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In his new novel, however—the twentieth Dirk Pitt adventure— Cussler may have topped even himself.
A potential breakthrough discovery to reverse global warming . . . a series of unexplained sudden deaths in British Columbia . . . a rash of international incidents between the United States and one of its closest allies that threatens to erupt into an actual shooting war . . . NUMA director Dirk Pitt and his children, Dirk. Jr. and Summer, have reason to believe there's a connection here somewhere, but they also know they have very little time to find it before events escalate out of control. Their only real clue might just be a mysterious silvery mineral traced to a long-ago expedition in search of the fabled Northwest Passage. But no one survived from that doomed mission, captain and crew perished to a man—and if Pitt and his colleague Al Giordino aren't careful, the very same fate may await them.
Filled with the breathtaking suspense and audacious imagination that have become his hallmarks, this is a tour de force— further proof that when it comes to adventure writing, nobody beats Clive Cussler.
Bestseller Cussler and son Dirk imagine the U.S. and Canada on the brink of war in their third collaborative Dirk Pitt novel (after Treasure of Khan and Black Wind). In 2011, as the price of gas hits $10 a gallon, President Garner Ward must contend with a corrupt Canadian cabal that's subverting efforts to solve America's energy problems. Pitt barely escapes serious injury when a bomb destroys a D.C. lab along with records of research into an artificial photosynthesis process that could, almost immediately, eliminate the threat of global warming. That discovery may be connected with a legendary failed 19th-century sailing expedition to the Arctic as well as a series of deaths due to the phenomena that the Native Americans of British Columbia know as "the Devil's Breath." The Cusslers won't suspend many readers' disbelief, but thriller fans in search of a quick, exciting read should be satisfied. 750,000 printing; author tour. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Dirk Pitt and his gang return in the Cussler family's latest. In a mystery reminiscent of the earlier Cussler title Black Wind, several people have died under strange circumstances while boating on the waters of the Canadian Pacific Northwest. While Pitt's daughter and son investigate, he learns from a scientist a possible way to tackle global warming. When that scientist's lab explodes, Pitt realizes that someone doesn't want her to succeed. And how does this all tie in to a race to the Arctic to recover a ship frozen in the ice over 100 years ago? The setup for the novel feels stale and similar to other Cussler titles, but then the final third kicks in and makes up for the tired start. In the end, fans and general readers alike will remember this as a rollicking and exciting tale and eagerly await Pitt's further adventures. For all fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ7/08.]
—Jeff Ayers
Cussler is an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers have discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In September, 1998, NUMA - which turns over all artifacts to state and Federal authorities, or donates them to museums and universities - launched its own web site for those wishing more information about maritime history or wishing to make donations to the organization. (www.numa.net).
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler is also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He has been honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. The author lives in Arizona.
Biography courtesy of Penguin Group (USA)
The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered Cussler's 1996 nonfiction book, The Sea Hunters, equivalent to a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in 1997.
Cussler is a fellow in the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London, and has been granted the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Anonymous
Posted December 26, 2009
I paid for Clive Cussler and got Al Gore. I get global warming is a big problem but I bought this book for entertainment. Turn it down a little and dump the kids. The books were much better when they centered around Dirk and Al.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 23, 2009
As usual Cussler writes a book you hate to see end & can't wait till the next one comes out. Dirk & his friends have become your friends. His kids deserve their own series.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 24, 2008
I own every single book Clive Cussler has ever written. These too, are my core library when I want to escape and explore areas of the world; above and below the waterline. As this talented writer brings to us adventures beyond most of our wildest dreams, he will eventually need to hand over the reigns to another to keep our interests peaked. It's a natural progression of life and we who are avid fans of his writings be willing to grow right along, whatever the case may be.
2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.potpourri
Posted November 11, 2008
Below is a quote I ran across about Dirk Pitt...
"Ever since Clive's son Dirk became a co-writer in the Pitt series it went downhill by bringing in Pitts family. It seems that Clive is grooming his son to take over and hopefully he will get better. And by the way Clive Cussler does not write romantic novels."
Whoever this is WRONG! The series is following a natural pattern if is to survive ... after all ... Dirk is getting older and this series has to go somewhere. The Mediterranean Caper was not as good as say ... Inca Gold ... Clive got better as he went along. Too bad other good writers did not have someone to pick up where they left off. I can think of one ... Robert Ludham ... and I like the books he had done to extend his series with co-authers. Cussler has done other books with other authers and I like them, too.
It was a sort of a cliff-hanger finding out there were twins Pitt did not know about. I loved it! There is just as much action and adventure with these two and I thought the writing was great. And there is a little romance in his novels ... just enough to fill where it might become tedious ... it adds to the books ... some novels tend to fill in with extra long descriptions that can become might boring.
I have read and re-read every one of his novels except the last few, but will get to that in the near future. His books are in the Heart of my library and will always be there. If young Dirk is going to carry on ... this is great ... he will get better like his dad. Afterall .. he has the greatest teacher!!!
2 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 2, 2008
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Ever since Cive's son Dirk became a co writer in the Pitt series it went downhill by bringing in Pitts family. It seems that Clive is grooming his son to take over and hopefully he will get better. And by the way Clive Cussler does not write romantic novels.
2 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 2, 2010
I would rather had a root canal done by a dentist that was drunk then have read this book ! The Pitt children are boring to read about. I want Dirk and Al, not the carbon copies of them.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.What the Cussler's need to do is kick the kids to the curb along with all those other half baked characters that they are writing about and concentrate on writing ONE good book about the two guys that made Mr. Cussler a wealthy man.Dirk Pitt and Al Giordano that's who! His son I'm sure is a good writer with his fathers help but that's all this is, is a regurgitation of old story lines and tired imagination. Come on Mr. Cussler take a break and really work on that one book we all feel you still have in you and make that your swan song.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 16, 2009
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This book weas good to see Dirk and Al back in a ction. It started with Dirk ane Summer as main characters but they faded as story progressed. That was ok, because Dirk and Al are better. Always look forward to the new books.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 10, 2009
If you like Dirk Pitt, his friends and family then this is a book for you. It includes all of the above plus a villan you'll want to have caught. It melds the son and daughter of Dirk with the villan and their father in a race to save a possible important find in the Artic. It's a must read for all the fans of Dirk Pitt. Cussler doesn't disappoint.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 2, 2009
Cussler always creates great stories that feel like great action movies! I read this on a cross-country flight and could not put it down. Can't wait for the next one!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 23, 2009
I'm a long time fan and got this one on CD as a gift. It was a great book to listen to and Scott Brick is an excellent narrator. The first couple of Pitt novels featuring Dirk Cussler as co-author weren't the best of the series, but I think this is the one that shows he can take over the series - this one is much more like vintage Cussler! Long time fans won't be disappointed and new readers will be able to pick up the story line without needing to read previous novels. Warning for new readers: once you start on the Dirk Pitt novels, you will want to read all of them - they are fun!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 16, 2009
Dirk is united with his son and daughter/Numa team in solving this neck-breaking, fast-moving thriller with no rest for the weary. A wonderful page turner, combining historic events with the present.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 16, 2009
I read this book in 1.5 days. Although a little far-fetched, this is a great stress reliever.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 14, 2009
I bought it for a Christmas present and the person enjoyed it
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 6, 2012
You will enjoy this book. Its typical Cussler
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 25, 2011
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Posted September 15, 2011
Great for any adventurer!! You will not be disappointed!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Our story begins in the nineteenth century, as two sailing ships, the Erebus and Terror, battle frigid temperatures, starvation, scurvy and a strange madness that besets the men as they struggle to breach the cold Northwest Passage. Eventually, the two vessels separate with the pack ice and open water, and the doomed men stand silent vigil as the arctic slowly freezes all of their hopes and dreams of riches.
Over one hundred fifty years in the future, the Earth stands poised on the brink of global disaster. A shortage of oil and accumulation of greenhouse gases has brought the world to a turning point. An evil opportunist takes advantage of this predicament, cloaking himself in a pristine image while dumping carbon dioxide beneath the cold waters of the north. The "Devil's Breath", as it is called, brings death to all within its chilly grasp.
Dirk Pitt, Jr. and Summer are innocently taking water samples when they run across a series of strange events, including a boat upon which all hands mysteriously died of asphyxiation and strange temperature readings from the surrounding water. Meanwhile, a Canadian outpost is rammed and destroyed by a U.S. Navy ship bearing the number 54 on its bow and someone keeps trying to kill Ms. Lane, the researcher who may have just discovered the solution to global warming - ruthenium.
With ruthless determination, a hired assassin stalks the men stationed aboard the research vessel, Narwhal, a killer who will trail Dirk Pitt and his companions across miles of frigid landscape to the wrecks of the Erebus and Terror in a frantic search for the valuable mineral ruthenium. Fast-paced and bursting with suspense, this novel captured me from the first few pages. In my humble opinion, Clive Cussler has just become the new Ian Fleming.
They books are all somewhat similar but they are and easy read and fun. That is why I put it as a rainy day "escapism" type book. Dirk always gets out of impossible situations and then lays a real corny line on everyone which is rather humorous. These are fun books to read and I always seem to have a Clive Cussler book open on my Nook ready to read when I need a break.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.If you are willing to read it all the way through, then it will blow your mind. The ending is amazing and insightful about our planets' future and how it can depend on a few people. I loved it! Cussler does it every time!
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Overview
As with all Clive Cussler's dazzling Dirk Pitt novels, critics said Treasure of Khan “amazes, informs and entertains” (Publishers Weekly), “the action zipping along until a final powerhouse showdown” (Entertainment Weekly). “What's not to like?” proclaimed the Los Angeles Times—and hundreds of thousands of readers agreed.In his new novel, however—the twentieth Dirk Pitt adventure— Cussler may have topped even himself.
A potential breakthrough discovery to reverse global warming . . . a series of unexplained sudden deaths in British Columbia . . . a rash of international incidents between the United States and one of its closest allies that threatens to ...