Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara (Hardcover)

by James Gurney (Author)
Key Phrases: Arthur Denison, Waterfall City, Imperial Palace (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A stunning achievement. I am ready to relocate to Dinotopia — especially if they are hiring paleontologists at their museum." -- M.K. Brett-Surman Ph.D., National Museum of Natural History

"Gurney draws the reader/looker/adventurer ever further into a surfeit of imaginative mysteries illuminating the sumptuous crypto-realm of Dinotopia: here is a treasure to be read and reread over a lifetime." -- John Stilgoe, Harvard University

"Gurney's meticulous draftsmanship and delicate sense of color combine to create a powerful vision of a full and complete world." -- John A. Parks, American Artist

"I thought the first two books in the Dinotopia series could not be topped, but I was proved wrong. Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara takes the adventure to a whole new level and new dimensions. The technique of light and detail is so stunning that I would find myself going back to look at the paintings again and again to see if I had missed something, and invariably I had. The human faces and costumes are wonderfully observed, and the animals, well, they are just so real. I expected them to move." -- Ray Harryhausen

"Jim Gurney's latest in a series of stunning masterworks, Journey to Chandara, is a visual feast of magnificent imaginative pictures. He has created another seamless weave of flawless drawing and gorgeous painterly color. Displaying late 19th Century art disciplines combined with a sensually elevated sense of wonder, Jim's work continues to move upward from plateau to artistic plateau. Lucky us — we are all the beneficiaries of his hard and inspiring work!" —William Stout -- —William Stout

"With lush settings reminiscent of Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, colorful characters cast from Norman Rockwell, and vivacious dinosaurs conjured from the spirit of Charles Knight, Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara is a window into this modern master's mind. Children and adults alike will enjoy exploring this rich world of Jurassic proportions." —Tony DiTerlizzi, Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide -- —Tony DiTerlizzi, Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide

Product Description
Artist and author James Gurney escorts readers—adults and children alike— to the wondrous lost island of Dinotopia, an enthralling world of art, science, exploration, and invention in which humans and dinosaurs live peacefully together. In the spirit of Marco Polo and Gulliver's Travels, Journey to Chandara recounts the adventures of explorer Arthur Denison and dinosaur Bix through the exotic eastern realm of Dinotopia. Now Professor Denison and his saurian companion, Bix, set out on a perilous journey to the long-forgotten empire of Chandara. When their personal invitation from the emperor goes missing, they are forced to cross the border penniless and in disguise. Every step of the way, Denison documents in exquisite detail the creatures, characters, and architecture he encounters. The entries in Arthur's journal will captivate both new fans and the scores of followers who made the original Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time a publishing sensation as a New York Times bestseller, with more than two million copies sold in eighteen languages in more than thirty countries.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing; illustrated edition edition (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0740764314
• ISBN-13: 978-0740764318
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,124 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A journey deeper into Dinotopia, January 22, 2008

By	M. Murphy "Dinosmart" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Journey to Chandara is, in my opinion, the best Dinotopia book written so far. It maintains the journalistic feeling of the first two books (A Land Apart From Time and World Beneath) while exploring new territory and characters. We travel to new cities, such as Bilgewater (built entirely out of ships), the nomadic Jorotongo, Thermana (mentioned, but not visited before), and the extremely exotic Chandara.

We get new characters to intrigue us, such as the Liners and Spotters of Sauropolis and their eternal debate on life. The emperor of Chandara is quite a surprise too; he's certainly not what you would expect!

One of the best things about Journey to Chandara is that James Gurney allowed fans to help. Fans were allowed to compile a list of cities and their locations, and their information was added to the updated map. Fans from the Official Message Board who visited James Gurney are also painted throughout the book.

The art is as astounding as ever. The Hudson River Valley School art style has certainly crept into many of Jim's paintings (Bilgewater, Ruhmsburg, and other landscapes), as well as some distinct Norman Rockwell (mostly in Jorotongo). Many of the paintings are near photorealistic while others maintain the National Geographic diagram style that has worked so well for Gurney.

My one problem with the book was the pacing. I sometimes felt that characters and places were introduced and left too quickly. True, this is what would happen on a journey across the island, but I wanted to stay with the characters longer and explore their cities just a little bit more.

All in all, this book is a great addition to the saga of Arthur Denison in his explorations of the island. I would highly recommend this book to anyone of any age.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very good addition to the Dinotopia family, October 12, 2007

By	Jamie N. Stokes (Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Richly illustrated (one of the reasons I grabbed the book) and continues the theme of Arthur Denisons "found journals". Having grabbed the original Dinotopia and First flight, decided I wanted to add this to my collection.
Id give it 5 stars, except there seems to be the occasional odd "jump" in the narration, where I felt a bit left behind. Only happened in two spots though.
Overall, the rich images,some nearly photo standard, really carry the book, with the text linking it all together. Another visual treat from the imagination of James Gurney, I would recommend it for childeren from about 6 years old to those of us who have kept the child within us (no matter how old you actually are!). I intend to keep these copies not only for my children, but hopefully for their children also.
Highly recommended

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!!, October 19, 2007

By	M. Gaser "My Two Cents" (Northern California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've followed James Gurney's career throughout my own (Matt Gaser) and each book he creates just keeps getting better. The details in every illustration take you to a magical place. For me it's inspiring to dive into his books travel into the mind of Gurney through the world of Dinotopia and then sketch/paint and create worlds of my own. A wonderful addition for any one period. Looking forward to his next project???