Black Wind: A Dirk Pitt Novel (Hardcover)

by Clive Cussler (Author), Dirk Cussler (Author) "LIEUTENANT COMMANDER Takeo Ogawa glanced at his wristwatch and shook his head in irritation..." (more)
Key Phrases: left mechanical arm, conduit room, acrylic bubble, Deep Endeavor, Sea Rover, Coast Guard (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
About halfway through this rip-snorting adventure thriller, a "white-haired man" rescues heroes Dirk Pitt Jr. and his sister, Summer, from death by drowning. That man is revealed to be author Cussler (Trojan Odyssey, etc.), reminding Dirk of "an older version of his own father," legendary oceanographer Dirk Pitt, hero of Cussler's previous novels. Just as the primary action baton is passed in this tale from Pitt Sr. to Jr., readers may note that Cussler's coauthor is his own son. But even if Cussler is beginning to pass on his writing baton, he's doing so with panache: thriller fans will revel in this action-packed yarn of land- and sea-based derring-do stuffed with technical details on matters from biochemical weapons "chimeras" to rocket launches. The villain is a South Korean industrialist working for the North Koreans with an eye toward unifying Korea by ridding the country of American troops, allowing for an invasion of the South. His plan is to aim a sea-borne rocket filled with a combo of deadly viruses at Los Angeles, with clues laying blame on Japanese terrorists, thus distracting America while the North makes its move. But villain and modus operandi matter less than the series of exciting hairbreadth escapes wrought by Dirks Jr. and Sr. and Summer—including Dirk Sr.'s escape from being poached alive in a minisub trapped underneath massive rocket boosters spewing an inferno of flames. There's a slight, nasty gloss of "yellow peril" on the villain and his actions, and it's only the Americans who greet likely death with a grin and a quip, but that's a minor knock on some major entertainment that's bound toward the top of the charts.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School–Two Japanese submarines loaded with deadly chimera virus head for the west coast of the United States during the waning days of World War II but are sunk before ever endangering the coast. Sixty years later, South Korean industrialist Kang learns of their whereabouts and tests the deadly potion on some animals and a few people in Alaska. When the death reports start coming in, research sends Dirk Pitt, the younger; his sister; his crew from NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency); Dirk Pitt, the elder; and other forces on a race against time to prevent Kang from unleashing the virus. He dreams of creating a frenzy of blame between the countries for such an attack even as he takes joy in the fact that hundreds of thousands of Americans would die in agony. The Cusslers provide a high tide of ocean-based adventure and creepy bad guys. Featuring plenty of intense action, the plot fairly runs across the pages, with even the quieter moments full of intrigue. Lots of historical facts and science thread their way into the story, giving it a sense of realism. Filled with submarines, technical discussions on all sorts of ocean machinery, and some facts about chimera viruses, the novel provides some basic knowledge of bioterrorism. As always, the Pitts remain steadfast and true leaders, and the story leaves readers eager for their next adventure.–Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: Putnam; 1st. edition (November 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399152598
• ISBN-13: 978-0399152597
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (131 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #231,678 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 18 in The Dirk Pitt Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Clive and Dirk write Dirk and Dirk, August 9, 2006

By	James Yodrick "Go, dude, go!" (Northwest United States) - See all my reviews

Clive, the senior Cussler, and Dirk, the junior Cussler, have written a rip-rollicking tale about Dirk the Elder, Dirk the Younger, and Summer the Daughter. It's Manly Man Reading when Father and Son write about Fathers and Sons.

Even though I'm being funny, this is a fun, enjoyable book. Cussler Sr. wrote the first part of the book, and Cussler Jr. picked up where he left off and finished the book. The two authors meld seamlessly. There are no jarring exchanges where you can tell that one or the other is writing.

Like most of Cussler's books, dark deeds from the past well up to infiltrate the present. Here, the three folks from NUMA (Dirk, Dirk, and Summer) must foil a bio-plot that has its roots in WWII. It's a little slight, which is why it doesn't get a higher star rating, but at least it's fun.

Even though this is the latest in a long series of NUMA books, each one stands alone. You can pick up any one of them and not be lost. "Black Wind" is no exception.

Jim Yodrick

51 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars exhilarating NUMA oceanic adventure thriller, October 31, 2004

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In December 1944, Captain Miyoshi Horinouchi, staff operations officer of the Japanese Imperial Navy Sixth Fleet, informs Lieutenant Commander Ogawa of Submarine I-403 of a change of assignment. Instead of patrolling the Philippines, he is to "escort' a special guest from the Kure Naval Base in Japan to the "enemy's doorsteps". The civilian Dr. Jisaichi Tanaka of the Army Medical College has found a devastating biological agent that will bring the Americans to their knees begging for peace. If he fails on this mission, Japan will inevitably lose the war as the Battle of the Pacific is all but over since the recent fleet devastation at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. However neither this sub nor a companion ever made it to its intended target.

In 2007 a South Korean knows where the subs sank and has plans for uniting his country by distracting the Americans with the launching of the deadly biological cargo on Los Angeles. Only Dirk Pitt Sr. and his adult children Jr. and Summer along with his crew from the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) stand in the way of success.

This is typical Clive Cussler fare starting with a historical naval moment expanded into an exhilarating base for a strong contemporary watery thriller in which the action is everything. Dirk is aging gracefully (my knees hurt just reading about his adventures), but the torch as with the authors seem to be moving on one knot at a time to the next generation. BLACK WIND is an exciting tale that is like all the NUMA novels worth an oceanic adventure trek that takes enthralled readers merrily to the Pitts.

Harriet Klausner

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I guess the rip-snorting tales have passed on...., January 27, 2005

By	R. W Warren "robert27545" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ever since I read my first Clive Cussler novel while on an oil rig in the North Sea (sometime about 1978 or 1977 or so), I've been a Cussler enthusiast. I've only read the Cussler novels, not the commercialized versions with co-authors. They never seemed to have that spice that makes a Cussler novel whatever it is.

There is not another author for whom I would consistently shell out the cost of a hardback, then take the following day off from work just to read his novel. I've always thought Cussler that good.

His writing has never been, well, elegant. His prose has never been challenging or even slightly mind-bending. His grammar is at times thwarted or convoluted....but....

It's his stories. They have always captivated me. He has always told rip-snorting, exciting yarns.

Imagine my sadness when I bought this latest book at the San Francisco Airport bookstore (paying a premium, I might add, just because it is Mr. Cussler's name on the book) and took it with me on a business trip.

Not even the boredom of a hotel room could entice me to finish it. The novel had all the formula (Mr. Cussler, you've always used the old "formula writing") but none of the storytelling, yarn-stretching, fat-chewing, whopper-telling, enigma-engrossing whatever-it-is-that-makes-Clive-the-best sauce. It was gone. Left in it's place was dry turkey leftover from Thanksgiving, and that was months ago....

It was like returning to a favorite restaurant and discovering that they had lost the recipes that had made the place so compelling to begin with. A most depressing experience.

If Mr. Cussler or his son read these reviews, I hope they take note of this: First, Mr. Cussler, whatever your talent was, it was great. Perhaps you no longer want to practice your art, so you should simply stop. No matter what, these sorts of skills (innate abilities?) cannot be passed on. Stop while your are ahead. For Dirk, I suggest that you do what you feel compelled to do, but whatever you choose, don't choose to ride on Daddy's coat-tails.

The secret Cussler sauce was missing from this novel. Completely. But the others, in their time and space, are absolute magic.

I cannot remember which book Mr. Cussler wrote in the preface/dedication regarding the "Alhambra" (a bar, a place, what?):

Gone, but not forgotten.

I say the same now for Mr. Cussler's books. They are gone, but not forgotten. A tip of the hat to you Mr. Clive. You were the best.