Also, the narrator in the audiobook has no qualms about making legit animal noises when prompted. I'm just sayin'.) The scenes cutting to people around the planet later in the book felt unnecessary. None of them progressed elements of the plot. They just showed us more animals going crazy in more places, and once we know that, we don't need to see more of it. I've never read Patterson before. I thought this premise sounded interesting, and hoped that maybe this book would fill the niche left by my running out of Crichton books I feel like reading/re-reading. James Patterson used to be good. He used to be quite good, but then he got too big for his britches and he started churning out two or three novels a year, each with a co-author. I can only hope that Patterson's contribution to many of these books is to put his name on as co-author, because I hate to think that this is really the depths to which his previous talent has sunk.

I've also read criticisms of the manner in which the main character's love interest is described and later relegated to a mommy role. Okay - while I understand the criticism, the reality is that the story isn't about Mrs. Oz. Perhaps the authors tried to balance this by making the fictional U.S. president female, but who knows. Personally, the issue is quite minor. Had some of the critics read other James Patterson books, they would realize the male and female characters in his stories are usually multi-dimensional, and their human appearances, emotions and behaviors are independent of their gender. In Patterson's series about the genetically altered "bird children", the protagonist is an incredible teen female with courage that I can describe only as inspirational. In short, don't allow this minor detail in a single story lead to incorrect assumptions. The fact that, at a critical point in the plot, Patterson skips five years for no apparent reason except that he apparently got bored. Anyway, all of this leads to an interesting thought experiment: What happens when rats, bats, dogs, and dolphins (all lead by a single chimpanzee) take over the world and potentially lead to the fall of human civilization as we know it, while our only savior is a crazy introvert who knew this was going to happen all along? I couldn't get over the writing style. Is James Patterson a famous author because he writes in such a sophomoric, simplistic way, it makes stupid people feel smart? Sorry if that offends, but that's how I felt the entire time I was reading Zoo - James Patterson writes for idiots. As things escalate Oz and a small group of scientists try to figure out what is causing the behaviour changes, and why. Racing against time they try to convince the authorities, but the human race seems bent on destruction, and the world becomes the Zoo of the title, without cages.

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Wir sind uns wohl alle einig, dass man in diesem Genre selten auf literarische Meisterwerke trifft, und auch der naturwissenschaftliche Hintergrund ist oftmals nicht wirklich blütenrein. I don't know what they are smoking over at Time magazine, but its review for this book (co-authored by Michael Ledwidge) is glowing Ng, Philiana (November 11, 2014). "James Wolk to Star in CBS' Zoo". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved November 12, 2014.

I had never read a James Patterson book before Zoo. I will never read a James Patterson book after Zoo. One day, Timmy and Spot are inseparable. The next, Timmy has to blow Spot away because he has become crazed and tries to rip apart his mother. The lions at the zoo that Arnold the zookeeper has taken care of for 8 years suddenly are not interested in the zebra carcass that he gives them, because all they can think about is ripping his face off. Those cute little squirrels in central park don't want your bread crumbs, Karen. They want to eat out your eyes. I have to admit that I am like every other James Patterson fan, I see his name as author of a book and I have to read it; but, haven't you wondered how much of these books with co-authors are actually written by him? Since the style of this book is identical to the Michael Bennett books co-authored by Michael Ledwidge, and so dissimilar to the style of other Patterson books, let's finally give credit where credit is due... Ledwidge is brilliant! After all, who else knows how to slip just the right touch of humor into a terrifying situation? For the safety of other visitors and our animals, we reserve the right to refuse admission to any visitors under the influence of alcohol or drugs

I was also annoyed by one criticism written by either a Ph.D. or whatever royal degree they may possess. Her criticism is that the main character, who was able to outwit his academically credentialed co-scientists, basically has "only" an undergrad degree. Tsk.Tsk.Tsk. Wake up. A Ph.D. does not grant automatic superiority or expertise. Rather, it represents one has followed a path of traditional studies of theories and accepted truths. It does not equate to being the only source of new and/or emerging knowledge within a particular field of study.