Naturally, things very quickly go to hell. Upon arriving at the zoo, they realise that things are not as they had originally been led to believe: this is a zoo of dragons. Along for the ride is also the US Ambassador to China, his bodyguard, and CJ and Hamish - a world-class reptile expert and journalist, and her photographer brother. Given the incredible pacing, I’m going to keep the review short, as it quickly becomes clear that discussing the events at great length will just ruin everything.Ī group of journalists from the US are invited by the Chinese to get the first look at a wonder that is supposed to cement China’s place as the preeminent nation in the world. The Great Zoo of China is no exception: this is an absolute blast of a read. Each new novel by the author is a very welcome addition to my library, and I have enjoyed each one I’ve read (I’ve fallen a bit behind, recently). There is always a lot of research behind the extravagant action, which keeps the story rooted in reality (slightly twisted on occasion, of course). I’m a big fan of Matthew Reilly’s novels - they’re unashamedly fun, action-packed adventure stories writ large. The visitors are assured by their Chinese hosts that they will be struck with wonder at these beasts, that they are perfectly safe, and that nothing can go wrong… Among them is Dr Cassandra Jane ‘CJ’ Cameron, a writer for National Geographic and an expert on reptiles. A small group of VIPs and journalists has been brought to the zoo deep within China to see its fabulous creatures for the first time. Now the Chinese are ready to unveil their astonishing discovery within the greatest zoo ever constructed. They have found a species of animal no one believed even existed. It is a secret the Chinese government has been keeping for 40 years.

The great zoo