The Great Zoo of China
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4.3 • 421 Ratings
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
The no. 1 bestseller from Australia's favourite novelist, author of the Scarecrow series and the Jack West Jr series with new novel Mr. Einstein's Secretary out now.
"A big bold blockbuster" Sydney Morning Herald
It is a secret the Chinese government has been keeping for forty years. They have found a species of animal no one believed even existed.
The Chinese are ready to unveil their fabulous creatures in the greatest zoo ever constructed. VIPs and journalists, including reptile expert Dr Cassandra Jane 'CJ' Cameron, are invited to see the beasts for the first time.
The visitors are assured by their Chinese hosts that they are perfectly safe, that nothing can go wrong.
Of course it can't...
Fans of Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy and Michael Crichton will love Matthew Reilly.
PRAISE FOR THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA
"a heady mixture of everything old and new in the popular thriller" Saturday Age
"urgent pacing and whiplash action" West Australian
"The story rapidly races through a series of increasingly spectacular action set pieces to the final breathless conclusion" Sydney Morning Herald
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
A fearsomely intelligent and capable heroine stands in the middle of the new novel by bestselling adventure writer Matthew Reilly. From its heart-pounding opener—which involves a psychotic Chinese militiaman and a murderous dragon—The Great Zoo of China is a fast, action-packed ride. When American reptile expert CJ Cameron is recruited to consult the Chinese founders of the world’s grandest zoo, she steps into a snake pit of malice and danger. Reilly grounds his mind-blowing plot twists in tangible, well-researched details that shed light on everything from China’s rise to global dominance to reptilian behaviour.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this entertaining if derivative science thriller from bestseller Reilly (Scarecrow Returns), Chinese officials invite a group of Americans to the opening of a new, groundbreaking zoo in Guangdong Province. On arrival, the guests who include the U.S. ambassador to China, a New York Times columnist, and the book's plucky heroine, herpetologist CJ Cameron, who's covering the event for National Geographic are stunned to discover that the Chinese have somehow managed to populate the zoo with a "unique kind of dinosaur." Cable car rides enable people to be right in the middle of flying dragons. Of course, electricity-based protective measures are supposed to insure their safety, but, inevitably, system failures send CJ and the others scrambling to survive. While some readers may consider this more of a rip-off than an homage to Jurassic Park, Reilly makes both the existence of the legendary beasts and the Chinese motivation to launch the project plausible.
Customer Reviews
Solid Action but...
Great action as usual but its plot lines and characters seemed rather simplified compared to earlier books. Slowing the pace at times to create depth and empathy, unexpected surprise, would have won me more. Not to say that I could write it! 😄
The Great Zoo of China
I started reading Reilly's books back in the Scarecrow days. I found his concept of nonstop action without intervening explanations interesting. I finished Scarecrow exhausted and saturated, but recognised it as a good read. Not in the same class as 'Day of the Jackal', but nevertheless a very good read, so I read all his other (7?) books of the same vintage and found something to enjoy in all of them. This zoo of China book is rubbish, and often so boring I had to force myself to keep reading (maybe... nuh). Give me Donald E Westlake any day. Sorry Matthew Reilly, you've not fulfilled your promise.
Whitty
We have found this very interesting. We have Matthew Reilly's last book published for Christmas, hoping its as good and intriguing as this novel .