Alan Dean Foster is a science fiction author - this however is a series of essays and observations about his real life encounters within the jungles and waters of our world. I learned valuable life lessons:
1. Never rub the chest of a cheetah just because your own cats like being rubbed on the chest.
2. Never, ever, ever, ever bother ants in the jungle. Ever. Unfortunately, if you happen across driver ants, you run. Really fast. Across their path. You're going to get bit. Also: don't fall.
3. Colorful jellyfish are evil creatures.
4. Never run from an elephant unless your guide is running from the elephant and screaming at you to run.
5. And finally, don't try to scare Foster's wife with a dead rattler. She'll just take it from you and skin the damn thing with her hands. ( )

A compelling read filled with sparkling prose about the author's adventures outside his culture and comfort zone encountering predators around the world and even in his own yard. Rich in detail with a good sense of self-deprecation mixed with genuine cultural and animal insight, Foster herein challenges all of us to live a little more bravely than we might so that we can write better, understand better, and experience the world better. Truly inspiring. I couldn't put it down.Have you ever wondered what it would be like to stare a lion in the face on the serenghetti or swim with sharks in the ocean? Author Alan Dean Foster answers those questions and more in the riveting “Predators I Have Known,” coming February 22nd from Open Road Media.Foster, a well known and respected author of science fiction and fantasy, New York Times bestselling author of 110 books, has the same lust for adventure he satisfies in readers with his many books and he takes us with him on many adventures around the world as he satiates it with daring encounters many of us might never risk. From the Amazon River in South America to the plains of Africa to the Arizona desert, Foster’s tales are told with vivid description, honest self-deprecation, and a great sense of humor using powerful prose. He captures his emotions and thoughts as he faces uncertain dangers yet feels compelled to stand his ground and not run. The predators are everything from giant ants to giant otters, usual suspects like snakes and spiders to big cats and elephants and other surprises. Some are well known, others less so. All are intriguing. For readers without the budget, time or guts to travel the world, Foster gives you a bird’s eye view of Australia, the Amazon jungle, the Pantanal, African desert and more. Having visited some of the places he does myself, I can attest to the accuracy of his descriptions and realism of his emotions. I only wish I could describe them so well. Sure to invoke the imagination, the book will make you laugh with delight, squirm with discomfort, and wait with baited breath to see if he survives. It’s a wonderful change of pace from a beloved writer and one I highly recommend. I’m sure I will read it again and again, especially when my own reality prevents satisfying my own lust for adventure.The only weakness for me was that I wanted more, and I especially wish there were some of Foster's pictures of the various encounters. His prose is vivid enough one can live without them, but having them would have just made the book all the more powerful.Available as an ebook, “Predators I Have Known” can be ordered for $26.99 at http://www.openroadmedia.com/books/predators-i-have-known.aspx#bookDetail with discounts available through many online booksellers. ( )