Clive Cussler fans ??????

[Ivan]

I stopped reading "Clive Cussler" novels when the quotes became necessary. I tend to find more than a few details wrong in the later novels. More recently I have been reading novels by Harlan Coben. It isn't quite "adventure" but the stories are pretty good. He gets some details wrong about firearms, but I just let it slide because they aren't crucial to the stories.

These days, I read mostly tech manuals.
- Ivan.

[glh]

I admit I am the worst at spelling that's why I usualy use a spell check but I was trying to make a subtle point and I hope you know it was only in jest. But if your upset I will call in help from Dirk, Juan and Kurt and if things get in dire straights I'm sure Clive will show up with a little assistance.

Paul:

I read your original post and I must admit the subtlety escaped me also. I am accustomed to seeing persons on a message board who indicate sarcasm or attempting to be subtle with a:

1. :=) -- Smiley face at the end. What I said was in jest.
2. -- I'm grinning. Again, what I said was in jest.
3. (Sarcasm on/off) -- Everything in-between was sarcasm.

This way, the reader knows that no offense is really intended.

[Firekitten]

Proofing mistakes happen... fact of the game. Oddly enough, even after you get the work sent off... get it back proofed, re-read the edit, and approve it, you still miss 10-20 muckup. Its why its a repeated cycle.

I've read some of his later works, with his son and Jack, and I do like them. Inaccuracies are part of fiction. People don't expect liberties to be taken, when full factual descriptions of technical subjects of interest to the reader in question would probably ruin the flow. Some authors, just don't know airplanes/ships/Grumman Ducks (Oh matron), and as such pick a 'likely' one to do a job. Read in the wider context of the scene, it makes little odds.

On the Titanic subject, Clive is a shipwreck expert, and founder of the real world NUMA (a charity that found the Lusitania). To theorise that the boilers would break free and behave in the way they did, thus providing a clue to the location is a fairly logical leap in wreck detective work. He's definitely a smart cookie.

Hated the 'Raise the Titanic' film, loved the book... Oddly, I loved the Sahara movie AND the book... even though the former took one or two liberties and glossed over Cussler's more... adult content. The battle at the fort... that was epically conceived.

I cannot confirm or deny that I have or have not possibly possibly not made one or two NUMA paintjobs for various aircraft :P

[Ivan]

Regarding the boilers on the Titanic....

During the actual sinking, the hull apparently broke apart at the surface.

The premise of the Cussler book was that it was possible to raise the wreckage. How intact did the book describe the wreckage? In other words, I thought the hull was nearly intact, and if so, how does a boiler pop out?

I HAVE read this novel, but it has been so long that I don't remember the details. When the exploration of the real Titanic was conducted, I pretty much forgot the book account.

- Ivan.

[cheezyflier]

well, i never eat taco bell, EVER. that's one thing. and besides, even if i did ride a bicycle while i was there, it would only be for a few days.

[Paul Domingue]

Paul:

I read your original post and I must admit the subtlety escaped me also. I am accustomed to seeing persons on a message board who indicate sarcasm or attempting to be subtle with a:

1. :=) -- Smiley face at the end. What I said was in jest.
2. -- I'm grinning. Again, what I said was in jest.
3. (Sarcasm on/off) -- Everything in-between was sarcasm.

This way, the reader knows that no offense is really intended.

Your correct GLH that it can be difficult at times to read a persons true meaning in a text message without the use of smiley faces but I have never really cared for them coming from an older school. I try not to offend anyone when I write and will be quick to apologize if I do so out of misunderstanding. I avoid any forum thread I see as confrontational but I just had to jump into this one (not that it was confrontational). I just wont let anybody mess with my Clive Cussler.


I sometimes wounder how people communicated what they thought and felt over great distances when the only form of communication available was the written word and possibly months before the recipient received it, as it was in the18^th century. I read a lot of history.


Paul

[Firekitten]

Regarding the boilers on the Titanic....

During the actual sinking, the hull apparently broke apart at the surface.

The premise of the Cussler book was that it was possible to raise the wreckage. How intact did the book describe the wreckage? In other words, I thought the hull was nearly intact, and if so, how does a boiler pop out?

I HAVE read this novel, but it has been so long that I don't remember the details. When the exploration of the real Titanic was conducted, I pretty much forgot the book account.

- Ivan.

Now lets remember Cussler's book was years before the real discovery... so theoretical.

he theorized that she sank intact... well, no, not theorized... 'modified history' to suit a book about raising her. The breakup was documented fact. Pretty pointless raising two halves of the ship.

Anyway... as the ship descended, the boilers would have apparently ripped loose of their mounts, and barred through bulkheads towards the lowest point, before bursting from the bow.... the sudden weight loss would have created a shift in direction pulling her further away from her sinking location... lnteresting enough adaptation with physics to back it up... if she'd stayed in one piece, it might have gone down that way.

[gradyhappyg]

But seriously folks.
Sorta.
Never have read any of Clive's work.
Lately been reading a lot of Carl Hiaason and Jeff Shaara.
But authors do make mistakes I don't write that much and I goof quite often.
I tend to blame the editors it's their job to catch the goofs.

[luckydog]

After I finish this one (The Kingdom), I'm going to re-read a Victorian era book called The Pearl for the 500th time........

[Firekitten]

But seriously folks.
Sorta.
Never have read any of Clive's work.
Lately been reading a lot of Carl Hiaason and Jeff Shaara.
But authors do make mistakes I don't write that much and I goof quite often.
I tend to blame the editors it's their job to catch the goofs.

While itd your book, and you're job to find and fix mistakes... the editors are paid to catch what you miss... Which makes it their fault (Im sticking to that story your honor)

Technical errors like this one or two, will never get caught by editors... who probably in all likelyhood have less technical knowlage on the field than the author.... and as such, would never know the difference.

[b52bob]

I also abhor blatent errors. I remember the first page of a novel which now escapes me where a pilot of an F-4 lands at Da Nang and "...selects reverse thrust".

Never got past page 1.

[Terry]

After I finish this one (The Kingdom), I'm going to re-read a Victorian era book called The Pearl for the 500th time........

Baaaaad dog!!! That will give you a big knot.

[luckydog]

Baaaaad dog!!! That will give you a big knot.

Perhaps........

but no complaints about "technical errors" .

[Bone]

I've read everything that has his name on it, and I'm curently half way through 'The Kingdom'. He boo boo's every so often, but I forgive him (and his co-witers).

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

Isn't that the turboprop conversion for the super duper piper cub he's referring to?

-Ed-