Rating: 
Summary: Confirmed
Review: I have been reading Dirk Pitt novels since the beginning. I even relate myself a little with Pitt having had a not dissimilar background and interestes, not to mention green eyes. In short I have been a loyal Cussler reader for as many years as Clive has been writing.That being said...... I theorized in an earlier review that Cussler has developed an ingenious computer program to write his novels for him. I think there is a database of descriptive metaphors, names and evil plots with another database of georgraphy and history. This program randonly selects items from the database and inserts them into a pre-written structure that follows the "NUMA" formula. Let the CPU's churn for a few trillion cycles and Bammo a new book all ready for the publisher. After reading White Death I am more convinced them ever that I am right on the mark. This book is exactly like I described. A pat formula, change a few names, reuse some metaphors, grab a few odd historical details sprinkle in soem geographical descriptions and you have a novel that is basically like every other that Clive and Paul have co-written ( or co-programmed ). I could not get enthusiastic about this book since through the whole thing I felt that I had read it before. You know what I mean, you read a book then years later forgot you read it, re-read it and through the whole thing you say to yourself that I have seen this before. I know what will happen next. Well thats White Death. I've read it before and knew what would happen in each page. I have no problem with a formula especially a good one like Dirk and Al and the Admiral and Rudi and Loren. This is a bit abusive and way too repetitive of his other novels. The good thing is that you can save a lot of money. Buy this book and read it. Put it up, then when the next one comes out just re-read this one. It saves the price of the next novel. I think Clive and Paul need to dump the database and get some new descriptions and ideas. After all how many evil corporations can there be inthe world all run by meglomaniacs wanting to <fill in the blanks> __________ and __________, then _________ so Dirk/Kurt will ________ and well you get the idea.
Rating: 
Summary: Same great suspense, but same plot
Review: I look forward to a new Clive Cussler (& Paul Kemprecos) adventure every year or so, but this one, though it has all the suspense and twists I expected I feel like I've read it before. Perhaps Kurt Austin is too much of a clone of Dirk Pitt and well as their sidekicks, and the formula has run its course. Cussler's non-fiction adventures are even better, and I can see where he brings his knowledge of sea and the history of seafaring to each plot, but unfortunately there is nothing new here to make it as exceptional as I've come to expect. Cussler is a great story teller and I honestly don't read him for the great writing, but for the escape so perhaps next time he will bring one of his heroes(or create a new one)onto land for a bigger caper and break new ground.
Rating:
Summary: If you've read others by Cussler, don't bother with this one
Review: If you've ever read a Clive Cussler book, don't waste your money on this one, it is the same old story. In this book, an evil corporation is threatening to take over the seas and destroy the environment. Kurt Austin is called in to save the day -- are you asleep yet? I give this book two stars because it is ok if it is your first Cussler book. I've read several of his books however, and this one was a waste of time for me. The ending is pretty corny as well. I don't think I'll bother with any more Cussler books for awhile.
Rating: 
Summary: Killer Fish by Brian Hoch
Review: In the first prologue you meet Diego Aguirrez, Basque seafarer escaping from the Spanish Inquisition (1515), and attempting to hide 2 relics. In the second prologoue you learn of a German (1935) airship attempting to journey to the North Pole, which discovers Aguirrez's ship frozen in the ice.
Now that the groundwork is set, the story begins with the ship of a radical environmental protest group "Sentinal of the Seas" ramming and sinking a Danish warship. Several people are trapped in the wreckage, apparently alive, 300 feet down. Enter the heros who happen to be testing a new salvage/rescue submarine just 1200 miles away. Kurt Austin investigates the sinking after a harrowing rescue of the crew, and is thus entangled in the main plot. Along the way we are educated about the hazards of genetically engineered fish, Italian cuisine, and the Basque push for its own nation separate from Spain.
Many of the adventures are outlandish. But this is fiction. James Bond frequently has outlandish missions, but he's still entertaining. So if you just remind yourself that this is not meant to be "true-crime" type of reading, I think you'll be able to sit back and just enjoy the story for what it is.
Rating: 
Summary: Laughable at Best
Review: It's easy for the reader to enjoy a Clive Cussler novel, as long as one takes it for what it really is: a comic farce of an adventure story. I never grow weary of the heroic adventures of DirKurt and AlJoe. From the neverending billion to one chances for survival which always pan out for the good guys, to the downright laughable cast of evil characters who never fail to perform the classic evildoer blunder of "here's my plan, now ponder your fate while I leave you unattended". Throw in the fact there isn't a single person on the planet who can out(fill in skill here) DirKurt and AlJoe, using their natural and honed talents, plus that heapin' helpin' of good ole American gumption, and you get a novel which produces rolling belly laughs from even the most hardened reader.
Rating:
Summary: Laughable at Best
Review: It's easy for the reader to enjoy a Clive Cussler novel, as long as one takes it for what it really is: a comic farce of an adventure story. I never grow weary of the heroic adventures of DirKurt and AlJoe. From the neverending billion to one chances for survival which always pan out for the good guys, to the downright laughable cast of evil characters who never fail to perform the classic evildoer blunder of "here's my plan, now ponder your fate while I leave you unattended". Throw in the fact there isn't a single person on the planet who can out(fill in skill here) DirKurt and AlJoe, using their natural and honed talents, plus that heapin' helpin' of good ole American gumption, and you get a novel which produces rolling belly laughs from even the most hardened reader.
Rating:
Summary: My Lost Innocence
Review: Others can provide spoilers for this story. I'll just disabuse the reader.
You think you learned some tidbits of history, culture and geography from Dirk Pitt, don't you? This book makes anything you think you learned questionable, at best. The authors have ignored simple geography, played havoc with population distributions, and butchered cultures and their inter-relationships. Don't bet anything on accuracy...especially don't try taking a firearm of any type through Canadian customs thinking it will be easy and/or smooth. It WAS fun to read but the agony of error made me cringe at every turn of the page. The only thing truly needed to make this a decent book was an editor with a large blue pencil and a sense of humor.
Rating:
Summary: Reads like Austin Powers trying to be serious
Review: When the Eskimo villain captured our hero, Kurt Austin (or is it Austin Powers?), I expected him to say, "Welcome to my evil lair." He even had his own form of ill tempered sea bass! I'm sorry, but this thing read like a farce. Dog sleds in downtown DC? Mutant fish that may take over the world? Give me a break. Furthermore, the book was just plain boring. The action was only compelling in a few sections (unlike most of Cussler's books).
Rating:
Summary: Reads like Austin Powers trying to be serious
Review: When the Eskimo villain captured our hero, Kurt Austin (or is it Austin Powers?), I expected him to say, "Welcome to my evil lair." He even had his own form of ill tempered sea bass! I'm sorry, but this thing read like a farce. Dog sleds in downtown DC? Mutant fish that may take over the world? Give me a break. Furthermore, the book was just plain boring. The action was only compelling in a few sections (unlike most of Cussler's books).
Rating:
Summary: Cliched and bland
Review: While I have earnestly hoarded many of Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt series, Kurt Austin cannot measure up to his predecessor. Sadly, this is clearly the problem with Clive Cussler & Paul Kemprecos's "White Death." Kurt Austin's character comes across to the reader as a bland imitation of Dirk Pitt as Cussler recycles several of Pitt's phrases. Additionally, Joe Zavala, while not unlike Al Giordino (from the D.P series), is far to similar to Kurt Austin, and the impressive contrast, so commonly present between Dirk and Al is conspicuously absent in Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala. Like many of Clive Cussler's novels, the novel opens with a historical expostion- here it is of a Basque merchant fleeing from the Spanish inquisition. As expected, the narrative then chronicles a maritime disaster, and the plot continues as an effort to unravel both mysteries.
The Sea Sentinel, a ship painted with a garish combination of colours, while attempting to stop traditional whale-killing, unexpectedly veers from its course to ram a Danish coast-guard craft. Naturally, the two sink into the depths of the ocean, and equally expected is Kurt Austin's lucky intervention. Here, however, the reader is introduced to yet another insidious corporation in the form of "Oceanus," a company specialising in the creation of bio-fish, mutant fish that grow far faster and larger than the average salmon. Perhaps Oceanus is behind the collision?
While this may seem like a rollicking good read, the novelis sadly diminished by the incapability of the two main characters to carry the narrative, their bland, stereotyped characters and a rather cliched plot (in particular the ending). That Cussler or Kemprecos misspells "Hiram Yaeger," a stalwart of all Dirk Pitt texts as "Hiram Yeager" compounds this problem, and it seems almost as if the novel was rushed.
In conclusion, while superficially an involving and interesting read, "White Death: is unfortunately diminished by a stereotyped plot and one-dimensional characters spouting frequent cliche. Unlike the vast majority of Clive Cussler books, "White Death" is unfortunately an ultimately unsatisfactory read.
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