Dinotopia the World Beneath [Audio Cassette]

Gurney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1996

Welcome back to James Gurney's fantastic lost world of Dinotopia, where humans and an ancient race of dinosaurs coexist in harmony. The adventure continues in The World Beneath as Professor Denison travels to ancient caves beneath Dinotopia and discovers a civilization older and more advanced than any known to man.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Gurney's bestselling illustrated fantasy, Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time, conjured up a lost world where people and dinosaurs live in peaceful interdependence. This sequel, which should be equally popular, follows the further adventures of naturalist Arthur Denison and his daredevil son, Will, shipwrecked on Dinotopia since 1862. Accompanied by exotic-looking musician Oriana Nascava and treacherous buccaneer Lee Crabb, father and son ride a submarine and stumble upon the World Beneath, a realm of quaint villages, labyrinthine tunnels, archetypal designs, natural stone sculptures, crystalline caves and lush gardens. The dinosaurs, whether above or below land, are sometimes fierce but more often genial presences who serve as means of transport and attend meetings with human elders. A treasure-hunting search for the fabled sunken city of Poseidos turns up connections among the Dinotopians, ancient Egypt and Atlantis. Despite the cardboard characters and trite story line, the more than 160 sparkling, fey paintings, at once fanciful and precise, pull readers into an enchanting adventure that should capture the most skeptical, armor-plated heart. 200,000 first printing; major ad/promo; Literary Guild, Scholastic and Doubleday Book Club selections; author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 6^-9, younger for reading aloud. In the original Dinotopia, Arthur Denison recorded in a journal his reactions to the amazing discovery of a land where humans and dinosaurs not only coexisted but also conversed. In this book, an omniscient narrator continues the story of Arthur and his 16-year-old son, Will, as the teenager takes to the sky and Arthur ventures to the world beneath Dinotopia. Story and pictures work together in a way reminiscent of a comic book, though Gurney's artwork is anything but cartoonish, and much of the book's fun lies in the elaborately detailed illustrations that ground the fantastic world. Gurney's paintings, more polished here than in the previous book, incorporate the most current information available on dinosaurs, and their lush, romantic feel combines nicely with the diagrams and labeled artifacts. The text, which is mostly action and dialogue, doesn't supply enough background for readers unfamiliar with the earlier story, but dinosaur and fantasy lovers who relished Arthur's first adventure will like this one. Susan Dove Lempke --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Zbs Foundation; 2 Cassettes edition (December 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1881137422
• ISBN-13: 978-1881137429
• Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,255,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James Gurney is the author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Dinotopia book series, which has been translated into eighteen languages in thirty-two countries. He designed the World of Dinosaurs stamps for the United States Postal Service and has worked on assignment for National Geographic magazine, painting reconstructions of Moche, Etruscan, and similar civilizations. His unique blending of fact and fantasy has won Hugo, Chesley, Spectrum, and World Fantasy Awards. An exhibition of the artwork from Dinotopia began at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. and will continue in the fall of 2007 at the Los Angeles Public Library and the Oshkosh Public Museum in Wisconsin. Gurney lives in the Hudson River Valley of New York with his wife, two sons, and a blue parakeet, a living descendant of dinosaurs. For more information, visit www.dinotopia.com.
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome today, even after nearly 10 years, July 9, 2005

By 

Dave Ridolfi (Patterson, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dinotopia: The World Beneath (Hardcover)

I first saw this book in my english classroom's bookshelf back in junior high. I was about 13 at the time, and after flipping through the pages, reading a few paragraphs; seeing its astonishing level of detail and wonderfully drawn art, I had to have this book. So I took it home and never brought it back. I wasn't the only one either. At the end of the school year, only 3 of the 7 copies our teacher had remained. Dinotopia: The World Beneath, is that good.

Even now at 22 years of age, the book sits on my shelf as I type this. It's art and story are still captavating to me even today. And its the art that really shines. Well drawn, imaginative pictures that are sure to please children and adults alike. ***High quality and artistical marks here.*** This book is sure to make you say "Wow!" And I'm not really into this kind of stuff. James Gurney knows how to draw, and write a book.

The story is set around the late 1800's on a island where man and dinosaur live with one another in pure harmony and peace (with the exception of the angry Tyrannosaurs) and, in all aspecs, equal. Arthur Denison, sets out to find a lost ancient city of Poseidos. Encountering many dangers along the way. His son Will, who was stranded with him years before on Sauropolis Island is on his own task of helping retreive a plant to make medicine that will save the life of a baby triceratops.

I can't count the times I've read through this book over the years. And for parents who want to know what kind of book they're getting for their children, it is an educational book; teaching in respect, kindness and alike. This ***IS NOT*** no Jurassic Park book. Completely opposite. No blood, no gore. Probably one of the finest fantasy books ever written, it's creative, original and opens the imaginative mind.

Kids will love this book for many years- This isn't a book that will wind up in a box of stuff on its way to a donation center. Indeed a book worthy of handing down to generations to come. You would be hard pressed to find a book that can match Dinotopia in artistic value. A wonderfully made, great book for all.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Does the impossible., April 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Dinotopia: The World Beneath (Hardcover)

The World Beneath is a book that does the impossible: It surpasses the original. It's feeled with stunning visuals and an intriguing story that captures you instantly. This books dares to go where the first didn't and have some of it's happy story get a little darker. It really works. It's an amazing sequel and should be read by all the fans of the original. Wonderful book.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars James Gurney is the best writer I have read about., June 16, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Dinotopia: The World Beneath (Hardcover)

When I first read Dinotopia, I just enjoyed the pictures. But now, I wish that I was in Dinotopia. I wish I was a skybax rider, soaring high above the clouds. James Gurney makes his world seem real, so real that you can almost reach out and touch it. Because of his beautiful paintings, you are "reborn" into a wondreful fantasy world. I am only 12, but my love of Dinotopia has sprouted, just like shipwreaked humans on the island. I have read both books, plus I have read all the paperback books. Instead of the views of Will and Arthur Denison, the paperback books give you a different perspectave of life on Dinotopia. Like in "River Quest", the book gives a perspectave of a young 13 year old girl, who becomes the rainwater habitat partners and how Mangolia and Paddlefoot recover the Polongo River. If anyone likes the detailed, wonderful world of Dinotopia, I recommend reading the Dinotopian series as well.