Author: Steve Cole
Series: Z Rex (book 2)
Publisher: Red Fox
Release Date: 6 Jan 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1862307780
Synopsis
Caught in a real-life game - where the only law is survival.
Adam thought it was all over.
He thought he and his dad had escaped. That they had left the monsters far behind. That they were safe.
Now Adam is trapped on a tiny Pacific island. There is no food, no phone, and no way out. And he is being hunted by vicious packs of hyper-evolved dinosaurs with a human's ability to learn . . . and a beast's ability to kill.
Watch out, world - the Z. Raptors are coming.
My Review
I read book 1 back in February and enjoyed it, I then got given book 3 for my Birthday (Thank you!!!) so I had to get a copy of book 2 to read before I could read it, as I have to read books in order.
I started this book this morning and finished it in approximately 2 and a bit hours, I couldn't put it down (I even took it out with me and read it whilst standing in the queue at the supermarket!).
It's been about 3 months since the events in Z.Rex, Adam is just getting used to live back in the real world, still trying to get over the events at Gene Flow labs with Z.Rex. But on his way to a dinner meeting with his dad Adam has a feeling that things still aren't right. Paranoid or observant? He runs for it. Kidnapped by an FBI agent Adam finds himself once more seperated from his dad but this time he ends up on an Island covered with genetically enhanced dinosuars and no way of getting off. There he meets some fellow survivors and an outcast Raptor known as 'Loner', together they have to try to get home and stop the evil scientists once more.
I have to say I was instantly hooked with this one and I enjoyed it more than the first one. It sort of felt like a futuristic Jurassic Park (which is one of my favourite films) but much scarier - these dinosaurs can think and plan and even use weapons.
Adam is still the feisty hero, he takes a little bit more of a back seat, letting others lead him, but all along you know he will come out with something great and you can't help but like him. He shows his moments of insecurities, but doesn't let them hold him back.
You also meet Harmony or 'Harm' as she likes to be known, she is one of the human survivors on the island. She's been there for about 3 months and has had to learn how to survive, she is only a little bit older than Adam but takes control easily, she's a real rough and ready heroin, doing what she has to do to live, I really liked her and she had a slight sarcastic humour to her.
Other survivors include Lisa and David, David is the real action hero type, always wanting to do something, lead the group and take charge.
Then you have Loner, the outcast Dino who is helping the humans. His speech is clear and his thoughts intelligent. He helps the group throughout and has some mean fights with the other dinosaurs. He's like the next genereation of Z.Rex, smaller, faster, more intelligent and more logical. I didn't think he was quite as friendly though, but I certainly didn't expect the ending!
There are 2 breeds of Dinosaurs on the island, 'Vels' and 'Brutes'. 'Vels' are short for Velociraptor (Loner is one of these) and 'Brutes' are 'Utahraptors' bigger than Vels, but smaller than T-Rex's. These are more aggressive than the Vels but not quite as intelligent.
The book is written in a way that I could picture everything, very often an 'island' is one of the harder places to create imagery as it can consist of anything really and each person will have a different idea in their head, but I could clearly picture everything happening, from the rocky mountains to the beach and shore line. Even the underground caves. I love books I can escape into.
The plot is fast moving and will keep you hooked, a good mix of action, adventure and character development.
I am definitely looking forward to book 3 now.
My Rating
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