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Tyrant: A Prehistoric Thriller
When Faith Lorrell comes across a stopped freight train in the remote San Zechariah Valley, she expects a routine delay—not a wrecked boxcar, a mutilated corpse, and a deadly secret breaking loose into the night. Prehistoric creatures have escaped their transport, and as the body count climbs, Faith is thrust into a fight for survival.
Hunted by both the rampaging dinosaurs and the ruthless corporation desperate to hide its crimes, Faith forms an unlikely alliance with a reluctant employee… and a surprisingly docile triceratops. But the true nightmare is still ahead.
A razor-fast raptor prowls the night, but it’s merely a prelude to something far worse.
Because the valley belongs to the apex predator a fifty-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex!
Over fifty feet in length, it has the strength to wreck buildings, flatten vehicles, and pulverize flesh. Armed with powerful jaws and a bad temper, it seeks to rule the valley, for it is a cruel Tyrant.
Hunted by both the rampaging dinosaurs and the ruthless corporation desperate to hide its crimes, Faith forms an unlikely alliance with a reluctant employee… and a surprisingly docile triceratops. But the true nightmare is still ahead.
A razor-fast raptor prowls the night, but it’s merely a prelude to something far worse.
Because the valley belongs to the apex predator a fifty-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex!
Over fifty feet in length, it has the strength to wreck buildings, flatten vehicles, and pulverize flesh. Armed with powerful jaws and a bad temper, it seeks to rule the valley, for it is a cruel Tyrant.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 7, 2025
162 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Michael Cole
219 books74 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name
Among authors of this name:
*Michael Cole - Rare, Antiquarian Books
*Canon Michael Cole - Editor, Christian periodicals
*Michael Cole - Children's books
*Michael Cole - Psychology, Children's development
*Michael F. Cole - Infectious Diseases
*Michael R. Cole - Horror, Science Fiction
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name
Among authors of this name:
*Michael Cole - Rare, Antiquarian Books
*Canon Michael Cole - Editor, Christian periodicals
*Michael Cole - Children's books
*Michael Cole - Psychology, Children's development
*Michael F. Cole - Infectious Diseases
*Michael R. Cole - Horror, Science Fiction
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 2, 2026
I liked his previous book. This novel flows well in the way of a B movie: It’s action, not acting. I can handle the escapist storyline, but once the reptile expert started talking about egg laying as labor…that bothered me throughout the rest of the book.
March 28, 2025
Michael Cole is a pretty hit-or-miss author to me. He's written around fifty books, according to Amazon, so it stands to reason some of them are hits. So far, though, all I've read from him are misses. Like the horror section at an old Blockbuster, you can count on a lurid cover promising creature feature mayhem.
But once you crack the book open... or power up your Kindle... something just seems to be missing. If I were Gen Z, I might call it rizzless, but since I have dignity, I'll say these books are lacking in a certain verve, an ambition, a command of prose that elevates concept into execution.
Roger Corman famously produced some of the cheapest movies known to man, but he let auteurs like James Cameron cut their teeth on those silly monster movies. Even now, some of those New World movies are still cult classics, either because they're so bad they're good or because there were flashes of brilliance that defied the low budgets and schlock sensibilities.
Cole, with the infinite budget of the human imagination, just can't really bring to life anything but mockbuster versions of popular movies (Convict instead of Predator, Shredders instead of Piranha, this instead of Jurassic Park--the male lead, equivalent to the Sam Neill's Alan Grant, is groan-wincingly named Alan Neil). And I bring this up not to deride his entire oeuvre, but because that lack of ambition is my chief complaint.
Tyrant is clearly named after the tyrant lizard, Tyrannosaurus. On the cover, you can clearly see a picture of a T-Rex. So, by all accounts, you'd expect the monster in this textual monster movie to be a Rex, right?
This is a two hundred page book and for 150 pages--a full three-fourths of the book--they're dealing with a Raptor. And it's only well into the third act that the T-Rex finally gets loose and goes on a rampage (yes, exactly like The Lost World). And I just feel this is laziness. At a svelte 250 pounds, it's easier to write the man-sized Raptor on a killing spree, while a Rex would quickly attract attention and a response from the authorities.
You might argue it would be hard to write this out. Once the National Guard shows up, how would a giant dinosaur (or small kaiju, if you'd rather) successfully evade or combat them long enough to make for a satisfyingly long read? And reader, that's what I signed up for. That is the challenge I used my precious time and Kindle Unlimited subscription to follow through on. Instead, I found a vile deception had been practiced.
So, two stars. Harsh for an unremarkably mediocre read? Perhaps. But I didn't name the book after the T-Rex. I didn't put a T-Rex on the cover. Fool that I am, I only let my trusting heart believe that this would be a book about a T-Rex, not a book about a raptor with a short story's worth of T-Rex attached.
But once you crack the book open... or power up your Kindle... something just seems to be missing. If I were Gen Z, I might call it rizzless, but since I have dignity, I'll say these books are lacking in a certain verve, an ambition, a command of prose that elevates concept into execution.
Roger Corman famously produced some of the cheapest movies known to man, but he let auteurs like James Cameron cut their teeth on those silly monster movies. Even now, some of those New World movies are still cult classics, either because they're so bad they're good or because there were flashes of brilliance that defied the low budgets and schlock sensibilities.
Cole, with the infinite budget of the human imagination, just can't really bring to life anything but mockbuster versions of popular movies (Convict instead of Predator, Shredders instead of Piranha, this instead of Jurassic Park--the male lead, equivalent to the Sam Neill's Alan Grant, is groan-wincingly named Alan Neil). And I bring this up not to deride his entire oeuvre, but because that lack of ambition is my chief complaint.
Tyrant is clearly named after the tyrant lizard, Tyrannosaurus. On the cover, you can clearly see a picture of a T-Rex. So, by all accounts, you'd expect the monster in this textual monster movie to be a Rex, right?
This is a two hundred page book and for 150 pages--a full three-fourths of the book--they're dealing with a Raptor. And it's only well into the third act that the T-Rex finally gets loose and goes on a rampage (yes, exactly like The Lost World). And I just feel this is laziness. At a svelte 250 pounds, it's easier to write the man-sized Raptor on a killing spree, while a Rex would quickly attract attention and a response from the authorities.
You might argue it would be hard to write this out. Once the National Guard shows up, how would a giant dinosaur (or small kaiju, if you'd rather) successfully evade or combat them long enough to make for a satisfyingly long read? And reader, that's what I signed up for. That is the challenge I used my precious time and Kindle Unlimited subscription to follow through on. Instead, I found a vile deception had been practiced.
So, two stars. Harsh for an unremarkably mediocre read? Perhaps. But I didn't name the book after the T-Rex. I didn't put a T-Rex on the cover. Fool that I am, I only let my trusting heart believe that this would be a book about a T-Rex, not a book about a raptor with a short story's worth of T-Rex attached.
December 29, 2024
Bloody, gory, with a touch of surprise at the end!
Although these type of stories are not usually my cup of tea, I started this one at lunch one day, and here it is past my bedtime where I find myself writing a quick review.
This book is well-written. The action moves along at a fierce rate from the first chapter until you are finished.
I found myself routing for the characters who were not only human but dinosaur as well. The fight scenes move along at a fast rate of speed, just like real life. You will be on the edge of your seat during some of them due to having fallen for the character (s) earlier on. Of course, it stands to reason that when an idiot or bad guy gets it, you will be ecstatic.
This book is really worth your time. Take a few hours out of your life and enjoy reading a book where the good people are really good and the bad ones are really bad. Of course, having a few large ,unstoppable, intelligent dinosaurs added in just makes it more enjoyable.
Although these type of stories are not usually my cup of tea, I started this one at lunch one day, and here it is past my bedtime where I find myself writing a quick review.
This book is well-written. The action moves along at a fierce rate from the first chapter until you are finished.
I found myself routing for the characters who were not only human but dinosaur as well. The fight scenes move along at a fast rate of speed, just like real life. You will be on the edge of your seat during some of them due to having fallen for the character (s) earlier on. Of course, it stands to reason that when an idiot or bad guy gets it, you will be ecstatic.
This book is really worth your time. Take a few hours out of your life and enjoy reading a book where the good people are really good and the bad ones are really bad. Of course, having a few large ,unstoppable, intelligent dinosaurs added in just makes it more enjoyable.
November 18, 2024
when we they learn
This book is your typical oh why don't we take these dinosaurs we found and accidentally let them loose. Yes this time the dinosaurs are made up of two types: one is eat your face,, two if you are nice we will be nice. The main bad guy wants to setup a park so people can see the dinosaurs evidently he did not see Jurassic Park.Then there are Alan and Faith, who have to stop this mayhem from happening when the dinosaurs, a T-Rex and a Raptor get loose and go on a rampage. A high body count you betcha. To tell anymore would spoil the story. If you want to read a dinosaur disaster that has you going oh no then check this one out.
This book is your typical oh why don't we take these dinosaurs we found and accidentally let them loose. Yes this time the dinosaurs are made up of two types: one is eat your face,, two if you are nice we will be nice. The main bad guy wants to setup a park so people can see the dinosaurs evidently he did not see Jurassic Park.Then there are Alan and Faith, who have to stop this mayhem from happening when the dinosaurs, a T-Rex and a Raptor get loose and go on a rampage. A high body count you betcha. To tell anymore would spoil the story. If you want to read a dinosaur disaster that has you going oh no then check this one out.
November 28, 2024
One Great Book
This book was seriously the best Dinosaur Story I've read in a long time. The "TYRANT" was one serious bad Dinosaur, but I really give kuddos to whom I believe the Star of this book is, is "Mary". The author Michael Cole definitely knew what he was doing in creating her. This book truly brought tears to my eyes in all the many chapters. I highly recommend this book and the author to everyone who loves a good Dinosaur story. I believe all the readers, young and old will fall in love with its all it creatures. I know I did, including "Tyrant".
This book was seriously the best Dinosaur Story I've read in a long time. The "TYRANT" was one serious bad Dinosaur, but I really give kuddos to whom I believe the Star of this book is, is "Mary". The author Michael Cole definitely knew what he was doing in creating her. This book truly brought tears to my eyes in all the many chapters. I highly recommend this book and the author to everyone who loves a good Dinosaur story. I believe all the readers, young and old will fall in love with its all it creatures. I know I did, including "Tyrant".
March 8, 2025
Creature feature
On one hand, this was an excellent creature feature, on the other hand it was a somewhat cheesy offering.
I seriously never read a story where so many panicked people couldn’t steer a vehicle long enough to escape a marauding creature and not crash. I mean, every time a person jumped in a car they crashed it.
It was an eye roller for me .
But it was still an enjoyable short read, I personally always find something good about a dinosaur story. Sorry author, no likable characters.
On one hand, this was an excellent creature feature, on the other hand it was a somewhat cheesy offering.
I seriously never read a story where so many panicked people couldn’t steer a vehicle long enough to escape a marauding creature and not crash. I mean, every time a person jumped in a car they crashed it.
It was an eye roller for me .
But it was still an enjoyable short read, I personally always find something good about a dinosaur story. Sorry author, no likable characters.
February 24, 2025
Gory fun with Murphy's Law
Tyrant is a dinosaur thriller which exemplifies Murphy's Law in action; from the 1st page, it seems like everything that could go wrong! This book was well written, the constant gory mayhem well orchestrated. The primary character, Faith, is especially well constructed, the secondary characters not as well rounded, but don't live long! 5/5 stars, very well written for a creature feature, not surprising given the quality of Cole's previous books.
Tyrant is a dinosaur thriller which exemplifies Murphy's Law in action; from the 1st page, it seems like everything that could go wrong! This book was well written, the constant gory mayhem well orchestrated. The primary character, Faith, is especially well constructed, the secondary characters not as well rounded, but don't live long! 5/5 stars, very well written for a creature feature, not surprising given the quality of Cole's previous books.
October 30, 2024
awesome
Unity story and perspective of dinosaurs in in the modern age. I wish the book would’ve been longer and I hope there is a sequel but you never know but it would be a great movie if Hollywood would get off his dead collective asses, and make new movies instead of Fast and Furious 92 please
Unity story and perspective of dinosaurs in in the modern age. I wish the book would’ve been longer and I hope there is a sequel but you never know but it would be a great movie if Hollywood would get off his dead collective asses, and make new movies instead of Fast and Furious 92 please
November 28, 2024
A BIT GORY
Complaint first: what happened to proof readers? Missing words, misspelling etc. makes it hard to read at times.
Other than that a fast moving story but you better have a strong stomach in some places, as it gets pretty graphic. I like horror movies so this tale was a good read for me.
Complaint first: what happened to proof readers? Missing words, misspelling etc. makes it hard to read at times.
Other than that a fast moving story but you better have a strong stomach in some places, as it gets pretty graphic. I like horror movies so this tale was a good read for me.
March 7, 2025
Quite entertaining!!
Though fairly ridiculous how endlessly hungry Dino’s they did give an explanation for that. You have to be fairly flexible to enjoy creature features. I liked how the bad guys got their just rewards. It was fun and filled with action. If you like syfy b movies enjoy!
Though fairly ridiculous how endlessly hungry Dino’s they did give an explanation for that. You have to be fairly flexible to enjoy creature features. I liked how the bad guys got their just rewards. It was fun and filled with action. If you like syfy b movies enjoy!
March 29, 2025
The usual fun ride
What I liked; The usual, very visual storytelling and strong colorful characters. What I didn't like; The usual being constantly stopped by proofreading failures. Mister Cole is an extremely talented storyteller, but is held back by so many errors that would be plain to see by readers of any level of literacy.
What I liked; The usual, very visual storytelling and strong colorful characters. What I didn't like; The usual being constantly stopped by proofreading failures. Mister Cole is an extremely talented storyteller, but is held back by so many errors that would be plain to see by readers of any level of literacy.
June 22, 2025
Good read
Would have liked for this to be a little longer to add more backstory for the characters and even for when the mercenaries retrieved the dinos off the island. Some of the words were misspelled or missing where there should have been a word, which distracted from the story a bit. Lots of blood and gore, makes for a nice creature feature.
Would have liked for this to be a little longer to add more backstory for the characters and even for when the mercenaries retrieved the dinos off the island. Some of the words were misspelled or missing where there should have been a word, which distracted from the story a bit. Lots of blood and gore, makes for a nice creature feature.
October 1, 2024
Suprised SYFY didn’t do it first
When dinosaurs act like 80’s slasher chacthers you get this.
P.S.
Do might not counts but Michael you might created the first dinosaur scream queen chacther even if unintentionally
When dinosaurs act like 80’s slasher chacthers you get this.
P.S.
Do might not counts but Michael you might created the first dinosaur scream queen chacther even if unintentionally
January 12, 2025
Concern about poor editing
Very enjoyable spoiled by lots of mistakes. I am surprised as Michael Coles books are usually better edited. Won't stop me reading more of his books as his stories are very exciting.
Very enjoyable spoiled by lots of mistakes. I am surprised as Michael Coles books are usually better edited. Won't stop me reading more of his books as his stories are very exciting.
February 24, 2025
Good Dinosaur Book
Non-stop action. Anyone who loves dinosaurs will love this story. Especially if triceratops is your favorite big lizard. Aside from being anti-greed there is none of the popular moralizing lecturing in this story. Very enjoyable.
Non-stop action. Anyone who loves dinosaurs will love this story. Especially if triceratops is your favorite big lizard. Aside from being anti-greed there is none of the popular moralizing lecturing in this story. Very enjoyable.
October 22, 2024
Out shines Jurassic Park
Hard to out down adventure. Good cast of characters. You can root for the humans even as you feel pity for the animals caught up in mankind's hubris.
Hard to out down adventure. Good cast of characters. You can root for the humans even as you feel pity for the animals caught up in mankind's hubris.
October 27, 2024
5 Stars
Good dinosaur story. A billionaire business man finds an island with living dinosaurs. When he ships them to the states they escape to cause death and destruction.
Good dinosaur story. A billionaire business man finds an island with living dinosaurs. When he ships them to the states they escape to cause death and destruction.
November 28, 2024
Loved
Very exciting from the first! Wonder weave of situations around the story. The characters we full and intersting., with a hero showing up in the end. Perfect.
Very exciting from the first! Wonder weave of situations around the story. The characters we full and intersting., with a hero showing up in the end. Perfect.
December 23, 2024
Fast paced, roller coaster ride. Delivers exactly what it promised. A proper Hollywood B-grade spectacle. Be prepared for a lot of gory deaths.
May 23, 2025
Good Read
If you are into LOTS of non-stop action, this should be your next book.
Set aside time to enjoy. But, be aware it is intence!!!
If you are into LOTS of non-stop action, this should be your next book.
Set aside time to enjoy. But, be aware it is intence!!!
October 13, 2025
A train crash in a quiet remote area, brings unforeseen terror, as Dinosaurs go on the rampage. Good story, as man thinks he can tame and control killing machines.
December 12, 2025
An enjoyable romp meant for anyone who loved the last part of Lost World.
January 4, 2026
Plenty of teeth, claws, and gore for all.
December 12, 2024
good story a little wordy in places but over all very good
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews