Devil's Gate

by Clive Cussler

Other authorsGraham Brown (Author)

Paper Book, 2013

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Publication

London : Michael Joseph, 2013, c2011.

Description

A Japanese cargo ship cruises the eastern Atlantic near the Azores- when it bursts into flames. A gang of pirates speeds to take advantage of the disaster-when their boat explodes. What is happening in this part of the world? As Kurt Austin, Joe Zavala, and the rest of the NUMA Special Assignments Team rush to investigate, they find themselves drawn into the extraordinary ambitions of an African dictator, the creation of a weapon of almost mythical power, and an unimaginably audacious plan to extort the world's major nations. The penalty for refusal? The destruction of their greatest cities.

User reviews

LibraryThing member TomWheaton

I liked the history that was introduced at various timed throughout the story line.

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LibraryThing member hukkleberri

Now this is the Clive Cussler I fell in love with...outlandish plot; cartoonish heroes and villains; cliche-ridden dialogue; clunky, amateurish prose... another classic from the Ed Wood of thriller fiction. What's not to like?

LibraryThing member gdill

I've never read a bad Clive Cussler book. And, "Devil's Gate" certainly didn't disappoint. But, it wasn't as great as some of his other books either. In classic Cussler fashion there was a steady dose of action and suspense that keeps the reader engaged and interested. Basically, a story of a rogue

African country led by a power-hungry dictator who gets a hold of some extraordinary technology that could decimate anything in its direct path. And, Washington D.C. is on its radar. Dirk Pitt, Kurt Austin, and others from the NUMA crew race against time and enemies to thwart the plans for destruction. But first, they must find who the culprit is, what exactly this technology is, and where to find its base of operations. Somewhat lengthy, but easy to read, another good and imaginative story written by one of the best authors of the adventure genre.

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LibraryThing member DavidLErickson

Anyone who read’s Cussler knows his action/adventure novels are for mass market, not as literary masterpieces. So, if you are reading for entertainment and not put off by less-than-stellar writing, you’ll enjoy his novels. He writes fun tales with loads of edge-of-your seat moments, even if

many of them follow the Hollywood style of recovery-from-just-beyond-the-last-possible-second.
I enjoy Cussler because he writes unique and entertaining characters caught up in multiple story lines with cataclysmic climaxes. The main characters are mostly larger than life, capable of extraordinary achievements, connected to high places and beautiful. The perfect escape from a mundane life.
In Devil’s Gate, an enormously wealthy African dictator creates an awesome weapon to blackmail the industrialized world, but a happenstance with NUMA divers befuddles his plans as ever more clues lead to a startling conclusion so diabolical as to be beyond comprehension. But yet again the intrepid boys of NUMA ride to the rescue and save the world, as well as a beautiful Russian scientist/spy, from a catastrophe of monumental devastation.
This may all sound tongue-in-cheek, but it’s because I truly enjoy Cussler’s novels. I mix them with more literary works on my to-read list and thus have the opportunity to not only have fun, but to do my homework as a writer too.
Who would I recommend this to? People who love action, surprises, loads of technology and a little bit of somewhat modified history. Readers where the occasional misused word, grammar issues and add-on words are not speed bumps to an enjoyable read.

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LibraryThing member Alan1946

The master is back, and I was well and truly hooked, reading the book in less than a week, which for me is very good going. Cussler always has his megalomaniacs planning the takeover of the world, but in this one he has two! In return this is not just a Kurt Austin NUMA files book, but it also

features Dirk Pitt quite prominently. I don't know if the developments at CERN with the Large Hadron Collider could actually lead to the sort of weapon described in this story, but it certainly provides a really good story line. The book cracks along at a tremendous pace, with all the usual inventive action and rescue scenes that we have come to expect from Cussler. He does not stint on his strong characters with Kurt Austin being assisted not only by Joe Zavala, his constant sidekick, but also a young Russian scientist, Katerina Luskaya, who proves to be both resilient and resourceful, as well as husband and wife team Paul and Gamay Trout and their underwater robot Rapunzel. The villains are believable, although the amount of money that both they and NUMA seem to have available to spend beggars belief. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to further ones from the joint authors.

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LibraryThing member Carol420

"Devil's Gate" begins with the requisite prologue, set on the tarmac in Santa Maria, the Azores in 1951..a mysterious Russian passenger and his luggage are being spirited to the U.S. by an American pilot named Hudson. The passenger is shot before he can reboard the plane and is left for dead.

Hudson is also hit and the "Connie" he's flying goes down in the Atlantic.

If you enjoy Cussler's regular fare you will find this an enjoyable if "reality-stretching" good vs. evil story. I love the Austin books so it gets 5 *****

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LibraryThing member DonDeBon

A ship sinks due to pirates and Kurt interviews. But this was no ordinary pirates since they sink the whole ship in such a short period. Normally they take the goods and run, but instead these methodically sink the ship as fast a possible. Then Kurt and Joe are in the middle of a underwater race

when some sort of disturbance threatens to crash them into a large tower of rock, making a new discovery in the process. Yet, someone is watching Kurt's every move waiting for the right moment to strike. Someone Kurt has had previous dealings with long ago.

As usual the humor between Joe and Kurt is wonderful as is the other character interactions. I didn't like this particular story-line as much as other books I have read in the NUMA series. The ending felt too short. I can't put my finger on it, but it felt like something was missing. Regardless, I still enjoyed the book and it is a worthy addition to the "NUMA Files".

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LibraryThing member JeffV

Cussler couldn't resist putting his heroes into a James Bond situation where the penultimate UBG over-thinks executing them, leading to an improbable escape that naturally dooms him in the end. The rest of the story is equally absurd, but fun...just like in Bond, a super villain crafts a weapon of

inconceivable power that can wipe out entire cities.

I wish my library had more of this series on audiobook, I'd get them all.

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LibraryThing member jeffome

Naples, FL 2023 - #6 - fast-paced adventure with these 4 undersea warriors.....I always include a Cusssler book in my vacation book pile......always fun, occasionally gripping with tension (small manned submersibles in jeopardy underwater!!). This time, an ocean floor anomaly sparks scientific

interest, with the NUMA team right in the thick of things. And modern technology has finally crept into this series.....cell phones,, touch screens & the like! Kurt Austin maneuvers out of scrape after scrape, saves the pretty lady, and manages to cloud over evil plans of an arch-enemy & a despot. Slightly better than some! Glad for the ride!

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