... oi, oi, oi...

well, i finished seven ancient wonders yesterday morning, not early after midnight, but early after breakfast. it was a great read...

... but it's the first matthew reilly book i've read that hasn't blown me away.

i can't believe i'm saying that, but that's how i feel. even hell island was impacting. that was like an awesome ten-minute preview to a movie, or one of those awesome advertisements that's almost better than the movie you're going to see at the cinema. (the advertising campaign "revolution" for the sega saturn game console was like that... shame the console never really took off - it was a brilliant advert... )

it was fast, but not that fast. it was exciting, but not as exciting as temple, say. i think... i think it would've been a better follow-up book.

maybe if i'd read a novella or something about jack west, jr, beforehand? about what happened at basra? it all just seemed a little bit... contrived?

i wish i wasn't saying this, but it's the first matthew reilly novel i've kind of felt a bit... unsurprised at.

it's good. don't get me wrong. it's good.

i'm just not sure it's as good as his other work. it's the latest, but i'm not sure it's the greatest.

sorry, matthew. please believe me when i say, i'm a fan of your work until the day i die.