Joined in 2023 
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63 About this deal
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. Australian, self-consciously and explicitly setting itself up as opposed to bigger, bullying powers like America Values nurturing, since we see him save and raise Lily. In this book, she's all grown up and really grows into the role of fully competent female fighter. I've finished the series. I've now read everything that Matthew has written. I've loved a lot of it.
Oh look. Your favourite character is in danger. Oh look. They're dead. BUT NO. They're alive again thanks to some miraculous stroke of genius that this character concocts to foil the bad guys plot once again. It's lazy writing. He can do better. Most of all, he HAS done better. The last time that a characters death meant something to me was when Wizard died. The twins deaths went by without a blink because they didn't feel relevent enough to me to be kept alive for the future. I introduced a friend of mine to Matthew Reilly recently and they've been excited to finish the series alongside me. I was red in the face embarrassed about it while reading this. I'm not sure if he ran out of time or ideas or is struggling personally but it's a severe step down in quality for him. What is normally an exciting one day read turned into a month long challenge. Distances itself from the claim of birth family (his Mom is alright, but his father is a psycho and daughter adopted) in favour of chosen family of friends and mentors of different generations. An underlying current is that it is choices that matter, not the family or privileges you're born into. The highly anticipated conclusion to one of the most jaw-dropping epic series I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.
Customer reviews
The author smartly avoids bashing Jesus/Christianity and the Church in this one without his own opinions coming through for a change. I can’t count the times when I’d race out the door of my apartment, my mind racing, only to stop suddenly, having forgotten my laptop or script or storyboards. I’d spin and touch my hip, where my trusty key clip hung, and there – every time, safely dangling from my belt – were my keys. Throughout the whole shoot, I never lost my keys. Unbelievably useful. The item I most regret losing
The story bounces from one maze to the next and... That's it. Basically one long conclusion that ties up all the loose ends it's a satisfying enough ending if not somewhat predictable. Now he faces one last race – against multiple rivals, against time, against the collapse of the universe itself – a headlong race that will end at a throne inside the fabled labyrinth.He will never be the worlds greatest author. He won't have the prose of someone like Rothfuss or King, but when you're writing..... I was very critical of the previous book in the series, The Two Lost Mountains. It had many instances of people (read heroes) dying, only for them to magically reappear later on. There was also the issue of the storyline becoming more juvenile as the series progressed, but foul language and blasphemy were prevalent throughout. I was left confused as to who the target audience was. When I was directing my movie, Interceptor, I literally had a thousand things on my mind every single day. I’d delivered The One Impossible Labyrinth, I was shooting the movie, managing a hundred people, living away from home – so I knew that as sure as night follows day, I was going to lose or forget my keys. So I bought this keyring clip that loops around your belt and then you hang your keys from it. Well. It was a lifesaver. I was nervous that I might not feel able to give this 5 stars, but Matthew has not let us down and delivered another complete winner. He’s also been busy directing a movie and writing a stand-alone, which is all very exciting, but all I really want now is another Scarecrow book - is that too much to ask?
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