Reanimated Rex

by Alex Ebenstein

Welcome to Prehistoric Park—Is something no longer said in these remote Michigan woods.After a freak accident took the life of the co-owner, the long-abandoned theme park grew wild. Home to little more than decaying structures, resin dinosaur statues, and a mythic recluse, converging outsiders hope to find opportunity, nostalgia, family, and vengeance in the forgotten tourist attraction. But a storm is brewing, and the electrified air has more in store for the visitors than they could ever imagine.

Genres: Horror, Fiction

174 pages, Paperback

First published May 14, 2024

Reviews

[MagretFume · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy in exchange of an honest review.

I was not expecting that.
I started the book thinking it would turn out to be a Jurassic Park – like novella, and I’m very glad it was not. Of course the themes are similar, but the story and the tone are very different.
I won’t get into the blurb or spoil any of the plot, but it was a very entertaining read. The short length makes for a very good pacing, the writing is good, there is a lot of suspense and body horror.

I had a really good time and would recommend.

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this for review on Booksirens.

This was a fun horror novella with dinosaurs. It felt a little like a movie and felt like something I've read before but was nice to revisit.

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella is a creature story featuring dinosaurs coming to life and it's a fun, bloody, and thrilling read. Think if Jurassic Park were made by Wes Craven.

An abandoned dinosaur theme park has huge secrets for those who dare to break in. When it storms, the life sized resin dinosaur statues come alive to hunt their human prey. And people meet their bone crunching disembowled demise.

I love dinosaurs and I love a good well written, fast paced, and brutal horror story so this one was perfect for that kind of vibe.

The author's writing style is easy to get into and you can suspend your disbelief as our main characters are trying to survive after being locked in the park for the perverse pleasure of the former owner.

This is a novella and most people should be able to read it in a day or so. And you'll want to keep reading once you start.

Dinosaurs, action, and some great kills are on order and I highly recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book through Book Sirens with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[Roz Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved the idea of dinosaurs, although granted, I wouldn't want to meet one face to face. So when I saw this book, I had to give it a go. The story follows four people who end up in an abandoned amusement park, each with their own reason for being there. They soon find out that things may not be as they seem and that something is hunting them.

This was a fun, nicely paced take on the concept of guests being trapped in an abandoned amusement park with some weird goings on. There was a good mix of characters that end up stuck together, and of course, they don't always get along, which adds to the tension. The deaths are numerous and graphic, although it didn't feel too much.

The writing style is easy to read, and before I knew it, I had devoured the book. I enjoyed the setting of the story, and it was exactly what I wanted from the book. My only negative is that I'd have liked more background on the park owner and the motivation for some of his actions as he was an interesting character, which could have been further explored.

Overall, it's an enjoyable read, and I'll look out for further books by this author.

Thanks to Book Sirens and Alex Ebenstein for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Brendon Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun dinosaur adventure written in a pulp style. Michael Crichtons Jurassic Park is a clear influence on this fun novella.

When an abandoned dinosaur amusement park is broken into by three people all there for different reasons they get way more than they bargained for as the dinosaurs have come alive and they need fo feed.

This has some cool gory deaths, good character development and a fast plot. It's just all around fun and what I wanted out of the story. The reasoning for the dinosaurs coming to life was a bit silly and lackluster but other than that it was highly entertaining. It's on Booksirens for those that may be interested in reading this.

This is the second book by Alex I have read and both have been awesome. They give off those B movie feelings so well.

[Jeremy Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dinosaur Fans Sit Down and Buckle Up! - If Jurassic Park and Five Nights at Freddy's had a love child it would be this book. This is one theme park you may not survive.

Reanimated Rex is a campy and gory thriller that I know readers are going to enjoy. This story follows a few different characters as they find themselves attending an abandoned amusement park. Some characters are investigating some disappearances and others have more personal reasons for breaking into this dangerous place. All characters will find themselves facing the unthinkable before the night is through.

There is just so much that I think that readers are going to enjoy. This book is dark and gory. I am personally a gore fiend (and LOVED Melon Head Mayhem) and found that this book is equally as disturbing and creative when it comes to death and destruction. (In addition to this, if there are any trigger warnings that you may possess, I would suggest investigating the triggers in this book.) Not only is this story gory, but at the core of this novel was a shocking reveal that I didn't see coming (and really enjoyed). I don't want to give too much away, but you should absolutely check this novel out because Alex Ebenstein is a fantastic author!

Perfect for fans of Jurassic Park, Five Nights at Freddy's, and The Last of Us.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little dinosaur novella, very Jurassic Park in points, but with plenty of gore

Plenty of fun to be had in this story, a number of people break into a derelict dinosaur park and discover that things are not what they seem with the dinosaur statues

Nice and fast paced with a number of pretty memorable deaths, some of them more unexpected that others.

B-movie dinosaur violence goodness

[Dayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSirens for granting me access to this book prior to it being published. There is no compensation or financial gain from reading or reviewing this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and written after reading the entirety of the book.

Favourite Line From Book •

“I think we know what happened to your brother.”

My Review •

The dedication at the beginning of the book made me fall in love instantly…”For the Dino kids who never gave it up.” ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I will always and forever be a Dino kid. 🦖

This book was basically the love child of “Night At The Museum”, and “Jurassic Park”. Then the big ol twist appeared and completely changed the trajectory of the book and I did not see it coming in the least.

I thought I would explain with emojis how I felt reading this.

😯🥱😴🤔🫣😨🦖🫨🤢🦖🦖🦖😱🤮😨🫣🫠🫡

This was exciting…and like REALLY thrilling to read. My love for dinosaurs runs so damn deep and this book brought my Dino obsessed heart so much joy. Don’t get me wrong…this is not a happy book. It’s definitely a thriller with twists…but it was so well written that I find myself kicking my feet and giggling with joy. Absolutely awesome read!

My Rating •

4/5⭐️
0/5🌶️
2/5🩸

[Paul Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confused and frightened, blood pressure spiked, constantly glancing over the shoulder, and jumping at every little noise. Well that was my visceral response to the book and I guess the characters in REANIMATED REX probably had the same reaction.
Dinosaurs. I mean come on, what more do you need? Big, hungry, violent, bitey things hiding in the woods and stalking you. There you go, all the ingredients of a great story and Alex Ebenstein combines them all to make something unique and satisfying.
Filled with fun and excitement with times where you will curse out the author at one part and root on the dinosaurs the next. You will be drawn into the dilapidated old park with the canopy of the trees pressing in overhead as the winds pick up and the lightning starts flashing. You know what is to come...you feel the ground tremble...or is that just you?

[Megan Wintrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's dinosaurs so of course I'm all in and raring to go! Anything dinosaurs and I'm there.

I couldn't read this book fast enough, I was captivated and wanted to keep reading. I loved the way it was written, the characters were great and of course I love the dinosaurs 😍. Absolutely brilliant.

Prehistoric Park, a tourist attraction where kids and adults alike used to love going... But it closed down and is locked up so trespassers can't get in... Or is it so trespassers can't get out?

What's hiding in the reinforced barricades and gates in Prehistoric Park? What will happen to those who get trapped inside?

Again I absolutely loved this!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody, dinosaur fun. Enough said. I loved it.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you booksirens and the author for letting me be an Arc reader for this novella. It is out May 14th so add it to your wish list!

Did someone say abandoned amusement park and dinosaurs? Count me in!

This book is great if you like:-
- Creepy abandoned locations
- Dinosaurs coming to life and causing chaos
- Brutal deaths
- A novella, so a pretty quick day or two read

The first 50% of the book was really exploring the old park, getting to know the characters and what their motives are for being in the park etc... The second half is where the dinosaur mess kicks in and this is pretty fun!

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun, campy horror book. For someone who loves dinosaurs I don’t read enough books about them so this was perfect for me. The concept for this was so interesting and unique - it was a bit like Jurassic Park meets Five Nights at Freddys which is a mix I never knew I needed! It was very gory and graphic. It got super intense towards the end and I liked the reveal behind what was actually going on in the park. It was fast paced and easy to read because of its short length. I actually would have loved it to be slightly longer because I wanted more! Overall it was an enjoyable read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Irene Kalisz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun story! I would have loved this to be longer with more character backstory as I didn't want it to end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Just Another Final Girl Review (Brittany) Levely-Connolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reanimated Rex the reason why dinosaurs and theme parks are still one of humanity’s worst ideas!

Alex Ebenstein’s newest self published novella Reanimated Rex is both an homage to Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park and the movies based on his work, as well as a new take on the dinosaur park survival horror narrative. A lesson on why dinosaurs and humans couldn’t ever co-exist and should for everyone’s safety never be brought back from extinction.

Once again, humans think that it is a great idea to open a dinosaur based theme park to product off the undeniable obsession that most adults and children have with these prehistoric creatures. Let’s be real, humans always are fascinated most with things they can’t have. Alex takes this fascination creates an entirely new take on the well known Dino theme park. The theme park has been closed and locked to the public for decades and finally the bank foreclosure of the property means has renewed interest in the financial value of the land for local realtors. But they aren’t the only trespassers who have an interest in exploring the grounds. A local missing persons case leads both police officer and family member to the park, and reclusive ex-archaeologist park owner is rumoured to have never left. The dinosaurs are all lifesized statues long since abandoned and inanimate and in disrepair. A storm traps the various trespassers in the park, corralling them together in the gift shop but something else is hunting them down and making sure they can’t escape.

Spoilers ahead - I like the way the dinosaurs are brought back to life are still the fault of human beings as well as paranormal events rather than capitalist and scientific motivations. However, I found the characters were very flat and not as well fleshed out as I had expected from Alex’s work. It meant that I struggled to maintain a suspense of disbelief in the narrative. After the first half of the story, the pace picked up and the survival horror plot kept me interested in finding out the answers to the who’s, what’s and why’s of the book. I think the writing style changes a bit in the second half as well and made it feel more natural and action packed. I think it would make a great movie and it’s a fun read but overall overworded in the first half.

I’d still read more of Alex’s work and if you’re a fan of Jurassic park this is a great read for you. Also, amazing for young adult readers. And the formatting and illustrations are so well done for both a physical and digital copy. If you like this kind of book it’s worth the read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[TAbs · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you're thinking this is for kids, please read.

I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this novella in exchange for an honest review. I would sincerely like to thank booksiren and the author for providing a copy.

I will say, I normally do not leave star ratings on books I DNF; however, I am leaving one here for one main reason. I saw another reviewer state this is a fun novella "for kids," and I want to combat that narrative right away. While I did believe this was a story for children during the prologue, continued reading could change that perspective as there are a lot of curse words being thrown around. While I don't really mind this (to an extent, we'll get to that next), it is something to keep in mind depending on how young said children are.

While that is the reason I am leaving a starred review, it is *not* the reason I DNFd this book on pg.39. That is reserved for the blatant and obsessive sexism expressed by the Sheriff Mike Upton in ch4. While I understood the initial sexism was there to make you dislike him as a character, after reading him refer to a woman (not even a woman, a girl we're led to believe) as a bitch four separate times in two pages was beyond what I was willing to sit through. And the bitch references don't even touch this wonderful quote, "And worse, what really set Upton over the edge was that libtard athletic director—who the fuck let this guy in? That was what Upton wanted to know—allowing a girl on the team. A girl? What was next, forcing all the male students to take a baking class? Buckman wanted to play to their namesake, apparently, and not the woodland creature kind."
Let me note, the team is called the Beavers. So yes, let's let our kids read this book. Have fun explaining that reference.

[By Book and Bone (Sally) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reanimated Rex starts very strong. I was hooked for most of the book but I have to say that the last section (can't specify without spoilers) was weaker. I didn't like Alan Tibbett as a character. I just didn't get his motivation.

Definately worth the read if your a dino fan though.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sophia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept was amazing, and the book started off so so strong. Everything was being set up well and the characters, if a bit one-note, were at least interesting enough to follow to see who would make it to the end. I was enjoying it immensely even though the writing felt rather simplistic and the dialogue awkard and stilted...

Up until the introduction of Alan Tippet. Everything goes downhill from there and rapidly. His motivations made no sense, if they existed at all tbh, and the "reveal" if you could call it that of why the statues come to life literally was nothing substantial. It boiled down to "I don't fucking know the bones inside when I built them maybe reanimate with magic or some shit in the electric storms"...bah, it annoyed the hell out of me.

Also it's revealed that Alan and his unnamed partner who died and made him shut the park down were a couple and uuuuh...feels a bit like adding to the stereotypical "the villain is gay/gay coded" pile a bit? Idk how to describe that better, I'm sorry.

For the gore aspect, it was fairly simple but good for overall visualization. The kills for Joel, Sam, and the Sheriff were the best in exactly that order. Alex's death felt stupid and cheap, as did Carley's. Hers especially felt like a super obvious "subverting the audience's expectations" situation that was not well done.

Onto a few rapid fire nitpicks:

Laura's actions at the very end felt awkward and stilted, as did Alan attempting to save her, then getting killed himself. Her just going "oh no one will believe me, fuck grieving my brother who was the sole reason for me to even be here, I'm just gonna fuck off and tell no one that he's dead or try to stop this situation from happening again to someone else" or even getting Damien charged or SOMETHING for his part in said death just???? What the fuck. Also SURELY just shattering the statues in the daytime without a storm present would work to stop them right? Cmon. Someone try SOMETHING. Are we supposed to assume that's what will happen once the bank sells the property?? Idk.

Alan as a whole was ridiculously underdeveloped and lacked any clear motivations besides "heehee I'm a sociopath and/or insane maybe let me feed people to dinosaurs for absolutely no fucking reason". Which if that's the case again furthers a stigma of mental patients all being dangerous and evil.

Honestly I thought the reveal would be that he'd died when the dinos first came to life or something and they'd stumble onto his body with like, an important item or clue on it to help them get out. I thought the Allosaurus would get out through the open gate and cause mayhem on the road/in town...something fun like that. Perhaps add a fun car chase or something to further reference Jurassic Park, have someone run into the dino with it because it just appeared on road when they thought they were home free and then get ripped out of it or something and die idk. Something more creative plot-wise is all I ask.

I know it's supposed to be simple fun horror, and the homages to Jurassic Park were fun and all, but I just wish more had been done with such a good premise. If the plot and characters were cleaned up a bit, this would be a great book and perhaps movie of its own in the future. I can see it translating well to the big screen just...please fix everything after Alan's introduction...

2.5/5 ☆

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, let me say that I’ve been a fan of dinosaurs in a horror space since the first time I watched Jurassic Park. (Because YES, it is a horror movie, and no I will not be taking questions about that.)

Second of all, I didn’t even realize dino horror was a thing in the Indie horror writing community! When Alex Ebenstein posted about his upcoming novel ‘Reanimated Rex’, I could NOT move fast enough to sign up for a copy.

When I received my copy in the mail, I started reading it the same day. Let me say this, the nods to Jurassic Park are strong. So there are numerous times when you’re reading you’ll feel like you’re experiencing similar things. However, this is not Jurassic Park. This concept is really unique in the way these dinos come back to life. I love the use of dinosaur knowledge in this as well. My son ( 5 y/o ) is obsessed with dinosaurs and I know a lot more about them than I ever thought I would. I even showed him the art in this and he was so excited for me.

Speaking of the art? The cover design for this is absolutely beautiful. The artist is on Twitter as @freakyraptor, but I love the way the colors are and the look and feel of these dinos. They are scary and menacing in the best way possible. The addition of the dino face above each chapter is perfect and adorable. And seeing the chapter end drawings of these monstrous prehistoric babies really pulls you in to just how unsettling it would be to come across one that was, say, not a statue.

I love the homage to Jurassic Park, from themes to names. Sam and Laura are, I assume, intentionally named after the actor and actress in JP. Including the name Alan as a main character as well. There are things like this throughout.

I found myself really getting into the energy of suspense in this and I really wanted answers. The answers were clear enough, while reminding us that science isn’t always so easily understood. I found the story and characters both believable and engaging. This had the right amount of breathing room to screaming and running in terror. This was actually my first book by Alex, but I can assure you it will not be my last! Especially if he does more dinos! Reanimated Rex will be out May 14th!

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fun, bloody, creature-feature novella has a great sense of pacing and environment. The overall story is a simple idea but well-executed, and the author does a really good job of getting a diverse cast of characters together in a way that seems natural and fitting, and the pacing of the story is tight and works well for the material. Shifting perspectives across chapters works as well, to try and give some more interiority to the characters. The characters did fall a little flat for me, as each felt like a representative type but not particularly interesting. The mix of character types was a good mix for the tension and balance within this survivalist group, so I don’t dislike the archetypes each fell into and how they played off of one another, they just felt a little expected. That may be okay for a nice little bite like this, they kind of did their respective jobs, but I did want a little more. What really held me back from having a great time with this, though, was some of the writing, especially when it came to dialogue. It just felt clunky and forced, written more like an attempt at screenplay dialogue rather than exploiting the breadth of style and voice that novels (and novellas) offer in comparison to the screen. That, along with some kind of awkward phrasing here and there, tamped down on my enjoyment a little, especially when added on top of characters that I didn’t find particularly interesting.

Still, the story is quick, brutal and fun. It shows a great sense of pacing and does a good job of keeping the reader excited and engaged. I wasn’t thrilled with the resolutions at the end, they felt a little too easy, but that didn’t stop my enjoyment of dinos run amuck for all the preceding pages.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Dread Stone Press, and BookSirens, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Trevor Williamson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reanimated Rex riffs hard on Crichton and Spielberg, harkening back to a day of monster mayhem and all the glory of rain-soaked special effects. There's a lot of comfort in nostalgia here, even if Ebenstein noticeably grades his material up from PG-13 to that coveted R-rating.

And the book is a whole lot of fun, if dinosaur mayhem is what you're after. There's enough characterization to really make you feel good about bone-crunching kills, and the book plays into common horror tropes to keep things predictably fun.

What I'm most interested in, though, is how the book frames up its readerly message. Whereas Crichton stuck to an anxiety about the future and humanity's hubris in its use of technology, Reanimated Rex strikes off on its own direction to dig more into human relationships than our relationship to technology. In a way, the book explores ideas like community--how our greed often gets in the way of our own survival, and how easy it is to radicalize ourselves through our own isolationism. Though I don't know whether or not these readings are entirely intentional, they create an interesting space for retrospection in what is otherwise a much more straightforward creature feature.

Beautifully illustrated and sometimes hilariously fun, Reanimated Rex is an easy-to-read throwback to the days when a big dinosaur was really all you needed to have a good time. Ebenstein doesn't cheap out on the blood and guts and dinosaur mayhem, and that's a perfectly enjoyable time in my book.

Disclosure statement: I received a complimentary copy of Reanimated Rex from BookSirens and the author. This has in no way influenced my opinion of the book. All opinions shared are entirely my own.

[Erica Robyn Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reanimated Rex by Alex Ebenstein is a tale of lightning, an abandoned theme park, dinosaurs, and the sheer terror of what may be lurking around the corner.

Right from the start, the terror is as thick as the overgrown forest within the park. Bloodshed occurs quickly, setting the tone of the book before taking a step back to build tension until things take a brutal turn.

Dino horror fans, you gotta get your hands on this immediately! The suspense and tension make this an absolutely wild read.

Check out my full review here:
https://www.ericarobynreads.com/reani...

[Zita · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book involving dinosaurs and abandoned theme parks had me intrigued. If you loved Jurassic park you will enjoy this book.

Reanimated Rex is a fun horror read which is set in an abandoned theme park. It’s abandoned for a reason which true to horror story themes everyone in the book ignores.

I love dinosaurs and well written, fast paced books so this was a great read for me. It can easily be read in a day so if you are in a reading slump this is a great book to get you back into reading.

I received an ARC of this book through Book Sirens. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A storm rages overhead, rain blinding you. The ground trembles with impact, and fear floods your heart—something big is coming. REANIMATED REX is everything I love about the original JURASSIC PARK—the thrill of fear, the tension of the chase, the joy of crunchy, squelching death. Ebenstein writes with the love of a true fan, and manages to bring all the dino fun to life in a contemporary blast of a story that manages to be very much its own thing, while including a number of nods and easter eggs for fellow fans. It's the high-octane helluva a good time you've been waiting for.

[Charley Goodyear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you like cheesy 80s horror films? Do you like cool drawings in your books? Were you a dinosaur kid? Well do I have the book for you!
Reanimated Rex has a simple premise. Characters are trespassing on an abandoned dinosaur park, dinosaurs are hunting them. As simple as that sounds, this story was so fun! I love the vibes and can't wait to see what else the author has done.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kimberly Spookybookwurm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the whole idea around this book, I enjoyed the setting of Prehistoric Park a lot. I got excited every time a new dinosaur was introduced. The Utahraptors and Ankylosaurus were my favorite. I liked that this was a different take on them. I also liked Carly, Laura, and Laura's brother, I felt bad for all of them for different reasons.
I really liked all the artwork inside, I think it made it more neat. I thought this was a fun read.

[Cat Voleur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is my favorite Ebenstein thus far.

I'm a sucker for anything with "re-animated" in the title, but the fact that I was able to read a dinosaur book that still felt like horror and not action/thriller made me SO happy.

This was an absolute blast to read, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

[Josh Buyarski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really fun creature feature! I get the Jurassic Park vibe from it but it has a lot more horror mixed in

An abandoned theme park.
A huge thunderstorm.
Groups being thrown together by chance.
And Dinosaurs, you can’t beat that!

Also as someone from Michigan, it’s always great to see your home state featured!

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightfully fun dinosaur theme park horror! (no, not THAT dinosaur theme park.)

The dinosaurs were fun, the kills were gory, and the explanation was non existent- there was a lot left unanswered. When a character is asked how things are happening he actually shrugs and says he doesn't know. Which is kind of hilarious, but my brain wants to know more, dammit. It's best not to get too hung up on the why's though. Just buckle up and just enjoy the ride.

[Sam Roman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The adventure of Jurassic Park meets the absurdity of Jumanji in this story that follows the survival of an abandoned dinosaur park. I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put it down! It’s harrowing, scary, and very entertaining! Exactly what I want from a dinosaur adventure.