is joined by Lee Crabb, Bix, and a woman named Orianna. Their adventures reaching and exploring that world are matched only by their discoveries.
The artwork in the book is still the best part, making this more of a graphic novel. The story is OK, although the idea of the destroyed very advanced society is pushed to its extremes and it ends up changing some of the history from the first book.
I first read this when I was much younger and more willing to ignore (in memory at least) holes in plot and story. This time, decades later, I realize that the size of Dinotopia would guarantee its discovery by the 19th century (where this is set). In fact, one wonders things like why the alphabet is directly translatable to English or how breeding populations of so many species of dinosaur could exist on one island unchanged for (for the cretaceous species) 65 million years, let alone the more than that for earlier periods species mentioned in a book. Why do the dinosaurs care about humans at all? How have they advanced so little in technology in ask that time as well?
Still, a nice simple story with amazing artwork. Thus worthy of the 4 stars.
The artwork in the book is still the best part, making this more of a graphic novel. The story is OK, although the idea of the destroyed very advanced society is pushed to its extremes and it ends up changing some of the history from the first book.
I first read this when I was much younger and more willing to ignore (in memory at least) holes in plot and story. This time, decades later, I realize that the size of Dinotopia would guarantee its discovery by the 19th century (where this is set). In fact, one wonders things like why the alphabet is directly translatable to English or how breeding populations of so many species of dinosaur could exist on one island unchanged for (for the cretaceous species) 65 million years, let alone the more than that for earlier periods species mentioned in a book. Why do the dinosaurs care about humans at all? How have they advanced so little in technology in ask that time as well?
Still, a nice simple story with amazing artwork. Thus worthy of the 4 stars.
March 25, 2024
The World Beneath continues the Dennison's story and has many of the same qualities of the first book. Fantastic world building and gorgeous art is found throughout, though I missed that the story's framework was less tied to the idea of it being a travel journal and more a narrative (engaging, though a bit jumbled by the nature of this being an art book with a story and not a story with art). Likewise, while I really like the ancient society found in The World Beneath interesting, I'm less excited about a technologically advanced past society with robo-dinos and magic future tech then I am by what is already happening in Dinotopia itself.
Still fun, still beautiful, but a bit different. This edition likewise has the forward and afterward about the series and how it was made and I still really enjoyed being able to peer behind the curtain.
Still fun, still beautiful, but a bit different. This edition likewise has the forward and afterward about the series and how it was made and I still really enjoyed being able to peer behind the curtain.
May 12, 2020
The visuals are just as beautiful in the second book in the series. I particularly loved the underground adventure through the caves. There's also a bit more action in this one and the storylines overlap at tense moments so that there is a bit of tension to keep reading. However, the story, especially at the end, has some large gaps in it that ruined my enjoyment of the end. The character managed to get from one end of the island to the other quickly with no explanation of how they did that. I found that really distracting and a big plot hole. The other downside is that there is a rather obvious villain so it's no surprise when the villain betrays the heroes. At least the situation is resolved without violence. Still an enjoyable book and worth it for the pictures alone.
January 19, 2018
The art in this book is incredible, almost mindblowing. Unfortunately the writing and story lets it down-maybe that's beside the point but I wanted to like it more than I did. Actually, the story here is quite good, but it was so fast based that any potential moment of tension was glossed over, and told in a very matter of fact way. I think it's shift from first person diary in the first book to third person POV here hurt it a little.
It's still an amazing book to put on a shelf, and like I said the art is just out of this world (literally). The world of dinotopia is so clever, and so well thought out. It's not simply a world with humans and dinosaurs, it's far deeper than that.
It's still an amazing book to put on a shelf, and like I said the art is just out of this world (literally). The world of dinotopia is so clever, and so well thought out. It's not simply a world with humans and dinosaurs, it's far deeper than that.
August 14, 2022
This follow up book continues with both its strengths and weaknesses. There is no doubt that the imagination is highly enjoyable, while the storytelling remains thin. Read it for the images, and let the story explain what the images represent, while putting away your literary mind. In this way, it is a nice escape.
I will say when I read on the back flap that Gurney was good friends with Thomas Kinkade, it both made sense and disappointed. There is no doubting the technical skills of both artists. I believe Gurney would have done much better work without Kinkade's sappy, commercial influence.
I will say when I read on the back flap that Gurney was good friends with Thomas Kinkade, it both made sense and disappointed. There is no doubting the technical skills of both artists. I believe Gurney would have done much better work without Kinkade's sappy, commercial influence.
February 7, 2024
Better than the first one. The story telling is more fluid, and the illustrations are allowed to tell more of the story, which is good as Gurney is a better illustrator, though his prose is more fluid and ornate in this one at times. The color choices are also more to my taste, and the world itself is greatly expanded and deepened, as a lot of the initial world-building was done with the first book. Definitely nostalgic as I owned this one as a kid. Dinotopia draws on the great tradition of mythic worlds. Some of the illustrations in this one are reminiscent of Oz to me, in the details of the clothes and houses perhaps. Magical.
January 1, 2018
First read of 2018
"Breath deep, seek peace"
'The World Beneath' is an amazing sequel to the first Dinotopia book 'A Land Apart from Time' with even better illustrations of the beautiful world and its inhabitants. There is one thing that really bothered me though. It's not written in Arthur Denison's journal perspective anymore. Now it's just like a regular book without the personal view that made the first one so special. I wish James Gurney would have stuck to the way he started to write but this sequel is nonetheless amazing.
"Breath deep, seek peace"
'The World Beneath' is an amazing sequel to the first Dinotopia book 'A Land Apart from Time' with even better illustrations of the beautiful world and its inhabitants. There is one thing that really bothered me though. It's not written in Arthur Denison's journal perspective anymore. Now it's just like a regular book without the personal view that made the first one so special. I wish James Gurney would have stuck to the way he started to write but this sequel is nonetheless amazing.
May 13, 2019
I quite liked this book. It was much better than the first one, though I did like like that one as well. The first one was mainly about introducing Dinotopia and the story suffered a bit as a result. I think this one was able to tell a great story with illustrations just as colorful and detailed as the first book had while effectively introducing new elements to this universe. It didn't change my worldview or anything, so I can't give it 5 stars. It wasn't amazing, but I would still recommend it to anyone interested.
December 26, 2019
A worthy sequel to Dinotopia, The World Beneath continues the mildly thrilling adventures of Will and Arthur Denison in a dinosaur-populated Victorian world. The art continues to be stirring and deserving of all the accolades. The plot is more of a straightforward adventure than the previous book, perhaps even an improvement from a storytelling perspective. The depiction of Oriana is a bit dated (very "no girls allowed!"), but that doesn't necessarily diminish the joy to be found in Dinotopia.
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