You need to have read the first book in the series "Survival" to know a little bit about the characters before you read this or any of the other Alpha Force books.
That being said, I read this book and others out of order and it didn't matter at all as each adventure is separate.
The book opens with the Alpha Force using a special survival outdoors team race to train in Africa They end up rescuing a member of another team who has fallen into a poacher's pit and been impaled on a wooden spike - bit gruesome but as a result, her father invites them to stay at the family's wildlife park that also has problems with ivory poachers. If you are an animal fan, be prepared to have your heart strings tugged - don't get too attached to the orphan baby elephant. The Alpha Force decide to help the owners by using tracking tags to set a trap of the bad guys. At the same time, they also foil some rich kids' plan to use hunting rifles to go on a night hunt for lions.
Engaging and suspenseful story that fans of the Cherub or Alex Rider series will love. ( )