Contest

Rating:
Summary: Obviously Reilly's First Effort ...
Review: It's obviously Matt Reilly's first effort - this still puts it in a "more entertaining than most" action writers category. While written in Australia and updated for the US, the book started off with a few Americanism inconsistencies that jumped out right away - such as what was Holly Swain doing at school on a Sunday during a football game?

But, in typical Matt Reilly style, once the initial introductions are over the action (and fun) begins. "Booya" to the Hoodaya and Karnadon - verrrry cool.

To paraphrase the Bellows of Bellos (wince) "For those who are about to read Matt Reilly for the first time - I salute you." You're in for a treat (but be sure to check out Ice Station next - again some suspension of belief necessary, but oh what a pace)!

Rating:
Summary: If I review this twice, can I give it 10 stars?
Review: Just don't miss the absolute fun and sheer excitement of reading this one. A total edge-of-your-seat, can't-put-it-down, thrilling, and awesome pageturner. This was my first Mathhew Reilly read, but it surely will not be my last. I borrowed this one from my local library and after I read it, went out and bought the book for friends to enjoy. Don't wait for the movie--as I'm sure there will be one--enjoy it now!

Rating:
Summary: Reads like a ripoff of a Star Trek episode
Review: Matt Reilly's "Contest" was his first published literary effort which has been enhanced and Americanized and re-released. By comparison to his previous work it is written very sophomorically with a shallow plot that didn't fufill its potential.

The premise is a contest called the Presidian, a competitive battle to the death waged every thousand or so years. It seems that there are seven systems within the universe that harbor intelligent life. Each system sends one contestant along with a guide who are transported into a labyrinth or battleground which is bounded by an impenetrable electical field. The winner is the sole survivor who is able to vanquish the other six contestants as well as elude a huge dangerous beast inserted into the labyrinth called a Karanadon. This is the seventh Presidian and the first contested on Earth. The labyrinth is the New York Public Library.

The Earth representative is Dr. Stephen Swain, a widowed Long Island radiologist with a young daughter Holly. Swain has been selected by the powers that be as a result of an act of herosim. His hospital's emergency room had been invaded by five armed gang members looking to kill an undercover narcotics agent. In an instinctive action, he thwarted their attempt at mayhem, killing one of the perps during a battle for his weapon.

Swain was rewarded by being transported to the library accidently with his daughter. He now must use cunning, stealth and luck to conquer all the other exotic alien life forms in the competition.

Actually, the Star Trek episode was more suspenseful. "Contest" was easily Reilly's most disappointing effort.

Rating:
Summary: Fast paced action packed !!
Review: Matthew Reilly has successfully captured his boyhood fascination for aliens, monsters, godzilla like lizards and hobbits (almost like one) in this book. It's one cool book which is hard to put down and it takes you to a roller coaster ride right from the start. It is a fast paced action thriller in which a simple doctor is put to a contest with 6 other warriors from different Alien races. The plot becomes more complex as his 9 year old daughter is also caught in between aliens and monsters. If you like science fiction and thoroughly enjoy fights (Nasty fights), you would love this one. And by the way switch off your brains when you pick one up for a trip.

Rating:
Summary: Action? Sure. But the characters make this novel great
Review: Matthew Reilly is an action writer, there's no doubt. He can sustain heart-stopping battle scenes that go on for pages.

But honestly, what makes Contest a great book is the character development. These are interesting people that you really care about. The evil is not two-dimensional and neither is the good -- Dr. Swain is a complex, fascinating hero and the main evil alien, Balthazar, is as well-developed.

If Matthew Reilly didn't have an incredible talent for creating characters that matter, his novels wouldn't have you on the edge of your seat. They do. Contest will really take you away. You'll be glad you went for the ride. Have fun!

Rating:
Summary: Action? Sure. But the characters make this novel great
Review: Matthew Reilly is an action writer, there's no doubt. He can sustain heart-stopping battle scenes that go on for pages.

But honestly, what makes Contest a great book is the character development. These are interesting people that you really care about. The evil is not two-dimensional and neither is the good -- Dr. Swain is a complex, fascinating hero and the main evil alien, Balthazar, is as well-developed.

If Matthew Reilly didn't have an incredible talent for creating characters that matter, his novels wouldn't have you on the edge of your seat. They do. Contest will really take you away. You'll be glad you went for the ride. Have fun!

Rating:
Summary: Action fest
Review: Matthew Reilly's first novel, Contest- initially written and self-published in 1994- ranks as one of the best Matthew Reilly novels to date. Unlike his later books, the storyline of Contest is comparatively simple. Dr Stephen Swain and his daughter, Holly are unexpectedly -and magically- teleported into the New York State Library- the selected location for the "Presidian" an intergalactic contest waged every thousand years. The rules of this contest are simple- the perimeter of the library is electrified, thereby preventing escape. Six other alien species are teleported in. -quite simply, it is a contest in which only one species can survive...

Naturally, this becomes excruciatingly difficult for Swain as he eludes the vicious extraterrestrial species. Yes, it does not weave the same plot and technology as his later offerings, but Contest is the only Reilly book to date with a truly science-fiction leaning. It is safe to comment that Contest is high-octane fun! A ripping storyline!

Contest remains one of Matthew Reilly's finest achievements.

Rating:
Summary: Pandemonium in the public library.
Review: Matthew Reilly's sci-fi thriller, "Contest," has a far-out premise. It seems that a gladiatorial contest is being held in the New York Public Library between one human and six aliens. The contest, known as the Presidian, is a fight to the death and only one entrant will remain alive at the end. Participating against his will is a doctor named Stephen Swain. Swain is teleported to the library, along with his eight-year-old daughter Holly, who comes along with her father by accident. Swain has a guide to help him, a benign and diminutive alien named Selexin.

"Contest" is non-stop adventure, with plenty of slime and gore for those who enjoy such things. There is no character development to speak of, and there is not one shred of realism to disrupt the hyperactive proceedings. Swain has no weapons at his disposal, except for whatever he finds lying around the library, and he needs to think quickly on his feet to outsmart his bloodthirsty opponents. Not only is Swain fairly cool under pressure, but his eight-year-old daughter is remarkably composed, considering the horrifying things that she sees during this unasked-for thrill ride.

If you enjoy weird aliens jumping out of dark corners to attack people, then "Contest" is for you. In its own goofy way, it is kind of fun. I must admit, though, that I hate the idea of people and/or aliens fighting to the death in a public library, especially since I am a public librarian.

Rating:
Summary: Actionpacked adventure
Review: OK, so Contest may never be discussed in the same reverential tones as the more profound and visionary sci-fi, penned by the likes of Iain Banks, Stephen Baxter or Jose Farmer, but it's certainly an entertaining read nonetheless.

The adventures of our hero Stephen Swain, inadvertently and unwillingly enrolled in a form of alien gladiatorial combat, are more than competently described by Reilly and I'm sure most readers will devour this entertaining pot-boiler in a flurry of undemanding page-turning.

In the appendix, the author pays tribute to Jurassic Park, and the influence of Crichton is clear in Contest. Indeed the stalking and confrontations set amongst a maze of bookcases are highly reminiscent of the velociraptors in the kitchen scene in JP. Reilly does, however, inject enough original touches to deflect any serious cries of plagiarism. In particular, the cheating alien Bellos makes for an effectively evil villain and the bizarre alien referred to as Codex was both inventive and downright creepy.

No real surprises or twists along the way, but the ending was suitably explosive and satisfying. So, nowhere near being a sci-fi classic, but it certainly does what it says on the tin and you could do a lot worse than spending a few hours in the New York State Library with Reilly's dramatis personae, in the lightweight but pretty damn entertaining world of Contest.


Rating:
Summary: MATTHEW'S FIRST CONTEST!
Review: Okay, so it's not his best, but it was still entertaining and fun to read. Though it read too much like a comic-book-in-the-making, CONTEST still did not bore me to tears.
I like a fast-paced adventure romp, and that's what I got. There's something to be said there!
There was some good action and suspence here that made for a fun read.
Not as character driven as it should have been, but hey, it's the guy's first novel for crying out loud! Being a writer myself, that's no easy feat. Kudos to him for getting it done and out there.
I've read much worse and been bored to tears by so-called - better writers. Even they fail or fall short at times.
I for one llok forward to this young man's next endeavor.