Dinotopia: First Flight

“Critics have gushed over Gurney’s phantasmagorical creation, likening him to such venerated literary fantasists as Jules Verne, Wells, and J. R. R. Tolkien.” – People Magazine James Gurney’s illustrated Dinotopia series has been an imaginative touchstone for a generation of readers of all ages. This new definitive edition of Dinotopia: First Flight brings together an extensive collection of James Gurney’s stories, artwork, and story notes from the ancient origins of the land where humans and dinosaurs coexist. That peaceful world was forged on the flames of conflict in a dramatic Age of Heroes. First Flight tells a timeless tale of partnership and courage, where unlikely heroes cooperate to overcome the greatest challenge yet to face Dinotopia. This lavishly produced volume begins with an unabridged republication of Gurney’s influential 1999 story about the adventures of Gideon Altaire. Gideon escapes from his post as a drone pilot, befriends a small band of animal characters, and becomes the first human to fly on the back of a giant pterosaur known as a skybax.
Together they challenge a bold attempt by the rogue leaders of Poseidos to overturn the tenuous balance between humans and dinosaurs. The second half of the book includes a bonus of over 45 new images, including never-before-published storyboards, concept sketches, and production paintings, plus new characters, stories, and backstory notes from James Gurney’s creative archives. The supplement begins with a cinematic treatment about a character named Blake Terrapin, who leads the resistance on the ground while Gideon takes to the air. Together, the elements of this richly imagined volume combine to conjure a richly textured world, and will serve as an exciting companion volume to Gurney’s other Dinotopia books.

Author Biography

Before writing and illustrating Dinotopia, James Gurney painted reconstructions of ancient civilizations for National Geographic magazine. He has illustrated seventeen stamps for the U.S. Postal Service, including The World of Dinosaurs.
His Dinotopia artwork has won the Hugo, Chesley, Spectrum, and World Fantasy Awards and has been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and the Delaware Art Museum.