The Mediterranean Caper (Dirk Pitt)

I bought this book before my holiday at the Mediterranean (though not in Greece, where the book is set) and it is a perfect holiday read. Fast-paced, entertaining, albeit a bit dated in its political incorrectness, its a fun book that is quite quickly read through. This is old-school Cussler, and well worth a few hours of sun-baked reading.

Cussler (0/0 people found this helpful)

As with all books obtained with amazon do not need to go any where else,also very happy with supplier.

Duplicate titles (0/1 people found this helpful)

I had got this novel under a different title already and therefore feel very disappointed.

Dirk Pitt character at his entertaining best (1/1 people found this helpful)

I have never been a big fan of action thrillers. The only author I read regularly in this genre is Lee Child and his `Jack Reacher` character, and I enjoy him a lot, so I decided to give Clive Cussler a try. I am happy to say I was not disappointed! Even though "Pacific Vortex" was the first published book in the Dirk Pitt adventures series, it was the first Cussler wrote, so logically, this is the novel I picked to start my journey. I found an interesting character that lives at the edge and is passionate about his work. Also in some aspects he is similar to James Bond, women mainly, and the mix is sufficient to keep the reader thoroughly entertained. If you enjoy serial characters then this is a must series for you, also try Michael Connelly`s `Harry Bosh` series, or much more violent is the `Soft Target` thrillers by Conrad Jones. In the Dirk pitt stories Cussler has created a very entertaining series, with a character that has an arrogant and pedantic side, but whom also shows his pure emotions and is true to his friends and ideals. This makes the Special Project Director of the National Underwater and Marine Agency a very likable character. This is a book that a reader can breeze through in a few hours making it an enjoyable way to spend a weekend's afternoon. I will surely read the next book in this series hoping for a similar experience.

So Bad It's Good? No. Just Bad. (7/18 people found this helpful)

I'm always game to check out a good thriller, and never having read Cussler, thought it was time to sample one of his early books. Originally published in 1973, this is the second in his "Dirk Pitt" series -- and I have to say, it is truly awful. Probably the best way to characterize it is as a really poor imitation of the James Bond films (not the books): indestructible manly hero, sex on the beach with willing beauty, outrageously silly plot, secret submarine base, and worst of all, the villain who explains everything to the hero instead of killing him.

Set in the early '70s, the book starts with some zany promise, as a German WWI biplane attacks an (fictional) American airbase on Thasos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, about 75-100 miles east of Thessaloniki. The biplane efficiently destroys a bunch of F-105 Starfire Jets and C-133 transporters, without any response. (Apparently USAF bases of the time had no antiaircraft batteries. And the key to evading USAF radar is to use vintage aircraft -- so beware a North Korean strike force of Sopwith Camels!) Fortunately, Pitt happens to be flying a Catalina flying boat near the base at the same, and with the trusty aim of his rifle-totin' sturdy sidekick, manages to drive the biplane off. Pitt's been called in to investigate a series of strange accidents aboard a nearby scientific research vessel belonging the (also fictitious) National Underwater Marine Agency.

Of course, the strafing and the accidents are related, and soon Pitt is knee-deep in a ridiculous plot. Apparently inspired by the 1971 film "The French Connection", Cussler soon has Pitt chasing after a massive heroin smuggling operation. But wait, there's more! One word: Nazis. I'll refrain from saying any more, other than the key to the smuggling plot that has baffled Interpol for decades is figured out in a few minutes by Pitt sketching on a beach. Unfortunately, it also will have been figured out on about page 20 by most semi-intelligent readers.

The writing is just terrible, there's no other way to put it. Clunky descriptions, probably the worst dialogue I've read in several years, and cardboard characters. Plus, there's all kinds of stuff that Pitt does and figures out "off-camera", which are only revealed at the very end, which makes the reader feel rather cheated. I'll grant a writer one or two clever reveals in a story (the best I can think of is in Frederick Forsyth's "The Odessa File"), but these feel cheap. Many reviewers have commented on Pitt's rather old-fashioned take on women. However, in Cussler's defense, it was written more than thirty years ago, and it is in keeping with the genre. More importantly, with the regards to the scene where he slaps the beautiful woman and she proceeds to have sex with him, it's revealed at the very end that there is a good plot reason for her submission. It's still a laughably bad scene, but it does make some cockeyed sense within the scheme of the plot.

Overall, I like thrillers and I like junky adventure stories, but even within those genre considerations, this is poor poor stuff. Maybe Cussler's gotten better over time, but I'm sure not going to waste any more of my time finding out.

The Mediterranean Caper (Dirk Pitt)

Clive Cussler

Reader Reviews:

Excellent summer holiday read (0/0 people found this helpful)

Cussler (0/0 people found this helpful)

Duplicate titles (0/1 people found this helpful)

Dirk Pitt character at his entertaining best (1/1 people found this helpful)

So Bad It's Good? No. Just Bad. (7/18 people found this helpful)

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