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The Dinosaur Hunter: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.05) - 244 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Life on the ranchlands of Montana comes with more than its share of trouble. The unique people who live and work on this untamed stretch of today's American West expect it—and some of them even enjoy it. One of them is Mike Wire, a former homicide detective who once worked the decadent hills and valleys of Hollywood. Having enough of the violence of the big city, Mike has retreated to a far corner of civilization to spend his days running the Square C Ranch and pining for Jeanette Coulter, its spirited and iron-fisted owner.
But Mike is soon to learn terrible things can happen beneath Montana's big skies, too. The badlands are home to more than just horses, cattle, cowboys, and laid-back rattlesnakes. Just beneath the surface are the bones of a dinosaur family that could make a fortune for whoever gets to them first. When a paleontologist and his attractive young assistants arrive at the Square C to dig, Mike senses trouble is clinging to them like Montana mud. Once discovered, those bones won't stay buried, and not everyone hunting for them is doing it in the interest of science.
When a murderer begins to stalk the dinosaur hunting grounds, Mike has to combine the lessons he learned in Los Angeles with those of the Montana prairie to protect the people and the land he has come to love.
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"Cowboys and dinosaurs sound like an odd combination, but Homer Hickam pulls it off in his new novel. I have always enjoyed this author's books, but this one is the best so far. The setting is in the wide open spaces of Montana on the ranch of Jeanette Coulter, a tough widow who knows everything about cattle ranching. Her foreman Mike Wire is the narrator. When a paleontologist asks permission to access federal land adjoining Jeannette's ranch, Mike gets the dinosaur hunting "bug." The story contains action, mystery, adventure and lots of science. I really enjoyed this book and I think it was one of the best ones I've read this year. I learned a lot about Montana and dinosaurs. The book has something for everyone. You will enjoy it."
— Jeanne (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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The Dinosaur Hunter is a fascinating thriller, well-crafted and relentless.... A cross between Tony Hillerman and Larry McMurtry, this is one hell of a good [listen].
— Douglas Preston, author of Tyrannosaur Canyon -
“Hickam not only knows his bones, he also knows how to tell a story, prompting readers to keep turning pages to answer that all-important question: “What happens next?”
— Charleston Gazette -
“The narrative style reads like an old Western.”
— Oklahoman -
“Details of cattle ranching, paleontological fieldwork, and small-town life all combine to heighten the realism and suspense in Hickam’s (Rocket Boys) latest book, which should appeal to lovers of mysteries and the West.”
— Library Journal -
“The rare novel that pits science against cowboy doggedness, getting both of them right.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
"The Dinosaur Hunter is a fascinating thriller, well crafted and relentless, about a murderer who stalks the peerless dinosaur bone-beds of a remote Montana ranch. A cross between Tony Hillerman and Larry McMurtry, this is one hell of a good read.”
— Douglas Preston, author of Tyrannosaur Canyon -
“The Dinosaur Hunter reveals Hickam to be a combination of John Sandford and Michael Crichton, with a generous helping of Louis L’Amour thrown in for good measure. It may not take a rocket scientist to write a novel, but Homer Hickam shows that this rocket scientist can spin a darned good yarn.”
— Peter Larson, coauthor of Rex Appeal and Bones Rock
The Dinosaur Hunter Listener Reviews
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" This was a weird story with disjointed characters and generic dialogue. Definitely my least favorite of the Hickham books! "
— Jami, 2/13/2014 -
" I had a hard time getting started but once i got past the first couple of chapters ,I couldn't put it down.Was up late a few nights with this one "
— Nici, 2/13/2014 -
" Homer Hickman's novel, The Dinosaur Hunter a story about a group of people who look for dinoaur bones. There is mystery, a one sided love story, and various interaction between all the characters, and a little murder to keep things hopping. Overall not a bad story. It was just that ... a quick easy read. "
— Deborah, 2/3/2014 -
" Listened to this one in the car on the way to work. Slow pace - perfect for the car. "
— Alison, 1/15/2014 -
" It's an easy read. Some interesting info on dinosaurs. It kept my attention although there were some scenes that felt silly. "
— Elizabeth, 1/7/2014 -
" We checked this book out at the library for another one of our long road trips. Hickam does not disappoint. We really enjoy his writing style, characters, and adventures. This was different than the WWII books in materials, but still engaging. "
— Billie, 12/30/2013 -
" Good book... my only complaint is wrapping up all the mysteries and having so much action in the last 20 pages... I felt that for all the detail during the book, the wrapping up could have been spread out a tad... "
— ssigmonc, 10/23/2013 -
" Now I want to visit the Badlands in Montana! "
— Cheryl, 10/7/2013 -
" I read this a few weeks after reading Remarkable Creatures, by Tracy Chevalier, which also involved fossil hunting. I liked the Montana fossil hunting setting of this book, but the plot and characters were just kind of so-so. "
— Lisa, 9/23/2013 -
" Fast-paced mystery in Montana with paleontologists. Was fun. I like the cowboy sense of humor. It also made me snort-laugh how many female characters wanted to bed the main male character. Dudes - if you need an ego boost, and you own a pair of cowboy boots, this is the book for you. "
— Susan, 8/28/2013 -
" Not quite what I expected but very entertaining. "
— Judy, 3/31/2013 -
" Interesting story combining the wide open spaces of Montana, paleontology, and villians who turn out to be Russian mob. It takes 200 of the 300 pages to get to the heart of the storyline. It finished well, though, so I suppose it was worth the build up. "
— April, 12/18/2012 -
" sort of a romp. enjoyed it. a paean to the west, individualism, survivalism, but fun. "
— Leslie, 11/29/2012 -
" I liked it. It was a little hard to get into at first, but then became a real page turner. also some interesting facts about dinasaurs as well woven into the story. "
— Scott, 10/26/2012 -
" Written by the author of "Rocketboys," which was the basis for the movie, "October Sky." It was pretty good...slow at first, but it picked up in the middle. "
— John, 8/28/2012 -
" Excellent book. The story has an unusual locale and an unusual plot line. Main character has a wry wit and the paleontology was very interesting. "
— Jeff, 2/2/2012 -
" Hickam writes well. I like the characters, a little too much dinosaur info for me. "
— Joan, 12/25/2011 -
" The first half was more interesting to me than the second half. However, I must say, I'm not overly interested in dinosaurs. For a reader who is, or for a reader who likes science, I think this book would be great. "
— Jenna, 11/22/2011 -
" Genevieve, I think you would enjoy this story set in eastern Montana. "
— Pete, 8/9/2011 -
" Was not good, was not bad. A quick read about a ranch where dinosaur bones are discovered. Trouble from bad guys follow and basically you end up with a so so story about how to run a ranch and learn a bit about dinosaurs. "
— Julie, 5/23/2011 -
" Audio -- I like the all that had ti do with the dig and the ranchers. the back story could have been left out. if the sexual content was taken out this could be a pg read. "
— Irene, 5/5/2011 -
" This is an interesting novel about Montana, ranchers, dinosaur hunters, and crime. The characters are realistic and draw you into the story. Things go awry on a dinosaur dig and many people show they are not who they seem to be.<br/><br/>I enjoyed this book, and give it a good recommendation. "
— JoAnn, 4/18/2011 -
" Not quite what I expected but very entertaining.<br/> "
— Judy, 4/10/2011 -
" sort of a romp. enjoyed it. a paean to the west, individualism, survivalism, but fun. "
— Leslie, 3/14/2011 -
" I learned more than I really wanted to know about dinosaurs but the story was interesting "
— Chris, 2/11/2011 -
" I liked it. It was a little hard to get into at first, but then became a real page turner. also some interesting facts about dinasaurs as well woven into the story. "
— Scott, 2/10/2011 -
" Excellent book. The story has an unusual locale and an unusual plot line. Main character has a wry wit and the paleontology was very interesting. "
— Jeff, 1/26/2011 -
" It's an easy read. Some interesting info on dinosaurs. It kept my attention although there were some scenes that felt silly. "
— Elizabeth, 1/13/2011
About Homer Hickam
Homer Hickam is the author of the New York Times bestseller Rocket Boys, which was made into the acclaimed movie October Sky. He has also authored the military history bestseller Torpedo Junction, along with several other popular historical and science fiction novels. A respected amateur historian, scuba expedition leader, and military veteran, he continues to write using his personal experience and history for creative material.
About Michael Kramer
Michael Kramer is an AudioFile Earphones Award winner, a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration, and recipient of a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award. He is also an actor and director in the Washington, DC, area, where he is active in the area’s theater scene and has appeared in productions at the Shakespeare Theatre, the Kennedy Center, and Theater J.