The Deadlands: Trapped (The Deadlands #2)
Sky Melki-Wegner
Henry Holt & Co.
Published October 3, 2023
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About The Deadlands: Trapped
Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in The Deadlands: Trapped, the second book of this action-adventure series by Skye Melki-Wegner about five outcasts ― and former enemies ― who are the only hope to save their warring kingdoms from impending doom.
As bloody battle rages on between the two surviving dinosaur kingdoms, Eleri and his fellow outcasts, newly exiled from their herds, are searching for evidence to prove a mass conspiracy―a conniving cabal of carnivores have manipulated the herbivore kingdoms into war, so they can feast on the slain. But after their temporary home is discovered by a vengeful pack of raptors, the exiles must flee and soon find themselves trapped inside the Fire Peak: the volcanic heart of the dreaded Carrion Kingdom.
Before they have a chance to escape, they discover a cavern of imprisoned herbivores, who are being picked apart―literally―one by one. Can the outcasts stage an elaborate heist to free the prisoners and gather proof of the Carrion Kingdom’s vicious plans in one fell swoop?
My Review
I feel like I’ve been seeing this series everywhere, and I’m not at all surprised. I had so much fun reading it. The story follows both Zyre (a small flying dinosaur) and Eleri (a small digging dinosaur) as they lead their herd toward a rumored sanctuary and an opportunity to sabotage the carnivorous dinosaurs’ plans.
Because Zyre was once hired to betray a member of the group, she feels she needs to earn the herd’s trust, and she goes to great lengths to do so. She’s tender and kind, but also very quick on her feet, and brave in the face of danger to her friends.
Eleri wrestles with unresolved issues between him and his brother. He doubts his ability to lead and to be brave and rushes into dangerous situations, trying to prove his worth to himself.
I’m not sure if you could read this one without having read the first book. There are places in the story that kind of bring readers up to speed, but there are also a lot of terms and references that aren’t fully explained in this book that would make sense if you’d read the first one.
I think readers who enjoy books about animals, such as the Warriors books, will love these dinosaur stories.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Representation
Major characters are herbivore dinosaurs.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
One dinosaur tries to convince others that to let carnivores eat them means they’ll “ascend” to a golden plane.
Violent Content
Situations of peril. Mentions of warfare. In one scene, raptors tear another carnivore dinosaur apart.
Drug Content
Eleri collects thorns that can tranquilize dinosaurs.
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