book data
677 ratings, 3.66 average rating, 29 reviews
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published
August 1st 1984
by Bantam
binding
Paperback, 288 pages
isbn
0553276328
(isbn13: 9780553276329)
description
Dirk Pitt's first, most terrific adventure! Dirk Pitt, death-defying adventurer and deep-sea expert, is out to the ultimate test as he plunges into th...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 836)
If your a Clive Cussler fan, this is a must read this is where we first meet Dirk Pitt and you can see the changes from choice of drink to friendships.
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Pitt shows his soft side in this non-stop action thriller: "Pacific Vortex", for those of you who don't know, was actually the first book written by Cussler for the Dirk Pitt series. He was afraid to publish it, but friends and fans persuaded him to eventually share it with the rest of the world. I'm glad he did. Even though some of the dialogue was a little cheezy at times, the storyline was very intriguing. To hear Pitt tell the "Bond girl" in this book that he loves her wa...more
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There should be a literary subgenre composed entirely of books with excalamation points in the title. In the last month I've read both Submarine! and Pacific Vortex! It's hard to resist an author who's that excited about his book. Would you rather read The Brothers Karamzov or HOLY CRAP! IT'S THE F'ING BROTHERS KARAMAZOV!? See?
I picked up this, the first Dirk Pitt adventure, after reading Shadow Divers. I find shipwrecks really fascinating, so I was l...more
I picked up this, the first Dirk Pitt adventure, after reading Shadow Divers. I find shipwrecks really fascinating, so I was l...more
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Read in January, 1993
recommends it for:
no to many
Clive Clussler has the very popular Dirk Pitt series, and... I don't understand the popularity at all. Sometimes a book can get clouded by too many of the main characters thoughts and emotions and becomes irritating... well that is definitely not the case here. Dirk Pitt has no genuine emotions, thank god his friends and supporting characters do, but it is basically like reading a video game.
To illustrate my point, in the Last few pages of this book, and in other books to come it is revea...more
To illustrate my point, in the Last few pages of this book, and in other books to come it is revea...more
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Read in October, 2007
The whole Dirk Pitt Series is very James Bond, but they all have something to do with cars, the ocean, and an airplane. Very Entertaining.
Dirk Pitt's first, most terrific adventure! Dirk Pitt, death-defying adventurer and deep-sea expert, is out to the ultimate test as he plunges into the perilous waters of the Pacific Vortex -- a fog-shrouded sea zone where dozens of ships have vanished without a trace. The latest victim is the awesome superb Starbuck, America's deep-diving nuclear arsenal...more
Dirk Pitt's first, most terrific adventure! Dirk Pitt, death-defying adventurer and deep-sea expert, is out to the ultimate test as he plunges into the perilous waters of the Pacific Vortex -- a fog-shrouded sea zone where dozens of ships have vanished without a trace. The latest victim is the awesome superb Starbuck, America's deep-diving nuclear arsenal...more
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Read in November, 2008
recommends it for:
Cussler fans
This was a fun read, if you like Cussler I bet you'll really enjoy this.
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Read in September, 2008
This is the very first Dirk Pitt adventure written by Clive Cussler. For that reason alone it deserves reading if you want to ever read some of his other works because it is the birth of his primary character. The plot is barely plausible and he is still learning to develop the side stories. It actually does hold together through the end but it's kind of like a 800 meter race with the runner staggering to the finish line through the last 100 meters. Worth reading only if you plan to read some of...more
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This is the first book written of the Dirk Pitt series. It was published sixth however. But if you are a true Clive Cussler fan I recommend that you read them in order and this would be the first one I would read.
It is not as good as some of his latter books but well worth the read as it sets up the character that you will follow through the next eighteen books if you read them all.
It is not as good as some of his latter books but well worth the read as it sets up the character that you will follow through the next eighteen books if you read them all.
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Read in August, 2008
Pacific Vortex does not contain the realism nor the development of later Clive Cussler novels but is still a decent read considering it was a first novel. Though some of the author's technological advances were a bit amateurish and the tactic of boarding a nuclear submarine was a hilariously impossible, Pacific Vortex is still a fairly good read.
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Read in September, 2008
A decent book for being one of Clive Cussler's first written back in the 1970s. It's not very long, but does have adequate adventure and no slow spots, really. It is interesting to read this book after having read so many of his more recent ones. You really see how he has grown better at writing over the last three decades.
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Read in January, 2007
i honestly don't remember what this book was about. maybe i need to re-read it...or not. maybe i forgot it for a reason. the only cussler book i can't remember anything about. but it was his first novel so maybe that's why it sucked, IF indeed it sucked. maybe my memory is what sucks.
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The was one of my favorite Dirk Pitt books. It's the original story about him that Clive Cussler didn't publish until many years later. It explains a lot about why Dirk is the way he is. If you've read any other books about Dirk you'll understand what I mean.
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Read in January, 2006
When I found out the movie Sahara was based on a Clive Cussler book is when I became interested in his books. I have a couple at home and am looking forward to reading them. (Plus seeing Matthew McConaughey as Dirk Pitt isn't bad either!)
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Read in May, 1997
This is the first book out of the NUMA series introducing Dirk Pitt, the first book that started it out. Drama, suspense, plenty of action and adventure to get you ready for the other books in the series.
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The Vortex is a kind of Bermuda Triangle where dozens of ships have vanished. When a ship carrying nuclear weapons disappears, Dirk Pitt is called in to find it before something horrendous happens.
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Read in July, 2008
This book was pretty cheesy. Super smart villains, indestructible leading guy, love interest, fights, snappy commentary, etc. Something to read if you haven't got much else.
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Read in January, 2008
It turns out that this was the first Dirk Pitt novel. It was a fun read and contained (as do all the Dirk Pitt novels) a bit of history and lots of action and intrigue.
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I still don't get from this book how Summer is Dirk's true love. I just didn't get that vibe and it drives me crazy when it's mentioned in later books.
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Read in March, 2008
recommended to NBurt by:
My dadrecommends it for: Everyone who likes adventure books
This book was good and has an interesting plot. There are many action parts in this book as well. This is an adventure/fiction novel.
Read in June, 2008
I bought this one after I read Treasure of Khan because I liked it so much, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
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