 Cover of the book's first edition by Robert Bakker | |
| Author | Robert T. Bakker |
|---|---|
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
Publication date | October 1995 (hardcover) September 1996 (paperback) |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) Audiobook |
| Pages | 250 (paperback) |
| ISBN | 0-553-10124-2 |
| OCLC | 32429989 |
| 813/.54 20 | |
| LC Class | PS3552.A43814 R3 1995 |
Raptor Red is a 1995 American novel by paleontologist Robert T. Bakker. The book is a third-person account of dinosaurs during the Cretaceous Period, told from the point of view of Raptor Red, a female Utahraptor. Raptor Red features many of Bakker's theories regarding dinosaurs' social habits, intelligence, and the world in which they lived.
The book follows a year in Raptor Red's life as she loses her mate, finds her family, and struggles to survive in a hostile environment. Bakker drew inspiration from Ernest Thompson Seton's works that look at life through the eyes of predators, and said that he found it enjoyable to write from a top predator's perspective. Bakker based his portrayals of dinosaurs and other prehistoric wildlife on fossil evidence, as well as studies of modern animals. The book was released in hardcover, paperback, and audiobook formats.
When released, Raptor Red was generally praised: Bakker's anthropomorphism was seen as a unique and positive aspect of the book. Criticisms of the novel included a perceived lack of characterization and average writing. Some scientists, such as paleontologist David B. Norman, took issue with the scientific theories portrayed in the novel, fearing that the public would accept them as fact, while Discovery Channel host Jay Ingram and others defended Bakker's creative decisions as provoking debate and bringing science to a wider audience.