This week's Oldie but Goodie is...
First released in the U.S. September 1999
I am going to assume you all know how much I love romance novels.
Historical, fantasy, sci-fi, vampire - you name it, and I love the genre of romance.
What you may not know is that I have a passion for action-packed stories. Adrenaline-laced, action-packed, hero-kickin'-ass, all-kinds-of-stuff-blowing-up action novels. The faster-paced the better. But I also like to give a damn about the characters within the pages of said action-adventure book.
Well, folks - meet Scarecrow. He is Marine Corps Lieutenant Shane Schofield, in charge of a team of Marines sent to investigate a frantic distress signal sent by the team of American scientists currently inhabiting Wilkes Ice Station on the harsh continent of Antarctica.
Scarecrow and his team figure they are going on a wild goose chase - going down to that frozen wasteland to check on a bunch of scientists who are probably suffering from cabin fever. When they arrive, however, what they find is so much more worse then they could imagine. The distress signal had been sent after a team of divers, exploring the underside of the ice shelf, discovered a cavern under the ice. When they signaled the discovery of some sort of spacecraft, the team of divers came under attack, and all vanished without a trace. But that's not the only wrinkle in the appearance of Scarecrow & Co.
A few other countries with stations in Antarctica heard the distress call as well, and they figured the tech buried under the ice was up for grabs to whoever could fight their way to it first & claim it - using any means necessary.
Before long, not only are the Marines fighting off foreign soldiers hell-bent on recovering the technology, they discover a faction within the American ranks who will stop at nothing to recover the tech for the American government - even if it means sacrificing every Marine and scientist inside the Ice Station.
Matthew Reilly has created a story that moves at lightning speed, but you don't realize it as you are reading it. His world-building skill is absolutely astounding, and believe me, you will be cheering on Scarecrow and his Marines before you are 1/4 of the way through the story. And the best part? the twists and turns all throughout the story do not, in any way, serve as distractions to the storyline - they make you want to find out what the hell is going on before it's all over.
If you love action-packed stories, you cannot miss this one. And the best part is the Scarecrow returns in several other stories by Mr. Reilly. You can find out more about the author & take a gander at his book list on his website http://www.matthewreilly.com/
Happy reading!
1 comment:
Great review, Lady B. I love high action and adventure too.
Last night I was watching 'The Birds,' the Alfred Hitchcock classic with my husband. About two-thirds of the way through I just couldn't stand it anymore. "Where are the explosions? Why is that woman going in that room when she knows there's probably birds in there? Is she too stupid to live? Why doesn't she whip out a phaser and blast 'em?" Drove poor HH crazy. It's the suspense, he tells me. Yeah, whatever. Call me back when you're ready to watch the Pirates of the Carribean again.
;)
Or Men In Black.
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