Sacred Stone: A Novel from the Oregon Files [Paperback]

As a Cussler fan of many years, I was extremely disappointed with this collaboration. I must hope that, this is due to his co-writer Craig Dirgo, rather than Cussler having lost his touch. The plot has its merits, in a true Cussler style, that is to say far fetched, but it just fails to ignite. There are too many characters, and why choose to end chapters and paragraphs, with clues as to what will happen to them next, I have no idea.

However I reserve my fiercest criticism for the poor and quite frankly shoddy research, which went into this book. To pick some of the finest examples: a character in a 2006 London pub paying for his drinks with £1 notes! (Not since 1984/5 surely?). Have you ever caught the number 27 train from Edinburgh to London? (Which incidentally travels via Stockton and Middlesborough, GNER take note please). And even more absurdly travelling on the highway passing Stockton and “taking the exit to the right toward Windermere”. Finally, could someone please tell when the last time goose-stepping Beefeaters guarded Buckingham Palace? (Page 336 if you don’t believe me) This smacks of an author sitting in his air-conditioned office in the U.S. looking at a small-scale map of the U.K and an even smaller travel guide. I would have expected more considering a large part of the story is set in Britain.

I appreciate this makes me sound pedantic, however when reading a work of fiction I do like it to have some credibility and quite frankly this book loses that very quickly. My advice to all Cussler fans, forget about this, save your money and wait for the next, there’s bound to be one along soon. My advice to Mr Cussler, ‘Deep Six’ Dirgo!

I admit to being a long time Cussler fan, especially the Dirk Pitt Series. I have not been a big fan of his collabrative efforts. They seem only to be an attempt to cash in on his fame. That being said I keep reading them, what can I say I am a big fan of the genre. in this edition we have an acheologist uncovering a meteorite during a dig of on old Viking site in Greenland. It appears that the Vikings buried the radioactive space rock after learning first hand about its dangers. Now of course, the worlds bad guys learn of its existance and want to use it to construct a super atom bomb. The story takes off from here in usual Cussler fashion. Lots of Techno action, guns blazing and unbelivable escapes. It is entertaining, light reading, but very much on the comic book side of reality. For some reason it just does not have the snap of early Cussler. Fans of this type of reading will probably get there money's worth but those looking for even minimal chacter development will be left wanting. I just finished an interesting thirller that reminded me of early The early Dirk Pit series: "A Tourist in the Yucatan" you might check it out.

Cussler really needs to attend to detail if he doesn't want readers to be put off by stupid errors that spoil what might have been an adequate yarn.

I know he's American - but if he's going to set a novel in the UK - at least do a bit of homework and use appropriate terminology and get out some maps! What happened to the UK publisher. Didn't anyone read it and suggest it needed editing?

Let me give you a few examples (and they occur every few pages)

He has an RAF jet piloted by a "flight officer" flying from Mildenhall to Loch Ness; Mildenhall is, and has been for 50 years that I know of, a US airforce base; there is no such rank in the RAF as a Flight Officer; Flying Officer or Flight Lieutenant yes; flight officer, there is no such rank and never has been in the RAF!

Oh and the jets from Mildenhall take 1/2 an hour at mach 1+. I think the local air traffic control might have words with them flying supersonic over land - though they could, I suppose, have flown up off the coast - except that they then overfly Perth and will then take 6 minutes from Loch Ness: 80 miles in 6 minutes? that means 800 knots which is above mach 1.

And how the heck is a Tornado going to fly slowly enough to match the slow speed of a Cesna they are forcing to land?

A customs official in Kent directs a foreigner to a doctors: "two block up the hill, one block west". Blocks in an English town?

Passengers boarding a train from Edinburgh to London are told "last call for the number 27 train for London all passengers should board now" Number 27 train? If he'd ever stood on a British train platform he would know that the format of announcements is: "the train standing at platform X is the 11.30 to London Kings Cross calling at Newcastle, Darlington etc..." Not number 27 train!

Oh - and there is a porter on the platform who is happy to take his case to the train. When was the last time YOU saw a porter on a British station? Even if there were, taking someone's luggage to the train? Just leave a bag unattended and it causes a security alert - getting it taken to the train!!!! Haven't he heard of terrorists? Oh, hang on a second that's what this book is about and the guy wanting his package taken to the train IS a terrorist!

Then driving south from Newcastle towards London you can see Stockton on Tees from the road; I don't think so; it's ten miles away at the closest point! The driveer then turns off towards Windemere (eh?) and picks up the main n-s route through Lancaster. Why? He's heading for the Maidenhead area - why would he go over to the M6 from near Stockton rather than via the M62? or even more easily just take the M1 south? Unbelieveable!

A gambling establishment in the East End of London also has a whorehouse attached. Now THAT would impress the licensing authorities! And isn't brothel a more appropriate title? Oh I know they sometimes have high class escorts at such venues - but bedrooms on the premises?

He refers to bartenders / barkeepers in British pubs. Barman/ barmaid / landlord/ landlady surely?

He has light aircraft being based at Heathrow; well it's possible but much more likely to be a smaller airfield where you can come and go much more easily and less expensively!

Dialogue is ludicrous at times.

Can I please award this novel MINUS 5 stars?

I for one won't be buying any more Clive Cussler.

BTW I like a good yarn and I'm not looking for literary masterpieces. Bernard Cornwell, Wilbur Smith, Jeffery Archer, Jilly Cooper, Andy McNab I'll read them all - but I thought this was an insult to the reader.