The Dinosaur Four

A group of strangers in a Colorado coffee shop are suddenly transported back in time to the Late Cretaceous period. The displaced individuals must work together to survive in a dangerous prehistoric environment while trying to understand what caused their displacement and how to return home. The narrative follows these characters as they face threats from dinosaurs and their harsh surroundings, while interpersonal tensions rise within the group. Their situation forces them to confront both the physical challenges of survival and the psychological impact of their extraordinary circumstances. The story combines elements of science fiction, horror, and survival thriller genres. Core themes include time travel, human nature under extreme duress, and the contrast between modern civilization and prehistoric wilderness. The book asks questions about adaptation, primal instincts, and what aspects of humanity emerge when people are stripped of the protections of contemporary society.

Readers describe this as a fast-paced time travel thriller with graphic horror elements. Many note they finished it in one sitting. Liked: - Quick pacing and mounting tension - Realistic character reactions to the situation - Scientific details about dinosaurs - Unpredictable deaths and plot turns - Humor mixed with horror Disliked: - Basic character development - Some found the violence excessive - Grammar and editing issues - Several readers felt the ending was rushed Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (1,700+ ratings) Sample reviews: "Like Jurassic Park meets slasher film" - Goodreads reviewer "Characters make believable choices, no stupid horror movie decisions" - Amazon reviewer "Too much gore and death for my taste" - Goodreads reviewer "Needed more backstory for the characters" - Amazon reviewer

Timeline by Michael Crichton Scientists travel through time to medieval France and become trapped there, facing survival challenges similar to the trapped characters in The Dinosaur Four.

The Lost World by Michael Crichton A team becomes stranded on an island filled with dinosaurs and must find a way to escape while being hunted by prehistoric predators.

Fragment by Warren Fahy A research team discovers an isolated island where evolution took a different path, leading to encounters with creatures more dangerous than dinosaurs.

The Fold by Peter Clines A teleportation experiment goes wrong, sending people into alternate dimensions with monsters and leading to a fight for survival.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch A physicist becomes trapped in alternate realities after a technology experiment malfunctions, creating a situation where survival depends on understanding the rules of a new world.

🦖 Despite featuring time travel to the Cretaceous Period, this isn't a typical "dinosaur park" story - it's more akin to a horror novel, with graphic violence and a high body count. 🕰️ The story takes place primarily in a modern-day coffee shop that is mysteriously transported back in time, along with its patrons and a section of the street outside. 🦕 The author, Geoff Jones, wrote much of the book during his lunch breaks while working as a software developer in Colorado. 🌿 The novel incorporates recent paleontological findings, including evidence that many dinosaurs had feathers, making its depictions more scientifically accurate than many other dinosaur-themed works. ☕ The coffee shop setting was inspired by Pablo's Coffee, a real establishment in Denver where Jones spent time writing and developing the story.