Animal Kingdom: An Apocalyptic Horror Novel

“Animal Kingdom” was definitely a different and unique story, with some great characters and a powerful storyline. Although I noticed the book could’ve used a bit more editing, especially towards the end, it remained a great read from beginning to end, and the unique plot was something that makes it stand out from other stories I’ve read before. A great read and I highly recommend it!

With Animal Kingdom I got everything I was expecting and more!It was supposed to be a special day. Since the divorce, Danny really missed his dad and had ants in his pants when he found out Joe was taking him to the zoo. Joe was just glad to have his son with him. It didn't matter what they did but he knew Danny would love the animals.Everything is great until the reptile show starts. The handler has a giant boa constrictor wrapped around his body. While he tells the gathering crowd about the snake it suddenly begins to wrap its thick coils around his neck, constricting and crushing the man. Joe does his best to help him, but the snake is too strong and time runs out for the handler.The crowd panics and runs in all directions, horrified by the grotesque killing. As Joe grabs Danny and rushes to get help, he notices people are screaming and running from all directions. They couldn't all have been at the exhibit. Then all of the animals start making a racket. Something bad is happening elsewhere in the zoo.Deciding to get inside, away from whatever is occurring, Joe ducks into the new visitor's center. Most people were running for the exits, but Joe had to get Danny to safety quickly. There were several people inside, along with the zoo's curator. The curators protestations that an animal attack couldn't be happening are cut short. When Joe turns to see what he's looking at, he can't believe what he's seeing. There in the doorway are four massive lions, snarling and revealing their thick fangs, dripping with blood.This is where the story really cranks up. The animals, for some unknown reason, have gained intelligence and have turned on mankind. From the lowly spiders to the gigantic elephants, they all want everyone dead.The diverse group of people trapped in the visitor's center are safe for the moment, or so they think. The animals won't be denied, and find ways to get in. How the individual characters react to this is very interesting. As you'd expect, there are the one or two bad apples that think their way is the only way, you have an older woman spouting prophecy, a young girl without her medication, Joe, whose main concern is his son Danny, the curator, not much help there, and an older man with some fight in him. It's up to them to work together. Otherwise, no one will get out of this alive.Except that the story takes place in a zoo with animals from all over the world, it reminded of a book I read years ago. I also watched the movie and really enjoyed both. It was Day of the Animals.The author gave me the same sense of dread and gut-wrenching fear with Animal Kingdom. You just knew people were going to die and die horribly. The animals are too many to fight off.Reading scenes about the group dynamics was very real. People react differently when their lives are at stake. Some step up, some cower, and some act like blustering buffoons. I can't figure out why some people can't see past their own arrogance, or should I say ignorance.This is a book about a war we may not be able to win. About surviving minute by minute and always looking for the way out.At the end of the book there are some short Bonus stories. They all tie into the Animal Kingdom book and the one by Eric. S. Brown, Night of the Squirrels, is very interesting!

Having just finished editing an anthology of nature-running-amok stories, I was all warmed up and ready for more. A full novel in which all the animals on the planet suddenly snap and attack humanity sounded like just the ticket.Not only do they snap, they smarten up and organize. The normal order of things is promptly tossed aside. Forget that old predator/prey structure. Even the gentle herbivores are predators now, and people are the prey.It's a bad day to be anywhere with animals in the vicinity. At the park, on a farm, even home with the loving pets. It's a worse day to be, as Joe and his son Danny are, enjoying a visit to the zoo.The first attack they witness is shocking and horrible enough to send Joe rushing to the visitor's center, looking for someone in authority or with answers. He's not alone; there's considerable panic breaking out. Far more than a single incident should account for. But that's because it IS far more than a single incident, a point made very clear when the lions show up.Within minutes, the visitor's center is a scene of bloodsoaked death and carnage. Only a handful of survivors are able to escape to a more secure part of the building. Joe and Danny are among them, and what follows is a tense siege and standoff. No help is coming, supplies are limited, they're surrounded by an army of angry animals led by an intelligent and vengeful general.And then, of course, there's each other. Frightened strangers thrown together into a situation where nobody's going to be at their best, they soon find themselves at odds. Personalities clash, disagreements turn vicious. If it was cooperation, rather than thumbs and fire, that let humans rise to the top of the food chain, then it's no wonder they're about to end up at the bottom.The story's fast-paced and non-stop, fun, very readable even when it slips over a little into convenient coincidence, dubious science, and occasional moments of “oh come ON!” There are some bonus shorts at the back, other scenes of the animal apocalypse, which are evidently tied in with other works.I was delighted to discover, upon investigation, that the author's not contented himself with just destroying the world once, but has done so several times in various ways. I'll have to be sure to snag some of those next!

Wouldn't you know it! As the world is coming to an end there would have to be human corruption, greed, and power hunger. I was impressed on this new take of ending of time, unlike other.

This was a really good book and I read it from cover to cover and I thoroughly enjoyed it it had a lot of good parts it upset me that the animals suffered so badly yes I realize they were attacking and killing humans but like Nero the silverback gorilla he had been caged in that zoo for 50 years that's unreal and the way they poured acid on the elephants and killed them in the giraffes it was just really bad set animals on fire I'm an animal lover again I realize the animals were killing humans but I'd much rather see animals killing bad humans not good humans killing that animals I'm not gonna give anything away it's well worth reading

This book kept me interested completely. The characters all had both good and bad in them. The animals got revenge!

I really love this book. It makes you think that what if the animals turned on us. It has you from the beginning.

There was much information left out of this story: character background and development, what caused the advancement, the specifics if the birds. The Zoo, I believe by Patterson, was much more a complete effort in this genre.

Spotted this book after reading The Final Winter, decided it looked interesting (I do love an apocalypse story) so popped it in my book list as I had (and still have) a huge back catalogue of purchased books in real life and in kindle! I DEFINITELY WISH I'D JUST BOUGHT IT AND READ IT THEN!This book was excellent and I'd have read it much quicker if life hadn't got in the way! Still I smashed through it and even on nights when I was exhausted still fell asleep with it in my hands.Nice easy read with characters you care about or hate making it very easy to lose time reading! Good flow to the story and just enough detail without overloading with gore - nice to see a writer who allows my imagination to do a bit of work!Now I go back to my list for 2020 but when I'm done I'll be seeing what other offerings Mr Wright has for me! Thanks for the book it was great!

This book must have missed proof reading, there's a lot of missing, wrong, badly spelt words. I can only assume that the author watches a lot of American telly as the dialogue between characters is not English. With six characters all frequently using the word 'gotten' is highly implausible, I seldom hear an Englishman use the word, let only use it frequently.The story never really gripped me, shame. I think a lot of effort was put into the characters and dialogue. Full credit to the author, three characters I found to be truly vile, which takes some talent. However, the focus was on the characters and that spoiled the story for me. In essence the story was too short, padded out with the character interaction.

So picture the scene.......something inexplicable happens and the animals start attacking the humans.......every animal.....from cute bunny rabbits to household pets.........Where is the one place you wouldn't want to be when this kicks off?Joe hasn't seen his son Danny for months. They are having a day out.......at the zoo!!It all starts with one of the zookeepers being crushed to death by a Boa Constrictor then all hell breaks loose. Joe and Danny witness this and can't believe what they are seeing. Joe tries to help but can't and they start walking toward a building for safety. Then they start running for their lives as a pride of lions gives chase. Every animal in the zoo has escaped and they are out for blood......human blood.The story follows Joe and Danny and their battle for survival along with 6 other unlikely allies as they bunker down in a building to wait on someone coming to rescue them. They soon realise from news reports on the TV that help isn't coming anyway soon as the carnage is worldwide.You can feel the fear on every page of this book. Each character has their own problems and issues but at the end of the day they are all just meat to the animals and they have to band together or they won't survive. Not everyone as the same agenda though.As is normal for Iain Rob Wright this book has it's fair share of gore. I found myself a few times wondering how I would feel myself having to deal with what the people were witnessing and if my mind could take it. Also as is normal for Mr Wright he has written a story that is very easy to read but very difficult to put down.A couple of twists and a couple of turns as the story comes to an end to keep you guessing what will happen next. Without giving the plot away as well Mr Wright is one of the few authors who isn't afraid to have an ending that may not necessarily be a happy one.There are a couple of what read like short stories at the end of this book then you soon realise they all tie in with the main story and it is done beautifully.Can't give anything less than top marks again.

A day out at the zoo becomes a fight for survival and not just from the animals!Joe is good man, his character is flawed and has the IRW usual aspects of heroism laced just enough with, WTF to make him believable.Grace I found irritating, especially at the end. Bill was lovely and I think he could have played a bigger part. Shirley the necessary "nut job" was on hand at all the right moments, not enough back story on her. Mason? hmmmm a waste of space for me.Randall and Victor - villains, and good ones but a bit too OTT, and with no extended fleshing out to them it was hard not to just find them predictable.IRW characters are usually always full & rounded characters, with a drip feed of back stories which make you love, loathe or have a mixture of feelings about them, but I really thought that with this revamp he would/could have developed them more.There are no corners cut on the gore! and some bits are mostly definitely written to make you squirm.I was sad to see the goldfish story removed, as I found it highly amusing, but more epilogue stories are added to give a "nice" rounded edge to the global horror.IRW states at the end this is a stand alone novel, but he has comments and little nods to many of his other novels.*** SPOILER ***I was disappointed that no reason was given just left open for readers imagination.I was also hoping that he would comment on a sequel.

A definite Kindle “screen swiper”. Jumps straight in to the action and then turns it up to 11. Animals rule, they’re hacked off and everyone’s gonna pay for their years of incarceration in zoos and cages around the world. The story is great. Can’t fault Mr Wright’s imagination and gift with words. I just couldn’t get the Randall character. With the dangerous animals literally beating a the door, and the body count rising, this guy turns into the quintessential Bond villain come megalomaniac. Parts of Randall’s actions would be, in that situation, quite unbelievable. But don’t let this, or me, put you off purchasing this story. I did like reading it and intend to purchase more of Iain Rob Wright’s work, and I will encourage others to do the same. It’s just that, in my opinion, the story is only let down by the one characters unbelievable actions. Would’ve been a five star review otherwise.