Dirk Pitt character at his entertaining best, 28 Aug 2008
I have never been a big fan of action thrillers. The only author I read regularly in this genre is Lee Child and his `Jack Reacher` character, and I enjoy him a lot, so I decided to give Clive Cussler a try. I am happy to say I was not disappointed! Even though "Pacific Vortex" was the first published book in the Dirk Pitt adventures series, it was the first Cussler wrote, so logically, this is the novel I picked to start my journey. I found an interesting character that lives at the edge and is passionate about his work. Also in some aspects he is similar to James Bond, women mainly, and the mix is sufficient to keep the reader thoroughly entertained. If you enjoy serial characters then this is a must series for you, also try Michael Connelly`s `Harry Bosh` series, or much more violent is the `Soft Target` thrillers by Conrad Jones. In the Dirk pitt stories Cussler has created a very entertaining series, with a character that has an arrogant and pedantic side, but whom also shows his pure emotions and is true to his friends and ideals. This makes the Special Project Director of the National Underwater and Marine Agency a very likable character. This is a book that a reader can breeze through in a few hours making it an enjoyable way to spend a weekend's afternoon. I will surely read the next book in this series hoping for a similar experience.



So Bad It's Good? No. Just Bad., 07 Feb 2006
I'm always game to check out a good thriller, and never having read Cussler, thought it was time to sample one of his early books. Originally published in 1973, this is the second in his "Dirk Pitt" series -- and I have to say, it is truly awful. Probably the best way to characterize it is as a really poor imitation of the James Bond films (not the books): indestructible manly hero, sex on the beach with willing beauty, outrageously silly plot, secret submarine base, and worst of all, the villain who explains everything to the hero instead of killing him.

Set in the early '70s, the book starts with some zany promise, as a German WWI biplane attacks an (fictional) American airbase on Thasos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, about 75-100 miles east of Thessaloniki. The biplane efficiently destroys a bunch of F-105 Starfire Jets and C-133 transporters, without any response. (Apparently USAF bases of the time had no antiaircraft batteries. And the key to evading USAF radar is to use vintage aircraft -- so beware a North Korean strike force of Sopwith Camels!) Fortunately, Pitt happens to be flying a Catalina flying boat near the base at the same, and with the trusty aim of his rifle-totin' sturdy sidekick, manages to drive the biplane off. Pitt's been called in to investigate a series of strange accidents aboard a nearby scientific research vessel belonging the (also fictitious) National Underwater Marine Agency.

Of course, the strafing and the accidents are related, and soon Pitt is knee-deep in a ridiculous plot. Apparently inspired by the 1971 film "The French Connection", Cussler soon has Pitt chasing after a massive heroin smuggling operation. But wait, there's more! One word: Nazis. I'll refrain from saying any more, other than the key to the smuggling plot that has baffled Interpol for decades is figured out in a few minutes by Pitt sketching on a beach. Unfortunately, it also will have been figured out on about page 20 by most semi-intelligent readers.

The writing is just terrible, there's no other way to put it. Clunky descriptions, probably the worst dialogue I've read in several years, and cardboard characters. Plus, there's all kinds of stuff that Pitt does and figures out "off-camera", which are only revealed at the very end, which makes the reader feel rather cheated. I'll grant a writer one or two clever reveals in a story (the best I can think of is in Frederick Forsyth's "The Odessa File"), but these feel cheap. Many reviewers have commented on Pitt's rather old-fashioned take on women. However, in Cussler's defense, it was written more than thirty years ago, and it is in keeping with the genre. More importantly, with the regards to the scene where he slaps the beautiful woman and she proceeds to have sex with him, it's revealed at the very end that there is a good plot reason for her submission. It's still a laughably bad scene, but it does make some cockeyed sense within the scheme of the plot.

Overall, I like thrillers and I like junky adventure stories, but even within those genre considerations, this is poor poor stuff. Maybe Cussler's gotten better over time, but I'm sure not going to waste any more of my time finding out.

Dirk Pitt's entrance novel is a fun ride, 21 Nov 2004
I have a certain fondness for this Cussler novel, sure its missing some of those fun "pretitles" style preludes that tie together seemingly unrelated historical events in an ingenious manner and it's also very politically incorrect (but not as much as PACIFIC VORTEX is). But, this Dirk Pitt adventure (the first published, though Cussler wrote the aforementioned PACIFIC VORTEX first), is a fun ride of a novel and moves along at a fast pace (it's actually one of Cusslers shortest, if not THE shortest). With some very vivid fight scenes and some nice Alistair Maclean-esque plotting (apparently Cussler used the late Scottish writer's work as a template until he found his own style) this Cussler novel really delivers and I made fast work of it reading over a weekend about a year ago.
Starting with the attack on a US airfield in the Greek islands by a biplane and involving smuggling, German fighter aces and the trademark underwater sequences for which Cussler is perhaps best known for (through his non-fiction writings as much as for Dirk Pitt) I can guarantee that this novel will no doubt charm even the harshest of Cusslers critics as long as they take it for what it is - some harmless. Mildly diverting fun.
On a sidenote, all the reviewers who are commenting on the bad writing should really lighten up, this was after all one of Clive Cussler's earliest works :)

A rip-roaring all-action thriller - typical Cussler, 28 Nov 2001
This is an exciting novel with, perhaps an improbable plot - but if you don't like improbable plots there's no point in reading Cussler! It has all the necessary elements - action, excitement, technical detail. There is only one downside - it is a re-issue of an early Dirk Pitt novel which was, in the meantime, issued under the title 'Mayday!' - So don't buy both, or you'll be as disappointed as I was!

Of all of Cussler's books I liked this one best!, 01 Jul 1998
I will keep this review short. I have read all of Cussler's works over the past dozen years or so. I read The Mediterranean Caper perhaps ten years ago. To this day I still believe that it was my favorite of the Dirk Pitt stories. If you are a new fan of Cussler - pull this older book out. It is a classic.

Arguably Herman Melville's greatest work, and hailed as a classic American novel, Moby Dick tells the tale of one man's fatal obsession and his willingness to sacrifice his life and that of his crew to achieve his goal. The story follows the fortunes of Captain Ahab and the culturally and spiritually diverse crew of the Pequod, a 19th century whaling ship. The Pequod is on its last voyage out of New Bedford, Mass, in pursuit of Moby Dick, the great white whale which has been Ahab's obsessional quarry and bitter adversary for many years. Narrated by sole survivor Ishmael, the tale forms a complex fictional fusion, combining a wealth of literary symbolism, hidden meaning and philosophical debate with adventure narrative and a detailed historical account of the 19th century whaling trade. --Emily Lowson

Dirk Pitt character at his entertaining best, 28 Aug 2008
I have never been a big fan of action thrillers. The only author I read regularly in this genre is Lee Child and his `Jack Reacher` character, and I enjoy him a lot, so I decided to give Clive Cussler a try. I am happy to say I was not disappointed! Even though "Pacific Vortex" was the first published book in the Dirk Pitt adventures series, it was the first Cussler wrote, so logically, this is the novel I picked to start my journey. I found an interesting character that lives at the edge and is passionate about his work. Also in some aspects he is similar to James Bond, women mainly, and the mix is sufficient to keep the reader thoroughly entertained. If you enjoy serial characters then this is a must series for you, also try Michael Connelly`s `Harry Bosh` series, or much more violent is the `Soft Target` thrillers by Conrad Jones. In the Dirk pitt stories Cussler has created a very entertaining series, with a character that has an arrogant and pedantic side, but whom also shows his pure emotions and is true to his friends and ideals. This makes the Special Project Director of the National Underwater and Marine Agency a very likable character. This is a book that a reader can breeze through in a few hours making it an enjoyable way to spend a weekend's afternoon. I will surely read the next book in this series hoping for a similar experience.



So Bad It's Good? No. Just Bad., 07 Feb 2006
I'm always game to check out a good thriller, and never having read Cussler, thought it was time to sample one of his early books. Originally published in 1973, this is the second in his "Dirk Pitt" series -- and I have to say, it is truly awful. Probably the best way to characterize it is as a really poor imitation of the James Bond films (not the books): indestructible manly hero, sex on the beach with willing beauty, outrageously silly plot, secret submarine base, and worst of all, the villain who explains everything to the hero instead of killing him.

Set in the early '70s, the book starts with some zany promise, as a German WWI biplane attacks an (fictional) American airbase on Thasos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, about 75-100 miles east of Thessaloniki. The biplane efficiently destroys a bunch of F-105 Starfire Jets and C-133 transporters, without any response. (Apparently USAF bases of the time had no antiaircraft batteries. And the key to evading USAF radar is to use vintage aircraft -- so beware a North Korean strike force of Sopwith Camels!) Fortunately, Pitt happens to be flying a Catalina flying boat near the base at the same, and with the trusty aim of his rifle-totin' sturdy sidekick, manages to drive the biplane off. Pitt's been called in to investigate a series of strange accidents aboard a nearby scientific research vessel belonging the (also fictitious) National Underwater Marine Agency.

Of course, the strafing and the accidents are related, and soon Pitt is knee-deep in a ridiculous plot. Apparently inspired by the 1971 film "The French Connection", Cussler soon has Pitt chasing after a massive heroin smuggling operation. But wait, there's more! One word: Nazis. I'll refrain from saying any more, other than the key to the smuggling plot that has baffled Interpol for decades is figured out in a few minutes by Pitt sketching on a beach. Unfortunately, it also will have been figured out on about page 20 by most semi-intelligent readers.

The writing is just terrible, there's no other way to put it. Clunky descriptions, probably the worst dialogue I've read in several years, and cardboard characters. Plus, there's all kinds of stuff that Pitt does and figures out "off-camera", which are only revealed at the very end, which makes the reader feel rather cheated. I'll grant a writer one or two clever reveals in a story (the best I can think of is in Frederick Forsyth's "The Odessa File"), but these feel cheap. Many reviewers have commented on Pitt's rather old-fashioned take on women. However, in Cussler's defense, it was written more than thirty years ago, and it is in keeping with the genre. More importantly, with the regards to the scene where he slaps the beautiful woman and she proceeds to have sex with him, it's revealed at the very end that there is a good plot reason for her submission. It's still a laughably bad scene, but it does make some cockeyed sense within the scheme of the plot.

Overall, I like thrillers and I like junky adventure stories, but even within those genre considerations, this is poor poor stuff. Maybe Cussler's gotten better over time, but I'm sure not going to waste any more of my time finding out.

Dirk Pitt's entrance novel is a fun ride, 21 Nov 2004
I have a certain fondness for this Cussler novel, sure its missing some of those fun "pretitles" style preludes that tie together seemingly unrelated historical events in an ingenious manner and it's also very politically incorrect (but not as much as PACIFIC VORTEX is). But, this Dirk Pitt adventure (the first published, though Cussler wrote the aforementioned PACIFIC VORTEX first), is a fun ride of a novel and moves along at a fast pace (it's actually one of Cusslers shortest, if not THE shortest). With some very vivid fight scenes and some nice Alistair Maclean-esque plotting (apparently Cussler used the late Scottish writer's work as a template until he found his own style) this Cussler novel really delivers and I made fast work of it reading over a weekend about a year ago.
Starting with the attack on a US airfield in the Greek islands by a biplane and involving smuggling, German fighter aces and the trademark underwater sequences for which Cussler is perhaps best known for (through his non-fiction writings as much as for Dirk Pitt) I can guarantee that this novel will no doubt charm even the harshest of Cusslers critics as long as they take it for what it is - some harmless. Mildly diverting fun.
On a sidenote, all the reviewers who are commenting on the bad writing should really lighten up, this was after all one of Clive Cussler's earliest works :)

A rip-roaring all-action thriller - typical Cussler, 28 Nov 2001
This is an exciting novel with, perhaps an improbable plot - but if you don't like improbable plots there's no point in reading Cussler! It has all the necessary elements - action, excitement, technical detail. There is only one downside - it is a re-issue of an early Dirk Pitt novel which was, in the meantime, issued under the title 'Mayday!' - So don't buy both, or you'll be as disappointed as I was!

Of all of Cussler's books I liked this one best!, 01 Jul 1998
I will keep this review short. I have read all of Cussler's works over the past dozen years or so. I read The Mediterranean Caper perhaps ten years ago. To this day I still believe that it was my favorite of the Dirk Pitt stories. If you are a new fan of Cussler - pull this older book out. It is a classic.

It made me want to jump ship!, 02 Nov 2008
In my quest to read all the literary classics, I do have to keep reminding myself that just because something is a "classic" I'm not necessarily going to enjoy it.

This was certainly the case with Moby Dick. Written in 1850 by a former Whaleman, it follows the story of the monomaniacal Captain Ahab and his ship the Pequod in the relentless pursuit of a fierce white whale - Moby Dick. The story is narrated by Ishmael, a member of the crew who is on his own personal journey of philosophical and spiritual enlightenment.

I enjoyed the book up to the point when the Pequod embarked on its journey, then for 400 odd interminable pages Melville presents you with an encyclopaedic account of a whale voyage, going into mind numbingly tedious detail of almost every aspect of the 19th Century whale industry, Cetology, whale mythology, the physiology and phrenology - Ad Nauseum!

Moby Dick is a hybrid of a novel and a factual book on Whales. The story is continually interrupted, often at exciting parts, by Melville while he indulges in yet another lengthy description. He's clearly far too close to his subject to be objective, therefore characters and plot are sacrificed for factual detail. It's only really in the last 100 pages that the action really gets going and we see the climax of Ahab's self destructive quest. All in all though, I was relieved to finally finish this book!


Why don't you come a-whaling?, 24 Jul 2008
It's a classic allegory, but Moby-Dick is an arduous experience. I once read a summary that this book is only truly capable of being judged when read all the way through to its climax. The fact is, this book holds true to it, and even if when reading it you feel yourself slipping: keep at it, there is some superb English and some superb thought hidden in this book.


There are two faults with this book. First, and the biggest one, is the many many chapters on the technical aspects of Whaling and Cetology. Although interesting at first, they descend into Minutiae, and even I as a person who loved the book from cover to cover skipped a few chapters of this nature, scanning for any truly important passages. Secondly, in a few scenes the dialogue can get confusing, but these are generally not key scenes- so do not worry. Just remember that nearly everyone refers to themselves in the Third-Person, and Melville's lack of "said -" becomes less vexing and confusing.

The book does, however, contain some of the best prose I have ever read- and I've read a lot of it. Poetic, almost Shakespearean, and above all soaked in atmosphere, there are times when this book just astounds you with the vividness and tenacity of its language. With phrases like "made appalling battle" it sweeps away the less complex and incredibly simple modern bestsellers like The Da Vinci Code.

At the heart of the book is an intense symbolism that would sound ludicrous to those who have not read the book, the fact that one white whale could represent so plausibly so so many things does sound far fetched, but when you read it you find so many different answers. Fate, Providence, Nature, Madness, Death, Predestination- all these things run as Ahab and the Pequod's brave and diligent crew assail Moby-Dick.

Sure to be remembered as one of the greatest books ever written even in the far far future, this novel is an experience like no other- and an incredibly individual and personally driven one too, perhaps why it is the source of so much praise and so much perplexity. This book teaches you the art of writing, and the art of allegory.

Doesn't even deserve one star, it's that bad, 28 Jun 2008
The author seems to think it far more appropriate to let us all know what a well-educated fellow he is by the use of overblown pompous classical waffling, than to tell the story. Avoid this awful book.

a bit drawn out but amazing prose, 01 Dec 2007
Wow! Every aspiring writer should give this a read...or then again maybe they shouldn't since it may be too depressing to read something this good. Like Joseph Conrad's works, Lord Jim and Heart of Darkness, Moby-Dick is somewhat autobiographical, at least in the sense that Melville took to the high seas in a whaling boat in the middle of his life, prior to writing this. As a high schooler I found this book terribly boring, but now I mainly see it as amazingly well written. Kids probably shouldn't be forced to read classic literature because they generally don't appreciate it. In a sense, the whole novel is one long buildup to the final devastating scene, and perhaps there's some Freudian or other indirect psychological meaning to that layout of the story, but you'll have to find an expert for the correct interpretation. Apparently, Melville wasn't particularly commerically successful in his lifetime, partly because he was unconventional in style and wouldn't crank out mindless rubbish. Billy Budd is also certainly worth reading again. In summary, Moby-Dick should be required reading for every adult! Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

This book took me forever to read!, 06 Nov 2007
This book is very hard work but it is worth it. It quite like dickens in that you have keep checking the footnotes to understand what on earth they are talking about. I suppose it is the polar opposite to the generic american airport reader. Fortunately I have met few people a cursed as Ahab...

Dirk Pitt character at his entertaining best, 28 Aug 2008
I have never been a big fan of action thrillers. The only author I read regularly in this genre is Lee Child and his `Jack Reacher` character, and I enjoy him a lot, so I decided to give Clive Cussler a try. I am happy to say I was not disappointed! Even though "Pacific Vortex" was the first published book in the Dirk Pitt adventures series, it was the first Cussler wrote, so logically, this is the novel I picked to start my journey. I found an interesting character that lives at the edge and is passionate about his work. Also in some aspects he is similar to James Bond, women mainly, and the mix is sufficient to keep the reader thoroughly entertained. If you enjoy serial characters then this is a must series for you, also try Michael Connelly`s `Harry Bosh` series, or much more violent is the `Soft Target` thrillers by Conrad Jones. In the Dirk pitt stories Cussler has created a very entertaining series, with a character that has an arrogant and pedantic side, but whom also shows his pure emotions and is true to his friends and ideals. This makes the Special Project Director of the National Underwater and Marine Agency a very likable character. This is a book that a reader can breeze through in a few hours making it an enjoyable way to spend a weekend's afternoon. I will surely read the next book in this series hoping for a similar experience.



So Bad It's Good? No. Just Bad., 07 Feb 2006
I'm always game to check out a good thriller, and never having read Cussler, thought it was time to sample one of his early books. Originally published in 1973, this is the second in his "Dirk Pitt" series -- and I have to say, it is truly awful. Probably the best way to characterize it is as a really poor imitation of the James Bond films (not the books): indestructible manly hero, sex on the beach with willing beauty, outrageously silly plot, secret submarine base, and worst of all, the villain who explains everything to the hero instead of killing him.

Set in the early '70s, the book starts with some zany promise, as a German WWI biplane attacks an (fictional) American airbase on Thasos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, about 75-100 miles east of Thessaloniki. The biplane efficiently destroys a bunch of F-105 Starfire Jets and C-133 transporters, without any response. (Apparently USAF bases of the time had no antiaircraft batteries. And the key to evading USAF radar is to use vintage aircraft -- so beware a North Korean strike force of Sopwith Camels!) Fortunately, Pitt happens to be flying a Catalina flying boat near the base at the same, and with the trusty aim of his rifle-totin' sturdy sidekick, manages to drive the biplane off. Pitt's been called in to investigate a series of strange accidents aboard a nearby scientific research vessel belonging the (also fictitious) National Underwater Marine Agency.

Of course, the strafing and the accidents are related, and soon Pitt is knee-deep in a ridiculous plot. Apparently inspired by the 1971 film "The French Connection", Cussler soon has Pitt chasing after a massive heroin smuggling operation. But wait, there's more! One word: Nazis. I'll refrain from saying any more, other than the key to the smuggling plot that has baffled Interpol for decades is figured out in a few minutes by Pitt sketching on a beach. Unfortunately, it also will have been figured out on about page 20 by most semi-intelligent readers.

The writing is just terrible, there's no other way to put it. Clunky descriptions, probably the worst dialogue I've read in several years, and cardboard characters. Plus, there's all kinds of stuff that Pitt does and figures out "off-camera", which are only revealed at the very end, which makes the reader feel rather cheated. I'll grant a writer one or two clever reveals in a story (the best I can think of is in Frederick Forsyth's "The Odessa File"), but these feel cheap. Many reviewers have commented on Pitt's rather old-fashioned take on women. However, in Cussler's defense, it was written more than thirty years ago, and it is in keeping with the genre. More importantly, with the regards to the scene where he slaps the beautiful woman and she proceeds to have sex with him, it's revealed at the very end that there is a good plot reason for her submission. It's still a laughably bad scene, but it does make some cockeyed sense within the scheme of the plot.

Overall, I like thrillers and I like junky adventure stories, but even within those genre considerations, this is poor poor stuff. Maybe Cussler's gotten better over time, but I'm sure not going to waste any more of my time finding out.

Dirk Pitt's entrance novel is a fun ride, 21 Nov 2004
I have a certain fondness for this Cussler novel, sure its missing some of those fun "pretitles" style preludes that tie together seemingly unrelated historical events in an ingenious manner and it's also very politically incorrect (but not as much as PACIFIC VORTEX is). But, this Dirk Pitt adventure (the first published, though Cussler wrote the aforementioned PACIFIC VORTEX first), is a fun ride of a novel and moves along at a fast pace (it's actually one of Cusslers shortest, if not THE shortest). With some very vivid fight scenes and some nice Alistair Maclean-esque plotting (apparently Cussler used the late Scottish writer's work as a template until he found his own style) this Cussler novel really delivers and I made fast work of it reading over a weekend about a year ago.
Starting with the attack on a US airfield in the Greek islands by a biplane and involving smuggling, German fighter aces and the trademark underwater sequences for which Cussler is perhaps best known for (through his non-fiction writings as much as for Dirk Pitt) I can guarantee that this novel will no doubt charm even the harshest of Cusslers critics as long as they take it for what it is - some harmless. Mildly diverting fun.
On a sidenote, all the reviewers who are commenting on the bad writing should really lighten up, this was after all one of Clive Cussler's earliest works :)

A rip-roaring all-action thriller - typical Cussler, 28 Nov 2001
This is an exciting novel with, perhaps an improbable plot - but if you don't like improbable plots there's no point in reading Cussler! It has all the necessary elements - action, excitement, technical detail. There is only one downside - it is a re-issue of an early Dirk Pitt novel which was, in the meantime, issued under the title 'Mayday!' - So don't buy both, or you'll be as disappointed as I was!

Of all of Cussler's books I liked this one best!, 01 Jul 1998
I will keep this review short. I have read all of Cussler's works over the past dozen years or so. I read The Mediterranean Caper perhaps ten years ago. To this day I still believe that it was my favorite of the Dirk Pitt stories. If you are a new fan of Cussler - pull this older book out. It is a classic.

It made me want to jump ship!, 02 Nov 2008
In my quest to read all the literary classics, I do have to keep reminding myself that just because something is a "classic" I'm not necessarily going to enjoy it.

This was certainly the case with Moby Dick. Written in 1850 by a former Whaleman, it follows the story of the monomaniacal Captain Ahab and his ship the Pequod in the relentless pursuit of a fierce white whale - Moby Dick. The story is narrated by Ishmael, a member of the crew who is on his own personal journey of philosophical and spiritual enlightenment.

I enjoyed the book up to the point when the Pequod embarked on its journey, then for 400 odd interminable pages Melville presents you with an encyclopaedic account of a whale voyage, going into mind numbingly tedious detail of almost every aspect of the 19th Century whale industry, Cetology, whale mythology, the physiology and phrenology - Ad Nauseum!

Moby Dick is a hybrid of a novel and a factual book on Whales. The story is continually interrupted, often at exciting parts, by Melville while he indulges in yet another lengthy description. He's clearly far too close to his subject to be objective, therefore characters and plot are sacrificed for factual detail. It's only really in the last 100 pages that the action really gets going and we see the climax of Ahab's self destructive quest. All in all though, I was relieved to finally finish this book!


Why don't you come a-whaling?, 24 Jul 2008
It's a classic allegory, but Moby-Dick is an arduous experience. I once read a summary that this book is only truly capable of being judged when read all the way through to its climax. The fact is, this book holds true to it, and even if when reading it you feel yourself slipping: keep at it, there is some superb English and some superb thought hidden in this book.


There are two faults with this book. First, and the biggest one, is the many many chapters on the technical aspects of Whaling and Cetology. Although interesting at first, they descend into Minutiae, and even I as a person who loved the book from cover to cover skipped a few chapters of this nature, scanning for any truly important passages. Secondly, in a few scenes the dialogue can get confusing, but these are generally not key scenes- so do not worry. Just remember that nearly everyone refers to themselves in the Third-Person, and Melville's lack of "said -" becomes less vexing and confusing.

The book does, however, contain some of the best prose I have ever read- and I've read a lot of it. Poetic, almost Shakespearean, and above all soaked in atmosphere, there are times when this book just astounds you with the vividness and tenacity of its language. With phrases like "made appalling battle" it sweeps away the less complex and incredibly simple modern bestsellers like The Da Vinci Code.

At the heart of the book is an intense symbolism that would sound ludicrous to those who have not read the book, the fact that one white whale could represent so plausibly so so many things does sound far fetched, but when you read it you find so many different answers. Fate, Providence, Nature, Madness, Death, Predestination- all these things run as Ahab and the Pequod's brave and diligent crew assail Moby-Dick.

Sure to be remembered as one of the greatest books ever written even in the far far future, this novel is an experience like no other- and an incredibly individual and personally driven one too, perhaps why it is the source of so much praise and so much perplexity. This book teaches you the art of writing, and the art of allegory.

Doesn't even deserve one star, it's that bad, 28 Jun 2008
The author seems to think it far more appropriate to let us all know what a well-educated fellow he is by the use of overblown pompous classical waffling, than to tell the story. Avoid this awful book.

a bit drawn out but amazing prose, 01 Dec 2007
Wow! Every aspiring writer should give this a read...or then again maybe they shouldn't since it may be too depressing to read something this good. Like Joseph Conrad's works, Lord Jim and Heart of Darkness, Moby-Dick is somewhat autobiographical, at least in the sense that Melville took to the high seas in a whaling boat in the middle of his life, prior to writing this. As a high schooler I found this book terribly boring, but now I mainly see it as amazingly well written. Kids probably shouldn't be forced to read classic literature because they generally don't appreciate it. In a sense, the whole novel is one long buildup to the final devastating scene, and perhaps there's some Freudian or other indirect psychological meaning to that layout of the story, but you'll have to find an expert for the correct interpretation. Apparently, Melville wasn't particularly commerically successful in his lifetime, partly because he was unconventional in style and wouldn't crank out mindless rubbish. Billy Budd is also certainly worth reading again. In summary, Moby-Dick should be required reading for every adult! Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

This book took me forever to read!, 06 Nov 2007
This book is very hard work but it is worth it. It quite like dickens in that you have keep checking the footnotes to understand what on earth they are talking about. I suppose it is the polar opposite to the generic american airport reader. Fortunately I have met few people a cursed as Ahab...

Utter rubbish, 13 Jan 2008
Fortunately I didnt pay for this book - I found it on the train.
I ought to have left it there and I see why the previous owner did. This book is TERRIBLE. I like fantastic action as much as anyone else but this doesnt so much take the biscuit as leave the biscuit in a glass of milk to go all gooey and horrible. Mr Rollins suffers from 'Dan Brown Syndrome' - interesting ideas, horrible execution.
The end of this book is one of the worst things I have ever seen attempted on the page. It made me want to spoon my eyes out. Why did I make it this far? Well, you know how people slow down when they drive past an accident? Yeah....
Please avoid. Read some Dan Simmons or Richard Morgan or something instead.

Another great book by Rollins!, 20 Dec 2007
James Rollins has done it yet again with his new novel. While in the past, many of his works are riddled with themes of lost civilizations and their eventual discoveries, i think that Rollins has outdone himself with this novel (in a good way). The first 50 pages are quite hard to get through but once you've passed those, the book doesnt disappoint. It's essentially like reading a movie, the action never stopped! Also, if you missed reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates, go and read it.

The Author's Books are Compelling Reading, 26 Jul 2007

James Rollins was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1961. With his three brothers and three sisters, he was raised in the Midwest and rural Canada. He graduated with a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Missouri and went on to establish his own veterinary practice in Sacramento, California. His sense of adventure often takes him either underground or underwater.

This is the another action packed adventure from the author, whose books for me anyway are consistently good and always an enjoyable read. Long may he continue to write them for his growing number of fans. Some writers have an immediate impact and then die away. James Rollins has slowly built his reputation over a period of years, what you might call a slow burner, but all the better for it.

The new millennium's first eclipse of the sun, looked forward to by many people as a natural phenomenon rarely seen in the span of a human lifetime casts a shroud over the Earth. And then catastrophe struck . . .

Solar flares have triggered a series of gargantuan natural disasters. Earthquakes and hellfire rock the globe. The death toll begins to rise at an unprecedented rate. And in the midst of chaos, Air Force One and America's president have vanished from the skies . . .

Incredible Escapism, 30 Aug 2006
Wow one of the first books I have rushed into work to write an online review about even before I have finished it. This book is like a cross between Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt,Jack Bauer from 24 and a good helping of Matthew Reilly's Scarecrow plus a bit of Jaws. Great underwater imagination, fantastic characters, great story about the possible end of the world and brilliant excitement, cant wait to get back to it. I read a number of reviews before and bought all his books I can find so looking forward to reading all his others. Can recommend it enough.

Suspend all belief and enjoy!, 02 Mar 2006
Escapist nonsense doesn't come much brasher and bolder than this. Suspend all belief and enjoy the rollercoaster ride that is delivered by this tale of natural disasters shaking up the world. This potboiler has the lot: a traumatised hero, his arch enemy, a love interest, nuclear war, lost continents, magical crystals, you name it.

I would deduct one star for the ending, which smacks a touch of the author having painted himself into a corner and using a cheap trick to get out of it. But, who's complaining? It's all tripe, anyway. Hugely readable and enjoyable nonsense, but nonsense nevertheless.

It would make a mighty fine blockbuster movie, for sure.

Dirk Pitt character at his entertaining best, 28 Aug 2008
I have never been a big fan of action thrillers. The only author I read regularly in this genre is Lee Child and his `Jack Reacher` character, and I enjoy him a lot, so I decided to give Clive Cussler a try. I am happy to say I was not disappointed! Even though "Pacific Vortex" was the first published book in the Dirk Pitt adventures series, it was the first Cussler wrote, so logically, this is the novel I picked to start my journey. I found an interesting character that lives at the edge and is passionate about his work. Also in some aspects he is similar to James Bond, women mainly, and the mix is sufficient to keep the reader thoroughly entertained. If you enjoy serial characters then this is a must series for you, also try Michael Connelly`s `Harry Bosh` series, or much more violent is the `Soft Target` thrillers by Conrad Jones. In the Dirk pitt stories Cussler has created a very entertaining series, with a character that has an arrogant and pedantic side, but whom also shows his pure emotions and is true to his friends and ideals. This makes the Special Project Director of the National Underwater and Marine Agency a very likable character. This is a book that a reader can breeze through in a few hours making it an enjoyable way to spend a weekend's afternoon. I will surely read the next book in this series hoping for a similar experience.



So Bad It's Good? No. Just Bad., 07 Feb 2006
I'm always game to check out a good thriller, and never having read Cussler, thought it was time to sample one of his early books. Originally published in 1973, this is the second in his "Dirk Pitt" series -- and I have to say, it is truly awful. Probably the best way to characterize it is as a really poor imitation of the James Bond films (not the books): indestructible manly hero, sex on the beach with willing beauty, outrageously silly plot, secret submarine base, and worst of all, the villain who explains everything to the hero instead of killing him.

Set in the early '70s, the book starts with some zany promise, as a German WWI biplane attacks an (fictional) American airbase on Thasos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, about 75-100 miles east of Thessaloniki. The biplane efficiently destroys a bunch of F-105 Starfire Jets and C-133 transporters, without any response. (Apparently USAF bases of the time had no antiaircraft batteries. And the key to evading USAF radar is to use vintage aircraft -- so beware a North Korean strike force of Sopwith Camels!) Fortunately, Pitt happens to be flying a Catalina flying boat near the base at the same, and with the trusty aim of his rifle-totin' sturdy sidekick, manages to drive the biplane off. Pitt's been called in to investigate a series of strange accidents aboard a nearby scientific research vessel belonging the (also fictitious) National Underwater Marine Agency.

Of course, the strafing and the accidents are related, and soon Pitt is knee-deep in a ridiculous plot. Apparently inspired by the 1971 film "The French Connection", Cussler soon has Pitt chasing after a massive heroin smuggling operation. But wait, there's more! One word: Nazis. I'll refrain from saying any more, other than the key to the smuggling plot that has baffled Interpol for decades is figured out in a few minutes by Pitt sketching on a beach. Unfortunately, it also will have been figured out on about page 20 by most semi-intelligent readers.

The writing is just terrible, there's no other way to put it. Clunky descriptions, probably the worst dialogue I've read in several years, and cardboard characters. Plus, there's all kinds of stuff that Pitt does and figures out "off-camera", which are only revealed at the very end, which makes the reader feel rather cheated. I'll grant a writer one or two clever reveals in a story (the best I can think of is in Frederick Forsyth's "The Odessa File"), but these feel cheap. Many reviewers have commented on Pitt's rather old-fashioned take on women. However, in Cussler's defense, it was written more than thirty years ago, and it is in keeping with the genre. More importantly, with the regards to the scene where he slaps the beautiful woman and she proceeds to have sex with him, it's revealed at the very end that there is a good plot reason for her submission. It's still a laughably bad scene, but it does make some cockeyed sense within the scheme of the plot.

Overall, I like thrillers and I like junky adventure stories, but even within those genre considerations, this is poor poor stuff. Maybe Cussler's gotten better over time, but I'm sure not going to waste any more of my time finding out.

Dirk Pitt's entrance novel is a fun ride, 21 Nov 2004
I have a certain fondness for this Cussler novel, sure its missing some of those fun "pretitles" style preludes that tie together seemingly unrelated historical events in an ingenious manner and it's also very politically incorrect (but not as much as PACIFIC VORTEX is). But, this Dirk Pitt adventure (the first published, though Cussler wrote the aforementioned PACIFIC VORTEX first), is a fun ride of a novel and moves along at a fast pace (it's actually one of Cusslers shortest, if not THE shortest). With some very vivid fight scenes and some nice Alistair Maclean-esque plotting (apparently Cussler used the late Scottish writer's work as a template until he found his own style) this Cussler novel really delivers and I made fast work of it reading over a weekend about a year ago.
Starting with the attack on a US airfield in the Greek islands by a biplane and involving smuggling, German fighter aces and the trademark underwater sequences for which Cussler is perhaps best known for (through his non-fiction writings as much as for Dirk Pitt) I can guarantee that this novel will no doubt charm even the harshest of Cusslers critics as long as they take it for what it is - some harmless. Mildly diverting fun.
On a sidenote, all the reviewers who are commenting on the bad writing should really lighten up, this was after all one of Clive Cussler's earliest works :)

A rip-roaring all-action thriller - typical Cussler, 28 Nov 2001
This is an exciting novel with, perhaps an improbable plot - but if you don't like improbable plots there's no point in reading Cussler! It has all the necessary elements - action, excitement, technical detail. There is only one downside - it is a re-issue of an early Dirk Pitt novel which was, in the meantime, issued under the title 'Mayday!' - So don't buy both, or you'll be as disappointed as I was!

Of all of Cussler's books I liked this one best!, 01 Jul 1998
I will keep this review short. I have read all of Cussler's works over the past dozen years or so. I read The Mediterranean Caper perhaps ten years ago. To this day I still believe that it was my favorite of the Dirk Pitt stories. If you are a new fan of Cussler - pull this older book out. It is a classic.

It made me want to jump ship!, 02 Nov 2008
In my quest to read all the literary classics, I do have to keep reminding myself that just because something is a "classic" I'm not necessarily going to enjoy it.

This was certainly the case with Moby Dick. Written in 1850 by a former Whaleman, it follows the story of the monomaniacal Captain Ahab and his ship the Pequod in the relentless pursuit of a fierce white whale - Moby Dick. The story is narrated by Ishmael, a member of the crew who is on his own personal journey of philosophical and spiritual enlightenment.

I enjoyed the book up to the point when the Pequod embarked on its journey, then for 400 odd interminable pages Melville presents you with an encyclopaedic account of a whale voyage, going into mind numbingly tedious detail of almost every aspect of the 19th Century whale industry, Cetology, whale mythology, the physiology and phrenology - Ad Nauseum!

Moby Dick is a hybrid of a novel and a factual book on Whales. The story is continually interrupted, often at exciting parts, by Melville while he indulges in yet another lengthy description. He's clearly far too close to his subject to be objective, therefore characters and plot are sacrificed for factual detail. It's only really in the last 100 pages that the action really gets going and we see the climax of Ahab's self destructive quest. All in all though, I was relieved to finally finish this book!


Why don't you come a-whaling?, 24 Jul 2008
It's a classic allegory, but Moby-Dick is an arduous experience. I once read a summary that this book is only truly capable of being judged when read all the way through to its climax. The fact is, this book holds true to it, and even if when reading it you feel yourself slipping: keep at it, there is some superb English and some superb thought hidden in this book.


There are two faults with this book. First, and the biggest one, is the many many chapters on the technical aspects of Whaling and Cetology. Although interesting at first, they descend into Minutiae, and even I as a person who loved the book from cover to cover skipped a few chapters of this nature, scanning for any truly important passages. Secondly, in a few scenes the dialogue can get confusing, but these are generally not key scenes- so do not worry. Just remember that nearly everyone refers to themselves in the Third-Person, and Melville's lack of "said -" becomes less vexing and confusing.

The book does, however, contain some of the best prose I have ever read- and I've read a lot of it. Poetic, almost Shakespearean, and above all soaked in atmosphere, there are times when this book just astounds you with the vividness and tenacity of its language. With phrases like "made appalling battle" it sweeps away the less complex and incredibly simple modern bestsellers like The Da Vinci Code.

At the heart of the book is an intense symbolism that would sound ludicrous to those who have not read the book, the fact that one white whale could represent so plausibly so so many things does sound far fetched, but when you read it you find so many different answers. Fate, Providence, Nature, Madness, Death, Predestination- all these things run as Ahab and the Pequod's brave and diligent crew assail Moby-Dick.

Sure to be remembered as one of the greatest books ever written even in the far far future, this novel is an experience like no other- and an incredibly individual and personally driven one too, perhaps why it is the source of so much praise and so much perplexity. This book teaches you the art of writing, and the art of allegory.

Doesn't even deserve one star, it's that bad, 28 Jun 2008
The author seems to think it far more appropriate to let us all know what a well-educated fellow he is by the use of overblown pompous classical waffling, than to tell the story. Avoid this awful book.

a bit drawn out but amazing prose, 01 Dec 2007
Wow! Every aspiring writer should give this a read...or then again maybe they shouldn't since it may be too depressing to read something this good. Like Joseph Conrad's works, Lord Jim and Heart of Darkness, Moby-Dick is somewhat autobiographical, at least in the sense that Melville took to the high seas in a whaling boat in the middle of his life, prior to writing this. As a high schooler I found this book terribly boring, but now I mainly see it as amazingly well written. Kids probably shouldn't be forced to read classic literature because they generally don't appreciate it. In a sense, the whole novel is one long buildup to the final devastating scene, and perhaps there's some Freudian or other indirect psychological meaning to that layout of the story, but you'll have to find an expert for the correct interpretation. Apparently, Melville wasn't particularly commerically successful in his lifetime, partly because he was unconventional in style and wouldn't crank out mindless rubbish. Billy Budd is also certainly worth reading again. In summary, Moby-Dick should be required reading for every adult! Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

This book took me forever to read!, 06 Nov 2007
This book is very hard work but it is worth it. It quite like dickens in that you have keep checking the footnotes to understand what on earth they are talking about. I suppose it is the polar opposite to the generic american airport reader. Fortunately I have met few people a cursed as Ahab...

Utter rubbish, 13 Jan 2008
Fortunately I didnt pay for this book - I found it on the train.
I ought to have left it there and I see why the previous owner did. This book is TERRIBLE. I like fantastic action as much as anyone else but this doesnt so much take the biscuit as leave the biscuit in a glass of milk to go all gooey and horrible. Mr Rollins suffers from 'Dan Brown Syndrome' - interesting ideas, horrible execution.
The end of this book is one of the worst things I have ever seen attempted on the page. It made me want to spoon my eyes out. Why did I make it this far? Well, you know how people slow down when they drive past an accident? Yeah....
Please avoid. Read some Dan Simmons or Richard Morgan or something instead.

Another great book by Rollins!, 20 Dec 2007
James Rollins has done it yet again with his new novel. While in the past, many of his works are riddled with themes of lost civilizations and their eventual discoveries, i think that Rollins has outdone himself with this novel (in a good way). The first 50 pages are quite hard to get through but once you've passed those, the book doesnt disappoint. It's essentially like reading a movie, the action never stopped! Also, if you missed reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates, go and read it.

The Author's Books are Compelling Reading, 26 Jul 2007

James Rollins was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1961. With his three brothers and three sisters, he was raised in the Midwest and rural Canada. He graduated with a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Missouri and went on to establish his own veterinary practice in Sacramento, California. His sense of adventure often takes him either underground or underwater.

This is the another action packed adventure from the author, whose books for me anyway are consistently good and always an enjoyable read. Long may he continue to write them for his growing number of fans. Some writers have an immediate impact and then die away. James Rollins has slowly built his reputation over a period of years, what you might call a slow burner, but all the better for it.

The new millennium's first eclipse of the sun, looked forward to by many people as a natural phenomenon rarely seen in the span of a human lifetime casts a shroud over the Earth. And then catastrophe struck . . .

Solar flares have triggered a series of gargantuan natural disasters. Earthquakes and hellfire rock the globe. The death toll begins to rise at an unprecedented rate. And in the midst of chaos, Air Force One and America's president have vanished from the skies . . .

Incredible Escapism, 30 Aug 2006
Wow one of the first books I have rushed into work to write an online review about even before I have finished it. This book is like a cross between Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt,Jack Bauer from 24 and a good helping of Matthew Reilly's Scarecrow plus a bit of Jaws. Great underwater imagination, fantastic characters, great story about the possible end of the world and brilliant excitement, cant wait to get back to it. I read a number of reviews before and bought all his books I can find so looking forward to reading all his others. Can recommend it enough.

Suspend all belief and enjoy!, 02 Mar 2006
Escapist nonsense doesn't come much brasher and bolder than this. Suspend all belief and enjoy the rollercoaster ride that is delivered by this tale of natural disasters shaking up the world. This potboiler has the lot: a traumatised hero, his arch enemy, a love interest, nuclear war, lost continents, magical crystals, you name it.

I would deduct one star for the ending, which smacks a touch of the author having painted himself into a corner and using a cheap trick to get out of it. But, who's complaining? It's all tripe, anyway. Hugely readable and enjoyable nonsense, but nonsense nevertheless.

It would make a mighty fine blockbuster movie, for sure.

WOW!!!!! Even better than the first omnibus edition, truly amazing., 09 Jul 2008
This is the second Omnibus of the Gotrex and Felix saga, i'll tell you a little bit anout each book in this Omnibus set.

Book 4: DRAGONSLAYER.

This is another action packed tale of the two heroes on their quest for both death and fame, here we see the troop of heroes coming back from their mission to the lost Dwarf keep only to find the army of the Scaven had captured their friend and allies keep, but this is not Gotrex and Felix's worst problem, while escaping the chaos waste they witness a gathering of chaos warriors ready to invade the world of men. Battling Scaven, Orcs, Chaos warriors and the might of an ancient dragon this book is an action packed thrill ride.

Book 5: BEASTSLAYER.

In this book we see Gotrex and Felix hold up in the massive fortress of Praag which is under siege by the massive army of Chaos warriors and their Beastmen allies. This book has everything you could ever what from an epic fantasy fiction, the action is none stop with plenty of battles, assassinations and political intrigue. If you liked Gemmell's Legend then you will love this book, so far the best of the Gotrex and Felix saga.

Book 6: VAMPIRESLAYER.

This book sees Gortrex and Felix survive the horrors of the siege of Praag only to find themselves fighting in the ruined city against the scavengers of the night and their dark magics, this book while good was not as good as the first two in the second Omnibus, like the first to books this is an action packed thrill ride, while I would only gives this book alone 4/5 and the two previous books 5/5, this is a great ending to the second and hopefully not final Gotrex and Felix Omnibus.

I hope the review was of some help to you.

more of the same, 26 May 2008
More of the same is not at all a bad thing in this case. more rollercoaster mayhem and a liberal splash of wit. i have read them all so far and can't wait for the next

Exciting Read!, 03 Oct 2007
Felix,a poet,swore a drunken oath that he would he follow Gotrek,a near invincible dwarf slayer with a magical axe,that he would record his heroic death.Felix and other companions finds themsevles in adventures and battles in the company of the suicidal dwarf.
This is a book i thoroughly enjoyed.The writer seems to have written this book very well and explains the surroundings and characters in detail so you can get a good image of what he trying to imagine,tho at times and in places it does sound like he rushed a bit,but with his dark humour and imence action you will not want to put it down.King certainly knows how to keep the narrative going,as soon as one battle is over another is looming,as soon as one baddie is down another one pops up.The book is broken up to give short prefaces to each character(except gotrek),which gives you an idea of what the main characters are thinking and this style of writing in fantasy/adventure left me wanting for more!

All in all it was an enjoyable read and if your a fan of fantasy which involves wizards,warriors,swords and magic i don't think you will be disappointed....

Dirk Pitt character at his entertaining best, 28 Aug 2008
I have never been a big fan of action thrillers. The only author I read regularly in this genre is Lee Child and his `Jack Reacher` character, and I enjoy him a lot, so I decided to give Clive Cussler a try. I am happy to say I was not disappointed! Even though "Pacific Vortex" was the first published book in the Dirk Pitt adventures series, it was the first Cussler wrote, so logically, this is the novel I picked to start my journey. I found an interesting character that lives at the edge and is passionate about his work. Also in some aspects he is similar to James Bond, women mainly, and the mix is sufficient to keep the reader thoroughly entertained. If you enjoy serial characters then this is a must series for you, also try Michael Connelly`s `Harry Bosh` series, or much more violent is the `Soft Target` thrillers by Conrad Jones. In the Dirk pitt stories Cussler has created a very entertaining series, with a character that has an arrogant and pedantic side, but whom also shows his pure emotions and is true to his friends and ideals. This makes the Special Project Director of the National Underwater and Marine Agency a very likable character. This is a book that a reader can breeze through in a few hours making it an enjoyable way to spend a weekend's afternoon. I will surely read the next book in this series hoping for a similar experience.



So Bad It's Good? No. Just Bad., 07 Feb 2006
I'm always game to check out a good thriller, and never having read Cussler, thought it was time to sample one of his early books. Originally published in 1973, this is the second in his "Dirk Pitt" series -- and I have to say, it is truly awful. Probably the best way to characterize it is as a really poor imitation of the James Bond films (not the books): indestructible manly hero, sex on the beach with willing beauty, outrageously silly plot, secret submarine base, and worst of all, the villain who explains everything to the hero instead of killing him.

Set in the early '70s, the book starts with some zany promise, as a German WWI biplane attacks an (fictional) American airbase on Thasos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, about 75-100 miles east of Thessaloniki. The biplane efficiently destroys a bunch of F-105 Starfire Jets and C-133 transporters, without any response. (Apparently USAF bases of the time had no antiaircraft batteries. And the key to evading USAF radar is to use vintage aircraft -- so beware a North Korean strike force of Sopwith Camels!) Fortunately, Pitt happens to be flying a Catalina flying boat near the base at the same, and with the trusty aim of his rifle-totin' sturdy sidekick, manages to drive the biplane off. Pitt's been called in to investigate a series of strange accidents aboard a nearby scientific research vessel belonging the (also fictitious) National Underwater Marine Agency.

Of course, the strafing and the accidents are related, and soon Pitt is knee-deep in a ridiculous plot. Apparently inspired by the 1971 film "The French Connection", Cussler soon has Pitt chasing after a massive heroin smuggling operation. But wait, there's more! One word: Nazis. I'll refrain from saying any more, other than the key to the smuggling plot that has baffled Interpol for decades is figured out in a few minutes by Pitt sketching on a beach. Unfortunately, it also will have been figured out on about page 20 by most semi-intelligent readers.

The writing is just terrible, there's no other way to put it. Clunky descriptions, probably the worst dialogue I've read in several years, and cardboard characters. Plus, there's all kinds of stuff that Pitt does and figures out "off-camera", which are only revealed at the very end, which makes the reader feel rather cheated. I'll grant a writer one or two clever reveals in a story (the best I can think of is in Frederick Forsyth's "The Odessa File"), but these feel cheap. Many reviewers have commented on Pitt's rather old-fashioned take on women. However, in Cussler's defense, it was written more than thirty years ago, and it is in keeping with the genre. More importantly, with the regards to the scene where he slaps the beautiful woman and she proceeds to have sex with him, it's revealed at the very end that there is a good plot reason for her submission. It's still a laughably bad scene, but it does make some cockeyed sense within the scheme of the plot.

Overall, I like thrillers and I like junky adventure stories, but even within those genre considerations, this is poor poor stuff. Maybe Cussler's gotten better over time, but I'm sure not going to waste any more of my time finding out.

Dirk Pitt's entrance novel is a fun ride, 21 Nov 2004
I have a certain fondness for this Cussler novel, sure its missing some of those fun "pretitles" style preludes that tie together seemingly unrelated historical events in an ingenious manner and it's also very politically incorrect (but not as much as PACIFIC VORTEX is). But, this Dirk Pitt adventure (the first published, though Cussler wrote the aforementioned PACIFIC VORTEX first), is a fun ride of a novel and moves along at a fast pace (it's actually one of Cusslers shortest, if not THE shortest). With some very vivid fight scenes and some nice Alistair Maclean-esque plotting (apparently Cussler used the late Scottish writer's work as a template until he found his own style) this Cussler novel really delivers and I made fast work of it reading over a weekend about a year ago.
Starting with the attack on a US airfield in the Greek islands by a biplane and involving smuggling, German fighter aces and the trademark underwater sequences for which Cussler is perhaps best known for (through his non-fiction writings as much as for Dirk Pitt) I can guarantee that this novel will no doubt charm even the harshest of Cusslers critics as long as they take it for what it is - some harmless. Mildly diverting fun.
On a sidenote, all the reviewers who are commenting on the bad writing should really lighten up, this was after all one of Clive Cussler's earliest works :)

A rip-roaring all-action thriller - typical Cussler, 28 Nov 2001
This is an exciting novel with, perhaps an improbable plot - but if you don't like improbable plots there's no point in reading Cussler! It has all the necessary elements - action, excitement, technical detail. There is only one downside - it is a re-issue of an early Dirk Pitt novel which was, in the meantime, issued under the title 'Mayday!' - So don't buy both, or you'll be as disappointed as I was!

Of all of Cussler's books I liked this one best!, 01 Jul 1998
I will keep this review short. I have read all of Cussler's works over the past dozen years or so. I read The Mediterranean Caper perhaps ten years ago. To this day I still believe that it was my favorite of the Dirk Pitt stories. If you are a new fan of Cussler - pull this older book out. It is a classic.

It made me want to jump ship!, 02 Nov 2008
In my quest to read all the literary classics, I do have to keep reminding myself that just because something is a "classic" I'm not necessarily going to enjoy it.

This was certainly the case with Moby Dick. Written in 1850 by a former Whaleman, it follows the story of the monomaniacal Captain Ahab and his ship the Pequod in the relentless pursuit of a fierce white whale - Moby Dick. The story is narrated by Ishmael, a member of the crew who is on his own personal journey of philosophical and spiritual enlightenment.

I enjoyed the book up to the point when the Pequod embarked on its journey, then for 400 odd interminable pages Melville presents you with an encyclopaedic account of a whale voyage, going into mind numbingly tedious detail of almost every aspect of the 19th Century whale industry, Cetology, whale mythology, the physiology and phrenology - Ad Nauseum!

Moby Dick is a hybrid of a novel and a factual book on Whales. The story is continually interrupted, often at exciting parts, by Melville while he indulges in yet another lengthy description. He's clearly far too close to his subject to be objective, therefore characters and plot are sacrificed for factual detail. It's only really in the last 100 pages that the action really gets going and we see the climax of Ahab's self destructive quest. All in all though, I was relieved to finally finish this book!


Why don't you come a-whaling?, 24 Jul 2008
It's a classic allegory, but Moby-Dick is an arduous experience. I once read a summary that this book is only truly capable of being judged when read all the way through to its climax. The fact is, this book holds true to it, and even if when reading it you feel yourself slipping: keep at it, there is some superb English and some superb thought hidden in this book.


There are two faults with this book. First, and the biggest one, is the many many chapters on the technical aspects of Whaling and Cetology. Although interesting at first, they descend into Minutiae, and even I as a person who loved the book from cover to cover skipped a few chapters of this nature, scanning for any truly important passages. Secondly, in a few scenes the dialogue can get confusing, but these are generally not key scenes- so do not worry. Just remember that nearly everyone refers to themselves in the Third-Person, and Melville's lack of "said -" becomes less vexing and confusing.

The book does, however, contain some of the best prose I have ever read- and I've read a lot of it. Poetic, almost Shakespearean, and above all soaked in atmosphere, there are times when this book just astounds you with the vividness and tenacity of its language. With phrases like "made appalling battle" it sweeps away the less complex and incredibly simple modern bestsellers like The Da Vinci Code.

At the heart of the book is an intense symbolism that would sound ludicrous to those who have not read the book, the fact that one white whale could represent so plausibly so so many things does sound far fetched, but when you read it you find so many different answers. Fate, Providence, Nature, Madness, Death, Predestination- all these things run as Ahab and the Pequod's brave and diligent crew assail Moby-Dick.

Sure to be remembered as one of the greatest books ever written even in the far far future, this novel is an experience like no other- and an incredibly individual and personally driven one too, perhaps why it is the source of so much praise and so much perplexity. This book teaches you the art of writing, and the art of allegory.

Doesn't even deserve one star, it's that bad, 28 Jun 2008
The author seems to think it far more appropriate to let us all know what a well-educated fellow he is by the use of overblown pompous classical waffling, than to tell the story. Avoid this awful book.

a bit drawn out but amazing prose, 01 Dec 2007
Wow! Every aspiring writer should give this a read...or then again maybe they shouldn't since it may be too depressing to read something this good. Like Joseph Conrad's works, Lord Jim and Heart of Darkness, Moby-Dick is somewhat autobiographical, at least in the sense that Melville took to the high seas in a whaling boat in the middle of his life, prior to writing this. As a high schooler I found this book terribly boring, but now I mainly see it as amazingly well written. Kids probably shouldn't be forced to read classic literature because they generally don't appreciate it. In a sense, the whole novel is one long buildup to the final devastating scene, and perhaps there's some Freudian or other indirect psychological meaning to that layout of the story, but you'll have to find an expert for the correct interpretation. Apparently, Melville wasn't particularly commerically successful in his lifetime, partly because he was unconventional in style and wouldn't crank out mindless rubbish. Billy Budd is also certainly worth reading again. In summary, Moby-Dick should be required reading for every adult! Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

This book took me forever to read!, 06 Nov 2007
This book is very hard work but it is worth it. It quite like dickens in that you have keep checking the footnotes to understand what on earth they are talking about. I suppose it is the polar opposite to the generic american airport reader. Fortunately I have met few people a cursed as Ahab...

Utter rubbish, 13 Jan 2008
Fortunately I didnt pay for this book - I found it on the train.
I ought to have left it there and I see why the previous owner did. This book is TERRIBLE. I like fantastic action as much as anyone else but this doesnt so much take the biscuit as leave the biscuit in a glass of milk to go all gooey and horrible. Mr Rollins suffers from 'Dan Brown Syndrome' - interesting ideas, horrible execution.
The end of this book is one of the worst things I have ever seen attempted on the page. It made me want to spoon my eyes out. Why did I make it this far? Well, you know how people slow down when they drive past an accident? Yeah....
Please avoid. Read some Dan Simmons or Richard Morgan or something instead.

Another great book by Rollins!, 20 Dec 2007
James Rollins has done it yet again with his new novel. While in the past, many of his works are riddled with themes of lost civilizations and their eventual discoveries, i think that Rollins has outdone himself with this novel (in a good way). The first 50 pages are quite hard to get through but once you've passed those, the book doesnt disappoint. It's essentially like reading a movie, the action never stopped! Also, if you missed reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates, go and read it.

The Author's Books are Compelling Reading, 26 Jul 2007

James Rollins was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1961. With his three brothers and three sisters, he was raised in the Midwest and rural Canada. He graduated with a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Missouri and went on to establish his own veterinary practice in Sacramento, California. His sense of adventure often takes him either underground or underwater.

This is the another action packed adventure from the author, whose books for me anyway are consistently good and always an enjoyable read. Long may he continue to write them for his growing number of fans. Some writers have an immediate impact and then die away. James Rollins has slowly built his reputation over a period of years, what you might call a slow burner, but all the better for it.

The new millennium's first eclipse of the sun, looked forward to by many people as a natural phenomenon rarely seen in the span of a human lifetime casts a shroud over the Earth. And then catastrophe struck . . .

Solar flares have triggered a series of gargantuan natural disasters. Earthquakes and hellfire rock the globe. The death toll begins to rise at an unprecedented rate. And in the midst of chaos, Air Force One and America's president have vanished from the skies . . .

Incredible Escapism, 30 Aug 2006
Wow one of the first books I have rushed into work to write an online review about even before I have finished it. This book is like a cross between Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt,Jack Bauer from 24 and a good helping of Matthew Reilly's Scarecrow plus a bit of Jaws. Great underwater imagination, fantastic characters, great story about the possible end of the world and brilliant excitement, cant wait to get back to it. I read a number of reviews before and bought all his books I can find so looking forward to reading all his others. Can recommend it enough.

Suspend all belief and enjoy!, 02 Mar 2006
Escapist nonsense doesn't come much brasher and bolder than this. Suspend all belief and enjoy the rollercoaster ride that is delivered by this tale of natural disasters shaking up the world. This potboiler has the lot: a traumatised hero, his arch enemy, a love interest, nuclear war, lost continents, magical crystals, you name it.

I would deduct one star for the ending, which smacks a touch of the author having painted himself into a corner and using a cheap trick to get out of it. But, who's complaining? It's all tripe, anyway. Hugely readable and enjoyable nonsense, but nonsense nevertheless.

It would make a mighty fine blockbuster movie, for sure.

WOW!!!!! Even better than the first omnibus edition, truly amazing., 09 Jul 2008
This is the second Omnibus of the Gotrex and Felix saga, i'll tell you a little bit anout each book in this Omnibus set.

Book 4: DRAGONSLAYER.

This is another action packed tale of the two heroes on their quest for both death and fame, here we see the troop of heroes coming back from their mission to the lost Dwarf keep only to find the army of the Scaven had captured their friend and allies keep, but this is not Gotrex and Felix's worst problem, while escaping the chaos waste they witness a gathering of chaos warriors ready to invade the world of men. Battling Scaven, Orcs, Chaos warriors and the might of an ancient dragon this book is an action packed thrill ride.

Book 5: BEASTSLAYER.

In this book we see Gotrex and Felix hold up in the massive fortress of Praag which is under siege by the massive army of Chaos warriors and their Beastmen allies. This book has everything you could ever what from an epic fantasy fiction, the action is none stop with plenty of battles, assassinations and political intrigue. If you liked Gemmell's Legend then you will love this book, so far the best of the Gotrex and Felix saga.

Book 6: VAMPIRESLAYER.

This book sees Gortrex and Felix survive the horrors of the siege of Praag only to find themselves fighting in the ruined city against the scavengers of the night and their dark magics, this book while good was not as good as the first two in the second Omnibus, like the first to books this is an action packed thrill ride, while I would only gives this book alone 4/5 and the two previous books 5/5, this is a great ending to the second and hopefully not final Gotrex and Felix Omnibus.

I hope the review was of some help to you.

more of the same, 26 May 2008
More of the same is not at all a bad thing in this case. more rollercoaster mayhem and a liberal splash of wit. i have read them all so far and can't wait for the next

Exciting Read!, 03 Oct 2007
Felix,a poet,swore a drunken oath that he would he follow Gotrek,a near invincible dwarf slayer with a magical axe,that he would record his heroic death.Felix and other companions finds themsevles in adventures and battles in the company of the suicidal dwarf.
This is a book i thoroughly enjoyed.The writer seems to have written this book very well and explains the surroundings and characters in detail so you can get a good image of what he trying to imagine,tho at times and in places it does sound like he rushed a bit,but with his dark humour and imence action you will not want to put it down.King certainly knows how to keep the narrative going,as soon as one battle is over another is looming,as soon as one baddie is down another one pops up.The book is broken up to give short prefaces to each character(except gotrek),which gives you an idea of what the main characters are thinking and this style of writing in fantasy/adventure left me wanting for more!

All in all it was an enjoyable read and if your a fan of fantasy which involves wizards,warriors,swords and magic i don't think you will be disappointed....



Rome, Hell Bent on Civil War, 26 Mar 2007

This is the last book in the series charting the life of Julius Caesar. I found them all very readable and very enjoyable. Perhaps falling a little short of Colleen McCullough's Roman series of books, but there is no shame in that and these books are extremely enjoyable.

Much has been written about Julius Caesar, but like all great men he had his Achilles heel, in more ways than one. Although history portrays him as a very fair minded man, much loved by his soldiers and the common people. He had a terrible temper, which could be vented at any time and woe betide anyone who was in close proximity when this happened. He also had great problems with the `falling sickness' He did everything in his power to hide this from everyone except his closest confidants and friends.

Caesar has his greatest test yet. To do the unthinkable and march against Rome. His aim is to march against his one time son-in-law Pompey, self proclaimed dictator of Rome. Even after the city itself is taken there are many more battles to fight throughout the Roman Empire, even to Egypt, where brother and sister are fighting like cat and dog.

The book is full of passion, love and hatred. It is a story of ambition, loyalty and friendship. It is the tale of one of the greatest generals the world has ever known. Apart perhaps from Alexander the Great, no one man has had the love and loyalty of his troops in such a way as Julius Caesar.

conn iggulden is a splendid and marvolous writer, his books, 22 Oct 2005
If you like anything to do with the ruling of the roman empire or wars before guns, this is the book for you. It is truly amazing, i could barely pull my eyes away from it!

Dirk Pitt character at his entertaining best, 28 Aug 2008
I have never been a big fan of action thrillers. The only author I read regularly in this genre is Lee Child and his `Jack Reacher` character, and I enjoy him a lot, so I decided to give Clive Cussler a try. I am happy to say I was not disappointed! Even though "Pacific Vortex" was the first published book in the Dirk Pitt adventures series, it was the first Cussler wrote, so logically, this is the novel I picked to start my journey. I found an interesting character that lives at the edge and is passionate about his work. Also in some aspects he is similar to James Bond, women mainly, and the mix is sufficient to keep the reader thoroughly entertained. If you enjoy serial characters then this is a must series for you, also try Michael Connelly`s `Harry Bosh` series, or much more violent is the `Soft Target` thrillers by Conrad Jones. In the Dirk pitt stories Cussler has created a very entertaining series, with a character that has an arrogant and pedantic side, but whom also shows his pure emotions and is true to his friends and ideals. This makes the Special Project Director of the National Underwater and Marine Agency a very likable character. This is a book that a reader can breeze through in a few hours making it an enjoyable way to spend a weekend's afternoon. I will surely read the next book in this series hoping for a similar experience.



So Bad It's Good? No. Just Bad., 07 Feb 2006
I'm always game to check out a good thriller, and never having read Cussler, thought it was time to sample one of his early books. Originally published in 1973, this is the second in his "Dirk Pitt" series -- and I have to say, it is truly awful. Probably the best way to characterize it is as a really poor imitation of the James Bond films (not the books): indestructible manly hero, sex on the beach with willing beauty, outrageously silly plot, secret submarine base, and worst of all, the villain who explains everything to the hero instead of killing him.

Set in the early '70s, the book starts with some zany promise, as a German WWI biplane attacks an (fictional) American airbase on Thasos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, about 75-100 miles east of Thessaloniki. The biplane efficiently destroys a bunch of F-105 Starfire Jets and C-133 transporters, without any response. (Apparently USAF bases of the time had no antiaircraft batteries. And the key to evading USAF radar is to use vintage aircraft -- so beware a North Korean strike force of Sopwith Camels!) Fortunately, Pitt happens to be flying a Catalina flying boat near the base at the same, and with the trusty aim of his rifle-totin' sturdy sidekick, manages to drive the biplane off. Pitt's been called in to investigate a series of strange accidents aboard a nearby scientific research vessel belonging the (also fictitious) National Underwater Marine Agency.

Of course, the strafing and the accidents are related, and soon Pitt is knee-deep in a ridiculous plot. Apparently inspired by the 1971 film "The French Connection", Cussler soon has Pitt chasing after a massive heroin smuggling operation. But wait, there's more! One word: Nazis. I'll refrain from saying any more, other than the key to the smuggling plot that has baffled Interpol for decades is figured out in a few minutes by Pitt sketching on a beach. Unfortunately, it also will have been figured out on about page 20 by most semi-intelligent readers.

The writing is just terrible, there's no other way to put it. Clunky descriptions, probably the worst dialogue I've read in several years, and cardboard characters. Plus, there's all kinds of stuff that Pitt does and figures out "off-camera", which are only revealed at the very end, which makes the reader feel rather cheated. I'll grant a writer one or two clever reveals in a story (the best I can think of is in Frederick Forsyth's "The Odessa File"), but these feel cheap. Many reviewers have commented on Pitt's rather old-fashioned take on women. However, in Cussler's defense, it was written more than thirty years ago, and it is in keeping with the genre. More importantly, with the regards to the scene where he slaps the beautiful woman and she proceeds to have sex with him, it's revealed at the very end that there is a good plot reason for her submission. It's still a laughably bad scene, but it does make some cockeyed sense within the scheme of the plot.

Overall, I like thrillers and I like junky adventure stories, but even within those genre considerations, this is poor poor stuff. Maybe Cussler's gotten better over time, but I'm sure not going to waste any more of my time finding out.

Dirk Pitt's entrance novel is a fun ride, 21 Nov 2004
I have a certain fondness for this Cussler novel, sure its missing some of those fun "pretitles" style preludes that tie together seemingly unrelated historical events in an ingenious manner and it's also very politically incorrect (but not as much as PACIFIC VORTEX is). But, this Dirk Pitt adventure (the first published, though Cussler wrote the aforementioned PACIFIC VORTEX first), is a fun ride of a novel and moves along at a fast pace (it's actually one of Cusslers shortest, if not THE shortest). With some very vivid fight scenes and some nice Alistair Maclean-esque plotting (apparently Cussler used the late Scottish writer's work as a template until he found his own style) this Cussler novel really delivers and I made fast work of it reading over a weekend about a year ago.
Starting with the attack on a US airfield in the Greek islands by a biplane and involving smuggling, German fighter aces and the trademark underwater sequences for which Cussler is perhaps best known for (through his non-fiction writings as much as for Dirk Pitt) I can guarantee that this novel will no doubt charm even the harshest of Cusslers critics as long as they take it for what it is - some harmless. Mildly diverting fun.
On a sidenote, all the reviewers who are commenting on the bad writing should really lighten up, this was after all one of Clive Cussler's earliest works :)

A rip-roaring all-action thriller - typical Cussler, 28 Nov 2001
This is an exciting novel with, perhaps an improbable plot - but if you don't like improbable plots there's no point in reading Cussler! It has all the necessary elements - action, excitement, technical detail. There is only one downside - it is a re-issue of an early Dirk Pitt novel which was, in the meantime, issued under the title 'Mayday!' - So don't buy both, or you'll be as disappointed as I was!

Of all of Cussler's books I liked this one best!, 01 Jul 1998
I will keep this review short. I have read all of Cussler's works over the past dozen years or so. I read The Mediterranean Caper perhaps ten years ago. To this day I still believe that it was my favorite of the Dirk Pitt stories. If you are a new fan of Cussler - pull this older book out. It is a classic.

It made me want to jump ship!, 02 Nov 2008
In my quest to read all the literary classics, I do have to keep reminding myself that just because something is a "classic" I'm not necessarily going to enjoy it.

This was certainly the case with Moby Dick. Written in 1850 by a former Whaleman, it follows the story of the monomaniacal Captain Ahab and his ship the Pequod in the relentless pursuit of a fierce white whale - Moby Dick. The story is narrated by Ishmael, a member of the crew who is on his own personal journey of philosophical and spiritual enlightenment.

I enjoyed the book up to the point when the Pequod embarked on its journey, then for 400 odd interminable pages Melville presents you with an encyclopaedic account of a whale voyage, going into mind numbingly tedious detail of almost every aspect of the 19th Century whale industry, Cetology, whale mythology, the physiology and phrenology - Ad Nauseum!

Moby Dick is a hybrid of a novel and a factual book on Whales. The story is continually interrupted, often at exciting parts, by Melville while he indulges in yet another lengthy description. He's clearly far too close to his subject to be objective, therefore characters and plot are sacrificed for factual detail. It's only really in the last 100 pages that the action really gets going and we see the climax of Ahab's self destructive quest. All in all though, I was relieved to finally finish this book!


Why don't you come a-whaling?, 24 Jul 2008
It's a classic allegory, but Moby-Dick is an arduous experience. I once read a summary that this book is only truly capable of being judged when read all the way through to its climax. The fact is, this book holds true to it, and even if when reading it you feel yourself slipping: keep at it, there is some superb English and some superb thought hidden in this book.


There are two faults with this book. First, and the biggest one, is the many many chapters on the technical aspects of Whaling and Cetology. Although interesting at first, they descend into Minutiae, and even I as a person who loved the book from cover to cover skipped a few chapters of this nature, scanning for any truly important passages. Secondly, in a few scenes the dialogue can get confusing, but these are generally not key scenes- so do not worry. Just remember that nearly everyone refers to themselves in the Third-Person, and Melville's lack of "said -" becomes less vexing and confusing.

The book does, however, contain some of the best prose I have ever read- and I've read a lot of it. Poetic, almost Shakespearean, and above all soaked in atmosphere, there are times when this book just astounds you with the vividness and tenacity of its language. With phrases like "made appalling battle" it sweeps away the less complex and incredibly simple modern bestsellers like The Da Vinci Code.

At the heart of the book is an intense symbolism that would sound ludicrous to those who have not read the book, the fact that one white whale could represent so plausibly so so many things does sound far fetched, but when you read it you find so many different answers. Fate, Providence, Nature, Madness, Death, Predestination- all these things run as Ahab and the Pequod's brave and diligent crew assail Moby-Dick.

Sure to be remembered as one of the greatest books ever written even in the far far future, this novel is an experience like no other- and an incredibly individual and personally driven one too, perhaps why it is the source of so much praise and so much perplexity. This book teaches you the art of writing, and the art of allegory.

Doesn't even deserve one star, it's that bad, 28 Jun 2008
The author seems to think it far more appropriate to let us all know what a well-educated fellow he is by the use of overblown pompous classical waffling, than to tell the story. Avoid this awful book.

a bit drawn out but amazing prose, 01 Dec 2007
Wow! Every aspiring writer should give this a read...or then again maybe they shouldn't since it may be too depressing to read something this good. Like Joseph Conrad's works, Lord Jim and Heart of Darkness, Moby-Dick is somewhat autobiographical, at least in the sense that Melville took to the high seas in a whaling boat in the middle of his life, prior to writing this. As a high schooler I found this book terribly boring, but now I mainly see it as amazingly well written. Kids probably shouldn't be forced to read classic literature because they generally don't appreciate it. In a sense, the whole novel is one long buildup to the final devastating scene, and perhaps there's some Freudian or other indirect psychological meaning to that layout of the story, but you'll have to find an expert for the correct interpretation. Apparently, Melville wasn't particularly commerically successful in his lifetime, partly because he was unconventional in style and wouldn't crank out mindless rubbish. Billy Budd is also certainly worth reading again. In summary, Moby-Dick should be required reading for every adult! Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

This book took me forever to read!, 06 Nov 2007
This book is very hard work but it is worth it. It quite like dickens in that you have keep checking the footnotes to understand what on earth they are talking about. I suppose it is the polar opposite to the generic american airport reader. Fortunately I have met few people a cursed as Ahab...

Utter rubbish, 13 Jan 2008
Fortunately I didnt pay for this book - I found it on the train.
I ought to have left it there and I see why the previous owner did. This book is TERRIBLE. I like fantastic action as much as anyone else but this doesnt so much take the biscuit as leave the biscuit in a glass of milk to go all gooey and horrible. Mr Rollins suffers from 'Dan Brown Syndrome' - interesting ideas, horrible execution.
The end of this book is one of the worst things I have ever seen attempted on the page. It made me want to spoon my eyes out. Why did I make it this far? Well, you know how people slow down when they drive past an accident? Yeah....
Please avoid. Read some Dan Simmons or Richard Morgan or something instead.

Another great book by Rollins!, 20 Dec 2007
James Rollins has done it yet again with his new novel. While in the past, many of his works are riddled with themes of lost civilizations and their eventual discoveries, i think that Rollins has outdone himself with this novel (in a good way). The first 50 pages are quite hard to get through but once you've passed those, the book doesnt disappoint. It's essentially like reading a movie, the action never stopped! Also, if you missed reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates, go and read it.

The Author's Books are Compelling Reading, 26 Jul 2007

James Rollins was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1961. With his three brothers and three sisters, he was raised in the Midwest and rural Canada. He graduated with a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Missouri and went on to establish his own veterinary practice in Sacramento, California. His sense of adventure often takes him either underground or underwater.

This is the another action packed adventure from the author, whose books for me anyway are consistently good and always an enjoyable read. Long may he continue to write them for his growing number of fans. Some writers have an immediate impact and then die away. James Rollins has slowly built his reputation over a period of years, what you might call a slow burner, but all the better for it.

The new millennium's first eclipse of the sun, looked forward to by many people as a natural phenomenon rarely seen in the span of a human lifetime casts a shroud over the Earth. And then catastrophe struck . . .

Solar flares have triggered a series of gargantuan natural disasters. Earthquakes and hellfire rock the globe. The death toll begins to rise at an unprecedented rate. And in the midst of chaos, Air Force One and America's president have vanished from the skies . . .

Incredible Escapism, 30 Aug 2006
Wow one of the first books I have rushed into work to write an online review about even before I have finished it. This book is like a cross between Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt,Jack Bauer from 24 and a good helping of Matthew Reilly's Scarecrow plus a bit of Jaws. Great underwater imagination, fantastic characters, great story about the possible end of the world and brilliant excitement, cant wait to get back to it. I read a number of reviews before and bought all his books I can find so looking forward to reading all his others. Can recommend it enough.

Suspend all belief and enjoy!, 02 Mar 2006
Escapist nonsense doesn't come much brasher and bolder than this. Suspend all belief and enjoy the rollercoaster ride that is delivered by this tale of natural disasters shaking up the world. This potboiler has the lot: a traumatised hero, his arch enemy, a love interest, nuclear war, lost continents, magical crystals, you name it.

I would deduct one star for the ending, which smacks a touch of the author having painted himself into a corner and using a cheap trick to get out of it. But, who's complaining? It's all tripe, anyway. Hugely readable and enjoyable nonsense, but nonsense nevertheless.

It would make a mighty fine blockbuster movie, for sure.

WOW!!!!! Even better than the first omnibus edition, truly amazing., 09 Jul 2008
This is the second Omnibus of the Gotrex and Felix saga, i'll tell you a little bit anout each book in this Omnibus set.

Book 4: DRAGONSLAYER.

This is another action packed tale of the two heroes on their quest for both death and fame, here we see the troop of heroes coming back from their mission to the lost Dwarf keep only to find the army of the Scaven had captured their friend and allies keep, but this is not Gotrex and Felix's worst problem, while escaping the chaos waste they witness a gathering of chaos warriors ready to invade the world of men. Battling Scaven, Orcs, Chaos warriors and the might of an ancient dragon this book is an action packed thrill ride.

Book 5: BEASTSLAYER.

In this book we see Gotrex and Felix hold up in the massive fortress of Praag which is under siege by the massive army of Chaos warriors and their Beastmen allies. This book has everything you could ever what from an epic fantasy fiction, the action is none stop with plenty of battles, assassinations and political intrigue. If you liked Gemmell's Legend then you will love this book, so far the best of the Gotrex and Felix saga.

Book 6: VAMPIRESLAYER.

This book sees Gortrex and Felix survive the horrors of the siege of Praag only to find themselves fighting in the ruined city against the scavengers of the night and their dark magics, this book while good was not as good as the first two in the second Omnibus, like the first to books this is an action packed thrill ride, while I would only gives this book alone 4/5 and the two previous books 5/5, this is a great ending to the second and hopefully not final Gotrex and Felix Omnibus.

I hope the review was of some help to you.

more of the same, 26 May 2008
More of the same is not at all a bad thing in this case. more rollercoaster mayhem and a liberal splash of wit. i have read them all so far and can't wait for the next

Exciting Read!, 03 Oct 2007
Felix,a poet,swore a drunken oath that he would he follow Gotrek,a near invincible dwarf slayer with a magical axe,that he would record his heroic death.Felix and other companions finds themsevles in adventures and battles in the company of the suicidal dwarf.
This is a book i thoroughly enjoyed.The writer seems to have written this book very well and explains the surroundings and characters in detail so you can get a good image of what he trying to imagine,tho at times and in places it does sound like he rushed a bit,but with his dark humour and imence action you will not want to put it down.King certainly knows how to keep the narrative going,as soon as one battle is over another is looming,as soon as one baddie is down another one pops up.The book is broken up to give short prefaces to each character(except gotrek),which gives you an idea of what the main characters are thinking and this style of writing in fantasy/adventure left me wanting for more!

All in all it was an enjoyable read and if your a fan of fantasy which involves wizards,warriors,swords and magic i don't think you will be disappointed....



Rome, Hell Bent on Civil War, 26 Mar 2007

This is the last book in the series charting the life of Julius Caesar. I found them all very readable and very enjoyable. Perhaps falling a little short of Colleen McCullough's Roman series of books, but there is no shame in that and these books are extremely enjoyable.

Much has been written about Julius Caesar, but like all great men he had his Achilles heel, in more ways than one. Although history portrays him as a very fair minded man, much loved by his soldiers and the common people. He had a terrible temper, which could be vented at any time and woe betide anyone who was in close proximity when this happened. He also had great problems with the `falling sickness' He did everything in his power to hide this from everyone except his closest confidants and friends.

Caesar has his greatest test yet. To do the unthinkable and march against Rome. His aim is to march against his one time son-in-law Pompey, self proclaimed dictator of Rome. Even after the city itself is taken there are many more battles to fight throughout the Roman Empire, even to Egypt, where brother and sister are fighting like cat and dog.

The book is full of passion, love and hatred. It is a story of ambition, loyalty and friendship. It is the tale of one of the greatest generals the world has ever known. Apart perhaps from Alexander the Great, no one man has had the love and loyalty of his troops in such a way as Julius Caesar.

conn iggulden is a splendid and marvolous writer, his books, 22 Oct 2005
If you like anything to do with the ruling of the roman empire or wars before guns, this is the book for you. It is truly amazing, i could barely pull my eyes away from it!

Probably his best yet, 04 Nov 2008
I've always quite enjoyed the Fonthill novels [with emphasis on the 'quite'] but they haven't captured me in the way of Cornwell or Iggulden. T