Clive Cussler (Author)
Clive Cussler is the author and co-author of a great number
of international bestsellers, including the famous Dirk Pitt®
adventures, such as Havana Storm; the NUMA® Files adventures, most
recently The Rising Sea; the Oregon Files, such as Typhoon Fury;
the Isaac Bell historical thrillers, which began with The Chase;
and the recent Fargo Adventures which lastly included The Gray
Ghost. He lives in Arizona.
Dirk Cussler (Author)
Dirk Cussler, the son of Clive Cussler, has an MBA from
Berkeley. He is the co-author of Crescent Dawn, Black Wind,
Treasure of Khan, Arctic Drift, Poseidon's Arrow and Havana
Storm.
About halfway through this rip-snorting adventure thriller, a "white-haired man" rescues heroes Dirk Pitt Jr. and his sister, Summer, from death by drowning. That man is revealed to be author Cussler (Trojan Odyssey, etc.), reminding Dirk of "an older version of his own father," legendary oceanographer Dirk Pitt, hero of Cussler's previous novels. Just as the primary action baton is passed in this tale from Pitt Sr. to Jr., readers may note that Cussler's coauthor is his own son. But even if Cussler is beginning to pass on his writing baton, he's doing so with panache: thriller fans will revel in this action-packed yarn of land- and sea-based derring-do stuffed with technical details on matters from biochemical weapons "chimeras" to rocket launches. The villain is a South Korean industrialist working for the North Koreans with an eye toward unifying Korea by ridding the country of American troops, allowing for an invasion of the South. His plan is to aim a sea-borne rocket filled with a combo of deadly viruses at Los Angeles, with clues laying blame on Japanese terrorists, thus distracting America while the North makes its move. But villain and modus operandi matter less than the series of exciting hairbreadth escapes wrought by Dirks Jr. and Sr. and Summer-including Dirk Sr.'s escape from being poached alive in a minisub trapped underneath massive rocket boosters spewing an inferno of flames. There's a slight, nasty gloss of "yellow peril" on the villain and his actions, and it's only the Americans who greet likely death with a grin and a quip, but that's a minor knock on some major entertainment that's bound toward the top of the charts. Agent, Peter Lampack. 750,000 first printing. (Dec.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Adult/High School-Two Japanese submarines loaded with deadly chimera virus head for the west coast of the United States during the waning days of World War II but are sunk before ever endangering the coast. Sixty years later, South Korean industrialist Kang learns of their whereabouts and tests the deadly potion on some animals and a few people in Alaska. When the death reports start coming in, research sends Dirk Pitt, the younger; his sister; his crew from NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency); Dirk Pitt, the elder; and other forces on a race against time to prevent Kang from unleashing the virus. He dreams of creating a frenzy of blame between the countries for such an attack even as he takes joy in the fact that hundreds of thousands of Americans would die in agony. The Cusslers provide a high tide of ocean-based adventure and creepy bad guys. Featuring plenty of intense action, the plot fairly runs across the pages, with even the quieter moments full of intrigue. Lots of historical facts and science thread their way into the story, giving it a sense of realism. Filled with submarines, technical discussions on all sorts of ocean machinery, and some facts about chimera viruses, the novel provides some basic knowledge of bioterrorism. As always, the Pitts remain steadfast and true leaders, and the story leaves readers eager for their next adventure.-Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
