Ex-special forces officer, Jack West junior is no stranger to danger. In his previous adventure, The Seven Ancient Wonders (published in the U.S.A. under the title The Seven Deadly Wonders,) Jack saved the world from destruction by finding seven pieces of the golden capstone of the Pyramid of Giza. If he thought he could retire to his outback property in Western Australia with his adopted daughter, Lily, Jack was terribly mistaken.

THE SIX SACRED STONES opens with Jack and Lily enjoying the school holidays on their property with Lily’s best friend Albie. Their peace is shattered when they see a Chinese parachute regiment descending from the skies. Thus begins Jack’s next whirlwind adventure.

It turns out the Chinese are after the Golden Capstone because the world is facing another crisis. This time to avert the end of the world, six sacred stones have to be placed in a “machine”. Not only do Jack and his team have to find the stones, they also have to figure out where this machine is located.

The Chinese aren’t the only ones after the capstone, the stones and the various ancient artefacts needed to complete the task. A small fanatical group of Japanese out to avenge their loss of honour after World War II are also on the trail.

Book Review

For the uninitiated, Matthew Reilly does not write crime. He does not write thrillers. Matthew Reilly writes ACTION. Think Indiana Jones with a healthy dose of Die Hard and you'll start to get the idea. Character development just slows down the plot too much. As always, Reilly is inventive in the locales and situations in which he thrusts his heroes. Having read most if not all of Reilly's books, I am always impressed by his ability to pack into the written word things I would previously have thought would only work in the visual medium of the movies. The Sacred Stones is no exception in this.

If you want something that examines the human condition, move on. If you're in the mood for some pure escapism to while away a few hours with flying bullets and narrow escapes, then crack the cover.

Submitted 5 years 4 months ago by evan.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008 - 10:39am