I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
The Storm
by
Clive Cussler, Graham Brown
action & adventure, thriller in Hardcover edition that was published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on May 29, 2012 and has 416 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Crescent Dawn, The Jungle, Kingdom, Devil's Gate, The Tombs, Poseidon's Arrow, Zero Hour, The Mayan Secrets, Mirage, Ghost Ship, The Eye of Heaven, Piranha, The Emperor's Revenge, Pirate, Odessa Sea, Havana Storm, Nighthawk, The Romanov Ransom, Typhoon Fury, The Rising Sea, The Gray Ghost, Shadow Tyrants, Sea of Greed, The Oracle, Final Option, Journey of the Pharaohs, Dragon's Moon, Marauder
Tenth in the NUMA Files action suspense series revolving around Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, troubleshooters for NUMA.
My Take
Cussler and Brown don’t disappoint with hair-raising robot and seaplane chase scenes. Infiltration into a hidden bunker, miraculous risings from the dead (two for Austin!), rescue on a deserted island, storming a boat at sea, and pulling a Hans Brinker. Just all in a day’s work for Kurt and Joe.
I’d be wondering why the woman was running away when Austin stepped after her. If she’s a friend, why would she run?
It’s too bad that Jinn didn’t learn a kinder sternness from the tragedy that befell his family at Abi Quzza. His family had honor and what he is doing has none. He hasn’t even the excuse of defending his family. I can understand the desire to aid one’s country, but not at the expense of destroying others.
These businessmen certainly don’t have any patience! I can see where Cussler and Brown need to have this story move along, but I assume these are smart men. They should have been able to comprehend that such world-changing events don’t happen in a short time. I thought it was only Americans who couldn’t wait! Of course, there’s no drama in waiting.
Isn’t it marvelous how the bad guy always seems to go off the deep end? In Jinn’s case, in every sense of the word.
Errors
I can’t believe y’all let these pass:
- It’s “wither”, not “whither”
- It’s “complement”, not “compliment” when asking “What’s your complement?” I’m sure Kurt is not interested in getting a compliment from some guy.
- Someone is missing the difference between plurals and possessives. When talking about “his friend’s lives still hanging”, is this the one friend’s life referring to Leilani or does Austin mean Leilani and Ibrahim as in two “friends’ lives”?
The Story
It begins with the disappearance of a catamaran taking routine water samples. NUMA never accepts an attack on its people and, Kurt and Joe are dispatched to the Maldives to discover what happened to the crew.
They, with Paul and Gamay Trout, soon discover the path that leads to the reclusive billionaire and his portable island. It’s Austin’s cheek that sets them down and his obvious NON-resemblance to the tax man that allows them to stay.
Kurt’s presentation of the robot question grabs Marchetti’s attention while the subsequent betrayals actually send them further down the path.
The Characters
Kurt Austin seems much less tired in this story than he was in Devil’s Gate, 9. He and his partner, Joe Zavala, are troubleshooters for NUMA and they do not give up. Dirk Pitt is the director for NUMA — and the guy with the credit card at the end!
Kimo A’kona, Perry Halverson, and Thalia Quivaros will pay a heavy price to warn the world…okay, okay, to give NUMA a heads up.
Jinn al-Khalif was the only child in Tariq al-Khalif‘s family who survived an attack by bandits who were granted hospitality at the family’s oasis. He learned a powerful lesson from this and from his father’s friend Sabah. Zarrina is his spy and one-woman hit squad.
Jinn’s investors include General Aziz of Egypt, Xhou of China, Mustafa from Pakistan who has one main desire, Sheik Abin da-Alhrama from Saudi Arabia, Suthar from Iran, Attakarri of Turkey, and others. All businessmen.
Leilani Tanner is Kimo’s sister who has arrived in Malé to find out why her brother is no longer in contact with her. Tautog is the eighteenth Roosevelt of Pickett’s Island. Major Hassan Edo thinks he’s jerking Joe’s chain when they take the tour of the Aswan Dam.
Elwood Marchetti is an eccentric, reclusive billionaire with no real world sense. He is brilliant, however, at inventing programmable ‘bots. He despises tax people and built his own portable island to avoid them. Blake Matson is his super-paranoid righthand man while Otero is his chief engineer.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a metaphor for all that happens with its collage of the pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx representing Egypt, the wrecked ship is the S.S. John Bury while the rain is The Storm created by a man hungry for power.
