Having read every single Clive Cussler novels, I would tag this one as okay. The characters don't seem as meaty as they were in the first collaboration with Jack DuBrul. The escapes were even more outlandish then normal and I really didn't care who won in the end. I agree with the other reviewer who said that this book was about 200 pages too long.

Plague Ship (Oregon Files)
The book was the standard from Cussler, exciting and enjoyable, but Cussler is getting very predictable in his story line.

This was an excellent book - very fast reading - actually, so good, hard to put down

I have read many of Clive Cussler's novels, and I consider this to be one of his best. Since other reviewers have discussed the plot, I will comment on other aspects of the story.

The characters or larger than life, but not ridiculously so. The same is true of the Chairman's ship. What I liked most about the book was that the authors challenged the reader to think about real problems--over population, and provide information of historical events mostly unknown--Unit 731.

Unit 731 is real, and worse than described. Japanese chemical weapons and agents are still being discovered and removed in China. Medical information created by Unit 731, regardless of how horrible the methods used to obtain it, had value. At the end of WWII, the U.S. exempted one or more of senior Japanese officers from war crimes trials in order to obtain Unit 731's files. It took me a long time to finally reach the conclusion that doing so was the best option.

Stalin's Fist is based upon proposed technology. Biological warfare was a real threat during the Cold War. The Soviet Union and the U.S. had large stockpiles of biological agents and delivery systems. Spreading a virus as described in the story is possible. I thought basing the story on an ancient ship was clever.

One commenter noticed that the chief terrorist's wife changed from Heidi to Susan in Chapter 33. Unless you have written a book, it is difficult to understand how this can happen. Sometimes the author or editor decides to change a character's name. Using global search and replace, changing the name is easy--unless you decided to replace a chapter with one from an earlier draft that had the old name. Ooops. I was ready to send the manuscript of my second novel to the publisher, after numerous rereads and reviews by others. I happen to notice that I had reversed the names of two characters in a chapter. I caught the mistake while looking for something else.

Plague Ship is a great adventure read. I am waiting for the authors' next one.

Lee Boyland author of two technothrillers dealing with current events: The Rings of Allah and Behold, an Ashen Horse.

I need to qualify my review right at the start and admit I'm not really a fan of this type of novel: which is to say, high concept action adventure novels. I've read about four of the more recent Clive Cussler novels and this is probably the best one I've read. Even so, I found it only marginally entertaining.

Despite my middling thoughts about this novel, I think that if you are a fan of the genre, you'll enjoy it. It has all the ingredients: exotic locales, a bizarre evil plan, cartoonish villains, invincible heroes, daring escapes, heavily armed compounds, big explosions, and lots of henchmen. It's a big budget popcorn novel and if you're a fan, these novels can be fun in the same way that a blockbuster action movie is fun. The plot is little more than filler between action scenes.

So why did I read Plague Ship if I'm not a fan of action novels?

That's a fair question. The answer is: I didn't actually read it. I listened to it as an audio book. The selection of unabridged audio books is limited in my library and I needed something new to listen to in the car. I probably wouldn't have read the novel otherwise.

But I still want to give this novel a fair review. As I noted earlier, this is probably the best Cussler I've read (or listened to) - although I've only read four, none of them Dirk Pitt novels. I found this novel reasonably entertaining, most of the time. Strangely, my interest waned most often during the seemingly endless action sequences. (But of course, if you like chase scenes, you'll find these scenes exciting rather than `bordering on tedious' as I did). I tend to get a little impatient with these sequences because I know the characters will inevitably escape, and I'd prefer that the author just got on with it. In fact, the whole novel is unnecessarily drawn out.

As you might expect, the characters in this novel are wafer thin. There is no moral ambiguity. There are no complexities to character or plot. Everything is cut and dry. The bad guys are bad. The good guys good. (Too good if you ask me). They remind me of the Superfriends because they get along so well and are virtually impossible to kill. Of course, a lot of people like that. It`s good vs evil. That`s what these novels are all about.

Who needs well drawn characters? Why complicate things with moral ambiguity?

This is a novel about big concepts and big action scenes. It's about good guys who ride white horses and save the world from crazy madmen. And there`s nothing wrong with that. If you want big adventure, Plague Ship doesn`t disappoint. I may not be gushing with enthusiasm for the novel (although as I said, it isn`t bad) but if action novels are up your alley, Plague Ship delivers.

Personally I give it 3 stars, but admittedly, complaining that an adventure novel like this has cardboard characters and action scenes that drag on, is a little like saying that I would have preferred the Western novel I read, if it didn`t have so many cowboys in it.

Fans of the genre should add one star to my review to compensate for my `anti-adventure novel` bias. Most Cussler fans will enjoy this novel. Really.

This is a cliche-ridden, plodding thriller with cardboard characters and stilted dialogue. Real people just don't talk like these characters. I struggled through this story because I hate to drop a book, always hoping that the story will improve. Didn't happen here. Avoid this one like the plague (pun intended).

I read the reviews and concur with many comments that it is not Cussler's best work, but a fun ride for a quick read. However, I didn't see any reference to the editing mistakes in the book. The most notable is the switch in the villian's wife's name - from Heidi to Susan! Oops!

I'll admit to being a tad disappointed in some of Clive's latest efforts, but combined with Jack DuBrul, this brings him back to the top of the heap. Despite being over 500 pages long, I read it in a day and a half.

Cussler and DuBrul have a writing style that fits me like a glove. Though it is a formula, it is what I come to expect from them, and the whole reason I seek out their books. It is easy to read, exciting, and follows most of the "rules" of writing. In this one, I noticed lots of times where they mix points of view within scenes, and though that is a big no-no for new writers, it did not detract from a great story.

The premise of sterilizing the world to stave off overpopulation kept my attention, especially when it is propagated by another flake religion. Though that plot device has been used before, in many different forms, it kept me wanting to find out what happens next.

The characters are pretty much larger than life (translate that to "unrealistic," as some think), but often, I like my heroes to be that way. Cussler and DuBrul never cross the line into the ridiculous, and keep their heroes and villains out of comic book territory.

After reading Plague Ship, I can't wait until the next one. If you are a Cussler fan, you should not be disappointed. Highly recommended.

Rough-and-tumble adventure at sea with high-tech; Clive Cussler owns the genre. Plague Ship (Oregon Files) is the fourth book of the Oregon series but the first that I've read and it was no surprise to find a fantastic story line and implausible derring-do. Just what I was hoping for!

The Oregon series features Juan Cabrillo and his Corporation. Cabrillo is an ex-CIA operative turned paramilitary mercenary. Along with his hand-picked team he takes assignments mainly from the CIA. Oregon is the Corporation's base ship, a rust bucket refitted for speed, maneuverability and anonymity.

PLAGUE SHIP's plot is built around an organization called the Responsivists, whose aim is to redistribute wealth by population reduction; the plot is too complex to summarize easily but be assured that it's full of wild chases and battles on land and sea. Cabrillo and his Corporation achieve several rescues of team members from impossibly dangerous situations; there are some "MacGyver moments" and some exciting technology. The outcome is never in doubt.

This series is co-authored, in this case by Jack Du Brul, but it bears Cussler's stamp. I found it well written and fun, a four-star read. My main issues (besides predictability) were the rather lame "bracketing story" in the prologue and epilogue, and the possibly too-large Corporation team. Juan Cabrillo is no Dirk Pitt, but he does rule his operation with flair. I will definitely read more from this series.

Linda Bulger, 2008

Jason Culp's acting abilities are well known and he holds many TV credits to his name as well as other audio productions, so his rendition of PLAGUE SHIP will especially please any who seek professional readers and highly charged recordings of dramas. Here the covert ship Oregon's adventures continue with a top secret mission in the Persian Gulf affected by the discovery of a cruise ship littered with bodies. The mystery that evolves could affect the Oregon and beyond in this fine tense drama, perfect for audio lending libraries.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

The indomitable crew of the Oregon has just relieved the Iranian navy of a couple of Soviet missiles and delivered them to the USA when they see a ship where a ship shouldn't be on their radar, apparently foundering. Thoughts of a fat salvage fee disappear immediately when they get close enough to see that the cruise liner, Golden Dawn, is a ship of death, with hundreds of bodies littering her decks. They rescue a lone survivor before a series of explosions sinks the vessel and they barely escape with their lives. Once back aboard the Oregon, they find that second-in-command Max Hanley's son has run off with a cult called the Responsivists. Corporation Chairman Juan Cabrillo is intrigued when they also find that the ill-fated Golden Dawn was filled with Responsivists when the tragedy occurred. He starts to think there's a lot more to the organization than their belief in population control when the Corporation's snatch of Max's son Kyle is met with such well-armed resistance. Their investigation uncovers a sinister plot to be perpetrated upon the entire world, and the Corporation must find out how to stop it.

I often wondered, while reading this book, if Clive Cussler wasn't actually doing about half the writing, because it felt like the height of the Dirk Pitt series in many ways. Du Brul's Phillip Mercer books lack the technical descriptions of engines, aircraft, and boats that always spiced up a Pitt adventure, but this book bristled with them. I also suspect du Brul must have immersed himself heavily into the world of Pitt before writing this because the book was chock-full of fun Cussleresque similes. This series, which I have liked since its inception, really hit its stride with last year's Skeleton Coast, but this book seemed to take it up a notch, delivering nonstop action with character development all around. We spend most of our time with Juan Cabrillo, but we also get to know several members of the crew through their exploits. Lovers of adventure thrillers should sail through this novel like the Oregon on a glassy sea. It's a class act from beginning to end, and featuring a dynamic duo of the well-seasoned talent of the patriarch of the genre, Clive Cussler, and the only other writer I know of with the same amount of talent to carry on when Clive sadly one day retires. Thank goodness that day seems a long way off. For now, this has become THE series to read if you love adventure fiction. Everything else pales in comparison.

The cd is great for the first time listner. It gives a lot of history on the creation of the Corporation and the Oregon. There are intimate details on the crew and how they joind the Corporation. The only problem is I was shipped only 12 of the 13 Cd'd. Now I am in limbo. I don't know what to do.

I haven't read a Cussler book (which is almost every one) that I haven't enjoyed and I put Plague Ship on the top of my list of favorites. I didn't want this story to end. Very timely and not too far fetched plot delivered in an action packed story that I read these books for. After getting wrapped up in the story and characters I stepped back and looked hard at the premise of this book. It will make you think. I don't know where he gets his ideas from, but hopefully they are more fiction then reality.... I have recommended it to two Cussler fanatics that I know as a must read. Can't wait for the next one in November!

One of the best Cussler novels yet. Could not put it down. The suspense just kept going one problem after another. Good Job Clive Cussler. Keep them coming!!!

Great book. Cussler just keeps getting better. Looking forward to his next one. The price and fast delivery made it even more enjoyable.

I have always been a Cussler fan. I like the characters he has created, from Pitt to Cabrillo. This particular book touches on a subject that gives me concern and that is the over population of our planet and the ramifications of same.The "bad guys" take things overboard and it is up to the Corporation to straighten them out. In typical Cussler fashion, there is a break neck pace set to deal with them, with last minute escapes and heroic efforts. The book is an entertaining read with a potential message lying underneath. If you like Cussler, you will enjoy it, if you are not familiar with his work, it is a good introduction.

The Corporation is a mercenary private enterprise for hire by any government agency that can afford its fees. Juan Cabrillo, the Chairman, runs his black ops from a ship called "The Oregon". Disguised as an overused, out of date, non-descript mercantile vessel that's destined for the scrap yard, the Oregon is actually a state of the art war vessel packed with high-tech intelligence gathering equipment, powerful weaponry and a fully muscled set of magnetohydrodynamic engines that, pushed to flank speed, will give virtually any ship on the high seas a run for its money. If you've read any Clive Cussler novels at all, it won't be a surprise to hear that Cabrillo is right over the top - an entirely unbelievable lead character (think Mr Phelps from Mission Impossible on steroids) leading an equally unbelievable crew with uncanny intelligence and virtually superhuman strength and endurance. The missions they accept in Cussler's Oregon Files series are typically of the "save the world from domination by a nefarious lunatic" variety.

When I reviewed "Golden Buddha", the first in the Oregon Files series, I gave it a grudging single star and swore that I would likely never read another Cussler novel again. Frankly, it was just awful! I abstained for two years but, perhaps it was my past fondness for Cussler's earliest novels that made me relent and pick up "Plague Ship" for another try at Cussler's work.

OK, OK ... nice job, Mr Cussler! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This time out, Cabrillo and his team of merry men (and women) are pitted against a cult-like organization called The Responsivists who believe in stern birth control measures and a rigid, disciplined reduction in the world birth rate. In marked contrast to its public pacifist exterior, however, the Responsivist leaders are not willing to sit back and simply wring their hands over the world's burgeoning population problem. They intend to do something about it by releasing a virus that will make the Ebola and Marburg viruses look like a case of weekend sniffles. Bio-terrorism is a frightening, timely topic and this time out, Cussler did his fans proud with a well-written high speed thriller that is easily the equal of his earliest Dirk Pitt novels!

And, I confess I particularly enjoy a thriller that is spotted with info-dump sidebars of a technical nature that enhance the thriller without distracting from the pacing of the plot. There was lots of these goodies to enjoy along the way - the physics of ELF (Extremely Long Frequency) radio transmission and reception; the translation of cuneiform and the possible origins of mythological flood stories; the philosophies of cults and de-programming; left over high tech weaponry from the US-Soviet Cold War era; and the use of north-south satellite orbits for space based weaponry as opposed to geosynchronous orbits for weather or communication satellites!

Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

I love Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul, but if they don't do better in future books in the Oregon Files series they won't keep me as a reader.

The base story of Plague Ship could have only come from the imaginative mind of Clive Cussler. Jack Du Brul is a brilliant writer when it comes to describing difficult escapes.

Unfortunately, the base story overwhelmed Jack Du Brul so that the book is threadbare in character development, almost devoid of menace derived from the villain's plots, and missing obvious elements to make the book's premises more credible. I found myself wondering why the book was so poorly constructed except in the excellent escape sequences involving the crew of the Oregon.

The book opens with a historical sketch involving a Nazi reconnaissance plane looking for a convoy headed for Russia. I liked the opening. But in the epilogue, Du Brul fails to make enough of a connection between the two sections for the concept to work. I doubt if Cussler even read the two sections. A rookie editor could have made suggestions that would have helped.

From there the book picks up as the Oregon's crew seeks to verify for the CIA that the Russians are selling advanced torpedoes to the Iranians. It
is a grand adventure, and an even grander escape. The book drifts sideways on locating a derelict vessel littered with dead bodies. The book then dives downward quality-wise in describing a cult that favors reducing the world's population. Except for interruptions for interesting escapes, I found the rest of the book to be less and less interesting.

In giving the book three stars, I would say Plague Ship went from five stars down to dribbling along at two stars and ending at one star in the epilogue.

I wouldn't suggest that you avoid this book, but don't have very high expectations either.

Once again the intrepid Captain of the Oregon fools the power madmen and their army of henchmen to save the world. Ok, the stories are predictable but maybe that's why we like them. Cabrillo's crew of dedicated, patriotic mercenaries with a heart captures your imagination from the first page and you can finish the book in one day at the beach. Enjoy!

Mr. Cussler hit a home run with this book. Of course a lot of the stunts are highly improbable, if not impossible, but done in a 007ish way, highly entertaining. I could definitely see this book made into a movie.
This was a real page turner, I could hardly find a place to put it down. Adventure after adventure woven together with in depth research information to make it all run like clockwork.
Afte the debacle this year with Lee Child and his Jack Reacher mess (Nothing to Lose)(Lost), this book was a breath of fresh air.
I can't wait for the next book, Mr. Cussler! Way to go.

Usually a Cussler fan but it's hard to hate the bad guys when their basic premise is right on. The elephant in the room is the fact that every environmental horror we're facing arises from the reality that the planet is overloaded with human beings. Plague Ship is built on a shaky foundation demonizing the idea that population control is evil! Hard to get into - even as escapist entertainment.

Super action novel by Clive Cussler. The Corporation and their ship the Oregon go into action. A good listen.

Jack Du brul and Clive are a perfect match for the oregon series, another great book!

Once again the Cussler novels mix comic book type fiction with real life hitech military scenarios so well. In the dependably entertaining if less than top-notch fifth Oregon Files thriller from bestseller Cussler and Du Brul (after Skeleton Crew), Capt. Juan Cabrillo, who heads the Corporation, a covert military company for hire, and the multifaceted crew of the Oregon, a high-tech ship disguised to look like a tramp steamer, take on a group known as the Responsivists. The Responsivists publicly espouse a program of global population control, but are secretly planning a devastating attack on the human race utilizing a virulent virus found aboard an ancient ship that may be Noah's Ark. The authors are up to their usual high standards when in fighting mode, though the chief villain, the doctor who heads the Responsivists, falls short of Juan's billing as the single-most-evil human being I have ever met. As a thriller writer myself I struggle to find books I really enjoy, but Cussler books are always good fun. Readers may wish that next time out the bad guys put up more of a struggle

Excited to get a new Cussler and was not dissapointed.Definetely in my top5 of Cussler's

Plague Ship was very interesting read, but the ending didn't make alot of sense.

Spoiler.........................If the virus had not been released yet by the planned time period, why was everyone on the ship ill with flu like symptoms?

Plague Ship (Oregon Files)
Cussler never disappoints regardless of whether he is writing alone
or with a partner. Wish we could clone him so he'd go on writing forever.

My husband and I enjoy Clive Cussler, and we've read all his books. We were excited to see him spin off Juan Cabrillo and the Oregon from the Dirk Pitt novels. Others have written about the story line, both good and bad comments, and Jack DuBrul taking over from Craig Dirgo (which I also believe has been a major improvement for this series). This book in particular has good backstory character development that we enjoyed.

It has one flaw--the editing! There is one scene in the book where Cabrillo leads a team to rescue Max Hanley's son from the cult. Five team members go in, and five people come out and make it back to the Oregon. However, they aren't the same five people. Mark Murphy, who went in with the op seems to have been left there by the editor. It had to be the editor, since Cabrillo would never leave his weapons genius behind. Murph wasn't killed, as he appears alive and well in subsequent scenes. And just to be picky about this, there were at least four noticable typographical errors that we found. Two changed the meaning of the sentence. And there is another continuity issue when Eric Stone's background is discussed--in this book, Stone convinces Murph AND JUAN CABRILLO to join The Corporation. But how can that be the case, since Cabrillo founded the thing in the first place? Again, bad editing.

I recommend this book. It's a good, fast-paced story that we both enjoyed. But Cussler and DuBrul need a new editor! With better editing, I'd have given it five stars.

I like Clive Cussler's novels - when he actually authors them. "Plage Ship" is co-authored with Jack DuBrul. Cussler's novels are fantasy adventure. Not fantasy in the other world, science fiction way, but fantasy in the sense that the Oregon is really a super-ship disguised as a rusting old freighter. The Oregon can race along at 40+ knots - and it is never noticed by anyone else. When harbor inspectors or anyone else boards the Oregon, Juan Cabrillo disguises himself and no one ever catches on.

Juan Cabrillo is Chairman of the Corporation, a privately owned company that engages in spying and espionage for hire, but whose main client appears to be the CIA.

The Oregon uses secret engines, is armed to the teeth and its crew, along with Juan Cabrillo, are each a hair short of being Superman.

Cussler as a solo author could make this fantasy work because he is a superb storyteller. His co-authors, however, who seem to do most of the work on such books generally can not.

And "Plague Ship" is definitely a story that doesn't work. It is a 528 page bore. By page 100 I was thinking of setting it aside. I decided to forge on to see if it got worse. It actually didn't: "Plague Ship" is mediocre or a step or two below.

The story begins with a World War II German long-range reconnaisence plane being shot down and crashing in Norway. The chapter ends with the sole survivor making a discovery. Flash forward to an entirely unnecessary sub-story involving an unbelievable scenario. Next a drifting cruise ship with hundreds of dead on board is happened upon by the Oregon. The son of one of the Oregon crew members has joined a cult. The cult, called the Responsivists, believes the world is headed toward disaster because of over-population.

Cussler has made his living for a long time telling fantastic stories. When Cussler alone writes, he can pull the reader over some immense holes in a plot. DuBrul cannot. Every character in the book is one-dimensional and utterly unbelievable. (All the women are, of course, beautiful and most of the men movie-star handsome.) Cartoon-like action sequences are piled atop one another. It seems that they were trying to set a record for the most unlikely, implausible escapes between two covers.

The villains are laughably transparent and unbelievable.

In all the 528 pages, there is not a moment of actual suspense or excitement. Everything is predictable.

Cussler has had other co-authors on this series with worse results.

In any event, "Plague Ship" might be a last resort for a really long day at the airport or while in-flight because it will help you sleep. But, frankly, there are better ways to spend your time than to waste it reading "Plague Ship".

Jerry

I have read all of Cussler's books and I have started to doubt him as a story teller. His Pitt books have become old and have lost thier spark or interest. With his book The Chase I began to enjoy him again. But the one constantly good series of his has been the Oregon Files. This series is fresh and has energy. I do think that Jack Du Brul has helped here. Du Brul has a very good series of his own for those who are looking for a good read. Plague Ship is a weclome addition to Oregon Files series. The crew of the Oregon are well drawn and you root for them. The action is like the early Pitt novels, but less famboyant. The bad guys here, I must say, were new to me and made sense which was scary. This is a very good summer read.

Leave it to Clive Cussler and Jack DuBrul to create a story involving maritime exploration and a cult. PLAGUE SHIP has all the exciting intrigue and fast-paced escapades of the crew of the Oregon. Juan Cabrillo, the ship's captain, leads the way as Cussler's hero, in one of the most interesting plots yet conceived.

Looking like the oldest, most battered ship on the ocean, the Oregon actually has the most sophisticated technology and weaponry known to man. Additionally, it has a world-class chef and a highly trained staff, all working for NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency). Always with an international flavor, the book starts out in the port of Barnar Abbas, Iran. Soon they would venture forth on a mission to research the cause of a disaster on the cruise ship Golden Dawn. "There had to be 100 corpses on the deck, sprawled in twisted shapes of agony."

When the Golden Dawn set off on its voyage, the hundreds of passengers onboard had two things in common: they were free from virus, and they were believers in the works of Dr. Lydell Cooper. His book is titled WE'RE BREEDING OURSELVES TO DEATH, and the organization founded on his beliefs is the Responsivists, those who are responsible. They have been working on a plan to intentionally sterilize three billion people on Earth! "This isn't about preventing a few thousand passengers and a crew from having children. It's about stopping half the world."

It is the overwhelming task of Cabrillo and his Oregon crew to find out the cause of the tragedy on the Golden Dawn and prevent further incidents from taking place in the future. Is this the challenge that will stop NUMA in its tracks? Will this be their greatest victory, or their demise? We can immediately relate to the terror felt by the NUMA crew as they quite literally attempt to save the world from destruction.

Written with their usual panache and fervor, Cussler and DuBrul have produced a book that challenges readers to face real biological terrorism at the gut level. Beyond the cataclysmic possibilities of such an event, every adult on earth has an opinion on human rights and reproduction. Most countries in the world have human rights policies, which include the rights of their citizens to reproduce. Consider also the religious significance. Christians believe that Noah loaded animals two by two, to go forth and multiply, in an effort to save God's creatures from extinction. This was his task in life, his responsibility. Responsivists believe that it is their responsibility to stop the human race from populating a future generation.

Even more frightening is Dr. Cooper's tome on overpopulation: "Arguably the greatest transfer of wealth in human history occurred when the Plague swept through Europe and killed a third of its population. Lands were consolidated, allowing for a greater standard of living, not only for the owners but also for those who worked them. This event was the single greatest contributor to the Renaissance and gave rise to Europe's eventual domination of the world."

I invite you to join the NUMA crew as they work their magic.

--- Reviewed by Marge Fletcher

After a disapointing read of The Chase, I am pleased to share my review of a book that I found to be more than satisfying!

It was good to get back to characters I am familiar with and the twists and suspense one expects from a Clive Cussler book. From the outset one gets to understand the way in which the ploy is set out and Plague Ship doesn't disapoint. The book is a must any self discerning Clive Cussler fan. I wont reveal anything particular as I dont want to drop any spoilers, save it was highly entertaining.
I have a good personal relationship with Clive and his son Dirk ([...]) but that in no way influences my opinion.

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did, perhaps you might check out one of my books Into the Maelstrom: The Wreck of HMHS Rohilla.

Thanks

Colin
Whitby / the UK one

As usual Clive Cussler has had a book published, Plague Ship, that has kept my interest from page one to the end, I've read all but 5 of his books and I eagerly await his next edition. My first book was Sahara and I've been hooked ever since.

I have read all of Clive Cussler's books, and this one is as outstanding as the others. The mix in this book of really creepy terrorism, cults, explosions, and the usual hi-tech gadgetry keeps the reader jumping from one frying pan into another, knowing that the fire is right below. Cussler's collaboration with Jack Du Brul has produced a number of excellent reads, and I sincerely hope that they continue the series for years to come--I know I will still be buying their books as long as they are on the market!!!!

Cussler does it again. The total idea of a merchant ship called the Oregon that is actually a futuristic modernized boat is fantastic. Typical Sussler entertainment, some history, some story and that abililty to write that makes the reader not put the book down!

I love reading the Oregon Files. I haven't been disappointed by one yet. This book has all of the favorite characters and their quirks. Very entertaining and fast paced. These books make for a great plot line in the Cussler universe. I would recommend this and all of the other Oregon installments to any adventure reader. I can't wait unitl the next one...

Cussler's Oregon novels have been uneven at best. However, those books "co-written" by Jack DuBrul have been consistently superior. This one is easily the best. I couldn't put it down--fast moving, excellent character development, and a nice twist on the "archvillain trying to take over the world" theme.

If you haven't read DuBrul's Philip Mercer series, those books are also great.

Clive Cussler is an excellent writer, but this particular book will end up on the discount shelf very soon. I also suspect the publisher has a need to keep up with rising gas prices and Cussler is their well.

PLAGUE SHIP is in the tradition of SHOCK WAVE and a great read. Anyone who has ever been on a cruise ship will be able to relate to this book and picture themselves as a passenger on this fateful cruise. Enjoy!

this is a great addition to the clive cussler library. suspensfull and fun. looking forward to the next one. mind candy but worth the read.

You are in for one heck of a wild ride..I found myself holding my breath at times & always couldn't turn the pages fast enough...WOW!!!

Another wonderful novel and it kept me spell bound all the way through it. Vary good work

While reading his books is a guilty pleasure of mine, this one is particularly bad. The plot seems to have been lifted from Clancy's Rainbow Six right down to the calculating villian's symbolic end. Surprised they are not in court. Buy Rainbox Six by Clancy instead, it is a better read.

Before I begin my review, I want to rant a bit here: When are the publishers (and Clive) going to give Jack DuBrul credit for the MAJORITY of the work done on these novels? (same goes for Paul Kemprecos on the NUMA Files books) Sure, Clive may come up with the storylines, but the writing is PURE DuBrul. He is the single reason why the Oregon Files novels have been resurrected from certain death after Craig Dirgo virtually put the 1st two books on life-support. Let's give credit where it is so very deserved to be: squarely on Jack's shoulders.

Okay, enough of the soap box...how is the book, you ask? Even better than Skeleton Coast, which was better than Dark Watch, which was INFINITELY better than Sacred Stone, the last book co-authored by Dirgo (thanks again Clive for making the choice to dump Dirgo for DuBrul). This one really takes Clive's patented storytelling to heart. The opening of the book from deep within World War II and the discovery of something rather surprising, to the opening of the story where Juan Cabrillo and his intrepid group of Do Good mercenaries attempt to hijack some Russian designed super-torpedoes in the heart of Iran and the eventual discovery of an apparently abandoned cruise ship on the high seas just ripe to claim as their own after exercising international law. Only this ship, as you can tell from the cover of the book is in for a bit of a shock--literally.

We learn the cruise ship was chartered by a group called Responsivists, a VERY similar-to-Scientology religion that exhorts that we are breeding ourselves to death and encourages people to sterilize themselves in order to get a handle on world over-population...they even have a group of doctors that'll do it just as soon as you make the choice. Rather extreme don't you think? Well of course it is, otherwise we wouldn't hate the organization enough to want to see their eventual downfall which we KNOW is coming by books end. This time, one of Juan's crew is directly affected when he discovers his son has fallen victim to the Responsivists Preaching and joins the cult. They hire the worlds best-known and successful Responsivist DE-Programmer to help them as they hatch a plan to kidnap the boy and set him straight with extreme therepy prejudice.

All does not go as planned (as one would expect) and this is where the action really heats up. We even see a run through some rather narrow straights with the Oregon herself which if ever put on the big screen would make it one of the most talked about visuals you'd ever see. Not surprisingly the Responsivists are up to some rather disturbing plans, one that has global consequences, and Juan and the crew of the Oregon are thankfully in the right place at the right time to take action.

Let's face it, there were few surprises to be had within the pages of Plague Ship (or pretty much any Cussler/DuBrul novel for that matter) but that isn't the reason why we read them. We crack open a Cussler/DuBrul novel because of the pure escapism we get to immerse ouselves in while doing so. This is another slam-bang shoot 'em up action adventure tale which took me away into that world that I so enjoy visiting. Is it literature? Gosh no...but it IS entertaining. I've said for several years now that DuBrul was Cussler's Heir-Apparent and would seem that Plauge Ship only serves to drive that observation home even further. For those who have enjoyed this who haven't read one of DuBrul's solo Phillip Mercer novels, you simply MUST pick up Vulcan's Forge and all the sequels, boy are you in for a treat. He is 100% a great storyteller very similar (and different) to the *feel* of Cussler's Dirk Pitt series. Fun and LOADED with action.

Long story short: I had a great time reading this book and once again find myself sitting around wondering just how long I have to wait before I get to read another new one...? While I may moan about the time in between DuBrul and/or Cussler novels, I'd rather wait (impatiently by the way) for a good novel than get stuck with a story that was just So-So to satisfy my need to read. With that said however, come on, does it really take THAT long??

A new installment in the series featuring Captain Juan Cabrillo and his intelligence-gathering ship-for-hire finds the crew encountering an adrift cruise ship filled with hundreds of dead passengers that eventually leads to a discovery of a cult's devastating plot for the human race. BT.
This is what keeps Cussler's books at the top of my 'must read' list. There are very few authors that consistently take you on a ride, with all the thrills and spills, like this. Great escapist fiction. As mentioned elsewhere, novels like this would make a heck of an entertaining blockbuster movie.

Highly recommended for Cussler fans.

All the adventure writer wanna bes out there should worship at the feet of the Master. Cussler does it yet again. A riveting story with a frightening, yet purely plausible undertone. Maybe reading this will make some people think about the population problems the world is facing before it is really too late.

I would rate his entry as the best of the Oregon Files books to date. I did have a few issues with this book none the less. The tie in to the historical back story was weak, and could have been more involved. Once again, the "gun facts" in this Oregon Files book were not very accurate. (Putting on the safety on a gun which does not have a safety for example.) Even though this book does not approach "Atlantis Found" for excitement, if you are a Cussler fan, you will love this book.

Plague Ship is written to the same entertaining formula that has been the backbone of the Cussler literary line. Good guys, bad guys, and plots to both save and destroy the world. I Think we all know who wins in the end. So this story, as always, is all about losing oneself in simplistic and predictable action with characters we all wish we could be...at least some of the time. The only reason I gave this three stars is that the editing in the book is absolutely atrocious. The is not a spoiler so for example...two of the bad guys are Thom and Heidi Severance. In the latter part of the book, Heidi suddenly becomes Susan??? Also, there are many grammatical errors riddled throughout the book. Even so, the book is worth a read for any lazy afternoon or long plane trip!

I have been away from Clive Cussler's novels for awhile, but I have to say I am really enjoying this one! The plot follows his standard template, but I never get tired of the way he pulls seemingly disparate elements together. The plot is fast-paced and the characters are likeable. It's refreshing to have a protagonist, in this case Juan Cabrillo, who has a physical disability. He never let's his prosthetic leg get in the way, so to speak. I wonder, like an earlier reviewer, how much of the book was actually written by Dr. Cussler and how much was written by Jack Du Brul. No matter, it's a winner: the perfect summer read.

Shhhhh....don't tell anybody but Cussler's Dirk Pitt novels have been a guilty pleasure of mine for years. Not high literature but I can't help myself. In recent years Cusslers branching out and combined efforts have watered down the product some, but I still find his efforts with Du Brul very entertaining (I sense that Mr. Du Brul is the primary author here). Anyway, Plague Ship is light summer entertainment for the beach. Another adventure book I gotta recommend to Cussler fans is the cult thriller "A Tourist In The Yucatan!"