Ones of these weapons, known as the Helmet of Hades , is kept by Hades in a vault in his New York apartment. While the team is en-route, Hades receives a few more messages, one of them from Minotus, who warns of the bronze figure's attack before being cut off, and another from the Slave King, who is revealed to be Hades's younger brother Yago DeSaxe.
Hades tells the group that the other two Immortal Weapons are the Sword of the Rock , which has been held by the Kingdom of Land for over a thousand years, and the Trident of the Sealords , in actual fact a mace and long-missing. Regarding the silver coffins, Hades was warned by his father never to try to open them and to stay out of their occupants' way when it comes time for them to emerge but he had little idea of what was truly inside them.
Once Hades explains the difficult relationship with his brother, Alby shares his findings on when the Trial of the Cities has to be completed. The "rising of the Sagittarius over the sun", will occur in a week on December 1st, a celestial event in which the Sagittarius A-star near the center of the universe will bombard the Earth with harmless radio waves.
The path that the Hydra galaxy cleared behind it on its initial course towards Earth will allow the radio waves a clear shot at the planet, and it seems that when these waves reach Earth they will somehow know if the trial has been competed or not.
In addition to the Helmet, the vault contains a tablet depicting the Three Immortal Weapons, and Hades tells them that the tablet is part of the Altar of the Cosmos , where the trial's final ritual must take place.
Lily translates the undamaged sections of Thoth text on the tablet; first is about the weapons, the second indicates the order that the weapons must be empowered at of the Three Cities. However, assailants attack the building, forcing the group to leave the Helmet and escape into a panic room, where they see on the monitor that the group is led by Orlando, accompanied by Cardinal Ricardo Mendoza and the blood-antiquities dealer Sunil "Sunny" Malik.
As they prepare to take away the Helmet and tablet, they are overheard discussing the potential location of the Trident, rumours suggest that it is in Poseidon's tomb near the city of Atlas; Orlando's cousin Lord Hardin "Sphinx" Lancaster is noted to be one of the three Trismagi who watch over the Three Cities, specifically the keeper of Atlas, so he may know where the Trident is exactly.
Once Orlando and his entourage depart, Jack and the others try to leave, only to come face-to-face with Yago and his team. Yago is uninterested in hearing his brother out, however the confrontation is complicated by the arrival of a pair of V Opreys controlled by the Knights of the Golden Eight. Their leader, known as Jaeger Eins , uses the building's PA system to inform them of their mission, telling Yago that he can take Hades but not Jack or the others, and Yago is surprisingly quick to accept the deal.
The Golden Eight's Vs open fire on the building, and Jack, Mae and Lily are able to escape to a construction building on a crane Zoe positions for them. The Vs then fire at the construction building and cause it to topple into the Hudson River, however Jack and the women are prepared with breathing equipment and escape to meet up with Alby. Unable to confirm Jack's death and knowing he likely survived, Eins calmly resolves that the Knights of the Golden Eight will have to draw them out to try again.
In response to the attack in the Underworld, Pooh Bear and Stretch arrive to find that Minotus and his people have finally managed to trap the bronze man, but only after it has slaughtered over minotaurs.
Believing that the automaton is speaking in Thoth, they call Lily, who confirms it and translates: "Are you my Master? Recalling from the Zeus papyrus that one of the rewards to the King of Kings was an army of these Bronzemen, Jack questions if he made the right call preventing Orlando from receiving the Mysteries, and tells Stretch and Pooh Bear to do what they can to prevent or slow the hundreds of silver coffins that remain unopened from causing further mayhem.
Though they have lost Hades, Jack decides that the team's next move is to follow a note from the Zeus papyrus, in which "the journey to the Three Secret Cities begins at the end", which he takes to mean the Altar of the Cosmos. As it is believed that the Fraternal Order of St. Paul has a rubbing of the full tablet at the Gallerie dell'Accademia , the team starts heading towards Venice to find it.
In the meantime, they are to research the Immortal Weapons, Secret Cities and the Altar, as well as determine where Hades has been taken and who the Knights of the Golden Eight are. Mae believes that they a group of assassins with no true allegiance to anyone, even the Four Kingdoms, and that their typical fee is a large section of land or even countries.
Wanting more information on them, Jack reaches out to his new ally, Scarecrow , and while the U. Marine hasn't heard of them, he believes he knows someone who might. In their research, Jack's team manages to reach some conclusions regarding the Three Cities. Thule is believed to be in an icy region somewhere north of the British Isles, and is paired with the Sword; in Thoth, "the Great City of Ra" is spoken as Do-Ra-Do, therefore Ra is most likely El-Dorado, which goes with the Helmet; and Atlas in in fact one of the many names for the lost city of Atlantis, and is linked with the Trident.
As they note each city is guarded by more of the bronzemen and decide to tackle finding Thule first, suddenly all TV channels around the world are hacked simultaneously. The culprits; Eins and the Knights of the Golden Eight, who show off Jack's photo and warn him that he cannot escape from them before cutting the transmission.
Out of their depth and needing someone with inside royal knowledge, Jack contacts Iolanthe, who agrees to meet them. However, as Iolanthe tries to secure texts on the Altar, she is captured by Orlando. Once they arrive in Venice, Jack and Lily use a submersible to sneak into the Accademia, and soon find the rubbing of the tablet. When Lily translates it, it reads that whoever opens the first city, Thule, will require comrades at Ra and Atlas as well because unlocking the first City unlocks them all at once.
The pair are then confronted by monks from the Fraternal Order of St. Paul, or as they are truly known, the Order of the Omega , who study the nature of the Omega Event.
Their leader, Ezekiel informs them that the Golden Eight had deduced where they were going and requested the monks hold them until they arrive. Indeed, three of the Knights parachute down into the museum, while their water-capable Hercules lands on the canal outside. Jack and Lily escape the monks, and soon they, Alby and Sky Monster begin trying to flee through the canals. However, Sky Monster is shot in the arm and Alby is separated from the others; knowing the Knights want him alive, Alby pleads for his friends to escape, which they reluctantly do with the promise of finding him later.
Meeting up with Julius Lachlan now having a family and therefore commitments , Zoe and Mae head to the rendezvous with Iolanthe at St. Michael's Mount where the Hall of Royal Records are located.
However, the trio spot Orlando, Mendoza, Malik and an unknown young woman departing, and head for where the group emerged. They soon finding themselves in a dungeon where Iolanthe, her hair shaven and face cut and bruised, is being tortured.
Freeing Iolanthe, they gather up the notes she hid before her capture and leave to meet up with Jack, Lily and Sky Monster in London. A few months before they were taken to the Underworld, Jack visits Lily in California. Lily asks Jack his opinion of Alby being more than a friend. Jack approves since he knows Alby is loyal to her. A few days later, when Alby joins them for lunch, he asks why Jack does the things that make him a hero.
Before he answers the question, Jack decides that Alby and Lily are old enough to write letters or emails to be read by him upon their deaths should something ever go wrong, showing them Wizard's own email. The characters are amazing too. Jack West JNR is an amazing hero and focal point of the story. The other characters too are very well written and really add to the story. There's also a special guest who I won't mention but is a very welcome addition. The plot is very sound and the pacing is manic but it works so so well.
You can't help but get enthralled in the action and swept up in a non stop roller coaster ride. There's also a cliffhanger type ending and I love cliffhanger type endings. I pick these books up and just know it will blow me away. Matthew Reilly is just that good.
You wait all year for it, read it in three days, realize you have to wait twelve months for another one but you just don't care. He is just that good. If you haven't read any Matthew Reilly then, as the famous add says, Just do it I have finally had some time to process my emotions after finishing this book. I can't believe I ended it with tears streaming down my face - that is not meant to happen with a Jack West Jnr novel.
There are no tears in ancient warfare!!! As always, well researched and planned out. I believe Reilly must have had the finish line planned when he started this series of books. In this fifth book we once again see a blending of characters with a very important support character making his drop in. We I have finally had some time to process my emotions after finishing this book.
We also get our hearts torn out, once, twice, may be more. As we get closer to the finish line, the intensity is heating up and keep us rooted in one spot as we continue to cheer for these great characters to show the world who they are.
We are introduced to new, heartless people in this book because there hasn't been enough in this series. They are very ego-centric and struggle to understand the pure community based spirit that is Jack West Jnr.
That is, until we meet Sphinx who admires Jack's loyalty to his team and the world as a whole. This does not mean he is a nice guy. In fact, he is just as ego-centric as the rest of them but with better planning. I can't believe that there are only two books to go in this series.
I can't wait to keep reading but I am saddened by the fact that I know the end is coming. Mar 05, Robert rated it liked it Shelves: xseason. The grand set-pieces are here.
The lost history and hidden mystery are here. The over-indulgent use of italics and exclamation points are here. But the scale and sense of urgency are both so large as to defy the suspension of disbelief necessary to have gotten this far in the series. Crisscrossing the Globe is a given at this point, but to cram the sheer volume of events into a single week as is done here beggars belief. Combine that with a few off-putting American political references that do n The grand set-pieces are here.
Combine that with a few off-putting American political references that do nothing to enhance the story and only exist as an authors winking virtue signal, and you get a piece of brain candy, enjoyable while it lasts, but forgotten soon afterward. Addendum - I've seen no one else mention this, but a fairly major plot device is swiped from Kurt Vonnegut, rather blatantly.
Or maybe it's just me. Anyone who recognizes it please contact me to discuss. Mar 05, RG rated it really liked it. I love Matthew Reillys novels. So much action and thrills. It reminds me of when I was a kid as during my high school days thats all I read. Jack is back, but this one we have the old school Reilly, more global adventures and puzzles to solve. Just think Indiana Jones x Some of the scenes are way over the top but you dont come into a Reilly book expecting deep thought.
Its escapism at its best. Cant wait for the next. Nov 12, Nikki rated it it was amazing. And the spoiler event! I do feel that this series is getting even more outlandish and ridiculous but I love it. The eight, in particular, created an interesting scenario in how public they were willing to be with their search. Not sure I can take that. Amazing continuation Too PG for me.
I am a Die Hard thriller type of reader and these stories are too much kiddie adventure for me. I love Johnny Quest, but I am looking for Scarecrow type action. With West, it is more like Indiana Jones on steroids. But still, toned way down for young readers. Bless their hearts I was once a young reader myself, about a million years ago. Nothing wrong with that, if YA reading is what you really want to sink your teeth into.
As a bonus, Matt Reilly who threw us action readers a bone in the last book by featuring Scarecrow this time around he finally brings back Captain Knight. My "all-right" moment for this book. I just hope sooner or later Reilly completes the Jack West Jr. Dec 05, Shelley rated it really liked it Shelves: arc-edelweiss , action-adventure , releases. I'm not crying, you're crying. Holy shit what an ending. We have to wait until for the sequel? Oct 11, Michelle rated it liked it Shelves: netgalley-approved.
Thank you to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review. I give this book 3. I chose this book because my husband read the fourth book in the series while I was in early labor with my first child. It was fun to listen to as my husband read it out loud to try and distract me - so I thought I would check it out.
The fifth book in the series begins where the last one left off. The action and events flow similarly to the prior boo Thank you to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review. The action and events flow similarly to the prior books in the series, but are based on the new challenges that Jack faces.
There is a more somber tone due to deaths of influential characters, which helped balance out some of the action. The overall flow to the book allows for a quick and enjoyable read. For those fans who have enjoyed Matthew Reilly in the past, this will definitely be something they want to read. For the newer readers like myself, I am putting this series on my list to start from the beginning so I can get the entire backstory. I wanted to give this a better rating, however the ending was a little bit too much of a 'gotcha'.
I think it was not as genuine as it could have been - more to sell future books in the series than to elevate the series as a whole. Nov 10, Paul rated it really liked it. I suspect each time Matthew Reilly sits down to write a new book he asks himself the same question. The Jack West Jnr series has been excellent I suspect each time Matthew Reilly sits down to write a new book he asks himself the same question.
The Jack West Jnr series has been excellent since book one. Each book builds on the story that has come before and is creating an ongoing tale that is pretty damned epic in scope.
We are onto book five now, and this latest adventure is just as fresh and exciting as it predecessors. I mean that as the highest of compliments. There are pitched gun battles all over the place, tower blocks collapsing in on themselves, death defying halo drops and world famous landmarks being obliterated. These action set pieces are outlandish in the extreme, and I loved every one. There is a constant sense of spectacle. There are a handful of WTF! The Three Secret Cities is a literary action blockbuster, I want it to be a cinematic one as well.
The only trouble I would have with that would be deciding who would be my dream cast. Though the novel is chock full of excitement you would be wrong to think that it all there is. The author weaves an engaging plot between all the moments of derring-do. There are ancient puzzles to solve and clues to decipher.
One of the things I really liked is that Reilly uses a unique interpretation of mythological stories to fit within his narrative, so they factor into modern events.
This delivers a perfect counterpoint to all the explosions and shooting. The good news is The Three Secret Cities further cements this link with the inclusion of a character who has featured in the Schofield novels. I would not wish to ruin that particular surprise. The only thing you need to know is that if you are fan of the other novels there are scenes in The Three Secret Cities that will make you grin from ear-to-ear.
Years ago, I read a magazine article that suggested there is no such thing as an original story. The author stated that all fiction can be traced back to ancient legends and their base concepts.
To a degree, I think this is true. In many respects Jack West Jnr is a modern-day Odysseus, the indomitable hero. Nothing, or no-one, will stop West from achieving his goal. He will fight to his last breath for his friends. These acts of selfless heroism make him a genuinely engaging protagonist. I would be horribly bored if he was that perfect. West is part of a delightfully mismatched, extended surrogate family and most of these characters show up at one point or another. Elsewhere the villains remain gleefully villainous.
The Three Secret Cities delivers on every page. Rip roaring adventure at a breakneck pace does not get any better than this. Jack West Jr. However, West did not get the prize for which he contended — the mysteries that would see the Earth safely through the Omega Event. West is then targeted for death by the Knights of the Golden Eight, who have also been charged with capturing his daughter, Lily, and her friend Alby Calvin, setting up a wild ride as the trio try to remain safe.
The Three Secret Cities is written rather well. Reilly returns to form as the narrative returns to the high octane, worldwide adventure, artifact finding, assassination attempt avoiding, and secret societies with hidden agendas.
Reilly wonderfully merges the hidden realities, ancient myths, and the manipulation of human history by powerful supernatural beings rather well. All in all, The Three Secret Cities is written rather well and is a wonderful continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future. It took me a little bit to get into this Jack West edition In saying that, despite the ridiculousness eg.
The antagonists are also well written and genuinely evil. I find Matthew Reilly books are great for reading in between more heavy, slow and complex books, when I just want something quick, easy and exciting to read, and this one was no different. I love Matthew Reilly's thrillers and Jack West is a great hero. This sixth book in the West series is a fine thriller. Hugely exciting, taking place across much of the globe and with some big shocks.
As usual, the book is packed full of diagrams and charts that really add to the mood. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
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Windows Windows. Most Popular. New Releases. Desktop Enhancements. Networking Software. Trending from CNET. Download Now. Embark on a journey with a group of villagers in search of a new part of the island to populate. Land on the hidden shores of the northern side of Isola and explore what was once a secret city. Find new sources of food to nourish your villagers and help them rebuild the remains of this mysterious city. Who lived here before?
Where have they gone?
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