The Six Sacred Stones: A Novel

Written by Matthew Reilly

Narrated by Graeme Malcolm

THE END OF THE WORLD IS HERE

Unlocking the secret of the Seven Ancient Wonders was only the beginning...

After their thrilling exploits in Matthew Reilly's rampaging New York Times bestseller, 7 Deadly Wonders, supersoldier Jack West Jr. and his loyal team of adventurers are back, and now they face an all-but-impossible challenge.

A mysterious ceremony in an unknown location has unraveled their work and triggered a catastrophic countdown that will climax in no less than the end of all life on Earth.

But there is one last hope.

If Jack and his team can find and rebuild a legendary ancient device known only as the "Machine," they might be able to ward off the coming armageddon. The only clues to locating this Machine, however, are held within the fabled Six Sacred Stones, long lost in the fog of history.

And so the hunt begins for the Six Sacred Stones and the all-important knowledge they possess, but in the course of this wild adventure Jack and his team will discover that they are not the only ones seeking the Stones and that there might just be other players out there who don't want to see the world saved at all.

From Stonehenge in England to the deserts of Egypt to the spectacular Three Gorges region of China, The 6 Sacred Stones will take you on a nonstop roller-coaster ride through ancient history, modern military hardware, and some of the fastest and most mind-blowing action you will ever read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Jan 8, 2008
• ISBN: 9780743570008

Matthew Reilly

Matthew Reilly is the Australian-born author of bestselling novels Contest, Ice Station, Temple, Area 7, Scarecrow and Seven Ancient Wonders, which reached the Sunday Times top-ten bestseller list. He wrote his first two books while studying law at the University of New South Wales, and now writes full-time, producing novels and screenplays and creating television series. The author lives in Syndey.

Reviews for The Six Sacred Stones

[Thomas Young · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good Sifi book. Plenty of action. Ongoing drama and suspense.

[eadieb-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book Description THE END OF THE WORLD IS HERE  Unlocking the secret of the Seven Ancient Wonders was only the beginning...  After their thrilling exploits in Matthew Reilly's rampaging New York Times bestseller, 7 Deadly Wonders, super-soldier Jack West Jr. and his loyal team of adventurers are back, and now they face an all-but-impossible challenge.  A mysterious ceremony in an unknown location has unraveled their work and triggered a catastrophic countdown that will climax in no less than the end of all life on Earth.  But there is one last hope.  If Jack and his team can find and rebuild a legendary ancient device known only as the Machine," they might be able to ward off the coming armageddon. The only clues to locating this Machine, however, are held within the fabled Six Sacred Stones, long lost in the fog of history.  And so the hunt begins for the Six Sacred Stones and the all-important knowledge they possess, but in the course of this wild adventure Jack and his team will discover that they are not the only ones seeking the Stones and that there might just be other players out there who don't want to see the world saved at all.  From Stonehenge in England to the deserts of Egypt to the spectacular Three Gorges region of China, The 6 Sacred Stones will take you on a nonstop roller-coaster ride through ancient history, modern military hardware, and some of the fastest and most mind-blowing action you will ever read.

My Review This 2nd book in Matthew Reilly's trilogy has everything: ancient history, heroes, bad guys, clever plot twists, well researched locations, great humor and non-stop action. It's a page-turner that is unputdownable which ends with a major cliffhanger. Can't wait to delve into the next book in order to find out how Jack and his team work towards saving the world. "

[deep220_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Matthew Reilly is not an author to be missed. 6 Sacred Stones is the 2nd book in the Jack West Jr. series. Like all Reilly books the world and mankind is about to be destroyed unless our hero is able to stay one step ahead of impending doom. The Jack West Jr. series doesn't really compare to his Scarecrow series, oh why oh why did you have to kill off Scarecrow??? However if you like an on the edge of your seat action meets science fiction type adventure Matthew Reilly can't disappoint.

[jarratt_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another rollicking fast-paced thriller by Reilly. "The Six Sacred Stones" is the sequel to "Seven Deadly Wonders." The Jack West Jr. series is Indiana Jones on crack. You have to suspend reality while reading these, but they're so much fun and adrenaline-filled who cares?In this book, our heros discover that what they thought was the end was only the beginning. Six Pillars (magical stones) must be attached to six Vertices to activate "The Great Machine" so a soon-to-appear anti-sun will not destroy the earth. Yeah, it sounds crazy, but again, it's just too much fun to put down. The booby traps are imaginative, the pace relenting, and the protagonists have a surprising bit of depth (for a Reilly book).Bottom line: if you liked "Seven Deadly Wonders," you'll like "Six Sacred Stones."

[andrew1theqm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

5 stars and a favourite.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another rip-roaring read! Probably not quite as good as "Seven Ancient Wonders" (only because Jack wasn't in the entire book) but still fabulous. I loved the new characters that Reilly brought into this book, especially Solomon and little Alby, Lily's friend and maths genius, whom I feel in love with.

[joekingman-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Action packed, good light reading, a summer blockbuster in your head, this book ends however in a cliffhanger.

[christineellei · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mr. Reilly’s book are like sneaking a piece of chocolate when you are on a diet … definitely a guilty pleasure. The second in the series brings us back in touch with Jack and Lily about a year after the previous book. Once again earth is in peril and there is no shortage of action. I did find however, that this book had a little more character development. I enjoyed it more than the first one because of that (but Mr. Reilly still loves his rolling boulders). To coin a phrase … the ending is most definitely a cliff hanger! Looking forward to the third in the series, but I think I need a little respite before I tackle it. On to other reads for a bit.

[areadingmachine · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Much like the first one. Some decent action but too much Fistory. Too much research being done by all characters at all times.

[stembie3 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

See my review on Seven Deadly Wonders. This book was more of the same, except it ended on a cliff hanger. Apparently, this is the second book in the series. I'm not sure I'll read the third when it comes out next year...

[whispring · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyable read very action packed if quite unbelievable. Like your typical "shoot-em-up" movie. No down time. One action scene after another with lots of almost cliff hangers that our main characters always pull out of.
Certainly not a brain stimulator but engrossing enough for a long bus/plane ride.

[cookiemo_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I hadn't read a Matthew Reilly book for a long time when we were given this one for book club. At first I felt it was rather over the top but as I continued to read I became very involved. I enjoyed the book and the adventure of Huntsmen and his crew and will now go and read some of Matthew Reilly's books that I have missed.It's very fast moving and life is worth little in their quest. As in many adventure books the unreal happens in the nick of time.

[marieharbon_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fast paced, exciting and entertaining read. Not a deep or profound read, but it never intends to be. Well worth reading.

[triciadm_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was great! I am waiting for the second half!Reading it again 12-09, the next book will be out in Jan!

[dsoj84 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have to say that Matthew Reilly is still able to keep the action going. I picked up this book without reading the first book and i have to say that i was lost. I had no idea what was going on. However the writing and action kept me from putting it down. I found myself wondering what happens next. This book held my attention even through the most out of this world stuff. I admit that all in all I enjoyed it. I would strongly recommended that you read the previous book "7 deadly wonders" first. hope you enjoy the book.

[mainrun · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Pretty good book with a cliff hanger. No real 'got to get the next book' though. Better than 7 Wonders.

[revslick_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

If you are truly desperate for a new end-of-the-world because of ancient technology wielded by a secret cabal novel then by all means give it a read; otherwise, avoid this novel for your own safety.

[fliss88_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Knowing nothing of this authors work, other than he was a blockbuster novelist, I didn't know quite what to expect. What I got was a fast paced, page turner of a novel. The plot was unbelievable at times, had holes in it that you could drive a bus through, but that didn't really matter, all I wanted to do was get to the end and see what fate Matthew Reilly had in store for his characters. The linking of Six Sacred Stones with ancient stories we have all heard many times, a Hero that is bigger than Ben Hur, his fearless female counterpart, a team of loyal friends and a brilliant lot of villans, this book has it all. It reads like a Indiana Jones film, and for pure adventure fantasy you couldn't get better.

[cherrymischievous · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My favourite "part" in the story is the depiction of Lao's "duality" theory and the notion of "balance". In everything good there is darkness. And in all evil, there is light. The duality of all things. Whether that is true or not, I would like to think that it is.The story itself? 4.5 out of 5. It is obviously a fantasy by the mere fact that the story talks of a Tartarus power. Fantasy. But the way Reilly weaves fantasy with known archeological facts, makes the borderline between fiction and fact blur. Such that the fantasy Reilly weaves seems so real. "Suspension of disbelief"? 5 out of 5.Openning salvo has the protagonist and team running for their very lives from a military invasion complete with assault helicopters, tanks and jet fighters! And then it's non-stop action from there. First chapter and the book had me feeling like I'm short of breath trying to catch-up with events. And that pace keep up until the very end. Story-telling quality? 4.5 out of 5. Cover art? I don't know which to consider really, since different countries have their own different cover arts... The copy I've read is a US cover. The symbolism is quite appropriate to the story but not very attractive to my fantasy buff eyes. 3 out of 5.The story has a cliffhanger ending. Normally I hate cliffhanger endings with a passion. And this is the only reason this book is not a 5. But still the ending manages to close the dilemma presented in the story and thus climaxed the book well.Overall, I would say that this book has an entertainment value of 4.5 out of 5. Definitely a recommended read! Though being Book 2 in the Jack West Jr. series, it is highly recommended that you read book 1 first for a reader to understand what is going on. My review of book 1, Seven Ancient Wonders, is here.Cherry’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In no way shape or form is this actually believable, the characters survive certain death too easily. It is entertaining and the main character seems to be superman (with a very evil dad) the deus ex machinas are scattered with abandon but, dammit, it kept me reading,Jack West Jr. has to fight again for the fate of the world, against people determined to let the world be destroyed and people determined to control this run towards keeping the world going. Again I really don't have a great mental image of the characters, they're almost sketches rather than fully fleshed humans. This is the kind of book you either like or hate and I enjoyed it a bit too much. Afterwards though the plot holes are almost too much. Still I'll be reading the next one. It's popcorn reading, like watching a cheesy movie or TV series.

[coreyholst · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The follow-up to "the & Deadly Wonders" once again finds Jack West Jr. and his intrepid team of international commandos trying to save the world from doomsday in a race against the power-hunry military machines of opposing nations. Solving complex riddles, archaelogical booby-traps and unlocking the secrets of ancient civilizations in an adrenaline amped Indiana Jones style adventure from one impossible cliff-hanging escape to another. Believable in ANY way? Not even CLOSE! Fun? You bet. But that ending really ..........

[ros0peters · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Great page-turner for the holidays. Reilly's novels requiure that you suspend your disbelief and accept the roller coaster ride that you are taken on as you read this fast moving, exciting adventure. Fascinating historical theories (aka facts) with just enough credibility to make you want to continue reading. I am a fan, especially of this type of genre, and can honestly say that I will be looking for the next installment in 2010.

[theonetree · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Like most of Matthew Reillys' novels, this one is action packed, fast paced, and never boring. As always the attention to detail is specific and authoritive, and yet he still manages to create a fantasy that is fantastic. Loved it!

[jontseng · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Disappointing by Mr Reilly's high standards; the book tips over that narrow line between fantasy and unbelievability.

[novelbookworm_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

What can I say..once again, you have to suspend all disbelief, and just go with the flow. As in his previous book in this series, the book is simply chocked full of miraculous coincidence heaped upon amazing action. Fortunately, there was much less reliance upon the authors favorite punctuation mark, the exclamation point, compared to 7 Deadly Wonders, still a tad too much reliance on italics, but it was better too. Honestly, we get it, you don't have to highlight every amazing and astounding plot twist with italics, exclamation points, or the author's newest literary ploy...........the dot dot dot, new paragraph, dot dot dot. He did change it up occasionally though. Sometimes we got----"astounding moment" action continues. That being said, I really do enjoy the clever albeit silly plot twists. And I certainly appreciated the spiffy diagrams. Numerous times throughout the book, I felt like I was reading the script for one of the old Batman tv shows, I kept expecting to see a POW!! BAM!!! SPLATT!! placed within the pages. Hmm, now that I think about it, wasn't the actor who played Batman in those old 60's shows named Adam West? .... And isn't our hero named Jack West? ..... Coincidence? ......Perhaps.....(Sorry couldn't resist, *grin*) I'm pretty sure, even though I always swear I won't bother reading another one of his books, that I'll be picking up his next new book and reading it. Kind of like going to action flicks that you know are going to be filled with "Oh please" moments, but you just can't help yourself. Maybe Mr. Reilly is sort of the Vin Diesel of literature.

[sunniefromoz_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Matthew Reilly was born in 1974. He is of a generation who grew up on a diet of action blockbuster movies. Reading THE SIX SACRED STONES is like reading a screenplay for one of these movies. The characters careen from one life threatening situation to another at a breakneck speed. There is an incredibly high body count as West’s friends and foes alike succumb to the danger of this latest quest. They die in all manner of grisly fashions. Fortunately the reader is spared too many details. Character development isn’t really Reilly’s thing. Why waste the words when you can have another life-threatening situation from which Jack can extricate himself? The characters all seem to have the same voice; from the learned elderly academic to Jack’s twelve-year-old daughter – they all talk in exactly the same manner.If asked to describe THE SIX SACRED STONES, I would say it is Indiana Jones meets the Da Vinci Code on steroids. A fan of action movies looking for something to keep them entertained over the Christmas holidays will probably love THE SIX SACRED STONES. For this ageing baby boomer who prefers her plots much more sedate and with distinctive characters, it was all just a little too exhausting.