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Flood Tide
848 pages
A high-stakes, globe-trotting thrill ride that blends historical maritime mysteries with explosive, cinematic action.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like strapping into a blockbuster action movie from the nineties. It is a high-octane, globe-trotting adventure that thrives on its larger-than-life stakes and relentless momentum. The atmosphere is distinctly nautical and perilous, shifting from the murky depths of historical shipwrecks to explosive showdowns on the high seas. The narrative doesn't pause for deep introspection; instead, it propels you forward with a macho, earnest energy that is entirely focused on the thrill of the chase and the triumph of good over cartoonishly evil adversaries. Fans of old-school, rugged heroes and intricately plotted maritime suspense will devour the cinematic set pieces and technical details that anchor this wildly entertaining, adrenaline-soaked escapade.
- Mood
- high-octane
- cinematic
- perilous
- nautical
- Tone
- adventurous
- macho
- suspenseful
- larger-than-life
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- good versus evil · historical mysteries · relentless pursuit · the thrill of discovery
- The writing
- The prose is utilitarian and cinematic, prioritizing rapid-fire action and detailed technical descriptions over literary flourish.
- The arc
- The journey moves from the intrigue of a historical maritime mystery to a breathless, adrenaline-fueled showdown against insurmountable odds.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave old-school, globe-trotting adventure with a rugged, indestructible hero and plenty of nautical action.
Content notes
- violence
- human trafficking
- gun violence
- peril
About the book
Following the runaway success of his first nonfiction book, The Sea Hunters, Clive Cussler returns with his legendary fictional hero Dirk Pitt" - in a masterfully crafted tale of villainy on the high seas and the Mississippi River that can only enhance his status as the grand master of adventure fiction.
The coin of the realm for the wealthy, insatiably greedy Chinese smuggler who is Dirk Pitt's adversary in Flood Tide is human lives: much of his vast fortune has been made smuggling Chinese immigrants into countries around the globe, including the United States.
Tracking the smuggler's activities leads Pitt from Washington State to Louisiana, where his quarry is constructing a huge shipping port in the middle of nowhere. Why has he chosen this unlikely location? The trail then leads to the race to find the site of the mysterious sinking of the ship that Chiang Kai-shek filled with treasure when he fled China in 1949, including the legendary boxes containing the bones of Peking Man that had vanished at the beginning of World War 1.
As Pitt prepares for a final showdown, he is faced with the most formidable foe he has ever encountered. With a dozen consecutive New York Times bestsellers and over 70 million copies of his books in print, Clive Cussler is one of America's most popular novelists. His latest book is enthralling, intricately plotted, and supremely suspenseful.
Description from Open Library.
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