Customer Reviews

Seven Deadly Wonders

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a Matthew Reilly fan. I also read and write Golden Age pulp fiction. Okay I wanted to get that out of the way so anyone who reads this won't think I'm a newbie who doesn't "get" Reilly.

Reilly is most definitely a pulp writer. His style and approach (except for the gadgets and "toys") would fit right in with those great pulp writers of the 30s. The break neck pacing, over the top plot and action, etc. That's why I'm a fan and have read all but 3 of his books and I'll get to those. Hell, I even read Hell Island after tracking it down on ebay.

And I enjoyed Seven Deadly Wonders. Just not as much as his other books. The story itself is epic -- nations racing for the secret of ultimate power. He gets full marks for that. And, of course the action is intense an unrelenting make it the fastest 500+ page read you'll ever undertake.

But, I've got a couple of problems with the book. Problems which cost it a couple of stars. First off, the use of childish code names for the heroic team was distracting to the point of being ridiculous. Yes, they were explained but that didn't help. How many times can you read: "Pooh Bear let loose with a deadly volley of hot lead..." and so on. Very distracting and irritating in a story which would have been better off without this. Also, having a kid in the middle of things always harkens back to Spielberg cuteness -- something else such a grand tale didn't need. That cost the book one star.

The other star went to Reilly's apparent lack of confidence in his writing style. The endlessly irritating italics emphasizing just how "cool and important" a plot point or sentence of dialogue is was also as annoying as hell. I don't know if he put them in or his editor did but there are 1000s of these and readers really don't need to be taken by the hand and guided to important details. Also his use of exclamation points borders on the ridiculous. Perhaps Reilly should see that Seinfeld episode where such overuse of this punctuation is highlighted. Another nitpick is his over reliance on things happening at "that exact same moment". This is a staple of classic pulp fiction of course. But it is overdone in this book.

Other than these two stylistic annoyances, Seven Deadly Wonders is a great story. The two problems mentioned above detracted from my full enjoyment of the tale but overall I did enjoy the book and recommend it. If you're a fan of non-stop action, then you've never read anything like Reilly and Seven Deadly Wonders will impress you with as much action as you can take. If you're in the mood for an enjoyable action yarn, then this one won't disappoint. If you're in the mood for a great action yarn, pick up Hell Island or any of Reilly's earlier books.

I started the serie backward with book 2. I loved that book Six Sacred Stones CDI order this one. I have to admit, six sacred stone was better for me but if you read and once in a while your refer yourself to the internet to see image of the places he's writing about these book becomes great. Yes, the action is amazing and of course Jack West Jr. will never die, but if you don't take it seriously, you will enjoy a great read. I highly recommend it. I couldn't wait for his last one that just came out. Have fun!

Action packed hardly begins to describe this novel. Reilly dives right in and you're in the thick of things right away. However, the action is just a little too unlikely. A giant 747 that makes rough landings and quick pick ups on the go ? I don't think so. I found my credulity challenged by the non-stop action and the silly names of the characters. The plot has promise, but this is a fantasy and not nearly the quality of James Rollins or Steve Berry. Reilly needs to build a little realism into his novels before they'll qualify for summer guilty reading. This one is little more than a print only comic book.

Wow...Matthew Reilly did it again. His books are just one non stop action movie. Seven Deadly Wonders is such a great book. A mix of Indiana Jones meets Clive Cussler.

A lot happens in this books, so much so that at certain points Reilly even gives the reader some diagrams. The diagrams actually help too.

There is so much action that at times it is confusing, but that does nothing to the sheer entertainment from this book. I can't wait for the sequel to this book, just to see what happens.

If you want a fun book that you can read on the deck this summer or at the beach pick this one up, you won't be sorry.

Im a big fan of Matthew Reilly, with the Scarecrow novels being my favourite. This is a really good book, just not quite as tidy as the others. The traps get a bit repetitive for example.
However when you are looking for action, and this book is about 98% action then you will be blown away with the way reilly writes. you will not want to stop reading this once you start.
Jack West Jnr is a cool character and the story moves well around him.
The whole idea of the book is fantastic as well, as we travel the world looking for the seven ancient wonders (why did they change the name of the book for the U.S. and canada?????)

So i would recommend this book to people who want to lose themselves for a day in the crazy wold of Matthew Reilly

Let me start this off by saying that this novel isn't a commentary on modern civilization. It isn't here to create a paradigm shift in the way we look at the world, or to create a rift in the literary world. Seven Deadly Wonders is a non-stop action packed thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover.

Now I'm a big fan of Matthew Reilly; I loved Ice Station, Area 7, Scarecrow, Temple, and Contest. This new novel follows in the same style as the previous novels; fast action, daring rescues against almost insurmountable, gun fights and a race for treasure. Sure, there are moments when you may laugh at just how impossible things are, but that's all part of the fun. The hero (not Scarecrow from his previous novels) has to fight his way out of the most impossible situations, and manages to do so time and again.

If you are looking for anything other than a good old action novel, I suggest you look elsewhere. If you are looking for a fun, thrilling, and constantly exciting novel from a great author, be sure to pick up Seven Deadly Wonders!

At the risk of sounding like a literary snob, I must say I found myself embarrassed to be reading this book. I also must admit I had to quit it half way through, but it also forced me to write my first review. I have eclectic reading taste, and once in awhile I like to read a "turn off your brain" novel, ala Crichton, James Rollins and the like. This book however, is so over the top comic book bad that it had me laughing! You can only have so many hairs breadth escapes and non-stop action. Nothing in this book is based in reality. If you are looking for a little bit of character development, and some kind of realistic plot don't look here. My son gave me this book for Christmas along with "Tourist in the Yucatan." If you are looking for an action packed thriller that still has some plausibility I recommend you try "Tourist."