Customer Reviews

The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The author did his homework on this one! As someone who's been around the business and many of its key players from the 1970s through the present, I marveled at the accuracy of most statements in this account. The numbers regarding quantities of animals and amounts of money seemed well-researched, realistic and largely believable, unlike the trumped-up crap that groups like the HSUS and PETA push to increase sympathy donations. The author's whole approach seemed out to record the real personalities, not mass media baloney exaggerated to make news and sell books. I particularly liked his 'as it was' style and non-demonization of the principles.

This book will be enjoyed by those involved in the herp trade in any way. Devout conservationists will probably applaud it as an exposé, but its strength lies in its honesty and facts. I hope everyone notes the sentence credited to U.S. Fish & Wildlife agent Chip Bepler on page 79:

"He (Bepler) could not do much against habitat destruction, pollution, or any of the other amorphous problems facing wildlife, but he could do something about commercial profiteers." ----- That statement summarizes the major mentality in the U.S. on dealing with the issue of helping / protecting wildlife. The prevailing attitude is to do what makes headlines, ensures budgets and justifies your job, even if it's a drop in the bucket toward solving the real problem. With government money wasted by the millions on such a sham, it's no wonder that a few people will be disgusted and continue smuggling while feeling that they too deserve to profit from wildlife.

The funny thing is, most of the species discussed in this book were smuggled in low numbers -- sometimes just a few pairs -- that did nothing to hurt wild populations. In fact, those `losses' may have actually helped those species in the long run. Some of those same originally smuggled animals became founder breeding stock in zoos and private breeders' hands. That led to those types' wider availability today via captive bred offspring, resulting in them becoming relatively safe from smugglers' future predations (but NOT the perils of habitat destruction, pollution, etc.).

The market in most captive-bred herps (that have been around in herpetoculture long enough to be bred in numbers) has dropped the price below what's worth the smuggling risk. I'd like to think that a few higher-ups in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service -- who truly want to save wildlife and aren't just in it for the paycheck -- secretly smile when they realize that the pressure has been taken off many species. In the meantime, they still get to chase the 'bad guys' and pay their mortgages, just like the wildlife smugglers they battle.

"The Lizard King" is a gripping tale that takes readers into the subterranean world of reptile smuggling. The book features a fascinating cast of characters, ranging from bold, brash smuggling kingpins to the honorable men and women of the law who pursue them against great odds. Lay readers will learn a wealth of information about the world of legitimate reptile collecting and the seamy underworld of reptile smuggling. The scale of both is eye-opening. Thanks to gaping holes in the laws governing reptile importation and the high level of demand among legitimate and illegitimate collectors for exotic species, smuggling of protected and endangered animals has been relatively easy and tremendously lucrative. The odds are stacked against government agents who have made it their life's work to protect these beautiful and rare species.

Author Bryan Christy is to be commended for his voluminous research. It is always a pleasure to discover a book that opens up a world previously unknown to a reader. He also deserves credit for the courage it took to gain access to some of the smuggling world's most powerful players so that he could authenticate facts for his story. I found the subject matter deeply engaging throughout.

Christy also shows skill in assuming a neutral tone in describing the exploits of both the smugglers and the lawmen who are trying to bring them to justice. He tells the story from both points of view so the reader understands the thinking of both sides. Although some readers may feel that his narrative stance should be one of moral outrage toward the smugglers, I found his objectivity to be a more effective tone. It drew from me a feeling of revulsion toward the smugglers and elicited my admiration for the government agents pursuing them. Had the author taken a strongly moralistic tone toward his subject, I likely would have felt less outrage myself, for the writer would have done most of the work for me.

The Lizard King is a book that deserves wide circulation. Its readers will not be disappointed.

What a well written book. One of those books i just could not put down. One of the best book that i have read in a LONG time.

1st--I'm amazed to see Bill Love commenting on a reptile book. It'd be like seeing Jimmy Hendrix commenting on someone's guitar album.

I've been keeping reptiles since I was 12 or 13, and I remember some of these events, and characters. When I was an adolescent, Strictly Reptile's nickname was Sickly Reptiles...that place had a distinctly unsavory reputation attached to it (apparently it's back in business and I'm unaware of any improvement in it's rep). The author mostly avoids demonizing people--even the Nostrands. The subject is treated fairly well, but I was disappointed that the author didn't delve into the mortality rate of the seized animals. One thing that's always angered me about USFW is the fate of far too many animals taken in the course of an investigation. They mostly die, in large part due to the fact there's not a good enough network in place to care for them. USFW hypes itself on protecting endangered species, but the animals they seize don't seem to fare well under their care, which is a depressing irony.

The saga of strictly's is fairly well known, as is the busting of Wong (which I found hysterical) but it's good to have it all written down in one place, and I appreciate the mostly even handed treatment that the author gives the subject. I just wish the writing were clearer--timelines can jump around, as can focus, particularly in the earlier chapters. The characters are odd, and sympathetic at times, even the bad guys. Black and white simplicity is eschewed in favor of a more detailed approach to both the criminals and the LEOs and agencies, something refreshing.

Christy does an amazing job at describing the reptile trade, and its foes, as it is. While he, rightly in my opinion, praises some actors in the book who are fighting for causes they believe in, he overall gives an objective view of the players and does not attempt to take a biased view on the subject, or cast the smugglers as inherently evil.

The book focuses on reptile smugglers, by definition those who profit on taking wild animals from their native habitats for people's amusement. Naturally, these individuals will not come off as likeable by most. Yet Christy surprisingly manages to portray them as humans too, explain where they came from and why they are in this business.

Christy also repeatedly shows the lackadaisical, shoe-string budgeted, and feebly-enforced nature of our (US) wildlife protection laws. You will come out better informed about the incredible odds the USFWS and allied agencies face when trying to take on poachers, wildlife smugglers, etc. in the important work that they do.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in reptiles, the pet business, wildlife protection, or animal rights. It is incredibly well-written and like several other reviewers I couldn't put it down and finished it in less than one day. If you're interested in any of the subjects I mentioned, you surely will enjoy this book.

I am a professional reptile breeder, so I wanted to see for myself what this book was about. I was fascinated from beginning to end. There is so much history of the reptile industry included in the book. It was interesting to see how the industry changed over the years, with all the new species that became available, and when the demand for rare and exotic color morphs started. It really is an eye-opener for people that have no idea how big the reptile hobby and industry is, or how much money is involved. I'm sure I'm biased because of my profession, but I thought it was a great book, with a lot of research going into it. I think that people with an interest in reptiles will find the book the most appealing, but even a casual-reader with no particular interest in reptiles would find this book a great read.

Bryan Christy's Lizard King has all the qualities I look for in a good read - outstanding writing, a compelling story, conscienceness raising information, and suspense. I couldn't put the book down and when I was finished I read it all over again!

The "Lizard King" is awesome. After each chapter, you look forward to the next.

It's a real life thriller which takes you into a world of reptile smuggling from all angles: the business, people, law enforcement, custom officials, legal and the criminal element. This world is revealed in masterfully told story which brings to life the people, their motives and passions, and a great conflict of personalities, their egos and gamesmanship. Further, it draws you into the fight between "good and evil" within this world and among themselves.

If you liked "Into the Wild", you'll love the "The Lizard King". It's better.

Who knew selling snakes was so lucrative? The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers goes inside the exotic world of reptile smuggling. I've read other books about the wildlife trade, who consumes what, and why (notably Richard Ellis' Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn: The Destruction of Wildlife for Traditional Chinese Medicine). Christy takes a fresh perspective. He goes beyond the headlines and statistics and take use deep into the criminal syndicates and personalities engaged in the trade. He really makes his characters come alive: the reptile smuggler who curses out agents but loves his family passionately; the Asian wildlife kingpin who reeks of smooth confidence; and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife agent who cares about animals and the rules. All are unforgettable individuals who are so fascinating yet so real.

Overall, The Lizard King is a fun, quick read. At times, the book reads like a Mario Puzzo novel - except that it's all true, based on Christy's extensive interviews with the main people involved in the drama. I recommend this book for anybody who cares about wildlife or anybody who loves to read a crimes novel.

Overall I really liked this book. It contained many intertwined stories about how the history of the reptile keeping hobby got to be what it is today. I was amazed at the audacity of the smugglers in their lack of humanity and care for their cargo and the lengths that they would go to for profit and notoriety.

However, I didn't feel that the actual writing was very smooth or flowing, as the author jumped around in the story and some of transitions to new ideas seemed choppy and discordant. Otherwise, based on the considerable research done for this book, and the fascinating information that was imparted, I would recommend this to anyone interested in the "behind the scenes" aspect of the reptile hobby. It had a lot to offer in the shock value department, and contained sordid details on individuals and companies that are still around today that might not be easily accessible in any other avenue.

I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 only based on the writing style, as the content itself was remarkable.