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kitness's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A worthy sequel to the first Dinotopia book, though I think not quite as good. It has the same flaws as the first book (static prose and plot cliches), but, just like the first book, who gives a damn because the world is spectacular and the flood of gorgeous oil illustrations are ridiculous.
Also a nice inclusion of various content types such as diagrams, cultural element studies, and maps. The first book had the creation and presentation of a new alphabet, a Dinotopia anthem, etc., so a bit behind on that point. But the addition of sea images and walking machines still makes this second entry unique.
These books are absolutely incredible works of worldbuilding, imagination, and art that deserve a more prominent place in bookstores, libraries, and natural history museums.
Also a nice inclusion of various content types such as diagrams, cultural element studies, and maps. The first book had the creation and presentation of a new alphabet, a Dinotopia anthem, etc., so a bit behind on that point. But the addition of sea images and walking machines still makes this second entry unique.
These books are absolutely incredible works of worldbuilding, imagination, and art that deserve a more prominent place in bookstores, libraries, and natural history museums.
billyhopscotch's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my all-time favorite books. It awed and inspired me as a kid, and the artwork and sheer scope of Gurney's vision still knock me down. The combination of machine and dinosaur (not to mention the remnants of a whole lost civilization below the surface of the world) make this a breathtaking read. I met Mr. Gurney last May and he signed my copy of The World Beneath with a dino.
waterwolves's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
madelyn's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
zombeesknees's review against another edition
5.0
I was obsessed with these books, and every time I re-read them I remember why: who WOULDN'T want to live in such a culturally rich and exciting utopia full of dinosaurs?!? Still remember pedaling furiously down the hill in my old neighborhood on a bike that I had re-named Cumulus, imagining myself as an intrepid Skybax rider on my faithful saurian steed. Gurney's artwork and world-building are nothing short of delightful.
jasonmehmel's review against another edition
5.0
Read this to recapture some childhood nostalgia and it did not disappoint. The whimsical world that James has designed and illustrated is still incredibly charming and engrossing.
seak's review against another edition
4.0
The best way to describe Dinotopia: The World Beneath is it's like a Disneyland theme park ride in your head. The production of this audiobook is just amazing. The characters walk by a stream and you hear the stream babbling by. Dragons fly by and you hear the roar. I was really impressed with this fun, short romp through Dinotopia.
When Arthur Denison leads an expedition deep into the mysterious caverns of The World Beneath, they discover strange mechanical walking machines shaped like dinosaurs and powered by sunstones.
This is the continuation of the original award-winning Dinotopia by James Gurney. Available as a hardcover book, or as an audio adventure!
When Arthur Denison explores the mysterious caverns of the World Beneath, he discovers an ancient civilization that in many ways is more advanced than our own. But his expedition is threatened by a greedy sailor, Lee Crabb, and by dinosaurs even larger and fiercer than the Tyrannosaurs, the meat-eating Gigantosaurus!
Reminiscent at times of Robert Lewis Stephenson's Treasure Island (especially Lee Crabb), Dinotopia: The World Beneath is the first sequel to James Gurney's Dinotopia. I didn't actually read Dinotopia beforehand, but The World Beneath was enough incentive for me to start looking for a copy of the original especially after taking a look at the amazing artwork which has won Hugo awards for best original artwork.
Dinotopia itself is an island where sentient dinosaurs and shipwrecked humans exist together peacefully (more info on Wikipedia). We mainly follow Arthur Denison who is a scientist who wants to know not only how everything works, but how he can improve society with his research.
As the blurb mentions, the cast of characters (and there really is a cast of actors that play each of the different characters), led by the possibly deviant Lee Crab, explores ancient caverns running into multiple Tyrannosaurus Rex among other dangers that await.
There are some fun twists but mostly the story is straight-forward and completely worth it for the production value. There were parts where echoes could be heard in the background and I could have sworn it was coming from outside rather than in the actual audio.
There's lots of action and adventure packed into a story that had it's only real drawback in being much too short. But, if you're going to have a drawback, this is a good one to have. Plus, there are more sequels available.
When Should You Listen to Dinotopia: The World Beneath?
As I mentioned earlier, this audiobook would work well as a Disneyland ride, but this also reflects the audience the story is meant for. I think children would absolutely love this, but I consider myself an adult (it's up for debate I know) and I had a great time.
4 out of 5 Stars
The mp3's for Dinotopia: The World Beneath were provided to me by the kindness of ZBS Foundation.
When Arthur Denison leads an expedition deep into the mysterious caverns of The World Beneath, they discover strange mechanical walking machines shaped like dinosaurs and powered by sunstones.
This is the continuation of the original award-winning Dinotopia by James Gurney. Available as a hardcover book, or as an audio adventure!
When Arthur Denison explores the mysterious caverns of the World Beneath, he discovers an ancient civilization that in many ways is more advanced than our own. But his expedition is threatened by a greedy sailor, Lee Crabb, and by dinosaurs even larger and fiercer than the Tyrannosaurs, the meat-eating Gigantosaurus!
Reminiscent at times of Robert Lewis Stephenson's Treasure Island (especially Lee Crabb), Dinotopia: The World Beneath is the first sequel to James Gurney's Dinotopia. I didn't actually read Dinotopia beforehand, but The World Beneath was enough incentive for me to start looking for a copy of the original especially after taking a look at the amazing artwork which has won Hugo awards for best original artwork.
Dinotopia itself is an island where sentient dinosaurs and shipwrecked humans exist together peacefully (more info on Wikipedia). We mainly follow Arthur Denison who is a scientist who wants to know not only how everything works, but how he can improve society with his research.
As the blurb mentions, the cast of characters (and there really is a cast of actors that play each of the different characters), led by the possibly deviant Lee Crab, explores ancient caverns running into multiple Tyrannosaurus Rex among other dangers that await.
There are some fun twists but mostly the story is straight-forward and completely worth it for the production value. There were parts where echoes could be heard in the background and I could have sworn it was coming from outside rather than in the actual audio.
There's lots of action and adventure packed into a story that had it's only real drawback in being much too short. But, if you're going to have a drawback, this is a good one to have. Plus, there are more sequels available.
When Should You Listen to Dinotopia: The World Beneath?
As I mentioned earlier, this audiobook would work well as a Disneyland ride, but this also reflects the audience the story is meant for. I think children would absolutely love this, but I consider myself an adult (it's up for debate I know) and I had a great time.
4 out of 5 Stars
The mp3's for Dinotopia: The World Beneath were provided to me by the kindness of ZBS Foundation.
onceuponahedgehog's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
art art art art art hanging gerunds
dangerousnerd's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Ehhhhhh… the first book in this series is so good. This one just falls flat. The illustrations are still gorgeous but the narrative is totally bland in comparison.