Another impressive book-haul, this month. Also rather varied, too, which is always nice. As per usual, I can’t read them all instantaneously, so here is an initial, first-look at the books that are coming soon to the blog and to bookstores/-shelves near you.
Just spotted this on Amazon UK (was trawling for interesting upcoming titles in “Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought” ribbons…). I’m a big fan of Matthew Reilly’s action-adventure thrillers – especially the Jack West, Jr. series (Seven Ancient Wonders, Six Sacred Stones, and Five Greatest Warriors). Reilly is firmly in the same sub-genre as James Rollins and Dan Brown (leaning more towards the former than latter). With his next novel, however, he seems to be taking a different path. The novel, The Tournament, look like a historical thriller (with a bit of playing about with real events and historical figures)…
England, 1546. A young Princess Elizabeth is surrounded by uncertainty. She is not currently in line for the throne, but remains a threat to her older sister and brother.
In the midst of this fevered atmosphere comes an unprecedented invitation from the Sultan in Constantinople. He seeks to assemble the finest chess players from the whole civilised world and pit them against each other.
Roger Ascham, Elizabeth’s teacher and mentor in the art of power and politics, is determined to keep her out of harm’s way and resolves to take Elizabeth with him when he travels to the glittering Ottoman capital for the tournament.
But once there, the two find more danger than they left behind. There’s a killer on the loose and a Catholic cardinal has already been found mutilated. Ascham is asked by the Sultan to investigate the crime. But as he and Elizabeth delve deeper, they find dark secrets, horrible crimes and unheard-of depravity. Things that mark the young princess for life and define the queen she will become.
The Tournament is published by Orion in the UK in January 2014. As someone who has long been interested in the history of Constantinople/Istanbul (not to mention lived there for a few years), I am very much looking forward to reading this. The author’s website offers a slightly more sensational synopsis, just in case you need further convincing:
The year is 1546.
Suleiman the Magnificent, the powerful and feared Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, issues an invitation to every king in Europe:
YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND YOUR FINEST PLAYER TO COMPETE IN A CHESS TOURNAMENT TO DETERMINE THE CHAMPION OF THE KNOWN WORLD.
The English delegation – led by esteemed scholar Roger Ascham – journeys to the glittering city of Constantinople. Accompanying Ascham is his pupil, Bess, who is about to bear witness to events she never thought possible.
For on the first night of the tournament, a powerful guest of the Sultan is murdered, and against the backdrop of the historic event, Ascham is tasked with finding the killer.
Barbaric deaths, unimaginable depravity and diplomatic treachery unfold before Bess’ eyes, indelibly shaping her character and determining how she will perform her future roll… as Queen Elizabeth I.
EVEN A PAWN CAN BECOME A QUEEN
I really must remember to get around to reading Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves, Reilly’s previous novel. I have been very lax, recently, with my thriller reading.
I’ve already said I didn’t want to do a “Best Of 2012” post, so instead I’m going to look at the books I really wish I’d been able to read this past year. These books I was just not able to get around to this year, due to any number of unforeseen circumstances (usually because I was distracted by another book released this year).
In no particular order, this is actually just a small selection of the books that slipped by me (there are so many, I’ll probably do another similar post next week). I’ve included synopses and a few comments for some of them.
[Above image from here.]
The first half of this year alone sees a high number of highly anticipated titles coming out, and February is a particularly bumper month for the genre fan. So, here’s my top eight for this month. I doubt I’ll be able to read even half of them in February (the best laid plans, etc.), but I thought I’d offer at least a hat-tip for those I may not be able to get around to.
The top five thrillers published in 2010 that I’ve read
The year hasn’t been one filled with much thriller-reading for me. Those that I did read didn’t always excite my passion for the genre, and there were some disappointments. To make sure the notable ones are mentioned, however, here are the five that really stood out, in no particular order:
Matthew Reilly, Five Greatest Warriors (Orion)
Jesse Kellerman, The Executor (Sphere)
Joseph Finder, The Vanished (Headline)
Mark Gimenez, The Accused (Sphere)
John Grisham, The Confession (Century)
* * *
A (longer) post highlighting the top fantasy and science-fiction novels that I read in 2010 will follow very shortly…
[UK, AUS, US]
It began with Six Sacred Stones and the Seven Ancient Wonders. Jack West Jr. and his loyal team of international specialists are in desperate disarray: they've been separated, their mission is in tatters, and Jack was last seen plummeting down a fathomless abyss. After surviving his deadly fall, Jack must now race against his many enemies to locate and set in place the remaining pieces of The Machine before the coming Armageddon.
As the world teeters on the brink of destruction, West will learn of the Five Warriors, the individuals who throughout history have been most intimately connected to his quest.
Scores will be settled, fathers will fight sons, brothers will battle brothers, and Jack and his friends will soon find out exactly what the end of the world looks like...
I have long been a fan of Matthew Reilly’s novels. They are exciting, filled with over-the-top action and are simply great fun to read. Five Greatest Warriors is the next in Reilly’s Jack West Jnr series, and it certainly lived up to all my expectations. As always, however, it is difficult to write a review without spoiling the ending…
First off, Reilly provides a handy re-cap for those who may have forgotten the story so far. Immediately afterwards, we rejoin West as he plummets down an immense shaft below the second “vertex” that forms part of The Machine that will save the world. After his incredible solution to this predicament, he is reunited with his team of international specialist – Zoe, Sky Monster, Pooh Bear, Stretch, Wizard, the Lachlan twins (they all have call-signs, but they aren’t always referred to as such), and Lily (Jack’s adopted daughter, who featured very prominently in Seven Ancient Wonders). From then on, the story never stops or lets up, as we are taken all over the world in West & Co.’s quest to locate the remaining sacred stones and vertices.
This international treasure hunt take place while the team also has to contend with rival factions intent on beating them to the prize for their own nefarious ends: Jack’s father, Wolf, and his military-industrial-complex-like private army; the Japanese doomsday cult, the Blood Brothers; and the Chinese army. West and his friends must deal with betrayals, heart-wrenching loss, constant frustration, and the endless ticking of a doomsday clock that could spell the end of humanity.
In the interview included after the novel, the author says:
“I just keep trying to top myself with each book and come up with the fastest most out-of-control action-adventure stories imaginable.”
Five Greatest Warriors definitely fits into Reilly’s plan. It certainly manages to up the action quotient, increasing the thrills and adventure (and suspending reality and belief just a little more) to even greater levels than before. It’s cliché to say so, but this is a whirlwind of a novel. Perhaps only dropping in pace once or twice when some needed back-story is needed, as Reilly juggles ever more simultaneous storylines.
Reilly’s plotting is extremely fast-paced, and this is one of the fastest novels I’ve ever read. The story rattles along at an incredible speed, each chapter and segment providing just enough to draw the reader on and on through the novel. I read this in a couple of sittings, each one keeping me up past 5am! It’s not just a matter of good pacing, however, as Reilly’s writing is also very assured and well-crafted. Perhaps my only criticisms would be his use of italics for certain adjectives and superlatives, which seem unnecessary, and the occasional submission to the call of schmaltz. (Admittedly, these are minor criticisms, and don’t detract from the enjoyment of the novel.)
Reilly will likely never win any literary awards, but his novels are such escapist fun, that it’s a crime to know authors like Dan Brown are out there getting all the glory. If you want a novel filled with action, adventure, a pinch of conspiracy and an entertaining take on ancient history, then anything by Reilly is a good bet – it’s as if Indiana Jones were directed by either Jerry Bruckheimer or Michael Bay, with a budget far larger than normal.
A book you can live vicariously through, Reilly’s Jack West Jr. series is highly recommended.
Buckle up for the sequel to The Seven Ancient Wonders!
