The Storm

NUMA Files #10

by Clive Cussler, Graham Brown

In the middle of the Indian Ocean, a NUMA research vessel is taking water samples at sunset, when a crew member spots a sheen of black oil ahead of them. But it is not oil. Like a horde of army ants, a swarm of black particles suddenly attacks the ship, killing everyone aboard, while the ship itself goes up in flames.

A few hours later, Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala are on their way to the Indian Ocean. What they will find there on the smoldering hulk of the ship will eventually lead them to the discovery of the most audacious scheme they have ever known: a plan to permanently alter the weather on a global scale. It will kill millions . . . and it has already begun.

Filled with the boundless invention unique to Clive Cussler, this is one of the most thrilling novels yet from the grand master of adventure.

Genres: Fiction, Adventure, Thriller, Action, Mystery, Audiobook, Suspense

404 pages, Hardcover

First published May 29, 2012

About the author

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 since the College was founded in 1874 that such a degree was bestowed.

Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.

In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.

Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).

Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.

Reviews

[Jay Schutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the '70's, I began reading Cussler's Dirk Pitt adventures. They were very good with the same cast of characters throughout the 20+ books in that series that Cussler wrote on his own.
Then he started incorporating a co-author and I felt that the quality of the stories took a slide downward. Ever since then I have become leery of picking up one of those co-authored books.
This one was an exception and reminded me of those early books which were so good, but with a new cast of main characters to carry on the tradition of top-notch adventures.
Dirk Pitt even made a couple of appearances along the way to add to my enjoyment of this book in a new series.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars - Nederlandse paperback - again a Adventure with Kurt and Joe. NUMA in the center of the spill, and a bad Guy who was made bad. Little robots... you should read it for yourself. 😃😃🦋🦋

[Chris Bauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit there is something comforting in reading a Cussler book. Its like hanging out with an old friend you only see a couple of times a year. You know how the conversation will go, what beers he/she will drink and when you're done, you're done. No awkward good byes. Just a simple "see you next time."

The Storm is no exception. Cussler has made a career of a tried and true formula going back three decades and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Strong characters escaping implausible situtations? Check. Globe threatening bad guy with a doomsday device and a secret hideout? Check. Tons of action and adventure? Check.

Sometimes when I read a Cussler book I feel as though I'm reading a novelization of a "Mad Libs" book. "The bad guy is (insert ethnicity here) who has been slighted by (insert government body or other organization here) and is planning to blackmail the world by using a (insert pseudo-scientific principle here)..." and so on.

BUT, it works. Maybe I've got a soft spot or an addiction since I've been reading his books since I was 15 years old, but I'm always satisfied by his books. IMHO, his books are the ultimate summer beach read.

No earth-shattering prose, deep/complex characters or anything else. Just a quick, very fun read.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Numa book delivering what I expect.

[Peter Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I've read a mediocre Clive Cussler novel, but this one from the NUMA files (and ALL of the Oregon Files) are absolutely the best. The Storm was another thriller that had you on the edge of your seat as the trouble team, Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, got into incredible incident after incredible incident. Each time their opponents catch them or seem to have a leg up on them, you ask yourself, "Now, how are they going to get out of this one?"And, voila, they always seem to get out! The sheer scope of Cussler's knowledge of world history, geography, technology, cultures, and esoteric facts is beyond impressive. Each book is a gem of wonderful facts and interactions. This novel includes the doomsday scenario of the team saving the world from a true sociopath who intended kill hundreds of millions of people just to satisfy his ego and achieve world dominance. There is also a nail-biter scene where Joe Zavala saves the lives of a million people by his quick thinking and diving skills. No spoilers here. You have to read this one. Never a dull moment with Cussler.

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little fluffy, especially the tech, and the de rigor (if I am using a dead language correctly) "find a historically plausible shipwreck and exploit it to rescue daring heroes from impossible situation" that Mr. Cussler brings to the game. Enjoyed a couple of plot twists. The residents of Pritchard's Island are quite charming, but also quite stereotyped, so take them with a grain of salt.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Same old Cussler formula with lots of diabolical scheming and destruction by a maniac. Outlandish and a bit too much for my taste without enough emphasis on a particular underutilized island group. 4 of 10 stars

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone once said that reading Clive Cussler (especially after an extended break away) is like a visit from a long lost friend. You haven’t spoken in awhile but that’s totally cool. And even though you know after a few drinks and some pleasantries, that the stories exchanged will be the same as they always are, you’re gonna have a hell of good time together.

After finishing The Storm that is as apt a description I’ve ever heard. Though it’s been something like 2 or 3 years since I last read a Cussler novel, it’s as if time never passed between us, as The Storm presents exactly why Cussler novels were (and I presume still are), such a great time.

Other than a new co-author who replaced Paul Kemprecos in the previous entry, There’s nothing new or different with this book, as, once again, Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala (2 characters that were always second fiddle to Pitt and Giordino but have finally become a bit more unique with each new book), find themselves stuck in the middle of a madman’s plot to alter the weather through nanotechnology and become master of water distribution. In typical Cussler fashion Austin and Zavala save the day but not before they blow up some stuff and take out a few bad guys along the way.

Again, nothing especially original since this is like the 10th entry into the NUMA series, but that’s not to say this isn’t a ton of fun. It’s fast paced, easy to follow, and surprisingly tame for a thriller. There’s very little language (maybe a single “damn” or “hell”), PG-13 violence, and overall a inoffensive tone that makes in accessible to pretty much anyone trying to get into thrillers. Brown’s style might be simplistic and not nearly as over the top as Jack DuBrul’s, though there is some kind of comfort in the simplicity of it all. In much the same way that John Saul’s work is considered cozy horror, maybe it’s time to reclassify the late Cussler work as “cozy thriller”?

Whatever the case, I really did like The Storm even if everything in it has been done before.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Clive Cussler book. AWESOME. Imagine if you will, a swarm of microbots in the ocean with the ability to change the weather pattern anywhere in the world. What would happen? What would happen if these microbots were meant to keep the waters clean of debris and were able to "reproduce" uncontrolled? Originally created for good, but made bad.

I will read more by this author. It is not longer a "man" book to me.

[Natascha Limpt · Rating 3 out of 5]

De storm is lang niet het eerste boek van Cussler dat ik gelezen heb, maar ik kan me niet heugen eerder een verhaal te hebben gelezen waarbij Kurt Austin de hoofdrol speelde. Hoewel er al heel wat avonturen aan dit verhaal zijn voorafgegaan, was dit niet storend tijdens het lezen. Het verhaal staat in principe helemaal op zichzelf.

Cussler en Brown openen het verhaal met twee hoofdstukken die zich tientallen jaren voor de gewone verhaallijn afspelen. De gebeurtenissen zijn spannend beschreven en trekken je gelijk het verhaal in. Wel merkte ik dat ik erg bleef zoeken naar een verband tussen de eerste bladzijdes en de rest van het verhaal. Vrij laat werd hierop teruggegrepen, waardoor het misschien niet echt nodig was geweest om de gebeurtenis die daaraan voorafging helemaal uit te schrijven.
De spanningsboog verslapt gedurende het verhaal nauwelijks en nergens is te merken dat dit verhaal door twee personen is geschreven. De auteurs houden er lekker de vaart in. Technische details slaan ze daarbij niet over. Hoewel ik dat enerzijds altijd wel een verrijking vind – zo leer je nog iets nieuws – krijg ik soms ook het gevoel dat de auteurs duidelijk willen maken dat ze een goede research hebben gedaan. Op sommige plaatsen is het een beetje afleidend.

Het plot steekt knap in elkaar, al zijn niet alle wendingen overtuigend. Voorspelbaar is het verhaal echter niet. Steeds opnieuw komen de personages in situaties waarbij het bijna niet benarder kan. Dat de geloofwaardigheid dan een beetje ten koste gaat van de originaliteit, moet je als lezer maar even voor lief nemen. Vermakelijk en spannend blijft het boek wel.

Waar het verhaal een beetje aan schort, is de uitwerking van de personages. De hoofdpersonages reageren bijna overal hetzelfde op en hebben zelfs dezelfde humor. Hun gedrag, de gedachten en de humor zijn tevens terug te vinden in de Dirk Pitt boeken van dezelfde schrijver, waardoor je een beetje het idee krijgt dat uitsluitend hetzelfde type mensen bij NUMA werkt. Dat vind ik jammer, de bijpersonages zijn hierdoor interessanter en verrassender dan de hoofdpersonages.

Al met al is het weer een fijne, avontuurlijke thriller van Cussler en Brown. Hoewel de personages wat mij betreft nog wel wat meer uitgediept hadden mogen worden, neemt dat niet weg dat het verhaal een origineel plot heeft en je als lezer door het boek heen raast.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another action packed adventure for Kurt and the gang. Always fun to see how past and present entertwine.

[Ghost Archer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started reading Clive Cussler with Raise the Titanic many, many years ago and since that time I have always looked forward to his next book. Sadly, that enthusiasm has waned over the last few years as Mr. Cussler has expanded his scope and cast of characters. When the Storm appeared, I did not even consider it as a purchase and truthfully had it not been a gift I doubt I would have read it but once I have a book in my hands I am compelled to read it no matter how bad. Do not mistake me, The Storm is not that bad but once again one of the things that irks me about Cussler’s last few books has reared its ugly head. For a man that can provide nearly any tidbit of information about a Talbot Lago someone has not been paying attention to other technical aspects of this story. Within the first few pages, in fact in the first few page, the author has guaranteed I am about to be annoyed from the get-go.

“Zekes off the port bow!” a lookout called from the bridge wing. “Two thousand feet and dropping.”

Pickett glanced through the shattered glass in front of him. In the failing light he saw four black dots wheeling in the gray sky and dropping toward the ship. Flashes lit from their wings.

“Get down!” he shouted.

Too late. Fifty caliber shells stitched a line across the ship, cutting the lookout in half and blasting apart what was left of the bridge. Shards of wood, glass and steel flew about the compartment.”

Zekes, a.k.a. Mitsubishi A6M ‘Zero’. Real aircraft. Unfortunately the A6M generally carried a pair of 7.7mm Type 97 machineguns mounted in the fuselage, and a pair of 20mm Type 99 cannons mounted in the wings. The fifty caliber machinegun was mounted almost exclusively on American-made aircraft. Most will say ‘who cares?’ but when Mr. Cussler has for so many years provided meticulous technical details for a myriad of automobiles, I find it rather shoddy writing not to bother to research something as simple as this.
As for the main characters they are rather stereo-typical Cussler the only difference is the method by which they get the stuffing pounded out of them before having to call on the very last ounce of fortitude to save the day. The villain is another stereo-type, the brilliant insane power-mad type and the plot followed the formula precisely. Everything was there, all that one has come to expect over the years from Cussler. Interesting enough to keep me reading, but not exciting enough to have me begging for more. Mr. Cussler, you’ve provided hours of reading pleasure over these many years but now that you appear to be tapering off, make sure those you chose to carry on with your creations are up to it. This was like buying a Lamborghini and finding an old 4 cylinder engine out of a 1971 Pinto.

[Steven Feeney · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a long running fan of Clive Cussler, including both his fiction and non-fiction, it has been a real shame to watch the dilution of the Cussler name with inferior co-writers. The Storm, unfortunately, continues the downward trend.

It is the standard Cussler adventure template with a few expected twists and cursory nod to modern technology and ecological issues. However, the series is clearly missing the loving Cussler prose that characterised the Pitt series.

It has all of the ingredients but without the Grandmaster of Adventure at the helm it is just a clone of his earlier work. Austin and Zavala have some OK-ish banter as they globetrot from one perilous pursuit to the next, impervious to pain and the elements but you can never shake the feeling they are Pitt and Giordino lite.

The Storm is enjoyable for a rainy Sunday or killing time at the airport but if you are expecting the highs of Inca Gold or Sahara you will be disappointed. Which makes me a little bit sad. Cussler is an old-school adventurer who lived it and wrote it, surviving on little more than good baloney, dreams, perseverance and a cunning knack for risk taking. Any readers would do well to delve into his early work.

Recommended for fans only.

[Edwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het lezen van een Cussler is net zo iets als het een paar keer per jaar ontmoeten van een goede vriend. Je weet welke conversatie's je zal hebben, hoe hij zijn koffie drinkt, en bij het afscheid nemen, weet je dat je elkaar snel weer zult ontmoeten.

De Storm is geen uitzondering. Cussler heeft een beproefde formule, die hij al meer dan 30 jaar gebruikt. Sterke karakters die uit onmogelijke situaties ontsnappen, check. Een wereldbedreigende maniak, check. Actie en avontuur, check.

Het boek is geen diepgaande proza en heeft geen complexe karakters, maar dat hoeft niet. Het leest gewoon lekker, en daar gaat het om.

Waarom dan maar 3 sterren? Het heeft de juiste ingrediënten voor een goed verhaal, maar zonder de meester aan het roer het is gewoon een kloon van zijn eerdere werk.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has your classic megalomaniac set on ruling the world. In this case it's a Bedouin who had his world turned upside down and is seeking revenge against the entire world. One of those "I'll show you what messing with me gets you" crazy people. Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala are on the case and these two problem-solvers are amazing at figuring out what's going on and how to take down the insane lunatic. Of course, they are not magicians and tend to get into death-defying situations before actually taking said crazy person down.

NOTE to self: This actually takes place in Maldives in the Indian Ocean and Yemen.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another adventure with Jurt Austin and the NUMA crew as they work the thwart an attempt to change the ocean temperature which would change the wind and where the rains would fall. The method was to manufacture nano machines that would change the reflectivity of the ocean (Indian)to change the water temperature. The nanobots were controlled by radio and could be directed to attack and devour living matter and reproduce themselves. CUssler a it again with a rapid fire action adventure and a quick read.

[Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

We expect to fly back to North Texas from Luxor on our upcoming cruise from the Indian Ocean to the Red sea so perhaps we will be able to view the Aswan dam which is a focus point of this novel.
I have learned as a result of this reading that it may be possible for me to escape from being entrapped in a dry well if I am fortunate to have a rubber tire to my back by crab walking up the wall and flexing my six pack abdominal muscles!

[Geoff · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fast paced, light read. This is my first Clive Cussler book (borrowed from a friend) it did not inspire me to read more. The Storm was reminiscent of a comic strip without the pictures. Not very convincing characters or situations but a page turner nevertheless. A good 'beach book'.

[Paula Reis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bom, bom, bom
ação, suspense, aventura

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting, I got it at the beginning, got a tiny bit lost and figured it out towards the end!!

[Lulu Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great and exciting adventure.

[Mike Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

An everything but the kitchen sink approach to adventure writing that affably ignores plausibility in favor of far-fetched fun and action sequences. In other words, a Beach Book for Boys!

[Melisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable adventure by Clive Cussler. I love the fast paced action and suspension of reality in the many different aspects of these novels. It's a fun and refreshing read after a heavier nonfiction work. I recommend these excellent and interesting books to all.

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the last one I read.

[hamptonenglish10 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexander Russ
Acadenic English 10
Ms. Emmett
7 January 2013

The Storm by Clive Cussler is a very thrilling book with many twists and turns that are impossible to predict. The book’s main characters, Kurt and Joe, are agents at the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA). They find themselves in plenty of situations involving an evil mastermind who wants to alter the world’s weather patterns. The unpredictable storyline and the intriguing plot make The Storm a bestselling novel. Mr. Cussler creates characters that are not what they seem, which keeps the reader on edge throughout the book. Many different story lines, which appear to be unconnected, combine to make a very interesting story.

The story begins with the mysterious sinking of a NUMA ship in the Indian Ocean. Kurt Austin, a NUMA agent, receives a call from his boss, Dirk Pitt, the director of NUMA. Dirk tells Kurt that the sunken ship was taking water samples in the Indian Ocean when it was mysteriously attacked, killing all on board. Dirk orders Kurt to meet up with his partner, Joe Zavala, and take the next flight to the Maldives to investigate the enigmatic sinking. Once at the Maldives, Kurt and Joe determine that tiny, microscopic robots caused the ship to sink. The robots had been stolen from a private laboratory on an obscure island in the Indian Ocean. They travel to this mysterious island in an effort to get answers. Marchetti, the man who created these robots, tells Kurt and Joe that there is a madman from Yemen who stole his invention and is using it to permanently alter the weather on a global scale. Marchetti believes that the madman will kill millions by altering the weather if governments do not pay his blackmail demands. Kurt and Joe eventually make their way to Yemen where they confront the madman in an adventure they will never forget.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery, thriller, or suspenseful books. The Storm is filled with multiple twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing throughout the entire book. There are plenty of times where it appears that Kurt and Joe are about to meet their demise, but at the last moment they escape by using their wits and clever minds. The Storm is a very entertaining book with plenty of action and adventure that will keep the reader guessing until the final chapter.

[Steven Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book, The Storm by Clive Cussler was a very interesting book. I thought it was a great book that had lots of descriptive detail and painted a picture in my head as I read. Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala are on an expedition to find out what destroyed their fellow workers' ship, what it could potentially do, and who was behind it all. This book offers everything from modern day technology with nanobots, all the way back to a World War 2 island with soldiers there who still think it is World War 2. "These islanders had come into contact with someone during World War Two and been turned into a small fighting force. It seemed no one had bothered to tell them the war was over" (Cussler 362) I'm just amazed how much detail Clive uses throughout this entire novel. The places they travel from a man-made island all the way to the desert. The man-made island was "five hundred feet wide and nearly two thousand feet long, Aqua-Terra [the island] was truly a sight to behold." (Cussler 92) This book was definitely a page turner and I am looking forward to reading many of his other books. One thing I feel that this book does that brings down its quality is that it is very long and drawn out. It does have a lot of detail, but there is so much detail that sometimes it can be too much. I would still give this book five stars because of the description and the plot of this book.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Storm
By Clive Cussler and Graham Brown

This was my first book from the authors Clive Cussler and Graham Brown, and this was one of those books I bought randomly having no context of the genre, and didn't once regret!
I had not tried Adventure books before, but once I finished this one, I planned to give all the others a try, this one was that great :D

Although this is fictional, I'm not even sure if half the adventurous stuff performed could be done in reality, but nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed them all. And even the characters :'D

How I felt throughout the entire adventure has been written here. If you'd like to read :)

So yeah, this book was one roller coaster ride for me. A proper adventurous one I thoroughly enjoyed every bit.
So much had happened only for me to realize I'm only half way through!
Kurt and Joe's sense of humour throughout their adventures made it even more enjoyable.
Will be looking forward to embarking many such adventures with them :')

Quote from the book:

"Denial is my favourite coping mechanism. When you have a billion dollars, problems have a way of disappearing if you ignore them long enough"

[Eric Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clive Cussler was a staple of my 7th and 8th grade reading diet and it was fun to go back to him for the second time in my adult life. It's interesting, and I'd have to read more, but this one and the last one I read dealt more with modern robotics and technology (this one having much in common with Michael Crichton's 'Prey') and somehow felt much less effective than his earlier work. GRANTED, this is adult perspective contrasting with junior high perspective. I'd love to find the Cussler book where Dirk Pitt and his friend crash the vehicle through the walls of the ice fortress in the finale. That story had me laughing so hard at the banter between Dirk and his friend. This one felt more forced.

All in all, great diversionary read. I love anytime science and action combine. I mean, it's a series where the National Underwater Marine Agency is the hero of every James Bond-esque scheme and plot. Sound School alumni perfect storm.

[Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't decide who I like the best...Kurt Austin, Isaac Bell, Dirk Pitt...if I HAD to say I guess I'd go with Dirk, but I love all of Cussler's characters. His NUMA Files are pretty good, this is only the second one I've read but both were fabulous. It reminded me a bit of the third Spider-Man with Tony Maguire, with the weird black substance, except in this is was micromachines. The idea was cool with the robots and stuff and seemed kind of Sci-Fi for Cussler, he usually tends to stick to historical stuff, which there was a bit of, but with Kurt he sometimes puts a little more technology. I didn't quite understand how machines could reproduce and consume like these did, but hey, it's fiction. Doesn't have to be believable.
The fact that Dirk is in it briefly makes me happy. I don't think I like Kurt and Joe quite as much as I like Dirk and Al, but I still love them.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clive Cussler doing what he does best, a fantastic riveting read which I completed in one sitting. This being about a wealthy power mad Yemeni who is set on controlling the weather at the beck and call of the highest bidder, but he did not reckon on Kurt and Joe and their team, a reclusive billionaire living on a man-made island and a rag tag band of men from a Acific Island, and the occasional appearance of Dirk Pitt was good. Loved it waiting for the next but really looking forward to the new Dirk Pitt out in November :-)