WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the best Cussler book since Atlantis Found.
Pitt,Austin or Cabrillo.
Period.
End of story.

It starts out with a bang and keeps getting better.I had a hard time putting it down.I think Clive and Paul have finally found a winning formula,what they started with Lost City works so much better in Polar Shift.One annoying feature though is the authors tendency to foreshadow coming events.But it's a very small quibble that belongs in every Numa Files book and not just this one.
Great,strongly written leading lady.An old friend from the past.And a wonderful cameo appearance.The villians were the best written so far.Loved the tattoo ;) Would like to see more of it in future books and more of the *old friend* as well.They would both be worthy additions to the stories.Top notch well written action scenes and the dialog never seems to bog the book down as it's done in the past.

10/10 for me.

Well I am going to have to say that this is probably one of my least favorite Cussler books. I think that Kemprecos wrote all of this book with Clive making very few changes and it shows.















---------------spoilers below-------------






Edit: Dont get me wrong I loved the book, but I am just comparing it to previous books, knowing I have read every Cussler book at least once this year.


This book fizzled. There was an utter lack of action comparatively. I was especially dissapointed with the ending. It was missing all the elements of a good Cussler book. The witty banter of Pitt/Austin as they tear apart the bad guys plans and throw it in their face. The satisfaction of watching the bad guy die. Yeah so the ship is caught in a large water spout. Austin gets no face-to-face time with Gant to really tell him how he foiled the plan.

- The mini-mammoths and silver city were just kinda thrown in
- The plane was kinda lame. I have serious doubts if that was even close to believable, low on the list of good solutions
- I just think the storyline could have been executed better


for Cussler books 4/10, generally 8/10

I really look forward to Cussler/Du Brul. Du Brul's books are very good and his style will appeal to all Cussler fans.

Two different opinions...now who to believe? I guess I'll have to read it myself to find out!! :lol:

I didn’t really like Polar Shift. It just didn’t seem up to par with his other books. The plot was sort of believable and the science wasn’t fully explained. Some characters that could have had potential didn’t. The whole deal with the plane was just weird. The dialogue was poor – it didn’t have a good flow, was very basic. I also found a few typos in the story.

Giordino13, you only have to believe yourself after you read the book. I kind of go along with both posts. There are good points and bad points to the book. Each reader has to decide for themselves what they think about it. :lol: det:

I liked Polar Shift. I'd have to say that all of the Cussler books are quite formulaic- they all have the same structure that I've come to know and love. I'm in it for the ride everytime. I really enjoy the Kurt Austin books, I like the group dynamic with the Trouts and Joe- a little different than the Pitt novels. I'd have to say each Numa files I read is my favourite, each time I read it.

I almost picked it up yesterday guess I'll have to go get it now to figure this controversy out for myself. :P

It's the only way to go Becca. :lol:

:P Gotta kick in my 2 cents I guess. I thought the storyline was pretty good,and the cast of characters wasn't to bad. My biggest gripe or lack of believability was with the Crystal City and the mamoths. I know that in a book alot of strange thing can happen but that was REALLY pushing the envelope. Uncle Karl came accross as the only typical cussler character in a supporting role. :P All told, it was a good read though.

Probably the second best book in the Numa Files, which isn't saying too much. :P

***************SPOILERS************ (as if it hasn't already been spoiled)


While I found myself engaged in the story and looking forward to reading it every night, it lacked the usual pop and sizzle of other Cussler books. I found it to be utterly predictable, and the only suspense was waiting to find out how what you knew was going to happen finally played out. It always seemed like the characters were figuring things out like five minutes after the reader. "Look, elephants!" Hello, they're mammoths! :lol:

*I LOVED the return of Petrov, he's such a great character.

*The mammoths and crystal city needed to be explained more.

*Gant and Margrave were ok villians, but not quite the ruthless supervillians we've come to expect.

*I actually really liked Spider Barrett's character and found him to be relateable and believable. Austin's job of keeping Barrett from slipping into a guilt spiral was also believable.

*Kovac's poem/code for the frequency was NOT believable at all, no freakin' way they break that thing the way they did.

*The prologue with Kovac's escape with Karl's help was also good.

*Karla wanting to explore the cave instead of letting Karl set up his ambush was frustrating. Kill the bad guys who are out to get you first, then explore the caves. Karl had an assault rifle!

*I liked that Austin and Karla didn't have the opportunity to date during the book until the end. That was also refreshing.

*Haven't we already had a book about a polar shift? Wasn't that the premise of Atlantis Found?

*Oh, I can't leave out Kurt's conversation with his father...Kurt Austin Sr.!!!!! I couldn't believe it. I don't remember if his name had been mentioned in previous books, but I remember thinking the whole time during the conversation what a lame and unfortunate set of labels. For one chapter we switch from "Austin said" meaning our main character to "Austin said" meaning his father. Grr. Ah well.

*I also didn't like the attack on Kurt and Karla during the Civil War re-enactment. It felt too much like the dogsled chase in White Death. Why would the badguys attack someone in broad daylight with hundreds or thousands of spectators around. They can't possibly be that dumb.

*Overall, a pretty linear ride, a good read, but lacking the usual suspense and excitement on a whole. Individual scenes were good/suspenseful, but not page 1 to the end.

Sheesh, lots of bullets there...sorry. det:

With all that said, Paul has finally settled into a good writing style and the characters have found themselves over the past few books. Definitely looking forward to the Navigator, especially because I've now read every Cussler book I own (with the exception of my signed Treasure of Kahn). I need to go get Skeleton Coast now too.

yay the paperback is out

Yep, saw it on Saturday at Dymocks, PLB. Didn't make it to Kmart, Target or Woolies to pick it up cheaper though!

beer:

Andy

I liked it. I didn't think it was as action packed as lost city or any other of Dr C's books but I still enjoyed it. I was extreemly tired and or intoxicated while reading it but I still enjoyed it!!! I liked it (I'm tired now) it was worth the wait!! :) snor:

this is the first Clive cussler book i read. Now i am totally hooked to his stories. The story was amazing but there were some far fetched stuffs...about the wooly mammoth and even after reading the book twice i didn't understand how Barrett got the antidote..
otherwise speaking its a nice read and highly recommendable.

This is my first Kurt Austin book. For years I have shunned the idea of trying out the "Numa Files" books because I was afraid that I would find that Kurt/Joe were cheap imitations of Pitt/Giordino and IMHO no one is better!

Well, my fears were realized. This book sucked. Not entirely, but it sucked.

I liked the part set in 1944, I liked the premise, and the book started off well.

From there, things went downhill. I won't write spoilers, but will simply say that the ending was completely a letdown, Kurt is a cheap Dirk Pitt imitation and doesn't play well, the chase scene was utterly contrived, and the improbabilities and suspension of disbelief became harder and harder to bear.

So I am unhappy to report that my initial fears of Kurt/Joe were vindicated!

Instead of wasting your time with this garbage, go buy "The Chase" - now THAT book was a winner and you will be much happier.