WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is one of my favorite Cussler books.I love this story.The colony on the moon,the Prosperteer,Foss Gly's second appearance,the 57 Chevy,THE BATHTUB!!!.And Dirk's first turn at being a treasure hunter.
This is a fast paced well written story that jumps from one amazing scenario to the next without letting you catch your breath.In my mind it is the best book from the middle period.It would make an awesome movie.
I give it a solid 10 out of 10

Also one of my favorite novels, I enjoyed the book on many levels. One of the interesting things I liked about the story was the parts about the ship Cyclops. The ship actually dissapeared in the famous "Bermuda Triangle", though Clive didn't really touch on this fact in his story.
The story had some far-fetched elements, the Jersey Colony being the biggest. But Clive brought it together believably and with his flair for the dramatic. If I were to rate, it would get the coveted 10.

Here's where I get my time on the dartboard.
(some spoilers)

Cyclops was the first Cussler novel I picked up in hardcover, and perhaps for that reason, I felt a distinct disappointment after finishing it. Time and several subsequent rereadings have softened this opinion quite a bit, but there are still some things about this one that bug me. So, applying the same logic that I have used throughout this review process, we start with the score of perfect 10, and deduct .5 for first impressions.

I thought it was odd that Pitt's first appearance in this one is as a participant in a sailboard race. Why didn't we know about this hobby? And why haven't we heard about it since? He wasn't trying it out on a lark, he was competing, and that bespeaks a level of interest that deserves further review. -1/2 point.

I didn't like Jessie LeBaron, and coming on the heels of Deep Six and another very satisfying appearance of Loren Smith, Jessie felt like so much window dressing. Add to the fact that she always came across as rather b--chy, too old for Pitt, and the fact that when he finally decided to nail her, it was in a ditch...well, that costs a whole point.

I loved the Jersey colony and loved the audacious plot twist of rearranging Havana, so I'll give back 1/2 a point, but offsetting that is the shuttle Gettysburg...that's not a name you'd ever see on a spacecraft administered by a civilian agency (NASA) and in my book that's a big gaff.

And while I liked the bathtub, I'm sick of seeing it in Dirk's museum. -.5.

Final tally: 7.5

I also really enjoyed this book. I can agree, though, that something about Jessie LaBaron's character didn't sit well with me. The bathtub scene worked well enough because, well, it's Dirk Pitt... and the Jersey Colony scene was masterfully written. I also like the books in which Clive utilizes a special forces group of some kind.

I too like this book. Yes, Jessie is a bit of a b***h but who isn't at times. The bathtub should be in Dirk's collection. It was part of one of his adventures. People keep the darnest things. I love the Jersey Colony. Maybe it can be revieved in a future book. th:

I've thought about that before that the Colony could be a great plot point in another Cussler novel...perhaps an Austin adventure.

This book has many elements and levels that this could be considered an epitome of all of Dr. C's books and i loved it when i read it. It gets a 10 out of 10 rating from me. :) p:

I've always said if I HAD to choose a novel that was my least favourite that it would be Dragon (I think because the end was a let down... for me :blink: ) However really thinking about it I must apologise to Dragon as I'd have to let Cyclops have that honour, maybe because it was the last of the DP series that I had read and compared to the others it didn't seem 'that great' I had heard so much about the 'bathtub' but when reading it I didn't get the big deal, sure it was cool how it was done but I think there have been better creations/ escapes b:

But I think I'm going to read it again and pay closer attention this time, maybe I didn't get into it enough!

I'll give it a hmmm 6 or 7 :unsure:

It gets a 9/10 from me the bathtub part was fanatastic. I still laugh every time its mentioned in dirk's hangar.

Clive Cussler really was busy weaving plots together in this one. Cyclops gets a 9.5. I still get teary eyed when Pitt shows up singing with the kids.

This one wasn't one of my favorites - good but not great.

General Velikov was a worthy villian, IMHO. Since he survived the Havana bomb blast, it would have been nice to see him return in another book. Alas, the Soviet Union fell and it no longer was cool to have Soviet enemies...

Foss Gly didn't fit. His appearance was unexplained, and his character had morphed from a resourceful assassin to a "brooding guy" in a red - painted room. Remember Foss Gly's quote from Night Probe: "Why get cozy with the Reds? Once they get their hooks in you, they never let loose." So, I have always wondered, why did Foss Gly get "cozy with the Reds?"

The Jersey Colony subplot was well done and believable. President Margolin's character seemed consistent with Deep Six. Ira Hagen was a likeable character that reminded me of Sal Casio.

The finest scene in the book IMHO was not the tub but rather the chase in the '57 Chevy. CC's descriptions of Herberto Figueroa's car were outstanding!! (Although in real life a 7 liter Zil would have trounced the 283 ci Chevy...)

A minor quibble was that after Jessie's rude treatment of DP, he never really got much payback other than telling her "you needn't contact me again."

The ship chase at the end was well done. Overall, this was a well done book, but not as well as Sahara or Atlantis Found.

Definetly a 10. The moon colony, bathtub, explosion in Havana, the Gettysburg landing, all make for a great story. th:

My favorite scene was the battle on the moon!! It was well done!!

Cyclops is one of the top 3 Cussler novels. Excellent character development from the very beginning. Classic Cussler. Cyclops, Vixen, Nightprobe, and Iceburg are my favorites.

Cyclops was great in that there were so many memorable scenes. The Prosperteer going down with Pitt and the Gang inside, the treatment as POW's, the escape in the tub, the fight on the moon, the sneaking back into Cuba by Pitt, laying LeBaron in the pipe, Ha!, and the wave overtaking Havana, not to mention Pitt and the kids and his encounter with Castro. Great story, adventure at its absolute best. Cyclops earns a well deserved 9.5 in my book.

Great book. Although it isn't my favourite, i still enjoyed reading it. 8 out of 10.

An excellent experience by Clive Cussler. Great stories and connections. Dirk is super in this book but there is not much for Giordino. Also the moon stuff was interesting. One thing that i didn't like so much is Foss Gly. I looked for ''Gly in Night Probe'' but i couldn't find him. This character deserves a better end. Except this, it is a great novel. One of the bests...(Sorry about the Iceberg thing)

yike: yike: yike:

Starting this book after having abandoned it 10 years ago. I had just read 1-7 of Dirks books. I had apx half to 2/3rds through.

Now after watching Sahara have gotten excited about Dirk again. It is even fresher, and better then it was before. Currently there is much pleasent deja vu.

Just finished Cyclops after 10 years. Read up to where Jesse and Dirk sleep in a culvert in Cuba. Now reread and finished. Dirk Pitt revealed, and more effort on my part to remember the characters made for a very enjoyable read.

Sorry you didn't quite like the book MrKABC, but I guess you can't please everyone. There were so many parts that were heart wrenching that it was a good book. 10 is a good number for it. :lol: Jesse did need to be put in her place after being so rude to Pitt. I guess being laid in a ditch serves you right. th:

i haven't read all the dirk pitt books. but having started with dragon in high school, then not returning until recently, with vahalla rising, then raise the titanic, sahara, atlantis found, med caper, and now having finished cyclops ...

i have to say it is one of cussler's best! the pacing is great. the sublot with the presidential private eye tracking down the jersey colony guys was very cool and added a lot to the book. jersey colony itself was a great idea. the end with the shuttle coming in, really kept me on the edge of my seat - you could feel the pressure. although al didn't have as much to do in others, pitt was in top form. i love al, but think pitt is the star of the series and so al being mor ein the background didn't bother me too much. he was true to character and served his purpose in the book. one might quibble with a few things, but overall, i think the book was well-rounded, hit all the right buttons, and was one of cussler's best! in fact, i'm surprised it isn't on the top of more people's lists.

numa77

Cyclops just made my top 3 (in no. 3 behind Sahara and Night Probe).

I didn't like Foss Gly's appearance. I felt like it was totally uneccessary and useless. Foss could have easily been replaced by an unknown "bad guy" and still would have had the same affect. He didn't take much of a part in the story at all. Bad choice to include him in this book, and yes he deserved a better part and more fitting end.

Not sure why CC inluded a "real" figure in this book. The Castros although took part of the story, could have been replaced by fictional characters, just like all the other fiction leaders of other nations.

Having read all the Dirk Pitt books after this one, I finally got the bathtup reference. I enjoyed reading this part, no matter how believable (or unbelievable) it is.

Jessie was annoying. She could have been a younger and better played out.

Al needed a bigger part. But I guess from here on he does.

The ending came at a surprise. Didnt expect "them" to go off, I was expecting the hero saves the day scenario.

I enjoyed the Jersey Colony and and its tie-in with the event in Cuba. The first "real" sci-fi reference in the DP series (that I can remember).

9/10

I loved the book. It's one of my favorites without a doubt.
I think Cussler brought Gly back because in Night Probe he got away with his evil deeds. He doesn't normally let the bad guy get away, so he may have decided to fix that (i don't know for sure. This is pure conjecture. I'm no mind reader). <_<
As for first sci-fi- I think Deep Six gets that honor.
My biggest complaint was Jessie LeBaron. Jessie was beyond annoying. Most of Cussler's female leads are great characters are great, but I truly disliked Jessie's character.

Just finished this one, and it shoved its way to the #1 favorite spot (thus far at least). There was just so much fantastic stuff in it. So where to begin...

First, I thought this book had one of the better non-Pitt plots. Generally when Dirk and Al are not on-page, I find myself snoozing through the chapters. Not so with CYCLOPS. The Jersey Colony was a fantastic idea, and I got a big kick out of Ira Hagen, who despite being described by everyone as "that fat guy" kicked almost as much tail as Pitt. In addition, the scene on the moon with the Soviet soldiers and the poorly armed Astronauts almost gave me chillbumps. I could picture that scene perfectly in my mind.

Secondly, I enjoyed the comedic moments, such as Pitt arriving at Jessie's party in the giant Daimler, or Giordino and Gunn making jokes about Pitt sleeping aboard the Prosperteer.

Third, fantastic action. I loved the Pitt/Gly fight in the end, in which roughly an entire study was destroyed, and the battle aboard the Prosperteer was also good. Though I must wonder whether or not the real NUMA takes rocket launchers with them everywhere.

Finally, for some reason I enjoyed chapter 80 almost as much as the entire rest of the book. Something about the action ending, and Pitt getting right back to work was quite enjoyable. Not to mention finding sunken treasure...every fellow's dream.

Now, on to ATLANTIS FOUND.

one of my fab CC books

like so much the story.......the jersey colony, the mistery of the dorada and the prosperteer, the spystory with usa/urss/cuba........
and for me (i arrived at treasure) Cyclops has the best introduction
i like also the character of Ira Hagen

the only thing that i dislike it's the re-apparence of Foss Gly
i found it a little forced.........in Cyclops Foss Gly doesn't has the same "power" of Night Probe
here it's only a bad guy that torture people.......

i give it a 9

greetings from italy
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