About the Author

For the last nine years DAVID GILMAN has been principal writer on the UK television show, A Touch of Frost. David has worked as a firefighter, professional photographer, and marketing manager, and has travelled the world, gathering inspiration for The Danger Zone series along the way.

Reviews

Gr 6-9-Tom Gordon is missing and presumed dead. Now his 15-year-old son, Max, must leave England and go to the wilds of Namibia to search for him. His father is no stranger to danger because it is his job to seek out and expose corporations and governments that are damaging the environment. This time the bad guy has been polluting the water supply by dumping a pharmaceutical's excess drugs, thus saving the expense of properly disposing of them. Tom Gordon has uncovered the illegal activities and has been taken captive. Max is aided in his search by Sayid, his boarding-school friend and a computer whiz; a 17-year-old female pilot; and a Bushman boy. The characters are likable, and it is interesting to read about the clicking language of the Bushmen people, but the story alternates between two locations with sometimes abrupt transitions, which could make following it a bit frustrating for younger readers. However, the action starts on page one and it never lets up. Max faces swarms of monkeys, bad guys, poison arrows, extreme weather, and starvation; is forced to learn to fly a plane; and has the momentous shape-shifting experience of turning into an eagle. Students who are able to sort out the locations and intricate plot will be rewarded with a rip-roaring ride of an adventure.-Jake Pettit, Thompson Valley High School Library, Loveland, CO Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.