Welshrogue

Mysterious earthquakes are destroying oil facilities around the world as Dirk Pitt gets involved in the kidnapping of an oil exploration team.

I remember a time when a Clive Cussler book was unputdownable, exciting, and always enjoyable. Those times have moved on and instead what you have is a slow, average sort of a tale. Yes it still has Dirk Pitt but its lost the magic of the early books. Part of the problem is that Dirk Pitt now has a son and daughter, who detract from the main story and still have an air of ‘look what we just made up’ about them, their whole introduction being more than a little silly and unbelievable.

I can understand the idea behind Dirk Pitt with kids. After all, Clive Cussler is now writing books with his son, Dirk, and there is a kind of symmetry about it but it just doesn’t work if the kids suddenly appear. If they had been slowly introduced over time, this wouldn’t have been a problem but the whole surprise appearance at the end of a book a few novels ago was just a little too fantastic to be taken seriously.

Another part of the problem is that it feels like the main characters have aged and rather than out adventuring, should be wearing Depends and drinking prune juice. Rather than letting the legacy of Dirk Pitt fade into mediocrity, I hope that he will be retired and a new fresh faced exciting character will take over. The world of Dirk Pitt has been crafted and with NUMA all setup, all it needs is someone else to take over the torch to keep the flame of excitement alight.

Disappointing book considering its a Cussler, otherwise its an OK novel.

Everyones favourite wiseass ex cop and now Anti Terrorist task force member, John Corey is back and this time trying to avoid the US being bombed by fellow Americans.

DeMille’s previous book, Night Fall, had one of the most breathtaking endings I have ever read in a book. It truly was amazing and shocking and one that I thought about for a long time afterwards. Wild Fire begins a year after those events. Once again, John Corey is accompanied by his beautiful and intelligent wife, Kate who still have to put up with all the sarcastic comments that Corey seems to endlessly produce.

The plot is great although did remind me of another DeMille book, The Talbot Odyssey. Some very enjoyable characters appear and each one is believable as the plot develops. The content of the plot is frightening but while it may have some roots in the truth, doesn’t really ring true. It doesn’t matter because, due in part to the plot and in part to Corey’s wise cracks, you enjoy this book for what it is, a thriller of the highest pedigree.

I loved this book, and to be honest, there have been very few, if any, Nelson DeMille books that I didn’t feel this way. A great style of writing that can fill up the pages without boring the reader with un-needed or useless information. Can’t wait for the next one!

A train carrying resupply troops and medicine for a stricken outpost gets an unexpected passenger, a man wanted for murder. As the journey begins, things start going wrong, and only the accused murderer seems to know whats happening.

What happens when an author known writing modern day, or wartime thrillers, turns his hand to westerns? Well you get Breakheart Pass. Alistair MacLean, perhaps best known for books that became movies such as Where Eagles Dare (I know, the book came after), Guns of Navarone, When Eight Bells Toll, The Golden Rendezvous, Fear Is the Key, wrote the screenplay for the movie which plays just like one of his books.

You have one of his most classic hooks, a character who is believed to be something, turns out not only to be different but also knows whats going on. For a western there is a lack of horses and general cowboy action but you never forget what genre of movie it is. Set almost continually onboard a steam train, the action is contained with a lot of things happening out of sight of the viewers and main characters.

To carry off such a movie where there is more than just guns firing takes a strong cast and Breakheart Pass does have one. The lead of Deakin is played by the perfectly understated Charles Bronson, perhaps one of the coolest actors ever. Various characters are played by Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, Jill Ireland and Charles Durning, all perfectly suited to their roles.

There are flaws as there are with any movie. Saddles hidden under Indian blankets, rubber swords tend to break the spell a little but Breakheart Pass is a great look at a western from a different angle, rather than bad cowboys vs good cowboys, or cowboys and Indians, the movie mixes it all up and then puts it as the background to a thriller that would work in any genre.

Breakheart Pass is a great movie if you want a thriller, an OK movie if you want a traditional western, and a fun movie if you are looking for a way to pass some time!

As Russia looks to invade the middle east, the ultimate weapon for the opposing American forces isn’t on the battlefield, it orbits many miles high above it. A space station with a powerful radar, but is it enough to stop Russia winning the war?

With the grand scope of the action, the book feels more like a Larry Bond than a Dale Brown. The plot builds slowly but the final third moves along rapidly. The main characters are fleshed out enough for the story but no more, almost to the point where the reader doesn’t care enough about the story lines involving them.

Its pretty obvious that the plot has been lifted from Ronald Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ idea of the 80s. Its work successfully as one of the main areas of the story, albeit with perhaps too much terminology at times.

A good book, perhaps not of of Dale Browns best but certainly enjoyable!