Clive Cussler’s novels are reminiscent of the Bond movies of old and seem to have all the necessary ingredients, adventure, super villains and heroes to save the day. The tall handsome hero, Dirk Pitt is Cussler’s own alter ego who shares with his creator,many commonalities like working for NUMA, the National Underwater and Marine Association, NASA’s counterpart in the ocean.(NUMA is fictitious) Another commonality is that both Pitt and Cussler have a common hobby of collecting vintage cars.

Clive Cussler’s Pitt has been around for more than a decade and unlike Bond, he has aged since then. As the plots came along, Cussler realized he had to remedy this situation. He decided to clone Pitt. One of his older novels featured the adventurer unite a son, Dirk Pitt Jr. and a daughter Summer, the older Pitt never knew he had.

Black Wind is a Dirk Pitt Jr and Summer adventure. It has all the aspects of an older James Bond movie: the damsel in distress, the dashing hero and of course the maniacal villain with a plan that threatens the future of humanity. There are the other Bond cliches including the one Austin Powers always picked on: the failure of the villain to kill the hero when the hero is in his captivity and providing the opportunity for the hero to escape.

This tale begins in 1944 when a Japanese submarine armed with biological weapons is headed for the US to carry on a mission of mass carnage on the Americans. the sub does not complete its mission and lies harmlessly in the depths of the ocean causing no threat to anyone.

This is until a North Korean tycoon decides to seek the deadly contents of the sub and wreak havoc on the US in his demonic plan. The stage is set for Dirk Pitt Jr, his sidekick, his twin sister and all the other Cussler characters to join hands and save the day.

Black Wind is an enjoyable read and is highly recommended.