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Chasing Harpo

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When an orangutan goes on the lam, anything can happen. Chasing Harpo (is) an intriguing cast of quirky characters you'd like to visit with longer. Including the star, Harpo - an orangutan who believes humans are here purely for his entertainment and, of course, to deliver his food. A fun ride and a great adventure for all ages, as Harpo and his trusty servant, Carl, try to outwit the zoo security team, the police, the attorney general and a gang of drug dealers. October 1, 2013 by Melanie Tighe CITYSunTimes Scottsdale, Arizona new.CITYSunTime.com

212 pages, Paperback

First published June 6, 2013

3 people are currently reading
31 people want to read

About the author

Alan Black

22 books312 followers
Author of
sci/fi
Christian/Historical Fiction
Action/Humor
Western

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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Profile Image for Dianne.
6,815 reviews631 followers
August 15, 2016
Best-selling Indie Author Alan Black now writes Fantasy & he is celebrating with a Great Giveaway that is 100% Real!!
http://tometender.blogspot.com/2016/08/alan-blacks-quest-for-white-wind-blast.html
Click on Banner to Enter - August 15 - September 5 - INTL Where allowed-unless otherwise stated!


Holy knuckle-dragging alphas! A new Dynamic Duo is raising Cain, uncovering devious plots and leading a blazing chase, one step ahead of everyone from mobsters to the coppers to a conniving political candidate, as one misunderstood hero has been issued his death warrant without his day in court. The King of the Zoo, or at least the apes, Harpo, an alpha orangutan came to the rescue when he saw two of his favorite “servants” (zoo employees) being brutally attacked by a group of mobsters on a mission of ill-repute. One thing led to another and shots were fired and so begins our tale of Harpo, in a blistering chase to avoid his wrongful execution, by his best bud, Dr. Carl Marks, zoo official.

Fortunately, Carl comes from sturdy Southern backwoods stock. With the help of a cousin or two, smart in the ways of survival, Carl and Harpo escape the long arms of the law. Public opinion is being skewed by a politician on a mission. Said politician has told half-truths and outright lies about Harpo and Carl. (I know, shocking, right?) But has one arm of the law seen through to the truth? Is Harpo a hero? If things don’t change soon, he may receive his recognition posthumously.

Have I said before that Alan Black is a versatile and talented author who knows how to spin a tale in any direction he wants? Chasing Harpo defies genre, it is part police chase, part political humor, part intrigue and 100% pure entertainment. If you are one of those who goes to the zoo to make fun of the apes, think first, because they are laughing back at you! Do you think they look at you like you are superior? Um, who has the servants waiting on their every need? Harpo is brilliant, he can communicate with Carl, knows how to open his own enclosure door and knows when danger is present, not to mention that streak of needing to do the right thing, no matter the cost. His mental dialogue is priceless and the chase will have you fist-pumping the air every step of the way! I cannot imagine anyone NOT liking this hidden gem!

Publication Date: June 7, 2013
Publisher: Alan Black
ISBN-10: 1482774127
ISBN-13: 978-1482774122
Genre: Thriller | Suspense
Print Length: 211 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

Profile Image for Lisa.
38 reviews
July 25, 2014
Fun read! Alan Black's wit is on overload!

An amazing, fresh book, overflowing with distinguishable characters inundated with clearly outlined purposes, and personalities. Awe-inspiring, Author, Alan Black, has brought all reviewers something to talk and write about! My praise for Alan Black and Chasing Harpo, is because I've had to read a lot of frogs before finding my orangutan!

This novel is for all of you from every genre. Chasing Harpo reminds me of a crazy made for television pilot. This reviewer believes that the time has come to 'bring back' a new comedy between an ape and his human! Oops, I digress.

You'll love HARPO the orangutan, who thinks of himself as, HAIRY PEOPLE.
HARPO, thinks that WE HUMANS are *HAIRLESS NOT PEOPLE*.

Harpo the orangutan was raised from a baby in captivity. He thinks his zoo habitat IS THE JUNGLE. He thinks that the HAIRLESS NOT PEOPLE, are funny and smart in a misfortunate kind of way and that they appear sorely for his entertainment.

Harpo's special, favorite HAIRLESS NOT PEOPLE, is Carl Marks. Dr. Carl Marks, is the director over the apes at the Birmingham Zoo. Harpo loves Carl because he feeds, manages the PEOPLE'S, JUNGLES and Carl tells him secrets.

There are other HAIRLESS NOT PEOPLE, the zoo's visitors. These HAIRLESS NOT PEOPLE come in sizes tiny to large and there are females and males. These HAIRLESS NOT PEOPLE smile and press their noses against the SEEING ROCK which is the clear barrier between Harpo and the visitors. He liked it when they came and Carl had shown him how to wave at them. He always waved at the HAIRLESS NOT PEOPLE and they waved back. Harpo knew that he was Carl's favorite.

The story is what we played as children, good guys against the bad guys. Oh, insert a stupid guy too, Stanley Porrizzo, Alabama's, Attorney General (AG). The bad guys are 'The Fang' veteran soldiers of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda. This force came to America as political refugees and they became legal citizens. The fang were determined to take control over the current drug lords and make Alabama their own. The good guys? You decide on your own!

This book would make a great gift ... especially for the serious who would never take the time to read, or who've forgotten how to laugh.

It's the story, the guts and glory and the good feeling you get about this novel! There are some reviewers out there and you know who you are, that get their panties in a wad over punctuation or a missed word, but who cares! I loved it!

It's a book you can READ to kids! If a parent feels it necessary to substitute a word or phrase in any book, be animated making up an alternate up as you breeze along reading out loud.

*Find Alan on Amazon: Chasing Harpo, Metal Boxes, The Friendship Stones, Chewing Rocks, and The Granite Heart

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*website: alblack77@yahoo.com

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Profile Image for Melanie Adkins.
802 reviews24 followers
June 1, 2014
Soldiers from Rwanda were in the area. Police knew they were gang related. No one could ever imagine the chain of events that would take place over the next few days. Carl knew nothing about the gang. He was trying to get up nerve to ask Terri out. Then it happened. Now the police are chasing Carl and his friend Harpo with orders to shoot on sight. Can Carl keep Harpo safe? With a little help he just might be able to make this right.

A fun read that, for me, was like checkin' up on relatives from the south! *smile* Well written and characters you'll love, this book will bring a smile to your face. Mr. Black does a wonderful job of making this book come alive. I do recommend it.

I found no issues.

I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because I smiled and giggled through much of the book. ~Copy of book provided by author in exchange for a fair review~
Profile Image for Amanda Mackey.
Author 36 books227 followers
February 9, 2014
Loved this book! Alan knows how to write to engage the reader. Chasing Harpo had me laughing in some parts and on the edge of my seat in others. He has obviously researched the mannerisms of Orangutangs and is able to describe the apes POV with ease. The characters are believable and the writing style flows well. Great read.
Profile Image for Evelyn.
1,371 reviews5 followers
April 26, 2020
What started out as an amusing plot premised on screwball comedies from the 1930s such as “Bringing Up Baby” and the madcap mystery comedies of Carl Hiassen and others, turned into a hackneyed, trite and poorly written book replete with some of the worst stereotypes imaginable, cartoonish characters, and unnecessary gore filled scenes. The ending was so abrupt that it made little sense. It appeared the author met his page quota and wanted a happy ending. Therefore, he wrote a final chapter that would have been an epilogue in any other book because he apparently couldn’t spare the time, or make the effort to write a chapter that described the events that occurred between the end of the chase and the chapter that concluded the book.
Profile Image for Randall Dale.
Author 57 books15 followers
April 1, 2015
I found Chasing Harpo to be a fun read but not what I was expecting for an orangutan on the loose. There was some fast action and lots of humor mixed in. Alan Black is an author that we will hear a lot from in the future.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews

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