Charon's Landing (Philip Mercer) [Hardcover]

Jack Du Brul (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 1999 | Series: Philip Mercer

Russian mastermind Ivan Kerikov plans to use an ecological terrorist group to sabotage the Alaska pipeline and pollute the western coast of North America with oil, all to turn the United States from domestic to foreign sources of oil. He's being paid millions by a rogue Arab oil minister who is plotting a coup in his own country and in desparate need of foreign income to solidify his position.

But Kerikov hasn't allowed for geologist Philip Mercer, who has a talent for being in the right place at the right time. When Mercer discovers that an apparant accident was actually murder, he investigates and soon begins to untangle Kerikov's web. At his side is Aggie Johnston, right-hand woman to the eco-terrorist, who has begun to question her leader's motives.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fresh from a caper involving an artificial volcano (Vulcan's Forge), geologist/mining consultant Philip Mercer finds himself imperiled by greedy Arabs, a nasty ex-KGB agent and ecoterrorists. The U.S. president's convoluted plan to end American dependence on foreign oil by opening up Alaska's oil fields sets off a lethal chain of events and international espionage. A scheme involving the United Arab Emirates government and ex-KGB agent Ivan Kerikov results in the Planetary Environment Action League (PEAL) wrecking the Alaskan pipeline. The action barrels from Alaska to Los Angeles, the Middle East to Washington, running up an appalling casualty list from land and sea misadventures. Mercer, whose "smile was a challenge no woman could resist," finds himself involved with Aggie Johnston, oil heiress and PEAL activist. After some dim repartee (and her kidnapping by Arabs), the couple team up to foil their shared enemies. The writing spans the predictable (a bad guy is "handsome in a cruel way") and unclear ("His shoes were heavy and strident") to historically incorrect ("the Fascist Revolution that swept in Hitler, Tito and Mussolini"). Despite Du Brul's ambitions for his dashing hero, Mercer ("I'll marry the first woman who leaves the seat up for me") is no James Bond. But with one of Mercer's most violent, vengeful enemies remaining at large at the novel's close, Mercer is sure to make Bond-like, bloody and action-packed appearances in future Du Brul titles.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

A follow-up to the highly praised Vulcan's Forge (1998), again featuring engineer and geological consultant Philip Mercer, a Bond clone with a sybarite's taste for the good things in life and a Derringer strapped to his testicles. Intelligent writing is always a pleasure: readers will enjoy Du Brul's descriptions of geological mining practices and his thoughtful consideration of the question as to whether or not the rewards of new mining practices make concurrent damage to the planet worth the heavy cost. There are no easy answers, as Mercer makes clear when helping to inflict lasting damage on Arctic wildlife in return for the US gaining an oil supply fully independent of the Middle East. Even so, he falls for environmentalist Aggie Johnston, whose father, Max, is a bad guy in league with nasty, super-fat Arab Hassan bin-Rufti, who plans to take over the United Arab Emirate while the US is diverted into protecting its second Trans-Alaska Pipeline and mopping up the oil spill from a supertanker taken over by terroristsa ship that, if its sunk in Puget Sound will perhaps sink the US President's new environmental program as well. Massive resistance to said program is underway already, with saboteurs and environmentalists gathering at Anchorage and Valdez, and threatening letters being sent to oil companies. Among other foul labors, the terrorists attempt to assassinate Mercer, two of his Alaskan fishing buddies are killed, and a third compatriot, the inventor of a new tunnel-boring drill, has his life ended by pain-loving Arabs who feed his cat into a sink grinder. Guiding all bad deeds from somewhere in the deep background is psychotic archvillain Ivan Kerikov, who, of course, lives to fight again in forthcoming Mercer adventures. A densely detailed and well-paced thinking-man's melodrama. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (April 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312868162
• ISBN-13: 978-0312868161
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,235,126 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jack du Brul is the author of the Philip Mercer series [Vulcan's Forge, Charon's Landing, The Medusa Stone, Pandora's Curse, River of Ruin, Deep Fire Rising, Havoc] and the coauthor with Clive Cussler of six Oregon Files novels with the upcoming release of THE JUNGLE. He lives in Vermont.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sadistic Double-Dealing Action, July 5, 2000

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 110,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Charon's Landing (Philip Mercer) (Hardcover)

Charon's Landing is the rematch between geologist Philip Mercer and Ivan Kerikov, ex-leader of the KGB's secret science division. Last seen in Vulcan's Forge, the two combatants quickly sense that overcoming each other is the key to success and survival. Their continuing battle is like a championship heavyweight fight, with repeated powerful blows landing on them and bystanders in all directions.

The book differs from Vulcan's Forge in that it has little geological information or plot details, a much simpler plot that takes a while to develop, a love story, and a key focus on sadistic pleasures among its villains. If you don't care much for reading about sadism, you won't like this book. On the other hand, Du Brul succeeds in using it (much like Ian Fleming did) to provide an edge to his villains. I graded the book down one star because the sadism was overdone for my taste.

If you decide to read the book, avoid reading any detailed reviews or the material on the book's cover before you begin. The story itself will provide lots of suspense for about 300 pages if you do. In that sense, it is superior to Vulcan's Forge. Otherwise, you will find the first 300 pages move a little slowly.

The double crosses within are a quality Du Brul trademark, and provide the main suspense in keeping the story interesting to the end. The last 50 pages are about as action-packed as you can imagine.

A high point of the book comes in the remarkable ways that Du Brul designed to help Mercer rescue the world again. They are truly fascinating and bring the book to an exciting and powerful close.

Philip Mercer is the ultimate bureaucracy stallbuster. Enjoy!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Sequel to continue a Great Series, April 8, 2003

By 

Ian K - See all my reviews

This review is from: Charon's Landing (Philip Mercer) (Paperback)

I thought that Vulcan's Forge was spectacular, but Charon's Landing is so ingenious, it beats the first book in all categories. Charon's Landing quite simply puts the formula seen in Vulcan's Forge to a new level. The result is a high-caliber adventure. If you're looking for some fun involving eco-terrorists and Arab conspirators, dazzling settings and high-octane action, an unforgettable protagonist and a gorgeous femme fatale, then you've found your book!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Oils well that ends well, December 31, 2002

By 

Cory D. Slipman (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Charon's Landing (Philip Mercer) (Hardcover)

The indomitable geologist/mining engineer Philip Mercer has just finished conducting tests on a revolutionary rock boring machine invented by UCLA professor Howard Small. The two men are kicking back on a fishing excursion in the frigid waters off of Homer, Alaska with Small's two cousins. They happen upon a mysteriously fire charred boat bobbing in the water serving as the coffin for two bodies burnt beyond recognition. Within days Small and his two cousins are found murdered and so begins the adventure of Charon's Landing.

The President of the U.S. in his new Energy Direction Policy was pushing for the country to end its reliance on foreign oil within a ten year period. This initiative had pushed the countries of the Middle East and the large oil companies into a tizzy, laying the fertile ground for an all encompassing international plot.

Previous Mercer adversary, Ivan Kerikov, the cagey and lethal ex-KGB spymaster had initiated a plot to upset the President's plans while lining his pockets and actually changing the face of world's power hierarchy. In concert with Hasaan bin-Rufti, corpulent oil minister of Ajman, a small country and part of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E), Charon's Landing was hatched.

Mercer aided by Aggie Johnston, green eyed beauty and member of PEAL, a radical environmental group rushed to Alaska to thwart Kerikov's plans. Johnston happens to be the daughter of Max Johnston head of Petromax, one of the biggest oil companies in the world. Together and with the help of Khalid al-Khuddari, petroleum minister of OPEC, a plan was formulated to combat the world wide threat that Charon's Landing posed.

Du Brul as is his custom, crafts a fast paced and well conceived adventure tale that puts him near the top as an author in this genre.