Book Review: The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly

How does a nation become the leader of the world? Is it through economic dominance? Or through military might? Some believe, a nation can become the leader of the world, if it can make its culture, THE culture of the entire world. i.e. If you can control the culture, then you control how people think about you (and themselves).

I think there is some truth in this. Looking at the world today, USA is no doubt, the leader of the world. But in my opinion, USA dominates the world, not just via superior military technology. Instead, I think USA's position of dominance, is secured by exporting and distributing its culture to the whole world.

Think about it, how many US media productions (such as movies, TV series, or music) have you engaged in this week? What about US fast food franchises, there must be a few in your suburb? Planning a holiday at an amusement park? Surely Disneyland will come to your mind?

I think a lot of people who are not Americans, have made US culture, their culture. In my opinion, to some degree, I think we all live in America.

But what about China, the fastest rising nation in the world? For a few decades, the Middle Kingdom has managed to pull off double-digit economic growth. China is an economic powerhouse, but China is also ambitious. It is not hard to predict, that China will (eventually) challenge US, for the position as the leader of the world. Will China's economic strength suffice, to usurp USA as the leader of the world? Or perhaps, China will need something extra? Something uniquely Chinese, that can send a powerful surge of cultural influence down to the international stage, to make the world feel like they “live in China”?

Based on this contemporary, geopolitical theme, international best-selling author Matthew Reilly wrote a sci-fi thriller called The Great Zoo of China. What sort of book is this? To give you an idea, the author said his book was inspired by Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park. I have read The Great Zoo of China, and I thought it was a very entertaining book. Recently, I met Matthew Reilly at a book signing event (he is a very nice guy). Today, I have decided to write a book review, to share some of my thoughts about this new book.

Synopsis:

Forty years ago, China discovered a rare species of animals. The Chinese government veiled this discovery in secrecy, hidden away from the eyes of the public. Meanwhile, they commissioned to build a zoo around the site of this discovery. After four decades, billions of dollars, and utilizing ten and thousands of men power, the Great Zoo of China is finally built. This is the biggest and the best zoo in the world, the size of Manhattan Island. When China reveals this zoo to the world, tourist attractions such as Disneyland and Yellow Stone park will be become a fading memory. The Great Zoo of China, will advance China to a strategic position to challenge US for cultural dominance in the world.

The only question is, what animals will be on display in this zoo?

The opening day for the zoo approaches. As an advertising strategy, the Chinese government invited a small group of VIP journalists from the US, to tour The Great Zoo of China. Among them, is Dr. C.J. Cameron, a herpetologist, age 36, who represents National Geographic.

This small group of VIP journalists, would become the first people in the world to witness China's astonishing discovery in this zoo. The Chinese government assured them, that their visit is totally safe, and nothing can go wrong.

But the reality is, things always go wrong. C.J. Cameron and her fellow journalists are about to step into, what may be the most disastrous zoo visit in the human history.

What I think about this book:

Ok, I will try my best not to show any spoilers in this book review. That is, I will try not to spoil, just exactly what animals are on display in The Great Zoo of China. (Although, by looking at the book cover, I think some people may be able to guess what animals are featured in this book). Nevertheless, I will describe The Great Zoo of China as: A sci-fi thriller that reads like an action packed, Hollywood monster mash blockbuster, produced with a multi-million dollar budget, set in the contemporary, geopolitical theme.

If you are the kind of person who likes the genre of books/movies I described above. Then I think you will like this book. Meanwhile, if you have read Matthew Reilly's books in the past and enjoyed them, then you will also enjoy this book. The Great Zoo of China, contains everything that defines Matthew Reilly's unique style. This is a fast paced story full of plot twists, packed with octane-driven actions of titanic proportions, surrounded by wild, creative imaginations. To be honest, when I picked up this book, I was a bit concerned that (given its story content) it would be a silly story. However, 20 pages into the book, I realized my worry was unnecessary. I think only Matthew Reilly can pull off a book like this, and make it fun but not cheesy.

Sure, the story in The Great Zoo of China isn't comparable to One Hundred Years of Solitude. But at the same time, The Great Zoo of China was never meant to be compared to a book in that sort of genre. The Great Zoo of China is unashamedly, meant to be a book that entertains, targeting an audience who already like the genre of sci-fi, action packed thrillers. Personally, I read all sorts of fictions, and I have the tendency to prefer fictions that make me think. While The Great Zoo of China provided more entertainment value than “think” value, but I still enjoyed this book tremendously. Why? The reason I read books, is because I like a good story, I like stories very much. The Great Zoo of China has a very good story, it's a simple story, but it is also well thought and carefully executed. For example, I particularly like how Matthew Reilly laid out scientific explanations for the fantastic animals that appeared in this book. In this book, even the most fantastical elements are grounded on a sense of realism.

I also like Matthew Reilly's writing style. It is very simple, and easy to understand. This doesn't mean his writings are dumb or stupid. It just means as a reader, I can spend more time to enjoy the story, instead of trying to decipher paragraphs after paragraphs of verbose writings. Reilly's writing style also created a book that flows at a very fast pace. The result? This book is a page turner, I finished this book (500 pages) in 3 sittings. Once you cracked this book open, it is really hard to put down this book and take a break.

This book also features a female lead character, C.J. Cameron. I believe this is the first time Reilly has cast a female lead in his books. While there is little character development in this book, but I do like C.J. Cameron. I think Reilly has given her a lot of character, and equipped her with an impressionable personality. I hope Reilly will write more books featuring C.J Cameron in the future.

So here I am, I have reached the end of my book review for The Great Zoo of China, without spoiling any story elements. I hope you found this book review useful. At the end of the day, I think The Great Zoo of China has a good, interesting story. The pace of the book runs as fast as lightning, jammed with explosive, non-stop action scenes. If you like sci-fi thrillers, or big budget, monster mash movies (or, if you are Matthew Reilly's fan), then you would probably want to check this book out. Once you open this book, make sure you fasten your seat belt, and prepare yourself for an unforgettable adventure!