Is it just me?

Waylander · 10-09-2014, 05:04 AM

Is it just me, or are most of Clive Cussler's books really bad? I liked the couple of Oregon Files books I read, but the others left me with a bad taste in my mouth. There seems to be endless pages of exposition followed by two-three pages of supposed action, with Dirk Pitt beating people up, driving fast cars and speedboats, saving babelicious lady scientists who are completely helpless and need a big strong ma to save them, and then getting them into bed, and then having to stop the rise of a long dead civilisation, shadowy government group, mad scientists, ancient long dead religion worshipping mad scientists, or ancient long dead religion worshipping mad scientists secretly employed by shadowy government groups to resurrect ancient long dead civilisations. If these stories were written by, oh I don't know, Lee Child, there would be a lot fewer talking heads, exposition on tides etc, and more show don't tell, with more action. Also, the hero would be more rounded, and the women would be from the 21st century and be as capable as the men. I know Cussler floats many people's boats, but he is not for me. What do you think?

HarryT · 10-09-2014, 05:06 AM

Terribly "formulaic" books. I enjoyed them many years ago when I was a teenager, but they are very shallow books. I certainly wouldn't read them now.

Josieb1 · 10-09-2014, 05:10 AM

I really liked the earlier Dirk Pitt books, I don't read the others, but once his children turned up in the Dirk Pitt stories they went downhill from there.

Apache · 10-09-2014, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Terribly "formulaic" books. I enjoyed them many years ago when I was a teenager, but they are very shallow books. I certainly wouldn't read them now.

I feel the same way.
Apache

jhempel24 · 10-09-2014, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waylander

Is it just me, or are most of Clive Cussler's books really bad? I liked the couple of Oregon Files books I read, but the others left me with a bad taste in my mouth. There seems to be endless pages of exposition followed by two-three pages of supposed action, with Dirk Pitt beating people up, driving fast cars and speedboats, saving babelicious lady scientists who are completely helpless and need a big strong ma to save them, and then getting them into bed, and then having to stop the rise of a long dead civilisation, shadowy government group, mad scientists, ancient long dead religion worshipping mad scientists, or ancient long dead religion worshipping mad scientists secretly employed by shadowy government groups to resurrect ancient long dead civilisations. If these stories were written by, oh I don't know, Lee Child, there would be a lot fewer talking heads, exposition on tides etc, and more show don't tell, with more action. Also, the hero would be more rounded, and the women would be from the 21st century and be as capable as the men. I know Cussler floats many people's boats, but he is not for me. What do you think?

It's just you.

I enjoy the series, quite a bit actually. It's filled with typical action/adventure tropes and are very formulaic, but also very entertaining when you go into them knowing it's not the next great work of literature (but then I can't stand what is typically called literature).

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

jhempel24 · 10-09-2014, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I really liked the earlier Dirk Pitt books, I don't read the others, but once his children turned up in the Dirk Pitt stories they went downhill from there.

Well, when you name your child after the title character it's hard for them to not show up LOL.

I've not read the books in a while, been meaning to go back.

Anthem · 10-09-2014, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waylander

I know Cussler floats many people's boats, but he is not for me. What do you think?

I think this pretty much says everything. If someone enjoys Cussler, more power to them. I've never read a Clive Cussler book because the subject matter simply doesn't interest me.

gmw · 10-09-2014, 07:46 PM

As others have said, I think they've gone down hill since the co-author stuff has started. Yes, they are formulaic, pretty predictable, not terribly politically correct, and often not all that credible. But they are fun when you're in the right mood. I read them in much same light as I read Edgar Rice Burroughs' books, or westerns by interchangeable authors.

Xanthe · 10-09-2014, 09:35 PM

I read and liked the early Dirk Pitt books when I was in my teens, probably because of the adventure aspect of it and how the stories would end up at a totally different place from where they started. I'd pick up a book every now and then after that and read it, but I wasn't chomping at the bit for the new releases anymore

What started to kill the series for me was when the author's photo on the back cover of the books and his bio began to parallel too closely what he was writing about as Pitt's interests. It was too Mary Sue for my taste.

I think the last book that I actually read was "Inca Gold" and that whole subterranean river sequence was so far-fetched that it even strained my credulity. I just said "no mas", and that was it for reading his books.

Once an author starts to use a co-author for an established series, that's usually the kiss-of-death as far as I'm concerned because you can tell that they are phoning it in after that point. That's when I stopped reading Tom Clancy's books.

bfisher · 10-09-2014, 10:35 PM

I read Raise The Titanic and Night Probe when they came out, mainly because of the Titanic and Empress of Ireland tie-ins. The action was lively, but even than he was over-the-top.

haydnfan · 10-10-2014, 07:08 AM

I tried one several years ago and I hated it. I loved a real scathing review of it though! The review was far more memorable than the novel... let me see if I can find it again.

"My best friend and co-worker is a Paramedic. He reads alot of books. Or rather that is he did before reading Valhalla Rising by Clive Cussler.
Wisely, my friend would fill his idle hours with reading books of varying quality. It usually took him three days to finish a decent sized novel. Often based on his assessment I would decide whether a novel was worth my time or not.
Not so with Valhalla Rising, on day one of him reading this book. He became quiet and withdrawn. Many times I would see him finish a chapter only to see him stare off into space, pale with an expression on his face like he'd just been slapped.
On day two the mumbling began. Walking past him I would catch snatches of phrases "Nemo's sub", "teleporting briefcase" ect. His eating habits became irregular. Oddly, I also noticed he began to carry around a long handled wooden kitchen spoon in his duffel bag.
On day three and completion of the novel he stood up and screamed "How can the author (Clive Cussler) write himself into a piece of his own fiction as a character?!?" "How dare he!" Just then he hurled Valhalla Rising into the garbage can. Ran to his duffel bag and retrieved the long handled wooden spoon. Right then and there he sat cross-legged on the floor and began rocking back and forth hitting himself in the head with the wooden spoon over and over shouting "Oatmeal Spoon!"
Is there a link between the Oatmeal Spoon and Mr. Cussler's poorly written piece of fiction? I cannot say. However, I know in my heart it is Valhalla Rising that destroyed my friends higher brain functions just as surely as I know the sun shall rise tomorrow. In other words, avoid this book!"
-- Christian J. Graham (http://www.amazon.com/review/R1NBH6V..._res_rtr_alt_1)

jhempel24 · 10-10-2014, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfisher

I read Raise The Titanic and Night Probe when they came out, mainly because of the Titanic and Empress of Ireland tie-ins. The action was lively, but even than he was over-the-top.

I thought Raise the Titanic was pretty neat because it was written before they actually discovered the Titanic and didn't know that it split in two.

Pulpmeister · 10-10-2014, 09:33 AM

I enjoyed early Cussler books mainly because they were way over the top, like Raise the Titanic! and Vixen 03.

But Clive was never a good writer as such. His style and his grammar are clunky, and when he has any character explain something it is always in a sort of schoolteacher chalk and talk mode no matter who was explaining what.

I didn't really mind it when Cussler turned up doing cameos in his own books, a la Hitchcock. Corny, poorly done every time, but all of a piece with the books really.

I haven't read any of his recent ones. I think the last one I read, which I thought was awful, was set in Antarctica, involving some folderol about blasting the Antarctic ice shelf loose and causing the entire planet to turn upside down (as if).

I don't think there are any good pure adventure writers about any more.

Xanthe · 10-10-2014, 12:52 PM

I suppose he does deserve some credit for simply allowing his imagination to run unfettered by actual scientific realities. Sometimes it is good to just say WTH and go along for a wild ride, without getting bogged down in lengthy dissertations about why, say, faster-than-light travel is or isn't possible.

That's probably why I enjoyed him more when I was younger; I was probably more open to the "what if's" of life without over-thinking them.

mbovenka · 10-10-2014, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xanthe

I suppose he does deserve some credit for simply allowing his imagination to run unfettered by actual scientific realities. Sometimes it is good to just say WTH and go along for a wild ride, without getting bogged down in lengthy dissertations about why, say, faster-than-light travel is or isn't possible.

They are mind candy. But there's nothing wrong with a bit of candy now and again

10-09-2014, 05:04 AM	#1
Waylander Fanatic Posts: 594 Karma: 2905052 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 5 SE, Onyx Boox Poke 3	Is it just me? Is it just me, or are most of Clive Cussler's books really bad? I liked the couple of Oregon Files books I read, but the others left me with a bad taste in my mouth. There seems to be endless pages of exposition followed by two-three pages of supposed action, with Dirk Pitt beating people up, driving fast cars and speedboats, saving babelicious lady scientists who are completely helpless and need a big strong ma to save them, and then getting them into bed, and then having to stop the rise of a long dead civilisation, shadowy government group, mad scientists, ancient long dead religion worshipping mad scientists, or ancient long dead religion worshipping mad scientists secretly employed by shadowy government groups to resurrect ancient long dead civilisations. If these stories were written by, oh I don't know, Lee Child, there would be a lot fewer talking heads, exposition on tides etc, and more show don't tell, with more action. Also, the hero would be more rounded, and the women would be from the 21st century and be as capable as the men. I know Cussler floats many people's boats, but he is not for me. What do you think?

10-09-2014, 05:06 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Terribly "formulaic" books. I enjoyed them many years ago when I was a teenager, but they are very shallow books. I certainly wouldn't read them now.

10-09-2014, 05:10 AM	#3
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,013 Karma: 18018738 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo Forma, Libra2, Clara 2e, Kindle PW SE & Kindle 2022	I really liked the earlier Dirk Pitt books, I don't read the others, but once his children turned up in the Dirk Pitt stories they went downhill from there.

10-09-2014, 07:46 PM	#8
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,809 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	As others have said, I think they've gone down hill since the co-author stuff has started. Yes, they are formulaic, pretty predictable, not terribly politically correct, and often not all that credible. But they are fun when you're in the right mood. I read them in much same light as I read Edgar Rice Burroughs' books, or westerns by interchangeable authors.

10-09-2014, 09:35 PM	#9
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	I read and liked the early Dirk Pitt books when I was in my teens, probably because of the adventure aspect of it and how the stories would end up at a totally different place from where they started. I'd pick up a book every now and then after that and read it, but I wasn't chomping at the bit for the new releases anymore What started to kill the series for me was when the author's photo on the back cover of the books and his bio began to parallel too closely what he was writing about as Pitt's interests. It was too Mary Sue for my taste. I think the last book that I actually read was "Inca Gold" and that whole subterranean river sequence was so far-fetched that it even strained my credulity. I just said "no mas", and that was it for reading his books. Once an author starts to use a co-author for an established series, that's usually the kiss-of-death as far as I'm concerned because you can tell that they are phoning it in after that point. That's when I stopped reading Tom Clancy's books.

10-09-2014, 10:35 PM	#10
bfisher Wizard Posts: 1,638 Karma: 28483498 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)	I read Raise The Titanic and Night Probe when they came out, mainly because of the Titanic and Empress of Ireland tie-ins. The action was lively, but even than he was over-the-top.

10-10-2014, 07:08 AM	#11
haydnfan Guru Posts: 649 Karma: 5632362 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kindle PW 4, Oasis 2	I tried one several years ago and I hated it. I loved a real scathing review of it though! The review was far more memorable than the novel... let me see if I can find it again. "My best friend and co-worker is a Paramedic. He reads alot of books. Or rather that is he did before reading Valhalla Rising by Clive Cussler. Wisely, my friend would fill his idle hours with reading books of varying quality. It usually took him three days to finish a decent sized novel. Often based on his assessment I would decide whether a novel was worth my time or not. Not so with Valhalla Rising, on day one of him reading this book. He became quiet and withdrawn. Many times I would see him finish a chapter only to see him stare off into space, pale with an expression on his face like he'd just been slapped. On day two the mumbling began. Walking past him I would catch snatches of phrases "Nemo's sub", "teleporting briefcase" ect. His eating habits became irregular. Oddly, I also noticed he began to carry around a long handled wooden kitchen spoon in his duffel bag. On day three and completion of the novel he stood up and screamed "How can the author (Clive Cussler) write himself into a piece of his own fiction as a character?!?" "How dare he!" Just then he hurled Valhalla Rising into the garbage can. Ran to his duffel bag and retrieved the long handled wooden spoon. Right then and there he sat cross-legged on the floor and began rocking back and forth hitting himself in the head with the wooden spoon over and over shouting "Oatmeal Spoon!" Is there a link between the Oatmeal Spoon and Mr. Cussler's poorly written piece of fiction? I cannot say. However, I know in my heart it is Valhalla Rising that destroyed my friends higher brain functions just as surely as I know the sun shall rise tomorrow. In other words, avoid this book!" -- Christian J. Graham (http://www.amazon.com/review/R1NBH6V..._res_rtr_alt_1)

10-10-2014, 09:33 AM	#13
Pulpmeister Wizard Posts: 2,502 Karma: 28893796 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle	I enjoyed early Cussler books mainly because they were way over the top, like Raise the Titanic! and Vixen 03. But Clive was never a good writer as such. His style and his grammar are clunky, and when he has any character explain something it is always in a sort of schoolteacher chalk and talk mode no matter who was explaining what. I didn't really mind it when Cussler turned up doing cameos in his own books, a la Hitchcock. Corny, poorly done every time, but all of a piece with the books really. I haven't read any of his recent ones. I think the last one I read, which I thought was awful, was set in Antarctica, involving some folderol about blasting the Antarctic ice shelf loose and causing the entire planet to turn upside down (as if). I don't think there are any good pure adventure writers about any more.

10-10-2014, 12:52 PM	#14
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	I suppose he does deserve some credit for simply allowing his imagination to run unfettered by actual scientific realities. Sometimes it is good to just say WTH and go along for a wild ride, without getting bogged down in lengthy dissertations about why, say, faster-than-light travel is or isn't possible. That's probably why I enjoyed him more when I was younger; I was probably more open to the "what if's" of life without over-thinking them.

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