Zoo

rattling paced novel that overcomes some slightly (as in extremely) implausible plot twists. It throws in rather sophisiticated stuff about eugenics and medical-nazism with quite some verve. My teenage son really enjoyed it and has infact re-read it which is always a good sign and, for a thriller, it also prompted interesting discussions about ethics - also a good sign. Nice characterisation and some chilly bad guys ratchet up the tension - I shall be looking out the author's other books.

Groggy, drugged and disoriented, Cameron awakes to find himself the victim of a kidnapping! Cam's parents aren't overly rich, so at first he suspects that the abductors have made a mistake. But when he overhears them discussing his father, he knows this is for real. Instead of leaving his fate in the hands of criminals, he decides to take action and escape. In the middle of the night, Cam pleads with his guard for a bathroom break, during which he swipes the only weapon-like item he can find: a can of air freshener. At just the right moment, he takes the guard by surprise with a face full of scented spray. Following with a kick to the groin, the guard drops cold. But Cam soon realizes that the guard has choked on his own vomit and is dead! Shocked and horrified at what he's done, Cam runs from his prison and out into the night. Panicked at being blamed for an accident, he even avoids a chance of help from the police, sneaking on board a moving train to get as far away from his nightmare as he can. Not knowing what state, or even what country he's in, Cam searches for a hint as to his whereabouts and makes a collect call to his parents. But before he can be picked up, Cam encounters even more trouble --- he gets shot! Cam finally catches a break when he hitches a ride with a beautiful, intelligent girl named Tee and her unfriendly jerk of a boyfriend. While cleaning up his bullet wound, they discover a microchip implanted in his arm. Cam vaguely remembers his mom taking him to a "special" doctor for an injection, right where the microchip is found. Why would his parents plant a chip in him? Cam's suspicions rise as they struggle to decode the data found on the chip, and in the end they discover some surprising and frightening secrets that will forever change Cam's life. Author Graham Marks writes an exciting, fast-paced thriller with realistic characters and puzzling circumstances that will keep you guessing and turning the pages. The significance of the title is revealed closer to the end of the story when most of Cam's questions are being answered. And though Marks tends to use a bit of harsh language, it does coincide with his characters' rough edges. --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author