Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Skye Melki-Wegner for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

The third and final book in the Deadlands series! Eleri and his herd brought down the stronghold of the Carrion Kingdom, but now they have an even bigger task - going back to their divided homelands and trying to convince the herds that exiled them to band together to fight against the carnivores.

I really liked this series - while it took some getting used to the different types of dinosaurs in book #1, by book #3, I was all in with the Grotto herd and their motley crew.

I can’t believe this series has come to an end! This has been one of the most enjoyable MG series I’ve read in quite a while. I love the characters and how much personality they have. Eleri, an oryctodromeus, is thoughtful and loves stories and the power of storytelling. Tortha, a triceratops, is a salt-of-the-earth warrior girl. She’s pragmatic and fierce. Sorielle, an ankylosaur, is endlessly curious, especially when it comes to math and science. She’s an inventor. Tiny, timid Zyre, an anurognathid, uses her abilities to fly and to hide easily to listen and gather information. She may be easily frightened, but attack one of her allies, and she will fight back.

The steady pacing kept me reading just one more chapter long past when I planned to quit. The chapters seemed pretty short, which makes it so easy to read one more. So much happens in this book that it felt like a new danger or uncertainty was always springing up. I loved seeing how much the characters have grown through the whole series.

Readers who enjoyed the Warrior series or Wings of Fire will definitely want to pick up this series. Do start at the beginning of the series, as the books build on each other. If you like books featuring animal characters at all, absolutely check these books out.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

I was surprised by how much I ended up loving these series. A rollicking adventure and a satisfying end to a trilogy.

I don't know why I started a middle grade book about talking dinosaurs other than pure curiosity, but I am so glad I did. The depth and nuance that somehow manages to maintain the appropriate age level is fantastic. Survival is the perfect conclusion to this story. It was tense throughout and concluded in an elegant way that tied the series together. I love the characters. Nostalgic notes remind me of the Land Before Time and my childhood obsession with those characters. This will be a series I revisit with my kids when they are a couple years older.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This series is so fun! I really enjoyed the character development and the friendships.
Survival is a great conclusion to The Deadlands trilogy. Pretty fast paced, and lots of action.
I think this series is great for middle grade readers and dino lovers.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy for review.

I’ve read every one of these as they were available and not one has disappointed. This is a fittingly climactic and thrilling conclusion to the trilogy. Election is still unsure of himself and his future but his friends never waver in their loyalty to help him save the warring kingdoms from the evil Carnivore Kingdom who are determined to slaughter them all. Eleri’s wicked brother and Zyre’s deceptive parents also create more hardships and traps for the young exiles to step into every perilous inch of the way, but their dream of peace and uniting their herds holds strong. This is a beautiful tell of a found family supporting each other in the face of almost insurmountable odds and using their talents and cunning to overcome adversity . They face death time and time again and often charge into it recklessly to save their friends, and I will admit more than one happy reunion brought a tear to my eye. I loved every minute of this well crafted story, and the ones that came before it. It truly is a gem of a tale, with everything you could ever want from a story about dinosaurs, but it also transcends that into a moving moral epic about being true to yourself and always trying to make the right choices, even when those you look up to are against you, even when your heroes disappoint you, even when you seem to lose something so precious to you that it is beyond value. Some of the best writing I ave encountered in many years and very much deserving of a Netflix series. Amazing, and to the author, I say, thank you for sharing this beautiful story with us.

I've really enjoyed this trilogy and the adventures of the dinosaurs so much. I've heavily sold the first two books and look forward to having book three so our readers can have a complete adventure.

This was a strong finale to this series, it had everything that I was looking for with dinosaurs and from the previous two books. I loved the use of dinosaurs and getting to go through this world. I’ve loved the covers and how they work in this universe. Skye Melki-Wegner does a great job writing this and I can’t wait to read more from the author.

What worked:
All of the characters are dinosaurs and the plot follows a small band of exiles. Eleri was sent away from his herd in the first book because his warning saved an enemy triceratops from being killed. They’re now best friends. Eleri’s returning to warn the herbivores that the carnivore predators are amassing to attack but there’s a chance he’ll be killed when his former herd spots him. He now has proof that the leaders have been lying to the herds but those same leaders will do anything to stop Eleri. He displays honorable qualities and bravery as he’s willing to sacrifice himself to save others, even if they hate him. However, he's not sure if the bit of starmist embedded inside his body is a blessing or a curse.
Eleri’s brother Agostron has been an antagonist since the beginning of the series and their conflict continues in this book. In the first book, Agostron had a spy follow his younger brother to make sure he was killed so their reunion is unexpected. He’s actually excited when Eleri shows up because he’ll now be able to watch his “traitor” brother die. Agostron is now in a position of power although there’s little information about how he was able to convincingly defeat the Prairie Alliance army. He knows Eleri’s presence and knowledge are a danger to his status so it’s a precarious balance to ensuring his brother dies without revealing dark secrets to the herd.
Eleri’s close relationship with the unlikely members of his Grotto Herd highlights the book. Zyre was once a spy for the carnivores and she still can’t believe Eleri and the others are willing to be her friend. Tortha is Eleri’s best friend and the Triceratops provides a nice blend of fierceness and humor. Her horns and crest are formidable weapons in battle but her nicknames of bug muncher and dirt muncher for Zyre and Eleri are amusing. Lerithon is an immensely large dinosaur but he provides dreams and vague comments regarding future decisions and events that the others must figure out. Sorielle is a lifelong learner with an inventive mind whose curiosity sometimes pops up at the strangest times.
What didn’t work as well:
This book has the same issue as the previous ones. Mental images of the characters are vague since most of the dinosaurs have unfamiliar names. The introduction has descriptions of them but that doesn’t help to envision Eleri, an oryctodromeus (small, speedy herbivore), or an iguanodon (large herbivore with spiked thumbs). Small, inset pictures of the creatures would definitely help. You’ll also need to accept that dinosaurs in this book are able to perform some tasks that require dexterity not found with hooves and claws.
The final verdict:
This book and series are quite engaging, thoughtful, and full of adventure. Eleri is the self-doubting underdog who endears himself to other dinosaurs and young readers. The plot builds to an ultimate climax between the carnivores and herbivores, and a showdown between Eleri and Agostron. I recommend you give this book a shot.

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

A stunning conclusion to a fantastic trilogy! It wraps everything nicely and provides a satisfying conclusion to the intrepid heroes' adventure. I really hope we see more from this world--a sequel, maybe? I'd love to see POV books from the other dinosaurs like Tortha.

A very entertaining and thrilling series, I'll be recommending this to any of the Warriors & Wings of Fire fans who come to the library.