Area 7 (Shane Schofield, #2) in Action/Adventure Aficionados

Dec 01, 2008 Danielle The Book Huntress rated it it was amazing

Shelves: scarred-hero, hero-to-die-for, hot-heroes-kicking-butt, 2011-reading, action-adventure, owned-copy, high-body-count, conspiracies, soldier-or-military, favorite-or-autobuy-author

Warning: Do not read this book if you cannot suspend your disbelief about the seemingly improbable events that occur during action sequences. If you can’t do this, you will not enjoy this book. If you can, then hang on for the wild ride. No one, and I do mean no one, writes action scenes like Matthew Reilly. I reached for this book for precisely that reason.

Reading one of his books is like watching an action movie on steroids. I was laughing and cheering out loud throughout this book, and I coul Warning: Do not read this book if you cannot suspend your disbelief about the seemingly improbable events that occur during action sequences. If you can’t do this, you will not enjoy this book. If you can, then hang on for the wild ride. No one, and I do mean no one, writes action scenes like Matthew Reilly. I reached for this book for precisely that reason.

Reading one of his books is like watching an action movie on steroids. I was laughing and cheering out loud throughout this book, and I could feel my heart beating fast as the tension of not knowing what would come next had me in its grip.

Although there are definitely some scenes that make you roll your eyes because you are having a “yeah, right” moment, it’s clear that Matt Reilly did his research. He started with an idea, and he developed the background to make his idea come to life. And in the process, he wrote a story that definitely gave me something to worry about. Because he poses the question of what group has the greatest potential to take over this country. Easy answer if you think about it: a Branch of the United States Armed Forces. Why, because they have access to many of the installations containing some of this countries greatest tactical assets: high tech planes and ballistic missiles. And something else even worse. If you guessed the US Air Force, then 10 points to you. It so happens that the President is visiting one of the most mysterious Air Force bases; a good time to put their plan into action.

Only they didn’t plan on US Marine Captain Shane ‘Scarecrow’ Schofield being part of the President’s protection detail. The great thing about these books is that Shane has the deck stacked against him the whole time, and the cards only pile up higher as time passes. However, this is not a man who gives up. He uses the advantages he has available, which often involves some quick thinking on his part. Schofield is a hero you can get behind. He’s a decent human being, not a killing machine, unless he has to be. And he will get the job done, no matter what. After going through the crazy experience in Antarctica with Scarecrow (written about in Ice Station), I definitely love the guy. His surviving team members, Gant (who Shane has a budding relationship with) and Mother (a tough as nails 6’4” shaved-head female marine) are also along for the ride to help save the day.

The villains don’t particularly stand out, other than being loathsome human beings with no sense of loyalty (beyond their own sinister agendas), and bloodthirsty murderers, but this book is so fast-paced, you don’t really miss the character depth. Again, this is the kind of book you pick up when you want an edge of your seat, action-driven story. And you will definitely get that.
Despite its quick pace, I felt the story was pretty solid. This is one of those books you have to pay attention to when you read, because cues will be planted in earlier scenes that will play a pivotal role later on. It helps to appreciate Scarecrow and the other good guys for their quick-thinking and adaptability under fire.

The body count is high in this one, so I’d warn especially squeamish readers. I admit that I would probably flinch if I was seeing some of this on the big screen, and I did a bit when I was reading. But it adds to the sense of risk that good guys do die, and you feel a sense of validation when the bad guys die ugly. Trust me, they deserve it in this book.

Matt Reilly really knows how to bring it. I always enjoy myself when I read his books. And Scarecrow and his crew are just awesome. Glad to read another one of their adventures.
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Aug 26, 2011 Kristin Lundgren rated it it was amazing

Shelves: thriller, military, megalomaniac, terrorists, biological-weapon

Okay, so I'm on a Matt Reilly kick - actually I am reading anything I can find in the boxes piled up still, and he was on top. But I will soon switch gears to some YA from the library. This is my second reading, the first in 2007. Again, I loved this book. The second in the Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield series (The first was Ice Station, set in Antarctica), this one is set in a mysterious government facility in Utah, called Area 7, where classified work is being done. Along for the ride is "Mother Okay, so I'm on a Matt Reilly kick - actually I am reading anything I can find in the boxes piled up still, and he was on top. But I will soon switch gears to some YA from the library. This is my second reading, the first in 2007. Again, I loved this book. The second in the Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield series (The first was Ice Station, set in Antarctica), this one is set in a mysterious government facility in Utah, called Area 7, where classified work is being done. Along for the ride is "Mother," a 6ft. 2" giant of a bald headed woman, who is a gunnery sergeant, and Libby "Fox" Gant, who has just begun dating Scarecrow, so called because of twin scars down his eyes (he wears mirrored sunglasses as a result). This time around, because of the notoriety from the Ice Station business, he has been assigned to Marine One and the President's detail. The President is visiting Area 7 and 8, both classified, and as they enter the facility, Scarecrow gets a spidey sense that all is not well. Within minutes he is proved right, as a rogue element of the air force stationed there announces the plan of it's leader, a convicted treasonous former AF Colonel, to televise a hunt for the President in the facility, six levels of it. If he dies, huge bombs will be set off in 14 airports strung across the Northern US. He wants a pure white southern America. As they race against time, and a much larger foe, it takes all of Scarecrow's considerable cunning to elude the captors, follow the "rules" set up, and protect the President. Once again the story is replete with exclamations and italics, like "blasted" and "crashed," etc. It is a characteristic of Reilly's books, esp. the earlier ones, and while it does remind me of the old Batman and Robin show, the book is what it is - pure action, adventure, with a dose of humor, and lightheartedness thrown in. Reilly doesn't take himself seriously, and if there is limited character development (I think, having read all his books once, and working on a 2nd reread that that is not entirely true - it is just spread across the books, as it is with Jeremy Robinson and James Rollins), it is more than made up for in his stated purpose of action, action, action. It's a romp, a delight, and improbable at best, but what fun. I find myself giggling with glee. Where else can a 55 yr old woman get the thrill of a Sydney Harbor Bridge using Maghooks? And find guns with 900 rounds a minute? Only in Reilly's books. ...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Kora rated it really liked it

Shelves: suspense-thriller

I am doing a re-read in the lead up to the release of Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves.

Has it really been ten years since Area 7 came out?!

Even though this is a re-read, the story is STILL an adrenaline rush from beginning to end. Un-put-down-able! ...more

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