Dragon Teeth

Set in 1876 on the Western frontier, Crichton’s recently discovered novel tells the story of two competing paleontologists pillaging the Wild West for dinosaur fossils. To win a bet, Yale student William Johnson joins an expedition with the eccentric and world-renowned paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh. Prone to paranoia, Marsh becomes convinced that Johnson is working for his rival, the paleontologist Edwin Drinker Cope, and leaves Johnson to fend for himself in a dangerous part of Wyoming. The tale has all the hallmarks of a Crichton adventure: scientific discovery, dueling scientists, and bravado. Veteran voice actor Brick delivers the story smoothly and heightens the intensity of the survival on the frontier with his pacing. There’s not much for Brick to work with in the way of characterizations—Johnson, Marsh, and Cope are not all that dynamic of characters—but Brick does his best to develop them when he can, such as adding hints of wickedness when portraying Marsh’s paranoia. Crichton’s widow Sherri reads her postscript at the end, providing the context for the creation of Crichton’s novel. Despite the shortcomings of the story, the audiobook will please die-hard fans of the author. [em]A Harper hardcover. (May) [/em]