Eager to secure its place as a world leader, even when it comes to something as superfluous as public entertainment, the Chinese government has spent decades secretly and stealthily building the biggest zoo in the world. While a zoo itself may not seem to be an extraordinary thing, this one has something special that no others can claim --- dragons!

The dragons in the zoo run by the Communist Party range in size from those as small as a horse to others the size of an airliner. They also come in a multitude of colors. The world has never seen anything like the Great Dragon Zoo of China or its inhabitants.

"THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA is an action-packed thriller that takes readers from euphoria to despair and back again from one chapter to the next."

Although the zoo is almost ready to open to the public, in a bid for worldwide publicity, the Chinese authorities have invited a select handful of professionals to view it beforehand. Included in the group of VIPs is Dr. Cassandra Jane "CJ" Cameron, a much-respected herpetologist who's been hired to write a piece on the zoo for National Geographic. Accompanying the reptile expert is her brother, freelance photographer Hamish Cameron, whose mission is to snap the photos to go with her article. Also present are two journalists from The New York Times, Seymour Wolfe and Aaron Perry; the United States Ambassador to China, Kirk Syme; and his chief aide, Greg Johnson.

Prior to their arrival, nobody is aware of the secret the Chinese have in store for them.They are astounded when officials and zoo employees reveal their secret. Not only does the zoo boast creatures previously thought to exist only in myths, it has breathtaking scenery and a plethora of amenities. A hotel, revolving restaurant and first-class resort are also part of the compound.

However, before the tour of the zoo is over, something goes terribly awry. While every conceivable measure has been taken to see to the safety of visitors, employees and the general public, a chink in the armor of the zoo's security appears when a group of aggressive dragons run amok, destroying everything and everyone in their path. Rather than being the hunted, the dragons have become the hunters, and no one --- particularly CJ and her cohorts --- is safe.

As magic gives way to mayhem, CJ uses her expert knowledge of animal behavior to quickly assess the situation and do her best to see her group to safety against incredible odds. Unfortunately, there's more than one enemy facing them, and it's anyone's say who will live or die as the Chinese officials attempt to regain control of the zoo, the dragons and the witnesses, and minimize the possibility of losing face in front of the entire world.

THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA is an action-packed thriller that takes readers from euphoria to despair and back again from one chapter to the next. Easy-to-comprehend scientific explanations given throughout the book make it seem entirely possible that the story could indeed happen in real life, and the non-stop action scenes play like a motion picture, limited only by the reader’s imagination. After reading Matthew Reilly’s latest novel, you'll never look at a visit to the zoo the same way again.