Devil's Gate

October 3, 2011
Sierra Leone’s ambitious dictator, Djemma Garand, has coerced Alexander Cochrane into constructing “a directed-energy weapon of incredible power,” which can cook people from the inside out in the action-packed ninth Kurt Austin adventure (after 2009’s Medusa) from bestseller Cussler and new collaborator Brown (Black Rain). A test of the weapon on a cargo vessel happens to occur near a ship transporting Austin and his NUMA (National Underwater Maritime Agency) Special Operations Team to the Azores. Austin’s rescue attempt of the stricken boat brings him into direct conflict with Andras, a vicious thug in Garand’s employ. Both men escape to battle another day in a James Bond–like plot that includes an attractive Russian scientist, Katarina Luskaya, who becomes both love interest and hostage. In the end, Andras conveniently gives Austin a fighting chance to escape a death trap. Thriller fans who aren’t too picky about credibility will be most rewarded.

February 27, 2012
When Kurt Austin and his NUMA (National Underwater Maritime Agency) Special Operations Team investigate a burning Japanese cargo ship, they find themselves locked in a deadly confrontation with a gang of bloodthirsty pirates intent on plundering the sinking ship. But this encounter is just the beginning of a vast conspiracy that threatens the lives of thousands and may potentially alter the world's balance of power drastically. Once again, Austin and NUMA will have to risk their lives to stop an evil as dark and ruthless as the deepest depths of the sea. Brick's narration is smooth and easy, and he adroitly conveys the book's action and edge-of-the-seat suspense. Additionally, Brick's characterizations are simple but unique. Despite the somewhat over- the-top melodrama of the novel, Brick keeps his storytelling sincere and real, and this audio edition and its listeners are the better for it. A Putnam hardcover.

November 15, 2011
In Cussler's latest, this time with Brown co-authoring, an African dictator decides he gets no respect, and so woe betide the world. Djemma Garand, head of state in Sierra Leone, has big plans for his small country, which he feels has been dissed quite as much as he himself has been. Minerals, precious metals and docile geopolitical behavior, historically that's been the Sierra Leone pigeonhole. Garand has vowed to change all that: "He desired a legacy that would leave his people better off for all eternity." Garand may be a borderline megalomaniac, but since he's no fool he understands the difference between a dream and a scheme. To accomplish his grandiose goal, he knows he needs leverage, the kind inherent in a particularly fearsome weapon, for instance, an item his own scientific community has been unable to develop. As a consequence, an international super scientist finds himself snatched off a street in Geneva and forced to experiment at the point of a gun. Meanwhile, Kurt Austin and his NUMA (National Underwater Maritime Agency) colleagues have been bearing witness to some unsettling events. In the Atlantic, not far from the Azores, a Japanese cargo ship bursts into flames. Badly wounded and obviously helpless, it's a rich, sitting duck of a prize, custom-tailored for the opportunistic predator. So, it's hardly a surprise when a pirate speedboat hones in, but then it, too, suddenly self-destructs. Coincidence? No seasoned NUMA professional believes that for a moment, but at this point not even the astute Kurt Austin is in a position to perceive the manipulative hand of Garand at work. But when he is it will be almost too late to save the world. Almost. Vintage Cussler (Crescent Dawn, 2010, etc.), and just right for the armchair techie who likes his action nonstop and his characters uncomplicated. Nuance-seekers look elsewhere.

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June 1, 2011

Middle Eastern terrorists who think they're angels plan to blow the entire world sky-high, and their plan hinges on kidnapping an American scientist who possesses a pair of ancient stones that reputedly allow one to talk with God. Only the scientist's wife can save him; she has psychic power over the stones. If you loved the author's The Secret Supper, you'll probably love this, too.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.