Publication Date: January 1, 2003 | Series: Dirk Pitt Adventure
The #1 New York Times bestseller!
An underwater graveyard in the Pacific Northwest... A mysterious seaport in the bayous of Louisiana... A diabolical plot to destroy America!
Unknown waters, 1948. The Princess Dou Wan, a sea-weary cruise ship covertly seized by Chiang Kai-shek, slams into a devastating storm that tears the hull apart and sends it and a mysterious cargo down into the depths, lost to all searchers for more than fifty years.
Pacific Northwest, 2000. Dirk Pitt® rescues a beautiful undercover immigration agent from Qin Shang, an insatiably greedy smuggler whose vast fortune is made selling Chinese immigrants into slavery around the globe. Shang's campaign contributions have bought him a collection of powerful U.S. politicians, but Pitt finds the secret behind Shang's vast and mystifying seaport in the Louisiana bayou to be shockingly sinister. From an adrenaline-pumped race against time and tide up the Mississippi River to a desperate dash to recover Chinese treasures, Dirk Pitt faces one of his most formidable foes -- a madman bent on killing hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women, and children with a catastrophic surge of mass destruction.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
When a hero whose name never appears in print without a registered trademark symbol beside it sets out on a new adventure, readers should know what to expect: a great deal of derring-do, outlandish adventures, and fantastical scenarios. For Dirk Pitt, reality is an inconsequential construct. What matters is the U.S. National Underwater and Maritime Agency (NUMA) superhero's unflagging energy, wit, strength, sex appeal, and patriotism. In this tale of a Chinese billionaire who plans to divert the mighty Mississippi in order to expand his illegal smuggling ring, find a treasure lost at sea nearly half a century ago, and, incidentally, split the U.S. into three countries controlled by China, Cussler's American version of James Bond struggles to save the day. All his trusty sidekicks are here, including Al Giordino, a regular partner in Pitt's underwater adventures, and Admiral Sandecker, the NUMA commander. This time there's a beautiful Chinese American INS agent as the love interest, and a mendacious American president, too. Flood Tide is a romp that will tickle Pitt and Cussler's many fans, as well as readers new to this author who may find themselves stranded on the tarmac or tanning on Caribbean beaches. --Jane Adams--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
YA. Once again, the indestructible Dirk Pitt saves the country from possible economic collapse, while at the same time destroying an evil villain, finding a lost treasure, and saving a woman's life. The vividly described action takes readers from the ports of Hong Kong to picturesque Washington State and to the final showdown on the Mississippi River in Louisiana. As each problem seems to be solved, larger and more dangerous events occur, such as the seemingly unexplainable smuggling of thousands of illegal Chinese immigrants. Our hero finds himself trapped with these poor, abused refugees who are about to be murdered. Each turn and twist continues to build anxiety and heighten suspense. The eye-catching cover of this novel should entice readers to open its pages, where they will soon find themselves engrossed in this enthralling adventure.?Anita Short, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Clive Cussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work featuring his continuous series hero, Dirk Pitt(R), in 1973. His first non-fiction, The Sea Hunters, was released in 1996. The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered The Sea Hunters in lieu of a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in May, 1997. It was the first time since the College was founded in 1874 that such a degree was bestowed. Cussler is an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers have discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea. In September, 1998, NUMA - which turns over all artifacts to state and Federal authorities, or donates them to museums and universities - launched its own web site for those wishing more information about maritime history or wishing to make donations to the organization. In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler is also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He has been honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration. Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey, Black Wind, Treasure of Kahn and Arctic Drift (the last three with his son, Dirk Cussler) as well as The Chase; the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt (R) Revealed; the NUMA(R) Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death, Lost City, Polar Shift, The Navigator and Medusa (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch, Skeleton Coast, Plague Ship and Corsair (written with Jack Du Brul). Clive Cussler lives in Arizona.
Pitt is back with his trusty companions trying to thwart the evil plans of a Chinese madman whose intentions of diverting the Mississippi River. Coupled with a slave ring of illegal immigrants from China, a gang of ruthless killers stalking Pitt and a lovely Chinese American INS agent, Cussler weaves an interesting tale and even writes himself into this story that was both clever and humorous. Plenty of narrow escapes, witty dialog, a nefarious villian (but a close group of henchmen was missing) and a great story of a missing passenger ship fleeing the Communist take over of China and a fortune of vanished artifacts. Blend these together and it spells another terrific tale from Cussler. Not the best, but certainly entertaining reading and not to be passed over. Once again, Al, Sandecker and company work with Pitt who uses his charm, snappy come backs and his trusty .45 Colt to save the day.
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I consider myself a professional Clive Cussler reader...only because I've read EVERYTHING of his (in print that I'm aware of) and I have corrosponded with him on occasion. Now with that arrogant statement out of the way, I do not pretend to be a close friend, or even a decent acquaintance, however I DO know Dirk, Al, Rudi and Sandecker as well as can be expected, and I can tell the better Pitt stories from the lesser brilliant ones. This is a great 'starter' Pitt story, sort of a beginners Cussler book... but STILL fun. It seems as though we get one good Pitt novel to every GREAT Pitt novel. This isn't 'Raise The Titanic' or 'Cyclops' or even 'Sahara' but it IS an above-average adventure story (as are ALL of Cussler's books). If you are looking to get to know Dirk Pitt, by far THE best character in modern adventure fiction, I suggest you start here, and work up to his newest (and easily one of his best) 'Atantis Found'. Clive is a stud, and so is Pitt. See for yourself.
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I used to enjoy Clive Cussler's novels; that is, until he started inserting himself into the story lines. Each time Dirk at some point has to take a break in his adventure to meet with some mysterious hermit-like fellow (Cussler) who just happens to be loaded with crucial information about the local area. In this book Cussler writes himself into the story line as the "Bayou Kid"-- an old timer who knows every nook and cranny of the Mississippi swamp Dirk must investigate and who just happens to have a sophisticated and well-appointed undercover swamp boat (complete with comic relief guard dog) for Dirk and his lady de jure to borrow for his mission. Yawn! Cussler's habit of writing himself into the plot may have been cute the first time he did it, but at this point it's become downright annoying. Let Cussler have his fantasies--and his books--for I shall not subsidize him any longer.
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