Tyrannosaur Canyon (Wyman Ford Series)

The jacket cover promises many things from murder to earth shattering discoveries. Over hype on the jacket cover is always bit dangerous, because it raises reader expectations.

This book about dinosaurs starts on the moon during the Apollo 17 landing. Preston takes bit of trivia and runs with the idea. However, it is obvious that Preston's true love is for the T-Rex and the sexiness of the man eater.

There is murder and greed and avarice galore in this book, but I must agree with some of the other reviews. None of the characters really grab me.

This is an easy read, a fast paced book, and maybe you don't need well developed characters, but being plot driven it is predictable that certain things will happen.

Since I have read everything Douglas Preston has put out either solo or in concert with Lincoln Child, I remain a big fan. It was a no brainer to buy his latest effort.

I enjoyed the tale.

Really good book. Had me from beginning to end. Gripping, informative and most important believable. Treat yourself and make sure you buy this book. I loved it and now can't wait to read another Douglas Preston book.

This is a well written mystery with enough suspense to keep you reading to the end. All of the paleontology included I also found fascinating. Admittedly, much of the reference to the actual life of the dinosaur is speculative, but it does keep it interesting.

The first books I read of theirs were very eerie. The books I'm reading now are more mysterious. I live on the East coast but some of their books take place in the Mid-West and West. I have been out west many times and recognize some of the names of locations in their books. Their books are easy to read and I find them enjoyable.

If you enjoy dinosaurs theories and are looking for some light fictional reading, then this is a good book. Many aspects of the book were a little too far fetched for my liking. I would have enjoyed it more if some story connections were made in a more plausible fashion. However, the author puts a creative spin on the theory of dinosaur extinction.

Compelling subplots laced with astounding detail, both paleontological and technological, accelerate and converge in a blistering crescendo, perhaps not unlike a T. Rex stalking and savaging it's quarry. -- Steve Ormsby

What really killed the dinosaurs? Theories have abounded for years, with recent discoveries making for some interesting reading. Douglas Preston (who, with Lincoln Child, has written novels like Relic, Still Life with Crows, and this year's Dance of Death) attempts to promote his own theory in Tyrannosaur Canyon.

Tom Broadbent is out horseback riding one night and hears gunshots. As he investigates, he finds a dying old man clutching a weathered leather notebook. With his dying breath, the old man tells Broadbent to take the notebook and "Give it to Ronnie. She'll know what to do with the treasure," along with an admonition to avoid the police and any other interested parties. Broadbent discovers the notebook contains nothing but a series of numbers. Obviously a code, but what "treasure" was the old man trying to protect? The answer stretches all the way back to one of the Apollo missions years ago, and is a secret many people are willing to kill for.

Preston's previous solo novel, The Codex, was a real treat. The characters were rich and the story detailed, with plot twists galore coming left and right. The story progressed well and seemed to build on each previous page. It was obvious he was having a good time writing it. Tyrannosaur Canyon, on the other hand, seems to fall a little flat in many places. It's obvious he did a ton of research in preparing for this novel. Preston had a theory about the way the dinosaurs died, and he wanted to present it in an interesting way. Unfortunately, it seems he had little more than that theory in mind when he wrote this story.

I can't really give you many plot details without spoiling something for you. The numerous characters are two-dimensional for the most part. For some reason, there never really seems to be a climax to the story-just a lot of scenes of people chasing each other through the whole thing. What serves as the end of the book really feels like it should have been one of the earlier chapters with a lot more plot to go. The most jarring part of the story is the death of a major character and sudden introduction of a new villain when the whole thing is almost over. It's an odd thing when you consider how many consistently good novels he's turned out with Child over the past few years.

While The Codex was a five-star novel, this one would have to rank as half that. It's worth a read just because of the fascinating theories presented here, but we've seen him write better. Hopefully his next book will pick up with the same excitement we found in his first.

I've always thought that Preston did a tremendous amount of research to bring his subjects to life. His descriptions of the Tyrannosaur were fascinating and the story was absorbing. That's why I rated it with 4 stars. Always a good read from this author.

Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston is one of my favorite books (don't know why) but in my work I am allowed to listen to books on CD while I work without any impact to my job. I finally found the book on CD through the store and I love it even better because I can listen in my car during the long trips to and from work.

This is Douglas Preston displaying the thriller writing skills he has honed so well.. There was lots of interesting information that I learned about the Anasazi. But it was fed to me in a fast-paced book that was a page turner .

Dinosaurs and Moon rocks make for strange but compelling bedfellows, making "Tyrannosaur Canyon an entertaining - if preposterous - read. Back from Preston's last solo effort ("The Codex") are New Mexico vet Tom Broadbent and Sally Colorado, who has since become "Mrs. Broadbent." While horseback riding in New Mexico's high mesa, Broadbent comes across a not-quite-dead treasure hunter, shot in the back in an apparent attempt to hi-jack his mysterious and undisclosed discovery. Fulfilling the dying man's request, Broadbent launches into an unlikely quest to identify the murdered man and deliver his notebook to his daughter, who Broadbent knows only as "Robbie." Soon Broadbent finds himself in the middle of a convoluted plot involving an eclectic mix of evil museum curators and shadowy government SpecOps, of ex-cons, Santa Fe cops, and an ex-CIA agent trying to leave his old life behind and become a monk.

Preston keeps the pace quick, moving the reader through staccato chapters closing with one cliffhanger after another, making sure to keep the pages turning. Compared to the sub par "Codex", I found "Tyrannosaur" closer to more traditional Preston/Child fare: a few grains of science to add some credibility to a well-told story unencumbered by in-depth character development, lyrical prose, or deep drama. If you're able to suspend all belief, you'll likely enjoy this classic pop fiction in which the good guys emerge from crisis upon crisis with mere flesh wounds while the bad guys in the end come up short. The ultimate beach read, the late-August release is unfortunate, but I bet the paperback will be teed up and ready for next summer.

Preston and Child are two of my favorite authors, however, they write excellent books alone. Tyrannosaur Canyon was an excellent book full of twists and turns that keep you on the edge from beginning to end.