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Shane Schofield #1
Ice Station
Antarctica is the last unconquered continent, a murderous expanse of howling winds, blinding whiteouts and deadly crevasses. On one edge of Antarctica is Wilkes Station. Beneath Wilkes Station is the gate to hell itself...
A team of U.S. divers, exploring three thousand feet beneath the ice shelf has vanished. Sending out an SOS, Wilkes draws a rapid deployment team of Marines-and someone else...
First comes a horrific firefight. Then comes a plunge into a drowning pool filled with killer whales. Next comes the hard part, as a handful of survivors begin an electrifying, red-hot, non-stop battle of survival across the continent and against wave after wave of elite military assassins-who've all come for one thing: a secret buried deep beneath the ice...
A team of U.S. divers, exploring three thousand feet beneath the ice shelf has vanished. Sending out an SOS, Wilkes draws a rapid deployment team of Marines-and someone else...
First comes a horrific firefight. Then comes a plunge into a drowning pool filled with killer whales. Next comes the hard part, as a handful of survivors begin an electrifying, red-hot, non-stop battle of survival across the continent and against wave after wave of elite military assassins-who've all come for one thing: a secret buried deep beneath the ice...
513 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1998
About the author
Matthew Reilly
80 books5,945 followersBorn in Sydney in 1974, Matthew Reilly was not always a big fan of reading. It was only after he read To Kill A Mockingbird and Lord of the Flies in Year 10 that he realised reading could transport you to another world. Following this revelation, Matthew soon began creating stories of his own and set about writing his first novel, Contest, at the age of 19 while still at university studying law.
Following rejections from all the major publishers, Matthew self-published Contest in 1996, printing 1000 copies. He produced a big-budget-looking novel which he sold into bookshops throughout Sydney, one shop at a time.
In January 1997, a Commissioning Editor for Pan Macmillan Australia walked into Angus & Robertson's Pitt Street Mall store and bought a copy of Contest. The editor tracked Matthew down through his contact details in the front of the book. Interestingly, those original self-published editions of Contest have now become much sought after collectors' items. One recently sold on eBay for $1200!
Matthew Reilly is now the internationally bestselling author of the Scarecrow novels: Ice Station, Area 7, Scarecrow, Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves and the novella Hell Island; the Jack West novels: Seven Ancient Wonders, The Six Sacred Stones, The Five Greatest Warriors, The Four Legendary Kingdoms, and The Three Secret Cities; and the standalone novels Contest, Temple, Hover Car Racer, The Tournament, Troll Mountain, The Great Zoo of China and The Secret Runners of New York.
His books are published in over 20 languages with worldwide sales of over 7 million copies.
Since Seven Ancient Wonders in 2005, Matthew's novels have been the biggest selling new fiction title released in Australia for that year.
Matthew has also written several short stories, including Roger Ascham and the King's Lost Girl, a special free prequel to The Tournament which is available online. Other short stories include Time Tours, The Mine and the hyper-adrenalised romp, Altitude Rush.
He owns and drives a DeLorean DMC-12, the car made famous in the Back to the Future movies. He also has a life-sized Han Solo in carbonite hanging on the wall of his office! When not writing or penning a film script, Matthew can be found on the golf course.
Matthew Reilly is currently living in Los Angeles.
(source: Amazon)
Following rejections from all the major publishers, Matthew self-published Contest in 1996, printing 1000 copies. He produced a big-budget-looking novel which he sold into bookshops throughout Sydney, one shop at a time.
In January 1997, a Commissioning Editor for Pan Macmillan Australia walked into Angus & Robertson's Pitt Street Mall store and bought a copy of Contest. The editor tracked Matthew down through his contact details in the front of the book. Interestingly, those original self-published editions of Contest have now become much sought after collectors' items. One recently sold on eBay for $1200!
Matthew Reilly is now the internationally bestselling author of the Scarecrow novels: Ice Station, Area 7, Scarecrow, Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves and the novella Hell Island; the Jack West novels: Seven Ancient Wonders, The Six Sacred Stones, The Five Greatest Warriors, The Four Legendary Kingdoms, and The Three Secret Cities; and the standalone novels Contest, Temple, Hover Car Racer, The Tournament, Troll Mountain, The Great Zoo of China and The Secret Runners of New York.
His books are published in over 20 languages with worldwide sales of over 7 million copies.
Since Seven Ancient Wonders in 2005, Matthew's novels have been the biggest selling new fiction title released in Australia for that year.
Matthew has also written several short stories, including Roger Ascham and the King's Lost Girl, a special free prequel to The Tournament which is available online. Other short stories include Time Tours, The Mine and the hyper-adrenalised romp, Altitude Rush.
He owns and drives a DeLorean DMC-12, the car made famous in the Back to the Future movies. He also has a life-sized Han Solo in carbonite hanging on the wall of his office! When not writing or penning a film script, Matthew can be found on the golf course.
Matthew Reilly is currently living in Los Angeles.
(source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,556 reviews
January 19, 2022
Antarctica, an American settlement the Wilkes Ice Station abandoned now, two U.S. scientists surface in an ice cave 3,000 feet below sea level, their last moments breathing. Other divers are sent and are never heard from again. The American Marines arrive amidst rumors of an alien spaceship found, silly notion imagine such a thing occurring. Lieutenant Shane Schofield Recon Unit Commander, (nickname Scarecrow) has one great attribute, he never gives up. Mr. Schofield will need all that determination to survive this unprecedented situation . Don't need to state the lethal conditions here, an ice desert which kills, bone chilling temperatures can freezes a man's soul the great blizzards, the relentless massive winds that will blind, and crevasses they might eventually doom...
any traveler ignorant enough to walk on its surface unprepared . Technological supremacy is the big prize and no one has any friends anymore, no surprise greed always prevails. With a dozen men and women, Shane has to defend the ICE STATION AGAINST ALL THE ATTACKERS, so called allies become deadly enemies, even his own men can't be trusted. A solar flares causing a communication blackout, Scarecrow will get no help from anyone, they will have to deal with all hoping their limited resources are enough to win . After the marines defeat "friendly nations" soldiers, Shane needs to get to the mysterious cave. Killer Whales or no Killer Whales swimming around, he has a job to do...Back in the U.S. Washington Post reporters get a tip from Andrew Trent, a U.S.Marine hiding in New Mexico, about a secret military group which unbelievably even kills its own people, in order to preserve American superiority in the world... On the South Pole, Scarecrow with the assistance of Wendy, an Antarctic seal (the kind with flippers) gets what's left of his friends to the cavern. However with the diving bell destroyed there is no way out, still not the immediate problem for now. Strange new sea creatures also are inhabiting that space under the sea, both kinds of animals can't live in the same area though, something has to give...Another difficulty well two, bombs are about to go off on top and a nuclear missile is racing in the air and getting closer and closer to the ice station, Scarecrow better think of something quick. This is like an action movie all credibility is thrown out the window in order to entertain the public, just relax and enjoy the trip... some clever happenings take place...
any traveler ignorant enough to walk on its surface unprepared . Technological supremacy is the big prize and no one has any friends anymore, no surprise greed always prevails. With a dozen men and women, Shane has to defend the ICE STATION AGAINST ALL THE ATTACKERS, so called allies become deadly enemies, even his own men can't be trusted. A solar flares causing a communication blackout, Scarecrow will get no help from anyone, they will have to deal with all hoping their limited resources are enough to win . After the marines defeat "friendly nations" soldiers, Shane needs to get to the mysterious cave. Killer Whales or no Killer Whales swimming around, he has a job to do...Back in the U.S. Washington Post reporters get a tip from Andrew Trent, a U.S.Marine hiding in New Mexico, about a secret military group which unbelievably even kills its own people, in order to preserve American superiority in the world... On the South Pole, Scarecrow with the assistance of Wendy, an Antarctic seal (the kind with flippers) gets what's left of his friends to the cavern. However with the diving bell destroyed there is no way out, still not the immediate problem for now. Strange new sea creatures also are inhabiting that space under the sea, both kinds of animals can't live in the same area though, something has to give...Another difficulty well two, bombs are about to go off on top and a nuclear missile is racing in the air and getting closer and closer to the ice station, Scarecrow better think of something quick. This is like an action movie all credibility is thrown out the window in order to entertain the public, just relax and enjoy the trip... some clever happenings take place...
July 6, 2024
Overstressed? Overworked? In need of a change in scenery? Looking for relaxation and a well-deserved rest? Why not visit Antarctica, the last unconquered continent? Its virgin, untouched landscapes and friendly, innocent wildlife make it the perfect holiday spot for those wanting to escape modern life and human drama!
» Make one with beautiful nature, bask in the sunshine, and experience inner peace while exploring gloriously preserved, snow-covered sceneries.
» Encounter fascinating, affectionate fauna.
» Meet the very friendly and ever-welcoming local population.
» Enjoy one of the many on-site activities.
💀 Swim the refreshing waters:
💀 Play indoor paintball games:
💀 Go on restful hovercraft rides:
💀 Have some grappling hook fun:
💀 Experiment with fun, new toys:
💀 Discover unexplored underwater expanses:
💀 Admire the unique fireworks:
Antarctica is the world's #1 wellness destination! It beats any spa holiday you will ever take! You do not know what being pampered in luxury means until you have visited the South Pole!
➽ So what are you waiting for?! Call 1-800-I-Have-A-Deathwish, pack your bags, and go!
Tiny disclaimer #1: don't bother with a return ticket. One-way should do just fine.
Tiny disclaimer #2: before embarking on what might possibly be the most relaxing adventure of your life, we sort of-kind of advise you to consult with your doctor, or any other qualified health care professional. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry and all that.
» And the moral of this non-review is: YES, this book is on the OTT side and takes suspension of disbelief to a whole new level. But man, it is the most roller-coaster ridish (yes, there is such a thing), delightfully exhausting, unputdownable, entertaining book I've read in a looooonnnggggg time.
» And the other moral of this non review is: and it is thus that Eon the Awesome lifted the Boredom Curse from Hell that had befallen me since the beginning of 2016. Eon, I thank thee kindly and shall be ever full of grate.
PS: Shane Schofield is mine. So back the fish off, everyone.
· Book 2: Area 7 ★★★★
· Book 3: Scarecrow · to be read
» Make one with beautiful nature, bask in the sunshine, and experience inner peace while exploring gloriously preserved, snow-covered sceneries.
» Encounter fascinating, affectionate fauna.
» Meet the very friendly and ever-welcoming local population.
» Enjoy one of the many on-site activities.
💀 Swim the refreshing waters:
💀 Play indoor paintball games:
💀 Go on restful hovercraft rides:
💀 Have some grappling hook fun:
💀 Experiment with fun, new toys:
💀 Discover unexplored underwater expanses:
💀 Admire the unique fireworks:
Antarctica is the world's #1 wellness destination! It beats any spa holiday you will ever take! You do not know what being pampered in luxury means until you have visited the South Pole!
➽ So what are you waiting for?! Call 1-800-I-Have-A-Deathwish, pack your bags, and go!
Tiny disclaimer #1: don't bother with a return ticket. One-way should do just fine.
Tiny disclaimer #2: before embarking on what might possibly be the most relaxing adventure of your life, we sort of-kind of advise you to consult with your doctor, or any other qualified health care professional. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry and all that.
» And the moral of this non-review is: YES, this book is on the OTT side and takes suspension of disbelief to a whole new level. But man, it is the most roller-coaster ridish (yes, there is such a thing), delightfully exhausting, unputdownable, entertaining book I've read in a looooonnnggggg time.
» And the other moral of this non review is: and it is thus that Eon the Awesome lifted the Boredom Curse from Hell that had befallen me since the beginning of 2016. Eon, I thank thee kindly and shall be ever full of grate.
PS: Shane Schofield is mine. So back the fish off, everyone.
· Book 2: Area 7 ★★★★
· Book 3: Scarecrow · to be read
November 7, 2011
Why read a book called Ice Station, are you having flashbacks to the days of Alistair MacLean and those commando ops that thrilled with the killing of lousy Krauts, except this one is by Matthew Reilly some wanking Aussie young'un with Coke-bottle specs, an older and more reedy version of Mr. Peabody's Sherman with a shoeblack pomade, it's a nice sleek white and promises cheap merc entertainment so why not, it's not like you have thousands of award-winning, globally-lauded, literature-defining authors on the shelves now, is it, this one should prove a quick one while the brains away, holy fuck this intro is really bad, Reilly sounds like a dingbat, good God, do we really have a squad leader named Scarecrow with knife scars slashed across his beady eyes, fuck right off with this shit Reilly, whoops, here we go, Frog commandos springing a oily trap armed with mega-technological crossbows, that's aces, now Yanks are dropping like flies, take that French-to-Freedom-Fry butt-plugged aresholes, oh, come on, did Reilly just spring some cheesy seal pinging around like a pinniped version of Flipper, now what the hell, mutated walruses and killer whales chowing down on humans like regular bizness, what the fuck are divers and seals doing one mile down in freezing black Antarctic ocean waters, fuck Reilly, your acrobatic seal and SEAL poltroons would implode like my fucking liver did in 2002, why don't you just include a fucking mermaid pleasuring her half-scaly self with a tubular iceberg for Christ's sake, now what, my God a badass Marine she-bitch named Mother who cracks walnuts via clenched butt and clears the shell casings with an impressive rooster-tail, let me guess, she harbors a deep and abiding shemale-manlove for Scarecrow who doesn't know and won't reciprocate and nevertheless secretly dreams of a romantic date with the dude in an Afghan foxhole where they'll dine on grenades and toast each other with gasoline, I can't take this anymore, what, hovercraft colliding and dinging each other with the abandon of the patrons at the Fraser Arms when one o'clock rolls around and only one toilet is functioning while Marines leap back 'n forth killing freckled Tommy SAS chump-change wearing berets and sporting Nietzschean 'staches with a well-placed elbow or frozen penguin carcass, Reilly you blow massive chunks, escapist, brain-dead thrills are one thing but this happy-go-fucky bullshit is an insult to the output of Mack Bolan, I can't take it anymore you cliche-ridden, one-thousand-words-for-machine-pistol-but-only-one-for-a-knife-to-the-throat plagiarizer of Cassell Military Paperbacks OK, Goddammit, I slopped coffee all across this cap-popping deadweight, me and my Maxwell House elbow fucking shaking like a Juan Valdez rummy, damn carpet used to be nice, that does it, this one goes directly into the garbage and NOW finally can we get to something better, well I'll be, here's another on the shelf by Reilly called Hover Car Racer, now that sounds promising...
March 17, 2020
Oh BELIEVE I’ll be writing a review for this...
*****
Sometimes you just have to say FUCK subtlety. Piss off nuance. I do not require you. What I need is ACTION. Something with non-stop combat, batshit crazy energy, and enough baddies that you're tripping over the little bastards every time you turn around. I'm not even going to tell you about the plot because IT DOESN'T MATTER. What's important is that Lieutenant Shane Schofield is ready to SORT IT. And he's going to do it in mirrored shades, no less. Now he's the kind of warrior that should make every action lead you've ever seen blush in shame for being such a wet lettuce. A pathetic, lazy waste of space. But not the 'Scarecrow'. Oh no. Even death can't stop him. And he's got a heart of gold. What. A. Man.
My good friend and the hero responsible for bringing this book back to my attention, Eon, called this Mission IMPOSSIBLEST, but the impossiblest thing is putting this book down. I only meant to read a few chapters and then all of a sudden it was over. There are bodies and bullets flying from the get go. There are assassins and conspiracies and enough chompy sea creatures to make Jaws look like a picky eater.
I cannot believe I only gave this 4 stars first time round. Youthful Emma clearly did not know how to have fun. This book gives zero shits about anything other than entertaining the fuck out of the reader. Every time you think it couldn't get any more bonkers, it does. It is EXCEPTIONAL.
I will not be listening to any alternative opinions at this time. Thank you and goodnight.
*****
Sometimes you just have to say FUCK subtlety. Piss off nuance. I do not require you. What I need is ACTION. Something with non-stop combat, batshit crazy energy, and enough baddies that you're tripping over the little bastards every time you turn around. I'm not even going to tell you about the plot because IT DOESN'T MATTER. What's important is that Lieutenant Shane Schofield is ready to SORT IT. And he's going to do it in mirrored shades, no less. Now he's the kind of warrior that should make every action lead you've ever seen blush in shame for being such a wet lettuce. A pathetic, lazy waste of space. But not the 'Scarecrow'. Oh no. Even death can't stop him. And he's got a heart of gold. What. A. Man.
My good friend and the hero responsible for bringing this book back to my attention, Eon, called this Mission IMPOSSIBLEST, but the impossiblest thing is putting this book down. I only meant to read a few chapters and then all of a sudden it was over. There are bodies and bullets flying from the get go. There are assassins and conspiracies and enough chompy sea creatures to make Jaws look like a picky eater.
I cannot believe I only gave this 4 stars first time round. Youthful Emma clearly did not know how to have fun. This book gives zero shits about anything other than entertaining the fuck out of the reader. Every time you think it couldn't get any more bonkers, it does. It is EXCEPTIONAL.
I will not be listening to any alternative opinions at this time. Thank you and goodnight.
December 18, 2014
WOW! WOW! WOW!
THE PACE WAS FRANTIC!
EDGE OF THE SEAT STUFF!
A TOTALLY GRIPPING, ACTION PACKED THRILLER!
What the hell just happened?
I'm a member of the GR group A Good Thriller and in October this year they started a concept called "Book Pal". The key purpose of Book Pal is to help members attack that overwhelming "To Be Read (TBR)" shelf by assigning a random partner each month to choose a book for you to read from that shelf. This month I was teamed with Juliana from the UK who had just started to read Ice Station and, given this had been sitting in my home library unread since 1999, we thought it was an excellent opportunity for me to read it as well.
OMG! What an amazing experience. I haven't been so entertained like this for a long time. I was neck deep in this book from start to finish. It did not disappoint. This is not my usual line in escapism, but Reilly's talent for coming up with ingenious new twists on every page is awesome. I kept telling myself
All the various plot pieces revealed throughout the story were seamlessly woven together by the end, and Reilly's dastardly collection of marines, psychos and sadists were so astutely portrayed that I felt like I personally knew every one of them.
The story begins at Wilkes Ice Station, a US research facility about nine hundred miles from McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Wilkes Ice Station is essentially a great, big, vertical cylinder that has been bored into the ice shelf. It dives five storeys straight down, all the way to sea level. Indented at regular intervals on the walls of the cylinder are metal catwalks which run around the circumference of the cylinder. Branching out from each catwalk, burrowing into the icy walls themselves, are a series of tunnels which form the different levels of the station.
Wilkes Ice Station from the inside
After two diving teams at Wilkes Ice Station are killed following their discovery of what appears to be an alien spacecraft, the station sends out a distress signal. A team of eleven United States Recon Marines, led by thirty two year old Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield, is dispatched to secure the station. Upon arriving they find that French scientists from a nearby French research station have already arrived. But all is not what it seems and some of the French are revealed as soldiers, who are also after the ‘alien spacecraft’ discovery. A bloody and gruesome battle ensues whereby all of the French soldiers are killed, and Schofield loses three members of his team, with a further two seriously injured. So much for both countries belonging to NATO, eh?
As if this wasn’t enough, the team learns of a pending nuclear attack by the French, as well as a land attack by the British SAS. Everyone wants to secure the spaceship discovery for their country.
And so the battle begins!!!!
One of Schofield's team peers through the window from a hovercraft vehicle, as troops do battle
Throughout this book Reilly delivers cliff-hangers galore! The laws of science are sometimes shunted aside to make way for improbable weaponry and impossible situations, but that's just part of the fun.
One thing's for sure…I now know I want an Armalite MH-12 Maghook for christmas! Read the book and you'll know why! :-)))
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
DEFINITELY AN AUTHOR I WANT TO READ MORE OF.
A solid 5 stars!
About the Author
Matthew Reilly was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1974. He is the international bestselling author of twelve novels: Ice Station, Temple, Contest, Area 7, Scarecrow, Hover Car Racer, Hell Island, Seven Ancient Wonders, The Six Sacred Stones, The Five Greatest Warriors, Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves and The Tournament.
Matthew Reilly
Published in late 1998, Ice Station was an instant hit, delivering a new style of action thriller to Australian readers. It was snapped up by major publishers in the US, UK and Germany.
Matthew Reilly has been quoted as saying:
An Australian TV program, "Australian Story", caught up with Matthew in February 2014 to find out how he is doing. Attached below is a link to a very moving 30 minute interview with Matthew, his publishers and his family/friends.
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/special...
Photos
—Photo 1 courtesy of Clan McPherson
—Photo 2 courtesy of PC Power Play
—Photo 3 courtesy of Daily Mail
—Photo 4 courtesy of Mama Mia
THE PACE WAS FRANTIC!
EDGE OF THE SEAT STUFF!
A TOTALLY GRIPPING, ACTION PACKED THRILLER!
What the hell just happened?
I'm a member of the GR group A Good Thriller and in October this year they started a concept called "Book Pal". The key purpose of Book Pal is to help members attack that overwhelming "To Be Read (TBR)" shelf by assigning a random partner each month to choose a book for you to read from that shelf. This month I was teamed with Juliana from the UK who had just started to read Ice Station and, given this had been sitting in my home library unread since 1999, we thought it was an excellent opportunity for me to read it as well.
OMG! What an amazing experience. I haven't been so entertained like this for a long time. I was neck deep in this book from start to finish. It did not disappoint. This is not my usual line in escapism, but Reilly's talent for coming up with ingenious new twists on every page is awesome. I kept telling myself
"I'll get to the end of this chapter and then I'll go and do X"but damn it, every chapter finished on such an adrenaline high, I simply had to read the next one to find out what happened!
All the various plot pieces revealed throughout the story were seamlessly woven together by the end, and Reilly's dastardly collection of marines, psychos and sadists were so astutely portrayed that I felt like I personally knew every one of them.
The story begins at Wilkes Ice Station, a US research facility about nine hundred miles from McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Wilkes Ice Station is essentially a great, big, vertical cylinder that has been bored into the ice shelf. It dives five storeys straight down, all the way to sea level. Indented at regular intervals on the walls of the cylinder are metal catwalks which run around the circumference of the cylinder. Branching out from each catwalk, burrowing into the icy walls themselves, are a series of tunnels which form the different levels of the station.
Wilkes Ice Station from the inside
After two diving teams at Wilkes Ice Station are killed following their discovery of what appears to be an alien spacecraft, the station sends out a distress signal. A team of eleven United States Recon Marines, led by thirty two year old Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield, is dispatched to secure the station. Upon arriving they find that French scientists from a nearby French research station have already arrived. But all is not what it seems and some of the French are revealed as soldiers, who are also after the ‘alien spacecraft’ discovery. A bloody and gruesome battle ensues whereby all of the French soldiers are killed, and Schofield loses three members of his team, with a further two seriously injured. So much for both countries belonging to NATO, eh?
"International alliances are not about friendship. They are about advantage. If friendship brings advantage, then friendship is desirable. If friendship does not bring advantage, then perhaps merely civil relations may be all that is necessary."Schofield decides to send a marine dive team of three down below the ice to find the supposed alien spacecraft. They are also joined by one of the scientists from Wilkes Station. But all hell breaks loose once they’re gone. One of the two injured marines is killed, Schofield himself is shot and left for dead, and the second injured marine is also set upon. There is a traitor in Schofield’s team, a member of the Intelligence Convergence Group (ICG), whose sole purpose is to infiltrate elite American military units to keep tabs on them and make sure they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing. Once the job is complete however, the ICG infiltrator is then tasked with “erasing” or wiping out the unit such that no knowledge about the assignment is leaked.
As if this wasn’t enough, the team learns of a pending nuclear attack by the French, as well as a land attack by the British SAS. Everyone wants to secure the spaceship discovery for their country.
And so the battle begins!!!!
One of Schofield's team peers through the window from a hovercraft vehicle, as troops do battle
Throughout this book Reilly delivers cliff-hangers galore! The laws of science are sometimes shunted aside to make way for improbable weaponry and impossible situations, but that's just part of the fun.
One thing's for sure…I now know I want an Armalite MH-12 Maghook for christmas! Read the book and you'll know why! :-)))
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
DEFINITELY AN AUTHOR I WANT TO READ MORE OF.
A solid 5 stars!
About the Author
Matthew Reilly was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1974. He is the international bestselling author of twelve novels: Ice Station, Temple, Contest, Area 7, Scarecrow, Hover Car Racer, Hell Island, Seven Ancient Wonders, The Six Sacred Stones, The Five Greatest Warriors, Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves and The Tournament.
Matthew Reilly
Published in late 1998, Ice Station was an instant hit, delivering a new style of action thriller to Australian readers. It was snapped up by major publishers in the US, UK and Germany.
Matthew Reilly has been quoted as saying:
"Ice Station was a direct response to Hollywood action movies. I figured that when you make a movie, you are limited by your budget. Put simply, it costs big dollars to make big action scenes. But when you write a book, you can create the wildest and biggest action scenes you like and it doesn’t cost you a cent. The only limit is the limit of your imagination!"Life hasn't always been happy for Matthew. In early December 2011, while Reilly was in South Australia on a book tour promoting Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves, his wife Natalie, who had suffered from anorexia and depression, committed suicide. Matthew could not write for a very long time following this.
An Australian TV program, "Australian Story", caught up with Matthew in February 2014 to find out how he is doing. Attached below is a link to a very moving 30 minute interview with Matthew, his publishers and his family/friends.
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/special...
Photos
—Photo 1 courtesy of Clan McPherson
—Photo 2 courtesy of PC Power Play
—Photo 3 courtesy of Daily Mail
—Photo 4 courtesy of Mama Mia
June 16, 2011
I started reading this book! And then...
I put it down!
And then -
- I. Picked. It. Back. Up.
Again.
Just to see how it ended!
!!!
I couldn't actually finish the book. Gave up on page 500. The beginning was great, but things rapidly dissolved into stupidity. This calls for more than suspension of disbelief. Maybe a pre-frontal lobotomy. Or maybe a time machine. I could travel back in time and give this book to my 14-year-old self, who would probably enjoy it. Though a pre-frontal lobotomy might still be necessary.
Give credit where credit is due, though: in the stupid action book category, Reilly is right up there on top. He's got the mojo. There is no other way to explain 3 million books sold and a 4-star rating, although this type of success is a mystery of the same caliber as crossbow-wielding commandos, US marines shooting grappling hooks at everything that moves, and a guy who gets eye replacement surgery after having his peepers sliced in half during a razorblade torture session.
My favorite part was when the hero falls off a cliff, swims through 40-foot frigid artic waves--I believe at some point he's pummeled into a cliff by them--and then somehow manages to blow up a nuclear submarine with some high explosives he had in his back pocket.
Oh yeah, sorry, that was a spoiler. But believe me, the plot is not the selling point of this book, so I didn't really ruin anything.
I put it down!
And then -
- I. Picked. It. Back. Up.
Again.
Just to see how it ended!
!!!
I couldn't actually finish the book. Gave up on page 500. The beginning was great, but things rapidly dissolved into stupidity. This calls for more than suspension of disbelief. Maybe a pre-frontal lobotomy. Or maybe a time machine. I could travel back in time and give this book to my 14-year-old self, who would probably enjoy it. Though a pre-frontal lobotomy might still be necessary.
Give credit where credit is due, though: in the stupid action book category, Reilly is right up there on top. He's got the mojo. There is no other way to explain 3 million books sold and a 4-star rating, although this type of success is a mystery of the same caliber as crossbow-wielding commandos, US marines shooting grappling hooks at everything that moves, and a guy who gets eye replacement surgery after having his peepers sliced in half during a razorblade torture session.
My favorite part was when the hero falls off a cliff, swims through 40-foot frigid artic waves--I believe at some point he's pummeled into a cliff by them--and then somehow manages to blow up a nuclear submarine with some high explosives he had in his back pocket.
Oh yeah, sorry, that was a spoiler. But believe me, the plot is not the selling point of this book, so I didn't really ruin anything.
March 19, 2013
Killer Whales? Seriously? Even in a society desensitized by the escapades of James Bond, this kind of thing seems rather excessive in an action thriller, although I must say the scenes in question were pretty scary in a “Jaws” kind of way. Oh, and of course, giant seals. Par for the course in this kind of fiction, eh?
The book’s pacing is frenetic, which helps, since all the “not so good” bits flash by so fast that you almost don’t realise they’re even present. Just how over the top is this book? Ha. Read it and see. Shane “Scarecrow” Schofield might be a Marine, but he would not be out of place in a superhero comic, wielding his maghook with a finesse that will make Batman green with envy. Ribs crack, blood spills and limbs are lost, but the heroes in this outing keep on coming back for more. Oorah!
…at some point in the proceedings I became aware of the fact that I was enjoying myself, even though all reason or common sense had long since fled. You can’t take a book like this too seriously, and that is perhaps a saving grace. Stick with it, laugh, cringe, enjoy! It’s more akin to playing a video game than reading a novel, but you might well end up buying the sequel too.
In the end I’m not sure where to classify this book. It’s certainly an action novel, but there are smatterings of Science Fiction and Horror (albeit of the B-grade kind) as well. Conspiracy Theory. Murder Mystery. Hell yeah! It was actually quite a bit of fun, all told. Another plus: the villains in this book aren’t from Eastern Europe, Africa or the Middle East, which was kind of refreshing.
This book is for people who like big explosions, ridiculous coincidences and a Chuck Norris approved protagonist. Read it if you dare.
The book’s pacing is frenetic, which helps, since all the “not so good” bits flash by so fast that you almost don’t realise they’re even present. Just how over the top is this book? Ha. Read it and see. Shane “Scarecrow” Schofield might be a Marine, but he would not be out of place in a superhero comic, wielding his maghook with a finesse that will make Batman green with envy. Ribs crack, blood spills and limbs are lost, but the heroes in this outing keep on coming back for more. Oorah!
…at some point in the proceedings I became aware of the fact that I was enjoying myself, even though all reason or common sense had long since fled. You can’t take a book like this too seriously, and that is perhaps a saving grace. Stick with it, laugh, cringe, enjoy! It’s more akin to playing a video game than reading a novel, but you might well end up buying the sequel too.
In the end I’m not sure where to classify this book. It’s certainly an action novel, but there are smatterings of Science Fiction and Horror (albeit of the B-grade kind) as well. Conspiracy Theory. Murder Mystery. Hell yeah! It was actually quite a bit of fun, all told. Another plus: the villains in this book aren’t from Eastern Europe, Africa or the Middle East, which was kind of refreshing.
This book is for people who like big explosions, ridiculous coincidences and a Chuck Norris approved protagonist. Read it if you dare.
August 15, 2021
I don't usually write nor post reviews for thrillers, but Ice Station was way too entertaining and exhilarating for me not to put it out there.
I've been getting hooked on thrillers of late, and the Agent Pendergast series by Preston & Child is my current favourite of this genre. They are the perfect morsel of a fast-paced and addictive read that I need when I needed a break from heavier reads (which includes SFF given the worldbuilding that's typically involved). Thanks to my awesome co-blogger, Eon, I picked up what he called a ridiculous over-the-top edge-of-your-seat thriller. And my gosh, he described this book to perfection.
Ice Station turned out to really great fun to read, and mainly in part to the OTT action involved. The main character and eponymous hero, Shane Schofield, is a badass, handsome but scarred, Lieutenant of the US Marine Corp that earned loyalty from his team because he is also a good man. In spite of all the action - and there is A LOT of it - I felt that Reilly still managed to provide some solid character development to Schofield as a person. While we all know he won't be dying anytime soon, because he is the hero of the series, I sympathised with him and all the horrible things he had to go through.
Now, on to what made this book ridiculously fun. The practically non-stop and insane, high-octane action. My goodness, the action in this book puts the Mission Impossible movies to shame. If you look at the page count, you can see that this book is not short. It was also really fast-paced and full of intense action sequences which were fairly long as well. Sometimes too many prolonged action scenes can start to get boring or messy, but not in this book. Firstly, there's variety in the action to make it exciting. And secondly, Reilly's writing was very cinematic. I found it really easy to visualise the action and play out the scenes in my mind.
One annoying thing I have to mention though, and it's so typical in thrillers, is the obvious expository writing. A few lines would have sufficed most of the times, but to have passages of explanation of how this guy managed to trick the other person, etc etc, is something that I've never enjoyed reading.
All in all, Ice Station did more than satisfy what I wanted to get out of reading a thriller, and that's good enough for me. If you're looking for some seriously OTT fun and wouldn't mind suspending disbelief for the pure enjoyment of reading an edge-of-the-seat action thriller, I'd highly recommend Ice Station.
You can purchase the book from Blackwells | Amazon US | Amazon UK
I don't usually write nor post reviews for thrillers, but Ice Station was way too entertaining and exhilarating for me not to put it out there.
I've been getting hooked on thrillers of late, and the Agent Pendergast series by Preston & Child is my current favourite of this genre. They are the perfect morsel of a fast-paced and addictive read that I need when I needed a break from heavier reads (which includes SFF given the worldbuilding that's typically involved). Thanks to my awesome co-blogger, Eon, I picked up what he called a ridiculous over-the-top edge-of-your-seat thriller. And my gosh, he described this book to perfection.
Ice Station turned out to really great fun to read, and mainly in part to the OTT action involved. The main character and eponymous hero, Shane Schofield, is a badass, handsome but scarred, Lieutenant of the US Marine Corp that earned loyalty from his team because he is also a good man. In spite of all the action - and there is A LOT of it - I felt that Reilly still managed to provide some solid character development to Schofield as a person. While we all know he won't be dying anytime soon, because he is the hero of the series, I sympathised with him and all the horrible things he had to go through.
Now, on to what made this book ridiculously fun. The practically non-stop and insane, high-octane action. My goodness, the action in this book puts the Mission Impossible movies to shame. If you look at the page count, you can see that this book is not short. It was also really fast-paced and full of intense action sequences which were fairly long as well. Sometimes too many prolonged action scenes can start to get boring or messy, but not in this book. Firstly, there's variety in the action to make it exciting. And secondly, Reilly's writing was very cinematic. I found it really easy to visualise the action and play out the scenes in my mind.
One annoying thing I have to mention though, and it's so typical in thrillers, is the obvious expository writing. A few lines would have sufficed most of the times, but to have passages of explanation of how this guy managed to trick the other person, etc etc, is something that I've never enjoyed reading.
All in all, Ice Station did more than satisfy what I wanted to get out of reading a thriller, and that's good enough for me. If you're looking for some seriously OTT fun and wouldn't mind suspending disbelief for the pure enjoyment of reading an edge-of-the-seat action thriller, I'd highly recommend Ice Station.
You can purchase the book from Blackwells | Amazon US | Amazon UK
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
I've been getting hooked on thrillers of late, and the Agent Pendergast series by Preston & Child is my current favourite of this genre. They are the perfect morsel of a fast-paced and addictive read that I need when I needed a break from heavier reads (which includes SFF given the worldbuilding that's typically involved). Thanks to my awesome co-blogger, Eon, I picked up what he called a ridiculous over-the-top edge-of-your-seat thriller. And my gosh, he described this book to perfection.
Ice Station turned out to really great fun to read, and mainly in part to the OTT action involved. The main character and eponymous hero, Shane Schofield, is a badass, handsome but scarred, Lieutenant of the US Marine Corp that earned loyalty from his team because he is also a good man. In spite of all the action - and there is A LOT of it - I felt that Reilly still managed to provide some solid character development to Schofield as a person. While we all know he won't be dying anytime soon, because he is the hero of the series, I sympathised with him and all the horrible things he had to go through.
Now, on to what made this book ridiculously fun. The practically non-stop and insane, high-octane action. My goodness, the action in this book puts the Mission Impossible movies to shame. If you look at the page count, you can see that this book is not short. It was also really fast-paced and full of intense action sequences which were fairly long as well. Sometimes too many prolonged action scenes can start to get boring or messy, but not in this book. Firstly, there's variety in the action to make it exciting. And secondly, Reilly's writing was very cinematic. I found it really easy to visualise the action and play out the scenes in my mind.
One annoying thing I have to mention though, and it's so typical in thrillers, is the obvious expository writing. A few lines would have sufficed most of the times, but to have passages of explanation of how this guy managed to trick the other person, etc etc, is something that I've never enjoyed reading.
All in all, Ice Station did more than satisfy what I wanted to get out of reading a thriller, and that's good enough for me. If you're looking for some seriously OTT fun and wouldn't mind suspending disbelief for the pure enjoyment of reading an edge-of-the-seat action thriller, I'd highly recommend Ice Station.
You can purchase the book from Blackwells | Amazon US | Amazon UK
I don't usually write nor post reviews for thrillers, but Ice Station was way too entertaining and exhilarating for me not to put it out there.
I've been getting hooked on thrillers of late, and the Agent Pendergast series by Preston & Child is my current favourite of this genre. They are the perfect morsel of a fast-paced and addictive read that I need when I needed a break from heavier reads (which includes SFF given the worldbuilding that's typically involved). Thanks to my awesome co-blogger, Eon, I picked up what he called a ridiculous over-the-top edge-of-your-seat thriller. And my gosh, he described this book to perfection.
Ice Station turned out to really great fun to read, and mainly in part to the OTT action involved. The main character and eponymous hero, Shane Schofield, is a badass, handsome but scarred, Lieutenant of the US Marine Corp that earned loyalty from his team because he is also a good man. In spite of all the action - and there is A LOT of it - I felt that Reilly still managed to provide some solid character development to Schofield as a person. While we all know he won't be dying anytime soon, because he is the hero of the series, I sympathised with him and all the horrible things he had to go through.
Now, on to what made this book ridiculously fun. The practically non-stop and insane, high-octane action. My goodness, the action in this book puts the Mission Impossible movies to shame. If you look at the page count, you can see that this book is not short. It was also really fast-paced and full of intense action sequences which were fairly long as well. Sometimes too many prolonged action scenes can start to get boring or messy, but not in this book. Firstly, there's variety in the action to make it exciting. And secondly, Reilly's writing was very cinematic. I found it really easy to visualise the action and play out the scenes in my mind.
One annoying thing I have to mention though, and it's so typical in thrillers, is the obvious expository writing. A few lines would have sufficed most of the times, but to have passages of explanation of how this guy managed to trick the other person, etc etc, is something that I've never enjoyed reading.
All in all, Ice Station did more than satisfy what I wanted to get out of reading a thriller, and that's good enough for me. If you're looking for some seriously OTT fun and wouldn't mind suspending disbelief for the pure enjoyment of reading an edge-of-the-seat action thriller, I'd highly recommend Ice Station.
You can purchase the book from Blackwells | Amazon US | Amazon UK
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
September 15, 2017
The environment in Antarctica kicks the danger into overdrive. This is one of those action packed books that barely gives the reader time to catch their breath between thrilling scenes.
If the idea of a ufo hidden beneath the ice isn't enough, add to that secret government bad guys determined to lay claim to it. A few different secret governments. Lots of deaths in lots of creative ways.
If the idea of a ufo hidden beneath the ice isn't enough, add to that secret government bad guys determined to lay claim to it. A few different secret governments. Lots of deaths in lots of creative ways.
April 30, 2020
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★★
THIS WAS SO FUN. Reading this is literally like watching an action movie, but BETTER.
Also, Mother might be one of my new favourite characters of all time, apart from Wendy the seal of course xD
trigger warnings: literally everything you can think of. be warned.
Gore, murder, death, blood, gun violence, killer whales literally eating people, you name it, this book’s probably got it.
★★★★
THIS WAS SO FUN. Reading this is literally like watching an action movie, but BETTER.
Also, Mother might be one of my new favourite characters of all time, apart from Wendy the seal of course xD
trigger warnings: literally everything you can think of. be warned.
Gore, murder, death, blood, gun violence, killer whales literally eating people, you name it, this book’s probably got it.
November 26, 2007
This is perhaps the single most ridiculously over-the-top book I've ever read. This is a story in which the author has modern special forces armed with magneto-grappling-hooks and crossbows. Crossbows! Seriously?
The cool thing about (early) Tom Clancy was that it was so plausible. The earnest, macho tone of Clancy's stories fit the grim Cold War setting really well. Now you have a generation of writers writing in that same earnest, macho tone about people having high-speed hovercraft battles, shooting crossbows at each other, and getting eaten by killer whales! How can you take yourself seriously when you're writing this crap?!
Still, you've got to grudgingly admire any book that manages to be louder, dumber, faster, and more X-treme than even the worst (in a so-bad-it's-good sense) action films you've ever seen. 100 pages into Ice Station and I was hooked. This book really captures the fun of the great/awful action films of the 80s - back when Arnold was terminating rather than governating. And who doesn't love those movies? This book fails to reach the same artistic heights at "The Running Man", "Commando", etc., but it's still a damn good time.
The cool thing about (early) Tom Clancy was that it was so plausible. The earnest, macho tone of Clancy's stories fit the grim Cold War setting really well. Now you have a generation of writers writing in that same earnest, macho tone about people having high-speed hovercraft battles, shooting crossbows at each other, and getting eaten by killer whales! How can you take yourself seriously when you're writing this crap?!
Still, you've got to grudgingly admire any book that manages to be louder, dumber, faster, and more X-treme than even the worst (in a so-bad-it's-good sense) action films you've ever seen. 100 pages into Ice Station and I was hooked. This book really captures the fun of the great/awful action films of the 80s - back when Arnold was terminating rather than governating. And who doesn't love those movies? This book fails to reach the same artistic heights at "The Running Man", "Commando", etc., but it's still a damn good time.
October 10, 2011
I think to enjoy this I would have needed to unhook my higher brain functions first. Of course, that might have made reading impossible. If you look at the reviews for the book, the word used the most, even in the positive reviews, is "over the top." It's as if Reilly took every single cliche to ever grace a Steven Segal film then shook it up and poured.
This is primarily set in and around an American Ice Station in Antarctica. One of the harshest, most fascinating settings on earth, and Reilly, except for reeling off a factoid or two you could pick up on Wiki, does nothing to evoke the continent's dangers or beauty. He does plunk down a 400 million year-old spacecraft on it though so that American, French and British special forces can spend hundreds of pages shooting each other or exploding things (the French using crossbows no less) over the extraterrestrial tech. It takes a true paranoid to come up with that scenario--or maybe just an Australian such as Reilly who doesn't much like any of the above.
One of the blurbs refers to the book's "blood-splattering, ultraviolent play" and that's what it offers. What it doesn't offer is strong prose, clever plotting or characters with dimensions more third-dimensional than onion-skin paper. Also, four words: Giant Killer Mutant Seals.
This is primarily set in and around an American Ice Station in Antarctica. One of the harshest, most fascinating settings on earth, and Reilly, except for reeling off a factoid or two you could pick up on Wiki, does nothing to evoke the continent's dangers or beauty. He does plunk down a 400 million year-old spacecraft on it though so that American, French and British special forces can spend hundreds of pages shooting each other or exploding things (the French using crossbows no less) over the extraterrestrial tech. It takes a true paranoid to come up with that scenario--or maybe just an Australian such as Reilly who doesn't much like any of the above.
One of the blurbs refers to the book's "blood-splattering, ultraviolent play" and that's what it offers. What it doesn't offer is strong prose, clever plotting or characters with dimensions more third-dimensional than onion-skin paper. Also, four words: Giant Killer Mutant Seals.
January 28, 2015
If you’re going to read this, be prepared for a testosterone-fuelled ride that won’t let you take a breath until you read the very last line. You’d better be in the mood for guns and bullets and other techno military paraphernalia – not to mention killer beasts lurking below the surface of the ice-cold water. Oh, and bring some imagination along for the trip – some of what you’re about to read will stretch believability to the limit (and beyond). But do this, with a six-pack of your favourite beer and a large bag of salted peanuts at your side, and you’re sure to have some fun!
At a remote ice station in Antarctica, American scientists have discovered something extraordinary – something buried in a layer of ice hundreds of millions of years old. And it’s metal! Lieutenant Shane Schofield (AKA Scarecrow) and his team of elite US Marines are dispatched to secure the site, to ensure no other country gets a chance to gate-crash this particular party. But the airwaves have been busy and the news is out… others are on their way too.
It’s written in a style you’ll either love or you’ll hate, with a cliff-hanger at the end of virtually every paragraph. Sometimes this heralds a meaningful event, but often it doesn’t. I didn’t mind this, it just seemed to suit the book, but I can see it could become annoying. There are, though, other elements that didn’t quite gel for me: the glib language sometimes used by participants in a deathly encounter felt straight out of a Die Hard movie and Scarecrow is granted far in excess of the nine lives normally allotted to the nimble cat.
But this is escapism and it’s not going to feel like real life. It’s manic, exciting and all set in a landscape that’s just ideal for an adventure of this kind. For fans of action adventure tales this will be right up your street. I went along for the ride and a very enjoyable one I found it to be. In the final analysis I’m not sure it’s quite my thing, but I’m glad I gave it a go.
And as a final point of clarification, don’t confuse this book with Ice Station Zebra the murder mystery written by Alistair MacLean. It’s a very different beast, though there was a moment I thought the two were going to follow similar paths.
At a remote ice station in Antarctica, American scientists have discovered something extraordinary – something buried in a layer of ice hundreds of millions of years old. And it’s metal! Lieutenant Shane Schofield (AKA Scarecrow) and his team of elite US Marines are dispatched to secure the site, to ensure no other country gets a chance to gate-crash this particular party. But the airwaves have been busy and the news is out… others are on their way too.
It’s written in a style you’ll either love or you’ll hate, with a cliff-hanger at the end of virtually every paragraph. Sometimes this heralds a meaningful event, but often it doesn’t. I didn’t mind this, it just seemed to suit the book, but I can see it could become annoying. There are, though, other elements that didn’t quite gel for me: the glib language sometimes used by participants in a deathly encounter felt straight out of a Die Hard movie and Scarecrow is granted far in excess of the nine lives normally allotted to the nimble cat.
But this is escapism and it’s not going to feel like real life. It’s manic, exciting and all set in a landscape that’s just ideal for an adventure of this kind. For fans of action adventure tales this will be right up your street. I went along for the ride and a very enjoyable one I found it to be. In the final analysis I’m not sure it’s quite my thing, but I’m glad I gave it a go.
And as a final point of clarification, don’t confuse this book with Ice Station Zebra the murder mystery written by Alistair MacLean. It’s a very different beast, though there was a moment I thought the two were going to follow similar paths.
January 8, 2022
Trigger warnings: a metric shit ton of graphic violence. Like, so much violence. People get shot, stabbed, blown up, eaten by killer whales, and a bunch of other gory things. There's also a graphic description of eyeball trauma, which FUCK NOOOO. Miscarriage is also mentioned. Also animal death.
7/1/2022
Nonstop action and ridiculousness from start to finish. I was personally offended this time around by the age of the characters. Shane Schofield is THIRTY TWO? Not here for it.
13/4/2020
Is it ridiculous? Yes. Is it weirdly comforting in a global pandemic? Also yes. Is Lianne wrong in disliking this book? Very much yes.
26/1/2019
I love this book. It's like reading an action movie where everything is ridiculous and nothing quite seems plausible but you go with it anyway because deep down you kind of half buy the idea of Dwayne Johnson jumping from a crane into a skyscraper without any problems. This book is that. And I know Reilly has said he wrote Shane Schofield with Tom Cruise in mind, but my 2019 headcanon is Zac Efron.
22/7/2017
This book is hella ridiculous. Like, the most ridiculous of all the ridiculous. And I kind of love it. Everything I said last time stands.
28/2/2014
This book is approximately 75% contrivance. Solutions to major problems appear in the nick of time left, right and centre. Guns fire despite having just been submerged in water. Characters discover traps and reset them so that they go off in the faces of those who set them. 30 year old scuba tanks prove to be viable for several dives. A 30 year old plane still has power.
So yes, it's packed with contrivance. But it's so fast paced and so fun that I'm willing to completely overlook it. I love Shane Schofield. The chips are down time and time again, and he just sighs, picks up his Desert Eagle and his anti-flash glasses, and fucks some shit up. So yeah. It's ridiculous from start to finish. But it's the good kind of ridiculous, not the kind that makes you want to stab yourself in the eye so you stop reading.
7/1/2022
Nonstop action and ridiculousness from start to finish. I was personally offended this time around by the age of the characters. Shane Schofield is THIRTY TWO? Not here for it.
13/4/2020
Is it ridiculous? Yes. Is it weirdly comforting in a global pandemic? Also yes. Is Lianne wrong in disliking this book? Very much yes.
26/1/2019
I love this book. It's like reading an action movie where everything is ridiculous and nothing quite seems plausible but you go with it anyway because deep down you kind of half buy the idea of Dwayne Johnson jumping from a crane into a skyscraper without any problems. This book is that. And I know Reilly has said he wrote Shane Schofield with Tom Cruise in mind, but my 2019 headcanon is Zac Efron.
22/7/2017
This book is hella ridiculous. Like, the most ridiculous of all the ridiculous. And I kind of love it. Everything I said last time stands.
28/2/2014
This book is approximately 75% contrivance. Solutions to major problems appear in the nick of time left, right and centre. Guns fire despite having just been submerged in water. Characters discover traps and reset them so that they go off in the faces of those who set them. 30 year old scuba tanks prove to be viable for several dives. A 30 year old plane still has power.
So yes, it's packed with contrivance. But it's so fast paced and so fun that I'm willing to completely overlook it. I love Shane Schofield. The chips are down time and time again, and he just sighs, picks up his Desert Eagle and his anti-flash glasses, and fucks some shit up. So yeah. It's ridiculous from start to finish. But it's the good kind of ridiculous, not the kind that makes you want to stab yourself in the eye so you stop reading.
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October 7, 2021
7 October 2021
I read "Ice Station" as a paperback in about year 2000, after much hype about this newly-emerging Australian writer. I was under-whelmed because of the necessity to totally ditch my 'believability' and 'plausibility' veils and ultimately I thought the book was pretty stupid.
I did admire Aussie Matthew's writing effort and his great success as a popular writer.
This 'review' is being written because Audible Australia has offered "Ice Station" as their free book for the month of October 2021 and I thought I might listen to it to find out if my twenty-years old impressions remain.
I read "Ice Station" as a paperback in about year 2000, after much hype about this newly-emerging Australian writer. I was under-whelmed because of the necessity to totally ditch my 'believability' and 'plausibility' veils and ultimately I thought the book was pretty stupid.
I did admire Aussie Matthew's writing effort and his great success as a popular writer.
This 'review' is being written because Audible Australia has offered "Ice Station" as their free book for the month of October 2021 and I thought I might listen to it to find out if my twenty-years old impressions remain.
June 21, 2015
I couldn’t believe the pace of this book - it seemed like there was hardly a moment to breathe for the first 200 pages (1/3 of the book)! And how Matthew Reilly thinks of all these different sub-plots and can weave them all together is beyond me!
And all I can say is, I know this scenario probably isn’t typical US Marine Corp work (based on something that was said at the end), but I guess their work is generally kind of similar situations, so I’m glad I’m a dietitian!
I know this sort of book shouldn’t probably be over-analysed, and it was certainly a rip-roaring read at the time. Afterwards, though, I realised that there were a couple of things not addressed or not properly explained, unless I didn’t pick up on the explanations , and then there was a "tying up" of a loose end that made me more confused than ever, so I’m dropping half a star for those things, but other than that I really enjoyed it and will certainly read Area 7 at some point - 4.5 stars for this one.
And all I can say is, I know this scenario probably isn’t typical US Marine Corp work (based on something that was said at the end), but I guess their work is generally kind of similar situations, so I’m glad I’m a dietitian!
I know this sort of book shouldn’t probably be over-analysed, and it was certainly a rip-roaring read at the time. Afterwards, though, I realised that there were a couple of things not addressed or not properly explained, unless I didn’t pick up on the explanations , and then there was a "tying up" of a loose end that made me more confused than ever, so I’m dropping half a star for those things, but other than that I really enjoyed it and will certainly read Area 7 at some point - 4.5 stars for this one.
August 23, 2020
ICE STATION by Matthew Reilly
Synopsis /
Antarctica is the last unconquered continent, a murderous expanse of howling winds, blinding whiteouts and deadly crevasses. On one edge of Antarctica is Wilkes Station. Beneath Wilkes Station is the gate to hell itself...
A team of U.S. divers, exploring three thousand feet beneath the ice shelf has vanished. Sending out an SOS, Wilkes draws a rapid deployment team of Marines-and someone else...
First comes a horrific firefight. Then comes a plunge into a drowning pool filled with killer whales. Next comes the hard part, as a handful of survivors begin an electrifying, red-hot, non-stop battle of survival across the continent and against wave after wave of elite military assassins-who've all come for one thing: a secret buried deep beneath the ice...
My Thoughts /
More action than a Die Hard movie!!
Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent. Most of it is a polar desert (despite all its ice, Antarctica is classified as a desert because so little moisture falls from the sky), where there has been no rainfall for approximately two million years, yet 80% of the world’s freshwater reserves are stored there. In 1959, 12 countries with scientists stationed in and around Antarctica signed an agreement that "Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord". Since then, more than 38 countries have signed what is now known as the Antarctic Treaty.
Right from the first page, this is a high speed turbulent thrill ride. The book’s pace is frenetic, so much so that I found myself really not caring that the story line is, well, unlikely and more than a little farfetched. But what the hell, throw caution to the wind and just enjoy! Storyline aside, the characters were strong and engaging, likeable and at times made you laugh out loud. There are definitely some cringe worthy moments (oh just get over yourself – leave your cynicism locked away - and just enjoy it for what it is – a really fun entertaining read!) Trigger Warning: This book has it all – carnage, slaughter, gun violence, crossbows, magneto-grappling-hooks (what the), killer whales, cute seals, a sassy teenage girl, scientists, bad as marines, hovercrafts and, spaceships????. This story is all about entertainment, and while it doesn’t leave a lasting impact, it does provide a getaway into an exciting military-based adventure that could rival any action movie (John McClane is a kitten compared to Shane Schofield!). Now I don’t know how on earth there could possibly be another book – Schofield has more lives than a cat and he would have used up every single one of them during this story!! That aside I really enjoyed the writer’s story telling style – although totally unbelievable – it still nonetheless drew you in and kept your attention page after page. While Schofield was a most unbelievable hero one of his most endearing qualities was, he was likeable and you were rooting for him in every scenario. I will definitely read the next book when I find myself wanting some fun unrealistic shoot-em-up non-stop action!
Synopsis /
Antarctica is the last unconquered continent, a murderous expanse of howling winds, blinding whiteouts and deadly crevasses. On one edge of Antarctica is Wilkes Station. Beneath Wilkes Station is the gate to hell itself...
A team of U.S. divers, exploring three thousand feet beneath the ice shelf has vanished. Sending out an SOS, Wilkes draws a rapid deployment team of Marines-and someone else...
First comes a horrific firefight. Then comes a plunge into a drowning pool filled with killer whales. Next comes the hard part, as a handful of survivors begin an electrifying, red-hot, non-stop battle of survival across the continent and against wave after wave of elite military assassins-who've all come for one thing: a secret buried deep beneath the ice...
My Thoughts /
More action than a Die Hard movie!!
Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent. Most of it is a polar desert (despite all its ice, Antarctica is classified as a desert because so little moisture falls from the sky), where there has been no rainfall for approximately two million years, yet 80% of the world’s freshwater reserves are stored there. In 1959, 12 countries with scientists stationed in and around Antarctica signed an agreement that "Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord". Since then, more than 38 countries have signed what is now known as the Antarctic Treaty.
Right from the first page, this is a high speed turbulent thrill ride. The book’s pace is frenetic, so much so that I found myself really not caring that the story line is, well, unlikely and more than a little farfetched. But what the hell, throw caution to the wind and just enjoy! Storyline aside, the characters were strong and engaging, likeable and at times made you laugh out loud. There are definitely some cringe worthy moments (oh just get over yourself – leave your cynicism locked away - and just enjoy it for what it is – a really fun entertaining read!) Trigger Warning: This book has it all – carnage, slaughter, gun violence, crossbows, magneto-grappling-hooks (what the), killer whales, cute seals, a sassy teenage girl, scientists, bad as marines, hovercrafts and, spaceships????. This story is all about entertainment, and while it doesn’t leave a lasting impact, it does provide a getaway into an exciting military-based adventure that could rival any action movie (John McClane is a kitten compared to Shane Schofield!). Now I don’t know how on earth there could possibly be another book – Schofield has more lives than a cat and he would have used up every single one of them during this story!! That aside I really enjoyed the writer’s story telling style – although totally unbelievable – it still nonetheless drew you in and kept your attention page after page. While Schofield was a most unbelievable hero one of his most endearing qualities was, he was likeable and you were rooting for him in every scenario. I will definitely read the next book when I find myself wanting some fun unrealistic shoot-em-up non-stop action!
April 6, 2013
Okay, first things first: SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS. Not that there's much plot to give away.
Well, I saw this book on the library shelf the other day and picked it up. I'd been feeling like some brainless action for a few days, and this seemed to fit the bill, so I happily sat down and started reading. And, at first, it was great stuff. Not in any cerebral sense, of course, but entertaining enough. I mean, come on: Antarctic research stations, mysterious metal things buried in 400 million year old ice...it was addictive!
But then, about two hundred pages in, I began to have misgivings. I guess, in retrospect, I should have seen it from the very beginning, when characters are worried because of a nearby pod of orcas (in the book, only referred to as killer whales) might attack some divers. And then said pod of whales sinisterly appears and start attacking and devouring humans. That's when suspension of disbelief broke down. Because here's the thing: in all of recorded human history, orcas have only attacked humans on five or six occasions, none of which resulted in death. There have been captive attacks, but that's not the point. THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, which Mr. Reilly would know if he'd bothered doing even a little bit of research.
And the list goes on: French special ops attacking everyone with...crossbows? American special ops retaliating with...grappling hooks? A massive flurocarbon leak which makes the air extremely flammable, but also doesn't suffocate anyone. A kid who's been at the ice station for all of a week and already has a pet seal? People without pressure suits surviving below 1000 feet in Antarctic waters? And, of course, super massive, radiation-mutated elephant seals, which, for some reason, live in the center of an ice shelf. I could go on, but there wouldn't be a point.
Now, I realize that this book was in no way intended to be great literature, but merely a fun action romp, but there is suspension of disbelief, and then there is suspension of disbelief which requires a full lobotomy for one to enjoy the effects. Reality seems to have completely flown the coop in this one, and it is difficult to stick with it because of this. I guess I'd suggest it for a long airplane trip, when you have nothing better to do.
Well, I saw this book on the library shelf the other day and picked it up. I'd been feeling like some brainless action for a few days, and this seemed to fit the bill, so I happily sat down and started reading. And, at first, it was great stuff. Not in any cerebral sense, of course, but entertaining enough. I mean, come on: Antarctic research stations, mysterious metal things buried in 400 million year old ice...it was addictive!
But then, about two hundred pages in, I began to have misgivings. I guess, in retrospect, I should have seen it from the very beginning, when characters are worried because of a nearby pod of orcas (in the book, only referred to as killer whales) might attack some divers. And then said pod of whales sinisterly appears and start attacking and devouring humans. That's when suspension of disbelief broke down. Because here's the thing: in all of recorded human history, orcas have only attacked humans on five or six occasions, none of which resulted in death. There have been captive attacks, but that's not the point. THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, which Mr. Reilly would know if he'd bothered doing even a little bit of research.
And the list goes on: French special ops attacking everyone with...crossbows? American special ops retaliating with...grappling hooks? A massive flurocarbon leak which makes the air extremely flammable, but also doesn't suffocate anyone. A kid who's been at the ice station for all of a week and already has a pet seal? People without pressure suits surviving below 1000 feet in Antarctic waters? And, of course, super massive, radiation-mutated elephant seals, which, for some reason, live in the center of an ice shelf. I could go on, but there wouldn't be a point.
Now, I realize that this book was in no way intended to be great literature, but merely a fun action romp, but there is suspension of disbelief, and then there is suspension of disbelief which requires a full lobotomy for one to enjoy the effects. Reality seems to have completely flown the coop in this one, and it is difficult to stick with it because of this. I guess I'd suggest it for a long airplane trip, when you have nothing better to do.
December 1, 2008
This book was incredible. It was literally like watching the most awesome action movie you've ever seen. Each chapter ends with a crazy cliffhanger. But the glue that held this book together was its hero, Shane Schofield. This guy is awesome. He is so endearing to me, he could be a romance novel hero. If you want a book with a thrill a minute, a great hero, and lots of blood and guts, read this book.
July 17, 2022
I first read Ice Station in the early 2000s, and it began my addiction to Mr Reilly’s books. They’re like bookish crack - you’re hooked from the first taste, but subsequent doses never quite recreate the same high as your first time - but it doesn’t stop you trying… This was Audible Australia’s free book of the month last year sometime, and given I had forgotten most of the plot, was happy to read it again, mostly while running. (It was so good an exercise book that I ran 10km for the first time ever on Saturday, then did it again today!!) I had previously rated it 5 stars for sheer enjoyment, but twenty years on, it has inevitably dated a little, and various things bothered me enough to dock a star. It was still a fab listen though.
A crack team of marines led by the enigmatic Lieutenant Colonel Shane Schofield - call sign Scarecrow - has been sent to a remote scientific base in Antartica after a distress call mentioned the discovery of a submerged spaceship. Knowing many countries will want to get their hands on the technology, the US government is determined to claim it first - but the other teams are just as motivated. Can Scarecrow and his colleagues defend the base and protect the scientists when everything and everyone there wants to kill them?
This is bullet-paced explosive action which barely lets up, with a very high body count. It’s much gorier than I remember - I’ve lost my taste for this much violence especially when inflicted on innocents. Last time I either ignored or didn’t register many of the ridiculous plot details, including improbable coincidences and impossible scenarios. For example, a 12 year old girl with asthma dropping in to an Antarctic base in winter for a family visit and adopting a fur seal? Ludicrous. Even what Schofield gets away with without being court-martialled is preposterous.
The thing I disliked the most this time was the portrayal of orca - referred to consistently as Killer Whales - as relentlessly bloodthirsty predators of humans. The number of cases of orca attacking humans is in fact vanishingly small, but this book left me fearful of them for years afterwards.
I know nothing about military technology, so had no idea how real the descriptions of weapons and various accessories used were. Mentions of real world resources like microfiche and paper atlases did show the book’s age though. The geopolitical machinations were depressingly believable however. I enjoyed the range of characters - and knowing that certain favourite individuals reappear in later books meant I wasn’t worried about what happened to them.
Apart from these niggles this was an enjoyable repeat read, and the audiobook narration was well done with Sean Mangan handling all the different accents admirably. You do miss out on the diagrams which are a useful feature of the paper versions in all of Reilly’s books, and I normally read them in one sitting so would probably only choose the audiobook version for a reread, as here, where I’m not in such a race to the finish.
A crack team of marines led by the enigmatic Lieutenant Colonel Shane Schofield - call sign Scarecrow - has been sent to a remote scientific base in Antartica after a distress call mentioned the discovery of a submerged spaceship. Knowing many countries will want to get their hands on the technology, the US government is determined to claim it first - but the other teams are just as motivated. Can Scarecrow and his colleagues defend the base and protect the scientists when everything and everyone there wants to kill them?
This is bullet-paced explosive action which barely lets up, with a very high body count. It’s much gorier than I remember - I’ve lost my taste for this much violence especially when inflicted on innocents. Last time I either ignored or didn’t register many of the ridiculous plot details, including improbable coincidences and impossible scenarios. For example, a 12 year old girl with asthma dropping in to an Antarctic base in winter for a family visit and adopting a fur seal? Ludicrous. Even what Schofield gets away with without being court-martialled is preposterous.
The thing I disliked the most this time was the portrayal of orca - referred to consistently as Killer Whales - as relentlessly bloodthirsty predators of humans. The number of cases of orca attacking humans is in fact vanishingly small, but this book left me fearful of them for years afterwards.
I know nothing about military technology, so had no idea how real the descriptions of weapons and various accessories used were. Mentions of real world resources like microfiche and paper atlases did show the book’s age though. The geopolitical machinations were depressingly believable however. I enjoyed the range of characters - and knowing that certain favourite individuals reappear in later books meant I wasn’t worried about what happened to them.
Apart from these niggles this was an enjoyable repeat read, and the audiobook narration was well done with Sean Mangan handling all the different accents admirably. You do miss out on the diagrams which are a useful feature of the paper versions in all of Reilly’s books, and I normally read them in one sitting so would probably only choose the audiobook version for a reread, as here, where I’m not in such a race to the finish.
January 12, 2012
This was without a doubt a crazy, insane, action packed, shout out loud, blood curdling, bullet ridden thrill ride! Blood and guts galore and definitely not for someone unable or unwilling to suspend disbelief. It really did feel like I was watching a summer action flick. I knew this going in and I got everything I expected and more.
The hero was awesome and indestructible and just when you think he's not going to make it (besides the fact that there's a Shane Schofield #2!) he comes up with something wild to save the day.
I only wish there had been a steamy romance then I could've given "Ice Station" 10 imaginary stars but since there wasn't any "heat" I have no choice but to give it 5 BIG STARS instead! :)
P.S. I won't be going to Sea World any time soon!
The hero was awesome and indestructible and just when you think he's not going to make it (besides the fact that there's a Shane Schofield #2!) he comes up with something wild to save the day.
I only wish there had been a steamy romance then I could've given "Ice Station" 10 imaginary stars but since there wasn't any "heat" I have no choice but to give it 5 BIG STARS instead! :)
P.S. I won't be going to Sea World any time soon!
February 8, 2013
James Bond on speed! If you want to travel to Antarctica, to be shot at with pistols, rocket launchers and crossbows and wrestle with killer whales and (navy) seals, this is the book. Hilariously over the top. A total page turner. Action, action, action from the very first page and it never stops until the end. I kept thinking, this can not be topped and then something else crazy happened... I kept giving sound bites to my fellow travellers in the minibus in the morning and they just thought I was bonkers.... If you love action and suspense, don't miss this! Suspend belief and enjoy a mega rollercoaster ride!
October 29, 2014
WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN???
I'll start with what I said on my journal a couple days ago: This is so ridiculous and balls-to-the-walls insane, like a dumb Hollywood action movie but in book form. The reviews panning it for being cheesy and over-the-top are totally missing the point: it knows exactly what it is, and it's dumb and it's fun. If you come into freaking ICE STATION expecting a ~literary tour de force~ then you have gone gravely wrong, my friend. There are explosions and motherfucking homicidal killer whales and snappy one-liners and dramatic sunglasses-removal and Marines flying around on grappling hooks and I am having so much fun with it.
Things you can expect in Ice Station: ludicrous action, cool badasses, crazy science, absolutely implausible coincidences, unrealistic timing (2 SECONDS LEFT TO STOP THE BOMB!!), and stoic staring off into the distance. If you have a low tolerance for any of these aspects, you should steer clear.
If, however, you are like me, and deeply enjoy action rampage films from the 80s, then you might wanna give this book a try. I haven't really read thrillers before, but have now discovered that I really like them even when they're dumb! I don't entirely know why I loved this but took a dump on the writing in, say, The Da Vinci Code, but I think it has something to do with: 1) it seems to take itself less seriously than Dan Brown does, 2) I actually really like the female characters and thought they were strong and good, including the nerdy little girl and her freaking adorable pet seal, 3) it doesn't result in people gathering in hushed little corners to whisper about The Da Vinci Code in awe-struck tones and wonder how much of it is true. It's high-octane ludicrousness, and gosh, I am definitely going to read more Matthew Reilly now.
Everything is neatly tied up in a bow at the end, every last loose thread accounted for. There's just something to be said for occasionally turning off your brain and inhaling a story like this. I don't think I've ever read a crazier book. At some points I was just laughing out loud from the sheer LUNACY of what was unfolding on the page in front of me, but it was always in a fun manner.
Also, I can't get over the killer whale scenes, they were actually legitimately terrifying. I HAVE A THING ABOUT SEA CREATURES, THEY FREAK ME THE FUCK OUT.
My general rule of thumb when reviewing things: I'm not giving this 4 stars in comparison to other books which might be better-written and have more heart and depth and development etc; I'm giving it 4 stars in comparison to what it's striving to be, how well it hits that marker, and how enjoyable this was to read (which was a lot).
(SPOILERS FOR THE ENDGAME: Also, there are and .)
I'll start with what I said on my journal a couple days ago: This is so ridiculous and balls-to-the-walls insane, like a dumb Hollywood action movie but in book form. The reviews panning it for being cheesy and over-the-top are totally missing the point: it knows exactly what it is, and it's dumb and it's fun. If you come into freaking ICE STATION expecting a ~literary tour de force~ then you have gone gravely wrong, my friend. There are explosions and motherfucking homicidal killer whales and snappy one-liners and dramatic sunglasses-removal and Marines flying around on grappling hooks and I am having so much fun with it.
Things you can expect in Ice Station: ludicrous action, cool badasses, crazy science, absolutely implausible coincidences, unrealistic timing (2 SECONDS LEFT TO STOP THE BOMB!!), and stoic staring off into the distance. If you have a low tolerance for any of these aspects, you should steer clear.
If, however, you are like me, and deeply enjoy action rampage films from the 80s, then you might wanna give this book a try. I haven't really read thrillers before, but have now discovered that I really like them even when they're dumb! I don't entirely know why I loved this but took a dump on the writing in, say, The Da Vinci Code, but I think it has something to do with: 1) it seems to take itself less seriously than Dan Brown does, 2) I actually really like the female characters and thought they were strong and good, including the nerdy little girl and her freaking adorable pet seal, 3) it doesn't result in people gathering in hushed little corners to whisper about The Da Vinci Code in awe-struck tones and wonder how much of it is true. It's high-octane ludicrousness, and gosh, I am definitely going to read more Matthew Reilly now.
Everything is neatly tied up in a bow at the end, every last loose thread accounted for. There's just something to be said for occasionally turning off your brain and inhaling a story like this. I don't think I've ever read a crazier book. At some points I was just laughing out loud from the sheer LUNACY of what was unfolding on the page in front of me, but it was always in a fun manner.
Also, I can't get over the killer whale scenes, they were actually legitimately terrifying. I HAVE A THING ABOUT SEA CREATURES, THEY FREAK ME THE FUCK OUT.
My general rule of thumb when reviewing things: I'm not giving this 4 stars in comparison to other books which might be better-written and have more heart and depth and development etc; I'm giving it 4 stars in comparison to what it's striving to be, how well it hits that marker, and how enjoyable this was to read (which was a lot).
(SPOILERS FOR THE ENDGAME: Also, there are and .)
May 20, 2018
Ice Station, the first book in the Scarecrow series, is a must read for fans of action thrillers!
Matthew Reilly is amazing at blending fact with fiction into his stories, then pounding them with over-the-top action. This story is set in and around Wilkes Station on Antarctica. Scientists have found something 'alien' under the ice. Now, multiple countries and organisations are trying to take the station from the American scientists. Shane Schofield (Scarecrow) and his team are the first response.
Not long after Scarecrow arrives, he finds himself dealing with monstrous orcas, mutant elephant seals, multiple armies, and insurgent troops within his ranks. Yeah, it's a full on non-stop action-fest!
The characters are deep, and learning more about them as certain key points are revealed was awesome. They are bad arse too. When a non-matriarchal character, callsigned Mother, is injured, her guns continue to blaze and she still gives lip in the face of danger.
Reilly was not the least bit scared to kill off characters in Ice Station; I loved this! With all the suspenseful scenes, I was constantly worried about the characters, especially those I liked, surviving!
Loved the entire story, and keen to hook into more Scarecrow!
September 4, 2011
Okay, where do I start? "There be Whales in there sir!"
Actually, there are whales, but that's not important right now. Shane Schofeild has worse luck than that guy who played James Bond in between Sean Conery and Roger More (Her Majesty's Secret Service). His best line of the movie was "How come this doesn't happen to those other guys?"
Shane Schofield, alias "Scarecrow," has a tough job. Go rescue some hot babe scientists in one of the remotest parts of the world. He and his team of Marine special warfare fighters have to go in, secure the station then wait for the rest of the corps to show up so they can claim the glory. Sounds easy right?
Nothing is ever easy.
Scarecrow and his team learn from the word go that nothing is easy on the butt-end of the world. The entire world seems to want a piece of the ice and for some reason they are treating the Scarecrow and his team as "persona non gratta?" If that ain't bad enough, only two of the scientists are hot babes. A new battlecry is born "NUKE THE WHALES!"
This is a solid action adventure read. It's more Ian Flemming and Alistair MacLean than Clive Cussler or James Rollins. It is pure action adventure in the same vein as "Where Eagles Dare" and "James Bond." If you want action, this book's got it. I bet you'll smell like gunpowder smoke and whale poop when you get done reading this book.
The story starts in the action phase and after barely a "how do you do" the runaway train is leaving the station. Then, after a third of the book, he takes the time to slow things down and add in some character development. Schofield's back story is chilling. Gant (Fox) is curiously interesting and the others are strangely absent. The background of one of the most interesting characters, "Mother" stays a question mark. Yet we get plenty of back-story on Allison and Crawford, two pencil-necked geekoid wanna-be Berstien and Woodwards.
Rielly relies on action and white hat/black hat descriptions to keep the warriors straight. Having said that, he does do the work it takes to write behavior and quirks and other things that make each character distinctive if somewhere between 2 and three deminsional. He gets an "A" for the difficult prospect of writing strong female characters that come across as realistic without being bitchy or needy. Even the love swooned beauty in hiding is able to keep her emotions straight while she takes care of business.
I'd have liked to see him develop relationships more, though true action adventure enthusiasts might balk at the "yuky-girl-stuff" if he'd gone farther than he did. Unless of course there was gratuitus sex.
Plot wise the pace starts fast and gets faster then settles down to regroup for another round of BOHICA (Navay Rehtoric for "Bend over, here it comes again). The action is very fun and the lulls are necessary to gather the frayed ends the last hair raising segment left laying all over the place.
I did find that, despite Scarecrow's comments that "we can't get a break," he did benifit from the miraculous more than a few times though Rielly did try to write in a logical reason for them it didn't quite wash. Schofield himself bordered on uber-human while his comrades had to struggle like upper teir humans. There were also times Schoofield reminded me of the Weasly Crusher (Wessley Crusher) from Star Trek, The Next Generation. The same kind of Know-it-all-ed-ness that lead to the "kill Wessly campaign" by Star Trek fans that found the charracter a bit too Godly.
But that's the bad stuff. For the record, most of this is standard fare for this genre and sub-genre. Rielly manages this better most. The pace is fast, furious and none of it comes easily. Add to this a really good plot that is not so complex it can't be followed, yet not so simple you can figure everything out before Scarecrow learns it. He also did a good job of hiding adversaries so you might never know where the next one is coming from. Super job there.
So, why the 4 stars? So much potential. WOnderfully worked plot. Superb pace and, though I found some of it creative, the obstacles that Rielly dropped in front of Scarecrow and his team made for some exciting edge of your seat ride. Rielly also does everything the genre asks. Short of some gratuitus sex, it's all there.
Great fun. Good read. I recommend it for anyone who likes military style action, complicated plots that aren't too complicated. The characters are stronger than most that this genre produces.
Lacks/likes: I'd have liked to see more development of the only romantic relationship in the book, or something that more clearly established it as a sad, unrequieted love.
Warnings:
No nudity, no sex, lots and lots of people getting killed in creative military ways. There is even some brutality. This violence is likely managable by most mature adults and young adults, though it's likely not right for the Amish and children. It could be worse, but if rising body counts bug you this isn't for you.
bottom line. Good read, lots of fun, exciting action and aventure.
Actually, there are whales, but that's not important right now. Shane Schofeild has worse luck than that guy who played James Bond in between Sean Conery and Roger More (Her Majesty's Secret Service). His best line of the movie was "How come this doesn't happen to those other guys?"
Shane Schofield, alias "Scarecrow," has a tough job. Go rescue some hot babe scientists in one of the remotest parts of the world. He and his team of Marine special warfare fighters have to go in, secure the station then wait for the rest of the corps to show up so they can claim the glory. Sounds easy right?
Nothing is ever easy.
Scarecrow and his team learn from the word go that nothing is easy on the butt-end of the world. The entire world seems to want a piece of the ice and for some reason they are treating the Scarecrow and his team as "persona non gratta?" If that ain't bad enough, only two of the scientists are hot babes. A new battlecry is born "NUKE THE WHALES!"
This is a solid action adventure read. It's more Ian Flemming and Alistair MacLean than Clive Cussler or James Rollins. It is pure action adventure in the same vein as "Where Eagles Dare" and "James Bond." If you want action, this book's got it. I bet you'll smell like gunpowder smoke and whale poop when you get done reading this book.
The story starts in the action phase and after barely a "how do you do" the runaway train is leaving the station. Then, after a third of the book, he takes the time to slow things down and add in some character development. Schofield's back story is chilling. Gant (Fox) is curiously interesting and the others are strangely absent. The background of one of the most interesting characters, "Mother" stays a question mark. Yet we get plenty of back-story on Allison and Crawford, two pencil-necked geekoid wanna-be Berstien and Woodwards.
Rielly relies on action and white hat/black hat descriptions to keep the warriors straight. Having said that, he does do the work it takes to write behavior and quirks and other things that make each character distinctive if somewhere between 2 and three deminsional. He gets an "A" for the difficult prospect of writing strong female characters that come across as realistic without being bitchy or needy. Even the love swooned beauty in hiding is able to keep her emotions straight while she takes care of business.
I'd have liked to see him develop relationships more, though true action adventure enthusiasts might balk at the "yuky-girl-stuff" if he'd gone farther than he did. Unless of course there was gratuitus sex.
Plot wise the pace starts fast and gets faster then settles down to regroup for another round of BOHICA (Navay Rehtoric for "Bend over, here it comes again). The action is very fun and the lulls are necessary to gather the frayed ends the last hair raising segment left laying all over the place.
I did find that, despite Scarecrow's comments that "we can't get a break," he did benifit from the miraculous more than a few times though Rielly did try to write in a logical reason for them it didn't quite wash. Schofield himself bordered on uber-human while his comrades had to struggle like upper teir humans. There were also times Schoofield reminded me of the Weasly Crusher (Wessley Crusher) from Star Trek, The Next Generation. The same kind of Know-it-all-ed-ness that lead to the "kill Wessly campaign" by Star Trek fans that found the charracter a bit too Godly.
But that's the bad stuff. For the record, most of this is standard fare for this genre and sub-genre. Rielly manages this better most. The pace is fast, furious and none of it comes easily. Add to this a really good plot that is not so complex it can't be followed, yet not so simple you can figure everything out before Scarecrow learns it. He also did a good job of hiding adversaries so you might never know where the next one is coming from. Super job there.
So, why the 4 stars? So much potential. WOnderfully worked plot. Superb pace and, though I found some of it creative, the obstacles that Rielly dropped in front of Scarecrow and his team made for some exciting edge of your seat ride. Rielly also does everything the genre asks. Short of some gratuitus sex, it's all there.
Great fun. Good read. I recommend it for anyone who likes military style action, complicated plots that aren't too complicated. The characters are stronger than most that this genre produces.
Lacks/likes: I'd have liked to see more development of the only romantic relationship in the book, or something that more clearly established it as a sad, unrequieted love.
Warnings:
No nudity, no sex, lots and lots of people getting killed in creative military ways. There is even some brutality. This violence is likely managable by most mature adults and young adults, though it's likely not right for the Amish and children. It could be worse, but if rising body counts bug you this isn't for you.
bottom line. Good read, lots of fun, exciting action and aventure.
January 23, 2015
One of my favourite books and heroes of all time.
I picked this up at the airport when I was about 17, flying from Australia to New Mexico to see my godmother. She had cancer and it was really progressing and my mum and I knew we were going over to say goodbye so it was a really sad time. Sort of happy as well because we were getting the chance to say goodbye to someone, which most people don't get but, of course, sad too. Sometimes in these moments, the right book can be the perfect medicine and "Ice Station" took me on such an amazing and exciting journey that when I left, I left the book behind hoping my godmother would get to read it before she passed.
Some scientists are digging in ice that is millions of years old in Antarctica and testing core samples to look at the atmosphere.......Zzzzzz ......they hit metal. Why the fuck is there metal down there?? They send down to some divers to check it out who have to ride a dive bell deep deep deep under the icy water and when they reach the cavern they have only brief seconds to confirm the existence of some sort of "space ship" before they are brutally torn apart by monsters unseen. The peeps back upstairs do their call for help ""Help help fucking help all of our scientists are getting eaten and they found some fuckin space ship!! Ahhhh"
So the call goes out over an open channel and a bunch of people hear it and send the troops in. I mean, in theory, alien technology could put any country ahead of the rest of the world so what if something like that was found in a place like Antarctica, that no one really owns, or certainly if they do claim ownership cannot hope to enforce it. So what we have is a group of countries that are allies secretly killing each other to get the ultimate prize which I loved! If you are looking for some Nazi's to hate you will find nary a Nazi in this book.
Shane Schofield, call-sign Scarecrow, is the leader or a marine force recon team. Lightly armoured and trained for fast insertion, intel gathering and holding the fort down until the rest of the gang arrives, the action starts straight away and never lets up. And is Reilly good at action of what. Seriously this book is all about bang and pop so don't be surprised if one second you are quite liking one of the characters, and then the next second they are destroyed by a fragmentation grenade that leaves their body shredded to the body and looking like a pin cushion. Scarecrow is the master of taking in his options and acting, using his lightening reflexes to save the day more than once and earn the loyalty of the men and women under his command. We have some awesome side characters in 'Book', the older more squat soldier who rescued Scarecrow when he was shot down as a pilot. It was this rescue that inspired Scarecrow to become the soldier and leader he is today so Book is in many ways like a father and a best friend. Then we have 'Fox' who is a cute blonde with killer skills and the object of Scarecrows affections. Then we have Mother which is short for Motherfucker. She is a giant woman who is tough as shit but is the mother of the group, looking after everyone and often throwing herself into the thick of action to save the lives of her friends. She is an unstoppable force of nature.
This book has everything. Nasty frenchman, even nastier Brits, Hovercraft chases, killer whales....people being fed to killer whales,secret government agencies, a friendly seal, a nuclear reactor, monsters, invisibility, all of this but it is not really science fiction as everything is entirely plausible. This was the start of a love affair for me. I've bought every book Matthew has ever written and the scarecrow series has now grown into 4 books plus a novella. The character is on a bit of a hiatus right as Reilly rediscovers himself and his style after some personal tragedy. If you have not read it I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I picked this up at the airport when I was about 17, flying from Australia to New Mexico to see my godmother. She had cancer and it was really progressing and my mum and I knew we were going over to say goodbye so it was a really sad time. Sort of happy as well because we were getting the chance to say goodbye to someone, which most people don't get but, of course, sad too. Sometimes in these moments, the right book can be the perfect medicine and "Ice Station" took me on such an amazing and exciting journey that when I left, I left the book behind hoping my godmother would get to read it before she passed.
Some scientists are digging in ice that is millions of years old in Antarctica and testing core samples to look at the atmosphere.......Zzzzzz ......they hit metal. Why the fuck is there metal down there?? They send down to some divers to check it out who have to ride a dive bell deep deep deep under the icy water and when they reach the cavern they have only brief seconds to confirm the existence of some sort of "space ship" before they are brutally torn apart by monsters unseen. The peeps back upstairs do their call for help ""Help help fucking help all of our scientists are getting eaten and they found some fuckin space ship!! Ahhhh"
So the call goes out over an open channel and a bunch of people hear it and send the troops in. I mean, in theory, alien technology could put any country ahead of the rest of the world so what if something like that was found in a place like Antarctica, that no one really owns, or certainly if they do claim ownership cannot hope to enforce it. So what we have is a group of countries that are allies secretly killing each other to get the ultimate prize which I loved! If you are looking for some Nazi's to hate you will find nary a Nazi in this book.
Shane Schofield, call-sign Scarecrow, is the leader or a marine force recon team. Lightly armoured and trained for fast insertion, intel gathering and holding the fort down until the rest of the gang arrives, the action starts straight away and never lets up. And is Reilly good at action of what. Seriously this book is all about bang and pop so don't be surprised if one second you are quite liking one of the characters, and then the next second they are destroyed by a fragmentation grenade that leaves their body shredded to the body and looking like a pin cushion. Scarecrow is the master of taking in his options and acting, using his lightening reflexes to save the day more than once and earn the loyalty of the men and women under his command. We have some awesome side characters in 'Book', the older more squat soldier who rescued Scarecrow when he was shot down as a pilot. It was this rescue that inspired Scarecrow to become the soldier and leader he is today so Book is in many ways like a father and a best friend. Then we have 'Fox' who is a cute blonde with killer skills and the object of Scarecrows affections. Then we have Mother which is short for Motherfucker. She is a giant woman who is tough as shit but is the mother of the group, looking after everyone and often throwing herself into the thick of action to save the lives of her friends. She is an unstoppable force of nature.
This book has everything. Nasty frenchman, even nastier Brits, Hovercraft chases, killer whales....people being fed to killer whales,secret government agencies, a friendly seal, a nuclear reactor, monsters, invisibility, all of this but it is not really science fiction as everything is entirely plausible. This was the start of a love affair for me. I've bought every book Matthew has ever written and the scarecrow series has now grown into 4 books plus a novella. The character is on a bit of a hiatus right as Reilly rediscovers himself and his style after some personal tragedy. If you have not read it I cannot recommend it highly enough.
December 26, 2022
Sci-fi isn't normally my thing but i found this story compelling and engaging.
August 14, 2018
I spent so much time reading it (10 excruciating pages a day) that I don't want to spend too much time reviewing this predictable but still disappointing mess. Toxic masculine world-view at its paranoid worst (with some neoliberal almost-feminism that turns out to be about providing background for the man after all). Also from a reader's exhaustion perspective there are not enough rest-spots. It's all cliffhanging action for 600 pages and he never gets to rest and he gets progressively beaten up but that never even slows him down (broken ribs?) because he is "the Scarecrow" the ultimate man, surrounded at the end by a bunch of women/girls/female seals and one geeky beta-male who also relies on him.
There is also the militarism and the political mayhem (countries behaving in an untrustworthy way is portrayed as a given of course) and the body count cannot even be made. The scarecrow doesn't have any problem with killing people individually or in huge groups but he does ask a little girl to close her eyes when he does it (are we meant to see that as sensitive?). There appears to be no correlation between this "Antarctica" and any factual Antarctica. Little as I have read about life in Antarctica this was not a believable setting (should possibly have made it another planet or something to make it more believable?). The idea of a little girl in an ordinary pink parka (no specialised gear even for her face?) running around in Antarctica is just silly as is the way they all plunge in and out of icy waters with no repercussions. Also if you are going to mansplain a word ("diurnal", p601) make sure your definition is actually correct or even approximates the correct definition.
I tried to read it as space-opera sort of (no one expects Star Wars to be believable) but Scarecrow is overly "alpha" to the point of absolute tedium. It was good that the romance was barely there but even that was just about his alpha status.
Apparently this has brought many men "back to reading" (afterword). My question as always is whether reading is such a huge good that it doesn't matter what content is going in when someone reads? For a book worm I am pretty cynical about the supposed "anything you read is good for you" belief - seems like fetishism.
People will read this though, it's a best seller. Can we at least not believe such obvious drivel?
There is also the militarism and the political mayhem (countries behaving in an untrustworthy way is portrayed as a given of course) and the body count cannot even be made. The scarecrow doesn't have any problem with killing people individually or in huge groups but he does ask a little girl to close her eyes when he does it (are we meant to see that as sensitive?). There appears to be no correlation between this "Antarctica" and any factual Antarctica. Little as I have read about life in Antarctica this was not a believable setting (should possibly have made it another planet or something to make it more believable?). The idea of a little girl in an ordinary pink parka (no specialised gear even for her face?) running around in Antarctica is just silly as is the way they all plunge in and out of icy waters with no repercussions. Also if you are going to mansplain a word ("diurnal", p601) make sure your definition is actually correct or even approximates the correct definition.
I tried to read it as space-opera sort of (no one expects Star Wars to be believable) but Scarecrow is overly "alpha" to the point of absolute tedium. It was good that the romance was barely there but even that was just about his alpha status.
Apparently this has brought many men "back to reading" (afterword). My question as always is whether reading is such a huge good that it doesn't matter what content is going in when someone reads? For a book worm I am pretty cynical about the supposed "anything you read is good for you" belief - seems like fetishism.
People will read this though, it's a best seller. Can we at least not believe such obvious drivel?
July 23, 2012
This book was the type where you can honest not put it down, i found my self on numerous occasions racing this book for hours on end. Written by a former student of St Aloysius, this book was very exciting and always a had a sudden twist around the corner. For the first 100 pages there was action, but as i continued into the later stages of the book it was non stop action, which for many people might be a bit overwhelming but personally i loved it. The characters such as Scofield was excellent he was a traditional hero character, un trusting and in difficult situations he always pulled through. Other characters such as "Book" were very good he was a side kick for Scofield always offering a hand when completing tasks. The way the book was written there where two scenarios going on. The Americans on the ice station, then a reporter going around to different houses interviewing people. during the book i wasn't really interested in the interviewed but by the end i realised that these were curial because they give away certain twists in the book if you pay enough close attention. Personally this was a great book for me, i would recommend it to any teenager.
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