The Last Rhino

Name: The Last Rhino
Price: $13.99 USD
Author: Robert Gribbin
ISBN: 9781532099663

by Robert Gribbin

Formats

Softcover

$13.99

E-Book

$3.99

Softcover

$13.99

Other Books By Author

In the Aftermath of Genocide

Robert Gribbin

$23.95

Book Details

Language : English

Publication Date : 4/30/2020

Format : Softcover

Dimensions : 5.5x8.5

Page Count : 218

ISBN : 9781532099663

Format : E-Book

Dimensions : N/A

Page Count : 218

ISBN : 9781532099670

About the Book

Deep in the vastness of a lost corner of the Congo a reformed big game hunter tackles the management of Garamba National Park. He must wend his way through modern African bureaucracies, civil strife, and corruption in order to combat elephant poachers and remnants of the Lord’s Resistance Army, all the while in search of the possibility that northern white rhino may still exist. The saga unfolds as the hunter and his team of rangers strive to protect and resurrect the park from the ravages of neglect and war. Mysteries of tribal tradition and the very existence of vanishing species unfold along with heartwarming relationships of folks caught up in efforts to save wild creatures. Accurately set amidst the woes of contemporary Congo, the story educates and enlightens about the challenges of conservation in the troubled heart of Africa.

About the Author

Robert Gribbin spent fifty years in Africa as a diplomat, volunteer, and traveler. He visited isolated villages, pygmy encampments, refugee settlements, thronged cities, and far-flung game parks. He experienced coup d’états, genocide, Ebola, political campaigns, and elections. The complex tapestry of modern Africa forms the backdrop for his fiction.

Customer Reviews

After more than 50 years spent in Africa Bob Gribbin has written 3 novels pertaining to this fascinating part of the world. In his latest novel The Last Rhino, the author vividly depicts the immense hardships in protecting African wildlife. Be it renegade armies, poachers, lack of funding, government corruption, Bob Gribbin weaves a riveting tale of how one individual sets out to beat the odds to protect endangered species. For any one having an interest in the protection of our endangered wildlife, then this is a must read.

Tom Flinn
I had trouble reviewing this book because my husband started reading it and would not give it up. I understand his impulse to resist sharing and read on. If this were written by an author with a different style, it would be a four hundred page beach read soon to be made into a major motion picture or Netflix series. As it is, it’s a book you keep nearby, waiting for an opportunity to find out what happens next. The story takes place in Central Africa, a region the author knows well. It’s fiction, but it’s accurate and never strays into fantasy. The story begins as the hero is healing from a trauma that took place in Africa some years back. He finds that his new life in the Caribbean is pleasant but just doesn’t quite satisfy. He takes a job reopening an animal preserve in Central Africa that has been closed for years due to a long, bloody war. The chaos has encouraged poachers and many of the customs and traditions of the local people have been subverted to the need to survive in a very unfamiliar and brutal culture. The remnants of war continue to haunt the countryside and its people. We learn of this through the characters themselves as they begin to adapt to a “new normal”. We identify with them and their struggles, as we admire the snap decisions the newly minted Park Administrator is called on to make. If the reader knows Africa, she will be reassured that there are no false notes to distract from the story. If the reader does not know Africa, there is much to be learned from reading this book. I warmly recommend it. Renny Smith, MSW and retired Foreign Service Officer

Renny Smith
This book has a bit of a mystery in it and a lot of adventure. It is well written and an engaging read. What struck me most, however, was that it is about the real Africa. Judging from the “About the Author” page it makes sense that this would be a story about the authentic Africa told with intelligence and knowledge. Robert Gribbin has spent much of his life in Africa and this came shining through. The book helps you to see, feel and understand Africa. (At times the descriptions make you feel as if you can also hear and smell it as well.) It describes some of the true ravages of the Lord’s Resistance movement and the complexities of environmentalism on this continent. The characters are well drawn, there are strong women and sensitive men and also conniving politicians. It captures the dialogues and motives of real people one would meet in Africa today. There are people wanting to give back to society and others intent on destroying the wildlife in it. Make no mistake that this is a novel. It is a compelling read for the plot alone, but the reader feels as if they are learning things about Africa and about life as they are enjoying the story. If I were teaching a course on Africa I would assign this as a very enjoyable text for my students. One that is also accurate and enlightening. This book exceeded my expectations on three levels: it is an intelligent look at conservationism as it works in Africa today; it is a realistic, accurate view of contemporary Africa; and it is an engaging well-written novel with bits of wisdom throughout. An excellent read.

Deborah Perkins Jones

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