The Deadlands: Survival

by Skye Melki-Wegner

Overview

Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in the thrilling finale of this action-adventure series about five outcasts—and former enemies—who are the only hope to save their warring dinosaur kingdoms from impending doom.

As bloody battle rages between the two surviving dinosaur kingdoms, Eleri and the other young exiles—including a peppy stegosaur, a stoic sauropod, a testy triceratops, and a mysterious spy—have temporarily thwarted the Carrion Kingdom, a conniving cabal of carnivores, and destroyed their secret stronghold.

Fearing that their cunning enemies will soon regroup and seek vengeance, the exiles must risk their lives by returning home to unite and lead the war-torn herds that turned their backs on them into one final, all-out battle for the very future of the land of Cretacea. Will they convince their kingdoms to follow them into battle against the true enemy, or will Cretacea be overrun by an army of predators?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250346629
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	10/08/2024
Series:	The Deadlands , #3
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	425,497
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 7.62(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Skye Melki-Wegner started writing as soon as she could hold a pen. She was immediately drawn to fantasy—and soon her notebooks overflowed with dragons, pixies, and wizards. After graduating with an honors degree in law, she traded in practicing law for writing fantasy novels. Her first middle-grade trilogy, The Deadlands, draws inspiration from her time working in a museum (where some of her colleagues were dinosaurs).

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Deadlands: Hunted

"This is my favorite middle grade book of the year . . . Full of heart, I would have inhaled a series like this as a kid—I did as an adult. It's the full package.” —New York Times-bestselling author Amie Kaufman

"A claw-biting epic fantasy full of family drama, clever humor, nonstop action, weighty themes, and of course, the coolest band of misfit dinosaurs around." —John David Anderson, author of Ms. Bixby's Last Day and Posted

"A fast-paced trilogy opener . . . will undoubtedly spark interest among Jurassic enthusiasts, and the engaging adventure will entice readers." —Publishers Weekly

"A terrific series opener . . . The world building is exquisite, with intricate mythologies, governments, and histories in place. The growing rapport between species is a delight, and though the focus is on friendship and family, there are deeper meditations on morality and war. A treat for any dinosaur devotee." —Booklist

From the Publisher

2024-01-05
In this trilogy closer, an unnatural alliance between the predatory Carrion Kingdom and the armored plant eaters of the Prairie Alliance forces the herbivorous residents of the Mountain Kingdom into a desperate last stand.

Recapping the protagonists’ earlier exploits as she goes, Melki-Wegner brings her all-dinosaur cast back together for a furious (if nearly bloodless) climactic battle. Eleri, the gracile Oryctodromeus exile, and the rest of her multispecies Grotto herd reach the beleaguered Mountain Kingdom just in time to face not only a massive army of invaders but also treachery from supposed allies. Though the author is far too dependent on convenient magical gimmickry to keep things moving—inflammable rocks, two kinds of toxic plants—readers willing to roll with the contrivances (and to picture dinosaurs who talk like this: “There’s a whole Army of Beasts about to come chargin’ into this vale, and we ain’t got a plan to stop ’em”) will be rewarded with an engrossing whirl of fights, sallies, ambushes and betrayals, narrow squeaks, and courageous exploits, all leading to a climax that plays out against a massive conflagration and an even more massive flood. Through it all, the Grotto herd’s steadfast trust in each other provides a steady anchor, and the battle’s decisive outcome ultimately hinges on personal loyalties and steadfast adherence to noble principles.

A tidy resolution achieved through courage and sturdy values. (map, species list) (Adventure. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews