Dinosaur Lords by Victor Milan is the first in the series by the same name. It follows several different, sometimes overlapping perspectives. During a ferocious battle at a river, which featured several of our main male protagonists- Karyl, Jaume, Falk, and Rob Korrigan- Voyvod Karyl is betrayed by his comrades and left for dead. To the amazement of others, himself most of all, Karyl recovers, and is recruited to train an army to defend a pacifist province beset by land hungry neighbors. The person set to recruit him? Rob, who had been part of the opposition in the previous battle. The rugged dinosaur master had been sacked from his job for his part in winning the battle, all because he didn’t get the proper ‘nod’ for his plan from his noble employer. Across the land, Mor Jaume, has returned to the capital, where he finds Duke Falk, his former opponent who has now swore fealty to Emperor. After a brief interlude, Jaume is forced to take an ‘Army of Correction’ to deal with another rebelling stronghold, leaving Falk behind. Here the stories are joined by Melodia, the Emperor’s daughter and betrothed of Jaume.

Despite numerous difficulties with the ruling council in Providence, Karyl and Rob train their army. Despite difficulties, Jaume leads his army to another victory against Terraroja, though it was fraught with betrayals just as his last battle was. For his success, Jaume is sent against another stronghold. Despite difficulties, Melodia survives Falk’s intrigues, and makes an escape. Slowly, but surely, these players are converging on one another. And behind it all lay the Grey Angels, the supposed protectors of the planet Paradise.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read that GRR Martin himself called ‘Game of Thrones meets Jurassic Park’, and I have to agree! Milan states at the beginning that Paradise is not an alter-Earth, or a future Earth, and this is quickly evident. It actually kinda feels like Stargate, where these Creator beings plucked up elements of humanity and plunked them down on a Cretacea-like world, complete with all manner of dinosaurs, and with an overall climate much more tropical than ours. The evolved human society is feudal, with knights, lords, nobles, and an Emperor. The language of Paradise is heavily influenced by Spanish and French.

I felt the characters were well-developed, and I became completely invested in all of the characters’ various stories. Unlike with many stories with multiple viewpoints, I didn’t find a preference for one over the others. I found each storythread equally engaging, and never wanted to flip ahead to return to a more beloved character. The best part, by far though, are the saurs! Hornfaces are used as draft beasts, raptors are kept like hunting hounds, gallimimus-like beasties are used as mounts like horses, and the great duckbill species, and fearsome predatory giants like allosaurs and tyrannosaurs are ridden into battle by dinosaur lords. There are numerous species of pterosaurs, and oceanic saurs as well. Two of the saurs- Little Nell, and Shiraa- are delightful characters in, and of, themselves. Nell, for sure, has personality! For someone who has always loved these ‘dragons’ of the past, and whose second favourite movie is Jurassic Park, this was a wonderful treat and I look forward to reading the next in the series!

Read my review for The Beast of Cretacea

***This book was purchased, read, and reviewed for my own enjoyment.