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Oregon Files #3
Dark Watch
The author of the bestselling NUMA and Dirk Pitt series returns with an all-new novel of adventure and intrigue featuring his unbeatable hero of the high seas-Juan Cabrillo.
Cabrillo and his motley crew aboard the clandestine spy ship Oregon have made a very comfortable and very dangerous living working for high-powered Western interests. But their newest clients have come from the Far East to ask for Cabrillo's special brand of assistance: a consortium of Japanese shipping magnates whose fortunes are being threatened by brutal pirates trolling the waters of Southeast Asia.
Normally, such attacks on the high seas are limited to smaller ships and foreign-owned yachts-easy targets on the open ocean. Now, however, giant commercial freighters are disappearing. But when Cabrillo confronts the enemy, he learns that the pirates' predations hide a deadly international conspiracy-a scheme of death and slavery that Juan Cabrillo is going to blow out of the water.
Cabrillo and his motley crew aboard the clandestine spy ship Oregon have made a very comfortable and very dangerous living working for high-powered Western interests. But their newest clients have come from the Far East to ask for Cabrillo's special brand of assistance: a consortium of Japanese shipping magnates whose fortunes are being threatened by brutal pirates trolling the waters of Southeast Asia.
Normally, such attacks on the high seas are limited to smaller ships and foreign-owned yachts-easy targets on the open ocean. Now, however, giant commercial freighters are disappearing. But when Cabrillo confronts the enemy, he learns that the pirates' predations hide a deadly international conspiracy-a scheme of death and slavery that Juan Cabrillo is going to blow out of the water.
357 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2005
About the author
Clive Cussler
513 books8,094 followersCussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work featuring his continuous series hero, Dirk Pitt, in 1973. His first non-fiction, The Sea Hunters, was released in 1996. The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered The Sea Hunters in lieu of a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in May, 1997. It was the first time since the College was founded in 1874 that such a degree was bestowed.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 317 reviews
February 14, 2021
Book 3 in the Oregon Files series published 2005.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This remark is about to tell you just how long my memory is, as for me, this book felt like ‘Mission Impossible’ meets the ‘A Team’, a mission so impossible that only the A Team could succeed. People of my vintage will understand exactly of what I speak.
Juan Carbrillo and his team of, lets face it, mercenaries are, once again, taking the fight to the bad guys. This time round these bad guys are nothing more than human effluent. The mission is to put a stop to some very violent high sea piracy that has been happening in the Sea of Japan. But as things progress Juan soon realises that the piracy problem is only the tip of the iceberg. The real problem is people smuggling which in turn is a disguise for human slavery.
This is a very slick thriller/adventure story that wraps itself around some very confronting and real issues. This might be a work of fiction but there is enough evidence around to support the reality of human slavery in the 21st century, hard to believe but true none the less.
I gave the book 3.5 stars not because it didn’t entertain but because I felt that the subject of slavery is too important for this Mission Impossible type of approach.
At the same time I have to congratulate the author ‘Clive Cussler’ for putting a spotlight on is disgraceful reality.
A slick entertaining thriller/adventure that come with a reality check.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This remark is about to tell you just how long my memory is, as for me, this book felt like ‘Mission Impossible’ meets the ‘A Team’, a mission so impossible that only the A Team could succeed. People of my vintage will understand exactly of what I speak.
Juan Carbrillo and his team of, lets face it, mercenaries are, once again, taking the fight to the bad guys. This time round these bad guys are nothing more than human effluent. The mission is to put a stop to some very violent high sea piracy that has been happening in the Sea of Japan. But as things progress Juan soon realises that the piracy problem is only the tip of the iceberg. The real problem is people smuggling which in turn is a disguise for human slavery.
This is a very slick thriller/adventure story that wraps itself around some very confronting and real issues. This might be a work of fiction but there is enough evidence around to support the reality of human slavery in the 21st century, hard to believe but true none the less.
I gave the book 3.5 stars not because it didn’t entertain but because I felt that the subject of slavery is too important for this Mission Impossible type of approach.
At the same time I have to congratulate the author ‘Clive Cussler’ for putting a spotlight on is disgraceful reality.
A slick entertaining thriller/adventure that come with a reality check.
May 19, 2019
Another wonderful adventure of Clive Cussler's Juan Cabrillo series. I just love reading them. Unputdownable
June 29, 2019
I started reading this book and the first couple chapters my eyes glazed over and my mind numbed and I am thinking I can NOT read this book. Well I kept plugging along and it twas a good thing :) The story really developed into something strong. Great ending :)
September 1, 2011
Dark Watch, one of the Oregon Files novels, is pretty much what you expect from the cover. Clive Cussler's books are a general type - adventure happens, horrible bad guys do horrible things, upstanding good guys (usually Juan Cabrillo and his crew) do good and risky things to stop them, a few capers are put on with interesting misdirection, and by the end of the book the bad guys have been put in their place and the righteous have prevailed, and usually, made a profit as well.
If you haven't read the books of the Oregon Files, they're about a ship full of good-guy secret agents who have retired from government service (usually American, but sometimes another allied country) and do freelance jobs for the government when there's something that needs to be done under the table, as it were.
I'm not sure how much of these books are written by Clive Cussler and how much by Jack du Brul, but they read pretty similarly to when Mr. Cussler was writing them solo, and I recommend these to a fan of the old books who aren't sure of the collaborations he does.
Honestly, why isn't there a GURPS Cussler, I don't know. :)
If you haven't read the books of the Oregon Files, they're about a ship full of good-guy secret agents who have retired from government service (usually American, but sometimes another allied country) and do freelance jobs for the government when there's something that needs to be done under the table, as it were.
I'm not sure how much of these books are written by Clive Cussler and how much by Jack du Brul, but they read pretty similarly to when Mr. Cussler was writing them solo, and I recommend these to a fan of the old books who aren't sure of the collaborations he does.
Honestly, why isn't there a GURPS Cussler, I don't know. :)
April 29, 2020
4.5 stars, after the second book is questioning whether or not to continue the series, but so glad I did. Such a great story!
September 9, 2020
Good stuff, very short.
April 26, 2009
I think I am starting to like the Oregon books better than the original Pitt ones. I could totally see their adventures becoming a tv series. It contains a very good cast of characters and real life stories that people could connect to.
March 14, 2016
4.5 stars
The start was fairly disjointed despite the multiple story threads but it ended up coming together very nicely in the end
The start was fairly disjointed despite the multiple story threads but it ended up coming together very nicely in the end
May 25, 2016
This is the 3rd book of the Oregon Files series by Clive Cussler. With this book, he has changed his co-author from Craig Dirgo to Jack duBrul. While the first two books were good, this one was so much better. The writing style was stronger, the plot had more tension and there was significantly more character development (yea!). Those who have read the first two books and gave up, I urge you to give the series another try.
I rated the first 2 books 4 each as they were fun, easy reads that kept my interest throughout in one of my preferred genres - despite rather anticlimactic endings. This one is well on its way to being 4.25 to 4.5 (assuming we could give partial stars) as it was a much more enjoyable read due to the improvements mentioned above.
Book Summary from GR: Cabrillo and his motley crew aboard the clandestine spy ship Oregon have made a very comfortable and very dangerous living working for high-powered Western interests. But their newest clients have come from the Far East to ask for Cabrillo's special brand of assistance: a consortium of Japanese shipping magnates whose fortunes are being threatened by brutal pirates trolling the waters of Southeast Asia.
Normally, such attacks on the high seas are limited to smaller ships and foreign-owned yachts-easy targets on the open ocean. Now, however, giant commercial freighters are disappearing. But when Cabrillo confronts the enemy, he learns that the pirates' predations hide a deadly international conspiracy-a scheme of death and slavery that Juan Cabrillo is going to blow out of the water.
I rated the first 2 books 4 each as they were fun, easy reads that kept my interest throughout in one of my preferred genres - despite rather anticlimactic endings. This one is well on its way to being 4.25 to 4.5 (assuming we could give partial stars) as it was a much more enjoyable read due to the improvements mentioned above.
Book Summary from GR: Cabrillo and his motley crew aboard the clandestine spy ship Oregon have made a very comfortable and very dangerous living working for high-powered Western interests. But their newest clients have come from the Far East to ask for Cabrillo's special brand of assistance: a consortium of Japanese shipping magnates whose fortunes are being threatened by brutal pirates trolling the waters of Southeast Asia.
Normally, such attacks on the high seas are limited to smaller ships and foreign-owned yachts-easy targets on the open ocean. Now, however, giant commercial freighters are disappearing. But when Cabrillo confronts the enemy, he learns that the pirates' predations hide a deadly international conspiracy-a scheme of death and slavery that Juan Cabrillo is going to blow out of the water.
January 14, 2017
Borrowed from my dad. So not my thing. Made it through to the end, but didn't enjoy it at all.
The biggest thing that bothered me is that the women were just window dressing or plot devices, and there were a few really terrible lines thrown in for good measure. One line about how in his younger CIA days, Juan slept with a Russian operative, not to get information from her because she was too low level for that, but because it made him feel like James Bond. Gross. And another line about how one of the guys that work for him didn't have much luck with women, "if one overlooked the occasional Goth girl he hooked up with. But a girl with more piercings than a pincushion and who was impressed with a guy who could catch air on a skateboard half-pipe wasn't much of a catch..." So Juan doesn't think of women as real people and doesn't have much respect for one of his employees either because he skateboards. Let's not forget Tory, whose sole purpose in the book appears to be getting rescued at the beginning and be someone for Juan to sleep with at the end. But she's also apparently smart and capable because she used to be some sort of British intelligence operative, because we couldn't possibly have Juan stoop to hooking up with a lame Goth girl, could we? Not that Tory got to actually do anything cool in the story.
The biggest thing that bothered me is that the women were just window dressing or plot devices, and there were a few really terrible lines thrown in for good measure. One line about how in his younger CIA days, Juan slept with a Russian operative, not to get information from her because she was too low level for that, but because it made him feel like James Bond. Gross. And another line about how one of the guys that work for him didn't have much luck with women, "if one overlooked the occasional Goth girl he hooked up with. But a girl with more piercings than a pincushion and who was impressed with a guy who could catch air on a skateboard half-pipe wasn't much of a catch..." So Juan doesn't think of women as real people and doesn't have much respect for one of his employees either because he skateboards. Let's not forget Tory, whose sole purpose in the book appears to be getting rescued at the beginning and be someone for Juan to sleep with at the end. But she's also apparently smart and capable because she used to be some sort of British intelligence operative, because we couldn't possibly have Juan stoop to hooking up with a lame Goth girl, could we? Not that Tory got to actually do anything cool in the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2009
Dark Watch by Clive Cussler was not as interesting as his other works. This abridged audio book was the story of modern day pirates who take not only the cargo of a captured ship but they also�take the ship itself. Throw in some international slave traders and you have what seems like two books going at the same time with only minimal interactions.
The book would have been better if it focused on one story and then developed it in greater detail. I am still a big fan of Cussler. This one is not his best work.
The book would have been better if it focused on one story and then developed it in greater detail. I am still a big fan of Cussler. This one is not his best work.
November 2, 2009
If Dark Watch was only the first half of the book, it would have been an excellent beginning. It was like there was a deadline and the last chapter was a recap of the last half of the book. So, it needed to be finished. These superstars who lend their names to others who actually write the books with the approval of the primary author should make sure there is some quality control or at least a complete manuscript. What I read I loved, but I want the complete story. If you want great Cussler books read the ones he writes with Paul Kemprecos-those are complete and excellent.
June 15, 2016
Third entry in the Oregon Files series.
Juan Cabrillo and The Corporation are hired to fight pirates in the Pacific. After battling a pirate band, they get onto a deeper conspiracy. A conspiracy dealing with slavery and gold. The crew goes all over the world, and indulge in all sorts of derring-do. Of course, Cabrillo finds a beautiful woman.
Entertaining with some very interesting settings.
Juan Cabrillo and The Corporation are hired to fight pirates in the Pacific. After battling a pirate band, they get onto a deeper conspiracy. A conspiracy dealing with slavery and gold. The crew goes all over the world, and indulge in all sorts of derring-do. Of course, Cabrillo finds a beautiful woman.
Entertaining with some very interesting settings.
August 21, 2020
Na morzu Południowochińskim piraci atakują statki, które znikają bez śladu, po osiągnięciu konkretnego celu. Na pomoc zostaje wezwany "Oregon" - okręt szpiegowski, wyposażony tak, że w gruncie rzeczy niczego mu nie brakuje oraz w środku znajduje się wykwalifikowana, do takich zadań specjalnych, załoga. Zostają oni zaatakowani, udało im się zatopić wroga, ale wydobyli pewien duży pojemnik w którym było kilkadziesiąt ludzkich zwłok - prawdopodobnie migrantów, uciekających z krajów wchodnich. Okazuje się, że te ataki, porwania i zatopienia statów są częścią planu, który jeśli ostatecznie dostanie zrealizowany to pochłonie tysiące ludzkich żyć. Priorytetem załogi okrętu szpiegowskiego jest powstrzymanie tego procederu, by zapanował kompletny spokój.
Moje nastawienie do powieści Cusslera jest dosyć specyficzne, ponieważ nie mam szczególnych chęci, żeby czytać jego książki i odkładam to na późniejszą chwilę, ale jak już zabiorę się za czytanie to wcale tak źle nie wychodzę na tym. Powieść ma niecałe 300 stron, więc można spodziewać się mocnego napakowania informacji, a fabuła siłą rzeczy z każdym rozdziałem trzyma w napięciu. Trochę obawiałam się, że słownictwo tej książki mnie pokona, ponieważ jest tutaj od groma określeń dotyczących statków, łodzi podwodnych, ich konstrukcji i oprzyrządowania, ale z tym również nie było tak źle. Miałam momenty, kiedy czytało mnie się trochę gorzej i mało płynnie, ale cała historia jest godna uwagi.
Moje nastawienie do powieści Cusslera jest dosyć specyficzne, ponieważ nie mam szczególnych chęci, żeby czytać jego książki i odkładam to na późniejszą chwilę, ale jak już zabiorę się za czytanie to wcale tak źle nie wychodzę na tym. Powieść ma niecałe 300 stron, więc można spodziewać się mocnego napakowania informacji, a fabuła siłą rzeczy z każdym rozdziałem trzyma w napięciu. Trochę obawiałam się, że słownictwo tej książki mnie pokona, ponieważ jest tutaj od groma określeń dotyczących statków, łodzi podwodnych, ich konstrukcji i oprzyrządowania, ale z tym również nie było tak źle. Miałam momenty, kiedy czytało mnie się trochę gorzej i mało płynnie, ale cała historia jest godna uwagi.
March 16, 2020
I love this series, the Oregon , one of my favorites!
November 11, 2020
Great action but a bit too technically accurate which slows the pace. As always, hopefully there are people ready and waiting to right the wrongs.
March 25, 2017
Floating docks gold mining in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the use of mercury riding the snake and Gold mountain a good adventure book. Henry V "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.” Nelson "England expects that every man will do his duty.
I felt the part about the gold bankers irrelevant just to give a reason for the story.
I felt the part about the gold bankers irrelevant just to give a reason for the story.
September 1, 2013
I am reviewing the novel Dark Watch by Clive Cussler et al which is a very good adventure story and which I bought from a car boot sale. This book is part of the Oregon series about a state of the art state which contains mercenaries with hearts of gold who do work for money but are the heroes of the story and are led by Juan Cabrillo. The ship is nuclear powered and almost like a warship disguised as a freight vessel. This story sees the North Koreans siding with the Syrians in capturing vessels in the far east and doing people trafficking from China to the west. Lots of vessels are being captured by pirates and plundered and their crews being massacred regardless whether they put up resistance or not. The Americans are worried if they wade in with military action they will get problems with terrorists not to mention anger the international community so they hire the Oregon. It does turn out many of the refugees are being murdered by the pirates and that this suits the traffickers just fine. I enjoyed this book and their is a happy ending. This book also does a good job of explaining some of the political problems in the far east. The refugees have to pay upwards of $30,000 to travel with these people traffickers which normally is paid off by the refugees working in places like sweat shops on favourable terms to the traffickers. If these people quietly disappear the family is enslaved and the traffickers have a win win situation. If these people just disappear the traffickers save a load of money that would normally go on travel, food and accommadation etc. This book was written in 2005 when there was also bad feeling in certain quarters about Saudi Arabia siding with America in the First Gulf War.There is a little bit about that in the story.
November 2, 2020
Juan Cabrillo, captain of the Oregon and Chairman of the Corporation, accepts a job to find and stop a ring of pirates that are preying on ships in the Pacific Ocean. Their state of the art ship is disguised to lure the pirates. When that inevitably happens, they sink the pirate ship and manage to save a large container that had been on the deck. After they open it they discover it is filled with dead bodies, probably migrants trying to escape to better conditions. They also find a sinking ship that still has one passenger alive and must perform some tricky steps to get her out before it sinks.
Dark Watch is action-packed and never slows down until the final scene. The story line feels more like a Mission Impossible movie than a novel, but is fun to follow as Cabrillo and his crew save themselves in some pretty tension-filled scenarios. I was not much of a fan of the first two books in this series, which Cussler wrote with Craig Dirgo. The change to new co-author Jack du Brul was a great move and added some real character development to the mixture. Fans of the Oregon Files will enjoy this latest adventure to stop an international banking syndicate who plan use murder as a business tool to build up their human slave trade.
Dark Watch is action-packed and never slows down until the final scene. The story line feels more like a Mission Impossible movie than a novel, but is fun to follow as Cabrillo and his crew save themselves in some pretty tension-filled scenarios. I was not much of a fan of the first two books in this series, which Cussler wrote with Craig Dirgo. The change to new co-author Jack du Brul was a great move and added some real character development to the mixture. Fans of the Oregon Files will enjoy this latest adventure to stop an international banking syndicate who plan use murder as a business tool to build up their human slave trade.
November 14, 2012
Anyone who can read a Clive Cussler novel and not have the urge to read another is either nuts or lacking imagination. He is the king of Story Telling, as his adventures grip you from the first word and hurl you through worlds of sheer excitement and interesting characters. This is my first from the Oregon series and I loved it. Juan Cabrillo is one enigmatic captain with one of the coolest ships roaming the high seas. The fact that Cabrillo is handicapped, lost a leg and has a prosthetic, is both interesting and in Cussler's hands a unusual asset to him. If you have been looking for an adventure series that will leave you wanting more, go no further, Clive Cussler has you taken care of.
July 12, 2016
4.5★'s
This has to rank as the best of this series thus far. Clive Cussler teams with adventure/thriller writer Jack DuBrul for the this...the third book... in the "Oregon Files" series. Non-stop action throughout and plots and schemes by the Oregon crew to bring the bad guys down that would equal "Mission Impossible" or an episode of "McGeyver". The authors juggled complicated, multiple plots throughout the story and tied them together into a believable, exciting, and interesting package at the end that pulled the Oregon crew out of the frying pan and the fire....while offering a special surprise for them all. Looking forward to the next adventure with Juan Cabrillo and friends.
This has to rank as the best of this series thus far. Clive Cussler teams with adventure/thriller writer Jack DuBrul for the this...the third book... in the "Oregon Files" series. Non-stop action throughout and plots and schemes by the Oregon crew to bring the bad guys down that would equal "Mission Impossible" or an episode of "McGeyver". The authors juggled complicated, multiple plots throughout the story and tied them together into a believable, exciting, and interesting package at the end that pulled the Oregon crew out of the frying pan and the fire....while offering a special surprise for them all. Looking forward to the next adventure with Juan Cabrillo and friends.
September 2, 2017
The third in a series of which I haven't read the previous books.
Too much action. Not enough plot. Reminds me of an action movie with a
gun fight, car chase or some other mayhem every 5 minutes.
Way too gory. The author seems to be fascinated with dismemberment. People were
getting sliced, diced or blown to tiny pieces. All graphically described.
Too much action. Not enough plot. Reminds me of an action movie with a
gun fight, car chase or some other mayhem every 5 minutes.
Way too gory. The author seems to be fascinated with dismemberment. People were
getting sliced, diced or blown to tiny pieces. All graphically described.
October 28, 2020
Excellen3 in the series is very well written with the usual well developed characters and new villains. The story line is full of fast action with lots of twist and turns. The ending pulls everything together as the good guys save the world. I would recommend this series too anyone who enjoys action thrillers that are well developed with interesting characters. Enjoy reading 2011
t entertaining
t entertaining
June 30, 2008
This book was a little darker than the first two. But I enjoyed it. It was much more indepth. The characters are becoming more rounded and more relatable. Lots of action. A fun read.
January 1, 2009
I had to travel all day today, and this was a great book on tape to enjoy and be kept awake by. I find it very amusing how people are always miraculously escaping death in Cussler's books.
November 8, 2022
DARK WATCH is bk #3 in Clive Cussler’s OREGON Action-Adventure series, co-written by Jack Du Brul.
MY RATING GUIDE: 4.5 Stars. This was an enjoyable reread for me. I have previously devoured this entire series and am in the process of beginning from the beginning and rereading through it again. (DARK WATCH was a touch darker than my preferred read, thus the .5 drop in score. Other readers may prefer this reality).
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT; 5= I Loved it, THIS WAS GREAT! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
DARK WATCH kept my attention from the start. DARK WACH, #3 (co-written with Jack DuBrul) is a fast moving, action packed, early novel in Clive Cussler’s OREGON (currently) 16 book series - the crew of the OREGON is a quasi-military, mercenary group working covertly, contracting out their services globally with the benefit of the US considered.
In DARK WATCH, a global group of greedy and corrupt billionaires has been working as a consortium. Their various ventures continue multiplying their profits while causing untold devastation and deprivation until they cross paths with the OREGON. Once the crew of the Oregon gets wind of their diabolical enterprises, they devise accelerated plans to intercept. With a member of the OREGON caught in the crosshairs, the race is on!
Comments ~
1) I greatly enjoy Clive Cussler’s adventure series. Overall, these series provide light, action and oceanic adventurous entertainment. Of the 3 series I read (NUMA, Dirk Pitt & Oregon), I find Oregon the most realistic.
2) The characterizations are detailed, believable and continually develop from book to book. I can see the characters in my minds eye as the scenes unfold.
3) Although DARK WATCH is 3rd in the series, I believe this novel can easily be read as a standalone story as the characters and relationships between the crew are well described, making DARK WATCH easy to follow.
4) Along with the action scenes, a portion of DARK WATCH’s premise deals with human trafficking and deprivation. Certain descriptions and settings contain such. Breakaway scenes, switching to different settings, keeps this content from causing the overall tone of DARK WATCH from becoming incredibly dark - simply sadly realistic - while remaining overall a very enjoyable read.
5) Although dark topics may occasionally occur in Cussler’s novels, I appreciate that justice always eventually prevails (with the antagonists earning their “just desserts”) - something which doesn’t seem to occur much in the real world anymore.
6) I highly recommend the OREGON series to readers who enjoy intricate, page turning, (usually sea faring - a plus for me) action/adventure novels which the MCs, after experiencing a certain amount of difficulties, conclude with satisfying and successful missions.
READER CAUTIONS - I enjoyed and recommend this book, believing it was written for mature readers.
VIOLENCE - Yes. Quasi-military action and battle scenes/settings against “evil antagonists.” DW includes certain scenes of human trafficking.
PROFANITY & SEXUAL SITUATIONS. - There are no sexual situations nor profanity (that I recall). Although the novel ends with an inferred liaison.
MY RATING GUIDE: 4.5 Stars. This was an enjoyable reread for me. I have previously devoured this entire series and am in the process of beginning from the beginning and rereading through it again. (DARK WATCH was a touch darker than my preferred read, thus the .5 drop in score. Other readers may prefer this reality).
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT; 5= I Loved it, THIS WAS GREAT! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
DARK WATCH kept my attention from the start. DARK WACH, #3 (co-written with Jack DuBrul) is a fast moving, action packed, early novel in Clive Cussler’s OREGON (currently) 16 book series - the crew of the OREGON is a quasi-military, mercenary group working covertly, contracting out their services globally with the benefit of the US considered.
In DARK WATCH, a global group of greedy and corrupt billionaires has been working as a consortium. Their various ventures continue multiplying their profits while causing untold devastation and deprivation until they cross paths with the OREGON. Once the crew of the Oregon gets wind of their diabolical enterprises, they devise accelerated plans to intercept. With a member of the OREGON caught in the crosshairs, the race is on!
Comments ~
1) I greatly enjoy Clive Cussler’s adventure series. Overall, these series provide light, action and oceanic adventurous entertainment. Of the 3 series I read (NUMA, Dirk Pitt & Oregon), I find Oregon the most realistic.
2) The characterizations are detailed, believable and continually develop from book to book. I can see the characters in my minds eye as the scenes unfold.
3) Although DARK WATCH is 3rd in the series, I believe this novel can easily be read as a standalone story as the characters and relationships between the crew are well described, making DARK WATCH easy to follow.
4) Along with the action scenes, a portion of DARK WATCH’s premise deals with human trafficking and deprivation. Certain descriptions and settings contain such. Breakaway scenes, switching to different settings, keeps this content from causing the overall tone of DARK WATCH from becoming incredibly dark - simply sadly realistic - while remaining overall a very enjoyable read.
5) Although dark topics may occasionally occur in Cussler’s novels, I appreciate that justice always eventually prevails (with the antagonists earning their “just desserts”) - something which doesn’t seem to occur much in the real world anymore.
6) I highly recommend the OREGON series to readers who enjoy intricate, page turning, (usually sea faring - a plus for me) action/adventure novels which the MCs, after experiencing a certain amount of difficulties, conclude with satisfying and successful missions.
READER CAUTIONS - I enjoyed and recommend this book, believing it was written for mature readers.
VIOLENCE - Yes. Quasi-military action and battle scenes/settings against “evil antagonists.” DW includes certain scenes of human trafficking.
PROFANITY & SEXUAL SITUATIONS. - There are no sexual situations nor profanity (that I recall). Although the novel ends with an inferred liaison.
August 23, 2020
Had you asked me, back in March, when I reintroduced myself to Cussler’s Oregon Files series, if I would ever find myself giving one of the books a 5 star rating, I would have shaken my head and answered with a resounding “No”. While the series had promise and Cussler’s choice to start a 3rd entire spin off series on a minor character from Dirk Pitts adventures could have been good, both Golden Buddha and Sacred Stone were huge disappointments and not even close to caliber of Cussler’s writing.
Obviously, looking back now, a big reason for that fell on Craig Dirgo’s shoulders. I don’t know that guy, and I have never had the opportunity to write with one of thriller genre’s most well known authors, but the signs were pretty clear that Dirgo’s weird, confusing style just didn’t gel with what Cussler originally planned. And all I can say is, thank God, because replacing Dirgo with the far more talented and much more succinct DuBrul, breathed new life into a series that had a huge chance of sinking before it even got going.
I already write about Dubrul’s addition in Skeleton Coast (which does actually come after this one, chronologically), so I’ll just skip right to it and say that Dark Watch exceeded my expectations. Cussler’s novels have always been a mix of action and intrigue, but here, they are straight up Hollywood blockbuster kind of stores. DuBrul ups the ante on Juan Carrillo and team’s exploits and never once lets up. Dark Watch started with a bang and didn’t stop for a break a single time. Most authors in the action/thriller genre can get away with a dozen or so pages of adrenaline pumping scenes, however DuBrul multiples that by 3 or even 4 times, excelling at making moments last for countless pages and keeping the reader enthralled the entire time. Even better, the plot of Dark Watch actually makes sense and, even with a futuristic ocean liner filled with technology and state of the art weapons, is one of the most realistic of the entire span of Cussler’s career.
From probably my least favorite Cussler series to the potential to be my favorite, Dark Watch is easily a top 5 Cussler novel and shows promise that this third spin off batch of books will go on to be something rivaling Dirk Pitt (and yes, I know, there are like 12 more in their series so it must be halfway decent to justify so many more).
Obviously, looking back now, a big reason for that fell on Craig Dirgo’s shoulders. I don’t know that guy, and I have never had the opportunity to write with one of thriller genre’s most well known authors, but the signs were pretty clear that Dirgo’s weird, confusing style just didn’t gel with what Cussler originally planned. And all I can say is, thank God, because replacing Dirgo with the far more talented and much more succinct DuBrul, breathed new life into a series that had a huge chance of sinking before it even got going.
I already write about Dubrul’s addition in Skeleton Coast (which does actually come after this one, chronologically), so I’ll just skip right to it and say that Dark Watch exceeded my expectations. Cussler’s novels have always been a mix of action and intrigue, but here, they are straight up Hollywood blockbuster kind of stores. DuBrul ups the ante on Juan Carrillo and team’s exploits and never once lets up. Dark Watch started with a bang and didn’t stop for a break a single time. Most authors in the action/thriller genre can get away with a dozen or so pages of adrenaline pumping scenes, however DuBrul multiples that by 3 or even 4 times, excelling at making moments last for countless pages and keeping the reader enthralled the entire time. Even better, the plot of Dark Watch actually makes sense and, even with a futuristic ocean liner filled with technology and state of the art weapons, is one of the most realistic of the entire span of Cussler’s career.
From probably my least favorite Cussler series to the potential to be my favorite, Dark Watch is easily a top 5 Cussler novel and shows promise that this third spin off batch of books will go on to be something rivaling Dirk Pitt (and yes, I know, there are like 12 more in their series so it must be halfway decent to justify so many more).
September 9, 2023
I've said it before and I will say it again — I am too young to remember those Saturday cinema matinees with such films as "The Perils of Pauline," "Buck Jones" and "Flash Gordon. Those films that ended usually with cliff-hangers to get theatre goers to return the next week.
But I ALWAYS think of them when I read a Clive Cussler — and unlike those films, Cussler never leaves you with a cliff-hanger. There's crazy action and tight moments, and yet somehow his heroes (both male and female) come through, fighting the good fight against seemingly insurmountable odds, beating the bad guys and usually, at least for the male characters such as Juan Cabrillo, with a beautiful babe.
So need I say, this tale is no different. The beginning sets up an interesting premise and then switches to our protagonists that somehow get into the action. And from there — there's no stopping, you just have to keep reading. Because who can say they don't cheer for the heroes?
Dark Watch is one of Cussler's early ones — not so much in books but the Oregon Files series — but its still good. Cabrillo, captain of the Oregon — a seemingly derelict ship that miraculously can do just about anything on the high seas — and CEO of The Corporation, has taken on a new case, hunting pirates that are snatching ships to the tune of millions. Some are flat out disappearing never to be seen again.
But when they engage with the enemy, Cabrillo realizes that something even more sinister is happening, and his indignation knows no bounds. And before you know it, all of those sailing or affiliated with the Oregon, are in for a wild rollercoaster of an adventure.
Hey, I know that its nigh nearly impossible for everything that happens for these people to survive as they do in this story. It doesn't matter. I'm hooked on the adrenaline high and there's no way I can stop. Serious reading? Of course not! But just like those Saturday cinema matinee offerings are not fine film making, there's just something that makes you eager to shadow these imaginary superheroes and when they return victorious, you mentally cheer. How much fun is that?
But I ALWAYS think of them when I read a Clive Cussler — and unlike those films, Cussler never leaves you with a cliff-hanger. There's crazy action and tight moments, and yet somehow his heroes (both male and female) come through, fighting the good fight against seemingly insurmountable odds, beating the bad guys and usually, at least for the male characters such as Juan Cabrillo, with a beautiful babe.
So need I say, this tale is no different. The beginning sets up an interesting premise and then switches to our protagonists that somehow get into the action. And from there — there's no stopping, you just have to keep reading. Because who can say they don't cheer for the heroes?
Dark Watch is one of Cussler's early ones — not so much in books but the Oregon Files series — but its still good. Cabrillo, captain of the Oregon — a seemingly derelict ship that miraculously can do just about anything on the high seas — and CEO of The Corporation, has taken on a new case, hunting pirates that are snatching ships to the tune of millions. Some are flat out disappearing never to be seen again.
But when they engage with the enemy, Cabrillo realizes that something even more sinister is happening, and his indignation knows no bounds. And before you know it, all of those sailing or affiliated with the Oregon, are in for a wild rollercoaster of an adventure.
Hey, I know that its nigh nearly impossible for everything that happens for these people to survive as they do in this story. It doesn't matter. I'm hooked on the adrenaline high and there's no way I can stop. Serious reading? Of course not! But just like those Saturday cinema matinee offerings are not fine film making, there's just something that makes you eager to shadow these imaginary superheroes and when they return victorious, you mentally cheer. How much fun is that?
February 17, 2024
Es mi primer contacto con el autor y no será la última porque tengo otro libro de él. Había escuchado mucho sobre él y me creé unas expectativas que no fueron superadas. El libro nos lleva a un escenario lleno de acción, misiones secretas y demasiados secretos políticos que amenazan el orden mundial.
Juan Cabrillo, es un capitán de “La corporación” una entidad que se encarga de hacer las cosas que los gobiernos no quieren ni pueden hacer; y en esta misión debe evitar que unos misiles coreanos lleguen a Siria; lo que debería ser una tarea de coser y cantar se complica, gracias a la aparición de unos piratas, una investigadora que sobrevive a un ataque, unos banqueros muy codiciosos y las cabezas de serpiente.
El libro está bien ejecutado y los personajes son coherentes. Sin embargo, mi problema es justamente con el protagonista: es de esos que todos les sale bien, que al final todo se resuelve porque le ocurren cosas de lo más oportunas -estar en el momento y lugar adecuado-, dejando muchas cosas a la suerte y en algunos momentos del libro una resolución muy alocada y agarrada con pinzas. Hay unos giros que me convencieron y otros que no tanto, por lo que comenté anteriormente. Hay muchos golpes de suerte para mi gusto.
En cuanto a la habilidad del escritor la tensión traspasa el libro. Logró hacerme sentir ahogada en varios momentos, con las pulsaciones aceleradas queriendo saber que pasaba mientras mi mente se trasladaba a estos escenarios de explosiones, hundimientos y tiroteos. Me sentí dentro de una película de acción de Tom Cruise, al estilo de Misión Imposible. La tensión crece con cada capítulo.
Es el tercero de una serie pero pueden leerse de manera independiente
Juan Cabrillo, es un capitán de “La corporación” una entidad que se encarga de hacer las cosas que los gobiernos no quieren ni pueden hacer; y en esta misión debe evitar que unos misiles coreanos lleguen a Siria; lo que debería ser una tarea de coser y cantar se complica, gracias a la aparición de unos piratas, una investigadora que sobrevive a un ataque, unos banqueros muy codiciosos y las cabezas de serpiente.
El libro está bien ejecutado y los personajes son coherentes. Sin embargo, mi problema es justamente con el protagonista: es de esos que todos les sale bien, que al final todo se resuelve porque le ocurren cosas de lo más oportunas -estar en el momento y lugar adecuado-, dejando muchas cosas a la suerte y en algunos momentos del libro una resolución muy alocada y agarrada con pinzas. Hay unos giros que me convencieron y otros que no tanto, por lo que comenté anteriormente. Hay muchos golpes de suerte para mi gusto.
En cuanto a la habilidad del escritor la tensión traspasa el libro. Logró hacerme sentir ahogada en varios momentos, con las pulsaciones aceleradas queriendo saber que pasaba mientras mi mente se trasladaba a estos escenarios de explosiones, hundimientos y tiroteos. Me sentí dentro de una película de acción de Tom Cruise, al estilo de Misión Imposible. La tensión crece con cada capítulo.
Es el tercero de una serie pero pueden leerse de manera independiente
March 1, 2022
To say I was disappointed with the first two entries in this new Oregon series (Golden Buddha and Sacred Stone) would be an understatement. I couldn't believe how a brilliant writer like Cussler could have come up with those. Both were a confusing mess of storylines coupled with a bloated cast of characters that made deciphering what was supposed to be happening a genuine chore. With that track record, I was a little nervous about picking this up.
Thankfully, things have turned around. I don't know if it was replacing Craig Dirgo with Jack Du Brul as a co-author, or Cussler just taking a while to get a grip on these new characters, but this book is light years better then the previous ones. The best change was omitting the character of Richard Truitt entirely (a very bland and forgettable guy who inexplicably got a lot of page time in the previous novels) and tightening up the focus on the 10 or so main Oregon characters. Much like Star Trek, you don't need to include every character on the ship in the story - focus on the control room, engineering, and medical and have the rest just be disposable red shirts. The story has a lot of moving parts but it's done in such a way as to still be easy to follow.
These are stand alone novels, so for any new reader I suggest starting here with this series and ignoring the first two books completely. It's much more enjoyable
Thankfully, things have turned around. I don't know if it was replacing Craig Dirgo with Jack Du Brul as a co-author, or Cussler just taking a while to get a grip on these new characters, but this book is light years better then the previous ones. The best change was omitting the character of Richard Truitt entirely (a very bland and forgettable guy who inexplicably got a lot of page time in the previous novels) and tightening up the focus on the 10 or so main Oregon characters. Much like Star Trek, you don't need to include every character on the ship in the story - focus on the control room, engineering, and medical and have the rest just be disposable red shirts. The story has a lot of moving parts but it's done in such a way as to still be easy to follow.
These are stand alone novels, so for any new reader I suggest starting here with this series and ignoring the first two books completely. It's much more enjoyable
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