The Last Dinosaur

by: Robin Dobbins

Published by: Author House

Reviewed by Julie Failla Earhart

Subtitled: An Unforgettable Love Story

Over the last week, I have been reading Robin Dobbin's first novel, The Last Dinosaur (An Unforgettable Love Story). Dobbins and I had corresponded via email several times in the late winter/early spring of 2006. It seemed to be an interesting plot: great baseball player gets hurt, wife walk out on him, gets a gig coaching at an inner-city school, takes team to the state title, wins wife back--or something like that.

As the months passed, I had forgotten the plot as there is no blurb on the back cover, just a lengthy author bio. As the months passed, I would look at the cover and think I had committed to a sci-fi or something like that. It has nothing to do with baseball, and looks like a jungle. So I did what all reviewers do, I procrastinated.

Then I felt guilty about promising Dobbins I would review the book, so I settled in. I found that interesting plot but was disappointed in its execution. There are too many weaknesses in the book for me to give it a recommendation.

I could never determine if Elizabeth was the protagonist's (legendary baseball player Jerry Walker) sister or his ex-wife's attorney's sister. There is no pacing/tension in the story. That nefarious exposition via dialogue. Jerry gets a gig teaching history and coaching baseball at a Houston school but has no credentials or training that would allow him to be anything more than a substitute teacher. The white millionaire coach was too easily accepted by the poor inner-city students and staff. All tell--no show.

For these reasons, I can't recommend The Last Dinosaur (An Unforgettable Love Story).

Armchair Interviews says: Heed the reviewer's comments.