When an old aircraft carrier en route in the middle of nowhere goes silent, the US armed forces sends four elite special forces teams to investigate. Rangers, Seals, 82nd airborne, and one team from the Force Reconnaissance Marines.

Led by one Captain Shane Schofield. The Scarecrow.

The Scarecrow smells a rat to start with, as noone sends four competing units like that on a strange mission.

The rat, however is more like a barrel of monkeys.

Apparently the US army has been experimenting with a super soldier program. Rather than a bunch of willing nebbishes names Steve Rogers, however, they were experimenting on normal soldiers. With mind control computer chips and other nasty enhancements. Didn't work too well.

What's the obvious next solution then? Yep, super gorillas. That's right. A full on Island of the apes. However, these guys are smart, and have body armour and modified machine guns. Say goodbye, humans.

40 Special Forces soldiers. 400 super gorillas. With machine guns. Who have already taken hands for souvenirs of 600 regular marines.

Plus one Scarecrow.

Classic stuff, Mr. Reilly.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2009/07... ( )

This was a free book issued in conjunction with the 2005 Books Alive program. A little bit micky mouse. ( )

Hell Island is a book written for Quick Reads in Australia, a program to get people interested in reading. As such, it is a short novel, but don't worry, it is as crammed full of action and bloodshed as Matthew Reilly's other books. Again, this book features Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield, and it is a good enjoyable read that won't take too long! Anyone who is a fan of Reilly's will like this book. ( )

"This revised edition of the short novel originally published in Australia is specially adapted for readers of all ages with reading difficulties. There is no hell like a man-made one...It is an island that doesn't appear on any maps. A secret location where classified experiments have been conducted. Experiments that have gone terribly wrong...When all contact with this mystery island is inexplicably lost, four crack special-forces units are brought in, their mission being to land on Hell Island and discover what has happened. Nothing can prepare them for what they find there. You could say they've just entered hell. Only that would be too gentle."

If you have read Matthew Reilly before, this is a brief meeting with an old friend - the "Scarecrow" is laying waste to his opponents again in a very cool manner. Very short, what normally would be maximum 2 chapters in any other of his books. Non-stop action - running, shooting, general mayhem, great fun for lovers of the genre. I had two very entertainig hours with it. This book has simply been a pure delight to read. ( )