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Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the covert combat ship Oregon have barely escaped a mission on the Congo River when they intercept a mayday from a defenseless boat under fire off the African coast. Cabrillo takes action, saving the beautiful Sloane Macintyre-who's looking for a long-submerged ship that may hold a fortune in diamonds. But what surprises Cabrillo is her story about a crazy fisherman who claims to have been attacked on the open sea by giant metal snakes in the same area.
What begins as a snake hunt leads Cabrillo onto the trail of a far more lethal quarry-a deranged militant and his followers who plan to unleash the devastating power of nature itself against all who oppose them.
Clive Cussler is the author of many New York Times bestsellers, most recently The Spy and Lost Empire. He lives in Arizona.
Jack Du Brul is a graduate of the Westminster School and George Washington University. Trying to add as much adventure to his life as he does to his novels, Du Brul has climbed Masada at noon, swam in the Arctic Ocean off Point Barrow, explored war-torn Eritrea, camped in Greenland, and was gnawed on by piranhas in the Amazon River. He collects zeppelin memorabilia and when not writing or traveling (25 countries and counting), he can be found in a favorite chair with a book and a brandy. Jack Du Brul lives in Burlington, Vermont.
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 October 23, 2006
Ok, so maybe not steroids, but Jack DuBrul's writing might be the closest thing to it in a literay sense. I'm a long time fan of Cussler, but I've got no qualms admitting that DuBrul is more...intense writer of the two. And it really shows in Skeleton Coast! I couldn't put it down! This is another of the Oregon Files titles, but it's by far the best. This one grabs you from the first sentence and doesn't let go. It's a breath of fresh air for Cussler fans and while I look forward to future Cussler/DuBrul team-ups, I'm just as happy to see DuBrul stick with his Phillip Mercer books. Whether you're a fan of Cussler or Dubrul, Skeleton Coast, will float your boat.... Get it? Cussler...boat? Yeah, that's lame...but the book isn't!
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 13, 2006
While I enjoy adventure stories for the casual reading they are and have read all of Cussler's, I was disturbed by a lot of the assumptions in this and other of his recent books. This is transparently hawkish, an ultra-conservative defense of the questionable actions of the very furthest right of the political spectrum. (One could even suspect it was commissioned or at least underwritten by these elements.) It reflects the current culture that decrees all means justify the end - as long it benefits the right people. Cussler's recent books portray that it's OKAY for Americans to go into other countries - with which we are not at war - and kill its citizens for some secret government agenda. That it's OKAY for our US government to hire out 'black ops' in secret because it's against our laws to do so openly. Through the years, I've tolerated Cussler's blatant sexism, juvenile writing style, improbable exploits of cartoonish heroes. However, he has veered into political territory that offends me but even more, terrifies me that it may be the truest part of his stories.
3 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.A a career Salior it's hard for me to amagine a ship so far under the sandy desert, Clive has prepared a wonderful setting for the Oregon Files. He was able to place me on the ship during the storm and kept me on the edge throughout the book.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 22, 2013
Cussler and Du Brul are a winning team that can't be beat! PLEASE RELEASE MANY MORE!
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Posted October 22, 2012
Loved where the book leads and makes your wait...till the next page. No cheating.
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Posted September 14, 2012
This book grabs you in the first 20 pages. I always enjoy The Oregon Files but this one is especially intense. Dont get this one for light reading because the action never lets up and the plot never lets go. I wouldnt say its the best of the series but its certainly one of the most action-packed.
With that said i have to agree with another review. This book has been his most politically laced and for me that was not enjoyable. There was judgement through out. At one point a character states "i hate Afriva" like its one giant country and one experience. To me the worst offense was that no one pointed out the error in the statement. Its not just that i disagree. Its that he has written his characters to not accept those kind of statements. So i felt like he let wrote some things to be said that didnt fit the characters and didnt care. I let it go and greatly enjoyed the book but its there and its jarring.
Anonymous
Posted July 4, 2012
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0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 9, 2012
Since I read my first Cussler book I can't get enough of his stories. I have read at least one of every one of his series and have loved every one of them.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.good cussler book
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Posted February 29, 2012
Typical Custer putting the ancient history at the beginning providing the basis for the later events. It is a book that you can't put down.
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Posted November 11, 2011
this is another good one from the master of the oceans with a surprise visit from?
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Great book!
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Posted May 11, 2010
Clive Cussler's books are as good as any geograpphy lesson I've ever had! Not only do you learn of topical features, but he also manages to include political lessons also.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 11, 2009
Typical Cussler with an overriding story and several side stories interwoven to keep the action coming and the twists keeping the reader guessing what happens next. A great read for travel, cold winter nights or just several relaxing hours at a time.
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Posted July 4, 2009
I Also Recommend:
Excellent reading for anyone who loves espionage with a hint of the unexpected. I could not put this book down. It was every bit as good as past Cussler experiences have been. Write on Clive...
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Posted January 28, 2007
I just really did not like this book much at all. I have enjoyed almost all of Cussler's books, but this just did not sound like his writing. I was very disappointed. It was long and drawn out and I felt like they just kept making up things as they went. From stolen diamonds to misplaced weapons to oil slicks... it was just a jumbled up, disconnected collection of 'stuff'
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Scott Brick, who reads the Unabridged edition, is one of the most proficient voice performers to be found. Dubbed a Golden voice by AudioFile, he's also garnered a Science Fiction Audie and a few Earphones Awards. Gifted and versatile he brings the same standard of excellence to every title he reads, whether it be a mystery, historical biography or as in this case a high tech thriller. His voice is clear, distinct and a pleasure to hear. The Abridged version is read by Jason Culp, an actor who has appeared both on stage and on television, most memorably on Days Of Our Lives and General Hospital. While he does not have Mr. Brick's experience with audio books, his narrative is worthy and highly listenable. Fans of Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul know what to expect - an exciting tale with action galore. They won't be disappointed with Skeleton Coast. The covert combat ship with Juan Cabrillo and crew on board almost became history. But luck was with them one more time, and they escaped virtually unscathed after a mission on the Congo River. Their survival is a good thing for a boat being fired upon. Cabrillo responds to the craft's mayday, saving the vessel and a gorgeous woman passenger, Macintyre Sloane. She's been searching for the HMS Rove which was buried under sand in 1896. Why? Because the Rove holds untold millions in raw diamonds. Of course, Sloane's not the only one after the fortune, and some would just as soon kill her to make sure she doesn't get it. Cabrillo soon finds that saving Sloane has put him in more danger than he knew existed. Typical Cussler, which is terrific. - Gail Cooke
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Posted March 12, 2011
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Posted May 4, 2011
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Posted February 25, 2012
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Overview
Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the covert combat ship Oregon have barely escaped a mission on the Congo River when they intercept a mayday from a defenseless boat under fire off the African coast. Cabrillo takes action, saving the beautiful Sloane Macintyre-who's looking for a long-submerged ship that may hold a fortune in diamonds. But what surprises Cabrillo is her story about a crazy fisherman who claims to have been attacked on the open sea by giant metal snakes in the same ...