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Altitude Rush
Altitude Rush first appeared in Girls’ Night In 2: Gentlemen by Invitation in 2001. What do two master thieves do to get across Manhattan in broad daylight when they can’t touch the ground?
24 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2001
2 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Reilly
68 books6,333 followersBorn in Sydney in 1974, Matthew Reilly was not always a big fan of reading. It was only after he read To Kill A Mockingbird and Lord of the Flies in Year 10 that he realised reading could transport you to another world. Following this revelation, Matthew soon began creating stories of his own and set about writing his first novel, Contest, at the age of 19 while still at university studying law.
Following rejections from all the major publishers, Matthew self-published Contest in 1996, printing 1000 copies. He produced a big-budget-looking novel which he sold into bookshops throughout Sydney, one shop at a time.
In January 1997, a Commissioning Editor for Pan Macmillan Australia walked into Angus & Robertson's Pitt Street Mall store and bought a copy of Contest. The editor tracked Matthew down through his contact details in the front of the book. Interestingly, those original self-published editions of Contest have now become much sought after collectors' items. One recently sold on eBay for $1200!
Matthew Reilly is now the internationally bestselling author of the Scarecrow novels: Ice Station, Area 7, Scarecrow, Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves and the novella Hell Island; the Jack West novels: Seven Ancient Wonders, The Six Sacred Stones, The Five Greatest Warriors, The Four Legendary Kingdoms, and The Three Secret Cities; and the standalone novels Contest, Temple, Hover Car Racer, The Tournament, Troll Mountain, The Great Zoo of China and The Secret Runners of New York.
His books are published in over 20 languages with worldwide sales of over 7 million copies.
Since Seven Ancient Wonders in 2005, Matthew's novels have been the biggest selling new fiction title released in Australia for that year.
Matthew has also written several short stories, including Roger Ascham and the King's Lost Girl, a special free prequel to The Tournament which is available online. Other short stories include Time Tours, The Mine and the hyper-adrenalised romp, Altitude Rush.
He owns and drives a DeLorean DMC-12, the car made famous in the Back to the Future movies. He also has a life-sized Han Solo in carbonite hanging on the wall of his office! When not writing or penning a film script, Matthew can be found on the golf course.
Matthew Reilly is currently living in Los Angeles.
(source: Amazon)
Following rejections from all the major publishers, Matthew self-published Contest in 1996, printing 1000 copies. He produced a big-budget-looking novel which he sold into bookshops throughout Sydney, one shop at a time.
In January 1997, a Commissioning Editor for Pan Macmillan Australia walked into Angus & Robertson's Pitt Street Mall store and bought a copy of Contest. The editor tracked Matthew down through his contact details in the front of the book. Interestingly, those original self-published editions of Contest have now become much sought after collectors' items. One recently sold on eBay for $1200!
Matthew Reilly is now the internationally bestselling author of the Scarecrow novels: Ice Station, Area 7, Scarecrow, Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves and the novella Hell Island; the Jack West novels: Seven Ancient Wonders, The Six Sacred Stones, The Five Greatest Warriors, The Four Legendary Kingdoms, and The Three Secret Cities; and the standalone novels Contest, Temple, Hover Car Racer, The Tournament, Troll Mountain, The Great Zoo of China and The Secret Runners of New York.
His books are published in over 20 languages with worldwide sales of over 7 million copies.
Since Seven Ancient Wonders in 2005, Matthew's novels have been the biggest selling new fiction title released in Australia for that year.
Matthew has also written several short stories, including Roger Ascham and the King's Lost Girl, a special free prequel to The Tournament which is available online. Other short stories include Time Tours, The Mine and the hyper-adrenalised romp, Altitude Rush.
He owns and drives a DeLorean DMC-12, the car made famous in the Back to the Future movies. He also has a life-sized Han Solo in carbonite hanging on the wall of his office! When not writing or penning a film script, Matthew can be found on the golf course.
Matthew Reilly is currently living in Los Angeles.
(source: Amazon)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 14, 2023
Altitude Rush is short, explosive and adrenaline-filled action, pure and simple. It’s like the climax of an action movie, neatly disguised as a short story.
August 18, 2020
Highly contrived, but buy into it and enjoy the ride.
July 1, 2023
Whoa! This was pure adrenaline rush. With lots of altitude involved.
Improved my attitude towards the day immensely.
Recommended as a crisp, breathtaking read.
Improved my attitude towards the day immensely.
Recommended as a crisp, breathtaking read.
January 15, 2014
If someone can make a movie out of a short story, this is your blockbuster. Reilly has talent. To keep you gasping for breath in just 20 odd pages the way he does, is true genius!
March 21, 2018
This is a short story available for free download from Matthew Reilly's website. It follows the usual Reilly formula of breathless, suspension of disbelief action, compressed into short form. Engineering a situation where our heroes must get across New York against the clock and without going below a certain altitude, Reilly uses every trick he can think of to get the reader's adrenaline pumping as they leap from rooftop to rooftop. And he knows a lot of tricks.
This is certainly not going to win any serious literary awards but that's not what this is for. For pure escapist fun to while away the time this fits the bill perfectly.
This is certainly not going to win any serious literary awards but that's not what this is for. For pure escapist fun to while away the time this fits the bill perfectly.
September 8, 2024
As a great fan of the author, this was a sort of letdown.
This was available to me as a free downloadable copy from Matthew Reilly's website and he has written some good short ones.
This is an escapist fun adventure in the lines of Speed, the movie only in this case it is the height.
Fast paced and short.
This was available to me as a free downloadable copy from Matthew Reilly's website and he has written some good short ones.
This is an escapist fun adventure in the lines of Speed, the movie only in this case it is the height.
Fast paced and short.
February 14, 2023
Altitude Rush first appeared in Girls’ Night In 2: Gentlemen by Invitation in 2001.
Author Matthew Reilly really does have a talent for providing high octane action in just a few short chapters. Altitude Rush is a great example involving two master thieves, who have to get across Manhattan in broad daylight, without ever actually touching the ground at any point!
Downloaded from author’s website http://matthewreilly.com/wp-content/u...
Author Matthew Reilly really does have a talent for providing high octane action in just a few short chapters. Altitude Rush is a great example involving two master thieves, who have to get across Manhattan in broad daylight, without ever actually touching the ground at any point!
Downloaded from author’s website http://matthewreilly.com/wp-content/u...
March 11, 2019
Well that was a really great story... fast paced, exciting with a fun ending... Well worth a read....
October 23, 2019
High octane thriller
August 11, 2024
This was fast and full of action and I loved it, with two characters code named Robin Hood and Little John at the heart of the action. As an archer, I was hooked thanks to these names- and that is before we even get to the breakneck speed action. Easy five stars for me.
April 23, 2022
I would love to see this in movie form. What an action packed story.
March 13, 2017
I should have known where it was going but didn't! Obvious in hindsight. Completely unbelievable, suspend disbelief, typical act ion packed, page turning Matthew Reilly. How he manages it in short story form is amazing. Loved it!
September 26, 2011
Another of Reilly's free short stories this is the tale of two thieves on a high-speed chase through New York where the thieves can't touch the ground (no it's not lava).
Non-stop action from start to finish this isn't bad for a quick read.
Non-stop action from start to finish this isn't bad for a quick read.
August 9, 2012
Matthew Reilly does action stories very well, amped up to 10 (and sometimes beyond) and this 20-odd page story is no exception. The historical document at the centre of this story may very well be part of the authors (rather) vivid imagination...but then, maybe not...
April 8, 2012
- Killer and intense short. I hope Mr. Reilly writes more of these.
August 14, 2012
Short stories are fun...I should read more of them!
July 23, 2013
Another adrenalin fuelled story. Non stop pace, with two Australian SAS soldiers competing afainst three navy seal teams. Good read. If you have a spare 15 minutes read it and enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews