Vincent Perriot

(Full disclosure: I received a free eARC for review through Edelweiss. Warning: this review contains spoilers!)

In this alternate universe, equal parts MAD MAX and ONE MILLION YEARS B.C., dinosaurs and humans coexist, and all are ruled over by a mysterious, god-like entity known as the Network.

Jarri is a dinosaur shepherd; along with his trusty pachycephalosaurus (?), Stygo, he accompanies his herd of chasmosauruses on their annual trek across the desert. But he's powerless to protect his birthright when the herd encounters a weather truck - and is struck down in an instant by an EMP. Bereft, Jarri travels to the city in search of revenge. Instead, he finds the Great Kam, a prophet/rebel leader, who's hatched a plot to destroy the Network. But will freedom spell humanity's downfall?

Not gonna lie, I picked up NEGALYOD strictly for the dinosaurs - and, in this respect, the book does not disappoint. Unfortunately, the rest of the story is muddled and hard to follow, with lots of weird twists that come at you out of nowhere. Like, hold up a sec, the dinosaurs could talk this whole time, but only want to converse with the guy who's raising/exploiting them for meat!? Why did Jarri do a 180 and drop-kick Korienze's power source? If the Network is really made up of our uploaded ancestors, where do they get off oppressing their descendants? (On second thought, the whole #okboomer thing makes this slightly more believable.) Is the water supposed to be their vaporized souls? I am so confused.… (altro)