Rating: 
Summary: Crows
Review: Matthew Reilly's Scarecrow is perhaps one of the lesser of his novels. While readers are given a chance to witness another Shane Schofield adventure, hit latest offering is a rather cliched, repetitive bulletfest in which Captain Schofield improbably -and frequently- extricates himself from situations in which death seems certain. Unfortunately, through this Shane Schofield has become nigh-on invincible. Needless to say, this invincibility detracts from the book. The premise is simple- For much of the book USMC captain Shane M Schofield is being hunted by a motely array of bounty hunters, eager to secure his head and the 19.6 million dollar bounty. As the plot progresses, Shane Schofield discovers the motives for his assasination, and naturally outlasts the other members of the bounty list in a series of spectacular shoot-outs and explosions. This results in the fate of the world lying squarely on his indestructible shoulders.On a more positive note, the sheer pace of the narrative redeems it marginally, but the flaws in character development in tandem with a stereotyped, improbable plot cannot be ignored. Nonetheless, an enjoyable, if hollow read.
Rating:
Summary: Sure to scare crows
Review: Matthew Reilly's Scarecrow is, in my opinion slightly overrated. Yes, it does include a vague, stereotyped plot, but though it is packed with non-stop action, it fails to deliver in the same way as his earlier novels. Why? Simply because in increasing the action of the book, he has lapsed slightly on character development and, lately, the character Shane Schofield has become encased in an almost invincible aura. The lack of an 'animal' elements such as the Rapas in Temple or the alien species in Contest continues this trend. However, there is no denying that Matthew Reilly crafts action sequences with great skill, and for all its one-word sentences and comic-book style onomatopoeia -"BLAM" - Scarecrow is still an undeniably enthralling, albeit shallow read. The plot opens with Schofield and team being dropped into an abandoned military facility. After the inevitable ambush, Shane (call sign Scarecrow) makes the ominous discovery that he is on a hit list of the mysterious Majestic-12-. As Schofield evades the assasins in a series of action scenes, he is teamed up with "Black Knight," seemingly his protector, and begins to unravel the reason behind efforts to assasinate him.
Rating: 
Summary: Fabulous Story!
Review: Scarecrow by talented writer Matthew Reilly was such a fabulous story! I loved the characters and the plot had me wanting more! All the markings of a great writer to be sure! (Highly Recommended!)
Rating: 
Summary: 4 1/2 stars
Review: See storyline above. All I can say is suspend your beliefs and enjoy the show. Filled with death defying action and unbelievable escapes, Matthew Reilly again shows us what adrenaline pounding action is all about. This book almost makes Clive Cussler's writing seem like a pussycat--well, maybe not quite.
In an interview at the end of the novel Matthew admits it's "...outrageous and over-the-top...accept that I sometimes have to bend the truth (and, hell, the laws of physics!) for the sake of a roller-coaster story."
This one's strictly for fun. It would also make one heck of a movie--of course the movie would require more computer effects than anything I've seen. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A flawed but entertaining page-turner
Review: The action really rockets along, from one scene to the next.
I was having a good time, but the premise of the story rankled:
a security system that could only be beaten by a handfull of men
with lightning-quick reflexes? What a crock!
I've found that most of Reilly's previous stories have been
built upon some overly-contrived premises, which lessen their
impact in the end. A more solid foundation, with fewer gimmicks,
would round things out more pleasingly. And if he could cut down
on italics and exclamation marks for emphasis, that would help,
too. Still, a fun read over the holidays.
Rating:
Summary: action packed thriller
Review: The intelligence report claimed that Islamic terrorists took control of the Krask 8: Penal and Maintenance Installation Siberian submarine repair base and with the seizure possess nuclear missiles. US Marine Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield and an elite Delta Force race to stop the terrorists before they can use or sell their cache of mass destruction. However, instead of Islamic enemies, Schofield and company are caught in a deadly trap set by teams of bounty hunters competing in a contest to kill Delta Force soldiers at over $18 million-per scalp. The Majestic 12, consisting of a dozen male multibillionaires who inherit the seat via primogeniture, has drawn up a hit list that includes Scarecrow at number 12 among fifteen targets for elimination. This group has been in the way of good business decisions to buy and sell presidents and other heads of states. In deep trouble as he escapes the nuclear reactor for the nuclear waste, Scarecrow and company battle a seemingly endless supply of mercenaries, who want to collect the bounty. Is the novel unreal? Yes! Is the conspiracy unbelievable? Absolutely! Are the characters two-dimensional? No doubt! With all that, readers will conclude who cares. Fans of non-stop, action packed thrillers will want to read this delightful tale even if the body count seems endless. This terrific novel never allows the audience a chance to catch its breath as it rockets from one scenario to an even more dangerous situation sort of like the opening scene in an Indiana Jones movie, but continuing for two hours without respite. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Action plus plus
Review: The story is interesting and hooks you easily. Very entertaining. Robbins, whoops I mean Reilly, definitely has good talent. The problem is that there is too much action. Poor Scarecrow does not have much rest in between death defying escapes. It's like Shane jumps from the frying pan into the fire, then is drowned by tons of water and is flushed down the drain where a giant spider waits with open jaws, when suddenly the disposal unit turns on. Lucky for him that he has his maghook. Chuckle.
Rating:
Summary: Nonstop action, adventure, and a HUGE surprise are in store!
Review: There are no words to describe SCARECROW. So I'll just say read it. I'm gonna go watch some DVDs of Season One of "The Shield" or something. ... Oh. You're still here? Thank you for your patience. Let me try again. SCARECROW is the code name for Shane Schofield. Schofield's a Marine, one of the good guys. He has supernatural reflexes, is combat ready, and makes James Bond looks like he's sleepwalking. If you've read Matthew Reilly's novels before, novels like AREA 7 and ICE STATION, you've already met Schofield. But you don't really get to know him until SCARECROW. In an interview that Reilly thoughtfully appended to SCARECROW, he notes that SCARECROW introduces Schofield 2.0. Amen. Drive-in movies in the 1950s would occasionally advertise films that were "so frightening, so shocking, we'll have a physician on duty to treat anyone overcome by what they see!!!!" or something like that. In that spirit, SCARECROW should come with a blood pressure cuff shrink-wrapped to it. Maybe an assumption of risk waiver that you'd have to e-mail back to the publisher before reading would be appropriate. Experiencing SCARECROW is like reading a video game, except Resident Evil is tame by comparison. Like action movies? Reading SCARECROW makes "Cradle 2 The Grave" look like "Howard's End." It's unrelenting. It never stops. You can't read SCARECROW at one sitting. You've got to come up for air once in awhile. One of the plot devices in any number of novels is the ticking clock. The writer has to set up a scenario whereby resolution of a problem has to be obtained within a certain amount of time or adverse consequences will occur. Reilly scatters a couple of hundred clocks through SCARECROW and sets them go off within a few seconds of each other. The big clock, if you will, involves a shadowy group of powerful folks who want to get another cold war going. In order to effectuate this, they need to eliminate fifteen individuals --- and they're paying a bounty of 18.5 million dollars a head. Literally. Schofield is on the list, and there are bad guys literally dropping out of the sky to get at him. Fortunately, there is someone willing to pay $20 million dollars to keep Schofield alive. Schofield thus has the help of a bounty hunter known as the Black Knight, a man who has a price on his own head and whose skills seem to be the equal of Schofield's. It seems as if it's the two of them against the world, as they fight to stay alive while seeking to uncover, and thwart, a nefarious plot to plunge the world into war. And on top of all of this, one of the bad guys has a plan of his own that's even worse than what his buddies are planning. Schofield and company find themselves literally racing from one end of the world to the other with death and danger a heartbeat away. Naturally, SCARECROW is full of danger, carnage, explosions --- and more excitement per page than most books contain cover to cover. Oh, and gadgets. Did I mention gadgets? I have enough ideas for my Christmas wish list after reading SCARECROW to keep Santa hopping for the next ten years. Nonstop action, adventure, and a HUGE surprise for fans of Reilly's other Schofield novels --- what more could you ask for from a novel? You'll give up television forever after reading SCARECROW. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Rating:
Summary: Nonstop action, adventure, and a HUGE surprise are in store!
Review: There are no words to describe SCARECROW. So I'll just say read it. I'm gonna go watch some DVDs of Season One of "The Shield" or something. ... Oh. You're still here? Thank you for your patience. Let me try again. SCARECROW is the code name for Shane Schofield. Schofield's a Marine, one of the good guys. He has supernatural reflexes, is combat ready, and makes James Bond looks like he's sleepwalking. If you've read Matthew Reilly's novels before, novels like AREA 7 and ICE STATION, you've already met Schofield. But you don't really get to know him until SCARECROW. In an interview that Reilly thoughtfully appended to SCARECROW, he notes that SCARECROW introduces Schofield 2.0. Amen. Drive-in movies in the 1950s would occasionally advertise films that were "so frightening, so shocking, we'll have a physician on duty to treat anyone overcome by what they see!!!!" or something like that. In that spirit, SCARECROW should come with a blood pressure cuff shrink-wrapped to it. Maybe an assumption of risk waiver that you'd have to e-mail back to the publisher before reading would be appropriate. Experiencing SCARECROW is like reading a video game, except Resident Evil is tame by comparison. Like action movies? Reading SCARECROW makes "Cradle 2 The Grave" look like "Howard's End." It's unrelenting. It never stops. You can't read SCARECROW at one sitting. You've got to come up for air once in awhile. One of the plot devices in any number of novels is the ticking clock. The writer has to set up a scenario whereby resolution of a problem has to be obtained within a certain amount of time or adverse consequences will occur. Reilly scatters a couple of hundred clocks through SCARECROW and sets them go off within a few seconds of each other. The big clock, if you will, involves a shadowy group of powerful folks who want to get another cold war going. In order to effectuate this, they need to eliminate fifteen individuals --- and they're paying a bounty of 18.5 million dollars a head. Literally. Schofield is on the list, and there are bad guys literally dropping out of the sky to get at him. Fortunately, there is someone willing to pay $20 million dollars to keep Schofield alive. Schofield thus has the help of a bounty hunter known as the Black Knight, a man who has a price on his own head and whose skills seem to be the equal of Schofield's. It seems as if it's the two of them against the world, as they fight to stay alive while seeking to uncover, and thwart, a nefarious plot to plunge the world into war. And on top of all of this, one of the bad guys has a plan of his own that's even worse than what his buddies are planning. Schofield and company find themselves literally racing from one end of the world to the other with death and danger a heartbeat away. Naturally, SCARECROW is full of danger, carnage, explosions --- and more excitement per page than most books contain cover to cover. Oh, and gadgets. Did I mention gadgets? I have enough ideas for my Christmas wish list after reading SCARECROW to keep Santa hopping for the next ten years. Nonstop action, adventure, and a HUGE surprise for fans of Reilly's other Schofield novels --- what more could you ask for from a novel? You'll give up television forever after reading SCARECROW. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Rating:
Summary: Strickly for Gamers
Review: There is a type of book that I classify as books for non-readers. Reilly's books fall into that category. Not that they are bad but that they need to be critiqued for its intended audience. 'Scarecrow' will surely please it's audience but if you are looking for strong character development, a logical plotline, and interesting writing style, you should look elsewhere. If your idea of good entertainment is a few hours in front of your PC playing 'Unreal Tournament' than this is the book for you. For 'Scarecrow' is nothing more than a comic book without pictures; or a text description of a lengthy computer shooter game. If you can put your credibility on hold then this is the book for you. Reilly's first book 'Ice Station', showed a lot of promise but the subsequent books clearly illustrates that he writes for a specific audience. Someday I hope that he will take a chance and write that breakthrough book that will get him the attention of the literary crowd. I think he has it in him.
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