Report Abuse

“7 Deadly Wonders ”

written by Harriet Klausner on 12/11/2005

7 Deadly Wonders

Matthew Reilly

Simon & Schuster, Jan 2006, $23.00, 400 pp.

ISBN: 0743270533



"In ancient times at the peak of the Great Pyramid of Giza, there stood a magnificent Capstone of Gold" so powerful that anyone who possessed it owned the world. The crown's prime purpose is to prevent the global destruction caused by the Tartarus Rotation, a solar sunspot that occurs every 4500 years, which unchecked leads to unbelievable heat and subsequent flooding. Fearing what will happen after him, Alexander the Great broke the Golden Capstone into seven pieces, placing a segment within one of the ancient wonders to be brought together at the next rotation, but in between it won't be misused to gain a millennium of unchecked power.



Governmental and other influential leaders want to own the Capstone to possess its legendary power. However, six of the Wonders are gone so finding the segments will prove difficult. The international deadly competition that Alexander wanted to avoid has happened even as the next Tartarus Rotation is near.



One group consisting of seven small nations believes the Capstone needs to be shared by all. They put together an octet led by an Australian. Though they lack the resources of their opponents, they own a key asset that the enemies want to steal from them; ten years old Lily is one of two known people who can interpret the ancient text needed to find the Capstone segments.



Though key players are reasonably developed so that they seem genuine, few matter as the Capstone is the prime player in this exhilarating thriller that grips the read with the acknowledgments and one of the best opening lines (see first paragraph above) and never releasess its tentacles until the explosive climax. The action-packed story line never slows down as the race for the seven pieces is dangerous for those competing and perhaps even more so for those observing. Matthew Reilly provides a powerful adventure thriller that is action, action, and more action.



Harriet Klausner