SURVIVAL IN THE LAND OF BEASTS

Villagers fight to survive the dangers and unpredictability of prehistoric times in Rasband’s middle-grade debut fantasy novel.

Eleven-year-old Torq Grka only barely lives through a violent jungle encounter with a Quetzalcoatlus—a “sky monster.” Luckily, his father, Kroc, tracks him down and helps him back to their village. After some time recovering, Torq reluctantly tells his family that he’s unable to move his legs or feet. The village healer can provide a treatment that will repair his injuries but needs one essential ingredient to do so: the green yolk of a Tyrannosaur egg. However, the medicine must be administered within 10 days for it to work. His brave little sister, Sheeny, rather than wait for the other villagers to make a decision, speeds off toward the Valley of the Swamps where the T. rexes roam. Kroc soon catches up with her, and father and daughter forage for eggs as quickly and cautiously as possible. Trouble, however, brews back at the village, due to nearby boiling pools and apparent earthquakes that may be early signs of an unavoidable natural disaster. Rasband fuels this short novel with a flurry of action scenes: Sheeny braves such difficulties as a heavy storm and a raging river, while other villagers seek safety as the ground vibrates and cracks beneath them. Although the story centers on the Grka family, Rasband takes time to effectively develop a few supporting characters, as well; for example, village chief Big Keobo can convince the council to okay the dinosaur egg hunt, but faces opposition from Darkis, Kroc’s childhood friend turned nemesis. The author also keeps younger readers in mind with concise, unadorned prose; the harshest expletive is the delightful “raptor crap,” which appears multiple times. There are appearances by uncommon, real-life prehistoric beasts, such as a Titanoboa. The book’s ending is memorable and hints at the possibility of a sequel.

An entertaining tale of family and trust set in a lively and fantastical era.