Dragon Teeth on June 2017
Genres: Adult Fiction
Pages: 295
Format: eBook, Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
The year is 1876. Warring Indian tribes still populate America’s western territories even as lawless gold-rush towns begin to mark the landscape. In much of the country it is still illegal to espouse evolution. Against this backdrop two monomaniacal paleontologists pillage the Wild West, hunting for dinosaur fossils, while surveilling, deceiving and sabotaging each other in a rivalry that will come to be known as the Bone Wars.
Into this treacherous territory plunges the arrogant and entitled William Johnson, a Yale student with more privilege than sense. Determined to survive a summer in the west to win a bet against his arch-rival, William has joined world-renowned paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh on his latest expedition. But when the paranoid and secretive Marsh becomes convinced that William is spying for his nemesis, Edwin Drinker Cope, he abandons him in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a locus of crime and vice. William is forced to join forces with Cope and soon stumbles upon a discovery of historic proportions. With this extraordinary treasure, however, comes exceptional danger, and William’s newfound resilience will be tested in his struggle to protect his cache, which pits him against some of the West’s most notorious characters
The year is 1876. Warring Indian tribes still populate America’s western territories even as lawless gold-rush towns begin to mark the landscape. In much of the country it is still illegal to espouse evolution. Against this backdrop two monomaniacal paleontologists pillage the Wild West, hunting for dinosaur fossils, while surveilling, deceiving and sabotaging each other in a rivalry that will come to be known as the Bone Wars.
Into this treacherous territory plunges the arrogant and entitled William Johnson, a Yale student with more privilege than sense. Determined to survive a summer in the west to win a bet against his arch-rival, William has joined world-renowned paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh on his latest expedition. But when the paranoid and secretive Marsh becomes convinced that William is spying for his nemesis, Edwin Drinker Cope, he abandons him in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a locus of crime and vice. William is forced to join forces with Cope and soon stumbles upon a discovery of historic proportions. With this extraordinary treasure, however, comes exceptional danger, and William’s newfound resilience will be tested in his struggle to protect his cache, which pits him against some of the West’s most notorious characters
Review: Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton
Review:
I have a deep fascination with dinos. Not only Jurassic Park etc., but anything related. I have a friend who was a Paleontologist in another life and she is beyond cool to me. So of course, I am undoubtedly interested in The Bone Wars, that classic period of times when Cope and Marsh were fanning out around the West, trying to dig up as many bones as they could find. And sabotage the other.
Apparently, this fully formed book was found in Crichton’s archives after his death. (He died in 2008) Believe it or not, (After reading it, I tend to believe it is his), I found this book to be very much in line with his other books. Fast, reader friendly, full of action and turns with colorful characters. His other books lean more on science, but this historical fiction account of a Yale student who is thrown between Cope and Marsh and into the Bone Wars is entertaining and well researched.
Johnson is a college student and is both young and eager as much as he is reluctant and naive. I liked seeing this world from his eyes and there was a lot of danger and suspense thrown at him. Through the whole book, we’re not sure if he (and other members) survive and I like that it made the story seem more current and real. The threats during that time were many and it’s a miracle anyone decided to go out that way, let alone go out for bone digging.
The writing is well done and fun. I got a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, but I wound up listening to the audiobook instead. I really enjoyed the audiobook and thought it was well narrated and added a lot of tension to the story. Honestly, it made my long Los Angeles commute much better. And made me want to reach back and read Jurassic Park for the oh one millionth time.
Overall, Dragon Teeth is everything you would expect from a Crichton book. It reminds me of his older, thrilling ones that I enjoyed growing up. (I haven’t read the other two books that were published posthumous.) It’s a well thought out adventure book with betrayal and guns, love and rivalry. And oh, yes, dino bones.
Kimberly majored in Songwriting and currently works full time in the music industry. When she's not listening to music, knitting or writing, you can find her outside reading her favorite genres: Young Adult, Adult Fiction, Mystery, and Romance.
