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Untold Secrets of Planet Earth: Dire Dragons
Stunning evidence that the ancients saw dinosaurs and depicted them, calling them ‘dragons’. One of the best books on the subject ever produced.
139 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 3, 2023
Excellent book especially for those with dinosaur loving children!
May 2, 2023
A unique and interesting book showing how close the ancient artwork of dragons matches what we know of dinosaurs today. The pictures and corresponding dinosaur reconstructions are expertly done. Highly recommended for Christian families and anyone interested in God’s wonderful creation.
September 4, 2023
Read it in one sitting, couldn't put it down. The pictures in the book are excellent and the author explains his theory very well. I only wish the book was longer and had more details.
May 22, 2019
Another great book by Vance Nelson! Wonderfully illustrated and photographs are amazing. The author takes the time to really explain in detail about his subject matter, especially in relation to Scripture.
March 2, 2015
Vance Nelson uses his curiosity and knowledge of science and art to explore the possibility that perhaps people have seen living dinosaurs in the past 2,000 years. He does this by investigating well-dated and documented artwork of the 300AD-1800AD period in various countries around the world that include depictions of "dragons" or unnamed creatures that bear a striking resemblance to current renderings of dinosaurs. Why is this surprising? Because paleontology is a rather young science, so these people could not have developed artwork based on dinosaur skeletons. Each illustration/carving/tapestry is compared with current artist renderings of dinosaurs with similar anatomical features and in similar stances. (The artists of the dinosaur renderings were blind in that they never were exposed to the artwork being investigated.) The results are fascinating.
This could have been an absolutely fantastic book, but it had one major downfall. The author didn't just let his findings speak for themselves. He comes off as saying repeatedly, "See, I'm right and the Bible is right, and this group is wrong!" While I agree with many of his beliefs at their core, I did not appreciate his presentation. I'm afraid his interesting points about dinosaurs in ancient art gets very much drowned out by his delivery. I doubt anyone outside of the Christian community will even make it past his introduction, which is too bad, because I think the world at large finds dragons & dinosaurs a bit fascinating and if Nelson had been a bit more tactful and trusted his research to speak for itself, I can see this having a very wide audience for the curious world at large.
This could have been an absolutely fantastic book, but it had one major downfall. The author didn't just let his findings speak for themselves. He comes off as saying repeatedly, "See, I'm right and the Bible is right, and this group is wrong!" While I agree with many of his beliefs at their core, I did not appreciate his presentation. I'm afraid his interesting points about dinosaurs in ancient art gets very much drowned out by his delivery. I doubt anyone outside of the Christian community will even make it past his introduction, which is too bad, because I think the world at large finds dragons & dinosaurs a bit fascinating and if Nelson had been a bit more tactful and trusted his research to speak for itself, I can see this having a very wide audience for the curious world at large.
August 27, 2014
"Dire Dragons" by Vance Nelson is a veritable feast for the eyes. It's a glossy, coffee table book with an abundance of photos and illustrations. Throughout the world, there is a large body of evidence for the dragons of myth being the dinosaurs of old. There's evidence that mankind walked with dinosaurs several thousand years ago up until fairly recently (the Medieval period). This evidence takes many forms - including ceramics, metal work, wood carvings, stone engravings, paintings, sculptures, tapestries etc. All of these are matched with a computer generated image of a dinosaur that closely matches the dragon artworks.
While this book won't convince hardened skeptics, it may soften them to accepting a more biblical worldview of these ancient majestic creatures. I found the accompanying text to be interesting and helpful but there wasn't a lot of it. Maybe I expected more depth, or maybe the book had some and I've just read too many books on this topic.
"Dire Dragons" provides a brilliant visual reference for people interested in dinosaurs, especially in how different world cultures understood these curious beasts. All in all, it's a great introduction to the topic from a biblical perspective.
8.5/10
While this book won't convince hardened skeptics, it may soften them to accepting a more biblical worldview of these ancient majestic creatures. I found the accompanying text to be interesting and helpful but there wasn't a lot of it. Maybe I expected more depth, or maybe the book had some and I've just read too many books on this topic.
"Dire Dragons" provides a brilliant visual reference for people interested in dinosaurs, especially in how different world cultures understood these curious beasts. All in all, it's a great introduction to the topic from a biblical perspective.
8.5/10
May 13, 2014
Wow, wow, wow. Unput down able!!! This book delves into whether humans and dinosaurs co-existed as the bible states. The evidence it suggests is irrefutable! St George really did slay a dragon but it was actually a dinosaur! The two words are one and the same. Man lived amongst dragons/dinosaurs as depicted with the artworks from across the entire world, including Africa, Italy, France, Peru, Spain and Germany to name but a few! Do yourself a favour and read this. I'm off to find more in this series of untold Secrets Of Planet Earth!
May 4, 2017
Good, solid book on the evidence of dinosaurs always living with men like the Bible says. Great pictures and 3d reconstructions of real dinosaurs compared to the carvings and illustrations found around the world.
March 11, 2015
This is a really neat book, with lots of interesting photos/graphics and info!
April 15, 2020
Interesting, informative and has amazing pictures!
January 13, 2020
I was impressed with sections of this book; more impressed with some sections than others. The author did an excellent job setting up the premise in the opening pages, and I appreciate his call to Christ in the conclusion.
I was a bit put off by his repeatedly telling me what conclusion I had to draw. I read the introduction, understand what you’re trying to show, so let me follow the evidence.
I also think he may need two editions, one like this for Christians who accept Biblical authority, and a second presenting the evidence for non-Christian consumption. For non-Christians, saving the Biblical authority and salvation message for the conclusion might be more effective. I’m afraid that too many skeptics would simply set the book down as it’s currently presented.
Overall, an interesting study.
I was a bit put off by his repeatedly telling me what conclusion I had to draw. I read the introduction, understand what you’re trying to show, so let me follow the evidence.
I also think he may need two editions, one like this for Christians who accept Biblical authority, and a second presenting the evidence for non-Christian consumption. For non-Christians, saving the Biblical authority and salvation message for the conclusion might be more effective. I’m afraid that too many skeptics would simply set the book down as it’s currently presented.
Overall, an interesting study.
January 3, 2024
Most the argument that were made were repetitive and flimsy, major points were not elaborated or explained, such as the author's definition of dargon which turned out to just be a large lizard, and it had random Christian things littered around.
It also brushes aside the idea that ancient humans, with only word of mouth, skeletons/fossils and vague myths would in theory create the occasional story about a big alligator or a powerful lizard.
Also, and these points are more nit-picking, they put in "quotation marks" randomly about in places that don't make much sense. The recreations are very bony and warped, and the depictions of the dragons are still rather different to the dinosaurs.
Overall, I went into this expecting a fun book about how dinosaurs could fit into the current evolutionary idea, and came out of it mad at a not-very-well-made-book.
Would not recommend.
It also brushes aside the idea that ancient humans, with only word of mouth, skeletons/fossils and vague myths would in theory create the occasional story about a big alligator or a powerful lizard.
Also, and these points are more nit-picking, they put in "quotation marks" randomly about in places that don't make much sense. The recreations are very bony and warped, and the depictions of the dragons are still rather different to the dinosaurs.
Overall, I went into this expecting a fun book about how dinosaurs could fit into the current evolutionary idea, and came out of it mad at a not-very-well-made-book.
Would not recommend.
November 12, 2018
It was a good book, and for the level of a coffee table read (so that one needn’t consume the entirety to take away the point) it was quite good. His pictorial evidence was compelling and well presented, but the accompanying text was often single-note, lacking much differentiation between the different examples of dinosaurs found in art from around the world.
All in all I recommend it, but mostly for the sake of the images and the introductory chapters, not the text that accompanies each example.
All in all I recommend it, but mostly for the sake of the images and the introductory chapters, not the text that accompanies each example.
January 4, 2015
Nelson offers ancient and medieval dragon art from around the world compared to dinosaur reconstructions as evidence of human-dinosaur coexistence. This in turn, he claims, gives weight to the accuracy of the Biblical account of early earth history.
Visually rich coffee-table size book.
I agree with the main idea. What I don't like is how the author sometimes overstates the case. Even though I think he's right, his tone is not always a good model for thoughtful conversation with those who may disagree. He's not rude, and thankfully he does not ridicule others; just sometimes too emphatic.
Visually rich coffee-table size book.
I agree with the main idea. What I don't like is how the author sometimes overstates the case. Even though I think he's right, his tone is not always a good model for thoughtful conversation with those who may disagree. He's not rude, and thankfully he does not ridicule others; just sometimes too emphatic.
September 10, 2016
This is mainly a picture book, but is is very fascinating! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in dinosaurs.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews