Hell Island

by Matthew Reilly

Book Overview

Captain Shane Schofi eld and his elite team of marines is about to discover . . .

There is no hell like a man-made one.

It is an island that doesn't appear on any maps. A secret location where the government conducts classified experiments. Experiments that have gone terribly wrong. . . . When all contact with the mysterious island is suddenly and inexplicably lost, Captain Shane Schofi eld and four crack Special...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1439191336
• ISBN13: 9781439191330
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Pocket Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Read

Would recommend this book as a starting point for anyone reading books by Matthew Reilly. Really gives some excellent background on present and future characters.Hell Island (Quick Reads)

Reilly WOW's me yet again with a brisk--all-too-short--read

The origin of 'Hell Island' is interesting...Reilly was asked to pen a short-story/novella that would be distributed absolutely free in Australia only. He COULD have gone the route of many authors put in this situation and saved the GOOD stuff for a differnt book, but he chose the story of 'Hell Island' hoping that if he produced something really fun to read, it might spark interest in his other books. The end result is a story that--up 'til recently, was available to about only three groups of people...those who live IN Australia...those who travel TO Australia...or those who could afford to buy a copy off ebay FROM Australia. I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Reilly not long ago, and he mentioned that he would send me a copy...I got tired of waiting, and went ahead and grabbed a copy off ebay and wouldn't you know it, RIGHT after that I discovered they had copies to buy stateside. Oh well. The story--what can I say? If you have never read Reilly before, quite literally, you haven't got a clue just how intense his novels really are. Seriously. Nobody writes with adrenaline to the degree that the average Reilly story comes stock with. NOBODY. Before you begin reading you simply MUST prepare yourself for an over-the-top, barely believable story that moves faster than a Tomahawk attached to the Space Shuttle. However...with that said, very few authors throw as much sheer FUN into their stories as you can find in ANY of Matthew Reilly's novels, either. Sure the stories may be flat-out unbelievable, but Reilly is well aware that his stories aren't in the realm of reality...he IS fully aware that his job as a writer is to entertain his readers, and THAT is what he does and might I say he does VERY well. 'Hell Island' is another Shane 'Scarecrow' Schofield adventure, and part of me was a bit disappointed that the storyline wasn't expanded into a full-blown novel, but that's mostly due to the fact that the time in between new Reilly Books seems to be longer and longer...and, well, I was just feeling a bit selfish I suppose. Let me wrap this up by saying this: Matthew Reilly is easily one of my top 5 favorite MUST READ authors now--and that is no small feat considering how much I read. I don't buy his books to immerse myself into events that MAY happen, I read Reilly to escape and have a great time on the edge of my seat--something he does better than every thriller author in print today--hands down. The momentum of his books is on a level literally head and shoulders above ALL authors I have ever read. Don't get me wrong, nobody's gonna award Reilly with a classical character development award for literature anytime soon...B-u-u-t, if you want a story that moves at nearly the speed of light, there isn't a writer alive who can match Reilly. And that's the truth. PS Matthew, if you read this, I still haven't received that copy you promised me. Hint, hint.

A Scarecrow fix!

This is a Scarecrow tale and those of you who love Matthew Reilly's hero are already picking the "buy" button. This short story is a sweet treat for those of us who enjoy the non-stop action and funny bon-mots of our favorite Marine. Of course it is too short, but the best short stories always leave you wanting more. A very enjoyable read.

Short, Fast, and Exhilarating

This is a great book. It is a single adventure for Marine Captain Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield. The odds are against them, but are Scarecrow and his team of 10 special ops Marines enough to stop a must larger and more powerful enemy force? Read this book and find out. You wont want to put the book down it is so full of adventure.

fantastic, as always

I just finished this book, and as usual, was completely blown away by Reilly's writing style, which is very in-your-face and full of non-stop action. I really enjoy Reilly's Scarecrow character, and am anxious to see what's next for this intrepid warrior. I know Reilly has a lot of critics, but I love everything he's written and will continue to enjoy his works. This man knows how to write action!