Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time

I love the artwork of James Gurney. It was the reason I bought the book. After looking at it I decided it is a book I intend to save for my grandsons when they are older.

This audio version is a masterpiece and is destined to become a classic of audio drama along with Welles' "War of the Worlds" and the plays of Norman Corwin. ZBS has outdone itself.

Anyone with an imagination, a love of art, or an interest in dinosaurs will love this book. The illustrations are the best I've ever seen in a book and the story is great. It reminds me of something H.G.Wells would write. I will take good care of this book and pass it down from generation to generation like a family treasure.

When I think of Paradise, I envision Dinotopia. True, it is a book designed mainly to describe a Utopia. But somehow, it comes across as much more than merely some fairy-tale dream or some idealistic imagined land with strange mythology mixed in. Yes, much more.When you read Dinotopia, the first thing you notice is how it is illustrated. A wonderfully concept art styled, somewhat sketchy looking, yet ultimately gorgeous art is displayed throughout the book. Many of it's illustrations have been "borrowed" (or stolen) as inspiration for other books and movies. Waterfall City and the Canyon City in particular continue to impress me.But the art of Dinotopia is only half of the book. The other half is the way it is written. Dinotopia is written like it is the lost journal of a scientist who washed up on the island after a shipwreck. Much of the book is seen from his perspective as you discover and learn about the science, technology, scenery, and way of life of Dinotopia and its inhabitants. You come to care about him and his son. And you may indeed come to love Dinotopia as if it were a real place.It's hard to say what exactly is so compeling about the reality of Dinotopia. For a book without a real source of conflict, without some sort of crisis, it is remarkably interesting. Perhaps it is the technology. Like a wanderer walking through a distant dimension, we find outselves amazed by the wonders of a civilization we never knew existed. Perhaps it is the unity of the people of Dinotopia, combined with their diversity (each region has a different culture, way of living, and style of life, but everyone believes in the same things). Perhaps there is something romantic and exciting about the Skybax riders who soar through the air, which hints at the exciting and wonderful things in life we all dream of experiencing. Perhaps it is the mysteries of the lost World Beneath, which hint at all the wonders of nature and humanity alike which we have yet to discover.At any rate, Dinotopia touches on something wonderful about human nature and the world we live in. It is full of a scientists longing to understand, and child's sense of wonder. I love Dinotopia. I really think everyone should read this book. Maybe if they did, the world we live in could be a little more united, a little more beautiful, a little more hopeful. A little more...like Dinotopia.

Years ago my husband received this book as a birthday gift and loved it. The collection grew to include the three true Gurney texts (Dinotopia, The Land Beneath, First Flight). Over the past year we started reading them with our five-year-old daughter who has fallen in love with the beautiful illustrations, the mythical world and engaging characters. After reading them numerous times, they have been favorite bedtime reading, we purchased the two novels by Alan Dean Forrester. They continue the same Denison era plot lines with the same familiar characters and a few new ones. At first some of the vocabulary was hard for her to understand but I have to say that we made it through both books and we all enjoyed them. I have to disagree with those who felt the vocabulary in the Forrester texts was too difficult. I do have to admit that I had to consult webster's twice...but that's how we learn and I'm happy to give this example to my five-year-old emergent reader. Fun books, well written which send you imagination wondering....great for all ages!

I would definately recommend this book for all ages. As a audio book it is a delight to listen to as well. Filled with the wonder of a child envisioning a world where all might live in peace and harmony, it is a world that delights one with that vision. The original book was written by a former illustrator for National Geographic. The audio book fills in the gaps with a richness of audio delight that brings the book to life. Indeed, one can close your eyes and envision yourself in the wilds of Dinotopia. It is something to get your kids to start them on a road to imagination to fill them with a vision that mankind can be better than he is.From a listening standpoint the technical prowess of ZBS is excellent. The effects in many cases are recorded from actual sounds in the world. The richness of the environment presented makes one feel as though he is actually walking with Arthur Dennision and his son through this imaginary world where dinosaurs are humans live in harmony. Set in the time of the Civil War (which is never mentioned) the characters are shipwrecked on this island where they cannot escape.It is something to get the kids for those long trips in the car where you both need something to listen to. It engaging enough for adults without being too childlike. I would definately recommend this for purchase. You will definately not be disapointed.