Review of Zona: The Forbidden Land

[Mckinzie Cowley]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Zona: The Forbidden Land" by Fred G. Baker.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Dr. Grant Taylor is the beneficiary of his Uncle Randall’s apartment, possessions, and secrets when his uncle is declared dead after not returning from an expedition into the unknown tundra in the Siberian Arctic. ZONA: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker is broken into three parts: Grant arrives in Russia to handle his uncle’s affairs and finds himself uncovering the secrets of what really happened on the Siberian expedition; the second dangerous expedition to ZONA; the arrival to and discovery of ZONA.

Fred G. Baker does an exceptional job building up the mystery of Randall’s last expedition, including government cover-ups, murder, and hidden messages left for Grant to uncover. When Grant finds himself in the position to retrace his uncle’s journey into Zona, as part of a search and rescue effort, he cannot refuse. The journey into Zona features extreme landscapes, larger than life animals, intense fights for their lives, and of course, romance.

One positive aspect of this novel is how successfully Baker is able to bring the land of Zona to life. From the unique geology and wildlife to the fantastic physiological utopia experienced by the expedition crew, Zona is the fantasy land you have never imagined. On the flip side, one of the least satisfying aspects of the novel is the rush to the conclusion. Baker builds up the anticipation to the expedition, the expedition crew fights for their lives, only for the journey to come to a rushed and poorly developed “happily-ever-after” in the final pages.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I found the writing was exceptionally well edited, encountering little to no errors in the writing. The journey is remarkably engaging, including suspense, action, and romance to cater to every potential need of the reader. While I do feel like the ending was rushed and underdeveloped in comparison to the journey, the reader is left with closure. The race to finish the novel does not overshadow the enjoyable journey leading up to the ending. I found this novel refreshing, exciting, and well-written. I would recommend this book to anyone who reads within the genre of fantasy.

I specifically recommend ZONA: The Forbidden Land to anyone who enjoys travel-adventure stories, fantasy animals, and who is an open-minded reader. As the book progresses, the fantasy intensifies from a Russian Government conspiracy to a mystical land with fantastical creatures. Although there are romantic relations carried throughout the plot, I would not recommend this book as a romance.

******
Zona: The Forbidden Land
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[MsH2k]

I've been on the fence about this book, but it does sound like it has a bit of everything. The most alluring part is a chance to find out about Zona itself. Thank you for a great review!

[Muna Chizzy]

The land of zona sounds like an amazing place. I would love to know if Baker will find his uncle, can't wait to read this book. Thanks for the great review.

[Bigwig1973]

I've read this book and I liked it quite a bit! I like how you mention right away that Grant is inheriting "secrets" as the secrets have such a large role in this book. I agree that the writer did a really nice job building up the mystery and that the ending seemed a bit rushed. Nice review on this interesting book!