Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 5/9 - Cuss

While working at the Commodity Exchange I was always interested in what the personnel were reading on their long commutes from Jersey and Long Island. At one point a lot of males were carrying thrillers by Clive Cussler. When there were two copies of Valhalla Rising among recent donations, I set aside one for future perusal. I just finished it. I'm disappointed, especially after its strong beginning. It is too outlandish for my tastes, over-written, a little too technical, and the dialogue frequently does not ring true. Its chief asset is imagination. The novel incorporates a bit of fantasy, sci-fi and myth. It reads like a second tier modern action film, pure escapism, enjoyment dependent on suspension of belief. It even has Hollywood's favorite villains, corporate heads, at the heart of the dastardly plot. It is the 16th in a series that casts Dirk Pitt as the hero. He saves about a total of a million lives in four specific spectacular events. He also uncovers ancient artifacts. Cussler even creates a character who solves the planet’s thirst for oil, and who uses teleportation to deliver it! Beam me up, Scotty. The works of Jules Verne were a major influence on the novel. I expect Cussler, who was born in Illinois, not the UK, as his first name suggests, is a fascinating raconteur. Before becoming a writer, he produced radio and TV ads, winning several awards. He has written more than 50 books, all but four fiction. At least 17 have cracked the NY Times Best Sellers list. He founded the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), which figures heavily in Valhalla Rising. In fact, Cussler appears briefly as a character himself, which I found most amusing. In the real world the organization has discovered 60 shipwrecks. Cussler seems one of the most fascinating people on earth. Alas, I prefer novels grounded in realism, so I rate Valhalla Rising only 2.5 on a scale of five. He can laugh at me all the way to the bank. The back cover of the Berkley paperback shows him leaning against the first antique car in a long row of them. (Facts culled from Wiki)

For the second straight time, the assignment of accompanying a handicapped friend on a medical visit fell on a rainy morning. By the time we arrived home in mid afternoon, the sun was shining, but I didn't have the oomph to set up the floating book shop. After two straight days on the shelf, I look forward to tomorrow's session.
Vic's Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3