Review: zoo - PREVIEW CHAPTERS ONLY
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 6, 2012
EDITING TO NOTE:  I READ/REVIEWED THE FULL.  WHILE THE PREVIEW CHAPTERS WERE INDUCEMENT TO GET FULL FOR ME...I CAN STATE THAT THE FULL DID NOT LIVE UP TO THE POTENTIAL OF THE CHAPTERS HERE.  THE BOOK, WELL, STUNK.  I WON'T ALTER MY REVIEW OF THE PREVIEW AS THEY EARNED THEIR POSITIVE COMMENTARY...BUT, I GAVE THE FULL 1 STAR AND DO NOT RECOMMEND (UNLESS ONE IS A DIE HARD PATTERSON FAN AND WILL LOVE IT FOR THAT ALONE) ANYONE INVEST MONEY IN THE FULL.  PATTERSON HAS MANY GOOD BOOKS AND SEVERAL COMING OUT - TOO MANY TO WASTE TIME ON ZOO.  SORRY.PLEASE NOTE:  THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THE PREVIEW SAMPLE CHAPTERS - NOT THE FULL BOOK.This is a very strong preview of a very interesting and novel concept.  These chapters provide background of the MC (Oz), his passion and his drive toward enlightening people of a concept he has termed HAC (human-animal conflict).  There is very little action in these chapters, however there is great promise held for such as it is being given foundation within this preview.  Some of the writing lags and is a bit heavy on details that, while interesting, seem a bit tedious in some points.  They seem to justify in providing foundation for a multilayered concept and are easily forgiven as such.Oz is a Pajama cad, cap wearing fellow of quite a bit of intellect.  His prior PhD goals were nearly met when he happened to notice a shift in animal behavior that became his academic and professional undoing.  It is also his all consuming passion (read :  obsession).  This obsession seems to be coming to somewhat of an actual reality as things begin to present as evidence in this preview.  "A planatary paradigm shift was underway that was going to make global warming feel like a Sunday stroll through an organic community garden." A rather pleasant way to state the sh.. was gonna hit the fan.  And at the end of the preview, the action promise is left on a substantial cliffhanger moment of danger that has a reader wanting to read the rest of the story.The thing I found most interesting /compelling was the narrative voice given the animal species to relay tension and to show the predatory nature of animals - even those bred in captivity.  It is often said, "you can take the animal out of the wild, but you cannot take the wild out of the animal." (Or some such similar.)There seems to be an unseen force that actually invades the animal (based in Achilles ' POV) via the senses.  Quite provocative for thought processes of reader.  One cannot help but think "what if..."Recommend the full based in promise of preview chapters.Christine