New magazine, new book, new game, new toys

Wow! Has it been nearly a year already?!

First, before we get to the news, sorry for my prolonged absence. Over the past year I started taking college courses again, so between that and working a full-time job, I haven’t had much free time. The good news is I’m on summer break and can get back to reading. The bad news is college resumes in the late summer/early fall, so I will probably disappear again around that time.

When I say in the summary that this blog updates infrequently, I mean it. But I will keep posting whenever I get the chance.

That said, there hasn’t been much news to report on. Most paleofiction that has come out during the past year has been self-published. I’m planning a roundup of new self-published titles in the near future, but for now a few items have popped up in recent weeks that I think might catch your interest.

The first is a new digital magazine with articles about dinosaurs, prehistoric life and their role in popular culture. New issues of Prehistoric Magazine will be released three times a year, according to Editor-in-Chief Michael Esola, author of the self-published thriller Prehistoric. I’ve had a chance to review the first issue and while it is definitely the work of a team on a very limited budget, there is a lot of love put into it. You can learn more at PrehistoricMagazine.com. (Note: Prehistoric Magazine shouldn’t be confused with the similarly themed Prehistoric Times Magazine, which has been around much longer.)

This week saw the release of the first mainstream work of paleofiction in quite a long time. Edge of Extinction: The Ark Plan by Laura Martin is set 150 years after cloned dinosaurs have taken over the Earth’s surface and forced the remaining humans underground. The book is targeted at middle-school children, but like the Harry Potter novels, I’m betting it can be enjoyed by adults as well. Expect a review in the near future.

Also released this week is the tabletop miniatures ruleset Dinoproof. Like Edge of Extinction, the game is set in a future where dinosaurs have reclaimed the planet. Players take on the role of “slayers” who hunt dinosaurs for their DNA while trying to become celebrities by capturing dramatic TV footage. So far the ruleset is only available as softcover book. No word if a digital edition is planned.

The final news item isn’t related to publishing or gaming but I’m betting anyone who reads this blog will be interested. Beasts of the Mesozoic is Kickstarter campaign for a new line of scientifically accurate dinosaur action figures. The creator, David Silva, is a sculptor who has both a lengthy background in toy design and a love for all things dinosaur. The first series in the new line will focus on “raptor” dinosaurs. The toys are pricey—$35 per action figure plus shipping—and they won’t come out for another year, but they look well worth your money if you can afford it. There are two weeks left in the campaign as of this posting (May 12, 2016).