Matthew Reilly

Fast paced and action packed, the latest Jack West Jr instalment does not disappoint.

**minor spoilers ahead**

Once again, Matthew Reilly masterfully puts reimagines ancient myth, legend and history, and crafts it into an action thriller that barely gives you time to take a breath. There really are some incredible highs and lows, both literally and figuratively, and although there are a few reflective breaks in the middle, mostly in the form of flashbacks or catch-ups, the duration of the plot show more can be measured in hours, if not minutes. It’s almost ironic that the one of the villains’ masterful schemes involves putting entire cities to sleep, because it seems like Jack West and his team just never get, nor indeed need, any!

I think it became obvious to me quite early on that though the Supreme Labyrinth was the objective everyone was gunning for, it wasn’t going to be the focal point of this book, so in many ways this was just ‘how everyone got to the Labyrinth’. Which is fine - to quote another series I’m currently reading, Journey before Destination - but it does make it the second book in a row where there’s not a real conclusion. I’m glad Matthew Reilly addresses this in his interview and calls it essentially a three-part story leading to the Omega Event, and it gives him more of an opportunity to do it justice.

All in all, the The Two Lost Mountains manages to lay the groundwork for the grand finale of the series by really bringing out the desperation but also the determination of Jack and his team. With so many players in the game and literally the entire universe at stake, I can’t wait to see how it all wraps up. show less

Remember how exciting the opening sequence of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is? And if you thought critically about the plausibility of said sequence, things would fall apart? Well, if you can just let go of reality for a while, all of "Seven Deadly Wonders" is like the opening of "Raiders." Non-stop action; crazily imaginative booby traps; and a wonderful cast of characters make Matthew Reilly's first Jack West, Jr. book a helluva ride!

This is a wildly creative story! We learn that there are show more seven pieces of a capstone that, when put together and sat upon the top of the Great Pyramid at a certain time that only occurs every 4,500 years, one of two incantations can be recited: one for good, one for ill. But if neither is done, it's the end of the world. The Americans and Europeans are searching for these lost treasures as is a another group of less powerful nations. The latter of which is headed by Australian Jack West, Jr. and his mentor, Prof. Max Epper, a Canadian. So our heroes and villains run around the ancient world looking for the seven pieces, which have been secreted within the Seven Ancient Wonders.

As I stated earlier, you must suspend reality with most of Reilly's books. If you can do that, you'll have a great time reading his highly addictive novels. Oh, and one more note: I referenced characters earlier. Most of his good guys are distinctive but not all that in-depth. But ALL the bad guys are pretty generic. Consider them equivalent to Nazis. We don't have to know who they are to hate them. They're Nazis. That's enough. show less

I have to admit, there's something really fascinating and cool about stories that don't need to reinvent themselves but still manage to be super easy to read and enjoy and yet still feel fresh.

This happens to be one of them.

I mean, seriously. There's still Indiana Jones Traps, people! There's still mystical stones that all the most powerful people through history have held to stay in power! We even get to see Jesus! Woo Woo!

One thing is for certain, the fifth greatest warrior of all time show more has got real stones.

That's important, ya'll. Sorry, all you women. It's all about the stones! *crosses eyes*

Important note: This continues the previous novel rather seamlessly since not all six of the sacred stones were collected by the end of that novel. Plus, all the bad guys hadn't met grisly, albeit rather heroic, ends.

And of course you can also start counting on some of the good guys to bite it, too, because PATHOS, man! Pacing, pathos, action, grand adventure, and enough horribly implausible reversals to make even Sherlock Holmes groan, step out of the serial, and say, "Hey, my good man, are you making this shit up?"

The answer? Yes. Whole Cloth. Holy Shit. Turn off your brain and enjoy this action movie, ya'll. You won't believe it. But to be fair, you're not supposed to. Take that salt shaker and add an extra serving to your popcorn, yo. LOTS of salt. I mean, TONS. Make sure you encase that popcorn in a pillar of it. Preserve it for centuries. And then let some future archeologist stumble upon it and wonder at its brilliance and have some shiny light tumble out of the heavens to light up his brain or something. It's totally worth it. I'm serious, yo.

Whew. ADVENTURE. *head spins*

And yeah, I recommend it for the sheer fun factor. :) show less

A D&D-like Funfest!

An intrepid group of adventurous souls journey to a mysterious locale where they battle monsters - sound familiar? Just to be clear, The Great Zoo of China is not a Dungeons and Dragons® story. It easily could be one, only there isn't a "dungeon," per se. Where are apex predators kept in today's world? Why, a zoo, of course! The one in the story is in Guangdong province, in southeastern China. The protagonist, Dr. Cassandra Jane "CJ" Cameron, is a rough-and-tumble tomboy show more and a renowned reptile expert who has done Nat Geo documentaries and written articles for Nature. She has been specifically invited by the Chinese to tour China's new zoo and Nat Geo would like her to write a piece on it. She brings along her brother, Hamish, as the photographer for the article. Upon arrival, they meet the other guests - the American Ambassador to China, his aide and two journalists.

This group embarks on their tour and, in true D&D fashion, are immediately confronted by awe-inspiring creatures. During the tour, the Chinese officials demonstrate all of the facilities, the safety precautions, and establish the credibility of the story in the reader's as well as the characters' minds. And then all heck breaks loose. As the group flees from facility to facility they encounter enraged beasts and their numbers slowly dwindle. Their only hope is the courage, cunning and unbelievable stamina of CJ and the surviving members of her rag-tag band.

This is a fast-paced and quickly read novel. Unlike in a D&D session, where regular intervals may be spent exploring, solving puzzles, mapping mazes, etc., this story is a non-stop battle. The logic of the plot is simple - Murphy's Laws: If something can go wrong, it will, at the worst possible moment; If two things can go wrong, they both will, simultaneously, at the worst possible moment. The troubles multiply so quickly and so continuously that the reader finally loses any sense of tension, the surges of adrenalin subside, and when, inevitably, the Most Critical Crisis Ever arises in the next moment, all the reader can do is give a snort at the dark humor of the violence and never-ending nightmare; any catharsis is lost and the reader, exhausted, reads on just to find out who survives.

However, contrary-wise, The Great Zoo of China is refreshing in the same way as a good D&D game is - it takes you out of your ordinary day and lets you have a more terrifying life for a while, one where a misstep seals your doom and even a monster may have a good heart.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. show less