Monday 29 April 2024

The Last Dinosaur - Manuel Alfonseca

The Last Dinosaur
Manuel Alfonseca
ISBN 9781540802712
eISBN 1230000258483
ASIN B00MHRW2L4

The Last Dinosaur - Manuel Alfonseca

This was the 22nd volume I have read from the pen of Manuel. Or I should say 22nd reading as I have read some of them more than once. It is another great story. It seems that with each new volume I read I have a greater appreciation for his skill and talent as an author. I first encountered his works based on the recommendation of a friend back in 2017. Once I started reading this book I could hardly put it down.

The description of this volume is:

“Ignacio Bastos was seventeen when he met Victor Arias, an old man obsessed with paleontology. This encounter changed his life by sending him on an amazing expedition to Malta, during which they make a unique, revolutionary discovery. Everything starts with the find of a fossil: the skeleton of a dinosaur.”

About the author we are informed that:

“Manuel Alfonseca has published more than 50 books, including 32 novels in different genres: historical, fantasy, science fiction, mystery and adventure. In 1988 he won the Lazarillo Award, and in 2012 he won the fourth edition of the La Brújula de Valores Award. With this book he was a finalist for the 1990 C.C.E.I. Award.”

The chapters in this work are:

The extinction of the dinosaurs
The diggings
The fossil
The metallic box
What was in the box
The translation
Suspicion
The crooks
The attack
The flight of the dinosaurs
The civil servant
An ancient catastrophe
The flight of Victor Arias
A modern catastrophe

I have had this book for a little while now but had not got around to reading it. I really wish I had read it earlier. It is a fascinating concept and it is well executed. In many ways it reminds me of T.M. Doran’s Toward the Glean trilogy. The tale includes the discovery of something that should be impossible in a most improbable place. Leading to the translation of an ancient document. The hopes and dreams of an old man, and a young man just trying to survive and look after his patron.   

The characters are well written. It has an intriguing plot. It was a great read. I will note I prefer the original cover with the green trim, but that is personal taste. It is a great book to read to late middle grade readers and also excellent for tweens and teens. I can easily recommend this book! 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!

The Last Dinosaur - Manuel Alfonseca

The Last Dinosaur - Manuel Alfonseca

Books by Manuel Alfonseca in English:
Jacob's Ladder
The Ruby of the Ganges
The Last Dinosaur
Ennia in Faerie
The Heirloom of King Scorpion
Beyond the Black Hole
The Water of Life
Albatros


The Sleuths of the Spanish Transition Series:
Quetzalcoatl's Zahir

The Mystery of the Haunted House
The Mystery of the Sapphire Bracelet
The Mystery of the Honeymoon
The Mystery of the Egyptian Vulture Country House
...

Chronicles of the Magic Jigsaw Puzzle Series:
The Journey of Tivo the Dauntless
The Mystery of the Black Lake
The Silver Swan
The Secret of the Ice Field
The Lost Continent

The Chronicles of the Aeolian Family Series:

Non-Fiction:
Human Cultures & Evolution
World Population: Past, Present, & Future
The Fifth Level of Evolution
...


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