Dinosaur Summer / Do we make a tasty snack? Manly W/O
Written: Jun 16 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Vivid, detailed writing, story that won't let ya stop until you finish. Different time-line...cool
Cons: None, none, none!
The Bottom Line: The bottom line is horizontal.
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| char.mike's Full Review: Dinosaur Summer Books |
DINASAUR SUMMER / Manly Write-Off
BY Greg Bear
ISBN 0-446-52098-5
Published by Warner Books
Pages 325
This is a nifty book I received several years ago and just got around to reading. Normally books don’t go unread in my house for long but this is one that was put in the bookshelf and gathered dust since it wasn’t exactly one I’d normally read.
I ran out of books not long ago and discovered this one and decided to give it a go and I’m glad I did.
The book starts out in June 1947 with a fifteen year old boy named Peter Belzoni who lives with his photographer / writer father, Anthony.
His father tries to sell pictures he takes or articles he writes to various magazine and newspapers. This causes them to move frequently and live in dingy apartments.
Summer is here and Peter’s mother wants him to come and stay with her through the summer months, but his father wants him to come with him. Serious dilemma for a kid and not one I'd want my kids to have to make. He must choose between his mother, who rarely wants to see him and his father, who takes care of him.
Anthony has been offered the job of a lifetime…for in this 1947 dinosaurs still live. They come from one plateau in South America and this is the only place they live. However, a few if them have been caught and used in circuses. Most of the circuses did not take proper care of their animals and they died, so only one dinosaur circus is left, Circus Lothar.
His father has been offered a job with National Geographic to record the last days of Circus Lothar and he wants Peter to come and work, too. He wants Peter to become a writer and thinks this is a good opportunity for him. He also has a secret but won’t tell Peter until he agrees to go with him. The only problem is, Peter hates to write, but he desperately wants to see the circus dinosaurs. Yup, he chooses his father.
Peter soon finds out what the big secret is and it is a whopper. The owner of Circus Lothar, Lotto Gluck and head trainer, Vince Shellabergar are going to take the dinosaurs back to their home on the Grand Tepui in Venezuela.
This sounds easy, but they must fight red tape from both the North and South American governments, manage very large, very heavy animals on a long trip and keep it all secret. Oh they must also try to stay alive in the dispute between the Venezuelan military and native Indians all while traveling in a wet, bug infested jungle.
The writing in this book is fairly detailed and rich with description.
A long naked tail twitched like a cat’s, with a slow horizontal curl at the end.
Its eyes gleamed a beautiful golden color, mottled with rich chocolate specks and the inside of its mouth and tongue was lavender.
This describes one of the dinosaurs named Dip who is a Neostruthiominus planensis a dinosaur that is not a bird or an avisaur. If you are not familiar with dinosaurs this book will fill ya in on some details.
There are some black and white drawings and even a few colored ones in this book which is surprising since longer books don’t usually have them. I do like the pictures as it gives a better picture of the dinosaurs and the characters in this book.
We see Peter’s relationship with his father evolve form a child to an adult and how he gains the respect and admiration of his father and others on this expedition.
There is a lot happening in this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This will also be one I will read again and again.
SOME OF THE DINOSAURS
DIP – Neostruthiominus planensis, Birdlike creature- eats possums, bugs, eggs, nuts & berries
Casso- Dip’s mate—female (see description above)
Sammy – A cen1trosaurus— a massive brown spotted green body lifted one elephantine foreleg in the air / he sported a bent, forward-jutting horn on his rhinoceros nose. / Sammy’s beak opened and a rasping parrot tongue poked out. / All around Sammy’s crest, reddish-brown knobs stuck out like studs on a dogs color.
Dagger – a venator or Altovenator ferox, a ferocious hunter, a predator / something large and beautiful and nightmarish, a sleek brown and yellow demon with flashing emerald eyes. / from tip of snout, past gaping mouth, vibrating wattle pendulous from its neck, green eyes ringed with vivid blue, a surprisingly narrow and swift-looking trunk thick as a bull in the middle.
Sheila – a southern ankylosaur- a large sluggish animal stood asleep on its four pillar like legs. Heavily armored, the tail tipped with large spikes in rows along its back: even its eyelids were covered with plates of bone. It looked like a cross between a horned toad and a Sherman tank.
These are the dinosaurs most mentioned that you get to meet and know. Peter gets to know them very well as he becomes Vince Shellabarger helper.
THE HUMANS
Peter – 15 year old kid – lives with dad – writer for National Geographic about a kid’s point-of-view on the last dinosaur circus and the returning of the dinosaurs to their home on the Grand Tepau.
Anthony Belzoni – Peter’s dad – out of luck photographer and writer. His wife left him because he chooses to stay a photographer rather than take a good-paying job. He is working for National Geographic on this trip.
Otto Gluck – Owner of Circus Lothar, a short portly man who deeply cares about his dinosaurs. His circus is the only one that has taken care of the dinosaurs properly and therefore the only dinosaur circus left.
Vince Shellabarger – Animal trainer who is a legend among folks. He loves his dinosaurs and will do anything to get them home. His judgmental sea-green eyes glinted with bits of turquoise. Straight white-blond hair stretched thin over his brown scalp. He had a long chiseled jaw and prominent cheekbones, a solid barrel gut and broad heavy shoulders. Gray curly chest hair billowed over the V in his shirt and thick biceps threatened to rip the rolled-up sleeves.
Merian Cooper – Rich man, a movie producer who did King Kong – He is making a documentary about the last dinosaur circus and the dino’s return home.
Ernest Schoedsack aka Monte – A great director working with Merian Cooper
O’Brian aka OBie – Camera and effects man along for the whole trip…already been to the Plateau many years before.
Ray Harryhausen – OBie’s friend and helper (apprentice) the youngest except for Peter.
At first glance, his face and expression seemed affable, even simple / Peter sensed keen intelligence, real determination---and almost infinite patience.
This is a book full of vivid characters, lots of action and interesting story…it would make a great movie. Ummm, that’s just my humble opinion.
Some question to ponder
1. Do the dinosaurs make it to their home?
2. How do Peter and his father come to terms with their relationship?
3. Does Peter ever learn to like writing?
4. Does National Geographic like Peter’s story?
5. Do all the dinosaurs make it alive to the plateau?
6. Red tape?
7. Indians?
8. Venezuelan Military?
9. Who gets killed and eaten by a dinosaur?
10. Which dinosaur does the eating?
11. Who gets stranded and lost on the plateau?
12. Who makes it out alive?
Read this book and find out.
This is my entry into the MANLY W/O in celebration of Hawgwyld and Joubert’s 3rd, yes 3rd year at good old Epinions.
Wanna read some more entries? Go here, http://www.angelfire.com/mb2/mypageontheweb/page9.htm
A page set up by me for Hawg and Joubert!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
WHOHOO,
HURRAY,
YEAH.
YIPPIE,
AND SO ON…:O)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
char.mike
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Member: Char (pronounced Shar)
Location: fife, Scotland
Reviews written: 83
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