The Great Zoo of China Read online

  There is a quote early in the novel that I really like: the one that says fairytales sanitise things that were, in reality, not very pleasant at all. Knights have been immortalised as chivalrous heroes in shining armour, when in truth they were swarthy brutes and rapists. I simply adapted this idea to my dragons.

  My dragons would not be towering, high-crested and proud-chested beasts. They would be lean and mean, low and calculating. They would be monsters of a bygone era. To make these inherently unreal animals real, I gave them capabilities that only exist in the real world.

  In their tempers and capabilities, my dragons mostly resemble large crocodiles. This is because (a) crocodiles scare the crap out of me, and (b) I see modern crocodiles as a species of dinosaur that survived the meteor impact 65 million years ago and still live among us. If you have ever seen a big croc up close, you will agree that they are literally monsters of another time.

  I gave my dragons the best predatory senses and skills of the most dangerous apex predators in the animal kingdom: crocs, alligators, snakes, hawks, big cats and sharks. All the capabilities you read about in the book come from real predators. Hawks really do see in the ultraviolet spectrum. Snakes can detect changes in air pressure. Sharks really can sense the increased beating of a wounded animal’s heart (seriously, whoa). Crocs really do have remarkable memories for hunting. Alligators really do communicate with subsonic grunts and vibrating their bodies. Chimps really do make specific vocalisations regarding leopards. By grounding my dragons’ abilities in reality, I felt I made them more believable.

  For they have to be believable. A monster movie is only as good as the monster in it. And as anyone who has read my very first novel, Contest, will know, I love a good monster movie. Creating fun and scary monsters is half the fun. By creating the different sizes and species of dragon—a process that took months—I got to populate my monster-movie-on-paper with some seriously kick-ass monsters. (Even the names of the different dragons will sound oddly familiar to many readers. Yellowjackets are a kind of wasp. Red-bellied black snakes are found in Australia. Eastern greys are a variety of kangaroo. By using names that readers are vaguely familiar with, I was trying to make my dragons seem more real. I also just loved the imagery of a red-bellied black dragon! It’s instantly scary.)

  The Great Zoo of China also sees your first (adult) female lead character! How did you come up with the amazing CJ Cameron?

  You know, it just seemed to work for the story, having a female lead. I wasn’t trying to make a statement or anything. With all the stories I have written, the hero has, well, just suited the story. In Ice Station, Scarecrow worked as a US Marine. Jack West Jr and Jason Chaser worked as Aussies. And a thirteen-year-old Queen Elizabeth and her real-life teacher, Roger Ascham, suited The Tournament.

  The lead character of The Great Zoo of China could have been a guy—and indeed, I considered this option—but in the end, several things made me make CJ a woman.

  First, I hadn’t done it before. That’s a big plus. As an author, you’ve got to keep doing new things. Second, women view the world differently to men, and I liked the idea of seeing the details of the zoo through a smart woman’s eyes. Third, I felt that a trained dragon like Lucky would relate better to a female handler than a male one. The fact that CJ is a woman enhances Lucky’s character. Fourthly, I also knew that the Chinese Communist Party is a very male-dominated organisation. I felt having CJ as a lone woman among this group of men would create an interesting dynamic.

  And, of course, like Scarecrow and Jack, she enters the story with wounds from a previous misadventure. I like the description of her as a pretty woman who men would approach . . . until they saw the scarring on her face. CJ is as tough as Mother in my humble opinion.

  Oh, and for the record, CJ looks like my girlfriend, Kate (except for the scars). But she actually takes her name from a man, a big-hearted golfing buddy of mine from San Francisco named Craig Johnson, who is known to everyone as ‘CJ’.

  Tell us about Lucky and how you wrote about her?

  I actually love writing about animals. Ever since I wrote the first growls of the Karanadon in the opening scene of Contest, I have found it a challenge to write about the movements and noises of animals, whether real or imagined.

  Giving the dragons lithe and deadly movements was one thing, but creating Lucky was another thing entirely. Frankly, this was because Lucky had to have personality. Most of Lucky’s mannerisms and expressions resemble those of my dog, Dido (if you want to see what she looks like, go to YouTube: she made a few unscripted appearances in the web videos I did for The Tournament!). Dido’s ears twitch back when she is happy and her eyes shine when she looks at me. I will often enter a room in which she is lying down; she will register my presence with a lazy wag of her tail without otherwise moving. That’s personality! So while most of the other dragons move like crouched tigers or other big cats, Lucky is actually more dog-like in her movements. Yes, I am a dog person.

  Creating Lucky’s voice took many revisions. Because her ‘speech’ comes via a limited database of sounds, I had to make it obviously simple and basic. But given that it would be Lucky who informs the reader about the ‘master’ dragons and the other dragon nest, her speech also had to be very clear. This required many, many revisions. As with many things, if it looks simple, it probably wasn’t.

  The story does seem like a simple, straightforward idea: a zoo filled with dragons in China. Was this book simple and straightforward to write?

  Not at all. I actually revised The Great Zoo of China more times than I did for any of my previous books, to make sure I got it right.

  I knew from the start that I would have to convey many complex ideas in the book—the dragons, the layout of the zoo, the motives of the Chinese in building it, the electromagnetic domes, the dragons’ speech—but it had to flow. I always want my novels to be fast. I didn’t want readers to get bogged down in the technology.

  One of the things I have come up against time and again in my career is the notion that because a book is easy to read it was somehow easy to write. This, to me, is one of the greatest blindspots of literary types. Making something fast and easy to read is not easy at all. It takes time and lots and lots of constant revising. If anyone says The Great Zoo of China is easy to read and only takes a few days to get through, then I will take that as a big compliment, because I worked hard to make it that way!

  Are there any little secrets in the novel?

  There are always a few secrets in my novels. The character of Hamish Cameron is named after a young fan of mine. Hamish’s father, Ewen Cameron, bought the character name in an auction at the Bullant Charity Challenge Ball a few years ago. The money went to charity and I had to find a character to name after Hamish. I hope you liked your character, Hamish!

  Similarly, Benjamin Patrick is named after two young gentlemen from my old high school, St Aloysius’ College, Benjamin Liam Lok Yin Chambers and Patrick Laurence Yan Yin Chambers. Ben and Patrick’s parents bought the character name at a charity auction for the school.

  Greg Johnson and Kirk Syme are good mates of mine from San Francisco and I just thought they’d like to be in a book. And Bill Lynch from Merion asked me to put his name in a novel. There you go, Bill. You asked for it! Fans often ask me at book signings if they can be in a novel, so there are a few of those in there as well. Happy to help!

  Everyone wants to know—will we see Scarecrow or Jack West Jr any time soon?

  The answer is: I’m still deciding! Having brought Scarecrow back in Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves, I think it’s time for Jack West Jr to return. And I have a good idea for a fourth Jack West book, but I’m still developing it, and I won’t do it until I am completely happy with the story. I place very high demands on myself and I think my readers respect that.

  My readers are awesome. They were very indulgent with me when it came to The Tournament, which was a different kind of novel for me. No matter what I write, they deserve nothin
g less than my very best efforts and that is what I will always promise to give.

  What is coming up in the future for you Matthew?

  Having lived my whole life in Sydney, Australia, I am currently looking at moving to the United States to explore some storytelling opportunities there in both books and film. I love Australia dearly but I’m still young and I’d hate to get to fifty and say to myself, ‘Why didn’t I ever give that a go?’ I’ll still write my novels, only from a different place.

  Any final words?

  I just hope my book took you away from the real world for a while. I hope the dragons scared you and that you liked meeting CJ and her shampoo-stealing brother, Hamish. Like I always say, I just hope you enjoyed it.

  Matthew Reilly

  Sydney, Australia

  November 2014

  About Matthew Reilly

  Matthew Reilly is the internationally bestselling author of the Scarecrow novels: Ice Station, Area 7, Scarecrow, Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves and the novella Hell Island; the Jack West novels: Seven Ancient Wonders, The Six Sacred Stones and The Five Greatest Warriors; the standalone novels Contest, Temple, Hover Car Racer and The Tournament; and the ebook Troll Mountain.

  His books are published in over 20 languages, with worldwide sales of over 7 million copies.

  Also by Matthew Reilly

  CONTEST

  ICE STATION

  TEMPLE

  AREA 7

  SCARECROW

  HOVER CAR RACER

  HELL ISLAND

  SEVEN ANCIENT WONDERS

  THE SIX SACRED STONES

  THE FIVE GREATEST WARRIORS

  SCARECROW AND THE ARMY OF THIEVES

  THE TOURNAMENT

  TROLL MOUNTAIN

  MORE BESTSELLING TITLES FROM MATTHEW REILLY

  Contest

  The New York State Library. A brooding labyrinth of towering bookcases, narrow aisles and spiralling staircases. For Doctor Stephen Swain and his daughter, Holly, it is the site of a nightmare. For one night, this historic building is to be the venue for a contest. A contest in which Swain is to compete—whether he likes it or not.

  The rules are simple. Seven contestants will enter. Only one will leave. With his daughter in his arms, Swain is plunged into a terrifying fight for survival. He can choose to run, to hide or to fight—but if he wants to live, he has to win. For in this contest, unless you leave as the victor, you do not leave at all.

  Temple

  Deep in the jungle of Peru, the hunt for a legendary Incan idol is under way—an idol that in the present day could be used as the basis for a terrifying new weapon.

  Guiding a US Army team is Professor William Race, a young linguist who must translate an ancient manuscript which contains the location of the idol.

  What they find is an ominous stone temple, sealed tight. They open it—and soon discover that some doors are meant to remain unopened . . .

  Hover Car Racer

  Meet Jason Chaser, hover car racer. He’s won himself a place at the International Race School, where racers either make it on to the Pro Circuit—or they crash and burn.

  But he’s an outsider. He’s younger than the other racers. His car, the Argonaut, is older. And on top of that, someone doesn’t want him to succeed at the School and will do anything to stop him.

  Now Jason Chaser isn’t just fighting for his place on the starting line, he’s racing for his life.

  Troll Mountain

  (Available from Momentum Books)

  A dauntless young hero. An army of brutal monsters. An impossible quest.

  In an isolated valley, a small tribe of humans is dying from a terrible illness. There are rumours, however, that the trolls of Troll Mountain, the valley’s fearsome overlords, have found a cure for the illness: a fabulous elixir.

  When his sister is struck down by the disease and his tribal leaders refuse to help him, an intrepid youth named Raf decides to defy his tribe and do the unthinkable: he will journey alone to Troll Mountain and steal the elixir from the dreaded trolls.

  But to get to Troll Mountain, Raf will have to pass through dangerous swamps and haunting forests filled with wolves, hobgoblins and, worst of all, the ever-present danger of rogue trolls . . .

  The journey to the mountain has begun.

  The Tournament

  In the year 1546, Suleiman the Magnificent, the powerful and feared Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, issues an invitation to every king in Europe:

  YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND YOUR FINEST PLAYER TO COMPETE IN A CHESS TOURNAMENT TO DETERMINE THE CHAMPION OF THE KNOWN WORLD.

  The English delegation—led by esteemed scholar Roger Ascham—journeys to the glittering city of Constantinople. Accompanying Ascham is his pupil, Bess, who is about to bear witness to events she never thought possible.

  For on the first night of the tournament, a powerful guest of the Sultan is murdered, and against the backdrop of the historic event, Ascham is tasked with finding the killer.

  Barbaric deaths, unimaginable depravity and diplomatic treachery unfold before Bess’s eyes, indelibly shaping her character and determining how she will perform her future role . . . as Queen Elizabeth I.

  Roger Ascham and the King’s Lost Girl

  In this special prequel to Matthew Reilly’s The Tournament, Roger Ascham, the unorthodox tutor of Princess Elizabeth, is tasked by King Henry VIII with a most unusual and dangerous mission.

  Available free from all good ebook retailers.

  Seven Ancient Wonders

  AN ANCIENT SECRET

  Two thousand years ago, it was hidden within the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Now, in the present day, it must be found again . . .

  ONE HERO TO FIND IT

  Captain Jack West Jr – part soldier, part scholar, all hero. The odds are stacked against him and his loyal team: nine brave companions taking on the most powerful countries on earth.

  AN ADVENTURE LIKE NO OTHER

  From the pyramids of Egypt to the swamps of Sudan, to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the boulevards of Paris: the desperate race begins.

  FOR A PRIZE WITHOUT EQUAL

  The greatest prize of all: the power to end the world or rule it.

  AND SO THE GREAT ADVENTURE BEGINS

  The Six Sacred Stones

  THE END OF THE WORLD IS COMING

  A mysterious ceremony at a hidden location has unlocked a catastrophic countdown to world annihilation.

  ONE HERO

  Now, to save the world, supersoldier Jack West Jr and his loyal team of adventurers must find and rebuild a legendary device known as ‘the Machine’.

  SIX FABLED STONES

  The only clues to locating this Machine are held within the fabled Six Sacred Stones, which are scattered around the globe. But Jack and his team are not the only ones seeking the Stones, there are other players involved who don’t want to see the world saved at all . . .

  The Five Greatest Warriors

  THE END OF THE WORLD HAS ARRIVED

  Jack West Jr and his loyal team have been separated, their mission is in ruins, and Jack was last seen plummeting down a fathomless abyss.

  OCEANS WILL RISE, CITIES WILL FALL

  After surviving his deadly fall, Jack must now race against his enemies to locate and set in place the remaining pieces of ‘the Machine’ before the coming Armageddon.

  WHO ARE THE FIVE WARRIORS?

  Jack will learn of the individuals who throughout history have been most intimately connected to his quest, but not before he and his friends find out exactly what the end of the world looks like . . .

  Ice Station

  THE DISCOVERY OF A LIFETIME

  At a remote ice station in Antarctica, a team of US scientists has found something buried deep within a 100-million-year-old layer of ice. Something made of metal.

  THE LAW OF SURVIVAL

  In a land without boundaries, there are no rules. Every country would kill for this prize.

  A LEADER OF MEN


  A team of crack United States marines is sent to the station to secure the discovery. Their leader – Lieutenant Shane Schofield, call-sign: SCARECROW. They are a tight unit, tough and fearless. They would follow their leader into hell. They just did . . .

  Area 7

  A HIDDEN LOCATION

  It is America’s most secret base, a remote installation known only as Area 7.

  THE VISITOR

  And today it has a guest: the President of the United States. But he’s going to get more than he bargained for on this trip. Because hostile forces are waiting inside . . .

  HIS SAVIOUR

  Among the President’s helicopter crew, however, is a young marine. His name is Schofield. Call-sign: SCARECROW. Rumour has it, he’s a good man in a storm. Judging by what the President has just walked into, he’d better be . . .

  Scarecrow

  IT IS THE GREATEST BOUNTY HUNT IN HISTORY

  There are 15 targets. And they must all be dead by 12 noon, today. The price on their heads: $20 million each.

  ONE HERO

  Among the names on the target list, one stands out. An enigmatic Marine named Shane Schofield, call-sign: SCARECROW.

  NO LIMITS

  And so Schofield is hunted by gangs of international bounty hunters, including the ‘Black Knight’, a ruthless hunter who seems intent on eliminating only him.

  He led his men into hell in Ice Station. He protected the President against all odds in Area 7. This time it’s different. Because this time SCARECROW is the target.

  Hell Island

  It is an island that doesn’t appear on any maps. A secret place, where classified experiments have been carried out. Experiments that have gone terribly wrong . . .

  Four crack special forces units are dropped in. One of them is a team of Marines, led by Captain Shane Schofield, call-sign: SCARECROW.