HELL ISLAND (QUICK READS)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 128 pages
• Published by: PAN BOOKS; Unabridged edition March 3, 2006
• ISBN 10 Number: 0330442325
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0330442329
• Book Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Weighs: 3.5 ounces

Reader Reviews
Usual novel length author Matthew Reilly has followed the recent trend and written a short story as a stand alone book. Nothing wrong with that, in fact its great to see alternatives to magazines and newspapers for those of us who are commuters of planes, trains and buses and wanted something to start and finish before the journey is over. Like with Desert Claw by Damien Lewis by the same publishers promoting this great new reading option, substance seems to be left behind replaced with unrealistic combat situations of special force soldiers where they seem to be able to pick the enemy off with ease while the enemy although supposedly highly trained just can't manage to ever kill one of the main characters no matter how easy a target they seem to be. Desert Claw had Iraqis, Hell Island has a genetically modified unhuman enemy (I won't give away what that enemy is as that's pretty much the only surprise in the story). Schofield from the US Marines is surprised that his team has been sent in on a top secret mission alongside forty other special force soldiers from Delta Force and the Navy Seals, something which apparently is unheard of. They are to land on the deck of an aircraft carrier beside a small island between Japan and Russia called Hell Island, where the crew of the US Nimitz and a battalion of soldiers they were carrying has mysteriously disappeared. They and the other forces are to rescue this crew, secure the island and pick up a top secret cargo. What they think will be a quick and efficient mission soon turns out to be anything but. It's great to see the stand alone short story on the shelves as a cheap read option for those who don't want to read about the latest gossip in a tabloid magazine or want to read a newspaper on the way to work but sadly I am yet to come across a high quality short story by these publishers. There are plenty in compilation novel sized short story collections so surely it can't be that hard. Comment | | (Report this)