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keagsbosch's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Tenth in the NUMA Files action suspense series revolving around Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, troubleshooters for NUMA.
My Take
Errors
I can't believe y'all let these pass:
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.
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.
Spoiler
I like the idea of the 'bots cleaning the oceans, but what happens when they overpopulate the ocean? How do you teach them the difference between garbage and someone's boat? From people in the water?? Eeek! And what about the fish??Spoiler
Omigod — Kurt doesn't get the girl!!! I'm surprised the Clive character didn't show with the Volks Vagon. The well escape made me think of the escape from the movie, Sahara! Very clever and unexpected. Fighting with jets. No. Not jet fighters. Just the whole frickin' jet!Spoiler
Oh man, it's pure Austin luck that he gets shipwrecked and ends up on an island of militia with powerful secret weapons, LOL.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.
ebokhyllami's review against another edition
3.0
Vi er i det Indiske Hav. En av mannskapet på NUMA sin forskningsbåt er i ferd med å ta de siste vannprøvene i havet. Det er solnedgang og en lang arbeidsdag er over. Plutselig ser han noe som likner på svart olje som siger rundt i vannet foran dem. Dette er ikke olje! Som en horde av yrende maur angriper plutselig en sverm svarte partikler forskningsbåten og dreper alle ombord mens båten selv går opp i flammer.
Noen timer senere er Kurt og Joe på vei til Det Indiske Hav. Hva de finner på den nesten helt utbrente båten vil etterhvert lede dem til oppdagelsen av den mest dumdristige planen de noen gang har vært ute for: å permanent endre været på kloden i global skala! Det vil drepe millioner av mennesker, og det har allerede begynt!
Min evaluering
Clive Cussler
Clive Cussler er nå over 80 år. De beste forfatterårene har han definitivt bak seg. Han har imidlertid slått sine pjaller sammen med en rekke mer eller mindre begavede andre forfattere, med større eller mindre hell. Personlig syns jeg de aller fleste bøkene Cussler har skrevet med co-forfattere har vært tilnærmet søppel sammenliknet med hva mannen engang kunne. Helt til nå!
Graham Brown har klart å fange essensen av Cussler's tidligere eskapader. Han ER ikke Cussler, det skal noe til. Men, bøkene som nå gis ut under Cussler/Brown (jeg har kun lest denne, har den første boka de skrev sammen på vent til ferien) er likevel anbefalingsverdige for dem som liker lett adventure/action for bruk på stranden en varm sommerdag.
Globale værendringer er i tiden. Historien er, som Cussler typisk, ikke særlig troverdig. Dette er oppspinn fra ende til annen, men emnet er interessant og plottet faktisk ganske spennende! Som alltid starter ei Cussler-bok med en hendelse lang tilbake i tid - denne gang andre verdenskrig. Denne hendelsen sys sammen med den faktiske historien mot slutten og oppfyller en komplett Cussler-oppskrift for suksess.
Hva kan jeg si? Kanskje jeg skal kalle dette "jeg har funnet meg en ny action/adventure forfatter i Brown"? Hvor mye Clive Cussler har bidratt med - unntatt oppskriften til suksess - vites ikke, men - jeg kan godt anbefale denne for det den er. God underholdning rundt et aktuelt tema. Kan veldig godt nytes i selskap med en solseng, høy solfaktor og kanskje et glass iskald Chablis?
Noen timer senere er Kurt og Joe på vei til Det Indiske Hav. Hva de finner på den nesten helt utbrente båten vil etterhvert lede dem til oppdagelsen av den mest dumdristige planen de noen gang har vært ute for: å permanent endre været på kloden i global skala! Det vil drepe millioner av mennesker, og det har allerede begynt!
Min evaluering
Clive Cussler
Clive Cussler er nå over 80 år. De beste forfatterårene har han definitivt bak seg. Han har imidlertid slått sine pjaller sammen med en rekke mer eller mindre begavede andre forfattere, med større eller mindre hell. Personlig syns jeg de aller fleste bøkene Cussler har skrevet med co-forfattere har vært tilnærmet søppel sammenliknet med hva mannen engang kunne. Helt til nå!
Graham Brown har klart å fange essensen av Cussler's tidligere eskapader. Han ER ikke Cussler, det skal noe til. Men, bøkene som nå gis ut under Cussler/Brown (jeg har kun lest denne, har den første boka de skrev sammen på vent til ferien) er likevel anbefalingsverdige for dem som liker lett adventure/action for bruk på stranden en varm sommerdag.
Globale værendringer er i tiden. Historien er, som Cussler typisk, ikke særlig troverdig. Dette er oppspinn fra ende til annen, men emnet er interessant og plottet faktisk ganske spennende! Som alltid starter ei Cussler-bok med en hendelse lang tilbake i tid - denne gang andre verdenskrig. Denne hendelsen sys sammen med den faktiske historien mot slutten og oppfyller en komplett Cussler-oppskrift for suksess.
Hva kan jeg si? Kanskje jeg skal kalle dette "jeg har funnet meg en ny action/adventure forfatter i Brown"? Hvor mye Clive Cussler har bidratt med - unntatt oppskriften til suksess - vites ikke, men - jeg kan godt anbefale denne for det den er. God underholdning rundt et aktuelt tema. Kan veldig godt nytes i selskap med en solseng, høy solfaktor og kanskje et glass iskald Chablis?
venomis's review against another edition
3.0
De storm is lang niet het eerste boek van Cussler dat ik gelezen heb, maar ik kan me niet heugen eerder een verhaal te hebben gelezen waarbij Kurt Austin de hoofdrol speelde. Hoewel er al heel wat avonturen aan dit verhaal zijn voorafgegaan, was dit niet storend tijdens het lezen. Het verhaal staat in principe helemaal op zichzelf.
Cussler en Brown openen het verhaal met twee hoofdstukken die zich tientallen jaren voor de gewone verhaallijn afspelen. De gebeurtenissen zijn spannend beschreven en trekken je gelijk het verhaal in. Wel merkte ik dat ik erg bleef zoeken naar een verband tussen de eerste bladzijdes en de rest van het verhaal. Vrij laat werd hierop teruggegrepen, waardoor het misschien niet echt nodig was geweest om de gebeurtenis die daaraan voorafging helemaal uit te schrijven.
De spanningsboog verslapt gedurende het verhaal nauwelijks en nergens is te merken dat dit verhaal door twee personen is geschreven. De auteurs houden er lekker de vaart in. Technische details slaan ze daarbij niet over. Hoewel ik dat enerzijds altijd wel een verrijking vind – zo leer je nog iets nieuws – krijg ik soms ook het gevoel dat de auteurs duidelijk willen maken dat ze een goede research hebben gedaan. Op sommige plaatsen is het een beetje afleidend.
Het plot steekt knap in elkaar, al zijn niet alle wendingen overtuigend. Voorspelbaar is het verhaal echter niet. Steeds opnieuw komen de personages in situaties waarbij het bijna niet benarder kan. Dat de geloofwaardigheid dan een beetje ten koste gaat van de originaliteit, moet je als lezer maar even voor lief nemen. Vermakelijk en spannend blijft het boek wel.
Waar het verhaal een beetje aan schort, is de uitwerking van de personages. De hoofdpersonages reageren bijna overal hetzelfde op en hebben zelfs dezelfde humor. Hun gedrag, de gedachten en de humor zijn tevens terug te vinden in de Dirk Pitt boeken van dezelfde schrijver, waardoor je een beetje het idee krijgt dat uitsluitend hetzelfde type mensen bij NUMA werkt. Dat vind ik jammer, de bijpersonages zijn hierdoor interessanter en verrassender dan de hoofdpersonages.
Al met al is het weer een fijne, avontuurlijke thriller van Cussler en Brown. Hoewel de personages wat mij betreft nog wel wat meer uitgediept hadden mogen worden, neemt dat niet weg dat het verhaal een origineel plot heeft en je als lezer door het boek heen raast.
Cussler en Brown openen het verhaal met twee hoofdstukken die zich tientallen jaren voor de gewone verhaallijn afspelen. De gebeurtenissen zijn spannend beschreven en trekken je gelijk het verhaal in. Wel merkte ik dat ik erg bleef zoeken naar een verband tussen de eerste bladzijdes en de rest van het verhaal. Vrij laat werd hierop teruggegrepen, waardoor het misschien niet echt nodig was geweest om de gebeurtenis die daaraan voorafging helemaal uit te schrijven.
De spanningsboog verslapt gedurende het verhaal nauwelijks en nergens is te merken dat dit verhaal door twee personen is geschreven. De auteurs houden er lekker de vaart in. Technische details slaan ze daarbij niet over. Hoewel ik dat enerzijds altijd wel een verrijking vind – zo leer je nog iets nieuws – krijg ik soms ook het gevoel dat de auteurs duidelijk willen maken dat ze een goede research hebben gedaan. Op sommige plaatsen is het een beetje afleidend.
Het plot steekt knap in elkaar, al zijn niet alle wendingen overtuigend. Voorspelbaar is het verhaal echter niet. Steeds opnieuw komen de personages in situaties waarbij het bijna niet benarder kan. Dat de geloofwaardigheid dan een beetje ten koste gaat van de originaliteit, moet je als lezer maar even voor lief nemen. Vermakelijk en spannend blijft het boek wel.
Waar het verhaal een beetje aan schort, is de uitwerking van de personages. De hoofdpersonages reageren bijna overal hetzelfde op en hebben zelfs dezelfde humor. Hun gedrag, de gedachten en de humor zijn tevens terug te vinden in de Dirk Pitt boeken van dezelfde schrijver, waardoor je een beetje het idee krijgt dat uitsluitend hetzelfde type mensen bij NUMA werkt. Dat vind ik jammer, de bijpersonages zijn hierdoor interessanter en verrassender dan de hoofdpersonages.
Al met al is het weer een fijne, avontuurlijke thriller van Cussler en Brown. Hoewel de personages wat mij betreft nog wel wat meer uitgediept hadden mogen worden, neemt dat niet weg dat het verhaal een origineel plot heeft en je als lezer door het boek heen raast.
ninaloves2read's review against another edition
3.0
i still prefer reading the stories where dirk pitt's character is present. however, i loved the concept of the island and the nanobots.
roseblanchard's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
timminneci's review against another edition
4.0
My first Clive Cussler novel and quite enjoyed it. Moves quickly, interesting twists and turns, kept me entertained throughout. The characters weren't exactly fleshed out, but I don't think that's the point.
kajal_01's review against another edition
5.0
My first Clive Cussler book and what an adventurous journey!
I haven't read this kind of book in a long time. It took me to my initial days of reading, the twists and turns, an evil mastermind, fast-paced etc. The protagonists-NUMA agents always finding themselves in incredible situations (when trying to investigate a ship accident) but always managing to find a way out.
I personally liked all of Clive's characters, but Joe was my absolute favourite.
Definitely going to read more of Clive's books.
I haven't read this kind of book in a long time. It took me to my initial days of reading, the twists and turns, an evil mastermind, fast-paced etc. The protagonists-NUMA agents always finding themselves in incredible situations (when trying to investigate a ship accident) but always managing to find a way out.
I personally liked all of Clive's characters, but Joe was my absolute favourite.
Definitely going to read more of Clive's books.