DRAGON

Media:	Paperback
Author:	Clive Cussler
Publisher:	Pocket
Release date:	01 July, 1991
Our price:	$7.99

DRAGON

Average rating: Stars

Dragon- a review by a Cussler fan

I've read this series in order from the start and I have to say the first several books were pretty lacking and very dated but, I kept going and I'm glad I did. Starting with Night Probe (sixth in the series), the stories, writing, and characters, just get better and better. Cussler's writing was always more fun than classic literature but, his style has simply improved with each book.
So, we reach Dragon and it's quite the ride. The first hundred pages or so has aerial fights, lost atomic bombs, a nuclear explosion, an undersea base, and two undersea rescues. Far fetched? Unbelivable? Of course, it is. It's also the most fun you'll have "watching" some of the best action since Indiana Jones in Raiders. The whole book moves along at a near breathless pace and it's hard to find a dull moment. Some reviewers have said there are a bit too many anti-Japanese remarks and I have to agree but, in Cussler's defense I think this was suppose to focus on the ultra-fundalmentalist villian and his underworld connections more than Japanese society at large.
Regardless of this debate, the book is a swift, fun, action packed read that will have you ready to move on to the next Dirk Pitt adventure , Sahara. Kick back and enjoy.

DRAGON - Clive Cussler

Pitt goes James Bond

"Dragon" takes Clive Cussler's recurring character Dirk Pitt and catapults him squarely into James Bond territory. A Japanese business mogul has hatched a daring scheme: use nuclear warheads to blackmail the U.S. into recognizing his country's financial supremacy. From there, things unfold with Cussler's usual imagination. An undersea escape, hang-gliding into a guarded island, even a twist on that short-story classic "The Most Dangerous Game."

While the resulting story is quite entertaining, it's not quite as enjoyable as some of the other Cussler I've read. As at least one other reviewer has pointed out, there's less of the usual wilderness element, other than the beginning and ending parts under water. Most of the story involves shooting and secret-agent shenanigans. Cussler also credits the robotics industry with greater advances in 1993 than have yet been made, resulting in some very sci-fi moments.

Nonetheless, the book is a fast read, and quite enjoyable in its own way. It just feels more unbelievable and more technothriller than many of Cussler's other efforts.

Clive Cussler - DRAGON

My First Cussler but Not My Last..........

I have been an avid reader for years now but never saw fit to read anything by Clive Cussler. One day I gave in and picked up a copy of his book "Dragon". I am glad I did and I can now tell you why Cussler has sold so many books over the years. Quite frankly he tells a good story. Then there is always his alter ego the swashbuckling hero Dirk Pitt, think a combination of James Bond and Indiana Jones. The two combine to produce a tremendously fun piece of escapist fiction.

Written in 1990 "Dragon" may seem a bit dated. It was written at the height of America's fear of being economically dominated by Japan. It in no way detracts from the story whatsoever.

Cussler has a wonderful ability to weave together historical and contemporary elements into one grand tale. In the case of "Dragon", how can a World War II bomber sitting at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean hold the key to saving the free world from a fabulously wealthy Japanese industrialist determined to establish Japan as the world's preeminent superpower? That is the riddle to be solved by Dirk Pitt and company if they are to save the day.

"Dragon" is full of samurai assassins, killer robots, nuclear brinkmanship, gadgets and heroic acts of daring-do. It is an immensely fun page-turner that I highly recommend

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