Fifteen names, one hero, no limits.
Matthew Reilly was born in Sydney in 1974 and studied law at the University of New South Wales. Matthew self-published his first novel Contest at age 19 and went on to secure a contract. His first industry-produced novel, Ice Station, was a runaway success. His achievements in Australia have now been repeated internationally with his novels becoming bestsellers in fourteen countries and nine languages. He has written both screenplays and magazine articles and has also directed three short films. Sean Mangan was born in England, raised in Canada and brought to Australia by accident. He is a singer, musician, songwriter and author. Books narrated for Bolinda audio include John Birmingham's Dave Hooper Trilogy, Greig Beck's The Void and The Abyss as well as many of Matthew Reilly's blockbuster titles, such as Area 7, Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves and The Great Zoo of China. He has narrated close to 100 audiobooks and brings intensity and excitement to his readings.
The seemingly indestructible Marine captain Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield returns in this high-octane adventure from Reilly (Area 7, etc.). This time out, Schofield finds himself, along with 14 other members of the world's most elite military units, being hunted by a seemingly endless army of bounty hunters. The prize for the hunters is $18.6 million per head, and all 15 heads must be taken within six days. The search for the person behind this bounty hunt takes Schofield and his loyal band of marines around the world and in and out of one life-threatening situation after another. Reilly knows exactly what kind of book he's writing. His heroes are brave and self-sacrificing, his villains are bloodthirsty and ruthless, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Narrator Sowers is in perfect synch with Reilly's storytelling. Obviously enjoying himself, he knows just what words to punch in order to get the most out of each action-packed sentence, and he supports his Clint Eastwood-like delivery of Schofield's dialogue by giving each of the numerous secondary characters their own distinct voices and accents. Those who like their adventures fast and furious will not be disappointed by this energetic production. Simultaneous release with the St. Martin's/Dunne hardcover (Forecasts, Jan. 26). (Mar.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Reilly's latest slam-bang actioner delivers more thrills than most other adventure novels. Shane Schofield, a.k.a. Scarecrow and the hero of Ice Station and Area 7, finds himself on a hit list of 12 men, all members of elite military units from around the globe. A bounty of $18.6 million a head spurs the hopes of professional assassins. There's only one catch-the men on the list must be dead by noon on October 26th, Eastern Standard Time. The novel starts three hours before the deadline and is essentially one long action scene-a bold experiment. Plot points and exposition occur even as Scarecrow fights for his life, creating a tale that never lets the hero, or the reader, take a breath. Overall, this is an over-the-top roller-coaster ride that would make a pulse-pounding movie if you had a budget of $6 billion. For all fiction collections.-Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Two years ago Matthew Reilly warned that his next novel would be ‘lean, mean and totally out of control’. Now he delivers, and how. The prologue of Scarecrow introduces a group of seriously rich folk conspiring to get even richer by rekindling the Cold War. They also set loose a nasty bunch of bounty hunters to eliminate military experts standing in their way. Three pages later the mayhem begins. Shane Schofield (aka Scarecrow), hero of Ice Station and Area 7, barely escapes an ambush in Siberia, and during scant pauses between shooting down helicopters and sinking an aircraft carrier, he uncovers the plot and why he’s on the hit list. One by one the others are eliminated. He must stay alive and defuse rogue missiles before the inevitable deadline. As usual, Reilly strings together a spectacular series of action set pieces à la James Bond. Baddies are bloodily dispatched—shot, blown up, shredded, stabbed, strangled and decapitated—on almost every page. Goodies have miraculous escapes. Criticism that the frenetic, non-stop action is improbable, and that the characters are celluloid rather than flesh and blood, misses the point. Reilly’s books are deliberately aimed at a generation brought up on action films and video games. Ice Station’s popularity proves the formula works. Graeme Moore is fiction manager and buyer at Dymocks Melbourne. C. 2003 Thorpe-Bowker and contributors
' ... kept me hooked from beginning to end.' -- Amazon
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
