#Bookreview Zero Hour by Clive Cussler & Graham Brown

Book Blurb:

Zero Hour (Numa Files #11)

It is called zero point energy, and it really exists—a state of energy contained in all matter everywhere, and thus all but unlimited. Nobody has ever found a way to tap into it, however—until one scientist discovers a way.

Or at least he thinks he has. The problem is, his machines also cause great earthquakes, even fissures in tectonic plates. One machine is buried deep underground; the other is submerged in a vast ocean trench. If Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala and the rest of the NUMA team aren’t able to find and destroy them, and soon, the world will be on the threshold of a new era of earth tremors and unchecked volcanism.

Now, that can’t be good.

My review:

Although Clive Cussler is a prolific author I've not read one of his works before. I picked this one up not realizing it was the 11th book in a series. It was on the NY Times Best Seller list and I thought I'd check out what some other people were reading.

So now that I've explained that I had no preconceived notions going into this book here are my thoughts.

Kurt Austin is like a modern day James Bond type character only without all the "I need to sleep with all the pretty girls" vibe. He is a brilliant, athletic, politically savvy, "never-say-die" kind of guy. He's good looking too but that isn't emphasized here.

But unlike James Bond, Kurt is a team player. He's got a buddy, Joe Zavala, who is a similar type of guy, and they make a great team. They are also part of a bigger team - the NUMA team - and they all work for Dirk Pitt (who just happens to be the focus of some other books in this series from what I understand now). 

This is a pretty clean, action-adventure story. There is a ton of violence but it isn't super graphic. There is no sex, although there is a pretty girl and some romantic vibes going on. There is a lot of action, suspense and a satisfying conclusion. The book is pretty formulaic, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. You know what you are getting, but there is still a ton to read about and I admit to finding the idea of zero point energy intriguing. 

Although I didn't love it enough to want to go out immediately and get all the rest of the books in the series, I really did enjoy it. I'd give it four out of five stars.

What are your favorite action-adventure books?

About the author:

Clive Cussler - Cussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work featuring his continuous series hero, Dirk Pitt, in 1973. His first non-fiction, The Sea Hunters, was released in 1996. The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered The Sea Hunters in lieu of a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in May, 1997. It was the first time since the College was founded in 1874 that such a degree was bestowed.

Cussler is an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers have discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.

In September, 1998, NUMA - which turns over all artifacts to state and Federal authorities, or donates them to museums and universities - launched its own web site for those wishing more information about maritime history or wishing to make donations to the organization. (www.numa.net).

In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler is also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He has been honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.

Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt r Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).

Clive Cussler lives in Arizona. 

No information was found about author Graham Brown.