I’ve read four of Taylor Brown’s five published novels and have enjoyed all of them. He has an incredible artistry with words. He can make the readers experience his stories with all of their senses and creates magnificently flawed characters that readers can’t help but sympathize with. If there is any weakness in his craft, it is that sometimes he fails to show readers where the story is going. In this newest book, there is a path forward but sometimes you have to take it on faith that you will be rewarded in the end.

Pride of Eden takes place mostly on the southeastern seaboard of the U.S. The setting is contemporary but it has a post-apocalyptic air too it that is reminiscent of a world where climate change has waged war on humanity and won. Abandoned businesses and planned real estate developments are overrun by swampland and kudzu and those who live there are the quintessential outsiders that one would expect to meet in a world run amok.

The residents of Little Eden are an odd assortment of characters from different backgrounds with one shared passion. They all have dedicated themselves to rescuing and caring for those animals that never should have been taken out of the wild. These misfits include Anse, a Vietnam veteran who is alive because of the sacrifice of a war dog; Malaya, a veteran of a more recent war who bore witness to the desecration of the Baghdad Zoo and the bloody work of African poachers, Tyler, a veterinarian and Lope, a master of drones and falconry. Their methods of rescuing lions, tigers, crocodiles and other animals from abusive situations are extralegal, to put it kindly.

Bottom line: Taylor Brown’s prose and elegant descriptions of nature will keep me coming back for more. His potting could be tighter, but with the way he writes, I don’t really care. His is a great example of a modern southern master and I will take all that I can get.

*. The review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.

FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star – The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire. ( )

I finished this book not only emotionally drained, but also throughout awed by the talent of this author. His first book, Fallen Land, captured my attention, his following endeavors firmly cemented him into an author that I will drop everything to read immediately. He can put together characters and events in a detailed manner, making them unforgettable.

Here the world is on the verge of a collapse, due to mans mistreatment of nature , and his own greed. There are few main characters, but all have suffered emotionally and physically in the past. They come together at Eden, a sanctuary for mistreated animals. If you are an animal lover this will be a hard read, but it also shows that their are still those who care, have in fact made it their lifes mission to serve and protect.

This is intense, descriptive, so much do that I felt as if I was not only reading, but was instead watching from within. Do you know there are more tigers in the state of Texas, than there is left in the wild? I couldn't believe this, so had to look it up and yes, it is true. Fixed hunts, where the animals are set up for the hunter. Big men, big hunters, can't take on the animals on the own terms. Sickening, some of the horrible things people do and accept.. Lawrence Anthony, the elephant whisperer, a man I much admire, makes a few short appearances. Mans cruelty to animals, the animals like Mosi, the lion, who is only acting to his nature, doesn't kill just to have or destroy, but for food. By books end one should realize that the animals are much nobler, than the humans who attempt to capture, maim or kill.

One should finish this book angry, angry at our lack of respect and caring for the animals of our world. A little hopeful to that there are still those who care enough to try to help and save. At the end of the last chapter there was something that made me smile, perfectly placed and so right. This is a book I will never forget and one that I encourage all to read.

ARC from St. Martin's press. ( )

Taylor Brown (the author) is fantastic! He has become one of my favorite authors. He's a master of descriptive language, setting scenes so vividly that you can see/feel/taste/smell them. I loved his Gods of Gods of Howl Mountain, and River of Kings. They are among the favorite books that I have read in the past several years.
So, I was thrilled when I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Knowing that I was going to devour this book, I set it aside for a short time, until I could have an uninterrupted period of time to devote to it.
The plot is interesting. The rescue of endangered animals such as tigers, lions, and elephants. And Brown doesn't let me down in his descriptions of scenes. Man, I love his ability to make me feel like I am there.
Ah, how do I describe this without ruining it for you? I'll try to be as vague as possible. Where I became disappointed was in the choppy moving from scene to scene, never really resolving any situations. There were characters who were introduced, and then just dropped, never to be heard from again. I never really got the sense of where the book is going, what it's supposed to be building up to? And the ending, where I hoped all the loose threads would be pulled together, was entirely underwhelming. The book just drifted away with no resolution. It left me feeling disappointed, and rather sad because I had such high hopes for it. And because I know that Brown can do so much better.
Even so, he remains one of my favorite authors, and I eagerly await his next effort. I hope that this book was just an anomaly, that maybe he was rushed due to deadlines. I hope that he takes his time next time, and writes to the level that I know he is capable of. ( )