Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton

As a huge Crichton fan, I was over the moon to hear that the late author had a new novel that was to be published posthumously. I’ve dogeared and ruined so many copies of Jurassic Park that I’ve lost count. I’ve read Crichton novels in multiple countries, states and nearly every year since my discovery when I was thirteen. Special thanks to Harper Collins for giving me access to an ebook copy in exchange for my honest review. This book will release on May 23, 2017.

William Yates is a Yale-educated student of privilege. When he makes a bet with an arch-rival (a rivalry that made me as a reader think classic rivals like those in Animal House or Revenge of the Nerds) to go West with the ‘crazy’ professor Othniel Charles Marsh, Yates is tasked with being the official photographer of the expedition. Yates, determined to see this bet through, goes to learn all about photography and the materials necessary to ‘pass’ as an official photographer.

During the beginning leg of the trip, Marsh’s paranoid nature rears its ugly head–he is convinced the young photographer is working for his rival, Edwin Drinker Cope. Marsh abandons Yates, and Yates ends up with Cope. While Yates (and his group with Cope) discover something that will change the entire field of paleontology, their group ends up being sabotaged. Yates finds himself in charge of this new ‘treasure’ and while stranded out west, he is tested against some of the West’s most well-known criminals. The sensible thing to do would be to run. But Yates has learned a few things about life during his stint with the bone collectors. And he will do anything to keep his word, and protect the cache of bones that he has been tasked to return back east.

Welcome to 1876’s Bone Wars.

Who would read this: Fans of crichton’s work, fans of science and paleontology, someone looking for a good summer read.

Time to Read: 5 hours, because I REALLY focused on it.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Funny Story: I have very little western knowledge–but there is a situation in this novel that doesn’t make sense. I researched it a little bit and confirmed that it could not have happened as it did in the novel… I still enjoyed it, though. 

Final thoughts: I think this novel was an awesome read and i cannot wait to read it again when it comes out–it’s definitely one for the personal collection!