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Valhalla Rising
It is July 2003. In the middle of its maiden voyage, the luxury cruise ship Emerald Dolphin suddenly catches fire and sinks. What caused it? Why didn't the alarms go off? What was its connection to the revolutionary new engines powering the ship? NUMA special projects director Dirk Pitt races to rescue the passengers and investigate the disaster, but he has no idea of the bizarre events that are about to engulf him.
Before the next few weeks are over, Pitt will find himself confronted by an extraordinary series of monsters, both human and mechanical, modern and ancient. He will tread upon territory previously known only to legend. And, at the end of it all, though many lives will be lost, and many saved, it is Pitt's own life that will be changed forever. . . .
Filled with dazzling suspense and breathtaking action, Valhalla Rising is Cussler at the height of his storytelling powers.
Before the next few weeks are over, Pitt will find himself confronted by an extraordinary series of monsters, both human and mechanical, modern and ancient. He will tread upon territory previously known only to legend. And, at the end of it all, though many lives will be lost, and many saved, it is Pitt's own life that will be changed forever. . . .
Filled with dazzling suspense and breathtaking action, Valhalla Rising is Cussler at the height of his storytelling powers.
712 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2001
4 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
About the author
Clive Cussler
644 books8,520 followersCussler 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 27, 2021
A plot to monopolize North American oil and natural gas production leads to terror attacks on two ocean liners that have newly installed revolutionary engines that will destroy the oil industry as we know it, the only man to stop this plot is of course Dirk Pitt. Valhalla Rising is the sixteenth books of Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt series that finds the Pitt and NUMA attempt to foil this diabolical plan while attempting to find the secret lab of a reclusive scientist.
In the early 11th-Century, a fleet of ships from Iceland sail past Vinland to the entrance of the Hudson Bay and find sanctuary in a large underground cove that has a passage almost to the palisades above and is carved out by the explorers. The resulting settlement only last a few years before a conflict with the Native Americans results in its destruction. In the 1880s, a US Naval ship is destroyed by a metallic sea monster that has portholes in which the captain sees man face looking out at him. In 2003, Dirk Pitt spearheads NUMA efforts to rescue passengers on two ocean liners that were targeted by an oil and natural gas cartel’s CEO that wants to discredit the revolutionary magnetohydrodynamic engines installed on both by a reclusive genus scientist—that dies in the first liner’s disaster—to help his efforts control all North American oils resources and supplies then to shut out foreign oil. Along with figuring out where the deceased scientist’s lab was Pitt must deal with a plot to destroy the World Trade Center with a natural gas tanker while Loren Smith must deal with bribed officials to investigate the evil CEO in a Congressional hearing. After evidence from St. Julian Perlmutter found in Jules Verne’s home, Pitt finds the cove found by the Vikings that not only contains their longships but the actual Captain Nemo’s Nautilus with a prototype of the revolutionary engines that the reclusive scientist deciphered and improved. At the end of the book when Pitt attempts for the third time to propose marriage to Smith, he is interrupted by the surprise arrival of his until then unknown children, twins Dirk Jr. and Summer, by Summer Moran.
Let me start with addressing the WTC plot first by saying this book was originally published in August 2001, a mere three weeks before terror attacks so Cussler was not attempting to profit off a real-life situation. As for the actual events in the book and of the overall series, there are a lot of retcons throughout this book that void the events in Raise the Titanic! and add to the events of Pacific Vortex, especially the former with the introduction of the Pitt twins that were set up throughout the book by Cussler having Dirk think about how he was getting old. As to the actual narrative of the book, I found this book not up to Cussler at his best. The main antagonist is really the CEO’s terror cell leader who I did not mention above because he is not memorable compared to other characters that he shares traits with throughout the overall series. Honestly, this is more an investigation into the reclusive scientist’s life with stopping an evil plot as a side quest type of deal.
Valhalla Rising is a book that read like a mishmash of plots and events that were intended to build to the future of the series, but also discredited events from the previous books. This is the penultimate book that Clive Cussler solely wrote himself before his son Dirk would become his coauthor, which makes one wonder if the quality of this book and the next made his publisher want to give him help. Overall, not this is not the worst book of the series—far from it compared to the very first books—but things throughout the novel felt off.
In the early 11th-Century, a fleet of ships from Iceland sail past Vinland to the entrance of the Hudson Bay and find sanctuary in a large underground cove that has a passage almost to the palisades above and is carved out by the explorers. The resulting settlement only last a few years before a conflict with the Native Americans results in its destruction. In the 1880s, a US Naval ship is destroyed by a metallic sea monster that has portholes in which the captain sees man face looking out at him. In 2003, Dirk Pitt spearheads NUMA efforts to rescue passengers on two ocean liners that were targeted by an oil and natural gas cartel’s CEO that wants to discredit the revolutionary magnetohydrodynamic engines installed on both by a reclusive genus scientist—that dies in the first liner’s disaster—to help his efforts control all North American oils resources and supplies then to shut out foreign oil. Along with figuring out where the deceased scientist’s lab was Pitt must deal with a plot to destroy the World Trade Center with a natural gas tanker while Loren Smith must deal with bribed officials to investigate the evil CEO in a Congressional hearing. After evidence from St. Julian Perlmutter found in Jules Verne’s home, Pitt finds the cove found by the Vikings that not only contains their longships but the actual Captain Nemo’s Nautilus with a prototype of the revolutionary engines that the reclusive scientist deciphered and improved. At the end of the book when Pitt attempts for the third time to propose marriage to Smith, he is interrupted by the surprise arrival of his until then unknown children, twins Dirk Jr. and Summer, by Summer Moran.
Let me start with addressing the WTC plot first by saying this book was originally published in August 2001, a mere three weeks before terror attacks so Cussler was not attempting to profit off a real-life situation. As for the actual events in the book and of the overall series, there are a lot of retcons throughout this book that void the events in Raise the Titanic! and add to the events of Pacific Vortex, especially the former with the introduction of the Pitt twins that were set up throughout the book by Cussler having Dirk think about how he was getting old. As to the actual narrative of the book, I found this book not up to Cussler at his best. The main antagonist is really the CEO’s terror cell leader who I did not mention above because he is not memorable compared to other characters that he shares traits with throughout the overall series. Honestly, this is more an investigation into the reclusive scientist’s life with stopping an evil plot as a side quest type of deal.
Valhalla Rising is a book that read like a mishmash of plots and events that were intended to build to the future of the series, but also discredited events from the previous books. This is the penultimate book that Clive Cussler solely wrote himself before his son Dirk would become his coauthor, which makes one wonder if the quality of this book and the next made his publisher want to give him help. Overall, not this is not the worst book of the series—far from it compared to the very first books—but things throughout the novel felt off.
January 1, 2019
It took me a long time to get through this book because I had to take multiple Cussler breaks. That's where I close the book, close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose after another hokey line. Dirk Pitt can't scratch his nose without doing so stoically or couragiously or nonchalantly.
A campy nightmare.
A campy nightmare.
June 8, 2017
For some reason I was under the impression that this was a horror / suspense novel.
It's not.
And that's okay.
This was stupid fun. Like a big Hollywood blockbuster. Actually, I'm surprised this hasn't been turned into a film. There's tons to work with and a hell of a lot of action going on. One of those fast moving 700 page books that doesn't feel like 700 pages. That's always good.
Weird that Cussler made himself a character. Not that he has a big role, but still. Just name that character something other than you, right?
Also, I don't think Cussler has ever talked to an actual woman before. The dialogue here, almost at all times, is atrocious, but the way male character speak to women is a mix of eye rolling, hilarious and incredibly sexist.
A bit disturbing that this was published in 2001 (takes place in 2003) and the villains try to blow up the World Trade Center. Kind of surprised that Cussler didn't change that small part, especially with the close proximity to 9/11.
The villains here are super villains. There is no gray area between the good guys and the bad.
Dirk Pitt is everywhere, does everything and saves everyone. Always. Constantly. He's a goddamn superhero.
Ending was cheesy as shit.
Only sagged / dragged for a short bit. And some weird connection to Jules Verne. Otherwise, this was a goofy, fast moving blast that gets 4 stars but isn't a great novel by any means. Classic definition of a beach read.
It's not.
And that's okay.
This was stupid fun. Like a big Hollywood blockbuster. Actually, I'm surprised this hasn't been turned into a film. There's tons to work with and a hell of a lot of action going on. One of those fast moving 700 page books that doesn't feel like 700 pages. That's always good.
Weird that Cussler made himself a character. Not that he has a big role, but still. Just name that character something other than you, right?
Also, I don't think Cussler has ever talked to an actual woman before. The dialogue here, almost at all times, is atrocious, but the way male character speak to women is a mix of eye rolling, hilarious and incredibly sexist.
A bit disturbing that this was published in 2001 (takes place in 2003) and the villains try to blow up the World Trade Center. Kind of surprised that Cussler didn't change that small part, especially with the close proximity to 9/11.
The villains here are super villains. There is no gray area between the good guys and the bad.
Dirk Pitt is everywhere, does everything and saves everyone. Always. Constantly. He's a goddamn superhero.
Ending was cheesy as shit.
Only sagged / dragged for a short bit. And some weird connection to Jules Verne. Otherwise, this was a goofy, fast moving blast that gets 4 stars but isn't a great novel by any means. Classic definition of a beach read.
January 18, 2022
4.5 stars
Yet another Cussler banger, bookending his impressive run of 15 or so years of fantastic novels.
While this one isn't as good as Sahara, nor as fun (or memorable) as Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising is still an absolute blast to read.
It's ridiculously cliched, by the numbers, and requires a pretty high suspension of disbelief, but you know what? That's totally ok. This is #dadlit at its finest and I loved every minute of it.
Yet another Cussler banger, bookending his impressive run of 15 or so years of fantastic novels.
While this one isn't as good as Sahara, nor as fun (or memorable) as Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising is still an absolute blast to read.
It's ridiculously cliched, by the numbers, and requires a pretty high suspension of disbelief, but you know what? That's totally ok. This is #dadlit at its finest and I loved every minute of it.
October 29, 2008
Parts of this were really good and parts of it were really bad! Right now I'm trying to decide whether or not to give another offering from this author a read. However, since I really didn't like the character of Dirk Pitt, I'll definitely avoid the myriad of tomes featuring that character as the protagonist.
July 25, 2011
This was the first Dirk Pitt book I read and I am sorry to say I was very disappointed with it. Cussler seemed a little self-indulgant with adding himself as a character and the ending was just a tad too surreal for me. Not sure if I'll venture another any time soon.
January 12, 2021
Pretty much what you’d expect...a somewhat entertaining story, but incredibly implausible, strange and unrealistic dialogue, and quite frankly, just too long. But for a $1 goodwill buy, there are a lot worse ways to spend an afternoon.
May 20, 2008
Another good book from Clive Cussler.
August 4, 2009
great book love them all!
February 5, 2010
The best part about this book was the mystery of the ancient submarine. I loved the references to Jules Verne and the Vikings and thought it made for a really interesting plot.
July 20, 2011
Fun for light reading.
July 30, 2011
On par Cussler. OK ending.
August 2, 2011
A great addition to the Dirk Pitt series!
August 6, 2011
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March 12, 2012Great!!
March 23, 2015
It did what it was supposed to: tell a thrilling, fact-moving adventure story.
August 12, 2015
Typical CC novel.....I liked it.....Just a 3!
June 8, 2020
Another great yarn from the master story teller.
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July 19, 2020elibrary
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews