Dinosaur Lake [Kindle Edition]

There's nothing scarier than a monster that has no limits on where it can go, no discrimination with what it eats, and no easy way to kill it. Hands down, Dinosaur Lake is probably one of my favorite monster horror books that I've read thus far. The situation started out grim with hints of what the monster could do and when the monster finally made its appearance, it didn't disappoint. Probably my favorite monster with its combination of intellect and methods of killing people.
The situations and character reactions are somewhat predictable. If you imagine a cross between Jaws and Jurassic Park, then you pretty much have the entire book. However, Dinosaur Lake is written so well and the suspense is consistently building, that knowing what will probably happen only intensifies the dread and anxiety you feel for the characters in this book. Henry is an average park ranger who feels like a genuinely real person. He feels like one of my neighbors rather than some Hollywood hotshot. I like how solid of a relationship he has with his wife, even if their motives aren't always the same. They put their marriage and love above everything else and that kind of relationship is sorely lacking in most of the novels I read.
The setting and circumstances behind the monster appearing seem dangerously plausible. I don't think that I want to live anywhere near Crater Lake after reading this book. Overall, a great read. I recommend this book to anyone that loves books dealing with natural disasters, monsters that just don't care about anything but their next meal, or a book that forces you to keep turning the pages. (A-)

(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.)

Dinosaur Lake is an excellent read.

Taking place in Oregon in an idyllic national park and featuring one of the deepest lakes around, the book paints a beautiful picture of a leisurely life. At the helm of the novel is Chief Park Ranger Henry Shore, who has settled nicely into his quiet life. Things are going well...until a primal nightmare of teeth and claws comes slinking up out of the lake to hunt for fresh meat.

The book has an excellent pace and a great cast of well-rounded, fleshed-out characters. One of the best characters of all, however, is the creature itself. This monster isn't reduced to a mere force of nature and is handled very well by the author. Overall, the book is well worth the price tag and a great addition to any library.

Dinosaur Lake, by Kathryn Meyer Griffith, rocks! Okay, so I'm one of Kathryn's biggest fans. I suppose I might be a bit prejudiced about her talents. This story contains many aspects that particularly grab me. I have visited Crater Lake many times; I have lived in Klamath Falls; and I am in love with the wilderness the way the people in this story are. However, Kathryn takes her magic wand and stirs all of these elements together to make one super story. I would rate this a multi genre book appealing to young adults and we older readers who simply love a great tale we can wrap our imagination around. This is perfect for that. Read this great book. You won't be disappointed!

Kathryn was kind enough to have given me a copy to read for review. However, I intend to purchase copies for my friends and family.

By the way, the cover art by Dawne Dominque is superb!