By Clive Cussler with Jack Du Brul
Published in 2010 by Putnam
Summary: This is Cussler's latest installment in his Oregon Files series which highlight the action and antics of the Corporation led by Chairman Juan Cabrillo. This is the seventh book in this series, the first two were written by Cussler with Craig Dirgo, but from the third on he has enlisted the writing help of Du Brul and the series is better for it. The Silent Sea (The Oregon Files)
picks up where Corsair (The Oregon Files)
left off. The Oregon is done being refitted and repaired after its brawl with the Libyan warship and is back in action as the Corporation keeps up its false reputation of being a run down ship that makes its living from the underbelly of society. As the deal is going down, the phone rings and Langston Overholt IV calls on the Corporation once again to act on behalf of the United States in a clandestine, but lucrative way. Once again, the balance of world power is at sway and it is connected with a discovery by five brothers in a pit in 1941. Cussler and Du Brul lead readers on a journey of intense and suspenseful action from Brazil to Argentina to the Pacific Northwest and ultimately to the frozen wastelands of Antarctica. As the team once again works together to undermine the world dominating plans of a new national foe.Review: When this series first began with Dirgo as a co-author it was disliked by many Cussler fans because there were too many characters and the plots often felt confused as they tried to work in material about all of the characters. The other challenge was that Dirgo was as much a non-fiction writer working with Cussler on The Sea Hunters: True Adventures with Famous Shipwrecks
and The Sea Hunters II
which was taking its toll on his fiction writing in much the same way that Tom Clancy's non-fiction work, in my opinion, negatively impacted his fiction. While I did not hate the series like many others, it was definitely my least favorite; however, since the new partnership with Du Brul my opinion has completely reversed and in many ways this is becoming one of my favorite Cussler series. The cast of characters has been reduced and they are written in a compelling way that reveals each of their distinct personalities. You blush with Max Hanley in the presence of the professor because you genuinely like him and feel like you know him. You ache with Juan at the cost of a mission gone awry because you know the pride he has in success and the love he has for his people; but it is not only the compelling characters that make this a good read. The plot is very relevant to current world events and the pacing of the book keeps the pages turning until you find yourself on Amazon.com looking up the release date of the next installment of the series. This series is different from Dirk or Kurt in that it is much more espionage and clandestine black ops conducted by a patriotic yet rogue corporation. That being said it is written just as well as any of Cussler's other series and is definitely worth a read. Reading Recommendation: YES
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