After the breakup of the Old Soviet Union, an evil, power-mad leader arises. With the help of a mad Rasputin-like monk, this charismatic individual begins to draw many of the now-defunct USSR military personnel to his side. His goal? World conquest, of course. His method? Inducing tsunamis near the American coastline which will devastate the ocean-bordering states.
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Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, two top investigator/scientists with an organization called NUMA (National Underwater Marine Association) are in the right place at the right time when several things happen. First, a research submarine is hijacked, crew and all seeming to disappear. Second, a group of tabloid journalists are attacked by Cossacks on a rocky coast of the Black Sea. Austin and Zavala rescue the journalists and locate the sub and all seems well until a bigger problem is discovered.
It's all tied in to an unexplected and unexplained tsunami off the coast of Maine. As the plot develops, our heroes (with the help of an old "retired" KGB agent) are soon embroiled in fighting a would-be world dominator and his wacko sidekick while time is running out on the peace of the American Coast.
The review of this Book prepared by Roy Payne
Putnam, Jun 2002, 26.95, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0399148728
Off the New England coast, a retired oceanographer turned fisherman recognizes the noise as a deadly tidal wave. He calls the police from the sea and averts a major catastrophe.
In the Aegean Sea, Captain Joe Logan takes visiting marine archeologist Dr. Pulaski underwater in a special sub. However, instead of scientific research Pulaski takes control of the sub waiting for a “pick-up”.
A TV crew visits an abandoned Soviet sub base only to be attacked by Cossack warriors on horses. Only the intervention of National Underwater and Marine Agency scientist Kurt Austin saves their lives.
What these events have in common is Mikhail Razov and Boris the monk are behind each incident as they get ready for a Cossack holy war to take over Russia reminiscent of a modern day Czar with his Rasputin. They also expect to destroy the infidels starting with the United States. Only Austin and his old Soviet counterpart Victor Petrov stand in their way of succeeding.
As with all the NUMA tales, FIRE ICE is non-stop action that readers will dive into in one sitting. The exciting story line never slows down even for a paragraph as one event leads to another in Petrov's efforts to become the first Czar of Russia in nine decades. Austin remains the heroic genius that he was in previous books and the villains are an interesting duet. Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos furbishes a strong entry in one of the better action series.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner
