The Lost Sea by Toby J. Nichols
Anyone who knows me knows I am drawn to the cover of a book. Pair that with my love for stories in the sci-fi genre as well as an affinity for toothy creatures, and The Lost Sea by Toby J. Nichols grabbed my attention and didn’t let go.
The story is based in Queensland. Jessie, a cattle rancher, has scheduled a mustering expedition. A routine helicopter flyover to check on the herd ends up taking a turn for the worse. He and his crew have no idea what is in store for them when they find themselves 65 million years in the past. It’s a battle to survive and figure out how to return to their rightful spot on the timeline while Jessie fights an internal battle with himself over what he really wants. Stranded and hunted, the characters fight to survive and make it home.
This story was a pure delight. As I was reading, I had nostalgic feelings for Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, one of my favorite books. The action in The Lost Sea is just as gritty and dangerous. The monstrous eye candy on the cover does not disappoint or overpower the excitement on the pages. There is a great deal of suspense throughout which kept me enthralled. It is the perfect length to sit and read outside at a cafe while sipping a coffee, which is exactly what I did.
The characters were a lot of fun and easy to differentiate. I enjoyed their distinct and contrasting personalities. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized early on that the book is gay action/horror. It was refreshing to experience diversity in an action story. The characters find a way to work together and accept each other and their differences on their journey to survival. Toby J. Nichols did a great job making me care about them. They were realistic, and their reactions to the situation they were in were believable. The setting was easy to envision and enhanced the story. Don’t let the novella length fool you into thinking you aren’t going to get a well-rounded thrill of a tale.
This is the first story I’ve read from Toby J. Nichols, but I just added another of their books to my TBR stack. Bring on Ice Cave! Those sharp teeth and scales are like catnip to me! I hope you get a chance to check out the author’s website and peruse the variety of works available. I have come to realize as of late that I have been on a steady diet of books by Australian authors. Check out my other blog reviews of The Roo by Alan Baxter and The Cavern by Alister Hodge.
About the Author: Toby J. Nichols also has work under the name T.J. Nichols. TJ Nichols is the best selling author of the Studies in Demonology and Familiar Mates series. They write gay fantasy and paranormal romance, but sometimes gay action/horror as Toby J. Nichols.
This book weighs in at 96 pages. It was published on July 15, 2020 by Severed Press.
