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The Zoo: An Allegorical Adventure
Have you ever thought about stepping into the past of a dynamic and vibrant metropolitan city, right before it came to a state of mass destruction and annihilation? How could such a thing happen and who were the characters that precipitated its decline? What were their motivations and how did they behave? The Zoo is an adventure that takes you on this treacherous journey. Filled with suspense, tension and thought-provoking themes, this witty story is a page-turner that will keep you on edge until the very last page.
In the book, you travel on an intrepid three day adventure exploring the remains of a once energetic, but now desolated and uninhabited metropolis. You'll hear about the comical, yet tragic cast of characters (zoo animals) that caused the devastation through a chain of unanticipated events. You will experience the deep conflict between 'Larry the Monkey' and 'Victor the Bear' that set the wheels in motion for the catastrophic events that follow. You'll also come across a few principled characters that tried their best to prevent such happenings. In addition, for the clever reader there is a challenge to determine which major metropolitan city the book's setting was modeled after.
In a metaphorical way, you may even find a certain resemblance to our own modern day state of affairs. At the core, The Zoo is a dystopian satire that provides keen insights into human behavior. Written in a classical tone and style reminiscent of 'Animal Farm' and 'War of the Worlds,' this is a book that will certainly cause you to see the world with a different perspective!
In the book, you travel on an intrepid three day adventure exploring the remains of a once energetic, but now desolated and uninhabited metropolis. You'll hear about the comical, yet tragic cast of characters (zoo animals) that caused the devastation through a chain of unanticipated events. You will experience the deep conflict between 'Larry the Monkey' and 'Victor the Bear' that set the wheels in motion for the catastrophic events that follow. You'll also come across a few principled characters that tried their best to prevent such happenings. In addition, for the clever reader there is a challenge to determine which major metropolitan city the book's setting was modeled after.
In a metaphorical way, you may even find a certain resemblance to our own modern day state of affairs. At the core, The Zoo is a dystopian satire that provides keen insights into human behavior. Written in a classical tone and style reminiscent of 'Animal Farm' and 'War of the Worlds,' this is a book that will certainly cause you to see the world with a different perspective!
- GenresScience FictionPolitics
Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2014
About the author
Stephen Black
2 books27 followersStephen Black is an author with varied interests ranging from arts and science to economic history and nature. He also enjoys a love of dogs, bird watching, bicycling, and international travel. He spends his free time writing books with the aim of providing readers with entertaining, thought-provoking themes and eye-opening experiences.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 14, 2018
What would it take to bring a vibrant and bustling Metropolis to its very knees? The simple answer to this question is…not very much! Any type of civilization takes a great deal of time and industry to create, but precious little effort to destroy. Poor choices or a series of unfortunate events can lead to catastrophic consequences. When you throw in the inherent fragility of the human psyche, it seems as though we have all the ingredients for the perfect storm. If such concepts intrigue you, then The Zoo: An Allegorical Adventure by author Stephen Black, may be a tale which will garner your attention. Indeed, readers who enjoy dystopian themes which are peppered with satire may very well find what they are seeking in this unique novella.
The actual story begins with a boy and his grandfather visiting a once booming city which now lies in ruins. How did this possibly come to be? As readers, we soon find out the answer to this question through a story told by the grandfather. It is not your typical tale however. It is told by looking back at the lives of the various zoo inhabitants. It is through the description of these animals, and examination of their individual motivations and desires, that the answer to the mystery of the ruined city is eventually revealed. Could the various animals really have caused such a devastating event? Or is there more to this story than meets the eye?
There are a variety of intriguing themes which are explored throughout this novella. Perhaps the most pressing one however is that of cause and effect. In short, how our choices can have a dramatic impact upon our own future, and inevitably the lives of others as well. Does the term “Butterfly Effect” ring a bell? It is essentially a moralistic satire which examines the cause and effect of human behavior by using animals to portray the former. I found it to be a fresh and imaginative concept which brings to mind other works such as Animal Farm by George Orwell. Be that as it may, the plot of the tale does drag on in parts. It seems as though more effort is spent on presenting the moralistic message than is on letting the story unfold naturally. This pedantic nature tends to stifle what is otherwise a wonderful storyline.
As for the characters, I felt the author did a very good job at developing them. The reader is able to easily visualize the various zoo creatures and then associate them with actual humans they have encountered. It is exceptionally easy to make such connections with our current society and politicians in mind. The ego driven Larry the Monkey, high strung Nadine the Parrot and attention seeking Karl the Donkey to name a few. Larry was certainly developed in the most detail, and his portrayal was very similar to the rise and fall which occurs with many celebrities and politicians. In my personal opinion, the animal characters in this book are its strongest trait.
Overall, The Zoo is a story which has many positive aspects. Intriguing themes, interesting characters, and a dystopian setting which is quite easily visualized in the mind. Nevertheless, it has some drawbacks as well. For instance, the plot development does not have a very smooth flow as it gets sidetracked with depicting the moralistic message. The reader wants the story to reveal the message through actual events rather than pontification. Also, there is a need for a proofreader with this novella. Typically, I ignore the mechanics when I am reviewing a book, unless it ultimately distracts from the story. In this particular case it does.
3 out of 5 Anthropomorphic stars for this one! ***
The actual story begins with a boy and his grandfather visiting a once booming city which now lies in ruins. How did this possibly come to be? As readers, we soon find out the answer to this question through a story told by the grandfather. It is not your typical tale however. It is told by looking back at the lives of the various zoo inhabitants. It is through the description of these animals, and examination of their individual motivations and desires, that the answer to the mystery of the ruined city is eventually revealed. Could the various animals really have caused such a devastating event? Or is there more to this story than meets the eye?
There are a variety of intriguing themes which are explored throughout this novella. Perhaps the most pressing one however is that of cause and effect. In short, how our choices can have a dramatic impact upon our own future, and inevitably the lives of others as well. Does the term “Butterfly Effect” ring a bell? It is essentially a moralistic satire which examines the cause and effect of human behavior by using animals to portray the former. I found it to be a fresh and imaginative concept which brings to mind other works such as Animal Farm by George Orwell. Be that as it may, the plot of the tale does drag on in parts. It seems as though more effort is spent on presenting the moralistic message than is on letting the story unfold naturally. This pedantic nature tends to stifle what is otherwise a wonderful storyline.
As for the characters, I felt the author did a very good job at developing them. The reader is able to easily visualize the various zoo creatures and then associate them with actual humans they have encountered. It is exceptionally easy to make such connections with our current society and politicians in mind. The ego driven Larry the Monkey, high strung Nadine the Parrot and attention seeking Karl the Donkey to name a few. Larry was certainly developed in the most detail, and his portrayal was very similar to the rise and fall which occurs with many celebrities and politicians. In my personal opinion, the animal characters in this book are its strongest trait.
Overall, The Zoo is a story which has many positive aspects. Intriguing themes, interesting characters, and a dystopian setting which is quite easily visualized in the mind. Nevertheless, it has some drawbacks as well. For instance, the plot development does not have a very smooth flow as it gets sidetracked with depicting the moralistic message. The reader wants the story to reveal the message through actual events rather than pontification. Also, there is a need for a proofreader with this novella. Typically, I ignore the mechanics when I am reviewing a book, unless it ultimately distracts from the story. In this particular case it does.
3 out of 5 Anthropomorphic stars for this one! ***
October 11, 2016
This book is just awful. I got it free as an offer from Kindle, and I think Kindle should have offered to pay me just to read it. I taught writing for 30 years to college seniors, and if this book had been turned in to my class, I'd tell the writer to start over or take a different class--and I'm a very supportive instructor.
The most elementary rules of punctuation are disregarded throughout. Every time there's a quote, it reads like: "This is really interesting." he said. There's supposed to be a comma before the attribution, not a period. The author also uses a plethora of exclamation points, which makes the writing seem urgent and breathless. Also, most verbs of attribution (he said, she said, etc.) are so showy that they take the emphasis off the quote. If the guy's excited when he says the quote, that should be inherent in the quote itself and not have to be indicated by frothy punctuation. Also, putting an adverb in the attribution ("This is really interesting!" he said wonderingly) is even stupider.
All the animals in this zoo are labored caricatures, including the clown, who is never distinguished from the animals, as if he just lives his life at the zoo and drinks out of water troughs. The whole book is supposed to be some kind of parable or allegory, but it's painful and self-conscious, and I finally couldn't finish it.
Unless you like to read continual, subtle depictions of the clouds and colors in the sky, I would avoid this book. It has no merit. I guess you get what you pay for. Or what you don't have to pay for is something you don't want.
The most elementary rules of punctuation are disregarded throughout. Every time there's a quote, it reads like: "This is really interesting." he said. There's supposed to be a comma before the attribution, not a period. The author also uses a plethora of exclamation points, which makes the writing seem urgent and breathless. Also, most verbs of attribution (he said, she said, etc.) are so showy that they take the emphasis off the quote. If the guy's excited when he says the quote, that should be inherent in the quote itself and not have to be indicated by frothy punctuation. Also, putting an adverb in the attribution ("This is really interesting!" he said wonderingly) is even stupider.
All the animals in this zoo are labored caricatures, including the clown, who is never distinguished from the animals, as if he just lives his life at the zoo and drinks out of water troughs. The whole book is supposed to be some kind of parable or allegory, but it's painful and self-conscious, and I finally couldn't finish it.
Unless you like to read continual, subtle depictions of the clouds and colors in the sky, I would avoid this book. It has no merit. I guess you get what you pay for. Or what you don't have to pay for is something you don't want.
September 6, 2014
I received a complimentary copy of The Zoo: An Allegorical Adventure in exchange for my promise to write a review.
I had expected this to be something along the lines of George Orwell's Animal Farm. It is not. A man and his grandson journey to a ruined city. As they explore the long abandoned ruins, the man tells the boy the story of what had happened there. He tells him all about the animals in the zoo, describing each by name, Larry the Monkey, Victor the Bear, Nadine the Parrot, and so forth.
I wondered a little about the time frame. The events that lead to the destruction of the city occurred in the present day. There were cell phones and drones. The man and his grandson return years later when the green spaces and parks in the city are overgrown and wild. Perhaps it is just a few years after the events in the story or it could be decades later. Being set in the future could qualify it to be classified in the science fiction genre, but it really isn't a science fiction story. I also wondered a little about the location. All along I assumed this was in America, but it could have happened anywhere. In hindsight, it seems somehow unacceptable that a government that could do such terrible things could be the government of the Unites Sates. It couldn't be, could it?
The Zoo would benefit from the insights of a professional editor. In this regard it is like most independently published books. It is novella length, an easy read, though in places the prose is a bit stiff. We, like the grandson, really want to know what happened to the city, what caused such devastation. Stephen Black dangles the carrot of that knowledge until the penultimate chapter.
I had expected this to be something along the lines of George Orwell's Animal Farm. It is not. A man and his grandson journey to a ruined city. As they explore the long abandoned ruins, the man tells the boy the story of what had happened there. He tells him all about the animals in the zoo, describing each by name, Larry the Monkey, Victor the Bear, Nadine the Parrot, and so forth.
I wondered a little about the time frame. The events that lead to the destruction of the city occurred in the present day. There were cell phones and drones. The man and his grandson return years later when the green spaces and parks in the city are overgrown and wild. Perhaps it is just a few years after the events in the story or it could be decades later. Being set in the future could qualify it to be classified in the science fiction genre, but it really isn't a science fiction story. I also wondered a little about the location. All along I assumed this was in America, but it could have happened anywhere. In hindsight, it seems somehow unacceptable that a government that could do such terrible things could be the government of the Unites Sates. It couldn't be, could it?
The Zoo would benefit from the insights of a professional editor. In this regard it is like most independently published books. It is novella length, an easy read, though in places the prose is a bit stiff. We, like the grandson, really want to know what happened to the city, what caused such devastation. Stephen Black dangles the carrot of that knowledge until the penultimate chapter.
August 21, 2015
this book is pure crap. don't even bother.
July 18, 2018
Interesting, but not very engaging. It felt like the author was trying too hard to make his point rather than just telling the story and allowing the subtle nuances of the story make the point.
I don't regret reading it and I am slightly curious about the next book, but I don't know if that will be enough to encourage me to get it.
I don't regret reading it and I am slightly curious about the next book, but I don't know if that will be enough to encourage me to get it.
June 24, 2018
Great
Couldn't put book down. Loved it. Well written. Took you imagination from the very beginning to the last word. Wonderful
Couldn't put book down. Loved it. Well written. Took you imagination from the very beginning to the last word. Wonderful
January 21, 2020
Sorry this was not for me, at least it was short. Grandfather and grandson visit an abandoned city, why, I haven't a clue. Least they got home safe. Read it at your peril.
October 28, 2020
This was a free Kindle read. It was not to my liking. the story seemed very uninteresting and boring to me. I tossed this book to the side.
October 9, 2014
This is a good book to put in your pocket for a short flight. You can't help but think that we are talking about a metropolitan American city as you begin to read. Of course, it is easy to associate the characters with the present day politicians. We all seem to think that nothing like this could happen in our society, but there are so many followers today and so few real good leaders, that this could in fact happen, and from my point of view, having been born in the late 30's that it is in fact taking place today. Each day that passes, we give away more and more of our values and virtues. We all just keep on following the Pied Piper. I couldn't help but compare this book to a movie that was a must see for most college students back in the 60's. (The King of Hearts) The theme being that this person walks into a society where all the citizens are nuts and living in the asylum. He spends some time there and then spends some time in the streets with the populace. The final scene depicts him, standing naked banging on the gates of the asylum wanting to get in because the inhabitants are saner than the people in the streets.
This book kind of spells it out for you that if you just stand idly by and don't make an effort to contribute, the Pied Piper will lead us over the cliff.
The book is a quick read and stimulating.
Fred Melin
This book kind of spells it out for you that if you just stand idly by and don't make an effort to contribute, the Pied Piper will lead us over the cliff.
The book is a quick read and stimulating.
Fred Melin
September 6, 2014
This is a novella about a grandfather who takes his grandson on a journey to a once thriving cosmopolitan city that is now a mass of rubble. This fall of a Zoo and it's inhabitants has a ripple effect that causes great harm to neighbouring areas causing mass destruction further afield. A moralistic tale that shows how quickly things can turn very bad and how the choices we make effects more then just ourselves. If you are a fan of Animal Farm or dystopian books then this book is likely to appeal to you, Interesting characters and a fun short read!
I received this from the author for review.
I received this from the author for review.
Read
August 15, 2015The book itself was a written in a straightforward fashion where descriptions ran parallel with spelled out interpretations. (For example instead of letting the reader interpret rusty, time ruined metal framework of a forgotten city, the author describes the building as having metal that is old and had been abandoned.) The author keeps the reader anticipating how a story of the zoo and its animals with their unique characters led to the city being abandoned. The last couple of chapters really pick up and pull from a variety of dystopian scenarios.
July 11, 2014
A Summer “Must Read”!
This was a fun fast paced book that was really thought provoking and entertaining. The characters were well developed and hilarious, especially Karl the donkey and Larry the monkey. Lots of antics and a moral theme to boot. A perfect short book to bring on a plane or on vacation. I just couldn’t put the book down, because each chapter left me wanting to know what happened next. If you’re looking for a good short adventure book, I’d highly recommend the Zoo.
This was a fun fast paced book that was really thought provoking and entertaining. The characters were well developed and hilarious, especially Karl the donkey and Larry the monkey. Lots of antics and a moral theme to boot. A perfect short book to bring on a plane or on vacation. I just couldn’t put the book down, because each chapter left me wanting to know what happened next. If you’re looking for a good short adventure book, I’d highly recommend the Zoo.
September 24, 2014
I received "The Zoo" by Stephen Black for free through the Goodreads First Read Program. I promised to give an honest review so I gave it three stars.
I feel that this book is a good YA book. The animals in the Zoo show characteristics of human behavior. Their actions lead to the downfall of a wonderful city. I liked the book but I feel that it needs a little fleshing out and more details about what caused the downfall.
I feel that this book is a good YA book. The animals in the Zoo show characteristics of human behavior. Their actions lead to the downfall of a wonderful city. I liked the book but I feel that it needs a little fleshing out and more details about what caused the downfall.
June 7, 2015
NOT MY CUP OF TEA.
This book told a story about fear and how fear makes man do things that would otherwise be shocking. The read for me was slow going. The book is not really appropriate for young children because of the "fear factor" they would think about what could happen if people get sick.
It just took too long for an obvious ending without really answering questions that left me hanging. I don't recommend this read but I am sure others may.
This book told a story about fear and how fear makes man do things that would otherwise be shocking. The read for me was slow going. The book is not really appropriate for young children because of the "fear factor" they would think about what could happen if people get sick.
It just took too long for an obvious ending without really answering questions that left me hanging. I don't recommend this read but I am sure others may.
September 24, 2014
First I was a Goodreads winner of this book. The book was well written. I enjoy the story of the down fall of a city. The chapters were short and the allegories were clear. I got the message of the story. Well done.
February 1, 2016
Interesting idea for a story but not executed well.
April 28, 2016
I enjoyed the book, if one is critical of the mechanics of writing, this might not be for you. It is an interesting idea that raises relevant questions.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews