Dark Vector : yet another entry in the NUMA Files, that long-running Clive Cussler-branded series that’s basically the literary version of an action movie you can safely watch with your parents. Except this time, it’s Clive Cussler in name only. The man passed away in 2020 (RIP, adventure godfather), and Dark Vectoris one of the first to be crafted entirely without his touch. Which leaves Graham Brown flying solo—and to his credit, he clearly said, “Fine. Let’s go full throttle.”
The result?
A tightly packed, fast-paced thrill ride that rockets through the pages like a 5 year hopped up on Lucky Charms and Mountain Dew. It’s got all the elements you’d expect: shadowy organizations, a deranged villain with world domination issues, high-tech underwater toys, and, of course, Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala saving the world between dad-joke banter and casual acts of international heroism.
Plot-wise, there’s nothing here you haven’t seen before: evil mastermind wants to control/destroy/reshape the world for Very Important Reasons™, and only our daring duo can stop him. But hey, the execution’s sharp. Graham Brown leans into the frenetic pacing hard enough that you barely notice how comfortably predictable the story beats are. It’s basically a hyper-thriller lite—almost cracking into the genre’s caffeine-fueled big leagues, but still grounded enough to remain firmly PG-13. Think Jason Bourne on vacation, with a life vest.
Let’s not kid ourselves, though: this still suffers from the classic Cussler curse. The violence is frantic and frequent but never brutal—bodies fall, boats explode, and yet somehow everything remains curiously bloodless. It’s thrilling, sure, but in that cozy, cable-TV kind of way where you know no real harm will ever come to the heroes, and the antagonist is doomed by his own monologue. Still, props to Brown for giving Kurt and Joe a bit more edge this time around. They’re angrier, more reactive, and a tad less squeaky clean—which helps ground the larger-than-life stakes just enough to make it all go down smooth.
In short Dark Vector is a Clive Cussler book that no longer pretends to be written by Clive Cussler, and that’s probably for the best. It’s fast, fun, and never overstays its welcome. Just don’t go in expecting innovation or intensity—you’re here for the literary equivalent of an expensive submarine ride through familiar waters. And honestly? Not a bad ride at all.