Book List 2: The Spy

Just finished The Spy, a historical adventure novel by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott. I've been reading Cussler's books forever, having started with the Dirk Pitt adventure Treasure, given to me one Christmas when I was a teenager. Cussler is my favorite adventure author, though James Rollins has been outdoing him in my estimation these days (with Steve Berry closing in).

Cussler has gone the way of Tom Clancy, becoming a brand-name as much as an author, with hit-or-miss results. He is collaborating with his son Dirk on the further adventures of Dirk Pitt, and ended his long relationship with Paul Kemprecos for the Kurt Austin series, Numa Files. I enjoyed those as well as his collaborations with Jack DuBrul in the Oregon series. I actually read DuBrul's novels prior to his teaming up with Cussler.

The Spy marked my first go-round with the Isaac Bell series, and it was.. mediocre. The tone and historical setting was interesting, the plot a bit convoluted and dull, the prose passable.

I give it a 2.5 out of 5.