In three weeks, TorDotCom are due to publish the latest, highly-anticipated new novella by Ian McDonald: BOY, WITH ACCIDENTAL DINOSAUR! It is the “story of an orphan in a fractured Southwest who just wants to ride a dinosaur under the lights”, and could be thought of as “How to Train Your Dragon meets Mad Max”. The book will be available on February 3rd. Here’s the synopsis…

Come one, come all to the dinosaur rodeo!

Tif Tamim wants nothing more than to be a dinosaur buckaroo. An orphan in search of a place to rest his head and a job to weigh down his pockets, Tif has bounced from circus to circus, yearning for a chance to ride a prehistoric beauty under the sparkling lights of a big-top.

To become a buckaroo, Tif needs to learn the tools of the trade, yet few dino maestros want to take a scrawny nobody from nowhere under their wing. But when Tif frees a dino from an abusive owner and braves the roving gangs of the formerly-American west to bring the dino to safety, he catches someone’s eye. And boy, how those eyes dazzle Tif from the back of a bucking carnotaur.

The novella has already received a couple of great reviews…

‘Combining the futuristic wastelands and clan wars of Mad Max with a gate to John Scalzi’s Kaiju Preservation Society, this story of found family, big dreams, and the inevitable heartbreak of responsibility will appeal to readers of coming-of-age novels with a twist and anyone who knows they couldn’t resist loving a wild creature even as they try to return it to where it belongs.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘Bejeweled, dinosaur-riding buckaroos are the stars of the show in this equal-parts rollicking and poignant sci-fi novella…. Dinosaur lovers and sci-fi fans are sure to fall for this inventive coming-of-age story.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)