Zoo - by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

Zoo

By James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

5 Stars

Heart Stopping Action

If you adore heart stopping action, thrills and suspense, then this is the book for you!  Jackson Oz, a young biologist, has a startling theory.  Little by little, he’s noticed some aberrant behavior in animals, and it isn’t just one or two species, either.  It’s all animals, from the birds to ants, lions, cats and dogs, hippos and elephants.  For some strange reason, only the males seem to be affected, too.

Oz journeys to Africa to help a colleague prove this theory, but something goes terribly awry.  A pride of male lions attacks their vehicle and Oz is lucky to escape alive.  Nearby, ecologist Chloe Tousignant is surrounded by dozens of hungry alligators, but Oz finds her and manages to rescue her.  Together, they flee the area.

Oz tries to get the word out about HAC, the strange ailment that seems to have taken over the animal kingdom, but no one seems willing to listen to him.  Although there seems to be real danger involved, the only thing the politicians keep harping on is the controversial statements he’s made on his website!  Apparently, the politicians would rather risk hundreds of lives than commit political suicide.

As Chloe and Oz continue their research into why the animals are now attacking humans in greater numbers, Oz stumbles upon a compelling theory.  Could the animals be swarming?  Many of the factors are similar to bees swarming and it’s possible that the animals are reacting to pheronomes, unseen locators that provide animals and usually small insects with guidance and communication.

Once again, Oz tries to reach the public to warn them, but he is repeatedly beaten down and silenced.  Even the President of the United States wants to take drastic measures to eliminate all life of any kind rather than attempt to understand the cause of this strange animal behavior.

From what Oz is able to determine, man has inadvertently caused the outbreak of HAC by his industrialization.  The only way to stop the chain of deadly disturbances is for man to digress a few generations to stop the “noise” signaling the swarming response.  No cell phones may be used.  No cars or trucks can be driven and factories must close their doors for a minimum of two weeks.  Then, and only then, the vicious cycle may be broken.  Can we do it?

Outstanding novel for heart stopping action and suspense.  This is a real page turner from beginning to end!