Matthew Reilly book signing

Gungahlin Al said :

PBO said :

I was at the Canberra Centre when I “Suddenly” remembered that the signing was on. I thought to myself what would a character in his books do in a situation like this? So I made a tactical decision to keep on going with my day and wait for his next book signing.

I was at Westfield when I “Suddenly” remembered that the signing was on. I thought to myself what would a character in his books do in a situation like this? Clearly it was likely that every other person in Westfield was also after his signature and if they got there first, I and my government would miss out on the prized signature and the potential for its revelations to be weaponised, thereby leading to world domination for the Prime Minister.

So I made a tactical decision to wire every escalator in the centre with C4 while calling in Harrier Jumpjets and hovercraft from my mate on the Marine aircraft carrier conveniently parked on Lake Ginninderra.

Westfield was levelled by the time my forces fought their way out of the ensuing rubble, but then I suddenly managed to decrypt the signature’s secret coordinates. They led me to the crypt hidden deep beneath the eagle statue at Russell where rogue American Seals had concealed an alien spaceship they stole off the Brits, after the Brits found it uncovered following one of their nuke tests in Maralinga – the real reason the Brits exposed Diggers to nuclear fallout, thereby ensuring the Aussies forgot the spaceship.

But before we could remove the spaceship, a Mossad suicide squad attacked from Mount Ainslie. I launched an RPG but they evaded. My mortar hit the eagle, which suddenly exploded, revealing a second smaller alien spaceship atop the tower. I realised the first alien spaceship was an elaborate decoy to conceal this – the true prize. Suddenly the spaceship launched. I launched a second RPG into it, causing it to careen uncontrollably into the Parliament House flagpole, bringing it crashing down onto Old Parliament House. A chasm opened up, splitting the earth all the way to the shore of Lake Burley Griffin. Half the lake drained into the new hole, burying the truth forever, but opening up vast new tracts of land for the ACT Government to “reclaim” and sell off for premium apartment developments.

All in a good day’s work.

And then?

I’d only vaguely heard of Matthew Reilly before last weekend. When we heard he was in town for a book signing the oldest person ( male, 55) and the youngest person (female, 23)in our office both got very excited and went on to tell me all about his various books.
I wandered into Belco for a squiz and the line was easily 250 strong and, an hour later, was no shorter. People were getting anything they could signed and cuddling up for pictures.
Good on em. If they enjoy his books then more power to him and them. I’m sure he doesn’t lose any sleep knowing that he isn’t read by the Canberra literati who wouldn’t be caught dead reading anything enjoyable or popular.

I’m sure both of his fans are already aware of this event…

Sounds like the plot for my next Lights, Canberra, Action film…

PBO said :

I was at the Canberra Centre when I “Suddenly” remembered that the signing was on. I thought to myself what would a character in his books do in a situation like this? So I made a tactical decision to keep on going with my day and wait for his next book signing.

I was at Westfield when I “Suddenly” remembered that the signing was on. I thought to myself what would a character in his books do in a situation like this? Clearly it was likely that every other person in Westfield was also after his signature and if they got there first, I and my government would miss out on the prized signature and the potential for its revelations to be weaponised, thereby leading to world domination for the Prime Minister.

So I made a tactical decision to wire every escalator in the centre with C4 while calling in Harrier Jumpjets and hovercraft from my mate on the Marine aircraft carrier conveniently parked on Lake Ginninderra.

Westfield was levelled by the time my forces fought their way out of the ensuing rubble, but then I suddenly managed to decrypt the signature’s secret coordinates. They led me to the crypt hidden deep beneath the eagle statue at Russell where rogue American Seals had concealed an alien spaceship they stole off the Brits, after the Brits found it uncovered following one of their nuke tests in Maralinga – the real reason the Brits exposed Diggers to nuclear fallout, thereby ensuring the Aussies forgot the spaceship.

But before we could remove the spaceship, a Mossad suicide squad attacked from Mount Ainslie. I launched an RPG but they evaded. My mortar hit the eagle, which suddenly exploded, revealing a second smaller alien spaceship atop the tower. I realised the first alien spaceship was an elaborate decoy to conceal this – the true prize. Suddenly the spaceship launched. I launched a second RPG into it, causing it to careen uncontrollably into the Parliament House flagpole, bringing it crashing down onto Old Parliament House. A chasm opened up, splitting the earth all the way to the shore of Lake Burley Griffin. Half the lake drained into the new hole, burying the truth forever, but opening up vast new tracts of land for the ACT Government to “reclaim” and sell off for premium apartment developments.

All in a good day’s work.

I thought Ice Station was a shocker too = but it is a real page-turner. I finished it quickly, and so did everyone I passed it on to. I haven’t read another of his either though. But good luck to him.

I was at the Canberra Centre when I “Suddenly” remembered that the signing was on. I thought to myself what would a character in his books do in a situation like this? So I made a tactical decision to keep on going with my day and wait for his next book signing.

excession said :

The guy who uses ‘suddenly’ like other people use ‘the’.

After Ice Station, his first book, I vowed to never read his stuff again.

Yup me too. So obviously deliberately written to try to secure a movie deal, written like a B-grade script. Absurdly far-fetched, my plausability dial fried very early on. Marines, Seals, British SAS and Australian forces all slaughtering each other like mortal enemies…

One laugh in the whole thing though – where a pommy SAS slags off about Aussies, knowing he is an Australian author.

The guy who uses ‘suddenly’ like other people use ‘the’.

After Ice Station, his first book, I vowed to never read his stuff again.

Then again, I’m the kind of book snob that is heard to shout out how abysmally bad The DaVinci Code is, and its author (Dan Brown, not Matthew) should be shunned. Obviously I know nothing about how to read (or write).

C’est la vie.