Pride of Eden

December 2, 2019
Brown (Gods of Howl Mountain) sets his haunting, empathetic latest in a wildlife sanctuary on the Georgia coast. Ex-jockey and Vietnam War vet Anse Caulfield and his lover, Tyler, a veterinarian, run Little Eden, a haven for exotic animals rescued from exploitative roadside zoos, circuses, and private owners. It’s a dangerous enterprise, since Anse must rescue his animals under the cover of night and constant threat of discovery by the unsavory people he rescues his animals from. He’s aided by his friend Lope, a firefighter, falconer, and drone operator, who, in the devastating opening pages, saves Anse from Henrietta, a lioness who escaped her enclosure and is subsequently killed. Newcomer Malaya is an Iraq vet fresh off a job thwarting poachers in South Africa that went south. When a reclusive wolf breeder threatens their little slice of heaven, they must embark on their most dangerous mission yet. With a lush sense of atmosphere, Brown paints an evocative portrait of Anse, a man who has devoted his life to broken and abused animals, out of love and as atonement for past sins, as well as of Malaya, who struggles with PTSD and finds new purpose in their work. Couched in a thrilling narrative, Brown’s heartbreaking yet hopeful message of humanity’s moral responsibility for the natural world and its magnificent creatures will linger with readers.

February 1, 2020
The King of the Jungle is a misnomer, Brown (Gods of Howl Mountain, 2018) reminds us in this stellar, pulse-quickening novel. Lions rule the savannah, whereas the much slinkier tiger is the jungle's top predator. Trophy hunters, poachers, and safari capitalists of every stripe, however, represent the most dangerous species of all: humanity. Vietnam veteran and former racehorse jockey Anse Caulfield cannot stand witnessing the reduction of majestic animals to mere objects for man's sport or exploitation, and he uses the results of a fortuitous stock tip to operate an animal sanctuary along the Georgia coast. Anse has acquired his reserve's big cats, monkeys, an elephant, and other species largely through less than legal means, rescuing abused animals under the cover of night. A small family forms, including like-minded veterinarian Tyler, ex-military poacher-hunter Malaya, and falconer turned drone expert Lope. Brown excels at capturing the beauty and mystery of the wild Georgian coast and the characters who eke out means of survival along the swamps and rivers, but what makes this riveting nail-biter most impressive is Brown's knowledge and passion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

October 1, 2019

Vietnam veteran Anse Caulfield, who rescues animals abused in captivity for the wildlife sanctuary Little Eden, will use any means necessary to replace a lion killed after escaping. So he corrals another veteran, Malaya, who once stalked elephant poachers in Africa; falconer-turned-drone expert Lope; and Little Eden veterinarian Tyler, and together they challenge the underworld of breeders, smugglers, and trophy hunters who exploit wildlife. From Montana Prize winner and Doris Betts Prize finalist Brown (Gods of Howl Mountain).

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