Four Legendary Kingdoms

Fast paced action novel , expected from Mathew .

I am SO happy I discovered Matthew Reilly in 2002, shortly after the release of his novel, "Temple". I found "Ice Station" and after reading about it, I decided to take a gamble on a new author I had never heard of before--something I rarely do without doing a bit of research first. It was much more different than I expected it to be. But one thing stood out: the action was seriously off the charts...as in leaps & bounds more than any other author I had ever read before. Sure, the action borders on almost comical at times for how outrageous it can get, definitely stretching the limits of credibility and then some--but as I read, I got the distinct impression that Matthew does it on purpose. His books aren't intended to be hyper realistic. If you need that, read Tom Clancy. For a long time now I've come to refer to novels such as this as fine brain candy, because that is truly what it is. I quickly soaked up everything I could, even trying to track down a copy of his self-published Contest (before it was re-published). Loved the Scarecrow novels, and the high adventure and shockingly non-stop action that Matthew injected into each of his novels. Then came the 7 Ancient/Deadly Wonders (title depended on where you got your copy) and he gave us Jack West Jr. He reminded me a lot of Shane Schofield. But Jack was a family man, and so was I, and in that I had something in common with this super hero. I loved that book. It reminded me of the Da Vinci Code meets Indiana Jones meets the X-Files. Phenomenally entertaining. The ending lead me to believe that was just about it--but then came the 2 sequels. Loved them both as well. So you can imagine how thrilled I was knowing a 4th book was coming. It pained me especially knowing it would be released just about everywhere before coming to America. So after I found out that I could get a copy from England shipped here, I went that route. Loved the speed with which the story is catapulted into action--leave it to Reilly to find a way to hit the ground running on the very first page--literally. Jack wakes up somewhere strange, and instantly finds himself in peril. It's all so fantastic that he isn't quite sure if what he's seeing is real, or if he's just inside a bizarre dream. Before long, the details begin to slowly unfold to discover that similar to the previous books, the world is frighteningly close to ending and an odd ceremony is necessary in order to prove man's worthiness to live. In a way, it reminded me a little of his book, Contest. In the Four Legendary Kingdoms, the competition is more than just kill or be killed--the very future of humanity hangs in the balance. I loved this book for several reasons: 1. It brought back Jack and his closest friends and family. 2. The creativity which Reilly comes up with to test his characters is nothing short of astonishing to me. The term Creative doesn't do him justice. The next was how he tied in a few characters from earlier books which came as a very pleasant surprise. At least he isn't adding himself to his books as one of his own characters like Cussler has been doing now for several years. Sorry but I found that to be ridiculously narcissistic, and I happen to love Dirk Pitt. Thankfully, the way Reilly handles it was not only welcome, but incredibly entertaining. All in all, I felt like the book was familiar, and yet original at the same time (hope that makes sense). Not only am I still a fan, but even more so than I was before. Kudos to Matthew. Great story, great novel, great entertainment. TOTALLY worth it!

Certainly one of the best from Matthew Reilly. It Started with "Seven Ancient Wonders, Six Sacred Stones and Five Greatest Warriors". As the last two were quite boring this isn't. Shades of his first novel "Contest" are their, but frankly it's way too much better. The story continues as we know there are lot many things which meet the eye. And 3 more novels are anticipated after it. It's a 4th novel in the series, so if you're a new one first read above mentioned trilogy to understand the plot better. Yes, there's "Scarecrow" (another hero from another series of MR) in the novel, but it's majorly a Jack West series. Awaiting the next in the series..!

Wow!! Matthew Reilly is so talented. I love reading his books. The Four Legendary Kingdoms is fast paced with lots of twists and turns. I do recommend reading his earlier Jack West books first to understand and get to know the characters in this book. I can’t say too much, don’t want to spoil it, but definitely one of my favorite books. It’s one I can read over and over again. So excited for the next book to come out!

It was good, but it reminded me very much of Contest. I do however, look forward to new books from Reilly.

A typical Matt Reilly thriller. Fast paced and action packed. I am still halfway through the book and will review it based on my initial impressions. That said, I feel that Matt has lost his touch after his wife died. Temple and early Scarecrow thrillers far far more engaging and taut. The recent ones are good, but not Matthew Reilly level good. This book is definitely better than "The Tournament" though it has some similar elements. The tournament was just bad. Plain bad. [SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE READ HIS EARLIER BOOKS] Now to this book. It has finally answered whether Jack West and Shane Schofield exist in the same Universe/timeline or not. I was excited to see the 2 greats (I find Shane Schofield to be a better hero/book character. I know it's subjective but still). One would expect sparks flying and excellent dialogues when the two meet but to my utter disappointment, that does not happen. One would have expected Alby and Lily who are both around 20 years old now, to have trained hard into mini-warriors themselves given the precarious situations they were in the past. But that doesn't happen either. They are learned, for sure, but hey, a little training on the side would have definitely happened in the real world. Jack West ain't gonna be around forever to protect them and any father would do more to ensure that these kids can hold on their own when the time comes. At the midway point, that hasn't happened. FINAL REVIEW TO FOLLOW