Black Wind [Large Print] [Paperback]

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Cussler the elder could always be counted on to serve up an action-packed Dirk Pitt thriller. Now, with help from his son, also named Dirk, and accomplished narrator Scott Brick, the action is ratcheted up to a frenetic pace. In this eighteenth Pitt adventure, a villain has harvested a deadly toxin from two sunken WWII Japanese submarines, intending to release the substance on a sleeping world. How Pitt and his family (his daughter is also involved) save mankind this time is not for the telling. Suffice it to say that Brick's slick performance does justice not only to the plot, but also to the assortment of foreign characters whose accents ring true. His voluble reading makes the hours of listening fly by. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Here is yet another Cussler epic--his twenty-eighth, for those who are counting. And it is the eighteenth entry in the Dirk Pitt adventure series, this one coauthored by Cussler's son. The story begins toward the end of World War II, and the Japanese have sent two submarines to the West Coast of the U.S. They are carrying a lethal new strain of biological virus, but neither vessel makes it to the designated target. Then, in 2007, a number of sea-lion deaths are reported along the western Alaska Peninsula, and birds and people in the area become sick and die, although no known environmental catastrophe or human-induced culprit is suspected. Called to the scene is Dirk Pitt, the head of the National Underwater Marine Agency, and his two sons, one a marine biologist, the other a marine engineer. Their task is to locate and recover the two subs from the ocean floor. There are the usual harrowing encounters, close calls, daring exploits, and--in the end--annihilation of the bad guys. Another win for NUMA. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

In the dark, final days of World War Two, two submarines set out from Japan bearing a deadly virus destined for US cities. But neither boat was heard of again ...Present day: NUMA Special Projects Director Dirk Pitt rescues a team of scientists from a deadly cloud of poison gas in the North West Pacific. Discovering that this was no natural phenomenon, Pitt is quickly on the hunt for a pair of lost WWII submarines and their deadly cargo. But he soon learns that he's not the only one searching for the virus: a sinister group of very able terrorists are aiming to relaunch the attack on the US some sixty years later. With time running out, only Dirk Pitt and the NUMA team stand between evil forces and a terrifying assault on America's west coast... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Clive Cussler is the author or co-author of thirty-eight previous books, including nineteen Dirk Pitt novels, eight NUMA Files adventures, six Oregon Files books, three works of non-fiction, and his historical adventures, The Chase and The Wrecker. He lives in Arizona. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.