Dragon Teeth

I picked this up because I thought it was about dinosaurs. In fact, you never once see a dinosaur. It's actually about a 19th century expedition where two rival paleontologists hunt for the greatest fossil find, the dragon teeth.

William Johnson makes a bet with his college roommate, which sends Johnson on the expedition, as a pretend photographer (who quickly learns the trade), with eccentric and wildly paranoid Professor Marsh. Along the way, we encounter Marsh's rival Cope. Marsh, in his typical cruel way, abandons Johnson, who finds himself tagging along with Cope and his men.

What's interesting about this story is that, aside from Johnson, we are actually reading about history. Marsh and Cope were real people and actual rivals who played mind games with each other. We even get to meet Wyatt Earp and some other real people from history. Though I was disappointed that the dragon teeth only refer to a fossil find, the plot is quite exciting with a real reflection of the Sioux people and the dangerous nature of such an expedition.