Book Review: Theodore Roosevelt and the Hunt For the Liopleurodon by MB Zucker

Longtime readers might remember that towards the end of last year I mentioned that I somewhat dimwittedly ordered way too many books that were directly marketed towards me on Facebook. The first book I read (which I don't care to remember or look up) was decidedly not so good. Didn't have a lot of hope for the other ones. However, it being close to Presidents Day, I figured I'd read the novel about Teddy Roosevelt hunting an ocean-dwelling dinosaur. Again, didn't have high hopes.

It rules.

When you have a preposterous premise, there's two things you can do to make it work for you. The first is to get the details right. This book does so perfectly. You definitely come away with a solid picture of what a Liopleurodon was and why we should all be so thankful they no longer exist. But on top of that, the details on American and global politics in the 1910s is spot-on. From the freezing Roosevelt-Taft relationship (that had a major impact on Democratic gains in the midterms) to Roosevelt's positioning himself for a third term of offic to Germany's designs on re-colonizing the Americas, this book steeps its preposterous premise in real-life events.

The second thing you need is good writing. And this book does a very good job of that. The novel is engaging and enjoyable. I can't give it perfect marks - there's a bit too many characters (although they do pretty much sort themselves out in the end) and some of the character motivations are a bit strained. But overall it's a book you'll want to return to again and again.

The premise might be too much for some people. But if you're the kind of person who wants to read about an ex-president with a peg leg jumping off a capsized boat to shoot a harpoon at a re-awakened sea dinosaur, this book will not disappoint! Eight out of ten hot dogs!