Pure Adventure…
…You won’t want to stop reading!
If you are in the mood for a good adventure that includes plenty of exciting action, I suggest you try a book from Jack DuBrul. If the Lightning Stones is any indication, you will be quite satisfied.
The non stop action that our hero faces is totally entertaining! Philip Mercer, the recurring character in a series of novels from Mr. DuBrul, is a geologist and mining engineer. That is an interesting approach to begin with, since the character may be involved in large projects.
Judging from this book, he previous experiences have given him opportunities to hone his skills. Skills that include fighting, weaponry, preparedness, and more.
You may recognize Jack DuBrul from the Oregon Files series. He has been one of the co-writers with Clive Cussler in the great series featuring Juan Cabrillo. It’s another favorite series of mine. The Lightning Stones is similar in style. The adventures, or perhaps I should say misadventures, the characters face are remarkable. Their abilities to survive, let along triumph, make for such an exciting read.
The Story and Our Hero
Surprisingly, the story begins with a name we all recognize, that of Amelia Earhart. Why would she be involved in this present day thriller?
Our story then moves to a mine in present day Minnesota. Philip Mercer goes deep down into a mine to see his mentor, Abe Jacobs. As he approaches, automatic gunfire echoes through the tunnels. Finding his mentor and the others in the mine dead, he quickly goes after the killers seeking justice. When he doesn’t catch them, justice becomes less important than revenge.
The story doesn’t slow from that point. A race begins to discover why Abe was killed, with a beautiful young woman who claims to be a friend of his mentor.
When the campus office is destroyed, soggy papers in a trash can rescued from his mentor’s office may hold the only clue. That begins an international hunt for long missing crystals. When he finally learns the reasons behind it all, will it be too late?
It is the getting there that is so much fun. Cars driving through the halls of a college. An SUV escaping only to find it is on a pond with cracking ice. High Altitude caving, an overflowing dam, and don’t forget the near-miss lightning strikes!
It may sound over the top, but it all ties together in the fast moving adventure.
Mercer a great hero, confident he can get out of most situations. When faced with the latest potential catastrophe, he simply acts. You don’t have a lot of angst, but instead determination to find a solution to the trouble. And for a geologist, Mercer runs into a lot of trouble.
Excellent in Audio
I was fortunate to listen to the book in audio version. It was exciting right from the start, helped even further with narration by Scott Brick. What a great voice. He is the usual narrator for Clive Cussler’s books, so he suits this adventure perfectly.
Mr. DuBrul has written eight books now in the Philip Mercer series. Now that he has apparently finished co-writing with Mr. Cussler, perhaps we will see much more of the geologist. I already have another of his books in my cart. Looks like I’ll have to start with book one, and go through the series. Mercer and Mr. DuBrul are a likable team that I shall enjoy getting to know better.
Try it for yourself and see if you can put it down before you are finished reading.
Vulcan’s Forge, by Jack DuBrul
The next on my list is the first in the Philip Mercer series. Published in December of 2005, Vulcan’s Forge was Mr. DuBrul’s well received debut novel. The plot sounds devilish and complicated. An atomic bomb, the Russians, a spewing volcano, and missing girl, and Philip Mercer right in the midst of it all. I’m looking forward to it!
Mirage, by Clive Cussler and Jack DuBrul
Book 9 in the Oregon Files series was definitely a thriller. Juan Cabrillo and his crew above the Oregon are always favorites. Their ship looks like a derelict on the outside, but is outfitted with the best and the latest technology on the inside. It enables Juan to be very sneaky as he cruises the oceans. The stories always include laughter right alongside edge of seat action.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
