Fifty years after a falling star wreaked havoc on the prehistoric landscape, two dinosaur kingdoms are locked in a never-ending war. Eleri, a young oryctodromeus, dreams of being a storyteller, not a soldier; but when he inadvertently saves a foe's life, he finds himself exiled to the dreaded Deadlands, a scorched desert left to lawless carnivores and offering endless ways to die. Eleri happens upon exiles from the enemy kingdom, and while they're all desperate enough to put aside their animosity, it's unclear how long the uneasy truce will last. When they learn of a traitorous plot to take down both kingdoms, they realize they'll have to work together to save their worlds and return home. The terrific series opener is packed with detailed dinosaur data and humorous asides, and the world building is well developed, with intricate mythologies, governments, and histories in place from the start. The growing rapport between species is a delight, and though the focus is on friendship and family, there are deeper meditations on morality and war. A treat for any dinosaur devotee.

In a fast-paced trilogy opener, dinosaurs have been capable of “songs and thoughts and language,” dreaming, and waging war ever since they were exposed to the star-mist created upon impact of a cataclysmic asteroid 50 years ago. The Mountain Kingdom and the Prairie Alliance—two warring, herbivorous factions—have been at odds for decades. So when, in a moment of compassion, Mountain Kingdom princeling and storyteller Eleri, an oryctodromeus, saves the lives of Prairie Alliance soldiers, he’s exiled by his peers to the Deadlands, “an endless sea of charred bones and barren wastes” that is home to innumerable carnivores. There he encounters other young exiles: airborne anurognathid spy Zyre, grumpy triceratops and Prairie Alliance soldier Tortha, gregarious genius ankylosaur Sorielle, and oracular sauropod Lerithon. The quintet form a tentative herd and endeavor to end the war for good, but their quest instead uncovers an insidious carnivore scheme. Melki-Wegner (The Hush) centers intrepid apparent rivals learning to trust and rely on one another while facing natural hazards and threats at every turn. The narrative’s emphasis on—and carefully researched depictions of—lesser-known dinosaurs will undoubtedly spark interest among Jurassic enthusiasts, and the engaging adventure will entice readers to subsequent volumes. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)