White Death

May 12, 2003
Cussler's multitude of fans arrive at the table expecting a roiling stew of seafaring adventure, exotic travel destinations, cutting-edge science, a splash of romance and insider tips on food and drink. In this latest starring series hero Kurt Austin (Fire Ice; Blue Gold), readers will find all their expectations extravagantly fulfilled. The bronzed, rugged Austin, leader of the NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency) Special Assignments Team, and his partner, Joe Zavala, are called in to free survivors trapped inside a Danish warship sunk after a collision with the flagship of the radical environmentalist group Sentinels of the Sea. After a successful rescue, Austin's investigations lead him from the haughty environmentalists to the Oceanus Corporation, a shadowy fish farming organization: "A miasma of pure evil seemed to hang over the Oceanus operation." Austin sneaks into one of the fish farms on a solo recon and is nearly killed by the swarthy, black-clad, facially tattooed Eskimos of the evil Kiolya tribe who guard the company's many operations. The Kiolyas are led by albino madman Toonook, a genius fish geneticist who has engineered members of the harmless salmon family into a breed of 10-foot, piranha-like Frankenfish. All the villains have satanic smiles and pitiless eyes, and snarl their dialogue. If it all sounds highly preposterous, it is, but Cussler manages with his usual aplomb, impressively juggling his plots and bringing everyone home in an action-fueled, rip-roaring finale in which evil doers are soundly defeated and swashbuckling heroes reign supreme. Who would have guessed that the world of high-stakes fish farming could be so thrilling? 600,000 first printing; $500,000 advertising budget.

A centuries-old treasure from the sea and a shadowy multinational corporation comprise this action adventure, skillfully read by James Naughton. He fluidly handles Eskimo dialects, various other accents, human sacrifice, and heated battle scenes with ease. His portrayal of Dr. Barker, an ego-driven fanatic, skillfully reveals the man's madness. In imperious tones, Naughton paints an unpleasant, yet captivating, picture of the chaos and murder Barker practices. Opposing him, the dashing leader of the NUMA special assignments team, Austin, is woven into the story with such bravado that the listener almost cheers. This story is well suited to listening because of its strong characterizations and sound effects. G.D.W. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine