Prehistoric Wild: Life in the Mesozoic
by ZacharyDow
Reviewer: CrownedMadness
SUMMARY:
A collection of short stories written in the narrative style of nature documentaries that explores the diverse life and ecology of the Mesozoic era.
PLOT:
The blurb is well-written and clearly outlines what readers can expect from this book, as seen on the back covers of non-fiction books. My only concern is its length, which may deter some readers, especially on Wattpad. On a side note, there's a typo: waining* should be waning.
I'm not an expert in prehistoric times or palaeontology, so I can't comment on the accuracy of your work. However, it's clear that you have a strong grasp of the subject, and your research is impressive. Moreover, the way you've woven a fictional narrative into scientific history makes the reading experience enjoyable rather than merely encyclopaedic. I appreciated how the fictional narrative serves as a transition tool to explain the interactions between different species. The timestamp is a nice addition.
Overall, an educative experience. Kudos!
CHARACTERS:
Although this isn't a fictional story, I loved the fact that you found a way to turn it into a story by giving names to the creatures and creating a protagonist for each short story, each with its own unique storyline. I think it helped foster a more intimate relationship with the readers and identify the creature's specific traits and behaviors in a more accessible manner. Kudos!
WORLD-BUILDING:
The environmental description is vividly detailed, offering an almost holographic experience of the prehistoric landscape that feels both desolate and alive. The mention of specific flora and fauna adds authenticity to the ecosystem, grounding it in scientific reality. Moreover, the diversity in the settings, such as the first story taking place in a forest, the next occurring underwater, the subsequent in a desert, and so on, offers variety to the reading experience. The hint at future evolution is another fascinating perspective, providing a broader narrative arc that emphasizes the significance of this period in the larger story of life on Earth.
WRITING:
The pacing is well achieved in all the stories. For example, in the “Mammalian Imposters,” how you ease the reader into the world by introducing the key players of that period, then slowly introduces Sipho, which transitions seamlessly into the tussle with Tau and leads nicely into the domestic sequence with Londiwe. Overall, the narrative comes together in a cinematic fashion, as you intended it to be in a documentary style. I must also say the action is well portrayed; I personally enjoyed Dante and Daria's story, as the anticipation and dread were palpable.
There were moments when the descriptions felt chunky and excessive. I understand that this is documentation, which means the descriptions need to be thorough, but they could be more captivating without being overly textbookish if you integrate the physical and behavioral descriptions into the actions—that is, active descriptions. For example, you had the right idea when gradually describing the species as the storyline progresses, which I encountered in "Beneath the Waves."
Regardless, the narration is captivating, similar to the National Geographic style. Kudos!
GRAMMATICAL IMPROVEMENTS:
There are no glaring grammatical errors. Overall, the writing is neat and accessible. However, there are occasional cases with sentence phrasing and typos. For example, "While it may not appear like the more famous members of its bloodline, it's quite like a lizard despite some similarities," is grammatically correct, but its structure is confusing due to the placement of "despite some similarities" at the end. Similarly, "It lets out a hiss as it squirms and attempts to squirm free," creates a redundancy with the repeated "squirm."
While these usages are technically correct, slight tweaks can enhance narrative’s clarity and effectiveness.
TITLE:
The title is clear and straightforward, almost resembling academic book titles, which fits the documentary genre. However, if you wish to highlight the fictional aspect of your book, consider using a more captivating and lyrical title, such as the documentaries “Inside the Mind of a Dog” or “Surviving Paradise.”
BOOK COVER:
Simple yet quirky. The tiny silhouette of different prehistoric animals around the globe is a clever nod to the book itself. The combination of foliage green and golden yellow is a suitable choice, but I think the yellow could've been more eye-catching or even better, if it were metallic, the text would stand out better. The typeface can be more playful to better align with the imagery. However, a fitting cover for an edutainment.
ENJOYMENT QUOTIENT:
Although I find dinosaurs and palaeontology interesting subjects, I wouldn't consider myself an enthusiast. However, your stories captivated someone like me, and I found them very educational. I see a potential for this to be an entertaining audiobook. You asked about the best stories in the book, and while I can't say if it's the best overall, from the ones I've read, I particularly enjoyed "Beneath the Waves." The structure and flow of that story were really engaging, with the information weaving gracefully into the storyline of Dante and Daria. The plot twists were executed with the right suspense and thrill, too.
BOTTOMLINE:
The highlighting factor of this book is that it covers not only the dinosaurs but also those species that lived alongside and before them, enhanced by the style of the documentary narration that gives both foresight and hindsight. It's educational in an entertaining form. Fans of dinosaurs and prehistoric lives will definitely find these stories appealing. Keep writing!
