Prehistoric creatures have again invaded Crater Lake National Park …and this time there’s more than one.
DINOSAUR LAKE II: Dinosaurs Arising by Kathryn Meyer Griffith Henry Shore has been Chief Park Ranger at Crater Lake National Park for thirteen years now and thought the days when he’d had to fight a rogue dinosaur that lived in the caves below the lake were long over. Until one of his park rangers, to save a visitor’s life, is in a deadly struggle out in the woods with a new breed of dinosaur worse than the last one. It’s as big as a man, but this one is a young one. And growing. Then more of the creatures begin to show up everywhere, threatening people and destroying the tranquility and safety of his beloved park. A tourist trolley filled with fifteen people is snatched up off the crater’s rim by another version of the younger one…but this one has grown into a giant with fangs, claws and a deadly tail. And this one has wings. Ugly Gargoyles, Henry calls them. For this one isn’t alone. They’re flying beyond the park’s boundaries into the neighboring towns. So Henry, with the help of his son-in-law, a paleontologist named Justin, and a band of brave park rangers, and a few good soldiers, must not only protect his park and his people from monsters once more but find their lair and destroy it and them before the creatures kill again. ***
"a strong and enjoyable sequel that fans of pulp, gore and dinosaurs should enjoy."
Reviewer: Reader for Bookangel.
Set five years after the events of Dinosaur Lake, Crate Lake finds itself host to mysterious inhabitants again. This time, they can fly...
Most of the main surviving cast returns, and one thing I do like is that the characterisation follows across from the first book with no sudden shifts. They may be older, a little more tired, and a lot more cynical, but the rangers of crater lake, Zeke, Ann and the others are still recogniseable from the first book. Ellie Stanton is a nice addition to the cast, although the only slight complaint I have is that as a veteran/spiritualist/Native American/catowner/guide she seems to be just about everything in the plot. Ann's side story kept me reading, even though it was unlikely to be resolved in the book.
There's little suspense here, as the story goes straight into dinosaurs attacking people, but the attack scenes are effective and disturbing, and I have to give credit for the trolley car attack which is truly horrific. Helicopters and the army replace the submersible and FBI of the first book. The attacks are less action and more horror, as it is obvious that they can end only one way and like the Rangers, the reader can only watch. If nothing else, this author can write combat scenes!
It doesn't escalate as far or as fast as the first book - one attack and they are taking the fight to the dinosaurs - but that seems reasonable since they'se seen what happens when these things are allowed to spread. There's a plot thread about a disease that is touched on and not really used, but that might be something for the next book.
Over all, a strong and enjoyable sequel that fans of pulp, gore and dinosaurs should enjoy. Rating:
