Clive Cussler is the author and co-author of a great number of international bestsellers, including the famous Dirk Pitt® adventures, such as Odessa Sea; the NUMA® Files adventures, most recently Nighthawk; 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 Romanov Ransom. He lives in Arizona.
Brilliantly conceived and boldly plotted, this 15th Dirk Pitt thriller by writer and shipwreck enthusiast Cussler is his most imaginative yet. Pitt, his associates, and Patricia O'Connell (an expert on ancient languages) here tackle a dangerous but intriguing puzzle: What ties a previously unknown and highly advanced prehistoric civilization, wiped out in a global catastrophe, to a group of murderous fanatics devoted to what they call "the Fourth Empire"? Adding to the mystery are twin 9000-year-old obsidian skulls found continents apart; ancient underground chambers with celestial maps, enigmatic inscriptions, and strange artifacts; a British Indiaman ship and its crew, trapped and frozen in ice since 1779; a Nazi U-boat still on the prowl 56 years after the end of World War II; and much more. This is a fascinating story with exotic locations, high-tech wizardry, heart-pounding suspense, the threat of a cataclysmic disaster, resourceful heroes, and an action-packed conclusionÄall backed by meticulous research to make this a truly grand adventure. Highly recommended. [BOMC main selection.]ÄRonnie H. Terpening, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
Dirk Pitt, Cussler's larger-than-life hero, butts heads with an army of elite killers seeking to destroy the world in another wickedly engrossing yet predictably scripted tale of bravery against all odds. As the story begins, artifacts from a previously undiscovered civilization, ancient but highly advanced, are popping up all over the globe. Pitt himself is on site in a Colorado mine when archeologists come across strange carvings and mysterious inscriptions. But then an explosion traps the party below ground, and a band of black-suited terrorists arrive at the scene with guns blazing. Though Pitt saves the day, the incident points toward a wider network of evil schemes. Working for the National Underwater & Marine Agency, Pitt finally identifies the terrorists as members of the Fourth Empire, an organization headed by the diabolical Wolf family, a secret clan of genetically engineered people who worship the Nazi Third Reich. But it's only after Pitt and his able sidekick, Al Giordino, battle old German U-boats, dodge surface-to-air missiles and narrowly escape death on a remote island off Australia that they find out what the Fourth Empire is up to. The neo-Nazis aim to prevent the world from discovering the artifacts of this previously unknown seafaring culture because they tell of a catastrophic event that wiped out civilization 9000 years ago and reveal when the next cataclysm will hit. The Wolfs plan to accelerate the date through their own scheme to destroy Earth, meanwhile sheltering themselves and their thousands of followers on enormous, disaster-proof ships. Pitt knows his assignment: save the world--a tall order, but one he's filled many times before. Cussler's 15th Pitt adventure (after Flood Tide) is a rampaging story of history, technology and heroism, written with Cussler's typical make-no-apologies enthusiasm. For muscle-flexing, flag-waving, belief-suspending fare, he has no equal. 750,000 first printing; $750,000 ad/promo; BOMC main selection; simultaneous audio; author tour. (Dec.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
YA-Once again, Cussler sends his superhero Dirk Pitt into the thickest of plots, against the odds and against human and natural forces that most mere mortals would never survive. Ancient archaeological sites are found containing relics of the advanced civilization identified as Atlantis, including a completely baffling written language. When finally deciphered, the inscriptions contain a prediction of the world's end in the next few months. At the same time, in South America, the Wolf family and its enterprises are assembling a massive clandestine operation. And, on Antarctica, a seemingly innocent scientific- research site proves to be a diabolical setup for destroying the known world. However, Dirk Pitt and his friend and partner, Al Giordino, destroy the dastardly plan. Offering one action-packed scene after another, Cussler guarantees to keep the pages turning at a rapid rate. There are plenty of technologically advanced gadgets and machines, along with secretive movements to add a thriller quality to the plot. Cussler writes himself into the story as a minor player in the mayhem, poking fun at his own writing. This book provides plenty of adventure, as well as top-rate entertainment.-Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
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