For seven books, Clive Cussler has dazzled readers with the "spine-tingling adventures" (Chicago Tribune) of Kurt Austin, Joe Zavala, and the rest of the NUMA(r) Special Assignments Team, but in Medusa the NUMA(r) team faces what may be its most perilous mission of all.
In the Micronesian Islands, a top secret, U.S. government- sponsored undersea lab conducting vital biomedical research on a rare jellyfish known as the Blue Medusa suddenly . . . disappears. At the same time, off Bermuda, a bathysphere is attacked by an underwater vehicle and left helpless a half mile below the surface, its passengers-including Zavala-left to die. Only Kurt Austin's heroic measures save them from a watery grave, but, suspecting a connection, Austin puts the NUMA(r) team on the case. He has no idea what he's just gotten them all into. A hideous series of medical experiments . . . an extraordinarily ambitious Chinese criminal organization . . . a secret new virus that threatens to set off a worldwide pandemic. Austin and Zavala have been in tight spots before, but this time it's not just their own skins they're trying to save-it's the lives of millions.
Filled with the high-stakes suspense and boundless invention unique to Cussler, Medusa is the most thrilling novel yet from the grand master of adventure.
Kurt Austin must stop a deadly virus from decimating the world in the latest NUMA Files novel. Research using a newly discovered jellyfish shows promising results, but before the tests even start, scientists studying these Blue Medusas start dying. As the pandemic threatens to spread through China, the NUMA team realizes that a Chinese triad is behind the outbreak. Now in their eighth adventure, Austin and partner Zavala are becoming almost as entertaining as Dirk Pitt and his gang. Some clunky dialogue and an ending right out of a Scooby Doo cartoon hurt a bit, but Cussler fans will stick around for the action. --Jeff Ayers
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.
This review is from: Medusa (NUMA Files) (Hardcover)
As a HUGE Cussler fan, I've spent what seems like years in a mode of 'waiting 'til his next book came out'...and then something strange happened: he began writing different series. And then it became clear after a bit that all of the co-authors were the ACTUAL writers, to which Clive came up with story outlines and had the co-author actually pen the novels. At first Paul Kemprecos was brilliant--and by that I mean he mirrored Cussler's style and more importantly his *formula* to a Tee. Take ANY of the first 4 NUMA Files novels and exchange Kurt with Dirk, and Joe with Al and voila! you have a regular Dirk Pitt story.
Beginning with 'The Navigator' I noticed a distinct lack of...well, I can't exactly put my finger on it, and THAT kinda drives me a bit nuts to be honest. Something about that book just didn't GRAB me like a normal NUMA Files book usually does. Wish I could be more specific, but I just can't. With 'Medusa' that trend has continued--albeit I have to say I enjoyed it better than 'Navigator'.
As usual, Dirk--uh, I mean Kurt and Co. are in the right place at the right time to avert one disaster, only to get caught up in another, larger global far-reaching disaster much bigger than originally thought. This is the typical Cussler *formula* that has served him so well over the years. Maybe, just MAYBE I'm growing tired of the predictability of it all...? I don't know for certain. I DO plan on buying the next Cussler/Kemprecos NUMA Files book, but I cannot say how long I can be carried along with this same tried-but-true *formula* which unfortunately seems to have seen better days...unlike Kemprecos who tries to mimic Cussler's style, Jack Du Brul who pens the Oregon Files novels doesn't try to write LIKE Cussler at all. He has his own style and you can TELL. The novels seem fresh and entirely different, but at the same time, JUST as exciting and worthwhile.
Time will tell if this trend continues, or whether I'll keep buying or not.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Medusa (NUMA Files) (Hardcover)
I've been a huge fan of Cussler's work for about two decades now. Sadly, the books written "with" other authors (for "by" values of "with") don't live up to his standards. Medusa isn't the worst book I've read in the last year, but I can't bring myself to call it anywhere near good. The plot is a fairly generic "super virus must be stopped!" bit shoehorned into the maritime environment the NUMA heroes live in. There's pretty much no character development, and the "supporting cast" barely does anything. The research is inexcusably bad - stuff that ninety seconds with Google would catch. There's none of the pulpy / campy charm of the Dirk Pitt novels.
If it weren't for Cussler whoring his name out it would probably never be published. As it is, he should be embarrassed to have his name on the cover.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Medusa (NUMA Files) (Hardcover)
Having lived in Arizona I have had the pleasure of meeting Clive Cussler at several book signings. Having made that statement I can truly say that I have never picked up one of his works of fiction and said to myself, "Wow, Cussler has a Pulitzer coming his way." On the other hand I've gotten a smattering of education, and I do mean smattering about oceanography and history. Like Clive's other novels, "Medusa" has a formula: bad guys want to take over the world and good guys with NUMA capes come along to stop them. Each chapter is essentially an old time Saturday matinee at the movies cliffhanger. In the end the good guys win just as we want them to do. Just go with the flow and you'll find "Medusa" an enjoyable read.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
