Why I Wrote A Dinosaur Book

I have been studying dinosaurs and knights for most of my life (even went to France to study castles and cathedrals) and have been on the lookout for a book that has dinosaurs as the stars of the story like James Gurney's Dinotopia. In Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton did it in a man vs. nature way. I wanted something more along the lines of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. Victor Milan's Dinosaur Knights had them more as set pieces and scenery. I craved something more. And what would a tale of chivlary, knights, and daring be without a dash of Arthurian charm?

So I set out to write a story where man and dinosaur were partners, not just knight and mount. I wanted a world where dinosaurs could be more than beasts, but they could also be terrible monsters. It would simply depend on context.

There are plenty of great resources on dinosaurs and knights, even samurai, Vikings, and other medieval warriors. The research was actually the fun part. Our knowledge of dinosaurs is ever growing and evolving as we understand them better through the advancement of technology. But, I believe, there will always be gaps. We can't truly know everything there is to know about an extinct creature.

So I embellished. I created a way to bond humans and dinosaurs to grow together and become something more than they are individually, but less than a couple in marriage. It's sort of similar to spren and how they grow and change in Brandon Sanderson's Way of Kings. There's even a nod to that when I refer to a character as being awesome... hopefully, Mr. Sanderson appreciates it.

There is, of course, the unique elements of the world, but many seem familiar. The wall surrounding the kingdom keeps predatory dinosaurs out. Men train in weapons of war and armor to defend against those threats. And there are those, on the inner reaches of the realm, that forget that their lives of ease are due directly from those along the border. 

So, when Devlin, a tireless defender of the kingdom's border travels to the interior, he finds the lax attitudes and libertine behavior of his fellow nobles repugnant and disparages the boon he won in the tournament where he displayed his prowess in the joust and the bond with his Struthiomimus. Some took notice and look to exploit his talents for their gain or to seek training to learn how to gain such abilities of their own. Others desire Devlin's demise in the vain hope that they can stave off an ancient prophesy foretelling the arrival of the one, true king and the last battle. Unbeknownst to these sinister forces, however, Devlin has studied the portents well, knows the time is near, and has a close friend seeking the albino Tyrannosaur of prophesy. The end comes whether man and dinosaur are ready for it. We all must prepare for it as best we can.

Hopefully, it's an adventure you'll enjoy reading as much as I enjoy dinosaurs, knights, and a world where they live in harmony...and, sometimes, terror.