Best animal fiction books according to redditors
We found 32 Reddit comments discussing the best animal fiction books. We ranked the 8 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 32 Reddit comments discussing the best animal fiction books. We ranked the 8 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Raptor Red by Robert T. Bakker describes life as a Utahraptor and its fucking awesome.
Robert T. Bakker was consulted by Steven Spielberg in developing the Velociraptors for the movie. He told Spielberg that the raptors he wanted were too large to be Velociraptors, but Spielberg wanted them to be that large because it made for a more frightening character. Later, when the Utahraptor was
discoveredrediscovered, an associate of Bakker called and said, "I think we found Spielbergs raptor."There is a nod to Robert Bakker in the original Jurassic Park movie. While trying to get into whichever vehicle Dr. Grant was going to get into, he is giving Grant all these theories on dinosaur extinction.
>"So like I was saying, there's this other book by a guy named Bakker? And he said dinosaurs died of a bunch of diseases? He definitely didn't say they turned into birds."
In the second movie, Dr. Robert Burke also mentions Bakker, in fact, the character was probably even based partly on Bakker.
I fucking love Jurassic Park.
EDIT: The first Utahraptor was discovered in 1975, but went relatively unnoticed until 1991 when more bones were found. It wasn't named until 1993, shortly after the release of Jurassic Park. Originally, they wanted to name it "Utahraptor spielbergi" after Steven Spielberg.
Raptor Red is a novel about a female Utahraptor (set in the Cretaceous - sadly she's not hunting humans.) It's very engaging and authored by a palaeontologist who consulted on JPark. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
For those of you interested in making the same journey as Black Raptor:
http://www.amazon.com/Raptor-Red-Robert-T-Bakker/dp/0553575619
Raptor Red is written from the POV of a dinosaur.
Not really fitting your request, but you might enjoy Raptor Red, which features a dinosaur as the protagonist, and quite a few dinosaurs as antagonists.
Red isn't a fantastical monster, her actions are based on speculation as to how a predatory dinosaur might really act. The story takes place in the prehistoric world, so there are no human bystanders.
A unique book, and one of the few I've ever read that I read again immediately after I finished it the first time.
Hi /u/RruinerR, thanks for the plug!
My book, The Dinosaur Four, is an adult sci-fi thriller about ten everyday people trapped in the past. It's meant to feel sorta like an '80s horror movie. Have a look and see what you think. (If you like audiobooks, I recommend the audio version. Nick Podehl's performance brings the story to life and audible has a great return policy if you decide it isn't for you after a few chapters.)
Raptor Red, by paleontologist Robert Bakker, tells the story of a Utahraptor running around 120 million years ago. It's a really fun read.
As ForgotToKnock mentioned, Jurassic Park and The Lost World are both worth a read and they're quite different from the films.
Ray Bradbury's collection Dinosaur Tales has some neat stories, including the classic, "A Sound of Thunder."
Finally, I recently published a story in a dinosaur anthology called Prehistoric. I haven't read the other stories yet, so I can't vouch for any in particular, but if you find one you like, look up the author's work. I believe they have all written dinosaur novels.
​
Best,
Geoff Jones
Author of The Dinosaur Four
Utahraptor, hands down.
[http://www.amazon.com/Raptor-Red-Robert-T-Bakker/dp/0553575619]
Since Utah Raptors were mentioned, anyone interested in a book with a raptor protagonist might enjoy Raptor Red.
Lucky Dog
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ERTHZQ2?btkr=1
Fox 8, by George Saunders (64 pages!)
Not exactly what you are asking for, but Rapter Red is amazing. It is a POV of a Utahrapter living its life.
I actually haven't rad it in near 15 years now, but suddenly right back there. This was up with my favorite books growing up, along with Have Spacesuit Will Travel, and a book where a kid found a time travel device, and joins a guy and girl to stop the "evil" version of themselves from killing the "good" timeline that I can't remember the name to :( (of course, hero falls for bad girl, saving her by hiding her in the past) .
Nope, that dope's still walking the earth. Maybe he'll find a Utahraptor to fight with one of these days.
If you like dinos, check this book out. It's a fun read!
There's [Empire of the Ants] (http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Ants-Bernard-Werber/dp/0553573527/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394966110&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=bernhard+werber) by Bernhard Weber. Well-researched, and rather chilling: a hyper-intelligent colony of ants decides to take revenge on the human for destroying their living space. There's a comic as well, but as far as I can see, it was never translated.
This reminded me of this excellent book. I read the original French version (Les fourmis) so I don't know how it is in English.
http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Ants-Bernard-Werber/dp/0553573527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348422769&sr=8-1&keywords=bernard+werber
Hehe there's actually a pretty descent book on that. Ants investigating and trying to conquer humans, allying themselves with other species (such as bees) :P
http://amzn.com/0553573527
It is called Empire of the Ants. At least, that's the one I read back in 2000.
My favorite cookbook
Man's search for meaning
My favorite series
Raptor Red
Mostly because I suggest everyone read those books.
Relevant SciFi Book
Hey everyone,
I'm u/tapaseaswar, one of the Marketing Managers for Sonia Faruqi, author of the critically acclaimed Project Animal Farm. Sonia has a brand new novel coming out this October called The Oyster Thief. It's the world’s first underwater novel with themes of ocean science and conservation.
Sonia meticulously researched the underwater setting depicted in The Oyster Thief. She snorkeled, scuba-dived, swam with sharks and pored over books and hundreds of articles about the ocean. All the animals and algae mentioned in The Oyster Thief are true-to-life; even the names of all the characters are scientifically grounded, drawn from the sea and the stars!
Jodi Picoult, the bestselling author of My Sister’s Keeper, says in her endorsement: “The Oyster Thief creates a lush, imaginary underwater world that somehow manages to reinforce the reality of the need for environmental awareness - it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read."
Sonia will be holding several author speaking events in the coming weeks, and would love to have you attend!
You can pre-order the novel on Amazon.
Each event is free and open to the public, and will feature a lively discussion of ocean issues, The Oyster Thief, audience questions and answers, and a book signing! We hope to see you there!
Liberator is great. Matt (the author) is a great guy.
There is also Persimmon Takes on Humanity
Of course! This video reminded me that I really want to read it again, and boom. 8 bucks on Amazon.
Reminds me of Empire of the ants. I need to go read that book again and again...
Edit: Title reminds me of that, not the video, as youtube is blocked at my work.
You should read this book
I stumbled across a book in my library's sci-fi section called Empire of the Ants. One of the plotlines is about ants. I haven't read it, but you might check it out:
http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Ants-Bernard-Werber/dp/0553573527/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1414357083&sr=8-2&keywords=empire+of+the+ants
Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
gangster in witness protection gets discovered, takes badass revenge
Andromeda Strain or Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Jurassic park is dinos in a 'modern lost world' scenario and andromeda strain is alien bacteria creating zombie apocalypse without the zombies
Empire of the Ants by Bernard Werber
people get shrunk down and discover the empire of the ants
Watership Down by Richard Adams
animal farm with rabbits and australians
The Lies of Locke Lemora by Scott Lynch
adventure with magic and ocean's 11 style crime. Sometimes funny othertimes adventurous and sometimes badassery
Tunnel in the Sky by Heinlein (very adventure/survival thriller)
kids are getting their survival badges, shit gets real very quickly. Lord of the flies meets firefly
Dont Call Me Mad Dog
Book
I love Gone with the wind! Because its just such a beautiful entertaining movie! ^_^