Rating: 
Summary: Great book but...
Review: A great story, and a great read but please Jack, start checking your details and facts. A submarine weighs exactly the same every time it submerges (archimedes law), having fewer passengers won't make it lighter or faster. I found some of the technical mistakes enormously distracting from a great story, and easily written around. Otherwise, better than Clive Cussler and with some practice may be the next Tom Clancy. Well worth the reading.
Rating:
Summary: Great book but...
Review: A great story, and a great read but please Jack, start checking your details and facts. A submarine weighs exactly the same every time it submerges (archimedes law), having fewer passengers won't make it lighter or faster. I found some of the technical mistakes enormously distracting from a great story, and easily written around. Otherwise, better than Clive Cussler and with some practice may be the next Tom Clancy. Well worth the reading.
Rating:
Summary: Page-Turning Action and A Dandy Plot
Review: DuBrul continues to develop his central hero, Mercer, this time taking some of the rougher edges off both his (DuBrul's) style and Mercer's manners. There are fewer GI Joe histrionics and more imaginative calculations to his search for diamonds in Eritrea. The major annoyance is that too much of the previous books is recapped in the first 100 pages or so; since I started with this book, I really didn't need to know so much about what had gone before. Character development, yes; plot details are better left to the other works. Even so, this one prompted me to work backwards through the series to Vulcan's Forge and it is most evident how much DuBrul has grown as a writer. I recommend all four Mercer books. One of his hallmarks is the delicious ironies involved in how his villains are punished: cruel and satisfying at the same time. And Mercer does take his share of physical abuse, putting him right up there with Dirk Pitt for a romping good read. I look forward to more from this writer.
Rating: 
Summary: He Did It Again
Review: HE DID IT AGAIN
I remember picking up Vulcan's Forge in the beginning of 1999. Never heard of this guy Jack DuBrul but the synopsis sounded good to me. So I bought it (Audio Unabridged. I only listen to books). Outstanding book. Went looking for more of his books. What this is the only one he has out. That can't be, the book was too good. But alas Charon's Landing is do out in April. After a big sigh of relief I ordered it from Brilliance audio books. The next April (2000) what do I see but Medusa Stone at my local bookstore. I thought I died and gone to Heaven. Went to Talking Book World and Bought Medusa Stone. This is just to cool here is a young Author that only has three books and they get better and better. I wondered what his next book would be. I know it would be good but could it top the rest. On Sept 5th I see Jack Dubrul's name on this book with a blow away cover had to order it over the Internet because Talking Book World did not have it yet and I could not wait. Pandora's Curse took me to a place that I had prayed never to be stationed at when I spent 20 years in the Air Force. Greenland. Jack's Pandora's Curse showed me parts of Greenland that I never thought could exist. The plot takes so many twist and turns that you feel like you have been on the worlds biggest Roller coaster ride at one of the coldest places on this Planet. I recommend this book to anyone that likes excitement and adventure. Also recommended: anything by Jack Dubrul, Clive Cussler, Patrick Robinson and James W Houston
Rating: 
Summary: Fun Read!
Review: I enjoyed reading this book. However, it seems to emulate other adventure books almost to the point of being distracting. I got the feeling that DuBrul had read a lot of Clive Cussler before writing this. Though, that's not a bad thing for this genre. Adventure fiction tends to gravitate toward main "hero" characters being wealthy experts in whatever fields a particular plot revolves around. James Bond and Dirk Pitt are good examples of this aspect of adventure storytelling. The Philip Mercer character from this book is really no different. Regardless of this fact, I still enjoy a good adventure story if it's well told. DuBrul has a great mind for this type of story and does a great job of supplying a fantastic story that every fan of the genre should enjoy. This is the first book I've read in the Philip Mercer series and I plan to buy the rest. I love a good story and Jack DuBrul is a good storyteller. My 3 star rating may seem to be average (3.5 would be more accurate), but I only award 4 stars to EXTREMELY good books. 5 stars are reserved for books that change my life. Please take this into consideration. I recommend this book to friends.
Rating:
Summary: Fun Read!
Review: I enjoyed reading this book. However, it seems to emulate other adventure books almost to the point of being distracting. I got the feeling that DuBrul had read a lot of Clive Cussler before writing this. Though, that's not a bad thing for this genre. Adventure fiction tends to gravitate toward main "hero" characters being wealthy experts in whatever fields a particular plot revolves around. James Bond and Dirk Pitt are good examples of this aspect of adventure storytelling. The Philip Mercer character from this book is really no different. Regardless of this fact, I still enjoy a good adventure story if it's well told. DuBrul has a great mind for this type of story and does a great job of supplying a fantastic story that every fan of the genre should enjoy. This is the first book I've read in the Philip Mercer series and I plan to buy the rest. I love a good story and Jack DuBrul is a good storyteller. My 3 star rating may seem to be average (3.5 would be more accurate), but I only award 4 stars to EXTREMELY good books. 5 stars are reserved for books that change my life. Please take this into consideration. I recommend this book to friends.
Rating: 
Summary: Pandora's Curse is BOREDOM! PLAIN, AND SIMPLE
Review: I got only part of the way through this book, and had to put it down...it was so boring! He develops his main character, and his plot, with a bit too much scientific interest, to the point where the story goes nowhere. You get the feeling he only wrote this book to fulfill a contract, or to show off is geological knowledge, and to keep himself busy, that he only threw in the characters, and the story to show off his smarts...not to write an exciting story for the reader's. He obviously tries to copy Cussler's writing style, and story telling abilities, but falls far shy of the mark, as Cussler runs Numa, and has experienced many diving adventures of his own, and writes Pitt, and Austin in as James Bondian clones of himself.
DuBrull is a talented author, but doesn't show it in this book. Read instead his "Vulcan's Forge" and "Medusa Stone", which are much better books.
Rating:
Summary: Fun
Review: I guess that I can understand why some of these elitist reviewers feel the way they do, with their sharp criticisms and barbs. I imagine that no book would ever please them. However, I read Pandora's Curse not to criticize and let everyone know how smart I am, but simply to enjoy an adventure novel, and boy did I enjoy. The only thing I didn't like was Mr. DuBrul's tendency to jump around, but then there are a lot of successful authors who do the same. The end result? I plan on purchasing all of Mr. DuBrul's books ASAP. Highly recommended!!!
Rating:
Summary: HE DID IT AGAIN
Review: I remember picking up Vulcan's Forge in the beginning of 1999. Never heard of this guy Jack DuBrul but the synopsis sounded good to me. So I bought it (Audio Unabridged. I only listen to books). Outstanding book. Went looking for more of his books. What this is the only one he has out. That can't be, the book was too good. But alas Charon's Landing is do out in April. After a big sigh of relief I ordered it from Brilliance audio books. The next April (2000) what do I see but Medusa Stone at my local bookstore. I thought I died and gone to Heaven. Went to Talking Book World and Bought Medusa Stone. This is just to cool here is a young Author that only has three books and they get better and better. I wondered what his next book would be. I know it would be good but could it top the rest. On Sept 5th I see Jack Dubrul's name on this book with a blow away cover had to order it over the Internet because Talking Book World did not have it yet and I could not wait. Pandora's Curse took me to a place that I had prayed never to be stationed at when I spent 20 years in the Air Force. Greenland. Jack's Pandora's Curse showed me parts of Greenland that I never thought could exist. The plot takes so many twist and turns that you feel like you have been on the worlds biggest Roller coaster ride I recommend to anyone that likes excitement and adventure. Also recommended: anything by Jack Dubrul, Clive Cussler, Patrick Robinson and James W Houston
Rating: 
Summary: Can't wait for the action to begin ...!
Review: I'm three-quarters through the book and it's been a long, tedious ride. Although I did somewhat enjoy one of his other books (plotwise), Mercer is still a cartoon character, much like Dirk Pitt, notwithstanding his smarts and vast store of knowledge. But this book is plodding. So far. And the main characters are caricatures of real people, especially the romantic interest ... I don't remember if Mercer drives an Aston Martin, but I wouldn't be surprised. On the plus side, Mercer displays a lot of smarts. And the author has obviously done a lot of impressive research to fill in the details. Often it seems like he's done exactly what he writes. But it just isn't enough to save the book. You - well, I never cared a whit what happened to Mercer or the other characters. You probably won't, either. No, wait, I take that back. I was kind of sympathetic for one of the lesser bad guys who realizes he's created a monster. But Mercer and the rest? Who cares? Sure, he takes his share of hard knocks, but still, it feels more like a ploy to gain the sympathy of the smart, independent, etc. (you know the drill) woman character than real pain experienced by a real person. If I could just bring myself to finish the last quarter ... I think I'll start reading "The Resurrection of the Shroud" instead ... seems more of a page-turner than this. For better adventure *writing*: "Black Cross" by Greg Iles; "Day before Midnight" by Stephen Hunter; and my all-time favorite, "Siege of Silence" ... probably only available used.
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