Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed Seven Deadly Wonders (Jack West Jr., Bk 1) on + 1179 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
The book was full of non-stop action, but it was short on character development and long on outlandish plot devices. The narrative of the action sequences was like reading a video game - going from one booby-trapped room/passage to the next. Very Indiana Jones inspired. The whole premise of the book was very preposterous. I know this is a fictional action adventure; however, everything about the plot was totally unbelievable. The idea of having to gather pieces of the capstone of the Great Pyramid in order to avoid a world-wide catastrophe and to a enable a country to have world domination for a thousand years is straight out of the pulp fiction from the 30s or a comic book. Then there were the childish nicknames given to the team by the young girl, Lily - such as "Pooh Bear", "Big Ears", etc. On top of this, there was the excessive use of exclamation points and italics. All of this detracted from the story to me. I will admit that I did get more into the story towards the second half of the novel. But overall, I much prefer Cussler and Rollins - at least their storylines are somewhat plausible!
Helpful Score: 3
Marvelous. I am keeping this one. James Rollins, Clive Custler, Wilbur Smith, George R.R. Martin these are great writers with excellent reads. I love the interplay of history into a modern setting of a Clancy like today. Modern weapons and technology, spying, contient hopping, puzzle figuring greatness. "And I even like the color." -- prince in Indiana Jones, Last Crusade
Great book - fast paced adventure! If you like James Rollins you'll like this.
Stephanie P. (nursestephi) reviewed Seven Deadly Wonders (Jack West Jr., Bk 1) on + 23 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This author's writing was a bit choppy at first, but it quickly pulls you into the story, and then it's hard to put down.
Jud H. (trekie70) -
Helpful Score: 2
Tartarusâ¦â¦the sunspot that lines up with the earth roughly once every 4500 years is about to appear again. According to legend it will bring catastrophic destruction upon the Earth unless a golden capstone, lost to antiquity, is placed back where it belongs on top the Great Pyramid at Giza. It is said that whoever has the capstone on the day of Tartarus will make his country invincible. According to legend, Alexander the Great broke apart the capstone and hid it within the seven wonders of the ancient world. A document known as the Callimachus Text details the locations and how to beat the traps. Now, three groups of nations are competing with one another to find the pieces and assemble the capstone on the day that the Tartarus Rotation takes place. The Americans form one team, the European Union the second and supersoldier Jack West, Jr., in possession of the Callimachus text, leads the third. West must beat the odds and lead his team across the ancient world to find the pieces and prevent the possible annihilation of the Earth.
Seven Deadly Wonders by Matthew Reilly is without a doubt one of the best action novels of recent years-think Indiana Jones on steroids. The novel is one heck of a roller coaster ride from beginning to end, starting with a daring rescue and ending with a last-second, Hail-Mary save. Reilly has done an amazing job with the details of each mission, intricately describing each location in detail. The book appears to be historically accurate with regard to the identity and location of each of the ancient wonders. Reilly has sprinkled in the odd trivia throughout the novel, such as the Washington Monument and the Great Pyramid at Giza being at the same height above sea level. All in all, I learned a lot from this novel and could hardly put it down once I started to read it.
Seven Deadly Wonders by Matthew Reilly is without a doubt one of the best action novels of recent years-think Indiana Jones on steroids. The novel is one heck of a roller coaster ride from beginning to end, starting with a daring rescue and ending with a last-second, Hail-Mary save. Reilly has done an amazing job with the details of each mission, intricately describing each location in detail. The book appears to be historically accurate with regard to the identity and location of each of the ancient wonders. Reilly has sprinkled in the odd trivia throughout the novel, such as the Washington Monument and the Great Pyramid at Giza being at the same height above sea level. All in all, I learned a lot from this novel and could hardly put it down once I started to read it.
