Date first published	1999
ISBN Number	0 718 14415 5
Page Count	534 h/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

Like all of Cusslers stories the novel opens with a mini story scene setter. This one is slightly different in that it is set in 7120 BC, the dawn of a new era. The old era, destroyed by the impact of a comet.

The main story starts in the mid 19th century, where the wife of a whaling ship captain stumbles across the frozen remains of an East India man. The ice flow which has trapped them suddenly starts to thaw, forcing the crew to abandon the ice ship. A few antiquities are taken, and the ship forgotten.
The story moves to the present day and a small mining operation in Colorado. The miner deciding to move a large piece of rock stumbles across a room carved out of the rock. The room is perfectly square, and covered by inscriptions.

Famous archaeologists are called in to examine the room and record it for posterity, when an underground explosion floods the mine and the room fills with water. The archaeologists are saved by Dirk Pitt, and from there the story explodes into life, as a team of ruthless killers try to finish the job started in the mine.

As Dirk and his friends race to find out the reasons behind the death threats an even more evil plan to destroy humanity is uncovered, by a group of ruthless ???? - Well that would be telling.

Once again the indomitable Dirk fights the forces of darkness from the icy wastes of the antarctic, to the glamorous surroundings of the Argentinean High Society, but can he save the world and get the delectable Dr Pat O'Connell?

Review

The story starts off at a cracking pace and certainly sets up the scene for the final battle. However I did feel that the action within the story seemed a little strained, and not quite as exhilarating as in past novels. The battles in the past have usually been quite vicious, but not so in this story. The novel does not contain an opponent, that Dirk comes across time and again (I'm thinking here of a Foss Gly). All the opponents seem to be gotten rid of with comparative ease.

Having said all that, the basic plot is pretty strong and it comes as quite a shock when the identity of the foe is finally revealed. There is again the nice mix of fact and fiction, and a plausible, reason why we're all looking for Atlantis in the wrong place.

The characters, are all there, and I think that this is starting to become a minor problem with the books becoming slightly formulaic. I certainly think that a few of the bit players could be dropped for the next novel to avoid repetition. The new characters are well fleshed out, with the Wolf family being best described as very creepy, though I think there demise was a bit of an anti-climax.

Apart from the minor flaws it was still an enjoyable story, with a good enigmatic puzzle to be solved, with a most unusual form of transport in the latter parts. The story like many of the recent ones, is not so much sea based, but then I think Dirk has been to the bottom of virtually every Ocean/Sea in the world!

If you are new to Cussler don't start with this one as I don't think it's his best. Any of the earlier novels are better with perhaps Inca Gold being his best to date.

The story certainly deserves its mark of three out of five, as it is not a sub standard enough to be less than three. I just feel the action could have been tightened up a little bit, and perhaps been made pacier.

In the stories defence it is perhaps more cerebral, with a greater element focused on the gathering of information, and piecing the story together, rather than the villain making all (the wrong) moves.

As they say Dirk Pitt will return..

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