Almost Human

by Kenneth L. Decroo

When Dr. Ken Turner and his colleagues decide to search for rumored half-human, half-chimpanzee creatures, they get more than they bargained for. Now, with time running out, Ken must risk his career and life to find and protect these creatures before a group of shady underworld agents find them.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Kenneth L. Decroo truly believes you must live a life worth writing about. Before he became an educator and consultant for universities and school districts, he worked in the world of research and wild animal training in the motion picture industry for many years. He holds advanced degrees in anthropology, instructional technology and education. He lives and writes in the San Bernardino Mountains with his wife, Tammy. When not writing and lecturing, he loves to ride his BMW adventure motorcycle down the Baja peninsula to beaches and bays without names. More about his adventures can be found on his blog, http://bajamotoquest.com.

Reviews

[Maria Jansson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love the writing voice of Kenneth L. Decroo in ALMOST HUMAN. The book is a page turner. Once i started reading it I did't want to stop. The language is brilliant, and the story most exciting. I'm not going to give away the story, but what makes it exciting is that it is very real. This is a fiction, however these thoughts might very well be something scientists discuss, and have discussed for long time. There's some parallels (maybe not purposely) with what Hitler tried to achieve with his super race. I rarely read thrillers, but really enjoyed this one.

[Danielle Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost Human by Kenneth L. Decroo is a fascinating thriller. The entire plot hangs onto the theme of: what happens when the line between ape and man is blurred? That question lingers in my mind long after this read. I keep thinking what if...and what will happen if that were indeed a reality. We are already hearing about robots taking over humans in the workforce...what is to say that scientists won't go so far as to blur the lines between ape and man.

Almost Human is exciting and terrifying at the same time. The impossible comes possible. Scientists working on experiments that no one really wants to know about...and soon, it will hit the papers. Secrets will come out...and the fear of the unknown will conquer those involved. The plot takes readers to Africa were these experiments occur. Ape-human hybrids...danger is just lurking on every page. The intensity of this wild situation will send readers with nightmares and chills as they explore what happens when the lines become blurred. Kenneth L. Decroo is a talented writer. I was awed and chilled by what his words showed. Interesting scenarios. The characters were brilliant. Both the good and the bad made it believably real. Overall, I recommend Almost Human to readers worldwide.

[Kenneth Decroo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Backstory of Almost Human

I was working as the technical adviser and chimp trainer on a movie that starred Karen Allen and Armand Assante. One evening we were out relaxing after a long day of filming on location in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After a few drinks, Armand commented on how human-like my chimp, Mike seemed. I put on my university professor hat and began pontificating on all the traits we humans shared with chimps including my work as a linguistic research assistant on a project in Reno that had successfully taught chimps to communicate using American Sign Language (ASL) as used by the deaf.

That evening after the bar closed I went home and wrote the second chapter where Dr. Turner is lecturing about the similarities and differences of chimpanzees in a University lecture hall at the University of Nevada, Reno. I had worked there on the signing chimp project. I wrote that chapter in about 1984 or so, on an old Royal typewriter. Just before dawn, as I finished writing, Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” played on the radio. I put another page in and wrote the first chapter before going to work.

[Debra Jeakins · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALMOST HUMAN BY KENNETH L DECROO is a thriller to say the least, very creepy as well.The book starts in 1938 with a Russian ship in the middle of a hurricane, innocent enough, right? NO,not by a longshot. The shis is a scientific vessel with a disturbing cargo aboard. I kept flipping the pages wondering to myself if the experiments with chimps and humans breeding could be true & what was the outcome of the experiments. Travel with the characters from the US to a little island in the middle of nowhere to find out the creepy conclusion.

The book is a mixture of Jurassic Park and Dr Moroe to end up with a thriller that will keep you glued to the pages till the very conclusion.

I received this book from goodreads in exchange for a review.

[Cj Zawacki · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALMOST HUMAN is an entertaining book that deals with the question of cross breeding between humans and apes. It has taken this approach in a story of a shipwreck of the coast of Africa during a Soviet experiment from the time between the World Wars.

When question have arisen about strange circus apes, Dr. Turner intends to discover if the gossip about the these animals that walked upright existed and how they can play a part of his research involving communication between apes.

I enjoyed the author's insight into the area of commendatory between circus performers. The story has well developed plot lines, and does not give away the ending as the reader would expect.

[Barbara Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the story . when I received this I was thinking along the lines of the Planet of Apes movies this was so much more if you are a fan of these movies I would give this book a read. Received this book from Goodreads First Read.

[M.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. However, if, like me, you get so wrapped up in the action that you have to read ahead because you can't wait for the answers, then plan on doing a lot of it. The plot is fascinating and the book is well written. I was fortunate to receive it as a Goodreads giveaway.