Good, but too many mistakes to be reliable, 16 Aug 2008
For the most part, this book makes a fascinating and highly informative read. It details extinct animals from a wide variety of groups and time periods - the dinosaurs in particular are excellently represented, with almost every known species featured. Other animal groups appear in lesser numbers, but well-known pterosaurs, plesiosaurs and prehistoric mammals all make an appearance. In addition, lesser-known extinct animals are included, such as early amphibians and the mammal-like reptiles.

However, there are a few glaring errors which cannot be overlooked. For example, the nimravids are described as cats, when they were in fact a completely separate family - Nimravidae, as opposed to Felidae (the cat family). Two of the prehistoric whales, Rodhocetus and Basilosaurus, are classified in their information boxes as primates, which is obviously incorrect. One sentence reads: 'It has been accepted for some time that the dinosaurs evolved from birds' - clearly the words 'dinosaurs' and 'birds' are the wrong way round here. There are also numerous spelling errors that one would not expect to see in a scientific book such as this - e.g. yolk spelt 'yoke'.

The problem here is that, once you notice one mistake, you are left wondering how many others you have missed. The end result is that you cannot rely on the information given as being correct. In an educational book such as this every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy of the facts, otherwise those who buy the book in good faith will end up being misinformed - surely the very opposite of the purpose of this kind of publication.


wow! what a book, 09 Feb 2008
if you are interested in prehistoric animals buy this now! i have received a copy today and obviously haven't read the 500 odd pages but i am totally spellbound by the originality, and the comprehensive coverage of hundreds and hundreds of marvellous creatures. the greatest thing is the fact that it starts from the earliest amphibians right through to human ancestry and i can't wait to get stuck in to the text! the illustrations are quite unique and breathtaking. amazing value for money as well

Good, but too many mistakes to be reliable, 16 Aug 2008
For the most part, this book makes a fascinating and highly informative read. It details extinct animals from a wide variety of groups and time periods - the dinosaurs in particular are excellently represented, with almost every known species featured. Other animal groups appear in lesser numbers, but well-known pterosaurs, plesiosaurs and prehistoric mammals all make an appearance. In addition, lesser-known extinct animals are included, such as early amphibians and the mammal-like reptiles.

However, there are a few glaring errors which cannot be overlooked. For example, the nimravids are described as cats, when they were in fact a completely separate family - Nimravidae, as opposed to Felidae (the cat family). Two of the prehistoric whales, Rodhocetus and Basilosaurus, are classified in their information boxes as primates, which is obviously incorrect. One sentence reads: 'It has been accepted for some time that the dinosaurs evolved from birds' - clearly the words 'dinosaurs' and 'birds' are the wrong way round here. There are also numerous spelling errors that one would not expect to see in a scientific book such as this - e.g. yolk spelt 'yoke'.

The problem here is that, once you notice one mistake, you are left wondering how many others you have missed. The end result is that you cannot rely on the information given as being correct. In an educational book such as this every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy of the facts, otherwise those who buy the book in good faith will end up being misinformed - surely the very opposite of the purpose of this kind of publication.


wow! what a book, 09 Feb 2008
if you are interested in prehistoric animals buy this now! i have received a copy today and obviously haven't read the 500 odd pages but i am totally spellbound by the originality, and the comprehensive coverage of hundreds and hundreds of marvellous creatures. the greatest thing is the fact that it starts from the earliest amphibians right through to human ancestry and i can't wait to get stuck in to the text! the illustrations are quite unique and breathtaking. amazing value for money as well

To understand the Burgess Shale fossils read this, 06 May 2005
If you read Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life', you must read this, to get the story right. Gould might be more entertaining, but Morris will give you the facts. Very interesting.

limited but fun, 21 Apr 2004
An interesting, good value book focussing on a particularly rich source offossils that give a detailed account of the range of body plans thatemerged during the Cambrian explosion about 500MYr ago. Not suitable as ageneral text for students of evolution

Wonderful Life reassessed, 28 Nov 2001
A decade on from the publication of Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life' there is much new information to be told about the Burgess Shale and similar deposits around the world, and Conway Morris is in the best place to tell it as one of the leading researchers in this subject. He succeeds brilliantly in bringing the fossils to life by visiting them in a time travelling submersible to view their ecology.
Conway Morris does not agree with Gould's interminable arguments for contingency in 'Wonderful Life' and makes a very strong case for a degree of predictability in evolution, there being only a limited number of ways to scratch a living on planet earth. If you have read 'Wonderful Life' you really should read this.
I can find no justification for the reviewer below complaining of excessive religious content - this is an objective, scientific account seeking to piece evidence together to address important questions, and there is no 'religious' material. Conway Morris does have a philosophical side, however, rightly condemning our current behaviour towards our environment as 'utterly reckless'. Unfortunately, the evolution of consciousness came with extraordinary capacities for greed and self-deception, linked traits that suggest the experiment will not last for very long.

Really interesting!, 18 Jun 2001
This is really interesting! I am new to this, but looked at "crucible" after "wonderful life" and found the perspective illuminating. The references to Stephen J Gould come think and fast but the book stands on its own.

Disappointing. The author's religous beliefs appear often!, 21 Dec 2000
My feelings about this book clearly differ from the other reviewers. As an update to Wonderful Life (for example), presenting the newer interpretations of Burgess shale organisms and some ideas on the eclogy of the Burgess shale, it is interesting enough.

But Conway Morris is not shy about making his religous and political views clear, and too much of this book reads as an attack on S.J. Gould for what Morris appears to think of as a threateningly atheistic interpretation of the nature of history (please read Gould's absolutely wonderful "Wonderful Life"). Intermixed with the science of this book you'll find statements by theologians used to try to bolster Conway Morris' view of the history of life. As a professional scientist (albeit in a totally different field) I found this to be totally innapropriate, even if it is "just" a popular science book.

If you are fascinated by the Cambrian explosion, then maybe buy the paperback, but be warned: there is a lot of religion mixed in.

Good, but too many mistakes to be reliable, 16 Aug 2008
For the most part, this book makes a fascinating and highly informative read. It details extinct animals from a wide variety of groups and time periods - the dinosaurs in particular are excellently represented, with almost every known species featured. Other animal groups appear in lesser numbers, but well-known pterosaurs, plesiosaurs and prehistoric mammals all make an appearance. In addition, lesser-known extinct animals are included, such as early amphibians and the mammal-like reptiles.

However, there are a few glaring errors which cannot be overlooked. For example, the nimravids are described as cats, when they were in fact a completely separate family - Nimravidae, as opposed to Felidae (the cat family). Two of the prehistoric whales, Rodhocetus and Basilosaurus, are classified in their information boxes as primates, which is obviously incorrect. One sentence reads: 'It has been accepted for some time that the dinosaurs evolved from birds' - clearly the words 'dinosaurs' and 'birds' are the wrong way round here. There are also numerous spelling errors that one would not expect to see in a scientific book such as this - e.g. yolk spelt 'yoke'.

The problem here is that, once you notice one mistake, you are left wondering how many others you have missed. The end result is that you cannot rely on the information given as being correct. In an educational book such as this every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy of the facts, otherwise those who buy the book in good faith will end up being misinformed - surely the very opposite of the purpose of this kind of publication.


wow! what a book, 09 Feb 2008
if you are interested in prehistoric animals buy this now! i have received a copy today and obviously haven't read the 500 odd pages but i am totally spellbound by the originality, and the comprehensive coverage of hundreds and hundreds of marvellous creatures. the greatest thing is the fact that it starts from the earliest amphibians right through to human ancestry and i can't wait to get stuck in to the text! the illustrations are quite unique and breathtaking. amazing value for money as well

To understand the Burgess Shale fossils read this, 06 May 2005
If you read Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life', you must read this, to get the story right. Gould might be more entertaining, but Morris will give you the facts. Very interesting.

limited but fun, 21 Apr 2004
An interesting, good value book focussing on a particularly rich source offossils that give a detailed account of the range of body plans thatemerged during the Cambrian explosion about 500MYr ago. Not suitable as ageneral text for students of evolution

Wonderful Life reassessed, 28 Nov 2001
A decade on from the publication of Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life' there is much new information to be told about the Burgess Shale and similar deposits around the world, and Conway Morris is in the best place to tell it as one of the leading researchers in this subject. He succeeds brilliantly in bringing the fossils to life by visiting them in a time travelling submersible to view their ecology.
Conway Morris does not agree with Gould's interminable arguments for contingency in 'Wonderful Life' and makes a very strong case for a degree of predictability in evolution, there being only a limited number of ways to scratch a living on planet earth. If you have read 'Wonderful Life' you really should read this.
I can find no justification for the reviewer below complaining of excessive religious content - this is an objective, scientific account seeking to piece evidence together to address important questions, and there is no 'religious' material. Conway Morris does have a philosophical side, however, rightly condemning our current behaviour towards our environment as 'utterly reckless'. Unfortunately, the evolution of consciousness came with extraordinary capacities for greed and self-deception, linked traits that suggest the experiment will not last for very long.

Really interesting!, 18 Jun 2001
This is really interesting! I am new to this, but looked at "crucible" after "wonderful life" and found the perspective illuminating. The references to Stephen J Gould come think and fast but the book stands on its own.

Disappointing. The author's religous beliefs appear often!, 21 Dec 2000
My feelings about this book clearly differ from the other reviewers. As an update to Wonderful Life (for example), presenting the newer interpretations of Burgess shale organisms and some ideas on the eclogy of the Burgess shale, it is interesting enough.

But Conway Morris is not shy about making his religous and political views clear, and too much of this book reads as an attack on S.J. Gould for what Morris appears to think of as a threateningly atheistic interpretation of the nature of history (please read Gould's absolutely wonderful "Wonderful Life"). Intermixed with the science of this book you'll find statements by theologians used to try to bolster Conway Morris' view of the history of life. As a professional scientist (albeit in a totally different field) I found this to be totally innapropriate, even if it is "just" a popular science book.

If you are fascinated by the Cambrian explosion, then maybe buy the paperback, but be warned: there is a lot of religion mixed in.

fascinating new discoveries, bang up to date, 04 Dec 2007
a well written and beautifully illustrated, thoroughly modern overview of dinosaurs.includes sections on discovery, anatomy, lifestyle and habitat as well as describing and illustrating over 3oo mesozoic creatures including pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, icthyosaurs.bang up to date including my 1st view of feathered primitive tyrannosaurs along with thomas r. holtz's new book the best,modern look at the great dinosaurs, worth every penny

Good, but too many mistakes to be reliable, 16 Aug 2008
For the most part, this book makes a fascinating and highly informative read. It details extinct animals from a wide variety of groups and time periods - the dinosaurs in particular are excellently represented, with almost every known species featured. Other animal groups appear in lesser numbers, but well-known pterosaurs, plesiosaurs and prehistoric mammals all make an appearance. In addition, lesser-known extinct animals are included, such as early amphibians and the mammal-like reptiles.

However, there are a few glaring errors which cannot be overlooked. For example, the nimravids are described as cats, when they were in fact a completely separate family - Nimravidae, as opposed to Felidae (the cat family). Two of the prehistoric whales, Rodhocetus and Basilosaurus, are classified in their information boxes as primates, which is obviously incorrect. One sentence reads: 'It has been accepted for some time that the dinosaurs evolved from birds' - clearly the words 'dinosaurs' and 'birds' are the wrong way round here. There are also numerous spelling errors that one would not expect to see in a scientific book such as this - e.g. yolk spelt 'yoke'.

The problem here is that, once you notice one mistake, you are left wondering how many others you have missed. The end result is that you cannot rely on the information given as being correct. In an educational book such as this every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy of the facts, otherwise those who buy the book in good faith will end up being misinformed - surely the very opposite of the purpose of this kind of publication.


wow! what a book, 09 Feb 2008
if you are interested in prehistoric animals buy this now! i have received a copy today and obviously haven't read the 500 odd pages but i am totally spellbound by the originality, and the comprehensive coverage of hundreds and hundreds of marvellous creatures. the greatest thing is the fact that it starts from the earliest amphibians right through to human ancestry and i can't wait to get stuck in to the text! the illustrations are quite unique and breathtaking. amazing value for money as well

To understand the Burgess Shale fossils read this, 06 May 2005
If you read Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life', you must read this, to get the story right. Gould might be more entertaining, but Morris will give you the facts. Very interesting.

limited but fun, 21 Apr 2004
An interesting, good value book focussing on a particularly rich source offossils that give a detailed account of the range of body plans thatemerged during the Cambrian explosion about 500MYr ago. Not suitable as ageneral text for students of evolution

Wonderful Life reassessed, 28 Nov 2001
A decade on from the publication of Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life' there is much new information to be told about the Burgess Shale and similar deposits around the world, and Conway Morris is in the best place to tell it as one of the leading researchers in this subject. He succeeds brilliantly in bringing the fossils to life by visiting them in a time travelling submersible to view their ecology.
Conway Morris does not agree with Gould's interminable arguments for contingency in 'Wonderful Life' and makes a very strong case for a degree of predictability in evolution, there being only a limited number of ways to scratch a living on planet earth. If you have read 'Wonderful Life' you really should read this.
I can find no justification for the reviewer below complaining of excessive religious content - this is an objective, scientific account seeking to piece evidence together to address important questions, and there is no 'religious' material. Conway Morris does have a philosophical side, however, rightly condemning our current behaviour towards our environment as 'utterly reckless'. Unfortunately, the evolution of consciousness came with extraordinary capacities for greed and self-deception, linked traits that suggest the experiment will not last for very long.

Really interesting!, 18 Jun 2001
This is really interesting! I am new to this, but looked at "crucible" after "wonderful life" and found the perspective illuminating. The references to Stephen J Gould come think and fast but the book stands on its own.

Disappointing. The author's religous beliefs appear often!, 21 Dec 2000
My feelings about this book clearly differ from the other reviewers. As an update to Wonderful Life (for example), presenting the newer interpretations of Burgess shale organisms and some ideas on the eclogy of the Burgess shale, it is interesting enough.

But Conway Morris is not shy about making his religous and political views clear, and too much of this book reads as an attack on S.J. Gould for what Morris appears to think of as a threateningly atheistic interpretation of the nature of history (please read Gould's absolutely wonderful "Wonderful Life"). Intermixed with the science of this book you'll find statements by theologians used to try to bolster Conway Morris' view of the history of life. As a professional scientist (albeit in a totally different field) I found this to be totally innapropriate, even if it is "just" a popular science book.

If you are fascinated by the Cambrian explosion, then maybe buy the paperback, but be warned: there is a lot of religion mixed in.

fascinating new discoveries, bang up to date, 04 Dec 2007
a well written and beautifully illustrated, thoroughly modern overview of dinosaurs.includes sections on discovery, anatomy, lifestyle and habitat as well as describing and illustrating over 3oo mesozoic creatures including pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, icthyosaurs.bang up to date including my 1st view of feathered primitive tyrannosaurs along with thomas r. holtz's new book the best,modern look at the great dinosaurs, worth every penny

From Dinosaurs to Birds - A Bunch of Intermediates, 31 Oct 2008
It is quite an opulent edition. Big book format, good quality paper and an abundance of colorful dinosaur illustrations. But on close inspection, some irritating flaws emerge.
First of all there is the "generalist" part of the book, laying the foundation for the species profiles. It discusses various carnivorous dinosaur families and how these seem to lead, by careful evolutionary steps, to the first birds. The text is interesting but the "dinosaurs-birds" connection comes through somewhat weakly. The arguments are there all right, but I have read much stronger propositions on the subject, "Dino-Birds" and "Glorified Dinosaurs" for instance. And there is virtually nothing on the most crucial question of the origin of flight
Then we come to the main part of the book, the profiles themselves. Well, there is a very good representation from all relevant dinosaur and bird families, with many obscure and / or recently discovered species, mainly form the current paleontologist's paradise, the Liaoning Province in China. The emphasis, of course, is on the feathered dinosaur species, but it seems to me that the author and artist take the opportunity to put feathers in as many reptiles as possible, even on scant paleontological evidence. Perhaps they thought this way it would be easier for the general public to understand the continuum between the two animal groups, but poetic and artistic license may go just a bit too far. Finally, the artist's comments on why he chose animal postures and colors were a nice documentation touch, but his arguments are not always convincing and the images themselves sometimes verge, to my opinion, on the kitsch.
Overall it is a good try on the subject, one of the most controversial in modern paleontology, but it could have done with less flamboyance and more quality and substance.

Good, but too many mistakes to be reliable, 16 Aug 2008
For the most part, this book makes a fascinating and highly informative read. It details extinct animals from a wide variety of groups and time periods - the dinosaurs in particular are excellently represented, with almost every known species featured. Other animal groups appear in lesser numbers, but well-known pterosaurs, plesiosaurs and prehistoric mammals all make an appearance. In addition, lesser-known extinct animals are included, such as early amphibians and the mammal-like reptiles.

However, there are a few glaring errors which cannot be overlooked. For example, the nimravids are described as cats, when they were in fact a completely separate family - Nimravidae, as opposed to Felidae (the cat family). Two of the prehistoric whales, Rodhocetus and Basilosaurus, are classified in their information boxes as primates, which is obviously incorrect. One sentence reads: 'It has been accepted for some time that the dinosaurs evolved from birds' - clearly the words 'dinosaurs' and 'birds' are the wrong way round here. There are also numerous spelling errors that one would not expect to see in a scientific book such as this - e.g. yolk spelt 'yoke'.

The problem here is that, once you notice one mistake, you are left wondering how many others you have missed. The end result is that you cannot rely on the information given as being correct. In an educational book such as this every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy of the facts, otherwise those who buy the book in good faith will end up being misinformed - surely the very opposite of the purpose of this kind of publication.


wow! what a book, 09 Feb 2008
if you are interested in prehistoric animals buy this now! i have received a copy today and obviously haven't read the 500 odd pages but i am totally spellbound by the originality, and the comprehensive coverage of hundreds and hundreds of marvellous creatures. the greatest thing is the fact that it starts from the earliest amphibians right through to human ancestry and i can't wait to get stuck in to the text! the illustrations are quite unique and breathtaking. amazing value for money as well

To understand the Burgess Shale fossils read this, 06 May 2005
If you read Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life', you must read this, to get the story right. Gould might be more entertaining, but Morris will give you the facts. Very interesting.

limited but fun, 21 Apr 2004
An interesting, good value book focussing on a particularly rich source offossils that give a detailed account of the range of body plans thatemerged during the Cambrian explosion about 500MYr ago. Not suitable as ageneral text for students of evolution

Wonderful Life reassessed, 28 Nov 2001
A decade on from the publication of Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life' there is much new information to be told about the Burgess Shale and similar deposits around the world, and Conway Morris is in the best place to tell it as one of the leading researchers in this subject. He succeeds brilliantly in bringing the fossils to life by visiting them in a time travelling submersible to view their ecology.
Conway Morris does not agree with Gould's interminable arguments for contingency in 'Wonderful Life' and makes a very strong case for a degree of predictability in evolution, there being only a limited number of ways to scratch a living on planet earth. If you have read 'Wonderful Life' you really should read this.
I can find no justification for the reviewer below complaining of excessive religious content - this is an objective, scientific account seeking to piece evidence together to address important questions, and there is no 'religious' material. Conway Morris does have a philosophical side, however, rightly condemning our current behaviour towards our environment as 'utterly reckless'. Unfortunately, the evolution of consciousness came with extraordinary capacities for greed and self-deception, linked traits that suggest the experiment will not last for very long.

Really interesting!, 18 Jun 2001
This is really interesting! I am new to this, but looked at "crucible" after "wonderful life" and found the perspective illuminating. The references to Stephen J Gould come think and fast but the book stands on its own.

Disappointing. The author's religous beliefs appear often!, 21 Dec 2000
My feelings about this book clearly differ from the other reviewers. As an update to Wonderful Life (for example), presenting the newer interpretations of Burgess shale organisms and some ideas on the eclogy of the Burgess shale, it is interesting enough.

But Conway Morris is not shy about making his religous and political views clear, and too much of this book reads as an attack on S.J. Gould for what Morris appears to think of as a threateningly atheistic interpretation of the nature of history (please read Gould's absolutely wonderful "Wonderful Life"). Intermixed with the science of this book you'll find statements by theologians used to try to bolster Conway Morris' view of the history of life. As a professional scientist (albeit in a totally different field) I found this to be totally innapropriate, even if it is "just" a popular science book.

If you are fascinated by the Cambrian explosion, then maybe buy the paperback, but be warned: there is a lot of religion mixed in.

fascinating new discoveries, bang up to date, 04 Dec 2007
a well written and beautifully illustrated, thoroughly modern overview of dinosaurs.includes sections on discovery, anatomy, lifestyle and habitat as well as describing and illustrating over 3oo mesozoic creatures including pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, icthyosaurs.bang up to date including my 1st view of feathered primitive tyrannosaurs along with thomas r. holtz's new book the best,modern look at the great dinosaurs, worth every penny

From Dinosaurs to Birds - A Bunch of Intermediates, 31 Oct 2008
It is quite an opulent edition. Big book format, good quality paper and an abundance of colorful dinosaur illustrations. But on close inspection, some irritating flaws emerge.
First of all there is the "generalist" part of the book, laying the foundation for the species profiles. It discusses various carnivorous dinosaur families and how these seem to lead, by careful evolutionary steps, to the first birds. The text is interesting but the "dinosaurs-birds" connection comes through somewhat weakly. The arguments are there all right, but I have read much stronger propositions on the subject, "Dino-Birds" and "Glorified Dinosaurs" for instance. And there is virtually nothing on the most crucial question of the origin of flight
Then we come to the main part of the book, the profiles themselves. Well, there is a very good representation from all relevant dinosaur and bird families, with many obscure and / or recently discovered species, mainly form the current paleontologist's paradise, the Liaoning Province in China. The emphasis, of course, is on the feathered dinosaur species, but it seems to me that the author and artist take the opportunity to put feathers in as many reptiles as possible, even on scant paleontological evidence. Perhaps they thought this way it would be easier for the general public to understand the continuum between the two animal groups, but poetic and artistic license may go just a bit too far. Finally, the artist's comments on why he chose animal postures and colors were a nice documentation touch, but his arguments are not always convincing and the images themselves sometimes verge, to my opinion, on the kitsch.
Overall it is a good try on the subject, one of the most controversial in modern paleontology, but it could have done with less flamboyance and more quality and substance.

Narrow on scope but very interesting , 26 Jan 2008
Prehistoric sea reptiles of the Mesozoic are as interesting as their terrestrial cousins and contemporaries, the Dinosaurs. The problem is there are not many books available for them, at least not for non-scientists. So when one such book comes along, you grab it. And get a mixed reaction.
Let's have the positive aspect first. It is a well written book, easy to follow even if you have no previous idea about paleontology. There is a clear methodology in its presentation of Mesozoic sea reptiles, their families and evolution. Also the supplements about famous fossil hunters and methods of fossil excavation and preparation are useful and give one an accurate idea of the immense task of bringing slowly, painfully, to life the fragments of Earth's life history glimpsed through fragmentary fossils scattered all over the globe. And of course the illustrations are of the quality and scientific accuracy which are the hallmark of a "National Geographic" edition.
But the book focuses on just one period of Mesozoic sea life development, namely middle to late Cretaceous, around 82 million years ago. I understand that the film which inspired the book had the same narrow focus, and I fully sympathize with the time and costs constraints imposing that narrowness. But the book could have moved beyond these limits and present a full account of prehistoric sea reptiles. Also, I think that at least some data were repeated many times throughout the book, in different forms, without offering any new perspectives. Finally the 3-D images were sensational but they were more of an interesting trick than an informational tool.
Overall it was a good book and it gave a scientifically accurate picture of Cretaceous Sea Life, accessible to all interested audiences. But it could have been much more if it had used the 3-D movie as a starting point instead of an exclusive inspiration.

Good, but too many mistakes to be reliable, 16 Aug 2008
For the most part, this book makes a fascinating and highly informative read. It details extinct animals from a wide variety of groups and time periods - the dinosaurs in particular are excellently represented, with almost every known species featured. Other animal groups appear in lesser numbers, but well-known pterosaurs, plesiosaurs and prehistoric mammals all make an appearance. In addition, lesser-known extinct animals are included, such as early amphibians and the mammal-like reptiles.

However, there are a few glaring errors which cannot be overlooked. For example, the nimravids are described as cats, when they were in fact a completely separate family - Nimravidae, as opposed to Felidae (the cat family). Two of the prehistoric whales, Rodhocetus and Basilosaurus, are classified in their information boxes as primates, which is obviously incorrect. One sentence reads: 'It has been accepted for some time that the dinosaurs evolved from birds' - clearly the words 'dinosaurs' and 'birds' are the wrong way round here. There are also numerous spelling errors that one would not expect to see in a scientific book such as this - e.g. yolk spelt 'yoke'.

The problem here is that, once you notice one mistake, you are left wondering how many others you have missed. The end result is that you cannot rely on the information given as being correct. In an educational book such as this every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy of the facts, otherwise those who buy the book in good faith will end up being misinformed - surely the very opposite of the purpose of this kind of publication.


wow! what a book, 09 Feb 2008
if you are interested in prehistoric animals buy this now! i have received a copy today and obviously haven't read the 500 odd pages but i am totally spellbound by the originality, and the comprehensive coverage of hundreds and hundreds of marvellous creatures. the greatest thing is the fact that it starts from the earliest amphibians right through to human ancestry and i can't wait to get stuck in to the text! the illustrations are quite unique and breathtaking. amazing value for money as well

To understand the Burgess Shale fossils read this, 06 May 2005
If you read Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life', you must read this, to get the story right. Gould might be more entertaining, but Morris will give you the facts. Very interesting.

limited but fun, 21 Apr 2004
An interesting, good value book focussing on a particularly rich source offossils that give a detailed account of the range of body plans thatemerged during the Cambrian explosion about 500MYr ago. Not suitable as ageneral text for students of evolution

Wonderful Life reassessed, 28 Nov 2001
A decade on from the publication of Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life' there is much new information to be told about the Burgess Shale and similar deposits around the world, and Conway Morris is in the best place to tell it as one of the leading researchers in this subject. He succeeds brilliantly in bringing the fossils to life by visiting them in a time travelling submersible to view their ecology.
Conway Morris does not agree with Gould's interminable arguments for contingency in 'Wonderful Life' and makes a very strong case for a degree of predictability in evolution, there being only a limited number of ways to scratch a living on planet earth. If you have read 'Wonderful Life' you really should read this.
I can find no justification for the reviewer below complaining of excessive religious content - this is an objective, scientific account seeking to piece evidence together to address important questions, and there is no 'religious' material. Conway Morris does have a philosophical side, however, rightly condemning our current behaviour towards our environment as 'utterly reckless'. Unfortunately, the evolution of consciousness came with extraordinary capacities for greed and self-deception, linked traits that suggest the experiment will not last for very long.

Really interesting!, 18 Jun 2001
This is really interesting! I am new to this, but looked at "crucible" after "wonderful life" and found the perspective illuminating. The references to Stephen J Gould come think and fast but the book stands on its own.

Disappointing. The author's religous beliefs appear often!, 21 Dec 2000
My feelings about this book clearly differ from the other reviewers. As an update to Wonderful Life (for example), presenting the newer interpretations of Burgess shale organisms and some ideas on the eclogy of the Burgess shale, it is interesting enough.

But Conway Morris is not shy about making his religous and political views clear, and too much of this book reads as an attack on S.J. Gould for what Morris appears to think of as a threateningly atheistic interpretation of the nature of history (please read Gould's absolutely wonderful "Wonderful Life"). Intermixed with the science of this book you'll find statements by theologians used to try to bolster Conway Morris' view of the history of life. As a professional scientist (albeit in a totally different field) I found this to be totally innapropriate, even if it is "just" a popular science book.

If you are fascinated by the Cambrian explosion, then maybe buy the paperback, but be warned: there is a lot of religion mixed in.

fascinating new discoveries, bang up to date, 04 Dec 2007
a well written and beautifully illustrated, thoroughly modern overview of dinosaurs.includes sections on discovery, anatomy, lifestyle and habitat as well as describing and illustrating over 3oo mesozoic creatures including pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, icthyosaurs.bang up to date including my 1st view of feathered primitive tyrannosaurs along with thomas r. holtz's new book the best,modern look at the great dinosaurs, worth every penny

From Dinosaurs to Birds - A Bunch of Intermediates, 31 Oct 2008
It is quite an opulent edition. Big book format, good quality paper and an abundance of colorful dinosaur illustrations. But on close inspection, some irritating flaws emerge.
First of all there is the "generalist" part of the book, laying the foundation for the species profiles. It discusses various carnivorous dinosaur families and how these seem to lead, by careful evolutionary steps, to the first birds. The text is interesting but the "dinosaurs-birds" connection comes through somewhat weakly. The arguments are there all right, but I have read much stronger propositions on the subject, "Dino-Birds" and "Glorified Dinosaurs" for instance. And there is virtually nothing on the most crucial question of the origin of flight
Then we come to the main part of the book, the profiles themselves. Well, there is a very good representation from all relevant dinosaur and bird families, with many obscure and / or recently discovered species, mainly form the current paleontologist's paradise, the Liaoning Province in China. The emphasis, of course, is on the feathered dinosaur species, but it seems to me that the author and artist take the opportunity to put feathers in as many reptiles as possible, even on scant paleontological evidence. Perhaps they thought this way it would be easier for the general public to understand the continuum between the two animal groups, but poetic and artistic license may go just a bit too far. Finally, the artist's comments on why he chose animal postures and colors were a nice documentation touch, but his arguments are not always convincing and the images themselves sometimes verge, to my opinion, on the kitsch.
Overall it is a good try on the subject, one of the most controversial in modern paleontology, but it could have done with less flamboyance and more quality and substance.

Narrow on scope but very interesting , 26 Jan 2008
Prehistoric sea reptiles of the Mesozoic are as interesting as their terrestrial cousins and contemporaries, the Dinosaurs. The problem is there are not many books available for them, at least not for non-scientists. So when one such book comes along, you grab it. And get a mixed reaction.
Let's have the positive aspect first. It is a well written book, easy to follow even if you have no previous idea about paleontology. There is a clear methodology in its presentation of Mesozoic sea reptiles, their families and evolution. Also the supplements about famous fossil hunters and methods of fossil excavation and preparation are useful and give one an accurate idea of the immense task of bringing slowly, painfully, to life the fragments of Earth's life history glimpsed through fragmentary fossils scattered all over the globe. And of course the illustrations are of the quality and scientific accuracy which are the hallmark of a "National Geographic" edition.
But the book focuses on just one period of Mesozoic sea life development, namely middle to late Cretaceous, around 82 million years ago. I understand that the film which inspired the book had the same narrow focus, and I fully sympathize with the time and costs constraints imposing that narrowness. But the book could have moved beyond these limits and present a full account of prehistoric sea reptiles. Also, I think that at least some data were repeated many times throughout the book, in different forms, without offering any new perspectives. Finally the 3-D images were sensational but they were more of an interesting trick than an informational tool.
Overall it was a good book and it gave a scientifically accurate picture of Cretaceous Sea Life, accessible to all interested audiences. But it could have been much more if it had used the 3-D movie as a starting point instead of an exclusive inspiration.

Fabulous Monsters, 29 Oct 2008
Bought this book to go with Nigel's DVD Walking with Sea Monsters - the DVD is great, but the book is outstanding. A real treasure!!! Delivered promptly and well packed as usual. Thank you.

Good, but too many mistakes to be reliable, 16 Aug 2008
For the most part, this book makes a fascinating and highly informative read. It details extinct animals from a wide variety of groups and time periods - the dinosaurs in particular are excellently represented, with almost every known species featured. Other animal groups appear in lesser numbers, but well-known pterosaurs, plesiosaurs and prehistoric mammals all make an appearance. In addition, lesser-known extinct animals are included, such as early amphibians and the mammal-like reptiles.

However, there are a few glaring errors which cannot be overlooked. For example, the nimravids are described as cats, when they were in fact a completely separate family - Nimravidae, as opposed to Felidae (the cat family). Two of the prehistoric whales, Rodhocetus and Basilosaurus, are classified in their information boxes as primates, which is obviously incorrect. One sentence reads: 'It has been accepted for some time that the dinosaurs evolved from birds' - clearly the words 'dinosaurs' and 'birds' are the wrong way round here. There are also numerous spelling errors that one would not expect to see in a scientific book such as this - e.g. yolk spelt 'yoke'.

The problem here is that, once you notice one mistake, you are left wondering how many others you have missed. The end result is that you cannot rely on the information given as being correct. In an educational book such as this every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy of the facts, otherwise those who buy the book in good faith will end up being misinformed - surely the very opposite of the purpose of this kind of publication.


wow! what a book, 09 Feb 2008
if you are interested in prehistoric animals buy this now! i have received a copy today and obviously haven't read the 500 odd pages but i am totally spellbound by the originality, and the comprehensive coverage of hundreds and hundreds of marvellous creatures. the greatest thing is the fact that it starts from the earliest amphibians right through to human ancestry and i can't wait to get stuck in to the text! the illustrations are quite unique and breathtaking. amazing value for money as well

To understand the Burgess Shale fossils read this, 06 May 2005
If you read Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life', you must read this, to get the story right. Gould might be more entertaining, but Morris will give you the facts. Very interesting.

limited but fun, 21 Apr 2004
An interesting, good value book focussing on a particularly rich source offossils that give a detailed account of the range of body plans thatemerged during the Cambrian explosion about 500MYr ago. Not suitable as ageneral text for students of evolution

Wonderful Life reassessed, 28 Nov 2001
A decade on from the publication of Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life' there is much new information to be told about the Burgess Shale and similar deposits around the world, and Conway Morris is in the best place to tell it as one of the leading researchers in this subject. He succeeds brilliantly in bringing the fossils to life by visiting them in a time travelling submersible to view their ecology.
Conway Morris does not agree with Gould's interminable arguments for contingency in 'Wonderful Life' and makes a very strong case for a degree of predictability in evolution, there being only a limited number of ways to scratch a living on planet earth. If you have read 'Wonderful Life' you really should read this.
I can find no justification for the reviewer below complaining of excessive religious content - this is an objective, scientific account seeking to piece evidence together to address important questions, and there is no 'religious' material. Conway Morris does have a philosophical side, however, rightly condemning our current behaviour towards our environment as 'utterly reckless'. Unfortunately, the evolution of consciousness came with extraordinary capacities for greed and self-deception, linked traits that suggest the experiment will not last for very long.

Really interesting!, 18 Jun 2001
This is really interesting! I am new to this, but looked at "crucible" after "wonderful life" and found the perspective illuminating. The references to Stephen J Gould come think and fast but the book stands on its own.

Disappointing. The author's religous beliefs appear often!, 21 Dec 2000
My feelings about this book clearly differ from the other reviewers. As an update to Wonderful Life (for example), presenting the newer interpretations of Burgess shale organisms and some ideas on the eclogy of the Burgess shale, it is interesting enough.

But Conway Morris is not shy about making his religous and political views clear, and too much of this book reads as an attack on S.J. Gould for what Morris appears to think of as a threateningly atheistic interpretation of the nature of history (please read Gould's absolutely wonderful "Wonderful Life"). Intermixed with the science of this book you'll find statements by theologians used to try to bolster Conway Morris' view of the history of life. As a professional scientist (albeit in a totally different field) I found this to be totally innapropriate, even if it is "just" a popular science book.

If you are fascinated by the Cambrian explosion, then maybe buy the paperback, but be warned: there is a lot of religion mixed in.

fascinating new discoveries, bang up to date, 04 Dec 2007
a well written and beautifully illustrated, thoroughly modern overview of dinosaurs.includes sections on discovery, anatomy, lifestyle and habitat as well as describing and illustrating over 3oo mesozoic creatures including pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, icthyosaurs.bang up to date including my 1st view of feathered primitive tyrannosaurs along with thomas r. holtz's new book the best,modern look at the great dinosaurs, worth every penny

From Dinosaurs to Birds - A Bunch of Intermediates, 31 Oct 2008
It is quite an opulent edition. Big book format, good quality paper and an abundance of colorful dinosaur illustrations. But on close inspection, some irritating flaws emerge.
First of all there is the "generalist" part of the book, laying the foundation for the species profiles. It discusses various carnivorous dinosaur families and how these seem to lead, by careful evolutionary steps, to the first birds. The text is interesting but the "dinosaurs-birds" connection comes through somewhat weakly. The arguments are there all right, but I have read much stronger propositions on the subject, "Dino-Birds" and "Glorified Dinosaurs" for instance. And there is virtually nothing on the most crucial question of the origin of flight
Then we come to the main part of the book, the profiles themselves. Well, there is a very good representation from all relevant dinosaur and bird families, with many obscure and / or recently discovered species, mainly form the current paleontologist's paradise, the Liaoning Province in China. The emphasis, of course, is on the feathered dinosaur species, but it seems to me that the author and artist take the opportunity to put feathers in as many reptiles as possible, even on scant paleontological evidence. Perhaps they thought this way it would be easier for the general public to understand the continuum between the two animal groups, but poetic and artistic license may go just a bit too far. Finally, the artist's comments on why he chose animal postures and colors were a nice documentation touch, but his arguments are not always convincing and the images themselves sometimes verge, to my opinion, on the kitsch.
Overall it is a good try on the subject, one of the most controversial in modern paleontology, but it could have done with less flamboyance and more quality and substance.

Narrow on scope but very interesting , 26 Jan 2008
Prehistoric sea reptiles of the Mesozoic are as interesting as their terrestrial cousins and contemporaries, the Dinosaurs. The problem is there are not many books available for them, at least not for non-scientists. So when one such book comes along, you grab it. And get a mixed reaction.
Let's have the positive aspect first. It is a well written book, easy to follow even if you have no previous idea about paleontology. There is a clear methodology in its presentation of Mesozoic sea reptiles, their families and evolution. Also the supplements about famous fossil hunters and methods of fossil excavation and preparation are useful and give one an accurate idea of the immense task of bringing slowly, painfully, to life the fragments of Earth's life history glimpsed through fragmentary fossils scattered all over the globe. And of course the illustrations are of the quality and scientific accuracy which are the hallmark of a "National Geographic" edition.
But the book focuses on just one period of Mesozoic sea life development, namely middle to late Cretaceous, around 82 million years ago. I understand that the film which inspired the book had the same narrow focus, and I fully sympathize with the time and costs constraints imposing that narrowness. But the book could have moved beyond these limits and present a full account of prehistoric sea reptiles. Also, I think that at least some data were repeated many times throughout the book, in different forms, without offering any new perspectives. Finally the 3-D images were sensational but they were more of an interesting trick than an informational tool.
Overall it was a good book and it gave a scientifically accurate picture of Cretaceous Sea Life, accessible to all interested audiences. But it could have been much more if it had used the 3-D movie as a starting point instead of an exclusive inspiration.

Fabulous Monsters, 29 Oct 2008
Bought this book to go with Nigel's DVD Walking with Sea Monsters - the DVD is great, but the book is outstanding. A real treasure!!! Delivered promptly and well packed as usual. Thank you.

Too early?, 28 Dec 2008
The topic of this book is hugely interesting. So far, very few dinosaur fossils with remains of skin and other soft tissue have been found. This is a pity because they can yield so much additional information regarding these long-dead animals.
The main character of Phillip Manning's book is the fossilised hadrosaur, nicknamed Dakota. Dakota, found in 1999, promises to be the best and most completely preserved dinosaur mummy so far discovered. With a bit of luck, not only the skin will be there, but also internal organs and tissue - duly petrified, of course. Alas, the book does not tell us much about Dakota. By the time the book for some reason had to go into press, most of the fossil was still encased in the block of rock in which it had been removed, and the attempts to perform a CT (sort of a 3-dimensional x-ray) scan ended - after many pages in the book - in the complete break-down of the equipment. No scan result, apart from a bit of the tail, is described. There isn't even a good picture of any part of Dakota in the book (but to compensate, several of the author...).
The book instead contains a lot of other matter, of more or less relevance. The early carreer of the author is maybe of less interest, but there are some good bits on the natural processes which have resulted in the fossils we find today.
Once Dakota has been freed completely and the CT device has been fixed, we look very much forward to a new edition of Manning's book, with all the scientific goodies found.

Good, but too many mistakes to be reliable, 16 Aug 2008
For the most part, this book makes a fascinating and highly informative read. It details extinct animals from a wide variety of groups and time periods - the dinosaurs in particular are excellently represented, with almost every known species featured. Other animal groups appear in lesser numbers, but well-known pterosaurs, plesiosaurs and prehistoric mammals all make an appearance. In addition, lesser-known extinct animals are included, such as early amphibians and the mammal-like reptiles.

However, there are a few glaring errors which cannot be overlooked. For example, the nimravids are described as cats, when they were in fact a completely separate family - Nimravidae, as opposed to Felidae (the cat family). Two of the prehistoric whales, Rodhocetus and Basilosaurus, are classified in their information boxes as primates, which is obviously incorrect. One sentence reads: 'It has been accepted for some time that the dinosaurs evolved from birds' - clearly the words 'dinosaurs' and 'birds' are the wrong way round here. There are also numerous spelling errors that one would not expect to see in a scientific book such as this - e.g. yolk spelt 'yoke'.

The problem here is that, once you notice one mistake, you are left wondering how many others you have missed. The end result is that you cannot rely on the information given as being correct. In an educational book such as this every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy of the facts, otherwise those who buy the book in good faith will end up being misinformed - surely the very opposite of the purpose of this kind of publication.


wow! what a book, 09 Feb 2008
if you are interested in prehistoric animals buy this now! i have received a copy today and obviously haven't read the 500 odd pages but i am totally spellbound by the originality, and the comprehensive coverage of hundreds and hundreds of marvellous creatures. the greatest thing is the fact that it starts from the earliest amphibians right through to human ancestry and i can't wait to get stuck in to the text! the illustrations are quite unique and breathtaking. amazing value for money as well

To understand the Burgess Shale fossils read this, 06 May 2005
If you read Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life', you must read this, to get the story right. Gould might be more entertaining, but Morris will give you the facts. Very interesting.

limited but fun, 21 Apr 2004
An interesting, good value book focussing on a particularly rich source offossils that give a detailed account of the range of body plans thatemerged during the Cambrian explosion about 500MYr ago. Not suitable as ageneral text for students of evolution

Wonderful Life reassessed, 28 Nov 2001
A decade on from the publication of Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life' there is much new information to be told about the Burgess Shale and similar deposits around the world, and Conway Morris is in the best place to tell it as one of the leading researchers in this subject. He succeeds brilliantly in bringing the fossils to life by visiting them in a time travelling submersible to view their ecology.
Conway Morris does not agree with Gould's interminable arguments for contingency in 'Wonderful Life' and makes a very strong case for a degree of predictability in evolution, there being only a limited number of ways to scratch a living on planet earth. If you have read 'Wonderful Life' you really should read this.
I can find no justification for the reviewer below complaining of excessive religious content - this is an objective, scientific account seeking to piece evidence together to address important questions, and there is no 'religious' material. Conway Morris does have a philosophical side, however, rightly condemning our current behaviour towards our environment as 'utterly reckless'. Unfortunately, the evolution of consciousness came with extraordinary capacities for greed and self-deception, linked traits that suggest the experiment will not last for very long.

Really interesting!, 18 Jun 2001
This is really interesting! I am new to this, but looked at "crucible" after "wonderful life" and found the perspective illuminating. The references to Stephen J Gould come think and fast but the book stands on its own.

Disappointing. The author's religous beliefs appear often!, 21 Dec 2000
My feelings about this book clearly differ from the other reviewers. As an update to Wonderful Life (for example), presenting the newer interpretations of Burgess shale organisms and some ideas on the eclogy of the Burgess shale, it is interesting enough.

But Conway Morris is not shy about making his religous and political views clear, and too much of this book reads as an attack on S.J. Gould for what Morris appears to think of as a threateningly atheistic interpretation of the nature of history (please read Gould's absolutely wonderful "Wonderful Life"). Intermixed with the science of this book you'll find statements by theologians used to try to bolster Conway Morris' view of the history of life. As a professional scientist (albeit in a totally different field) I found this to be totally innapropriate, even if it is "just" a popular science book.

If you are fascinated by the Cambrian explosion, then maybe buy the paperback, but be warned: there is a lot of religion mixed in.

fascinating new discoveries, bang up to date, 04 Dec 2007
a well written and beautifully illustrated, thoroughly modern overview of dinosaurs.includes sections on discovery, anatomy, lifestyle and habitat as well as describing and illustrating over 3oo mesozoic creatures including pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, icthyosaurs.bang up to date including my 1st view of feathered primitive tyrannosaurs along with thomas r. holtz's new book the best,modern look at the great dinosaurs, worth every penny

From Dinosaurs to Birds - A Bunch of Intermediates, 31 Oct 2008
It is quite an opulent edition. Big book format, good quality paper and an abundance of colorful dinosaur illustrations. But on close inspection, some irritating flaws emerge.
First of all there is the "generalist" part of the book, laying the foundation for the species profiles. It discusses various carnivorous dinosaur families and how these seem to lead, by careful evolutionary steps, to the first birds. The text is interesting but the "dinosaurs-birds" connection comes through somewhat weakly. The arguments are there all right, but I have read much stronger propositions on the subject, "Dino-Birds" and "Glorified Dinosaurs" for instance. And there is virtually nothing on the most crucial question of the origin of flight
Then we come to the main part of the book, the profiles themselves. Well, there is a very good representation from all relevant dinosaur and bird families, with many obscure and / or recently discovered species, mainly form the current paleontologist's paradise, the Liaoning Province in China. The emphasis, of course, is on the feathered dinosaur species, but it seems to me that the author and artist take the opportunity to put feathers in as many reptiles as possible, even on scant paleontological evidence. Perhaps they thought this way it would be easier for the general public to understand the continuum between the two animal groups, but poetic and artistic license may go just a bit too far. Finally, the artist's comments on why he chose animal postures and colors were a nice documentation touch, but his arguments are not always convincing and the images themselves sometimes verge, to my opinion, on the kitsch.
Overall it is a good try on the subject, one of the most controversial in modern paleontology, but it could have done with less flamboyance and more quality and substance.

Narrow on scope but very interesting , 26 Jan 2008
Prehistoric sea reptiles of the Mesozoic are as interesting as their terrestrial cousins and contemporaries, the Dinosaurs. The problem is there are not many books available for them, at least not for non-scientists. So when one such book comes along, you grab it. And get a mixed reaction.
Let's have the positive aspect first. It is a well written book, easy to follow even if you have no previous idea about paleontology. There is a clear methodology in its presentation of Mesozoic sea reptiles, their families and evolution. Also the supplements about famous fossil hunters and methods of fossil excavation and preparation are useful and give one an accurate idea of the immense task of bringing slowly, painfully, to life the fragments of Earth's life history glimpsed through fragmentary fossils scattered all over the globe. And of course the illustrations are of the quality and scientific accuracy which are the hallmark of a "National Geographic" edition.
But the book focuses on just one period of Mesozoic sea life development, namely middle to late Cretaceous, around 82 million years ago. I understand that the film which inspired the book had the same narrow focus, and I fully sympathize with the time and costs constraints imposing that narrowness. But the book could have moved beyond these limits and present a full account of prehistoric sea reptiles. Also, I think that at least some data were repeated many times throughout the book, in different forms, without offering any new perspectives. Finally the 3-D images were sensational but they were more of an interesting trick than an informational tool.
Overall it was a good book and it gave a scientifically accurate picture of Cretaceous Sea Life, accessible to all interested audiences. But it could have been much more if it had used the 3-D movie as a starting point instead of an exclusive inspiration.

Fabulous Monsters, 29 Oct 2008
Bought this book to go with Nigel's DVD Walking with Sea Monsters - the DVD is great, but the book is outstanding. A real treasure!!! Delivered promptly and well packed as usual. Thank you.

Too early?, 28 Dec 2008
The topic of this book is hugely interesting. So far, very few dinosaur fossils with remains of skin and other soft tissue have been found. This is a pity because they can yield so much additional information regarding these long-dead animals.
The main character of Phillip Manning's book is the fossilised hadrosaur, nicknamed Dakota. Dakota, found in 1999, promises to be the best and most completely preserved dinosaur mummy so far discovered. With a bit of luck, not only the skin will be there, but also internal organs and tissue - duly petrified, of course. Alas, the book does not tell us much about Dakota. By the time the book for some reason had to go into press, most of the fossil was still encased in the block of rock in which it had been removed, and the attempts to perform a CT (sort of a 3-dimensional x-ray) scan ended - after many pages in the book - in the complete break-down of the equipment. No scan result, apart from a bit of the tail, is described. There isn't even a good picture of any part of Dakota in the book (but to compensate, several of the author...).
The book instead contains a lot of other matter, of more or less relevance. The early carreer of the author is maybe of less interest, but there are some good bits on the natural processes which have resulted in the fossils we find today.
Once Dakota has been freed completely and the CT device has been fixed, we look very much forward to a new edition of Manning's book, with all the scientific goodies found.

Buy for the graphics not for the text, 06 Sep 2007
The idea that this relatively thin volume could possibly be a 'complete' guide to 500 million years of evolution is faintly and in fact this book only scratches the surface of our limited knowledge of prehistoric life. The inclusion of 'complete' in the title actually refers to the fact that this book is a companion to all three of the 'Walking With' TV series - Dinosaurs, Monsters, and Beasts).

There are about 100 animals featured (no plants) each covering one or two pages. The text begins with describing the animal and its probable lifestyle, then goes on to the discovery of the first fossils and its place in the evolutionary tree. This last bit is very confusing and little is gained by its inclusion. In fact the whole text would be better presented as a 'fact file' with small paragraphs under each subject, such as food, habitat, taxonomy etc.

The big advantage this book has over its competitors is the full weight of computer graphics that comes from its link to the three TV series'. All the pictures featured (over 200) are stills from these films and they go a long way to bringing prehistoric creatures to life on the page. The only disappointment with this is that the majority are merely pictures of the animal standing in its environment rather than in the behavioural poses that was such a great feature on the TV.

In terms of reliability it falls woefully short of many other publications. For a start it manages to contradict itself on several occasions. More importantly however there are certain important bits that the book gets horribly wrong such as confusing reptile with lizard. These are serious errors because they are not realised unless you have some knowledge of prehistoric life already, so can mislead many readers - a sacrilege for a 'guide book'!

In short this book should not be relied upon as the source of your prehistoric knowledge. In terms of illustration it is good and is perhaps more entertaining than others, so may be better for attracting young people to the subject. Having said that it's probably better (and by now possibly cheaper) to buy the DVDs!

Eye-catching but inaccurate, 19 Apr 2007
The authors of this book were perhaps a little presumptuous when giving it a title - it goes without saying that this slim volume is hardly the 'complete' guide to prehistoric life. It does, however, feature almost all the creatures that appeared in the B.B.C. series 'Walking With Monsters', 'Walking With Dinosaurs' and 'Walking With Beasts', as well as additional species.

For the most part, the computer-generated images of the animals are excellent (though the cave lion is incorrectly proportioned, being depicted with a short tail when it was, in fact, identical to modern lions except for being larger and would therefore have had a long tail).

Unfortunately, though the majority of the information given is correct, there are an unacceptable number of mistakes in the text. Many are simple schoolboy errors, such as using the word ancestor in place of descendant, or stating that 'artiodactyl' means 'odd-toed' when in fact it means 'even-toed'. Some may even be typographical errors - for example, it is stated that Smilodon became extinct 100,000 years ago, when it actually became extinct only 10,000 years ago. In either case, these should have been picked up at the editing stage and should not have made it into final print.

What I found more irritating was the apparently deliberate mistranslation of the word 'saurus' (which means 'lizard') as 'reptile' in the case of almost every creature with this as part of its name. Anyone with even a passing interest in palaeontology knows that the name of the famous Tyrannosaurus translates as 'tyrant lizard' - here, however, it is translated as 'terrible reptile'. Whilst it is true that many of these animals were named when dinosaurs were believed to be cold-blooded, lizard-like creatures, one cannot simply change the meaning of the word to reflect our new knowledge.

It is one thing to overlook facts here and there in a work of fiction, but in a supposedly educational reference book I feel every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy of the information, else what is the point? In short, if you buy this book, do so only for the handsome reconstructions of the animals - as an accurate source of knowledge, it should not be relied upon.

Nice compilation of ancient "beasts", 16 Jan 2006
This volume by Tim Haines of "Walking with..." fame is a handsome compilation of some (perhaps even all?) of the many ocreatures featured in those series. There is at least one late inclusion which did not feature in any of the series - and I seem to recollect that there may be a few other welcome interlopers representing more recent discoveries.

Each creature is allocated one, or, in some cases, two pages of background information and at least one "photo". This kind of space doesn't allow for any indepth review or discussion, but, that's not the purpose of this volume - its a quick overview of a host of more eye catching or significant species from our deep past.

The book would be ideal of as a momento of the Walking with Monsters, Dinosaurs and Beasts series - note that the "creatures" of Walking with Cavemen are not represented within this book - I guess because they wanted to retain the relatively more exotic feel associated with non-humanoid creatures.

It is pitched at least at an early secondary school level, but would be adequate for the interested laymen of any age greater than that. It assumes little prior knowledge, and is very accessible.

This book is suitable for those fascinated by ancient life (although not overly academic in their fascination) and who enjoyed the way in the which the "Walking with" series tried to depict a sample of that life. It is a colourful, vivid "family album" of many of the fascinating, improbable, and/or dramatic creatures which once walked this world.

Re: A Monster of a Book!, 14 Dec 2005
This book does exactly what it says on the cover. As a guide to the prehistoric world it really is unbeatable. It takes you from the formation of the Earth, 4.5 billion years ago, through to the modern day. As well as getting a potted history of life on Earth, this book also acts as an encyclopedia to prehistoric.

By my count over 100 animals (from all time periods) are portrayed in detail using the realistic computer generated photographs that Walking with Dinos is famous for. Each animal has one or two pages devoted to including several hundred words of text that describes what it looked like, where and when it lived, how it may have behaviour and also its evolutionary history and the history of its discovery. There is a lot of information packed in, including some amazing facts.

I am familiar with books on fossils and dinosaurs and I must say that this is one of the best ones I've come across. It manages to get that rare balance of being informative without being dull. I would recommend it to children and adults alike.

Well put together and inclusive of the latest research, 14 Nov 2005
I have followed Tim Haines’ road to Earth’s prehistoric life and I have thoroughly enjoyed both “Walking with Dinosaurs” and “Walking with Beasts” in their book and TV series formats. This latest addition, covering the whole story, from the first stirrings of life in the Cambrian up to the emergence of Homo Sapiens, is up to the high standards set by the previous books.
The text is very well written and manages to be quite thorough and to the point, given the small space allowed for each of the examined geological periods and individual species. The authors always try to include the latest results scientific research has to offer, for the various prehistoric creatures presented. At the same time, they are very careful to point out the huge gaps in our knowledge about prehistoric life, due to the scarcity of the fossil record. And of course they make a lot of educated guesses, but these are an indispensable part of paleontology.
Given the restricted space of the book, it is unavoidable that only a handful of prehistoric species are presented, so one may regret the absence of special favorites. My personal regret is the absence of Caudipteryx or, for that matter, of anyone of the feathered dinosaurs, discovered in China during the 90s. Certainly, they are referred to when the authors examine bipedal carnivorous dromaeosaurids, trying to establish the dinosaurs-birds connection, but it is not the same. And I would also like to have estimations about each species’ weight included in its data table, a matter not always covered in the text.
Putting this minor regrets aside, along with some typing errors, which should not have made it to the final print of a BBC edition, the book is both educating and entertaining in the extreme. The vivid text, along with the superb CGI illustrations and the very clear chronological table and diagrams at the end, go a long way to ensure the reader’s pleasure.

Good, but too many mistakes to be reliable, 16 Aug 2008
For the most part, this book makes a fascinating and highly informative read. It details extinct animals from a wide variety of groups and time periods - the dinosaurs in particular are excellently represented, with almost every known species featured. Other animal groups appear in lesser numbers, but well-known pterosaurs, plesiosaurs and prehistoric mammals all make an appearance. In addition, lesser-known extinct animals are included, such as early amphibians and the mammal-like reptiles.

However, there are a few glaring errors which cannot be overlooked. For example, the nimravids are described as cats, when they were in fact a completely separate family - Nimravidae, as opposed to Felidae (the cat family). Two of the prehistoric whales, Rodhocetus and Basilosaurus, are classified in their information boxes as primates, which is obviously incorrect. One sentence reads: 'It has been accepted for some time that the dinosaurs evolved from birds' - clearly the words 'dinosaurs' and 'birds' are the wrong way round here. There are also numerous spelling errors that one would not expect to see in a scientific book such as this - e.g. yolk spelt 'yoke'.

The problem here is that, once you notice one mistake, you are left wondering how many others you have missed. The end result is that you cannot rely on the information given as being correct. In an educational book such as this every effort should be made to ensure the accuracy of the facts, otherwise those who buy the book in good faith will end up being misinformed - surely the very opposite of the purpose of this kind of publication.


wow! what a book, 09 Feb 2008
if you are interested in prehistoric animals buy this now! i have received a copy today and obviously haven't read the 500 odd pages but i am totally spellbound by the originality, and the comprehensive coverage of hundreds and hundreds of marvellous creatures. the greatest thing is the fact that it starts from the earliest amphibians right through to human ancestry and i can't wait to get stuck in to the text! the illustrations are quite unique and breathtaking. amazing value for money as well

To understand the Burgess Shale fossils read this, 06 May 2005
If you read Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life', you must read this, to get the story right. Gould might be more entertaining, but Morris will give you the facts. Very interesting.

limited but fun, 21 Apr 2004
An interesting, good value book focussing on a particularly rich source offossils that give a detailed account of the range of body plans thatemerged during the Cambrian explosion about 500MYr ago. Not suitable as ageneral text for students of evolution

Wonderful Life reassessed, 28 Nov 2001
A decade on from the publication of Stephen Jay Gould's 'Wonderful Life' there is much new information to be told about the Burgess Shale and similar deposits around the world, and Conway Morris is in the best place to tell it as one of the leading researchers in this subject. He succeeds brilliantly in bringing the fossils to life by visiting them in a time travelling submersible to view their ecology.
Conway Morris does not agree with Gould's interminable arguments for contingency in 'Wonderful Life' and makes a very strong case for a degree of predictability in evolution, there being only a limited number of ways to scratch a living on planet earth. If you have read 'Wonderful Life' you really should read this.
I can find no justification for the reviewer below complaining of excessive religious content - this is an objective, scientific account seeking to piece evidence together to address important questions, and there is no 'religious' material. Conway Morris does have a philosophical side, however, rightly condemning our current behaviour towards our environment as 'utterly reckless'. Unfortunately, the evolution of consciousness came with extraordinary capacities for greed and self-deception, linked traits that suggest the experiment will not last for very long.

Really interesting!, 18 Jun 2001
This is really interesting! I am new to this, but looked at "crucible" after "wonderful life" and found the perspective illuminating. The references to Stephen J Gould come think and fast but the book stands on its own.

Disappointing. The author's religous beliefs appear often!, 21 Dec 2000
My feelings about this book clearly differ from the other reviewers. As an update to Wonderful Life (for example), presenting the newer interpretations of Burgess shale organisms and some ideas on the eclogy of the Burgess shale, it is interesting enough.

But Conway Morris is not shy about making his religous and political views clear, and too much of this book reads as an attack on S.J. Gould for what Morris appears to think of as a threateningly atheistic interpretation of the nature of history (please read Gould's absolutely wonderful "Wonderful Life"). Intermixed with the science of this book you'll find statements by theologians used to try to bolster Conway Morris' view of the history of life. As a professional scientist (albeit in a totally different field) I found this to be totally innapropriate, even if it is "just" a popular science book.

If you are fascinated by the Cambrian explosion, then maybe buy the paperback, but be warned: there is a lot of religion mixed in.

fascinating new discoveries, bang up to date, 04 Dec 2007
a well written and beautifully illustrated, thoroughly modern overview of dinosaurs.includes sections on discovery, anatomy, lifestyle and habitat as well as describing and illustrating over 3oo mesozoic creatures including pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, icthyosaurs.bang up to date including my 1st view of feathered primitive tyrannosaurs along with thomas r. holtz's new book the best,modern look at the great dinosaurs, worth every penny

From Dinosaurs to Birds - A Bunch of Intermediates, 31 Oct 2008
It is quite an opulent edition. Big book format, good quality paper and an abundance of colorful dinosaur illustrations. But on close inspection, some irritating flaws emerge.
First of all there is the "generalist" part of t