Dirk Pitt #01 - Pacific Vortex

Despite having five series installments ahead of it, Pacific Vortex! is still considered the first of Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt novels. The book was first published in 1983, six years after The Mediterranean Caper (aka Mayday). Yet, in that book, there are some enticing references to a prior underwater Pitt adventure. After 1981's Night Probe!, Cussler decided to write the events mentioned in The Mediterranean Caper and bring readers up to speed on Pitt's first grandiose adventure, Pacific Vortex!.

The novel begins with an unusual event affecting a U.S. submarine called Starbuck. The vessel goes missing in the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii. After an extensive search, the Navy can't determine the whereabouts or fate of Starbuck. The loss is chalked up to a mysterious vortex that has plagued over 30 ships since 1956. But, leave it to Pitt to get to the bottom of it – the ocean.

After recovering notes written by Starbuck's commanding officer, Pitt reports to NUMA and undertakes a rescue mission to recover the vessel and any crewmen still alive. Pitt learns of a mythical island north of the Hawaiian Islands that disappeared ages ago, similar to the fate of Atlantis. With aid, Pitt finds the specific place to search and, within days, is on board Starbuck. But what he finds is something of a misnomer - an underwater city functioning as a type of above-ground prepper fortress.

Cussler's novel places Pitt in all of the usual situations, speeding vehicles, volcanoes, swanky dinners, torture chambers, and aboard both ancient ships and technological modern marvels. The scenes in which Pitt investigates Starbuck felt like something out of a horror movie. The isolated tomb-like vessel eerily sitting in the ocean's junkyard was written with a sense of atmosphere, lulling me into a false security before all Hell broke loose. The mystery behind the crew's disappearance, the horrific nature of the commanding officer's notes, and the idea of something unnatural – supernatural – occurring were all so captivating.

This book has a huge impact on Pitt's future, mainly a short-lived love interest with a woman named Summer, that will produce some surprising results later. Pacific Vortex! may be most remembered by fans for that part of the series through-story. But, this is a fun, pulpy romp that reminded me of a typical Doc Savage novel – the flight towards fear, mystery, and thrilling adventure. Recommended!

Get the book HERE.