The Mediterranean Caper

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.

Dirk Pitt's entrance novel is a fun ride (27/29 people found this helpful)

I have a certain fondness for this Cussler novel, sure its missing some of those fun "pretitles" style preludes that tie together seemingly unrelated historical events in an ingenious manner and it's also very politically incorrect (but not as much as PACIFIC VORTEX is). But, this Dirk Pitt adventure (the first published, though Cussler wrote the aforementioned PACIFIC VORTEX first), is a fun ride of a novel and moves along at a fast pace (it's actually one of Cusslers shortest, if not THE shortest). With some very vivid fight scenes and some nice Alistair Maclean-esque plotting (apparently Cussler used the late Scottish writer's work as a template until he found his own style) this Cussler novel really delivers and I made fast work of it reading over a weekend about a year ago.
Starting with the attack on a US airfield in the Greek islands by a biplane and involving smuggling, German fighter aces and the trademark underwater sequences for which Cussler is perhaps best known for (through his non-fiction writings as much as for Dirk Pitt) I can guarantee that this novel will no doubt charm even the harshest of Cusslers critics as long as they take it for what it is - some harmless. Mildly diverting fun.
On a sidenote, all the reviewers who are commenting on the bad writing should really lighten up, this was after all one of Clive Cussler's earliest works :)

A rip-roaring all-action thriller - typical Cussler (85/86 people found this helpful)

This is an exciting novel with, perhaps an improbable plot - but if you don't like improbable plots there's no point in reading Cussler! It has all the necessary elements - action, excitement, technical detail. There is only one downside - it is a re-issue of an early Dirk Pitt novel which was, in the meantime, issued under the title 'Mayday!' - So don't buy both, or you'll be as disappointed as I was!

Of all of Cussler's books I liked this one best! (18/19 people found this helpful)

I will keep this review short. I have read all of Cussler's works over the past dozen years or so. I read The Mediterranean Caper perhaps ten years ago. To this day I still believe that it was my favorite of the Dirk Pitt stories. If you are a new fan of Cussler - pull this older book out. It is a classic.

Standard Dirk Pitt - see where it all began! (4/6 people found this helpful)

Manly men on a manly mission - lighter on technology than Cussler's later offerings. I won't say more believable, but less prepostrous (sp?) than the Dirk Pitt books from the last few years.

Clive Cussler

Reader Reviews:

So Bad It's Good? No. Just Bad. (7/17 people found this helpful)

Dirk Pitt's entrance novel is a fun ride (27/29 people found this helpful)

A rip-roaring all-action thriller - typical Cussler (85/86 people found this helpful)

Of all of Cussler's books I liked this one best! (18/19 people found this helpful)

Standard Dirk Pitt - see where it all began! (4/6 people found this helpful)

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