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The Deadlands #1
Hunted
Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in this action-adventure middle grade debut series by Skye Melki-Wegner about five outcasts ― and former enemies ― who are the only hope to save their warring kingdoms from impending doom.
"My favorite middle grade book of the year.” ― New York Times -bestselling author Amie Kaufman
Battle rages between the dinosaur kingdoms of Cretacea.
When the Fallen Star struck, it brought death and despair, ash and toxic rain. But some dinosaurs survived . . . and were changed. Their minds grew alert. They learned to speak. To dream. To wage war.
As the two remaining dinosaur kingdoms fight for territory, Eleri, the disgraced son of a prince, is exiled from his home for saving an enemy soldier. Banished to the merciless Deadlands, a terrifying desert full of tar pits, poisonous gas, and ruthless carnivores, he must join forces with a group of questionable allies―including the enemy soldier he saved―to avoid becoming prey.
When Eleri and his fellow exiles discover the horrific truth behind the war, the unlikely heroes must do all they can to save their kingdoms from a lurking predator. . . and a secret plot that might destroy them all.
"My favorite middle grade book of the year.” ― New York Times -bestselling author Amie Kaufman
Battle rages between the dinosaur kingdoms of Cretacea.
When the Fallen Star struck, it brought death and despair, ash and toxic rain. But some dinosaurs survived . . . and were changed. Their minds grew alert. They learned to speak. To dream. To wage war.
As the two remaining dinosaur kingdoms fight for territory, Eleri, the disgraced son of a prince, is exiled from his home for saving an enemy soldier. Banished to the merciless Deadlands, a terrifying desert full of tar pits, poisonous gas, and ruthless carnivores, he must join forces with a group of questionable allies―including the enemy soldier he saved―to avoid becoming prey.
When Eleri and his fellow exiles discover the horrific truth behind the war, the unlikely heroes must do all they can to save their kingdoms from a lurking predator. . . and a secret plot that might destroy them all.
285 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2023
58 people are currently reading
793 people want to read
About the author
Skye Melki-Wegner
13 books122 followersHello and thanks for visiting my Goodreads profile! I'm a writer of fantasy/ adventure books from Melbourne, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
September 13, 2023
Ya'll. I'm going to be honest. If you like Wings of Fire, you'll probably enjoy this one. This is definitely for all of the readers who love dinosaurs regardless of age. 3.5 Stars CW: violence on page
The Deadlands: Hunted immediately went on my radar as soon as I heard that it was a mix between Wings of Fire and Jurassic Park. That description isn't really that far off from the book, but I would also add in that this would probably appeal to readers who are fans of the Land Before Time franchise. The story itself follows a rag tag group of dinosaurs (a Oryctodromeus, a Triceratops, a Sauropod, a Ankylosaurs, and a Anurognathid) that have been exiled by their respective communities into the deadlands. Not only are the essentially marked for death, but they also come from warring kingdoms. Eventually, the group comes to work together once they figure out the real and twisted reason why the kingdoms are at war in the first place.
What Worked: I'm a dinosaur junkie. I was that kid that was obsessed with dinosaurs and probably watched Jurassic Park too many times at too young of an age (this is evident by the dreams I would have as a child about my friendships with velociraptors). This book was written for kids and adults like me. The premise of this world is pretty interesting. Instead of the meteor destroying all of the dinosaurs, Melki-Wegner creates a world where the meteor gave them sentient abilities. They can talk, strategize, create, destroy, and more. These new abilities eventually lead to the warring kingdoms. The character development in this was surprisingly good. Readers get to spend enough time with each character through their perspective to learn about their strengths, weaknesses, desires, joys, and fears. This leads to an investment in each character which creates better buy in when it comes to younger audiences. I also liked the action in this. Like Wings of Fire, this story does get a little dark especially in terms of violence when the characters are confronted by carnivores and elements of the deadlands that are unexpected. Melki-Wegner creates a great twist at the end that I didn't see coming that reiterates the complex relationships that these characters have with each other and their families. Also, the reason behind the actual war is pretty twisted and it wasn't something that I necessarily saw coming. It makes this initial book in the series pretty intense which makes me say this book best suites audiences 10 and up.
What Didn't Work: Like, Wings of Fire, this story is complicated at first. Readers are briefly introduced to a new world with dinosaurs that aren't necessarily that common. Additionally, Melki-Wegner gives them these new names that are special to her world building. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend listening to this one on audio. I did because I received it as an ALC (advance listening copy); however, I couldn't go beyond 1.25 for the speed. In order to keep up with the scientific and fantasy names of the dinosaurs, I had to take notes and constantly referred to those notes while reading the story. I'm not going to lie, it was a little frustrating to do have to do that, but I think it may be a better experience for those who read it physically. The pacing also suffered a little towards the middle of this book. It was a little slow, but picked up during high stakes moments. Some readers may find themselves losing interest during those slower moments.
Overall, this was a pretty solid start to a new series! I'm excited about picking up the sequel this fall.
The Deadlands: Hunted immediately went on my radar as soon as I heard that it was a mix between Wings of Fire and Jurassic Park. That description isn't really that far off from the book, but I would also add in that this would probably appeal to readers who are fans of the Land Before Time franchise. The story itself follows a rag tag group of dinosaurs (a Oryctodromeus, a Triceratops, a Sauropod, a Ankylosaurs, and a Anurognathid) that have been exiled by their respective communities into the deadlands. Not only are the essentially marked for death, but they also come from warring kingdoms. Eventually, the group comes to work together once they figure out the real and twisted reason why the kingdoms are at war in the first place.
What Worked: I'm a dinosaur junkie. I was that kid that was obsessed with dinosaurs and probably watched Jurassic Park too many times at too young of an age (this is evident by the dreams I would have as a child about my friendships with velociraptors). This book was written for kids and adults like me. The premise of this world is pretty interesting. Instead of the meteor destroying all of the dinosaurs, Melki-Wegner creates a world where the meteor gave them sentient abilities. They can talk, strategize, create, destroy, and more. These new abilities eventually lead to the warring kingdoms. The character development in this was surprisingly good. Readers get to spend enough time with each character through their perspective to learn about their strengths, weaknesses, desires, joys, and fears. This leads to an investment in each character which creates better buy in when it comes to younger audiences. I also liked the action in this. Like Wings of Fire, this story does get a little dark especially in terms of violence when the characters are confronted by carnivores and elements of the deadlands that are unexpected. Melki-Wegner creates a great twist at the end that I didn't see coming that reiterates the complex relationships that these characters have with each other and their families. Also, the reason behind the actual war is pretty twisted and it wasn't something that I necessarily saw coming. It makes this initial book in the series pretty intense which makes me say this book best suites audiences 10 and up.
What Didn't Work: Like, Wings of Fire, this story is complicated at first. Readers are briefly introduced to a new world with dinosaurs that aren't necessarily that common. Additionally, Melki-Wegner gives them these new names that are special to her world building. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend listening to this one on audio. I did because I received it as an ALC (advance listening copy); however, I couldn't go beyond 1.25 for the speed. In order to keep up with the scientific and fantasy names of the dinosaurs, I had to take notes and constantly referred to those notes while reading the story. I'm not going to lie, it was a little frustrating to do have to do that, but I think it may be a better experience for those who read it physically. The pacing also suffered a little towards the middle of this book. It was a little slow, but picked up during high stakes moments. Some readers may find themselves losing interest during those slower moments.
Overall, this was a pretty solid start to a new series! I'm excited about picking up the sequel this fall.
April 10, 2023
I was quite excited when Macmillan Children's Publishing Group contacted me and asked if I would be interested in reading and reviewing THE DEADLANDS: HUNTED by Skye Melki-Wegner. It has been a while since I read a middle-grade book and this one sounded very promising. THE DEADLANDS: HUNTED is a heartwarming middle-grade book that follows a group of young dinosaurs who are banished to the Deadlands. Despite the danger, they band together to stop a war between the various dinosaur clans and prove that friendship and unity can conquer all. The book is filled with action, adventure, and humor, making it a page-turner. The characters are endearing and relatable, and the message of standing up for what's right and coming together in the face of adversity is one that will resonate with readers of all ages. This is a must-read for dinosaur lovers and fans of middle-grade fiction alike.
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April 5, 2024
I received a copy of the audiobook that’s narrated by John Pirhalla via NetGalley for review. The narrator does a pretty solid job.
This book is tagged as Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park and this is a middle grade debut for the author. It felt like mixing The Land Before Time and The Lion King together for me. Two unlikely allies are thrust together when their hesitation sees them both exiled. Through their trials, they eventually learn to trust each other enough to uncover some secrets that could be the end of both of their tribes. Their journey to save them all won’t be easy, and they might even end up with a few extra friends.
This was an enjoyable story and a quick listen. It wasn’t groundbreaking or explosive for me, but it is a fundamentally solid middle grade release. I found the character connections to be interesting and real, and I thought it was pretty well done overall. I would gladly read a sequel, which I believe I already saw is planned. I mean, it’s dinosaurs… who wouldn’t want to read that?
Fun and suspenseful beats, personally a 3/5* for me.
This book is tagged as Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park and this is a middle grade debut for the author. It felt like mixing The Land Before Time and The Lion King together for me. Two unlikely allies are thrust together when their hesitation sees them both exiled. Through their trials, they eventually learn to trust each other enough to uncover some secrets that could be the end of both of their tribes. Their journey to save them all won’t be easy, and they might even end up with a few extra friends.
This was an enjoyable story and a quick listen. It wasn’t groundbreaking or explosive for me, but it is a fundamentally solid middle grade release. I found the character connections to be interesting and real, and I thought it was pretty well done overall. I would gladly read a sequel, which I believe I already saw is planned. I mean, it’s dinosaurs… who wouldn’t want to read that?
Fun and suspenseful beats, personally a 3/5* for me.
September 4, 2023
Verdict: An extraordinary story about five dinosaurs who are outcasts from their herds and how they try to save their kingdoms from a horrific plot.
Nightfall leaked into the warren, cold and gray.
- first line
This book follows an unlikely group of friends, dinosaurs cast out from their herds and sent to the Deadlands. When they discover a plot that threatens all their kingdoms, they join forces to prevent it. I loved the characters - each dinosaur has a unique personality - and their interactions. Keeping the different dinosaurs straight was a bit hard because the names weren’t all familiar to me. I was all in and rooting for the outcasts. There were a few twists I didn’t see coming, and I spent a lot of time worried that one of the outcasts would die. It was suspenseful, and I can see my older elementary students loving this, especially those who enjoyed the Warriors series.
Nightfall leaked into the warren, cold and gray.
- first line
This book follows an unlikely group of friends, dinosaurs cast out from their herds and sent to the Deadlands. When they discover a plot that threatens all their kingdoms, they join forces to prevent it. I loved the characters - each dinosaur has a unique personality - and their interactions. Keeping the different dinosaurs straight was a bit hard because the names weren’t all familiar to me. I was all in and rooting for the outcasts. There were a few twists I didn’t see coming, and I spent a lot of time worried that one of the outcasts would die. It was suspenseful, and I can see my older elementary students loving this, especially those who enjoyed the Warriors series.
March 26, 2023
The Deadlands: Hunted is the first in a new series about dinosaurs written by Skye Melki-Wegner. The story follows Eleri, a young dinosaur who is a bit of a dreamer. Eleri becomes exiled to the Deadlands after saving the life of an enemy during a time when different dinosaurs are at war with each other. He bands together with a group of young outcasts to survive and danger and adventure ensue. This book is recommended for 9 - 13 year olds, however I think this story is a bit advanced for my 9 year old son due to the difficult names and violence. I think early teens would enjoy this book and I definitely did too! Thanks to Better Reading for my preview copy. 4.5 stars.
July 31, 2022
Anthropomorphic dinosaurs are usually a hit and this one is no different, a great middle grade read. My only concerns were I kept hearing and seeing the land before time dinos in my head and I haven't seen those movies in 25 plus years, so the book kept giving me those flashbacks instead of enjoying the book for what it was, plus the super long unfamiliar Dino names kept distracting me.
October 9, 2024
This is a middle grade read, but even as an elder millennial I found it hard to follow in the beginning. I think likely because some of the dinosaur types picked for this story were difficult to pronounce so I found myself tripping up often enough that I would lose what we were reading about. I had originally bought it for my son to read on his own, but he was not enjoying it I think for the same reason (which then brought me to reading it aloud for him.) The story of these outcast dinosaurs coming together to try & stop a war between their herds does get better as it moves along. However with having read the complete Dinotopia series I find it hard to match a dinosaur story as good as those. And you definitely pick up notes of dinosaur stories past when reading Hunted. Such as the character Tortha, a bullheaded female ceratopsian type which recalls very much back to Sara in A Land Before Time. While I usually want to see a series all the way to its end, I gave my son the option on this one if he didn’t want us to continue. He decided we should keep going with it so we shall see where this band of misfits leads us next.
December 3, 2023
So like this is a misfit of dinosaurs that reminds me of the land before time. And i loved that aspect of friendship. And has one of my favourite dinosaurs in the mix, the Ankylosaurus!!!!
March 8, 2023
i feel like this book is intense for middle grade?? i know if i read this when i was 13 i would be STRESSED. cute characters, love the found family theme, overall a solid 3.5
June 5, 2024
As others have said, The Land Before Time if it were a MG series in the style of Wings of Fire. Interesting and fun characters, neat setting and worldbuilding. I'm excited to see how this continues.
January 18, 2024
FLAMING FEATHERS!! Perfect for fans of Land Before Time and Jurassic Park!
4.25 stars
When Eleri is exiled to the Deadlands for treason, all expect him to perish quickly. In fact, one mysterious dinosaur calling themself Shadow pays a Wind Whisperer to be sure it happens. Out aspiring storyteller not only survives, however. He finds a family where he least suspected it, creating his own herd with other dinosaurs who were rejected by their kind for one reason or another. The band of exiled youths also stumble upon a discovery that places everyone's survival in their claws...
It took me a few chapters to fully get used to this narrative following dinosaurs as main characters, especially one so complex with its history, politics, culture, and legends. Once I felt familiar with each main character, however, I absolutely loved their dynamic. The conversations among the group of exiles were handsdown my favorite, from the snarky comments to those made with empathetic understanding and mutual vulnerability. This very much reads as Land Before Time slightly aged up to the younger teen age range, and that is a compliment of the highest order!
I can easily see middlegrade lovers of all things dinosaurs, fantasy/science fiction, and adventure. And I will be recommending the library where I work to buy this series for our collection if we do not already have it.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's for a free e-ARC in exchange for this honest review. I paired this ebook with the audio for an immersive experience. Highly recommended!
4.25 stars
When Eleri is exiled to the Deadlands for treason, all expect him to perish quickly. In fact, one mysterious dinosaur calling themself Shadow pays a Wind Whisperer to be sure it happens. Out aspiring storyteller not only survives, however. He finds a family where he least suspected it, creating his own herd with other dinosaurs who were rejected by their kind for one reason or another. The band of exiled youths also stumble upon a discovery that places everyone's survival in their claws...
It took me a few chapters to fully get used to this narrative following dinosaurs as main characters, especially one so complex with its history, politics, culture, and legends. Once I felt familiar with each main character, however, I absolutely loved their dynamic. The conversations among the group of exiles were handsdown my favorite, from the snarky comments to those made with empathetic understanding and mutual vulnerability. This very much reads as Land Before Time slightly aged up to the younger teen age range, and that is a compliment of the highest order!
I can easily see middlegrade lovers of all things dinosaurs, fantasy/science fiction, and adventure. And I will be recommending the library where I work to buy this series for our collection if we do not already have it.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's for a free e-ARC in exchange for this honest review. I paired this ebook with the audio for an immersive experience. Highly recommended!
October 13, 2024
When I was a kid, I used to be OBSESSED with dinosaurs. I wanted to be a paleontologist when I grew up and every bring. Obviously this didn’t happen, as as an adult, I write stories about dragons and geek out over books on Goodreads.
Anyways, this book combines two things I love: Dinosaurs, and a thrilling adventure story. Deadlands takes place on Earth after the meteor that killed off the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. However, the meteor didn’t actually kill them. Instead of death, it brought creation, giving them sentience, allowing them to forge kingdoms, to have ideas and reason, and wage wars…
When Eleri, the runt of the litter in his kingdom, is exiled after committing a terrible crime, he is left for dead in a wasteland where no one but carnivores survive. Along the way, he battles dangerous threats and meets a band of misfits as they fight their way to safety.
The character development of this story is something else, every character is bursting with personality and are all fun, unique characters that are delightful to root for on their adventures.
I could go on about this book for hours, and if I could rate it ten stars, I’d do it in a heartbeat. If you’re a dinosaur nerd, or you liked books like Warriors or Wings of Fire, then this book is for you!
Anyways, this book combines two things I love: Dinosaurs, and a thrilling adventure story. Deadlands takes place on Earth after the meteor that killed off the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. However, the meteor didn’t actually kill them. Instead of death, it brought creation, giving them sentience, allowing them to forge kingdoms, to have ideas and reason, and wage wars…
When Eleri, the runt of the litter in his kingdom, is exiled after committing a terrible crime, he is left for dead in a wasteland where no one but carnivores survive. Along the way, he battles dangerous threats and meets a band of misfits as they fight their way to safety.
The character development of this story is something else, every character is bursting with personality and are all fun, unique characters that are delightful to root for on their adventures.
I could go on about this book for hours, and if I could rate it ten stars, I’d do it in a heartbeat. If you’re a dinosaur nerd, or you liked books like Warriors or Wings of Fire, then this book is for you!
September 18, 2024
I was drawn to this book for its unique cast of characters - you don't find many stories from the point of view of a dinosaur! Animal narrators always offer a fascinating perspective, from their different anatomies interacting with the environment to their beyond-human strength and/or senses. I especially loved imagining Lerithon, the Starsweeper/Sauropod, towering above Eleri, Tortha, and their crew in all the vividly described and creative settings of Cretacea.
While the cast of dinosaur exiles is a treat for the imagination, their personalities are monotonous. I'd be interested to see if the author introduced more surprises into later installments in the series.
This Juvenile Fiction book has a lot to offer for its target audience - I know I would've eaten this up in middle school.
While the cast of dinosaur exiles is a treat for the imagination, their personalities are monotonous. I'd be interested to see if the author introduced more surprises into later installments in the series.
This Juvenile Fiction book has a lot to offer for its target audience - I know I would've eaten this up in middle school.
July 22, 2023
This is a fun book, a book that will be appreciated by dino lovers of any age even if it's far from being perfect
Dinosaurs weren't all killed by the asteroids and developed language. This is the start of a funny and entertaining story, a bit unusual but I liked it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Dinosaurs weren't all killed by the asteroids and developed language. This is the start of a funny and entertaining story, a bit unusual but I liked it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
April 9, 2024
I enjoyed reading this story, very similar to Warrior cats as well as wings of fire( haven't read WoF yet). I love the plot and the way its written and its a little confusing with all of the dino's and different things with said dino's but after learning and remembering the new names it does get easer!!
I'm nit giving it a four or a five star just because I think this was written for kids between 8 and 12/13 but I still enjoyed reading this book.
I'm nit giving it a four or a five star just because I think this was written for kids between 8 and 12/13 but I still enjoyed reading this book.
January 8, 2025
"A wound is not pain, Eleri of the Broken Ridge. To lose one's friend is pain. To lose one's family is pain." He paused. "A wound incurred to save one's friend is a privilege." (161)
February 28, 2024
I didn’t think I would like it, but I’m pleasantly surprised. I might have to pick up the next one in the series to see how the exiles dangerous adventure continues!
February 22, 2023
I got maaajor Land Before Time vibes from this one but that’s probably showing my age more than anything as that was 35(!) years ago. “A society of intelligent dinosaurs that were given culture and a shared language after the meteor failed to annihilate them” is a great starting point for a premise and a discussion I’ve had with my two boys on innumerable occasions.
The idea that gaining intelligence has led pretty quickly to segregation of species and wars is sobering and believable. The main element I struggled with was the way the dinosaurs all spoke a common language and had numerous histories and tales spanning back the mere 50 years since the meteor impact. This seemed incredibly short a timespan to have the various species names change from “Earthsinger” in the Old Stories Name to Oryctodromeus. Not sure why there wasn’t a longer timespan to allow for societies to form and change or just stick with the more evocative naming.
While I enjoyed the tale and found the characters interesting, distinct and fun, my advanced reader 7-year-old and my reluctant reader 15-year-old were both alienated by the prose and drifted away to leave me to finish alone.
The idea that gaining intelligence has led pretty quickly to segregation of species and wars is sobering and believable. The main element I struggled with was the way the dinosaurs all spoke a common language and had numerous histories and tales spanning back the mere 50 years since the meteor impact. This seemed incredibly short a timespan to have the various species names change from “Earthsinger” in the Old Stories Name to Oryctodromeus. Not sure why there wasn’t a longer timespan to allow for societies to form and change or just stick with the more evocative naming.
While I enjoyed the tale and found the characters interesting, distinct and fun, my advanced reader 7-year-old and my reluctant reader 15-year-old were both alienated by the prose and drifted away to leave me to finish alone.
June 4, 2023
This was a fun start to a middle grade series! This book is described as Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park, I would say it has some Land Before Time (and possibly a bit of The Lion King?) vibes too.
The world is described as being after the meteor hit, but instead of wiping out the dinosaurs, it gave them sentient abilities such as talk and strategise etc.
We follow a group of dinosaurs for different warring clans that have each been exiled to "The Deadlands" which essentially marks them for death. Eventually they put their differences aside and work together to uncover the truth about why the kingdoms are constantly at war.
I really enjoyed the character development throughout the story as we were able to get to know the main characters and their personalities. Each member of the group was from a different warring clan and brought something unique to the group.
Overall this was an enjoyable and easy to read middle grade novel and I am excited to see what happens in the sequel!
Thank you so much Walker Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
The world is described as being after the meteor hit, but instead of wiping out the dinosaurs, it gave them sentient abilities such as talk and strategise etc.
We follow a group of dinosaurs for different warring clans that have each been exiled to "The Deadlands" which essentially marks them for death. Eventually they put their differences aside and work together to uncover the truth about why the kingdoms are constantly at war.
I really enjoyed the character development throughout the story as we were able to get to know the main characters and their personalities. Each member of the group was from a different warring clan and brought something unique to the group.
Overall this was an enjoyable and easy to read middle grade novel and I am excited to see what happens in the sequel!
Thank you so much Walker Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
May 23, 2023
Good general themes of following one's moral compass in spite of feeling that they are disappointing their families or communities. Anthropomorphic dinosaur outcasts coming together sounds good in theory.
However, the book felt very slow despite being action packed. The world building in this fantasy novel felt too muddled. I went back and forth between reading the physical copy and listening to the audiobook to try to keep better track, but I still found it hard to follow each dinosaur group name, their name in the old stories, and the alliances.
However, the book felt very slow despite being action packed. The world building in this fantasy novel felt too muddled. I went back and forth between reading the physical copy and listening to the audiobook to try to keep better track, but I still found it hard to follow each dinosaur group name, their name in the old stories, and the alliances.
April 11, 2023
As a person interested in middle grade xenofiction, I was very excited to see a story like Deadlands when it popped up on the shelf of my local bookstore. Just by the awesome cover design alone, I could tell this was a story of epic mythic xenofiction, my absolute favorite genre. And reading the summary on the book flap just cinched it for me.
This genre thrives on its ability to create a rich and believable world through detailed characters and devoted world building, similar to Wings of Fire or the Warriors series. And since the story is set in the time of dinosaurs, the author had a grand opportunity to create a fantasy world with almost limitless potential!
Although in the end I had some issues with the world building, I found myself fully invested in the story and eager for the next volume in the series by the time I was done. The characters here are likeable and full of fun, while still keeping the threat and looming danger due to its intense storyline.
My favorite character was Sorielle, and I hope we get to see more of her in the future. I love upbeat characters who smile in the face of danger. Of course I also loved Tortha, and I think she's going to be a fan favorite.
My first and biggest issue with the book was something the author had no control over. The book BADLY needed illustrations. Even Wings of Fire gave us visuals of the different dragon species in the beginning of each book. Why didn't we get those for here? Sure every kid (and adult) knows what a triceratops looks like, but what about oryctodromeus? What about stegoceras? It's not really very fun when you have to whip out your phone and google dinosaurs names at the start of a book just so you have some sort of visual aid to help you while you're reading.
Unfortunately the second issue I had with the book was definitely on the author. WHAT COLOR ARE THESE DINOSAURS? I know, I know, this seems silly, but part of the wonder of being a dinosaur fan is that they can have fantastical designs and appearances! We have to create how they look in our imaginations in order to see the story unfold. But we need something to work with.
Throughout this entire book there are only two visual descriptors used for our characters. One, Eleri's feathers are described as being sapphire. Okay, fine. I'd like to be able to visualize him a bit more, but I'll take it. At least it's something. And two, the triceratops has one very cool scene where her frill is described as darkening to a reddish color as she goes into battle, as a threat display. Okay that is COOL but what color was she before? What color is Sorielle? Does Lerithon have any markings? Are all of Eleri's kind blue-feathered or is there some variety? What about the carnivores, what do they look like? It's fine to say a giant T-Rex attacked our heroes, and you can describe her giant head and massive size, but if you don't paint us more of a visual picture, our ability to enjoy the story is going to suffer.
Personally, my ability to enjoy the story also suffered from a particular aspect (or lack thereof) of the world building. There were several times in the story where the author seemed to use human terms and concepts that don't make any sense for dinosaurs long ago to use. For example, the book would describe an opponent as being thirty feet away. Well, whose feet? Human feet? Or do the dinosaurs use a particular species' footprint to measure distance? Thirty T-Rex feet away is very different than thirty raptor feet away! Ha!
What about time? The book uses both "weeks" and "months" and I don't know why these dinosaurs conveniently use human methods of measuring the passage of time. For that matter, the dinosaurs refer to themselves by their (human designated) scientific names? What, did dinosaurs invent Latin and Greek now? lol. Even though some might have accused this story of ripping off Land Before Time, I would have much preferred made-up names for each species, and to use that consistently throughout the story. The most confounding thing is, the author almost does! Each dinosaur species has a different name in the "Old Tongue," such as earthsinger or windwhisper, which the book sometimes randomly switches to. We'll be referring to Tortha as a triceratops for pages and pages, and then suddenly a character will throw in the name "moonchaser," which is apparently what triceratops were called long ago before they decided to change the name. What?! How does that make any sense! Why would the dinosaurs all change how they referred to each other? Why didn't we just stick with the "Old Tongue" for the whole story?
I know it sounds like I'm nitpicking here, but these small details are really integral to a good xenofiction story. Each time my brain got tripped up on these little references, it brought me right out of the story and I had to shake it off before I could go back into it. The best of the xenofiction genre always takes this into consideration, whether it be the cats of the Warriors books having their own names for the seasons, to the Wings of Fire dragons inventing their own method of recording information (scrolls rather than books) and describing distance as being winglengths away.
I would give Deadlands 5 stars for characters and story, but 3 stars for world building. The author needed to work a little more on creating this world and how it works. How do the dinosaurs measure distance? What about time? How do they refer to each other? It's all so important to creating a believable world. But I'm still very excited to see what's going to happen next.
This genre thrives on its ability to create a rich and believable world through detailed characters and devoted world building, similar to Wings of Fire or the Warriors series. And since the story is set in the time of dinosaurs, the author had a grand opportunity to create a fantasy world with almost limitless potential!
Although in the end I had some issues with the world building, I found myself fully invested in the story and eager for the next volume in the series by the time I was done. The characters here are likeable and full of fun, while still keeping the threat and looming danger due to its intense storyline.
My favorite character was Sorielle, and I hope we get to see more of her in the future. I love upbeat characters who smile in the face of danger. Of course I also loved Tortha, and I think she's going to be a fan favorite.
My first and biggest issue with the book was something the author had no control over. The book BADLY needed illustrations. Even Wings of Fire gave us visuals of the different dragon species in the beginning of each book. Why didn't we get those for here? Sure every kid (and adult) knows what a triceratops looks like, but what about oryctodromeus? What about stegoceras? It's not really very fun when you have to whip out your phone and google dinosaurs names at the start of a book just so you have some sort of visual aid to help you while you're reading.
Unfortunately the second issue I had with the book was definitely on the author. WHAT COLOR ARE THESE DINOSAURS? I know, I know, this seems silly, but part of the wonder of being a dinosaur fan is that they can have fantastical designs and appearances! We have to create how they look in our imaginations in order to see the story unfold. But we need something to work with.
Throughout this entire book there are only two visual descriptors used for our characters. One, Eleri's feathers are described as being sapphire. Okay, fine. I'd like to be able to visualize him a bit more, but I'll take it. At least it's something. And two, the triceratops has one very cool scene where her frill is described as darkening to a reddish color as she goes into battle, as a threat display. Okay that is COOL but what color was she before? What color is Sorielle? Does Lerithon have any markings? Are all of Eleri's kind blue-feathered or is there some variety? What about the carnivores, what do they look like? It's fine to say a giant T-Rex attacked our heroes, and you can describe her giant head and massive size, but if you don't paint us more of a visual picture, our ability to enjoy the story is going to suffer.
Personally, my ability to enjoy the story also suffered from a particular aspect (or lack thereof) of the world building. There were several times in the story where the author seemed to use human terms and concepts that don't make any sense for dinosaurs long ago to use. For example, the book would describe an opponent as being thirty feet away. Well, whose feet? Human feet? Or do the dinosaurs use a particular species' footprint to measure distance? Thirty T-Rex feet away is very different than thirty raptor feet away! Ha!
What about time? The book uses both "weeks" and "months" and I don't know why these dinosaurs conveniently use human methods of measuring the passage of time. For that matter, the dinosaurs refer to themselves by their (human designated) scientific names? What, did dinosaurs invent Latin and Greek now? lol. Even though some might have accused this story of ripping off Land Before Time, I would have much preferred made-up names for each species, and to use that consistently throughout the story. The most confounding thing is, the author almost does! Each dinosaur species has a different name in the "Old Tongue," such as earthsinger or windwhisper, which the book sometimes randomly switches to. We'll be referring to Tortha as a triceratops for pages and pages, and then suddenly a character will throw in the name "moonchaser," which is apparently what triceratops were called long ago before they decided to change the name. What?! How does that make any sense! Why would the dinosaurs all change how they referred to each other? Why didn't we just stick with the "Old Tongue" for the whole story?
I know it sounds like I'm nitpicking here, but these small details are really integral to a good xenofiction story. Each time my brain got tripped up on these little references, it brought me right out of the story and I had to shake it off before I could go back into it. The best of the xenofiction genre always takes this into consideration, whether it be the cats of the Warriors books having their own names for the seasons, to the Wings of Fire dragons inventing their own method of recording information (scrolls rather than books) and describing distance as being winglengths away.
I would give Deadlands 5 stars for characters and story, but 3 stars for world building. The author needed to work a little more on creating this world and how it works. How do the dinosaurs measure distance? What about time? How do they refer to each other? It's all so important to creating a believable world. But I'm still very excited to see what's going to happen next.
April 13, 2023
I did like this one... After speeding the narration up to x1.5 speed. It is just so tedious for so long. And then after the action finally kicks in, I didn't want to feel invested in the characters. I just wanted to finish the book.
I do think other reviewers are on to something here. It's like Land Before Time and Erin Hunter's Warriors series had a dino-baby together. I think this will work really well for middle graders who are looking for their next Erin Hunter Obsession. It just wasn't for me personally.
I do think other reviewers are on to something here. It's like Land Before Time and Erin Hunter's Warriors series had a dino-baby together. I think this will work really well for middle graders who are looking for their next Erin Hunter Obsession. It just wasn't for me personally.
December 6, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Book for this e-ARC.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention.
July 11, 2023
I love books about dinosaurs! This one was just awesome. It is the first in the series. I cannot wait to read the next one. The story was tense and had some action. It was such a fun book too.
February 26, 2025
This was such a creative story! I was curious how the author would take a book with no human protagonists and keep it interesting. She did a great job!
This book answers the question: "What if a few dinosaurs had survived a giant meteor striking Earth? What if they weren't all wiped out at one time?" The dinos in this story are the remaining survivors of what they call the "Fallen Star." That's when the meteor struck and killed almost everyone and ruined parts of their territory. Now, only a few livable places are left, and the dinosaurs are split into different herds. But that Fallen Star changed these dinos. Something it carried in from outer space (they refer to it as some sort of star dust from the meteor) covered them in a mist, and it changed them. They became intelligent. They began to write stories, speak, and have dreams. But it also caused them to build armies and start a war. And it isn't the type of war you would expect. It's herbivore against herbivore, while all the carnivores rule the uninhabitable parts of the land, called The Deadlands.
Now, our main character Eleri, finds himself banished to this horrible Deadlands zone. He and his older brother are princes of their herd, born to be leaders. But when Eleri goes against war protocols, and saves the life of an enemy triceratops, he is banished forever to the Deadlands. There, he discovers something about the carnivores no one expected, and also discovers a lot about himself. He meets other young dinos who have been banished for various reasons, and together, they create a plan to end the war and unite their herds. Will it go as planned? Not to spoil it for you, but probably not, as this is book one in a series and ends on just a bit of a cliffhanger. But if you get hooked in like I did, you won't have a problem reading all three! I've only just finished this first book, so I've got to find the others and fast!
I was reading an ARC copy that my friend had and passed on to me, so I am unsure if it remained exactly the same in the final publication; there may be a few differences in the layout. For example, in my copy, the opening has a list of all of the dinosaurs, their scientific names, and their fictional names for the book and where they live, etc. Honestly, I didn't need to read it because all of it was explained as you go through the story and it was too confusing to begin the book that way. If that is still the layout, I'd recommend just skipping it and you can always come back to it later.
Also, just a heads up for parents reading this review: there is the use of one curse word right in the middle of the book. I found it totally unnecessary, especially for a middle grade book, but it would be considered a mild word or mild language.
But I absolutely recommend this book and I will be reading the rest of the series! I know kids love dinosaur stuff and I do too, and this one was very creative. The plot had some twists and turns even I didn't see coming. I have a feeling kids who are fans of dinos will not have an issue with the different types of dinosaurs, but I definitely had to google most of them and some I cannot pronounce. But once I had a mental picture of what they looked like, it made the story easier to understand. I can't wait to read the sequel!
This book answers the question: "What if a few dinosaurs had survived a giant meteor striking Earth? What if they weren't all wiped out at one time?" The dinos in this story are the remaining survivors of what they call the "Fallen Star." That's when the meteor struck and killed almost everyone and ruined parts of their territory. Now, only a few livable places are left, and the dinosaurs are split into different herds. But that Fallen Star changed these dinos. Something it carried in from outer space (they refer to it as some sort of star dust from the meteor) covered them in a mist, and it changed them. They became intelligent. They began to write stories, speak, and have dreams. But it also caused them to build armies and start a war. And it isn't the type of war you would expect. It's herbivore against herbivore, while all the carnivores rule the uninhabitable parts of the land, called The Deadlands.
Now, our main character Eleri, finds himself banished to this horrible Deadlands zone. He and his older brother are princes of their herd, born to be leaders. But when Eleri goes against war protocols, and saves the life of an enemy triceratops, he is banished forever to the Deadlands. There, he discovers something about the carnivores no one expected, and also discovers a lot about himself. He meets other young dinos who have been banished for various reasons, and together, they create a plan to end the war and unite their herds. Will it go as planned? Not to spoil it for you, but probably not, as this is book one in a series and ends on just a bit of a cliffhanger. But if you get hooked in like I did, you won't have a problem reading all three! I've only just finished this first book, so I've got to find the others and fast!
I was reading an ARC copy that my friend had and passed on to me, so I am unsure if it remained exactly the same in the final publication; there may be a few differences in the layout. For example, in my copy, the opening has a list of all of the dinosaurs, their scientific names, and their fictional names for the book and where they live, etc. Honestly, I didn't need to read it because all of it was explained as you go through the story and it was too confusing to begin the book that way. If that is still the layout, I'd recommend just skipping it and you can always come back to it later.
Also, just a heads up for parents reading this review: there is the use of one curse word right in the middle of the book. I found it totally unnecessary, especially for a middle grade book, but it would be considered a mild word or mild language.
But I absolutely recommend this book and I will be reading the rest of the series! I know kids love dinosaur stuff and I do too, and this one was very creative. The plot had some twists and turns even I didn't see coming. I have a feeling kids who are fans of dinos will not have an issue with the different types of dinosaurs, but I definitely had to google most of them and some I cannot pronounce. But once I had a mental picture of what they looked like, it made the story easier to understand. I can't wait to read the sequel!
September 29, 2022
What worked:
I don’t think I’ve ever read a middle-grade book featuring dinosaurs as all of the characters. Scientists believe a giant meteor may have struck the earth, drastically altering the climate, and killing all of the dinosaurs. This book presents is an alternate reality where the meteor doesn’t kill all of the dinosaurs as the survivors have adapted to the new world. These creatures have the ability to talk and think and species have merged into three groups. Two of the three are herbivores while carnivores form the last group of mostly-independent predators. While dinosaurs have developed the humanlike characteristics of speech and community, they’ve also acquired the ability to wage war. Eleri, the main character, is able to ponder the concept of killing and envisions the value of all lives.
Readers will enjoy the wonderful underdog story where the main characters are expected to die. They’re all exiled to the Deadlands for different offenses but their herds assume they’ll never survive the barren, dry, toxic lands full of meat-eating carnivores. Eleri, disgraced runt son of a prince, is kicked out for warning an enemy about an impending danger, and Tortha, the enemy heir to his herd, is banished for not killing Eleri when ordered to. To complicate the situation, they’re from opposing herds and have deep-seated feelings of animosity for each other. Tortha’s destiny makes it more difficult to adapt to an alliance since she’s trained to become a warrior and has a grumpy personality. Sorielle is a seemingly naive, kind creature but she has an amazing mathematical brain. Lerithon is a world traveler and speaks in philosophical tones while providing spiritual and navigating guidance for the others.
The author creates mystique through events and characters to keep readers wondering. Eleri notices a secret meeting between unlikely characters that doesn’t make sense to him. He also observes some carnivores that seem to be working together even though he’s always been told that doesn’t happen. A minor character flies overhead with the intent of selling secrets to opposing sides in the war. He’s able to view happenings on the prairie and in the mountains and he accepts a deal with a hidden character to ensure Eleri dies. However, watching Eleri and his new team causes him to have second thoughts so readers will have trouble predicting what he will do with this new information.
What didn’t work as well:
I have a hard time visualizing the dinosaurs as they interact, especially as talking, sentient creatures. It might have helped if the author had included pictures of different dinosaurs in the beginning along with identifying their different herds. The introduction already has very general descriptions of each animal but illustrations would help readers envision the lesser-known ones.
The Final Verdict:
The author expertly develops personalities for the main characters, especially the star, Eleri. Readers will empathize with them as they’ve all been exiled from their friends and families and they struggle to survive the Deadlands. The plot builds to an exciting climax and the resolution leads nicely into a sequel. I recommend you give this book a shot.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a middle-grade book featuring dinosaurs as all of the characters. Scientists believe a giant meteor may have struck the earth, drastically altering the climate, and killing all of the dinosaurs. This book presents is an alternate reality where the meteor doesn’t kill all of the dinosaurs as the survivors have adapted to the new world. These creatures have the ability to talk and think and species have merged into three groups. Two of the three are herbivores while carnivores form the last group of mostly-independent predators. While dinosaurs have developed the humanlike characteristics of speech and community, they’ve also acquired the ability to wage war. Eleri, the main character, is able to ponder the concept of killing and envisions the value of all lives.
Readers will enjoy the wonderful underdog story where the main characters are expected to die. They’re all exiled to the Deadlands for different offenses but their herds assume they’ll never survive the barren, dry, toxic lands full of meat-eating carnivores. Eleri, disgraced runt son of a prince, is kicked out for warning an enemy about an impending danger, and Tortha, the enemy heir to his herd, is banished for not killing Eleri when ordered to. To complicate the situation, they’re from opposing herds and have deep-seated feelings of animosity for each other. Tortha’s destiny makes it more difficult to adapt to an alliance since she’s trained to become a warrior and has a grumpy personality. Sorielle is a seemingly naive, kind creature but she has an amazing mathematical brain. Lerithon is a world traveler and speaks in philosophical tones while providing spiritual and navigating guidance for the others.
The author creates mystique through events and characters to keep readers wondering. Eleri notices a secret meeting between unlikely characters that doesn’t make sense to him. He also observes some carnivores that seem to be working together even though he’s always been told that doesn’t happen. A minor character flies overhead with the intent of selling secrets to opposing sides in the war. He’s able to view happenings on the prairie and in the mountains and he accepts a deal with a hidden character to ensure Eleri dies. However, watching Eleri and his new team causes him to have second thoughts so readers will have trouble predicting what he will do with this new information.
What didn’t work as well:
I have a hard time visualizing the dinosaurs as they interact, especially as talking, sentient creatures. It might have helped if the author had included pictures of different dinosaurs in the beginning along with identifying their different herds. The introduction already has very general descriptions of each animal but illustrations would help readers envision the lesser-known ones.
The Final Verdict:
The author expertly develops personalities for the main characters, especially the star, Eleri. Readers will empathize with them as they’ve all been exiled from their friends and families and they struggle to survive the Deadlands. The plot builds to an exciting climax and the resolution leads nicely into a sequel. I recommend you give this book a shot.
August 1, 2023
{62/2023} 4/5🌟 Fantasy Fiction | 295 pages
Animals as main characters? Done. Dinosaurs as main characters? You got it. The Deadlands trilogy will give you that. Dubbed as Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park (though I have never read anything from the former, I am an avid fan of the latter franchise series), this is definitely the kind of adventure you need. Although specifically targetted for middle grade, I can assure an adult will enjoy it too! I did!
Narrated rom the third POV, it tells us about Cretecea (reminds me of Camp Cretaceous! 😅) the land of kingdoms of dinosaurs segregated after the Fallen Stars strucked. Some dinosaurs survived and they changed. Kingdoms fought and at wars with each other to fight for food, water and home - as well as the right to rule.
Eleri was an oryctodromeus, from the Mountain Kingdom, the herbivores. Though most hatchlings were taught to fight and war, Eleri had a different dream. He wanted to become a storyteller and explore the world much to his brother’s chagrin. His brother who was also the heir.
A night rendezvous had caused Eleri to accidentally save an enemy soldier which resulted Eleri to be banished to the Deadlands, the land of nothingness. However, Eleri knew better. He had seen things which were weird to his eyes. Deep down, he knew that war was not supposed to happen between kingdoms. He knew there were secrets held by the kings. In the Deadlands, he found other exiles, Lerithon, Sorielle (she really reminds me of Luna Lovegood!), Tortha and Zyre. Could they form a union though they came from different backgrounds and kingdoms? Could they help save Cretecea from the snarky and sneaky predators?
This is straigtaway a Dreamworks and Pixar animation worthy. I seriously can imagine how it would look onscreen. It certainly reminds me of the bright and colourful images and sceneries from “The Croods” and Eleri certainly reminds me of Arlo from “The Good Dinosaur”, especially in how he wanted to prove himself that he could do wonders and make his family proud, asides from that they were both tiny and had certain flaws on their bodies since birth.
There are suspense; fun and comedy; as well as thrilling adventures. Each of the exiles had certain interesting characteristics which certainly made them fit for each other.
It carries the theme of hope. That there will always be that glimmer of hope whenever there is a united front. A perfect combo for dinosaur lovers.
#justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #JulyReads #JulyTBRs #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #summertimereads #hellojuly #thedeadlandshunted #skyemelkiwegner
Animals as main characters? Done. Dinosaurs as main characters? You got it. The Deadlands trilogy will give you that. Dubbed as Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park (though I have never read anything from the former, I am an avid fan of the latter franchise series), this is definitely the kind of adventure you need. Although specifically targetted for middle grade, I can assure an adult will enjoy it too! I did!
Narrated rom the third POV, it tells us about Cretecea (reminds me of Camp Cretaceous! 😅) the land of kingdoms of dinosaurs segregated after the Fallen Stars strucked. Some dinosaurs survived and they changed. Kingdoms fought and at wars with each other to fight for food, water and home - as well as the right to rule.
Eleri was an oryctodromeus, from the Mountain Kingdom, the herbivores. Though most hatchlings were taught to fight and war, Eleri had a different dream. He wanted to become a storyteller and explore the world much to his brother’s chagrin. His brother who was also the heir.
A night rendezvous had caused Eleri to accidentally save an enemy soldier which resulted Eleri to be banished to the Deadlands, the land of nothingness. However, Eleri knew better. He had seen things which were weird to his eyes. Deep down, he knew that war was not supposed to happen between kingdoms. He knew there were secrets held by the kings. In the Deadlands, he found other exiles, Lerithon, Sorielle (she really reminds me of Luna Lovegood!), Tortha and Zyre. Could they form a union though they came from different backgrounds and kingdoms? Could they help save Cretecea from the snarky and sneaky predators?
This is straigtaway a Dreamworks and Pixar animation worthy. I seriously can imagine how it would look onscreen. It certainly reminds me of the bright and colourful images and sceneries from “The Croods” and Eleri certainly reminds me of Arlo from “The Good Dinosaur”, especially in how he wanted to prove himself that he could do wonders and make his family proud, asides from that they were both tiny and had certain flaws on their bodies since birth.
There are suspense; fun and comedy; as well as thrilling adventures. Each of the exiles had certain interesting characteristics which certainly made them fit for each other.
It carries the theme of hope. That there will always be that glimmer of hope whenever there is a united front. A perfect combo for dinosaur lovers.
#justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #JulyReads #JulyTBRs #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #summertimereads #hellojuly #thedeadlandshunted #skyemelkiwegner
February 21, 2023
When the Fallen Star struck the world, many dinosaurs were killed instantly, but some were changed, becoming hyper-intelligent, gaining the ability to speak and eventually forming kingdoms. But two kingdoms of Cretacea are now at war with each other. Eleri, a prince of the mountain kingdom, finds himself exiled after saving the life of an enemy solider. Forced into the Deadlands, he discovers untold dangers but also a few tentative allies. They band together, realizing that they want to do more than simply survive – but will they be able to work together to save themselves and their herds?
I just want to make a quick note – if I were simply rating this book based off my personal enjoyment, it would be a 3-star read. But as this is meant for Middle Grade audiences, I believe it would be a 5-star read for the intended age group (I know I would have loved this book when I was young!).
The plot of this work was predictable, but I highly enjoyed the setting. The author excelled at worldbuilding, incorporating lush and vivid descriptions of the setting ranging from the dangerous tar pits to the rare but coveted oases. I enjoyed the details surrounding the dinosaur kingdoms, as well as the lore that was incorporated into their cultures. This was such a well-constructed and interesting setting, especially for a Middle Grade read.
The characters were also enjoyable and well written. While they were relatively cliché (the sensitive young prince who would rather be a storyteller than a leader, the overzealous and rigid fighter, the sunshiny and slightly annoying one, etc.), when combined together they added much to the story. It was also fun to have each character be from a different tribe/kingdom, as it allowed more room for worldbuilding to be smoothly incorporated into the story. I listened to the audiobook version of this work, and the narrator did a wonderful job with the different voices, making each character that much more unique.
Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable Middle Grade read that I highly recommend for younger readers. It’s also the start to a series, but this work concludes neatly enough to be a satisfying read on its own. Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published 4 April 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I just want to make a quick note – if I were simply rating this book based off my personal enjoyment, it would be a 3-star read. But as this is meant for Middle Grade audiences, I believe it would be a 5-star read for the intended age group (I know I would have loved this book when I was young!).
The plot of this work was predictable, but I highly enjoyed the setting. The author excelled at worldbuilding, incorporating lush and vivid descriptions of the setting ranging from the dangerous tar pits to the rare but coveted oases. I enjoyed the details surrounding the dinosaur kingdoms, as well as the lore that was incorporated into their cultures. This was such a well-constructed and interesting setting, especially for a Middle Grade read.
The characters were also enjoyable and well written. While they were relatively cliché (the sensitive young prince who would rather be a storyteller than a leader, the overzealous and rigid fighter, the sunshiny and slightly annoying one, etc.), when combined together they added much to the story. It was also fun to have each character be from a different tribe/kingdom, as it allowed more room for worldbuilding to be smoothly incorporated into the story. I listened to the audiobook version of this work, and the narrator did a wonderful job with the different voices, making each character that much more unique.
Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable Middle Grade read that I highly recommend for younger readers. It’s also the start to a series, but this work concludes neatly enough to be a satisfying read on its own. Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published 4 April 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 31, 2023
This reminds me of Land Before Time and I enjoyed the characters and their outcast clan. My rating 4.25.
Eleri is the disgraced son of a clan prince. He is a small dinosaur who likes storytelling and isn’t interested in battle like his larger brother. Eleri and his brother were out on the edge of territory to see the large longneck dinosaurs go by. When they hide from an air predator they stumble upon three enemy scouts. When the bird dives, Eleri shouts out resulting in saving the life of one of the enemy dinosaurs. Eleri’s own brother declares his action as treason. Eleri is quickly taken before the tribunal and king and exiled to the Deadlands. It is expected that outcasts to the Deadlands will not survive long.
Eleri manages to get to an oasis but finds that enemy raptors are stock piling food. Then he stumbles upon another outcast – the young dinosaur whose life he saved. She was raised to be a warrior but failed to kill Eleri when directed to. Now she wishes she had killed him rather than getting outcast. Eleri has to convince her to work with him so they can both survive. They manage to sneak into the oasis to get food. They also learn that there is a great conspiracy setting the woodland clans against each other.
Eleri and his new companion join forces with two more dinosaurs they meet, a cheery vegetarian who loves math, and a young longneck who was banned as a prophetic dreamer. As they try to find a way to save their clans back home, a fifth dinosaur, a messenger bird, joins their outcast clan. Can they do anything to thwart the Deadland tribes, of raptors and T-Rex, and save their clans?
I liked the outcast dinosaurs with their unique quirks. They each brought a useful skill that helped them as they worked together. It is sweet how they realize they can be their own clan. This is a nice story showing how not everyone has to be a warrior or go the way of the majority. I recommend this as an entertaining adventure for middle graders and adults who like dinosaur adventure.
Audio Notes: John Pirhalla does a lovely job with the narration. He provides very distinct voices and tones that fit the natures of each character. The narration helped me to “see” the story and enhanced my enjoyment of the story.
I received this from the publisher through NetGalley for an independent, honest opinion.
Eleri is the disgraced son of a clan prince. He is a small dinosaur who likes storytelling and isn’t interested in battle like his larger brother. Eleri and his brother were out on the edge of territory to see the large longneck dinosaurs go by. When they hide from an air predator they stumble upon three enemy scouts. When the bird dives, Eleri shouts out resulting in saving the life of one of the enemy dinosaurs. Eleri’s own brother declares his action as treason. Eleri is quickly taken before the tribunal and king and exiled to the Deadlands. It is expected that outcasts to the Deadlands will not survive long.
Eleri manages to get to an oasis but finds that enemy raptors are stock piling food. Then he stumbles upon another outcast – the young dinosaur whose life he saved. She was raised to be a warrior but failed to kill Eleri when directed to. Now she wishes she had killed him rather than getting outcast. Eleri has to convince her to work with him so they can both survive. They manage to sneak into the oasis to get food. They also learn that there is a great conspiracy setting the woodland clans against each other.
Eleri and his new companion join forces with two more dinosaurs they meet, a cheery vegetarian who loves math, and a young longneck who was banned as a prophetic dreamer. As they try to find a way to save their clans back home, a fifth dinosaur, a messenger bird, joins their outcast clan. Can they do anything to thwart the Deadland tribes, of raptors and T-Rex, and save their clans?
I liked the outcast dinosaurs with their unique quirks. They each brought a useful skill that helped them as they worked together. It is sweet how they realize they can be their own clan. This is a nice story showing how not everyone has to be a warrior or go the way of the majority. I recommend this as an entertaining adventure for middle graders and adults who like dinosaur adventure.
Audio Notes: John Pirhalla does a lovely job with the narration. He provides very distinct voices and tones that fit the natures of each character. The narration helped me to “see” the story and enhanced my enjoyment of the story.
I received this from the publisher through NetGalley for an independent, honest opinion.
September 12, 2025
After surviving a cataclysmic asteroid impact, also known as the Fallen Star, the dinosaurs left on the planet gained intelligence and the ability of speech… and, just like humanity, the ability to wage war among the kingdoms. Eleri has wanted to become a storyteller, not a warrior like he’s meant to be, but when he disobeys orders during an enemy attack and saves an enemy soldier, he’s banished to the Deadlands – a desert land between the kingdoms filled with poisonous gas, tar pits… and carnivores. But while he should have died in the Deadlands, Eleri ends up forming an alliance with three other outcasts, forming their own herd of misfits, working together to survive. When they discover the truth behind the war, they work together to stop a secret plot that could destroy everything.
This was weirdly entertaining? Like, listen, if you liked the Wings of Fire series then you’ll like this. It’s very middle grade (obviously), but there is some violence/fight scenes, so just a heads up to parents. You have the disgraced son of a prince, banished and presumed dead, who discovers that a group of carnivores is stoking the war between the kingdoms and takes it upon himself to stop it. There’s some espionage/political intrigue among the ruling dinosaurs/kingdoms, so things get a little complicated. But I like the found family aspect and how resourceful/determined Eleri is to survive. I also like that, while reading, I only pictured the Land Before Time group of characters… I mean seriously, there’s a triceratops (aka Cera), ankylosaur (instead of a stegosaurus, aka Spike), sauropod (instead of an apatosaurus, aka Littlefoot), anurognathid (a small, flying dinosaur, aka Petrie), and an oryctodromeus (instead of a saurolophus, aka Ducky). So when I say it’s similar, I mean literally they’re pretty similar in what kind of dinosaurs each of them are, though Eleri – the oryctodromeus – is the main character. I did enjoy this, and I would allow my kids to read this when they get to be the age for middle grade books. For me, I’ll probably read through the rest of this series when the kids are older if they want to read this series, otherwise it was cute and full of cool, sentient dinosaurs.
Actual Rating: 3.75 stars
This was weirdly entertaining? Like, listen, if you liked the Wings of Fire series then you’ll like this. It’s very middle grade (obviously), but there is some violence/fight scenes, so just a heads up to parents. You have the disgraced son of a prince, banished and presumed dead, who discovers that a group of carnivores is stoking the war between the kingdoms and takes it upon himself to stop it. There’s some espionage/political intrigue among the ruling dinosaurs/kingdoms, so things get a little complicated. But I like the found family aspect and how resourceful/determined Eleri is to survive. I also like that, while reading, I only pictured the Land Before Time group of characters… I mean seriously, there’s a triceratops (aka Cera), ankylosaur (instead of a stegosaurus, aka Spike), sauropod (instead of an apatosaurus, aka Littlefoot), anurognathid (a small, flying dinosaur, aka Petrie), and an oryctodromeus (instead of a saurolophus, aka Ducky). So when I say it’s similar, I mean literally they’re pretty similar in what kind of dinosaurs each of them are, though Eleri – the oryctodromeus – is the main character. I did enjoy this, and I would allow my kids to read this when they get to be the age for middle grade books. For me, I’ll probably read through the rest of this series when the kids are older if they want to read this series, otherwise it was cute and full of cool, sentient dinosaurs.
Actual Rating: 3.75 stars
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