Has anyone read this or reading it? I am only 98 pages in and I don’t want to know the ending, but it is a great train story. His Dirk Pitt series was mostly underwater stories, though there was the phantom train story,but this series with Isaac Bell is about trains. This story is set in the 1900’s and is about the struggles of the Southern Pacifc getting across the mountians. Maybe it would be fun to share our impressions as we go along.
Art:
I’ve read several Clive Cussler novels–not this one, though. I like his style, and his plots certainly roll right along. I’ll have to pick up THE WRECKER, it sounds interesting.
I think Cussler was criticized for some railroading errors in another one of his historical adventures that took place on the New York Central, but when it comes to fiction, a lot of authors have to use ‘Artistic Licence’ to get their point across, LOL!
But certainly Cussler can’t be as far off in his ‘railroading’ as Alastiar McLean was in his BREAKHEART PASS. Though the movie version was entertaining, the source novel had trains doing things that they just don’t DO in mountain territory (also, if I remember correctly, McLean had his train chugging through western territory some 10 years or so before the first Transcontinental railroad was even laid!).
I’ll head down to Borders and pick up a copy. SP in the mountains around 1900, huh? Sierras or Cascades?
Oh heck, I’ll find out for myself, LOL! Thanks for the heads up.
Tom [:)]
Did you read the first one, The Chase? I have both, and found them very entertaining. There are som factual errors with the railroad stuff, but it’s not horrible.
–Randy
I’ve read all of the Dirk Pitt novels, and I loved The Chase, the first of the Isaac Bell series. While Cussler’s novels may seem to border on fantasy, it’s hard to draw a line where he crosses out of the possible.
I’ll pick up a Cussler book when I’m taking an airplane trip. That gives me the chance to totally immerse myself in the book. Sitting in the airport or on the tarmac doesn’t bother me much, once I’ve stepped out of my mundane life and into the world of Dirk Pitt or now Isaac Bell. In my hands, one of these books seldom lasts more than two or three days, no matter how tempting the airplane food might be.
Not sure why, but I’ve never cared much for Cussler.
I’ve read ‘Raise The Titanic’, ‘Vixon 03’ and ‘Treasure’. My sister has every one of his books in the Dirk Pitt series in hard cover collectors issues.
I met Mr.Cussler in November in Fort Worth.
The Star Telegram sponsors’An Evening With’series at least twice a year and I’ve met Dave Barry;Clive Cussler and Jeff Shaara at them.
The Chase and The Wrecker are set on the SP in the early 1900’s.
The Chase starts out in San Francisco and ends up in Idaho while The Wrecker mostly takes place on the Cascade Line.
I wish I’d thought to ask him if any of the future adventures of Ike Bell will take place on any other region of the SP.
The Desert Area from ElPaso-Del Rio or the swamps and bayous of East Texas and Louisiana on the T&NO would make for some interresting future adventures for Isaac Bell!!
I am about 3/4ths of the way done with The Wrecker. I started reading it Sunday. I might buy The Chase.
I read The Chase awhile shortly after in came out - loved it; we saw the The Wrecker the other day at the grocery store - bought, started reading it this morning on the VTA (light rail) going to/from work. The Wrecker picks up right after The Chase. Cussler is more of an automotive expert. I really like the drawing of Lillian’s Gray Wolf - a friend of mine built a reproduction, and had it at Hershey a couple of years ago.