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World War II is nearing its end. It's December 1944 and three years after Japan nearly destroyed the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, the allies have done the same to Japan at Leyte. In a final attempt to turn the war to their advantage, the Japanese high command has a submarine ready to take Dr Tanaka across the Pacific to strike at the enemy's homeland with a secret weapon. The I-403 carries two airplanes which will be used to drop canisters of disease carrying aerosol on two US and Canadian cities. The submarine refuels off the Aleutian Islands. A blast destroys a fishing boat. A destroyer is accompanying a cargo ship across the Pacific. A Liberty Ship gets an SOS from the fisherman's brother on another vessel that a Japanese sub is working in the area. The destroyer runs down and sinks the sub. Slightly in the future: A weather station in the Aleutians staffed by two coastguard meteorologists. Also there's a team of scientists studying the apparent death of wildlife in the area. First, the coastguards' pet husky dies suddenly, then the two men, then four miles east, the scientists fall unconscious. They are saved by Dirk Pitt Jr who brings them onboard the well-equipped NUMA vessel. Upon investigation, it is determined that the World War II Japanese submarine, sunk in Alaskan waters over 60 years earlier, has been broken into and its cargo taken. Who is going to use the unknown toxin and why are questions that Dirk Sr and Jr, Summer and Giordano must answer before it is unleashed on the world. The book moves along at a rapid pace. We know that Dirk will take care of his children, as he has taken care of most of the world in the many years since the first NUMA book, but we go along with Cussler's story. This is fantastic airplane reading. It will make a long journey speed along. After so many previous books, we don't need character development -- we know these people and we know that we are safe in their hands.
Reviewed by Barbara Franchi, December 2005
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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