The Deadlands: Trapped by Skye Melki-Wegner

If you love dinosaurs, dangerous quests and tales that have heroes that need to rise above their own fears and failings, then this book is for you! This is the second of the Deadlands books and a small group of exiled and outcast herbivorous dinosaurs with different skills sets and qualities are on a quest to confront the dreaded Carrion Kingdom, populated by carnivorous dinosaurs intent on manipulating the power structure within the ancient world. In a world where the environmental conditions are almost intent on destroying the outcast collective as they pursue their quest, this is a story where the exiles must use their wisdom to overcome many obstacles. Focusing mostly on the characters Eleri (an Oryctodromeus story-teller) and also the small feathered Zyre (an Anurognathid wind whisper – a spy and secret gatherer), the challenges that the dinosaurs face are extreme. The story is exciting and tense, and yet we know the world will not be able to maintain sustenance and security for them forever.

A tense and exciting story with dinosaurs – this is a narrative arc that will be loved by those who have a passion for the extinct creatures. In some ways it has a magical quality as the characters deal with lava, dangerous and lethal gases, and earthquakes as they traverse a strange environment and put themselves into danger and risk their own lives. In some ways this book will appeal to readers who have loved the dragon fantasy series Wings of Fire, as it has similar tensions and dangers (just without magic). The characters also are young and have personal struggles that have limited their past, but that also help them connect to their fellow travellers. They must also problem-solve to overcome extreme circumstances and rely on each other’s strengths as they find themselves in difficult scenarios. This will be enjoyed by fantasy lovers aged 10 – 13, but if Dinosaurs are not your ‘thing’, then perhaps imagining that the characters are fantasy or magical creatures will overcome this barrier.

Themes: Dinosaurs, Adventure, Quest, Conflict, Fantasy.

Carolyn Hull