Battlesaurus: Rampage at Waterloo - Hardcover

Falkner, Brian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374300755 ISBN 13: 9780374300753

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2015

Synopsis

* WINNER of the Young Adult section of the New Zealand Book Children's Awards 
* Shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards
* A Junior Library Guild Selection

Fifteen year old Willem lives in hiding in a small Belgian village on the edge of the great Sonian Forest. Willem and his mother have been living in secret for most of his life, since his father, a famous magician, fell out of favour with the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

It is a world not much different from our own, in which small 'saurs' are a part of everyday life. Some are farmed, some are pets, others, more dangerous are avoided. There are rumours of even greater 'saurs' roaming the uncharted islands of the Americas.

When a girl from the village is killed, it becomes obvious that there are hidden terrors in the forest and that they are connected with Napoleon's plans to conquer Europe. 

But Willem has a secret that could interfere with the emperor's plans and Napoléon will stop at nothing to find him.

War is coming, and young Willem is no longer safe, for Gaillemarde is just a stone's throw from the fields of Waterloo -- fields which will soon run red with blood.

About this title

About the Author

Brian Falkner was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, and now lives in Australia. He is the award-winning, best-selling author of several action-adventure novels, including the Recon Team Angel series and Brainjack.

Reviews

Gr 5–8—What if dinosaurs never went extinct? What if they lived in the wilds of the European forests? What if Napoleon used dinosaurs as weapons during the Battle at Waterloo? Battlesaurus answers all of these questions and more. The story begins shortly before the infamous battle of Waterloo, in a small village in northern France. The people of the village never had to worry much about the dinosaurs who roamed the forests on the edges of town, until the day the body of a young woman is found mauled by some horrific monster. This first death unleashes a chain of events, culminating in a giant carnivorous dinosaur invading the village. When a young man successfully defeats the dinosaur, he must flee the country before Napoléon has him destroyed for his knowledge. Part historical fiction, part dinosaur fantasy mash-up, this book will appeal to history buffs and dinosaur fanatics alike. The battle scenes between Napoléon's army and the British are depicted in incredible detail, making readers feel as if they are right in the midst of the fight. While the dinosaurs are obviously not historically accurate, they are a humorous addition to the history of the Napoleonic Wars. VERDICT The first of a promising duology that readers will find thrilling and positively addicting.—Annalise Ammer, City of Rochester Public Libraries, NY

Edition details

• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0374300755
• ISBN 13: 9780374300753
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 368