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Title: White Death: A Novel from the Numa Files by Clive Cussler, Paul Kemprecos ISBN: 0399150412 Publisher: Putnam Pub Group Pub. Date: 20 June, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.45
Rating: 4
Summary: Facing Down Death---Again!
Comment: Greedy mega corporations bent on ruling the world and a love for the sea and adventure have long been hallmarks of Clive Cussler's large body of work. Whether his main character has been Dirk Pitt or more recently, Kurt Austin in a series of novels co written with Pail Kemprecos one always expects the same basic formula. The good guys are so very good while surviving multiple near death experiences that would kill any lesser man or woman. The bad guys are incredibly bad and driven by megalomania of a grand scale, which will ultimately play a large role in their complete and total destructive downfall. The read will be a good one and the good guys will win, saving the world once again. One does not read Clive Cussler for deep plots, complicated characters, or philosophical musings on life. Not to be taken seriously, one reads Cussler for the sheer thrill of adventure and he does not disappoint.
A case in point is his most recent release, which opens as so many of the Kurt Austin novels do. A ship sinks taking people down with it and Kurt Austin leader of the NUMA ® Special Assignments Team must try to do everything he can to save them. In this case, Kurt and his friend and colleague Joe Zavala make the rescue using an untried submersible and soon perform another feat of heroic daring do.
In the aftermath, it becomes clear that one of the ships involved in the incident was sabotaged by outside forces. Kurt begins to investigate and before long begins to feel hunted by a shadowy mega corporation led by a maniacal leader bent on taking over the world. To do so he will use genetic manipulation as well as anything else necessary to achieve an incredible power grab that would change the sea forever.
Blending in the relics of the Basques, a German Zeppelin and the culture of various Inuit (commonly referred to incorrectly as Eskimo) tribes, the authors once again create another grand adventure where the bad guys get a fatal dose of their own medicine in the end. While no new ground is plowed in terms of character development there are not any nasty surprises either. Kurt is still loved by all the women of the world, hated and fearfully respected by his enemies, and calm and collected in the snarling face of danger. He easily compares to Stuart Wood's recent signature character of Stone Barrington, but he does not have as much money. Such is the life of a government employee.
The other usual characters make brief appearances. Admiral Sandecker is rarely seen or mentioned at all in this novel, which is a change from previously books in this series. He has little to do until the very end as opposed to the Trouts, who are given plenty to do in a secondary story line, which eventually peters back into the main storyline where they become sideline players.
Additionally, there is certain choppiness to the novel over the course of its more than 400 pages. In the past, the works flowed seamlessly and it was impossible to determine which part one of the authors write. That is not the case here where the sentence structure shifts from chapter to chapter and while one can't tell precisely who wrote what, one does get a sense who might be responsible.
For what it is, this is another very enjoyable book. As in the others of this series, it is not filled with deep characters, or philosophical musings. Instead it is pure action and adventure and serves as a great break from all the serious pretentious literary stuff. In other words, it is fun and by all means, don't take it seriously.
Rating: 5
Summary: These Kurt Austin tales keep getting better...
Comment: I am what you would call a MAJOR Clive Cussler Fan (all I need is a paycheck, and I'd be a Professional...) and I absolutely LOVE the Kurt Austin adventures--ALMOST as much as his counterpart Dirk Pitt. I MUST admit 1-tiny fact: I have enjoyed the last TWO Kurt novels MORE than the most recent Dirk Pitt tale ('Valhalla Rising'). I ALMOST feel dirty admitting that, but c'mon! It's TRUE! For those who continue to persist that Clive puts way MORE into his stories for Dirk than he does for Kurt, well I'm beginning to think othewise. Don't get me wrong, as long as Dirk Pitt lives on the pages of a Clive Cussler novel, he's got at least ONE die-hard reader. He has NEVER let me down. Sure, some novels are better than others, but they are ALL entertaining.
'White Death' is among his better releases (in MY opinion, anyway). I found one thing VERY interesting as I devoured this book: it doesn't contain as much action as the average Dirk Pitt/Kurt Austin novel--which ISN'T to say that the action is absent entirely. On the contrary, there is plenty--just not as much as I have grown accustomed to over the years--and this in NO WAY slows the story one tiny bit. I found 'White Death' to emphasize the plot more than action, which I enjoyed tremendously. There is never ANY doubt who will win in the end here--and as I read on, I found the topic of 'White Death' to be MUCH more entertaining than I would have normally thought possible: A modern evil Eskimo tribe plans to genetically engineer horrific 'Frankenfish' that will decimate the population of certain species of fish in the oceans--while stockpiling these same in 'Fish Farms', monopolizing the supply and making billions in the process. Simple plan, right? Sure--until you factor in a certain Kurt Austin and his trusty sidekick, Joe Zavala (absolute CLONES of Dirk Pitt & Al Giordino). Joe has a more subdued roll in 'White Death' than he has in his previous adventures with Kurt--but when he does make an appearance, it usually involves chases, explosions and even a little sword-play. Along for the ride we have a radical environmental group calles SOS (Sentinels of the Sea) and the dangerous and explosive company bent on total control of genetic fish engineering, Oceanus (a front for our evil Eskimos).
As usual, the beginning of the story takes us back in history, my personal favorite was an undocumented Nazi/Germany ill-fated trip to the North Pole in a massive Zeppelin. There is MUCH to like in the pages of 'White Death' but I HAVE to admit, one particular conversation between Kurt and the leader of the Evil Eskimos had me scratching my head...NOT because it was confusing, but because it seemed forced and almost comical in how the bad guy spoke and declared he was '...the instrument of your (Kurt's) death...', other than that, I truly loved this latest outing with Kurt, Joe, Admiral Sandecker and even an appearance by Rudi Gunn. I now long for another installment featuring Dirk, but I am thrilled that with the introduction of Kurt, I no longer have to wait a full year and a few odd months before I see something new from Cussler...All in all, 'White Death' is FINE brain candy.
Rating: 3
Summary: Competently written but not very convincing
Comment: This book is one of a series of thrillers featuring Kurt Austin, a near-superhero who works for a mysterious government organization called NUMA. Austin uncovers a plot to wipe out the ocean's fish species, replacing them with vicious, genetically engineered salmon (the economic theory behind this is never made very clear). The corporation behind the plot kills off people who get in its way, using stereotyped bloodthirsty Mongoloid men as shock troops. The plot involves a dirigible reconstructed from the wreckage of one that crashed in the Arctic during the 1920's (would you fly in this thing?) This zeppelin is housed in a huge structure in the Canadian wilds that makes itself invisible by adapting its exterior to its surroundings. When Austin and his sidekick are caught on board the airship, does the chief villain kill them on the spot? No, of course not. He keeps them alive to see how the plan will be carried out, and to escape. This wasn't very believable when Goldfinger decided not to cut James Bond in half with a laser. While the writing is generally competent, the story stretches credibility a bit too far. Austin's romantic relationship with the only significant female character is a perfunctory throwaway. Is it any surprise that she has to be rescued by our hero?
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Title: The Teeth of the Tiger by Tom Clancy ISBN: 039915079X Publisher: Putnam Pub Group Pub. Date: 11 August, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title: Bad Company by Jack Higgins ISBN: 0399149708 Publisher: Putnam Pub Group Pub. Date: 30 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: Golden Buddha by Clive Cussler, Craig Dirgo ISBN: 0425191729 Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: 07 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code: A Covert-One Novel by Robert Ludlum, Gayle Lynds ISBN: 0312289901 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 17 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: Trojan Odyssey by Clive Cussler ISBN: 0399150803 Publisher: Putnam Pub Group Pub. Date: December, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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