Rating: 9/10
Seven Deadly Wonders is wicked. The style employed by Matthew Reilly is stunning. The intensity rises steadily as the story progresses. I thought that the beginning was quite bland, but as things went on it just grew better and better. No wonder it's a New York Times bestselling book! There is also no doubt as to why Australians called Matthew Reilly "our Michael Crichton." He really is comparable to Crichton (although Crichton is the better of the two, for me). I liked the Indiana Jones-like adventure and escapades the team went through, but most importantly, the sense of the team being a family. It's a nice thing to read about their interactions and their experiences with each other.
The story also has a dramatic side, of course. The reader cannot help but attach to himself to the characters. In this instance, I liked Liam Kissane, that sort of dumb Irish commando. Why? Because he's Irish (like the Dylandly twins of Gundam 00) and because he's an endearing lovely thing (not the sort of phrase that describes a commando, eh?)! I am just saddened by his death and just the fact that Cal Kallis made "fun" of him (he was the one who ultimately killed him) by calling him a "gurgling bloody mess" makes me sick. Jack West Jr. is also a nice kind of character, and so is Lily! I can see the equally Australian Hugh Jackman playing the super soldier. Jack West, you are the man!
Altogether, it's a novel filled with adventure, excitement, and suspense. This novel, coupled with its archaeological alignments and adventure, is a great gift for me. I could easily put it a notch higher than Crichton's Jurassic Park (but I still consider the late Crichton as the best adventure genre writer ever). It's a great read and it's worth spending six to eight hours of your time poring over it.
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