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Vixen 03 (Dirk Pitt #5)
by
1954. Vixen 03 is down. The plane, bound for the Pacific carrying thirty-six Doomsday bombs — canisters armed with quick-death germs of unbelievable potency — vanishes. Vixen has in fact crashed into an ice-covered lake in Colorado.
1988. Dirk Pitt, who heroically raised the Titanic, discovers the wreckage of Vixen 03. But two deadly canisters are missing. They're in the h ...more
1988. Dirk Pitt, who heroically raised the Titanic, discovers the wreckage of Vixen 03. But two deadly canisters are missing. They're in the h ...more
Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Published
July 25th 2006
by Bantam
(first published January 1st 1978)
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Community Reviews
(showing 1-30)
This is the same comment for all the Dirk Pitt books:
Great set of books, I had to stagger these books into my reading rotation since they are so similar.
Dirk Series Book in less then 50 words.
(introduction to bad guy, introduction to hot chick, introduction to Dirk, Dirk gets in impossible dangerous situations to stop the bad guy, Dirk wins, Dirk gets the hot chick.)
Great set of books, I had to stagger these books into my reading rotation since they are so similar.
Dirk Series Book in less then 50 words.
(introduction to bad guy, introduction to hot chick, introduction to Dirk, Dirk gets in impossible dangerous situations to stop the bad guy, Dirk wins, Dirk gets the hot chick.)
Dec 12, 2009
Lee
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
action-adventure,
dirk-pitt
When I feel like a quick, action-packed read, with a big screen cinematic ending - can't go wrong with Dirk Pitt. #5 came out thirty-five years ago, but, they're still a kick-in-the-butt fun time of a read.
In early part of 1950's Dr.John Vetterly, a microbiologist, chemically created an artificial form of life that in turn was capable of producing a disease strain that was non detectable, unidentifiable bacteriological agent able to incapacitate a living thing within seconds of exposure and disrupt the vital body functions, causing death within three to five minutes it was named quick death shortly QD. Admiral Bass was given the task to dump the remaining 36 stainless steel canisters of QD in Rong
...more
Vixen 03 flips back and forth between Dirk Pitt's discovery of a plane wreck in a Colorado lake and a civil war brewing in South Africa. The connection between the two is pretty clever, but unfortunately, the portions of the book that focus on the South African plot just drag. For a while, I forgot I was even reading a Dirk Pitt novel. Dirk's sections flew by in excitement, but the rest just did not mesh. After enjoying Raise the Titanic so much, I was surprised by how much of a step backwards
...more
Jan 27, 2013
Christian D. Orr
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Cussler fans, thriller fans in general
Vintage Cussler at his best, that grabs your attention and holds it no matter how many times you read it, and in spite of how old and dated (especially the South Africa segments) the material is. When I say "vintage Cussler," I mean Clive (and Dirk Pitt) at his old-school violent, bloody, profane, sexually-explicit best, not the toned-down PG-rated material (though still highly enjoyable) material he's been writing since the early 1990s (starting with "Dragon").
Another fun adventure in the Dirk Pitt series.
Following the events of the previous book, Pitt and he’s team are tasked with finding a military aircraft that disappeared 30 years ago.
The other half of the book features a civil war brewing in South Africa.
Compared to others in the series, this instalment is weaker. The fact that it referenced the previous story highlighted this.
The South Africa sections were interesting, but I was keen to get back to Pitt’s section of the book.
One for this that en ...more
Following the events of the previous book, Pitt and he’s team are tasked with finding a military aircraft that disappeared 30 years ago.
The other half of the book features a civil war brewing in South Africa.
Compared to others in the series, this instalment is weaker. The fact that it referenced the previous story highlighted this.
The South Africa sections were interesting, but I was keen to get back to Pitt’s section of the book.
One for this that en ...more
Chock full of 1970's race and sexist language. One of my favorites is when Dirk finds his lover waiting for him at his car. "Are you crazy? A luscious creature all alone in a Washington parking lot. It's a miracle you weren't assaulted and gang banged." Dirk is such a romantic.
The earlier Dirk Pitt stories are not as polished as the later ones, for obvious reasons. Grittier, more graphic, more heavy with the do-gooder speeches. I'm enjoying revisiting the old Pitt, to better appreciate the new one.
Pretty decent story as a long lost plane laden with a deadly poison nerve agent leads Dirk Pitt into numerous potentially life threatening situations. Less of the awful sexism that spoilt the earlier books and quite a good, gripping plot. Definitely an upturn for this series.
This was [and still is] an interesting, if dated book, in my opinion. My first acquaintance with this book was my uncle's bookshelf when I would spend the night at my grandparent's house - I was always fascinated by the covers of many of his paperbacks. This one was always eerie - the glowing cabin in an airplane at the bottom of a body of water. Always stood out to me. It still moves at fast pace and has all of the essential elements necessary for a Dirk Pitt novel to take place. It does have d
...more
The storyline is not plausible in many ways, although the book starts with a good story. Many details in the book are technically implausible as well, as some of the actions were simply not possible (such as piloting a ship with a 22' draft up the Potomac).
Many or most of the weapons and aircraft mentioned were figments of Cussler's imagination, which also sucked some of the credibility from the book. The art on the front of the Bantam paperback is of a B-29 bomber, not a C-97 cargo plane as de ...more
Many or most of the weapons and aircraft mentioned were figments of Cussler's imagination, which also sucked some of the credibility from the book. The art on the front of the Bantam paperback is of a B-29 bomber, not a C-97 cargo plane as de ...more
Because of my love of the later Pitt novels, I grabbed this one without reading the premise. Boy what a mistake! This book was terrible. Heck I think Pitt appeared in only about 30% of it. Other than his time in bed with the congresswoman, Pitt actually plays a very small part of this book until the last 50 pages or so. I'm so disappointed as I usually love these books. I'll have to be more careful in choosing my books.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
Jun 13, 2014
Greg Strandberg
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites,
mystery-thriller
I think this is my favorite Dirk Pitt novel.
It's one of the first we see his Congressional love interest, and we also get some good back story and glimpses of his hangar. But it's the gripping opening scenes and the tension with the lake that really sets it going.
Cussler really began to come into his own around this point, and it shows. I'll have to pick this one up again, and if you want to just sample one book by this guy, I'd say go with Vixen 03!
It's one of the first we see his Congressional love interest, and we also get some good back story and glimpses of his hangar. But it's the gripping opening scenes and the tension with the lake that really sets it going.
Cussler really began to come into his own around this point, and it shows. I'll have to pick this one up again, and if you want to just sample one book by this guy, I'd say go with Vixen 03!
I listened to this on Audio tape. Usually a big fan of Dirk Pitt. But he isn't even in this book for what seems like more then half of it. At one point I wasn't even sure it was the same book. The ending was good.
Another adventure series with wondrous escapes. Always a good non-thinking read. Interesting histories in Prefaces. Saw him at Murder by the Book party in Denver years ago. He was too busy to meet. Certainly has lots of silver hair.
Liked the structure, the parallel "stories" joining towards the end... And, as always, good action!
Very exciting. Dirk has to find a sunken plane that contains nucular warheads that terrorists want. When he raises the plane he realizes that 3 warheads are missing.
Romanzo di azione standard. Il titolo italiano, "Virus", è un po' fuorviante: sebbene si parli effettivamente di armi batteriologiche (non è un grande spoiler, c'è scritto anche nella quarta di copertina), l'intreccio si concentra sulla caccia all'arma ancora inesplosa, non su una epidemia in corso.
Con mia grande delusione, devo dire: ero proprio dell'umore giusto per godermi scenari apocalittici, zombi, stermini di massa, distruzioni della civiltà, eccetera. Sono cose che ho già molto visto al ...more
Con mia grande delusione, devo dire: ero proprio dell'umore giusto per godermi scenari apocalittici, zombi, stermini di massa, distruzioni della civiltà, eccetera. Sono cose che ho già molto visto al ...more
Cussler is on form with Vixen 03. It's definitely one of his better early novels. Dirk Pitt, a recurring character, features in this stand-alone tale of terrorism, with plenty of mystery and action. The second quarter of the book is tough going, for it doesn't feature Pitt at all. At this point there are quite a few characters introduced in a short space of time and it is quite taxing to keep up. However, Cussler is canny with his prose and utilises a few summarising techniques to keep the reade
...more
For the first time as I read this series in the order Cussler wrote them, I feel he wrote a deep and interesting plot. The different parts, the tie-ins to South Africa and the AAR, the politics all seemed to fit into a good intriguing plot. His chauvinism showing through, the fact he believes that real men will need a chauvinistic lead to carry a story is still very apparent. But at least this time it is only in small phrases, bit parts, and barracks jokes.
Was it a good read? Yes. Was it a great ...more
Was it a good read? Yes. Was it a great ...more
A plane veers of course, crashes and is lost for many years. Found in an unexpected place, the discoverer isn't the first to find it, an extra body not part of the original flight crew adds to the mystery along with its unusual cargo.
A bitter battle is raging in Africa, one group aiming to take power from the White's who have dominated the power for too long. Internal power struggles, intrigue from many different directions as each group tries to grab the reins.
The two courses intertwine increas ...more
A bitter battle is raging in Africa, one group aiming to take power from the White's who have dominated the power for too long. Internal power struggles, intrigue from many different directions as each group tries to grab the reins.
The two courses intertwine increas ...more
Vixen 03 springt heen en weer tussen Dirk Pitt's ontdekking van een vliegtuigwrak in een meer in Colorado en een dreigende burgeroorlog in Zuid-Afrika. De twee verhaallijnen zijn knap verbonden, maar het Afrikaanse gedeelte sleept zich soms voort.
Hoewel Dirk Pitt de naamgever is van deze serie boeken, kwam hij in dit verhaal , tot aan de laatste hoofdstukken, niet echt aan bod.
Het boek is een typisch boek uit het einde van de jaren '70, vol met macho-mannen, wapens en sexy vrouwen.
Niet een van ...more
Hoewel Dirk Pitt de naamgever is van deze serie boeken, kwam hij in dit verhaal , tot aan de laatste hoofdstukken, niet echt aan bod.
Het boek is een typisch boek uit het einde van de jaren '70, vol met macho-mannen, wapens en sexy vrouwen.
Niet een van ...more
I've really been enjoying Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt series and Vixen 03 was no different. Pitt finds the wreck of Vixen 03, a WWII cargo plane with mysterious canisters aboard and an extra body that's not a crew member. Turns out two canisters are missing and they contain a bio-weapon. The chase is on!! I was slightly disappointed at the ending as I felt Cussler rushed it a little. Still an enjoyable read!
As I've been following Dirk Pitt series that was the most complicated story so far but it has no bad effect on readability. Two stories going through differently meet at the end of the story. Pitt is classical Pitt and being always at the correct place in the correct time, always dodging bullets and making friends. I can feel Clive was gaining much experience while writing these by the adventures become more and more interesting in each book.
The story was a little too convoluted for my liking - the AAR seemed to flip flop regularly, which may have been because of the book being too short for the political games that were supposed to be happening. It was all feeling pretty rushed, which was weird because of how many weeks-long gaps were written into the story.
Still, not bad, especially when compared to books 1-3. Simple, quick reading.
Still, not bad, especially when compared to books 1-3. Simple, quick reading.
This is my first time reading one from Dirk Pitt series. It was straight forward,normal,easy to read adventure story line with some sex,doomsday conspiracy and action,just the typical things you expect from an adventure story .the book felt more like a movie script than a novel . I wonder as to why it hasn't been scripted into a movie. If that happens it will make a one of your typical adventure/action movies very easily.
It took a while for me to find the copy of the one I read. I think I got it right.
I wish I still had my copies! But, alas, I have lost them through the many times I have moved. My own adventures, while worth it, have lost those copies decades ago.
Al Giordino is still my favorite character in the Dirk Pitt series.
I wish I still had my copies! But, alas, I have lost them through the many times I have moved. My own adventures, while worth it, have lost those copies decades ago.
Al Giordino is still my favorite character in the Dirk Pitt series.
O primeiro de uma série de livros perdidos e mal-amados que encontrei aqui em casa.
Gostei bastante da premissa, mas eu gosto de acção. Nunca tinha lido Clive Cussler mas foi bem divertido. A única crítica é que o diálogo mostra todos os seus anos, vê-se ao longe em que década nos encontramos.
Gostei bastante da premissa, mas eu gosto de acção. Nunca tinha lido Clive Cussler mas foi bem divertido. A única crítica é que o diálogo mostra todos os seus anos, vê-se ao longe em que década nos encontramos.
Can't fault anything in particular. Cussler doing what he does always well, it is unlikely to go bad. But I didn't particularly enjoy reading this one. I can't point exactly where it went wrong. It just didn't work very well with me.
"When terrorists set sail for Washington, D.C. carrying two Doomsday bombs recovered from the sunken and presumed lost WWII cargo plane Vixen 03, only Dirk Pittman stands between the city and certain disaster.
"
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSG: Spy/Spec-Ops...: How well do you know your military transport helicopters? | 7 | 10 | Sep 07, 2016 02:23PM |
Cussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work featuring his continuous series hero, Dirk Pitt, in 1973. His first non-fiction, The Sea Hunters, was released in 1996. The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered The Sea Hunters in lieu of a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in May, 1997. It was the first time
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