Rating: 
Summary: It's Just Fiction!
Review: Don't get caught up in how plausible the plot is....or the character development. If you like action - I mean heart-pounding, breath-taking action - you gotta read this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Some say the next clancy...
Review: But this Mathew R is not even close.
This story is for 12-14 year olds. The characters are thin
and the plot is a joke. I got 3/4 of the way through before
I just junked it.
The other reviews here must be written by teens.
Rating: 
Summary: Take a pill, Matthew...
Review: Matthew Reilly has become the self-appointed master of italicized fiction. When he writes something that even he, the author, can't quite believe, he puts it in italics. It's kind of the equivalent of the WHAM, BAM, POW of the old Batman TV series. The problem is, with "Area 7," about 90 percent of the text should be italicized. Is it fun? Yes. Is it a "Guilty Pleasure?" Absolutely. Is it believable? Holy Gullibility, Batman! Not even close."Area 7" brings back Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield from Reilly's "Ice Station." This time he's part of a group protecting the President on a trip to a highly secretive military base in Utah. The base turns out to be a scientific enclave searching for a virus to protect all non-asian peoples from a killer "Sino-Virus" developed by the Chinese to kill all on earth not blessed with asian DNA. Add to that a demented Air Force General (who has been executed, but does not let that stop him), who wants to kill the President and take over the United States, making it a haven for skinheads and white separatists. Toss in a gaggle of serial killers, Komodo Dragons, Bears, Space Shuttles, a huge arsenal of small and not-so-small arms, crop dusters, X-Rail vehicles and a small boy named Kevin. Stir vigorously and watch the whole thing boil over. You want action? No lack of that here. But the non-stop, race against the clock fury gets in the way of really understanding (or more important, caring about) what's going on. "Area 7" at times reminded me of a Tomb Raider game set to prose. Secret pick-ups, a myriad of levels, and mindless enemies Schofield manages to dispatch even after taking unbelievable damage himself. The problem is Lara Croft is a much better developed and believable character than anyone in this book. So why give it even 2 stars? Despite everything, it is a quick read, and can be fun. I have said before (about "Temple", Reilly's previous effort), that Matthew Reilly is perhaps the most enthusiastic writer out there (italics on the word "enthusiastic"). I bet he had a ball writing this. And this young man has real talent. I just wish he would take a breath (and a pill), and develop his characters and plots with the energy he displays in the POW! WHAM! and BLAT! of the action.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining, not enlightening
Review: I've seen others say that Reilly's books are written to be Hollywood movies, and I can't say I disagree. But does it matter? I kept turning pages, I was entertained, and I didn't feel like it was a waste of time. I guess my one complaint would be that the book is littered with diagrams and drawings, and they can keep you from your own view of what scenes and objects look like. That said, I did really like this book. But it won't trigger a life-changing epiphany. I would read Reilly again when I'm looking for a light read.
Rating:
Summary: gripping read
Review: I read this book in two days, still got the bags under my eyes! If you want to be a purist, you couuld rip this book to pieces, but for excitement it cannot be beaten. Great follow up to Ice Station, it is such a shame it takes Mr Reilly a year to write a book as I have now read his four novels in a fortnight.
Rating:
Summary: WHAT A RIDE!
Review: After reading Reilly's "Ice Station" and "Temple," I didn't think he could keep up the pace. Ha! Was I wrong! There is SO MUCH going on in this book, you feel like you're riding a roller coaster at warp speed! As in any Reilly book, the characterizations are secondary to the action. And this book has tons of it. I like the characters (at least the heroes) very much. The villains----wow...there are enough here to populate a dozen books! Suffice to say, you're in for a real exhausting read on this one. Bears, kimodo dragons, crazed prisoners, South African hitmen, Air Force traitors, resurrected dead men, you name it---it's here. If you like a thrill a minute in your books, this one is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating:
Summary: This is one super-stupid thriller
Review: I have to admit, I've read Reilly's other novels. They were overly done and worse than most comic books or James Bond wannabes. Their plot ideas, though, were pretty interesting, though totally impossible in every way. Area 7, though, has no plot, just comic book action that would make Superman wince with embarassment. The plot is just too idiotic to be believed. For no reason, an Air Force general and hundreds of military personel want to destroy 14 of America's largest cities. Look out, Dr. Evil, you have competition, no matter how inept it is. The general decides to do that by killing the president, but I'm not going to bother explaining the plot. The ensuing action is directly from the imagination of a 6 year old pretending to be a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger (even their plots were more believable). Super-computers, super-soldiers, super-machine guns and super-helicopters, what more could a thriller need? How about komodo dragons, grizzly bears, secret bio-weapons, and South Afrikaan assassins? The hero even crashes a 737 into the bottom of a 100' shaft, smashing the cockpit flat, and walks away! Reilly did no research for this book. It was obvious that he was distracted most of the time and didn't realize how badly he was messing up. FORGET THIS BOOK! Hopefully, Reilly will some day go to writing school and learn to actually create plots and character that we won't laugh out loud at.
Rating:
Summary: Area 7 - Don't waste your money
Review: This has got to be one of the most badly written books I have read in a long long time. How it achieved a 'best seller' rating amazes me. The language used takes me back to the days of comic books, I cannot realistically see how this book is aimed at adults. After just completing the Watchman by Chris Ryan, Area 7 is a massive disappointment. Verdict - don't waste your money.
Rating:
Summary: I was ambivelent
Review: I started reading this book with trepidation as i was told its a guys book, well that may be true but from start to finish it took me six hours to read and i loved every minute of the wild ride i took with Schofield and co.
The storyline caused me some minor ? in places as some things didn't quiet add up, and the characters were only developed enough to just be able to id good gugs, bad guys and idiots but not for one moment was i bored nor did the book slow at all from its fast paced adventure.
My final comment would be that the characters were developed enough to allow me to use my imagination for the rest and the storyline while being a little out their (what was ET if not out their) was interesting, busy and unique with out losing me for one moment. So unless you want to learn about thermonuclear physics or some such other thing my advice would be to read and enjoy the ride. (I loaned this to my sister and she enjoyed the book also so you be your own judge)
Rating:
Summary: This book is [not good]
Review: My review title says it all. If Reilly set out to write a really bad book, which would eventually be made into a really bad movie, he succeeded admirably with "Area 7". I recently read the book at an island holiday resort, and the only reason I didn't throw it in the rubbish (as I eventually did when I returned to the mainland) was that I had nothing else to read on the beach. Reilly develops his characters such that you frankly don't care who lives or dies. His plots are inane, and considering the research he claims to have done, they contain numerous technical impossibilities. Frankly, the book reads like it was written by a 12 year old. Someone should also disable the italics function on Reilly's word processor. Not only are italics grossly overused, they often just don't make sense. Save your time, don't buy this book, and certainly don't read it.
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