The Mediterranean Caper
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- ISBN13: 9780425197394
- Condition: New
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Product Description
Dirk Pitt rides a tidal wave of intrigue in this classic Cussler.
On an isolated Greek island, a World War I fighter plane attacks a modern U.S. Air Force base–a mysterious saboteur preys on an American scientific expedition–and Dirk Pitt plays a deadly game of hunter and hunted with the elusive head of an international smuggling ring.
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I’m permanently game to check out a excellent thriller, and never having read Cussler, thought it was time to sample one of his early books. Originally published in 1973, this is the second in his “Dirk Pitt” series — and I have to say, it is truly dreadful. Probably the best way to characterize it is as a really poor imitation of the James Bond films (not the books): indestructible manly hero, sex on the beach with willing beauty, outrageously silly plot, secret submarine base, and worst of all, the villain who clarifies everything to the hero as a replacement for of killing him.
Set in the early ’70s, the book starts with some zany promise, as a German WWI biplane attacks an (fictional) American airbase on Thasos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, about 75-100 miles east of Thessaloniki. The biplane efficiently destroys a bunch of F-105 Starfire Jets and C-133 transporters, lacking any response. (Rumor has it that USAF bases of the time had no antiaircraft batteries. And the key to evading USAF radar is to use vintage aircraft — so beware a North Korean strike force of Sopwith Camels!) Fortunately, Pitt happens to be flying a Catalina flying boat near the base at the same, and with the trusty aim of his rummage though-totin’ sturdy sidekick, manages to drive the biplane off. Pitt’s been called in to investigate a series of weird accidents aboard a nearby scientific research vessel belonging the (also fictitious) National Underwater Marine Agency.
Of course, the strafing and the accidents are related, and soon Pitt is knee-deep in a ridiculous plot. Rumor has it that inspired by the 1971 film “The French Tie”, Cussler soon has Pitt chasing after a massive heroin smuggling operation. But wait, there’s more! One word: Nazis. I’ll refrain from adage any more, additional than the key to the smuggling plot that has baffled Interpol for decades is figured out in a few minutes by Pitt sketching on a beach. Sorry to say, it also will have been figured out on about page 20 by most semi-intelligent readers.
The writing is just terrible, there’s no additional way to place it. Clunky descriptions, probably the worst dialogue I’ve read in several years, and cardboard characters. Plus, there’s all kinds of stuff that Pitt does and facts out “off-camera”, which are only revealed at the very end, which makes the reader feel rather cheated. I’ll grant a writer one or two clever reveals in a tale (the best I can reflect of is in Frederick Forsyth’s “The Odessa File”), but these feel cheap. Many reviewers have commented on Pitt’s rather ancient-fashioned take on women. But, in Cussler’s defense, it was written more than thirty years ago, and it is in keeping with the genre. More importantly, with the regards to the scene where he slaps the gorgeous woman and she proceeds to have sex with him, it’s revealed at the very end that there is a excellent plot reason for her submission. It’s still a laughably terrible scene, but it does make some cockeyed sense within the scheme of the plot.
Overall, I like thrillers and I like junky adventure tales, but even within persons genre considerations, this is poor poor stuff. Maybe Cussler’s gotten better over time, but I’m sure not going to waste any more of my time finding out.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
Considering the obvious success Clive Cussler has had with his novels, I thought it was time I gave one a try (they’re well loved, they can’t be that terrible… incorrect). With this in mind I thought I’d start at the beginning (which is really Pacific Vortex, as it was written before `The Mediterranean Caper’ – or `Mayday!’ as it’s called in Australia – was published).
But, while I won’t comment on the literary merits of Pacific Vortex (reflect an utterly dumbed down James Bond – and that’s really dumb), it was supremely advanced over the stilted dialog and so-called machismo of the Mediterranean Caper. In fact, I wasn’t even able to get past 35 pages of this truly dreadful example of writing.
And why is that, you question?
Let’s look at the following text taken from the book. To place you in the scene our `hero’ Dirk Pitt has gone down to the beach one early morning. While there a gorgeous young woman stumbles across him. Naturally they talk and she reveals how her beloved spouse was killed in a car crash eight and a half years previously:
`It’s been eight and a half years now,’ she answered in a whisper.
Pitt felt dazed. Then rage set in. What a waste, he thought. What a rotten waste for a gorgeous woman like her to grieve over a dead man for nearly nine years. The more he thought about it the angrier he became. He could see tears welling in her eyes as she lost herself in the remembrance, and the sight sickened him. He reached over and gave her a hard backhand slap across the face.
Her eyes jerked wide, and her whole body tensed from the sharp blow. It was as if she was struck by a bullet. `Why did you strike me?’ she gasped.
`Because you needed it, needed it terribly,’ he snapped. `That torch you carry around is as worn out as an overcoat. I’m surprised a name hasn’t taken you over a knee and spanked it off. So your spouse was dashing. So what? He’s dead and buried, and mourning over him for all these years won’t resurrect him from the grave. Lock away his memory somewhere and forget him. You’re a gorgeous woman – you don’t belong chained to a coffin full of bones. You belong to every man who turns and admires you.’ Pitt could see his words were penetrating her weak defences. `Now you reflect about it. It’s your life. Don’t throw it away and play “Camille” until you’re withered and grey.’
Her face was distraught in the morning sun, and her breath came in sobs. Pitt let her weep for a long time. When she finally raised her head and turned it towards him, he could see that her cheeks were streaked with tears, mixed with tiny grains of sand, clinging to the wetness. She looked up at him, and he caught the gleam in her eyes. They were soft and frightened-looking, like a small girl’s. He lifted her in his arms and kissed her. Her lips were warm and moist.
`When was the last time you had a man?’ he thought.
`Not since…’ Her voice trailed away.
Pitt took her as the long shadows of the rocks crept upward over the beach, shielding their bodies from the sun.
‘Why did you strike me?’
Personally, I can reflect of several additional things I would’ve said in that situation, such as: ‘Help’, ‘Police’ and ‘Rape’.
I can only hope that in the intervening 3 decades since persons words were written that Clive’s attitudes to women and what constitutes a `hero’ are a bit less pathetic. Here’s a fragile woman who is physically and verbally attacked by our ‘hero’, whose eyes are then equated with looking `soft and frightened-looking, like a small girl’s’ (well, whatever gets you going Dirk). Naturally Dirk Pitt then has sex (I won’t say she does, she’s just – in my mind – been raped) and she’s ever so grateful and invites him back to meet her family tree, etc. etc.
When I read that section I honestly thought, no, I must’ve missed something. There’s no way that just happened.
At that precise moment I establish I could not read on.
What sort of hero is this? Is this how a `man’s-man’ is meant to behave? Is this, as additional reviewers have said of this book, ‘fun’?
I mean, was this sort of garbage ever seen as okay, even in the early 1970’s? I can know a writer having their hero as a clichéd `man’ that all additional men envy, etc, but what Dirk Pitt does in that scene is not something any `man’ or `hero’ would do.
Sorry, Clive, because of that one scene I won’t be reading any more of your books. I’ve already wasted my money on this one and the ridiculously plotted Pacific Vortex. I’ve already been burnt twice.
There’s too many excellent adventure tales out there, with much better writing and plot, and with character’s that aren’t throwbacks to some outdated era for anyone to be bothered with this infantile slush.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
This Clive Cussler novel reads like an especially terrible episode of “Scooby Doo”, with the basic plot of “I’ll scare away persons darn meddling kids”. Seriously, Mediterranean Caper is one of the most poorly written and contrived books I have ever read. I’ve seen Johnny Quest cartoon episodes that had much more plot and sophistication.
Save your money. Another one-star review here from Paul Treleaven describes in fantastic detail the shortcomings of this book that I agree with wholeheartedly (excellent observations, Paul). When Dirk starts slapping the lady on the beach around, and she still wants to be intimate with him, well, that strains credulity. The Dirk Pitt character is really a jerk in this book – he hits women, beats up chauffeurs, screams obscenities at his superiors, and generally behaves like a gluteus maximus.
Cussler has done much better than this. I highly recommend one of his later novels (The Chase) that ditch the Dirk character (maybe his name should be changed to Dick).
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
I must admit is was a bit suprised to find out that Darius was secretly effective for Erik. Even more so suprised to find out that Erik was had took a name else’s identity. He nearly would have pulled it off, but he was going up against Dirk Pitt.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
While I establish this to be an ok tale, it is definately dated in the leader’s/main character’s attitude towards women. I know it was written a long time ago, but I still find Pitt’s actions towards women mildy offensive. He is like the uber manly character of most adolescent fantasies i.e strong male character dragging a women towards his cave by the hair. anyway, that being said, the tale isn’t terrible, but at the same time very corny/cliqued. Worth reading once, but I wouldn’t buy it. Try the library.
Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5