Book Review: The Doctor and the Dinosaurs by Mike Resnick

I picked up Mike Resnick's latest edition in his Weird West series in my last trip to the library.  I enjoyed the previous three books in the series and expected to enjoy the fourth installment.

I was a little disappointed by it, instead.

For those that have not read any of Reasnick's Weird West tales, the books combine steam-punk with the western genre and feature notable historical figures.  Those figures include people like Doc Holiday, Thomas Edison (out of place geographically), Ned Buntline, Bat Masterson, Geronimo, Billy the Kid, etc.

Brief biographies of the historical figures are included at the end of each book.

I actually have mixed feelings about this addition to the series.

It is well written and entertaining.

The problem I have with it is best explained with a brief synopses of the plot:

Geronimo, the Apache Medicine Man, conscripts a dying Doc Holliday to solve a problem caused by the actions taken by other medicine men.  Holliday joins forces with Teddy Roosevelt and are supported by inventions created by Thomas Edison and Ned Buntline.

That synopses could easily be used for the previous book in the series: The Doctor and the Rough Rider.

Unlike the three previous books in the series, this one covers no new ground.  There is no interesting twist on the steam-punk western genre to differentiate it from previous books in the series.


It's worth reading if you haven't read on of Resnick's Weird West books before.  It's also worth reading if you don't mind it being a little too much like the previous book in the series.

It's skippable if looking for a novel take on the genre.