When rhino poachers kill two of his fellow rangers in Kruger Park, South African Defense Force veteran Cobus Venter reaches his breaking point. Quitting his job, he embarks on a vigilante mission to take down the animal-trafficking syndicate from the inside. Meanwhile, in Florida, insurance investigator Randall Knight is called to a private roadside zoo, where a new tiger cub of suspect lineage brought a virus that wiped out all the zoo's tigers. The disease is just one species jump away from erupting into a deadly global human pandemic. What starts as a simple insurance claim leads Knight to discover a shocking new evolution in the business of illicit animal trafficking. Animals is set in the world of global animal trafficking and follows converging story lines into a dark maze of corruption and organized crime, and through the journeys of the main characters, the novel explores the factors driving the exploitation and ruin of the natural world.
I guarantee that you will have a completely different outlook on how animals fit into our present world and the human beings who work to protect them against those who exploit, harm and ultimately eliminate these beautiful creatures from existence ... Will Staples really knows his stuff, and his extensive research shines through every page ... The book reads like a page-turning thriller but with the additional benefit of opening your mind to the plight of those who are out there fighting for these precious animals around the globe. There are more than a few moments that make you stop and think ... a cautionary tale that hits far too close to home with a message that hopefully will inspire readers to learn more about the subject and do something about it.
... one of the most eye-opening books I have read in years ... Staples writes a thriller that is both fascinating and educational as to the plight of these animals. The book has numerous storylines that easily converge ... Animals may not be for the squeamish, as the reader is exposed to the dark side of this international trafficking. But this is a thriller like few others that I have read ... It is a book that shows the worst of humanity, as well as giving us hope that there are those out there who are doing all they can on behalf of the animal kingdom. This is an important book that we all need to read.
Animals is not light reading, but the writing is strong and the characters and story believable. It should be required reading for anyone who thinks animal trafficking isn’t serious. As if Covid hadn’t already taught us that lesson . . .
