Customer Reviews

Arctic Drift (Dirk Pitt Adventures)

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

You would be hard pressed to find a bigger fan of Dirk Pitt novels than me, and while the anxious 'sit & wait' attitude until the next adventure comes out has softened somewhat with the last 4-5 novels, I gotta admit that it's tough to beat an action-drenched sea-worthy drama like the type produced by the Cussler's.

After being totally UNDER-Whelmed by the cover of 'Arctic Drift' (easily one of the worst in the entire Pitt library), I began with earnest to get back to what I love to do most: become entirely entrenched into a world where NUMA is real and saving the world is as easy as turning the next page. This time around, a completely random discovery that may very well 100% reverse Global Warming has been discovered, only to have another nasty megalomaniac--this time around from Canada--attempt to block it in order to continue to rape the environment for profit, all the while doing his best to look like his company cares about being Green more than almost anyone.

Along the way, Dirk's children, Summer & Dirk Jr. have managed to stumble upon a dangerous arm of our nasty Canadian while doing otherwise boring research half-way to Alaska on the Canadian Coast. Of course everything becomes connected in only the way that Dirk & Co. can manage to be at the right place at the right time to help. The horrible Canadian has done his best to spark what could very well be a major conflict with America, one in which an armed response seems inevitable, and right in the middle: you guessed it...Dirk Jr., Dirk Sr., Summer & Al Giordino. Along the way we discover some interesting History revolving around the efforts to discover a North Passage near the North Pole and what lengths some people will go to in order to add a few million dollars more to their already outrageously huge personal fortune.

While the debate continues to rage about the validity of mans impact on Global Warming vs. a cyclical pattern that the earth adheres to which man simply cannot influence, one thing is certain: Dirk Pitt continues to provide a slam-bang fun ride, this time through the North West Territories.

I really wanted to like this latest adventure. Unfortunately, it follows the same formula as Dirk Pitt books have used since, oh, Dragon or Inca Gold. In fact, it got to the point where I was mentally ticking off the bullet points of the forumla. When a corporation was named, I knew right off it was the home of the rich and megalamaniacal bad guy. When the old guy helps Pitt out of a jam, I knew it was Cussler. When the handy character comes along, I knew it was a love interest for one of the characters.

I challenge the reader to put this alongside Raise the Titanic and see exactly what Cussler looked like in his prime.

Arctic Drift is good for a quick beach read, but unfortunately it doesn't have much staying power. Change the names around and you can have a nearly 1:1 substitution with other Pitt novels from the last ten-fifteen years.

I suppose that change comes to all. It is still disappointing that Clive Cussler has either lost his edge with storytelling or just doesn't care enough to do it. He evidently has an assembly line running off boring stories. At some point, his imagination went down with some vessel in some unidentified locale. Hopefully, the resources of NUMA can recover it, else, throw a wreath over the side, say a prayer and move on.

I own all of Cussler's books, solo and partnered. I have read them all. With this one, I read every other paragraph, maybe. His two stalwart characters even seem weary with their inventor.

Sad time for action/adventure literature.

Arctic Drift has a lot to recommend it (if you don't get jammed up with Kindle pricing). The plot is an imaginative one about the potential risks to peace and economic stability with the world running out of energy while the ice caps are being melted down by global warming as a greedy billionaire seeks to manipulate the situation to his own advantage (much as Enron did during the electricity shortage in the West a few years ago). Dirk gets out and under the sea to have some unusual adventures which include a most unusual battle. There is a great series of cliff hangers as men's lives are at risk in perilous conditions. Dirk, Jr. and Summer also have some exciting adventures. The story also features a merciless killer who likes to make things go pop. You'll also read an intriguing historical mystery that connects to today's problems and technology. My only complaint is that the story could have used more of Dirk and Al in action.

The book opens on a doomed expedition that is captured in the Arctic ice after trying unsuccessfully to navigate the Northwest Passage through Canada from Europe to Asia. The officers can't keep order as the men seem to be going mad, somehow connected to silvery rocks they have come into contact with.

Moving into the future, the year is 2011 and a mysterious phenomenon called the Devil's Breath is causing mysterious deaths at sea along the Inside Passage in British Columbia. Summer and Dirk, Jr. are taking water samples when they come across a derelict ship that has come into contact with the Breath. In the process, Summer makes friends with a dead fisherman's brother and the three investigate what might be causing large changes in the acid level in the sea.

Further south, a pro-environmentalist Canadian M.P. is murdered in a way to make it look like an accident. In the Arctic, a Canadian research station is destroyed by what looks like a U.S. Navy vessel creating international tensions.

In Washington, D.C., a rare element turns out to have unusual properties, and the finding triggers a race to find more of the element and to seize control of the secret. Now the race is on to solve the energy crisis.

I liked the plot very much. It goes well beyond the "we are running out of . . . ." story lines and the "we are going to die from global warming" story lines to come up with an original intersection of the two problems constructed in a way that seems realistic in light of the economic events earlier in 2008 as gasoline prices in the United States spiked above $4.00 a gallon and seemed headed higher until a global recession pricked the balloon.

The story has nice balance as well. There are a lot of characters and several interesting threads. If anything, Arctic Drift is a little too balanced. I could have used more of Dirk and Al at sea and in battle. The new plots where Dirk, Jr. and Summer engage in the ocean-going events aren't nearly as interesting as the more dangerous situations that Dirk and Al used to get themselves into and out of.

There's less swagger here . . . and more intellect. That's okay, but it's not quite as good as the over the top swagger that this series once featured. But I think you'll enjoy your voyage with NUMA and company.

These later generation Cussler works just seem stale from the beginning. I loved the old classics with pure adventure. The eco-blab in Arctic Drift is hard to stomach...and the strained Canada/US relations over "green energy", carbon sequestration, global warming opening of the Arctic seas, etc is preposterous. The evil big corporate bad-guy is a warmed-over cliche. Rather than a thriller which is hard to put down, I found this one hard to pick-up each night. A "sleeper" in the truest sense.

I didn't even read the synopsis of this book before ordering. I saw a new Dirk Pitt novel and ordered it knowing I would enjoy it as much as all the others I have read. I was deeply disappointed. Too much preaching not enough action. The global warming dogma gets tiresome very quickly. The book tends to drag which is very unusual for a Dirk Pitt novel.

If you are new to Dirk Pitt novels just pick another one at random and you will have a great and fun read. I'd pass on this one.

I have bought and read every Cussler book he has written, am a lifelong fan but I was disappointed. I know it is fiction, but the global warming dogma is off-putting to those who have a long background in objective science and have spent a lot of time studying the issue. Just couldn't get past the unquestioning acceptance of global warming and evil capitalist bent on destruction of the enviornment. The action and "pickles" that Dirk et. al. get into will keep one turning the pages and make the book worth reading. However, because of my background/education I admit I was at times saying "this isn't accurate." If you don't have that problem, I am sure you will rate Arctic Drift far higher than I have. In spite of my rating for this book, I will be first in line for the next Cussler novel.

Here are my thoughts about Arctic Drift and the last two Dirk novels: They are inferior. They weren't written by Clive. I wish they were. Yes, I understand passing the characters on to his son, but don't put your name on it to sell books. The plot is pretty good. The book wasn't terrible, but when I pick up a book with Clive Cussler on the front I want something great.

Here are my suggestion to Clive:

Let your son try and sell books with only his name on them.

Write one more Dirk Pitt book...the final one...have some crazy ending...kill Dirk, whatever. But make it good. Make it a 1000 pages if you want. Leave us with a good taste in our mouth when we think of Dirk Pitt. These last three just aren't up to par.

Again...they aren't terrible, but not near as good as the worst by Clive himself.

I've enjoyed reading most of the Dirk Pitt novels, but it's getting to the point where I'd be better off just reading one of the old ones over again. The predictable plot, excessive and clumsy global warming commentary and lack of innovation made this one hard to get through. To be sure, there were a few exciting moments, and I enjoyed some of the action towards the end. That said, I found myself wondering if that's where the senior Cussler said, "Ok son, I'll take it from here." With so many other great books out there to read, I wouldn't put this one high on your to-do list.

He's done it again...another great piece to add to the collection he's already written. It keeps you on the edge of your seat while reading it.
Well written and very enjoyable. Hope to read many more in the future.