So, I wanted to make a shout out to a book I’m pretty excited about. Now, how many times does the world have to tell you ‘do not judge a book by its cover’ before they give up already, huh? Cause this one – like so, so many others – I’m judging and that judgement is: AWESOME.
I guess the fact that George R.R. Martin is saying that it is Game of Thrones crossed with Jurassic Park gives it a bit of credence, but truly I’m just taken by the sight of a Knight on a Dinosaur’s back. I’ve spoken before, when Kameron Hurley’s latest novel was announced, about how much I like this grey abstract style that Tor Books seem keen on lately. It certainly fits epic fantasy – it is very atmospheric and because it isn’t sharp in anyway you don’t have an image of the characters forced upon you as such (unlike many young adult books that feature versions of the protagonists on the cover, for example).
Anyway, enough on the cover, here’s the blurb:
A world made by the Eight Creators on which to play out their games of passion and power, Paradise is a sprawling, diverse, often brutal place. Men and women live on Paradise as do dogs, cats, ferrets, goats, and horses. But dinosaurs predominate: wildlife, monsters, beasts of burden – and of war. Colossal planteaters like Brachiosaurus; terrifying meateaters like Allosaurus and the most feared of all, Tyrannosaurus rex. Giant lizards swim warm seas. Birds (some with teeth) share the sky with flying reptiles that range in size from batsized insectivores to majestic and deadly Dragons.
Thus we are plunged into Victor Milán’s splendidly weird world of The Dinosaur Lords, a place that for all purposes mirrors 14th century Europe with its dynastic rivalries, religious wars, and byzantine politics…and the weapons of choice are dinosaurs. Where we have vast armies of dinosaur-mounted knights engaged in battle. And during the course of one of these epic battles, the enigmatic mercenary Dinosaur Lord Karyl Bogomirsky is defeated through betrayal and left for dead. He wakes, naked, wounded, partially amnesiac – and hunted. And embarks upon a journey that will shake his world.
The concept, I guess, is one that should be explored a fair amount more: what would happen if Dinosaurs weren’t extinct, but continued to roam the World alongside other animals that evolved (humans included). How would they be put to use?
The author’s name may or may not be familiar to you, however Victor Milán has written for the Forgotten Realms, Star Trek, and Wild Cards universes, as well as books under the pseudonyms Richard Austin (Jove Books’ “The Guardians” series), Robert Baron (Jove Books’ “Stormrider” series), S. L. Hunter (“Steele” series with Simon Hawke), and Alex Archer (Gold Eagle Books’ “Rogue Angel” series). So, this is far from his debut!
The Dinosaur Lords is set to hit shelves in July 2015… Man I hope it’s worth the wait, cause now I’ve seen that cover it’s gonna be a tough one!
Julia Kitvaria Sarene
Freakin’ Dinosaurs!
There is a thread about this book and one of the posters nailed my feelings in that this series could be either really cheesy or really bad ass.