Standard Cussler thriller. ( )

Another well-written book by Clive Cussler. I thoroughly enjoyed the two storylines and how they came together at the end. I was captivated by both episodes and loved how each team got out of some terrible situations. I also enjoy the historical facts that the author shares with readers in all his books. Highly recommended. ( )

This is certainly one of the best recent Dirk Pitt adventures. The action was nonstop. The characters are believable and intriguing in different ways. The plot was multifaceted and starred all of Cussler's familiar regulars including Dirk Pitt, Sr., Al Giordino, Pitt Jr., daughter Summer, wife Loren, and other NUMA personnel.
The book tied together a plot determined to wipe out the male race using Egyptian medical secrets. The scenery changed frequently and covered El Salvador, Ireland, Egypt, Scotland, and the US.
Highly entertaining for Pitt fans! ( )

A Pharaonic princess flees a plague-filled Egypt with the disease’s cure, a genetically modified version of the plague appears across the globe in the 21st century and the cure appears to be in Ireland. Celtic Empire is the twenty-fifth of the Dirk Pitt series, the eighth co-written by Dirk Cussler and the last by creator Clive Cussler.

In their last collaboration the Cussler’s once again brought together a fun narrative, but the quality especially the antagonists was a bit lacking representing step down from the previous installment. The main antagonist’s execution of deploying her gendercide plan was sound, however how she was able to get the genetically modified virus in the first place with all the males in the laboratory where it was created and how she hid her plan from her own daughter that she sent on missions to further it were problematic. The hint of the Biblical Exodus in the prologue and connecting it with the various versions of Irish/Scottish legends of Queen Scota was interesting, but that ancient subplot was a tad underwhelming compared to previous books. A final annoyance was Dirk Jr. continual “borrowing” of vehicles that he essentially destroys when in chases.

Celtic Empire is the typically average Dirk Pitt book, which given this was Clive Cussler’s last seems about right. ( )

Standard formulistic Cussler adventure story; two converging plots. ( )