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Shane Schofield #4
Hell Island
A Scarecrow novella from Australia's favourite novelist, author of the Jack West Jr series and new novel Mr Einstein's Secretary out now.
It is an island that doesn't appear on any maps. A secret place, where classified experiments have been carried out. Experiments that have gone terribly wrong.
Four crack special forces units are dropped in. One of them is a team of Marines, led by Captain Shane Schofield, SCARECROW.
Nothing can prepare Schofield's team for what they find there. You could say they've just entered hell. But that would be wrong. This is much, much worse
It is an island that doesn't appear on any maps. A secret place, where classified experiments have been carried out. Experiments that have gone terribly wrong.
Four crack special forces units are dropped in. One of them is a team of Marines, led by Captain Shane Schofield, SCARECROW.
Nothing can prepare Schofield's team for what they find there. You could say they've just entered hell. But that would be wrong. This is much, much worse
108 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2005
261 people are currently reading
3294 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Reilly
68 books6,325 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 - 30 of 506 reviews
December 29, 2024
A secret experiment has gone wrong. Special forces units are sent to find out what happened. But nothing can prepare them for what they find there. And they’re quickly having to fight for their lives.
The plot is kept very simple but it's solid, with a really cool twist at the end. And that’s not what this novella is about. This is pulp fiction at its best. It’s action scenes and just an adrenaline rush from start to finish.
Just like the previous book in the series, this one gives up on keeping the story believable and simply embraces its pulp fiction inspirations. It’s completely over the top, throwing realism out of the window right from the get go as we’re introduced to armored, blood-thirsty, and highly aggressive gorillas with microchips in their brains. Yep, you read that right. It actually works a lot better here than in the previous book. I think this is because this story is meant to be a light quick read that could be read as a standalone novella, while the previous book was a long, rather heavy, and important installment in the series.
Overall, an entertaining and action-packed read. A solid little standalone story in the series. A good little shot of adrenaline in between bigger reads, but also a solid introduction to the Scarecrow series for those who want to dip their toe in the water before tackling one of the bigger books.
The plot is kept very simple but it's solid, with a really cool twist at the end. And that’s not what this novella is about. This is pulp fiction at its best. It’s action scenes and just an adrenaline rush from start to finish.
Just like the previous book in the series, this one gives up on keeping the story believable and simply embraces its pulp fiction inspirations. It’s completely over the top, throwing realism out of the window right from the get go as we’re introduced to armored, blood-thirsty, and highly aggressive gorillas with microchips in their brains. Yep, you read that right. It actually works a lot better here than in the previous book. I think this is because this story is meant to be a light quick read that could be read as a standalone novella, while the previous book was a long, rather heavy, and important installment in the series.
Overall, an entertaining and action-packed read. A solid little standalone story in the series. A good little shot of adrenaline in between bigger reads, but also a solid introduction to the Scarecrow series for those who want to dip their toe in the water before tackling one of the bigger books.
January 8, 2018
I love the action-packed, fast pace of the Scarecrow series. I do have to suspend my disbelief to get into these books, but they’re always such a wild ride that it doesn’t bother me. This is another great adventure for Scarecrow and crew, although it is a short one at around 100 pages. It left me wanting more.
November 5, 2024
Good ol’ Reilly. He gets straight to the action and high stakes with no mucking around.
Four Special Forces units are deployed by parachute to Hell Island on a top secret mission. Something smells fishy from the get go, and Schofield, leader of his Marines unit, has to be ready for any situation. They aren’t told who the enemy is, though they’re probably not human.
On this point, it’s exciting to figure out who they’ll be up against. I had some guesses, all wrong of course. And once they found out, all hell breaks loose. And there is an impressive death toll and gruesome deaths.
I’m not sure if there is a word for the opposite of ‘patriotic’, on an Earth scale, but in such stories, I’m rarely on the side of the humans hehe. I rooted for some humans but mostly their opponents, who I thought were brutal but blameless.
My second Reilly book. I need to read more of his work.
Four Special Forces units are deployed by parachute to Hell Island on a top secret mission. Something smells fishy from the get go, and Schofield, leader of his Marines unit, has to be ready for any situation. They aren’t told who the enemy is, though they’re probably not human.
On this point, it’s exciting to figure out who they’ll be up against. I had some guesses, all wrong of course. And once they found out, all hell breaks loose. And there is an impressive death toll and gruesome deaths.
I’m not sure if there is a word for the opposite of ‘patriotic’, on an Earth scale, but in such stories, I’m rarely on the side of the humans hehe. I rooted for some humans but mostly their opponents, who I thought were brutal but blameless.
My second Reilly book. I need to read more of his work.
December 23, 2010
Are there any Scarecrow fans out there? I am definitely one. You can count me among those that have read everything that is available that Matthew Reilly has written, including the YA Hover Car series. The last time I posted on a Matthew Reilly novel was for the Five Greatest Warriors novel (please check the archives for that; I loved it). Here is what this short novel is about:
“This revised edition of the short novel originally published in Australia is specially adapted for readers of all ages with reading difficulties. There is no hell like a man-made one...It is an island that doesn't appear on any maps. A secret location where classified experiments have been conducted. Experiments that have gone terribly wrong...When all contact with this mystery island is inexplicably lost, four crack special-forces units are brought in, their mission being to land on Hell Island and discover what has happened. Nothing can prepare them for what they find there. You could say they've just entered hell. Only that would be too gentle.”
When I picked this up from the library (yes, I do do that, the librarians are very nice to me, and it is an excellent resource), I was a bit surprised by the size of it, 128 pages. A Shane Schofield novel is usually much longer than that and this bad boy had a few pictures in it to go along with the story, very nice. I am going to give you a piece of the introduction by Matthew Reilly. I found the genesis of this novel very interesting:
“Hell Island was originally written for an Australian Government initiative called Books Alive, the objective of which was to get Australians into bookstores and reading more. I was approached to write a short novel, no longer than 110 pages that would be given away to Australians for free for a month. I thought this was a fantastic idea and jumped at the chance.
I wrote Hell Island.
More than that, I set out to write 110 pages of the most kick-butt, over- the- top, blindingly fast action I could. It’s not often you get a chance to show your stuff to the general population for free, so I seized the opportunity with both hands.”
I believe the last time we saw the Scarecrow he was nursing a beer sitting on a chaise lounge pondering life’s questions and his next move in life. I was hoping that Matthew Reilly would get back to the character quickly, but I guess we Americans had to wait a bit. All that aside, this is a fine ride with Mother, Scarecrow and a host of characters that come at the readers fast and furiously. Reilly certainly packed a ton of action into such a short space; he accomplished everything he set out to do. Putting it down is not really an option, it is a nice cover to cover read, that moves fast and hard. Reading this will not put you through hell, but make you an island as you will not want to be bothered as you read it. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our wonderful supporters and readers, thanks so much for an incredible 2010.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, Wattpad and the Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“This revised edition of the short novel originally published in Australia is specially adapted for readers of all ages with reading difficulties. There is no hell like a man-made one...It is an island that doesn't appear on any maps. A secret location where classified experiments have been conducted. Experiments that have gone terribly wrong...When all contact with this mystery island is inexplicably lost, four crack special-forces units are brought in, their mission being to land on Hell Island and discover what has happened. Nothing can prepare them for what they find there. You could say they've just entered hell. Only that would be too gentle.”
When I picked this up from the library (yes, I do do that, the librarians are very nice to me, and it is an excellent resource), I was a bit surprised by the size of it, 128 pages. A Shane Schofield novel is usually much longer than that and this bad boy had a few pictures in it to go along with the story, very nice. I am going to give you a piece of the introduction by Matthew Reilly. I found the genesis of this novel very interesting:
“Hell Island was originally written for an Australian Government initiative called Books Alive, the objective of which was to get Australians into bookstores and reading more. I was approached to write a short novel, no longer than 110 pages that would be given away to Australians for free for a month. I thought this was a fantastic idea and jumped at the chance.
I wrote Hell Island.
More than that, I set out to write 110 pages of the most kick-butt, over- the- top, blindingly fast action I could. It’s not often you get a chance to show your stuff to the general population for free, so I seized the opportunity with both hands.”
I believe the last time we saw the Scarecrow he was nursing a beer sitting on a chaise lounge pondering life’s questions and his next move in life. I was hoping that Matthew Reilly would get back to the character quickly, but I guess we Americans had to wait a bit. All that aside, this is a fine ride with Mother, Scarecrow and a host of characters that come at the readers fast and furiously. Reilly certainly packed a ton of action into such a short space; he accomplished everything he set out to do. Putting it down is not really an option, it is a nice cover to cover read, that moves fast and hard. Reading this will not put you through hell, but make you an island as you will not want to be bothered as you read it. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our wonderful supporters and readers, thanks so much for an incredible 2010.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, Wattpad and the Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
February 24, 2020
В библиотеката попаднах на новата книга на Матю Райли "Адският остров" и реших да я прочета, за да си създам впечатление за автора. Това са разкази, като едноименният е най-дълъг и може да мине за новела. Всички ми харесаха, много са динамични и разнообразни. Приличат на филм. По тематика са военни, екшъни, археологически, фантастични, криминални, исторически и всеки един от тях разказва по някоя увлекателна история с неочакван край. Много добър автор за тези, които търсят динамичност и напрежение.
September 14, 2020
For a story filled with this much action…it is extremely short…only 120 pages. If Matthew Reilly wasn’t such a great writer with this kind of story it probably would leave the reader confused and saying “what happened”. Fortunately… that never happens here. Just to give you an idea…this is from the book… “It slammed into Haynes, ramming him back against the door. His head hit the steel door hard, the blow stunning him but not knocking him out. And as he slumped to the floor and saw the creature draw a glistening long-bladed K-bar knife from its sheath, Haynes wished it had knocked him unconscious, because then he wouldn’t have to witness what it did to him next…” My only regret is that this wasn’t carried into a full blown novel. 120 pages can only whet the appetite. Oh yeah…you‘ll just have to read the book if you want to know exactly what the creature did to him next.
August 25, 2019
I can't give less than 5 star, i know its a short story but still i can't, it was just fabulous and logically true at every step, the plot was true enough, they can do it with Thier soldiers no doubt, even it sounds like a madness which humanity witnessed in world war 2 era, but they can, cuz honestly who knows where these soldiers go, and who cares, but if they are under the commanding of Shane Schofield aka Scarecrow, they will come back alive, no doubt in that.
This novel created by Matthew Reilly Which i think he has written cuz he love his character Scarecrow, he just can't get enough of him that's why he has written this short story.
So the plot wise its a super thriller, adrenaline rush in every page, what i liked most about it whatever scarecrow did in this novel is possible.
The new marine characters were good enough to get along with scarecrow.
Mother was caring and notorious as always.
Scarecrow as cool minded as always but i loved when he hit buck in the face with his pistol.
So every military action or conspiracy theories lover should read it without any doubt.
You won't regret it.
This novel created by Matthew Reilly Which i think he has written cuz he love his character Scarecrow, he just can't get enough of him that's why he has written this short story.
So the plot wise its a super thriller, adrenaline rush in every page, what i liked most about it whatever scarecrow did in this novel is possible.
The new marine characters were good enough to get along with scarecrow.
Mother was caring and notorious as always.
Scarecrow as cool minded as always but i loved when he hit buck in the face with his pistol.
So every military action or conspiracy theories lover should read it without any doubt.
You won't regret it.
August 2, 2014
ম্যাথিউ রাইলির পাগলা অ্যাকশন-অ্যাডভেঞ্চার সিরিজ স্কেয়ারক্রো'র পূর্বের তিনটা কাহিনীর তুলনায় "হেল আইল্যান্ড" একেবারেই ভিন্ন এক দিক থেকে, আর সেটা হল কাহিনীর ব্যপ্তি। "আইস স্টেশন", "এরিয়া ৭" বা "স্কেয়ারক্রো" যেখানে সাড়ে পাঁচশো থেকে ছয়শো পৃষ্ঠার বিপুলবিস্তৃত উপন্যাস ছিল, "হেল আইল্যান্ড" সেই তুলনায় একেবারেই শিশু, মাত্র একশ পেজের কিছু বেশি। কাহিনীও সেই সাথে স্বাভাবিক ভাবেই অনেক ছোট, তবে এতে যদি অ্যাকশন-পাঠকরা মনে করেন বইটা তেমন মজাদার বা আগ্রহোদ্দীপক হবে না তাহলে বড়ধরনের ভুল করবেন... মাত্র সোয়া'শ পৃষ্ঠাতেও ম্যাথিউ রাইলি তার স্বভাবসুলভ বিস্ফোরক বর্ণনায় বইয়ের প্রথম পৃষ্ঠা থেকে শেষ পৃষ্ঠা পর্যন্ত তুমুল উত্তেজনার মারকাটারি অ্যাকশনবহুল দুর্দান্ত একটা থ্রিলার পাঠকদের উপহার দিয়েছেন, যাতে প্রয়োজন মত বেশ কিছু অপ্রত্যাশিত টুইস্ট ও টার্নও রয়েছে কাহিনীকে গতি দেয়ার জন্য।
গল্পের শুরু হয় প্রশান্ত মহাসাগরের মাঝখানে অবস্থিত এক রহস্যময় দ্বীপে যেটার অস্তিত্ব পৃথিবীর কোন ম্যাপেই নেই, দ্বীপের ২য় বিশ্বযুদ্ধকালীন এয়ারফিল্ড ও রিফুয়েলিং স্টেশন ব্যবহার করা হয় আমেরিকার প্রয়োজনে। সেখানে এক এয়ারক্র্যাফট কেরিয়ার যুদ্ধজাহাজ ৬০০ মেরিন সৈন্য নিয়ে ডক করার পর থেকেই সমস্ত যোগাযোগ বিচ্ছিন্ন হয়ে গেছে। মেরিন ক্য���প্টেন শেইন স্কোফিল্ড, কলসাইনঃ "স্কেয়ারক্রো"কে তার ১০জনের মেরিন টিম সহ পাঠানো হয় ইনভেস্টিগেট করে দেখার জন্য, সাথে ১০জন করে সদস্য বিশিষ্ট আরো তিনটি আর্মড ফোর্সেসের টিম: ৮২তম এয়ারবোর্ন স্কোয়াড্রন, ডেল্টা ফোর্স ও সীল টিম। ব্যাপারটা খুবই অভাবিত কারণ বিভিন্ন স্পেশাল ফোর্সের টিম এভাবে একত্রে মিশিয়ে কখনোই কোন অপারেশনে পাঠানো হয় না। দ্বীপের তীরে নোঙ্গর করে রাখা এয়ারক্র্যাফট কেরিয়ার ইউএসএস নিমিৎসে পা রাখার পরপরই রহস্য আরো জট পাকাতে থাকে, পুরো জাহাজে কোন জনমনিষ্যি নেই, আর সবখানে শুধু রক্তের ছিটা, গুলির খালি খোসা ও ভাঙ্গা কাঁচ। স্কোফিল্ড ও তার দল অবশ্য বেশিক্ষণ চিন্তাভাবনার সুযোগ পেল না, কারণ কিছুক্ষণের মধ্যেই রহস্যময় এক ভয়ঙ্কর শত্রুপক্ষের আক্রমণে একে একে মারা পড়তে শুরু করল অন্যান্য টিমের সদস্যরা, আর স্কোফিল্ডের টিমের প্রতিও শুরু হয়ে গেল বিরতিহীন হামলা আর আক্রমণ... এরপরে কি হল সেটা আর বললে স্পয়লার টেরিটরিতে পা দিয়ে ফেলব। বইটা সংক্ষিপ্ত, কিন্তু তাতে তুমুল অ্যাকশন, সাসপেন্স আর জটিলতার কোন অভাব হয় নাই। রহস্যময় এই শত্রুপক্ষ কে বা "কি", তারা ওই নির্জন দ্বীপে কিভাবে এল, আগের ছয়শো মেরিন সৈন্যদের কি হয়েছিল, কেনই বা চারটা ভিন্ন ভিন্ন স্পেশাল ফোর্সেস টিম পরবর্তিতে পাঠানো হল দ্বীপটিতে... সবকিছুর উত্তরেই পাঠককে চমকে দিতে পেরেছেন রাইলি। আর আগেকার কাহিনীগুলো উরাধুরা অ্যাকশন-অ্যাডভেঞ্চার হলেও সেই তুলনায় এই বইটার কাহিনী কিছুটা কম, কি বলা যায়, পাগলাটে (হয়তো রাইলি ঠিক মত "পাগলা" হবার জন্য ছোট পরিসরে জায়গা পাননি বলেই!)। বরং এখানে গা শিরশিরে রোমহর্ষক থ্রিলের পরিমাণ বেশি; সে দিক থেকে কাহিনীটা বেশ রিফ্রেশিং লেগেছে আমার কাছে। এছাড়া আরেকটা ব্যাপার ভাল লেগেছে: স্কোফিল্ডের চরিত্রায়ণ। রাইলির বইগুলোতে সঠিক চরিত্রায়ণ সবসময়ই ব্যাকসীটে চলে যায় শ্বাসরুদ্ধকর গতিময়তাকে জায়গা দেয়ার জন্য, তবে এখানে তিনি এমন একটা জিনিস কন্টিনিউ করেছেন যার মাধ্যমে পাঠক স্কোফিল্ডের সাথে কানেক্ট হতে পারে, যতই সে সুপারহিরোয়িক সব কাজকারবার করুক! সিরিজের আগের বই "স্কেয়ারক্রো"তে স্কোফিল্ড তার খুব কাছের একজনকে হারায়, যার ফলে ঐ মিশনের পরে সে বহুদিন আউট অফ কমিশন ছিল, এবং মাত্রই ফিল্ডে ব্যাক করেছে। এর ফলে টিমমেটদের মধ্যে স্কোফিল্ডের মানসিক অবস্থা, তার নেতৃত্ব দেয়ার ক্ষমতা ও বিপদকে মোকাবেলার করার মত সাধ্য আদৌও অবশিষ্ট আছে কি না সে ব্যাপারে সন্দেহ দেখা দেয়। এই ছোট কিন্তু প্রয়োজনীয় এলিমেন্টটি যুক্ত করার মাধ্যমে রাইলি যেমন সিরিজের একটা কন্টিনুয়েশন বজায় রাখলেন, তেমনি পাঠকও সাধারণ একজন মানুষ হিসেবে স্কোফিল্ডের সাথে রিলেট করতে পারল। ওভার অল, একবসাতে একটানে শেষ করার মত দুর্দান্ত একটা সাসপেন্স অ্যাকশন থ্রিলার "হেল আইল্যান্ড"। তবে বইটা শেষ করে আমার একটা ছোট অভিযোগ মাথায় এসেছে: কাহিনীটা যেন হুট করেই শেষ হয়ে গেল, সব কিছু ঘটার পরে সেটার অল্প করে হলেও একটা ফল-আউট দেখানোর অবশ্যই প্রয়োজন ছিল আমার মনে হয়। কিন্তু সবমিলিয়ে বিস্তৃতিতে ছোট হলেও রাইলির ট্রেডমার্ক ননস্টপ সাসপেন্স আর অ্যাকশন দিক থেকে হেল আইল্যান্ড একটি বিস্ফোরক উপন্যাসিকা।
গল্পের শুরু হয় প্রশান্ত মহাসাগরের মাঝখানে অবস্থিত এক রহস্যময় দ্বীপে যেটার অস্তিত্ব পৃথিবীর কোন ম্যাপেই নেই, দ্বীপের ২য় বিশ্বযুদ্ধকালীন এয়ারফিল্ড ও রিফুয়েলিং স্টেশন ব্যবহার করা হয় আমেরিকার প্রয়োজনে। সেখানে এক এয়ারক্র্যাফট কেরিয়ার যুদ্ধজাহাজ ৬০০ মেরিন সৈন্য নিয়ে ডক করার পর থেকেই সমস্ত যোগাযোগ বিচ্ছিন্ন হয়ে গেছে। মেরিন ক্য���প্টেন শেইন স্কোফিল্ড, কলসাইনঃ "স্কেয়ারক্রো"কে তার ১০জনের মেরিন টিম সহ পাঠানো হয় ইনভেস্টিগেট করে দেখার জন্য, সাথে ১০জন করে সদস্য বিশিষ্ট আরো তিনটি আর্মড ফোর্সেসের টিম: ৮২তম এয়ারবোর্ন স্কোয়াড্রন, ডেল্টা ফোর্স ও সীল টিম। ব্যাপারটা খুবই অভাবিত কারণ বিভিন্ন স্পেশাল ফোর্সের টিম এভাবে একত্রে মিশিয়ে কখনোই কোন অপারেশনে পাঠানো হয় না। দ্বীপের তীরে নোঙ্গর করে রাখা এয়ারক্র্যাফট কেরিয়ার ইউএসএস নিমিৎসে পা রাখার পরপরই রহস্য আরো জট পাকাতে থাকে, পুরো জাহাজে কোন জনমনিষ্যি নেই, আর সবখানে শুধু রক্তের ছিটা, গুলির খালি খোসা ও ভাঙ্গা কাঁচ। স্কোফিল্ড ও তার দল অবশ্য বেশিক্ষণ চিন্তাভাবনার সুযোগ পেল না, কারণ কিছুক্ষণের মধ্যেই রহস্যময় এক ভয়ঙ্কর শত্রুপক্ষের আক্রমণে একে একে মারা পড়তে শুরু করল অন্যান্য টিমের সদস্যরা, আর স্কোফিল্ডের টিমের প্রতিও শুরু হয়ে গেল বিরতিহীন হামলা আর আক্রমণ... এরপরে কি হল সেটা আর বললে স্পয়লার টেরিটরিতে পা দিয়ে ফেলব। বইটা সংক্ষিপ্ত, কিন্তু তাতে তুমুল অ্যাকশন, সাসপেন্স আর জটিলতার কোন অভাব হয় নাই। রহস্যময় এই শত্রুপক্ষ কে বা "কি", তারা ওই নির্জন দ্বীপে কিভাবে এল, আগের ছয়শো মেরিন সৈন্যদের কি হয়েছিল, কেনই বা চারটা ভিন্ন ভিন্ন স্পেশাল ফোর্সেস টিম পরবর্তিতে পাঠানো হল দ্বীপটিতে... সবকিছুর উত্তরেই পাঠককে চমকে দিতে পেরেছেন রাইলি। আর আগেকার কাহিনীগুলো উরাধুরা অ্যাকশন-অ্যাডভেঞ্চার হলেও সেই তুলনায় এই বইটার কাহিনী কিছুটা কম, কি বলা যায়, পাগলাটে (হয়তো রাইলি ঠিক মত "পাগলা" হবার জন্য ছোট পরিসরে জায়গা পাননি বলেই!)। বরং এখানে গা শিরশিরে রোমহর্ষক থ্রিলের পরিমাণ বেশি; সে দিক থেকে কাহিনীটা বেশ রিফ্রেশিং লেগেছে আমার কাছে। এছাড়া আরেকটা ব্যাপার ভাল লেগেছে: স্কোফিল্ডের চরিত্রায়ণ। রাইলির বইগুলোতে সঠিক চরিত্রায়ণ সবসময়ই ব্যাকসীটে চলে যায় শ্বাসরুদ্ধকর গতিময়তাকে জায়গা দেয়ার জন্য, তবে এখানে তিনি এমন একটা জিনিস কন্টিনিউ করেছেন যার মাধ্যমে পাঠক স্কোফিল্ডের সাথে কানেক্ট হতে পারে, যতই সে সুপারহিরোয়িক সব কাজকারবার করুক! সিরিজের আগের বই "স্কেয়ারক্রো"তে স্কোফিল্ড তার খুব কাছের একজনকে হারায়, যার ফলে ঐ মিশনের পরে সে বহুদিন আউট অফ কমিশন ছিল, এবং মাত্রই ফিল্ডে ব্যাক করেছে। এর ফলে টিমমেটদের মধ্যে স্কোফিল্ডের মানসিক অবস্থা, তার নেতৃত্ব দেয়ার ক্ষমতা ও বিপদকে মোকাবেলার করার মত সাধ্য আদৌও অবশিষ্ট আছে কি না সে ব্যাপারে সন্দেহ দেখা দেয়। এই ছোট কিন্তু প্রয়োজনীয় এলিমেন্টটি যুক্ত করার মাধ্যমে রাইলি যেমন সিরিজের একটা কন্টিনুয়েশন বজায় রাখলেন, তেমনি পাঠকও সাধারণ একজন মানুষ হিসেবে স্কোফিল্ডের সাথে রিলেট করতে পারল। ওভার অল, একবসাতে একটানে শেষ করার মত দুর্দান্ত একটা সাসপেন্স অ্যাকশন থ্রিলার "হেল আইল্যান্ড"। তবে বইটা শেষ করে আমার একটা ছোট অভিযোগ মাথায় এসেছে: কাহিনীটা যেন হুট করেই শেষ হয়ে গেল, সব কিছু ঘটার পরে সেটার অল্প করে হলেও একটা ফল-আউট দেখানোর অবশ্যই প্রয়োজন ছিল আমার মনে হয়। কিন্তু সবমিলিয়ে বিস্তৃতিতে ছোট হলেও রাইলির ট্রেডমার্ক ননস্টপ সাসপেন্স আর অ্যাকশন দিক থেকে হেল আইল্যান্ড একটি বিস্ফোরক উপন্যাসিকা।
October 3, 2015
Beware the beast Man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport or lust or greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him; drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death.
Four elite military units are dropped onto Hell Island, where they face a relentless adversary. Only Scarecrow and his team are able to survive. Non-stop action, but the premise is silly. More of a novella, than novel. Hope the next book is better.
Four elite military units are dropped onto Hell Island, where they face a relentless adversary. Only Scarecrow and his team are able to survive. Non-stop action, but the premise is silly. More of a novella, than novel. Hope the next book is better.
November 19, 2016
This short novella, was action packed. An Japan Island, taken from the American soldiers in 1943 is now an experiment gone wrong. Welcome to the 'planet of the apes' as Scarecrow and his new team fight to exterminate the most powerful and ruthless of primates.
LOVE Matthew Reilly's novels. Read this one in 3 hours.
LOVE Matthew Reilly's novels. Read this one in 3 hours.
September 12, 2018
Райли продължава да пише като 13 годишен превъзбуден любител читател на книжки с тайни и загадки. Докато в големите му романи това някак успява да стане занимателно или забавно, тук му играе по-скоро лоша шега...
March 28, 2015
Hell Island by Matthew Reilly is the type of story that I started reading Matthew Reilly for. It is a rollercoaster ride of twists and turns and sharp brakes and enough action to make Stallone retire!
"..It slammed into Haynes, ramming him back against the door. His head hit the steel door hard, the blow stunning him but not knocking him out.
And as he slumped to the floor and saw the creature draw a glistening long-bladed K-bar knife from its sheath, Haynes wished it had knocked him unconscious, because the he wouldn't have to witness what it did to him next..."
The USS Nimitz, Air Craft Carrier, lay moored next to the island once known as Grant Island. But after the blood and brutal battles fought for it between American forces and the Japanese in WWII, it was now known as Hell Island. The Nimitz had been hit by a tsunami and all communications had been lost from the Carrier and the contingent of 600 crew aboard. Four teams of crack fighters were being haloed onto the Nimitz. One Unit from the 82nd Airborne Division. One Seal team. One Delta team and one team of Force Reconnaissance Marines. Leading the Marines is Captain Shane Schofield, call sign "Scarecrow".
What awaited them aboard the Nimitz and on Hell Island was not the results of a tsunami or any natural disaster. Scarecrow and his team were about to dropped into a carnage blender and only his tactics and training was going to save him and his team. If he can hold it together long enough.
Hell Island is a small book, barely one hundred pages long but Reilly doesn't waste a drop of ink or a nanometer of page space. He feels it with so much action that the reader will feel like he's just finished a grueling sprint through an obstacle course. Only with blades and bullets flying all around you. The book was written upon request from the Australian Government, as a donation to help with encouraging its citizens to read. It should, it really should. I dare anyone to pick this one up and put it back down. Its an adrenaline junkies dream!
Blending science fiction and hard core action, Hell Island is a reminder of how good Matthew Reilly really is and a taste of this action master at the top of his game.
"..It slammed into Haynes, ramming him back against the door. His head hit the steel door hard, the blow stunning him but not knocking him out.
And as he slumped to the floor and saw the creature draw a glistening long-bladed K-bar knife from its sheath, Haynes wished it had knocked him unconscious, because the he wouldn't have to witness what it did to him next..."
The USS Nimitz, Air Craft Carrier, lay moored next to the island once known as Grant Island. But after the blood and brutal battles fought for it between American forces and the Japanese in WWII, it was now known as Hell Island. The Nimitz had been hit by a tsunami and all communications had been lost from the Carrier and the contingent of 600 crew aboard. Four teams of crack fighters were being haloed onto the Nimitz. One Unit from the 82nd Airborne Division. One Seal team. One Delta team and one team of Force Reconnaissance Marines. Leading the Marines is Captain Shane Schofield, call sign "Scarecrow".
What awaited them aboard the Nimitz and on Hell Island was not the results of a tsunami or any natural disaster. Scarecrow and his team were about to dropped into a carnage blender and only his tactics and training was going to save him and his team. If he can hold it together long enough.
Hell Island is a small book, barely one hundred pages long but Reilly doesn't waste a drop of ink or a nanometer of page space. He feels it with so much action that the reader will feel like he's just finished a grueling sprint through an obstacle course. Only with blades and bullets flying all around you. The book was written upon request from the Australian Government, as a donation to help with encouraging its citizens to read. It should, it really should. I dare anyone to pick this one up and put it back down. Its an adrenaline junkies dream!
Blending science fiction and hard core action, Hell Island is a reminder of how good Matthew Reilly really is and a taste of this action master at the top of his game.
June 12, 2013
Hell Island felt like what could easily develop into a video game storyline where character depth and development can take a backseat to action sequences or it could be a solid Sci/Fi-Action B-Movie plotline where the storyline itself will not resonate with all and may turn off some, but very well may be well received from fans of the SyFy network. I wont expand much on the story as to avoid a potential spoilers, but what we have here is a snapshot, or an episode of a television series that lands somewhere in the middle of a given season. The reader looks in right as the action starts with little plot setup and even less of a plot ending leaving the reader to wonder what happens next, this cant be it?!?! Thus is often the case with a novella such as this. This took me approximately two evenings of quick readings to bang out and was quite easy to follow. I could have easily done without the horrible artwork found within the pages and if the author is going to provide a map, Id like to see something better than what appears to be a map generated by closed lines in an excel spreadsheet. At first I didn't mind the 6.99 price, but looking back, I would have expected this to be a .99 ebook instead. I have been told that this is Reilly's worst effort, so if the opportunity comes, I would give his writing another shot.
May 8, 2019
Okay, so military thrillers are not normally my thing, but this one was pretty amusing.
We have a group of soldiers called to a mystery island, they quickly realize that there are genetically enhanced apes taking over said island, and then crazy action scenes ensue. There's no skirting around it, the plot is dumb. However, it's a fun kind of dumb.
To me, reading this book was equivalent to watching a bad, guilty pleasure action movie. It was fast-paced, easy to get into, and entertaining the whole way through. Just like a cheesy movie, you'll have to throw your logic out the window and just roll with the punches. There are scenes in here that made me laugh out loud at how ridiculous and far-fetched they were. It's silly and exaggerated, but also exciting and a good way to pass the time.
I don't think this book has convinced me to read more military thrillers, but I'm still glad that I picked this up at the library. Even though I don't necessarily see myself reading from this genre on a regular basis, I can still appreciate that I had a fun reading experience. I would say check this one out if you're in the market for a super short and wacky action story.
We have a group of soldiers called to a mystery island, they quickly realize that there are genetically enhanced apes taking over said island, and then crazy action scenes ensue. There's no skirting around it, the plot is dumb. However, it's a fun kind of dumb.
To me, reading this book was equivalent to watching a bad, guilty pleasure action movie. It was fast-paced, easy to get into, and entertaining the whole way through. Just like a cheesy movie, you'll have to throw your logic out the window and just roll with the punches. There are scenes in here that made me laugh out loud at how ridiculous and far-fetched they were. It's silly and exaggerated, but also exciting and a good way to pass the time.
I don't think this book has convinced me to read more military thrillers, but I'm still glad that I picked this up at the library. Even though I don't necessarily see myself reading from this genre on a regular basis, I can still appreciate that I had a fun reading experience. I would say check this one out if you're in the market for a super short and wacky action story.
December 12, 2021
Nice story. Quick read, which is what it was written for.
January 20, 2021
Well this is my first one-star review. It was certainly fast-paced and full of action but I didn’t feel engaged in anything. Cheesy catch-phrases and predictable.
“And the apes, well, went apeshit”.
“And the apes, well, went apeshit”.
December 11, 2024
Worth the read as it is only a one day commitment, but not as good as the first three in the Scarecrow series.
October 24, 2024
Something I wouldn’t usually pick up but Jason forced it on me! Just a novella to see if I like Matthew Reilly. Didn’t mind it, enjoyed it by the end.
March 20, 2011
Hell Island had been on my to-read list for like, five years before I started it.
One day, my next door neighbor (the nice one) came over and gave me a free copy (because he was friends with the publisher, had hundreds of copies for some reason, and knew I liked reading. Somehow. A little creepy.)
Anyway, I was excited to finally start reading it. I got one page in before my dad came home with a copy of Mockingjay, which I was much more desperate to read (however, be warned: it sucks).
I finished that books and got on with life, forgetting about Hell Island. Until SEVEN MONTHS later I found it behind my bookshelf whilst cleaning. I smacked my head, called myself silly, and sat down later that night to read it.
I was done in one sitting.
But thats not because it was gripping, because it was short (barely 100 pages!)
Maybe I expected more? Maybe I thought it would be clever, mysterious and chilling.
But it wasnt. It was paced way too fast, with way too much action
Basically, my thoughts whilst reading this are:
Page 1: Oh, I am so excited! Fingers crossed this is good
Page 7: I am really liking this so far :)
Page 18: well this is a bit bland. But it has only 100 pages, so I guess Riely cant go into much detail
Page 24: That name "nimitz" is starting to get on my nerves
Page 25: Okay, its on my nerves.
page 36: Woah, giant mutant killer gorillas!
Page 40: MORE giant mutant killer gorillas!
Page 45: Why are there so many giant mutant killer gorillas?
Page 50: Okay. *sigh*. Ive had enough of the gorillas.
Page 58: Eh. The battle scene is Monsters of Men was better
Page 61: Character: "Game over, we loose" Me: haha, yes! Time to end this!
Page 75: BAM BAM BAM! Giant shocking twist! Turns out this book does have a bit of a brain....
Page 96: .....I was proven wrong
Page 102: Oh, pardon the pun Mister Reily. I see what you did there
Page 108: Oh thank goodness thats over. I honestly dont know weather or not I want to read Ice Station any more :S
One day, my next door neighbor (the nice one) came over and gave me a free copy (because he was friends with the publisher, had hundreds of copies for some reason, and knew I liked reading. Somehow. A little creepy.)
Anyway, I was excited to finally start reading it. I got one page in before my dad came home with a copy of Mockingjay, which I was much more desperate to read (however, be warned: it sucks).
I finished that books and got on with life, forgetting about Hell Island. Until SEVEN MONTHS later I found it behind my bookshelf whilst cleaning. I smacked my head, called myself silly, and sat down later that night to read it.
I was done in one sitting.
But thats not because it was gripping, because it was short (barely 100 pages!)
Maybe I expected more? Maybe I thought it would be clever, mysterious and chilling.
But it wasnt. It was paced way too fast, with way too much action
Basically, my thoughts whilst reading this are:
Page 1: Oh, I am so excited! Fingers crossed this is good
Page 7: I am really liking this so far :)
Page 18: well this is a bit bland. But it has only 100 pages, so I guess Riely cant go into much detail
Page 24: That name "nimitz" is starting to get on my nerves
Page 25: Okay, its on my nerves.
page 36: Woah, giant mutant killer gorillas!
Page 40: MORE giant mutant killer gorillas!
Page 45: Why are there so many giant mutant killer gorillas?
Page 50: Okay. *sigh*. Ive had enough of the gorillas.
Page 58: Eh. The battle scene is Monsters of Men was better
Page 61: Character: "Game over, we loose" Me: haha, yes! Time to end this!
Page 75: BAM BAM BAM! Giant shocking twist! Turns out this book does have a bit of a brain....
Page 96: .....I was proven wrong
Page 102: Oh, pardon the pun Mister Reily. I see what you did there
Page 108: Oh thank goodness thats over. I honestly dont know weather or not I want to read Ice Station any more :S
May 9, 2012
This novella is typical of Matthew Reilly’s writing style. Action from the first sentence, Shane Schofield known as Scarecrow, is parachuting to the deck of an aircraft carrier, beside Hell Island. His crack team of marines, is only one of a specialist team to drop in, three other squads from 82nd, Seals and Delta dropped in at the same time. The operation has all the markings of an elaborate training exercise. What a deadly game it becomes, the enemy is a force, never previously encountered by any living army is brutal in attack and seems to be unbeatable.
Born July 2, 1974, Matthew Reilly is the international bestselling author of Contest, Ice Station, Temple, Area 7, Scarecrow, Hover Car Racer, Seven Ancient Wonders, Hell Island, The Six Sacred Stones, The Five Greatest Warriors.
Hell Island was originally released in 2005 for the Australian Books Alive initiative. The novella was given away free with any novel or book that was part of the extensive Books Alive range, selected to encourage reading. This book was reprinted in 2007, due to demand for more in the Shane Schofield series.
I downloaded this novella onto my ipad, on full screen image it is only eighty two pages long. For a writer this book is a masterful weave of characters, battles, tactics, with the hall mark drawings depicting the site of the operations. Heart beating from the outset, the reader is drawn into the story and the pages are so quickly turned, it could look like a mini tornado.
Interestingly, from my point of view, was the list of ISBN numbers for the book as a book, then adobe eReader, Microsoft Reader, Mobipocket, Online and EPub format.
Considering that when I first saw this author at Somerset Literary festival a few years ago, he was a young gun writer, who self published his own book Contest, read it on trains and drummed up enough interest to secure a publisher. He has come a long way from then and his books are real thrill rides with great appeal. Matthew’s web site is also a must see site.
Born July 2, 1974, Matthew Reilly is the international bestselling author of Contest, Ice Station, Temple, Area 7, Scarecrow, Hover Car Racer, Seven Ancient Wonders, Hell Island, The Six Sacred Stones, The Five Greatest Warriors.
Hell Island was originally released in 2005 for the Australian Books Alive initiative. The novella was given away free with any novel or book that was part of the extensive Books Alive range, selected to encourage reading. This book was reprinted in 2007, due to demand for more in the Shane Schofield series.
I downloaded this novella onto my ipad, on full screen image it is only eighty two pages long. For a writer this book is a masterful weave of characters, battles, tactics, with the hall mark drawings depicting the site of the operations. Heart beating from the outset, the reader is drawn into the story and the pages are so quickly turned, it could look like a mini tornado.
Interestingly, from my point of view, was the list of ISBN numbers for the book as a book, then adobe eReader, Microsoft Reader, Mobipocket, Online and EPub format.
Considering that when I first saw this author at Somerset Literary festival a few years ago, he was a young gun writer, who self published his own book Contest, read it on trains and drummed up enough interest to secure a publisher. He has come a long way from then and his books are real thrill rides with great appeal. Matthew’s web site is also a must see site.
August 24, 2011
This is another high-octane Shane Schofield thriller from Australian writer Matthew Reilly, and it's a roller-coaster ride.
A novella originally written to inspire people to go book stores, the book became a huge success on the Internet. I'm not surprised, given the can't-stop action.
Marine Capt. Schofield, hero of Area 7, is part of a special ops force dropped aboard the USS Nimitz, docked at a mysteBelirious Pacific island facility.
Immediately after landing, the soldiers find wreckage, plenty of blood... and no sign of the crew.
It doesn't take long for the body count to pile up, as Schofield's Marines combat an overwhelmingly superior fighting force.
Their opponents appear to be superhuman, fearless and vicious.
Believe me, the stunts in this story are worth your time.
A novella originally written to inspire people to go book stores, the book became a huge success on the Internet. I'm not surprised, given the can't-stop action.
Marine Capt. Schofield, hero of Area 7, is part of a special ops force dropped aboard the USS Nimitz, docked at a mysteBelirious Pacific island facility.
Immediately after landing, the soldiers find wreckage, plenty of blood... and no sign of the crew.
It doesn't take long for the body count to pile up, as Schofield's Marines combat an overwhelmingly superior fighting force.
Their opponents appear to be superhuman, fearless and vicious.
Believe me, the stunts in this story are worth your time.
February 19, 2014
Matt Reilly’s novella, Hell Island is typical of his roller-coaster, thrill a minute style. It reintroduces some familiar faces – Scarecrow and Mother, and flings us into the action, joining them as they free-fall to their latest assignment. This story is all action, gun-fights and last nanosecond rescues. It was a bit thin on plot for my taste, and the back-story only semi-plausible. Reilly did manage a few plot twists at the end. Probably my least favorite Reilly to date, but still an enjoyable few hours of diversion.
March 14, 2018
Sadly, 110 pages is just not enough for any substantive storytelling.
Reading the preface, I appreciate that this story was specifically crafted to a certain set of parameters of size & length, and with those constraints in mind (as well as the overarching goal of increasing overall reading rates in Australia) it hits the mark: Fast, quickly gripping, interesting premise, and classic Schofield resolution.
However as a work of any substance or satisfaction, it falls short for readers over the age of 10.
Reading the preface, I appreciate that this story was specifically crafted to a certain set of parameters of size & length, and with those constraints in mind (as well as the overarching goal of increasing overall reading rates in Australia) it hits the mark: Fast, quickly gripping, interesting premise, and classic Schofield resolution.
However as a work of any substance or satisfaction, it falls short for readers over the age of 10.
November 19, 2010
Incredibly fast-paced, rip-roaring, military-special-forces thriller with a good bit of sci-fi thrown in for good measure. Matthew Reilly is one of my favorite authors and this book is the perfect microexpression of why (only 130 pages or something like that).
If you wonder if you'd like this genre, this is a great book to dive into because it's not going to take hours of your life to get through.
If you wonder if you'd like this genre, this is a great book to dive into because it's not going to take hours of your life to get through.
November 3, 2010
Shane Schofield is back!! only for 110 pages..but that will have to be enough for the fans. The Scarecrow has been pitched against formidable enemies before but this time on Hell Island he's facing a troop of genetically enhanced super-soldiers. ok, the plot might sound a little too out-there but any excuse to break out the Desert Eagle and annihilate bad guys is always deemed reasonable:)
February 13, 2015
THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
3 stars - Epic Sci-Fi
Illogical, five humans beat up 300 mutant gorillas (should be dead earlier because the number was higher before I forgot how many) but on second thought, this is sci-fi/thriller, I shouldn't bother to make sense of it. Glad the book's short.
3 stars - Epic Sci-Fi
Illogical, five humans beat up 300 mutant gorillas (should be dead earlier because the number was higher before I forgot how many) but on second thought, this is sci-fi/thriller, I shouldn't bother to make sense of it. Glad the book's short.
December 30, 2015
Finished the book just like I'd finish a video game :D
January 1, 2019
Really good. Was scared the shorter format would hinder Reilly's writing but Hell Island was fantastic.
June 3, 2023
Reilly has returned to his winning formula with Hell Island. Shane Scarecrow Schofield and his loyal and awesome lieutenant Mother take on all comers, gather a few loyal and equally talented and disciplined squad members and, against all odds, right the world’s wrongs.
Hell Island is a short novella and an easy read but it packs a big punch and it was seriously entertaining. And that is the essential element of all good reading.
My hero worshipping of Matthew Reilly is back.
Hell Island is a short novella and an easy read but it packs a big punch and it was seriously entertaining. And that is the essential element of all good reading.
My hero worshipping of Matthew Reilly is back.
November 8, 2017
Very short, but not exactly sweet - classic Reilly with heaps of adventure and split-second escapes for some characters, lots of blood and grisly deaths for others. No such events that rock the Schofield world as happened in the previous book...
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