Shock Wave

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Summary: Shockwave is Clive Cussler's best yet!
Review: To the critics of Clive Cussler novels, including Shockwave: Okay, Dirk Pitt routinely gets himself into hopeless situations and always suffers several near-fatal injuries before being pulled out of the shit by some implausible stroke of luck. If you have a mental problem with that, pick another author and chew on him/her for a while. To the fans of Clive Cussler novels: Shockwave, more than any other Dirk Pitt story, educates the reader in clear, intelligent terms about such things as international trade, the basic elements of marine navigation, the essentials of seamanship and aeronautics, marine biology, and acoustics. It also offers some truly great historical notes about sailing ships and the convict trade to Australia. For the average action-adventure fan, this is reward enough for reading Shockwave. Otherwise, the plot is the same as always (Dirk Pitt saves the world and gets to kiss the pretty girl before she's killed or before she tells him to get lost), but we wouldn't have it any other way. The one thing that sets Cussler apart from the other guys is that he allows Dirk Pitt to have some strong opinions (right or wrong) about any number of things without checking with the proper authorities to see if they are politically correct. That's why I will continue to buy Cussler's books, even if I have to bend over and pay slightly more than cover price for them at airport gift shops. (Maybe in the next novel, Dirt Pitt will expose the evil bastard who owns all the airport gift shops and make him lick tire marks off the runway until he's sucked through the engine of a passing 747.)

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Summary: Dirk Pitt remains one of our current day heros!
Review: Clive Cussler's use mixture of fact, history, science and fiction make for believable, interesting reading. 'Shock Wave' is fast paced with contiuous excitement as Dirk Pitt and his NUMA co-workers face one of their most evil villains yet

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Summary: A Little Sloppy
Review: As usual with Cussler novels I couldn't put it down. However, Ifelt a little like Clive was just going through the motions on thisone, which is too bad 'cause it could have been another "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Yes, there's major character develepmont for Dirk and that's a welcome change, but the book is sloppy in other areas. It felt like there were too many conveniant right-place-at-the-right-time moments. Also the mystery of the "sea monster" neither seemed fully developed or based loosely on historical/scientific fact. Which are two things you can usually count on in a Cussler novel.

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Summary: Buy the book and not the tape
Review: I thought that the book was very good, as most of Clive Cusslers books are. Although, the two ocean sequences do seem a bit long. But, they did add to the overall story and worth reading. The tape however, neglects all the interesting early history of Gladiator Island in order to make the story fit on four cassette. There are other omissions that make the tapes not work buying. If you like the character Dirk Pitt, read the book.

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Summary: If you like preposterous and corny, this book's for you
Review: My first Clive Cussler book will unfortunately be my last. The plot shatters all suspension of disbelief with heroic near-deaths, corny romantic dialogue, and at least one whopping geographical error (the ocean between Australia and South America is referred to as the "South Atlantic" - p.332). Add the author's continuous references to previous Dirk Pitt adventures ("buy my books, please!"), and you get a tiresome read. (Judging from the above, the author needs a good spell-checker too.

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Summary: An exilerating book by a renowned author
Review: SHOCK WAVE the new adventure book by Clive Cussler is one of his best ever! Anyone who has never experienced the true thrill of a Clive Cussler adventure book must read this one! Dirk Pitt, everybody's favorite hero is back at it again, attacking a wealthly man in the diamond industry on the black market. Finnally, a mystery as clever as it is exciting, this is a must read. Steve Kmac

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Summary: "There's a little of Dirk Pitt in all of us." Cussler
Review: "Shockwave" is truly the most well rounded and finest example of the entire Dirk Pitt series of books. As a stand-alone novel, every aspect of Dirk Pitt and his crew is revealed. From the onset, you are launched straight into the action; you feel the adrenalin and the heartfelt emotions of each character throughout the book! You will be greatly rewarded with a rich and exciting story in "Shockwave". Mind you realists out there, this is "A Dirk Pitt Adventure" so don't expect anything less than fantastic excitement in impossible situations! (Can you tell I finished the book today?

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Summary: Once again Mr Cussler delivers Dirk into the thick of it.
Review: I must say I have been on sort of a reading binge, if you will, of Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt series. I truly enjoy the adventures into which Mr. Cussler delivers us, time and time again, without them ever growing old. Picking up a new Dirk novel is like hashing old times with that college roomate you lost touch with. In Shock Wave we travel into the future a little bit to see greed as the foe, not just world domination, and find that corperations can be just as bad as a dictator. Although I don't really relate directly to this character, I find him all the more fascinating. Mr Cussler writes with great authority on subjects he obviously knows very well, but manages to realate them in such a way that you don't feel belittled or highbrowed. I feel almost capable of standing right alongside Dirk and know what exactly to do.(heck, I can't even swim!) This book has it all, the high adventure, drama, romance and humor that make a great story. I always look forward to a new Dirk Pitt novel and the excitement that comes from reading them. On a closing note, don't choose to start this book late as you probably will push right through it. Mr. Cussler owes this fan a couple hours of lost sleep!

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Summary: The small man's dream
Review: I've read most of Cussler's novels and have enjoyed myself thoroughly while reading them. Cussler is deft at writing stories within stories and sometimes the opening story is much more exciting than the main novel itself. Shockwave begins with a narration of an epic sea-wrecking survival, a fiction which I found highly interesting and entertaining. The following Dirk Pitt adventure reminded me of an novel by Morris West, of a character named Mc Creary : small isolated island, volcano eruption etc. Nevertheless, I can heartily recommend a Dirk Pitt adventure to anyone who's too small a man to live his own adventures in life.
P.s. Dirk Pitt could brake a leg once in a while, it lessens the credibility of the story to much to be such an infallible escapist.

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Summary: JAMES BOND MEETS MOBY DICK!
Review: MY FIRST CUSSLER NOVEL, AND DEFINITELY NOT MY LAST. THE ACTION IS CONSTANT, THE CHARACTERS ARE GREAT, THE TWISTS AND TURNS NEVER END. MY ONLY COMPLAINT WAS THAT AT TIMES THE BOOK GOT A LITTLE TOO DESCRIPTIVE, HOWEVER, IT MOVES ALONG VERY QUICKLY. I AM ANXIOUS TO TRY ANOTHER DIRK PITT ADVENTURE. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TO ANY FAN OF ACTION/ADVENTURE, BUT DO NOT READ IF YOU PLAN ON TAKING A CRUISE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.