Renowned Australian writer Matthew Reilly once talked about how he came upon J.R.R. Tolkien's cherished fantasy book, "The Hobbit." Reilly didn't discover the book until he was an adult, in contrast to many of his peers who discovered it when they were teenagers and were enthralled by its magical world.

This quotation emphasizes how different people's personal relationships to literature can be, even among readers who belong to the same genre or age range. Similar to how different tourists may have distinct experiences at the same place, people frequently discover their own paths and moments when a certain book really speaks to them.

Reilly's analysis challenges us to consider how our individual circumstances and life stages can affect the books we read and the reasons why particular works have an impact at particular times. If he had read "The Hobbit" as a teenager instead of when he eventually picked it up as an adult, it might have had a different meaning for him.

The action-packed adventure books that frequently combine elements of fantasy and science fiction are what Matthew Reilly is famous for. Following the publication of "Stand Off," which came out in 1998, his writing career took off. Since then, he has authored multiple books and established a reputation for writing gripping tales that are full of intrigue and tension.

According to Reilly, literature can influence us at different stages of life, and depending on our individual circumstances and current state, each interaction may provide fresh perspectives or emotional bonds. Similar to how a tree growing in various settings will form distinctive patterns in its bark, readers who interact with the same book at different points in their lives may come to perceive and feel it differently.

Reilly's words essentially serve as a reminder that our literary journeys are unique and unpredictable, akin to exploring a foreign land where unexpected paths may lead to new discoveries.