SURVIVAL

In this trilogy closer, an unnatural alliance between the predatory Carrion Kingdom and the armored plant eaters of the Prairie Alliance forces the herbivorous residents of the Mountain Kingdom into a desperate last stand.

Recapping the protagonists’ earlier exploits as she goes, Melki-Wegner brings her all-dinosaur cast back together for a furious (if nearly bloodless) climactic battle. Eleri, the gracile Oryctodromeus exile, and the rest of her multispecies Grotto herd reach the beleaguered Mountain Kingdom just in time to face not only a massive army of invaders but also treachery from supposed allies. Though the author is far too dependent on convenient magical gimmickry to keep things moving—inflammable rocks, two kinds of toxic plants—readers willing to roll with the contrivances (and to picture dinosaurs who talk like this: “There’s a whole Army of Beasts about to come chargin’ into this vale, and we ain’t got a plan to stop ’em”) will be rewarded with an engrossing whirl of fights, sallies, ambushes and betrayals, narrow squeaks, and courageous exploits, all leading to a climax that plays out against a massive conflagration and an even more massive flood. Through it all, the Grotto herd’s steadfast trust in each other provides a steady anchor, and the battle’s decisive outcome ultimately hinges on personal loyalties and steadfast adherence to noble principles.

A tidy resolution achieved through courage and sturdy values.