Deep Fire Rising (Philip Mercer)

By far the best of the Mercer series. This book is a change of pace for DuBrul, and a welcome one. Still action packed and fast paced; the story itself evolves into the storied Phoenix, as life and death come together as one. I enjoyed the character of Tisa, her mysteriousness folds around the story as it does with Mercer. There's not enough Harry and his cane, but it still deserves 5 stars. I couldn't help but equate the character "Luc", with Jordan's Wheel of Time, but alas another horrifying death to Mercer's credit. The ending should be mentioned because of its power. Is it abrupt? Yes. Does it fit with the story? Definitely. I do wonder if Mercer gets his watch back though. What time is it? It's time for another Mercer adventure. Enjoy.

Tired of the same old plots with the same old characters? Well, my friends Phillip Mercer is the perfect fix for all us action/thriller junkies. Mercer has taken over! More over Jack Ryan, Dirk Pitt, and Kurt Austin! There's a new hero on the block! He's kicking tail and taking names. Once again Jack DuBrul has raised the bar, kicked it into high gear, and let it all hang out. Enjoyed every page!! Keep 'em coming Jack!

I don't CARE what ANYONE says, Du Brul is DA MAN! For years I spent a lot of time and wasted energy finding someone, anyone who could compete with Clive Cussler as far as sheer action and adventure was concerned, and after reading a great deal of pure drivel, I finally attempted Du Brul's first novel, 'Vulcan's Forge' and it was obvious from virtually the first page that I had finally found Cussler's heir apparent. Since Clive has been slipping in his writing over the past few years, Du Brul has managed to improve and thus, surpass the Grand Master of adventure fiction. I KNEW it was going to happen, I just thought it would take a bit longer. The latest result from this talented author is 'Deep Fire Rising'.What if a group of people could accurately predict major world catastrophe's well in advance of their happening? Would it be wise to share this knowledge with the world? If this ability was possible, countless lives could be spared if they were to know of impending disasters before they happened, right? Would anyone actually listen to the warnings? Maybe not at first, but eventually the world would figure out that the accuracy of these warnings were too correct to ignore...right? That is just part of the story that Du Brul has fashioned for us. Another thread has to do with our geologist-hero, Phillip Mercer and his special talent for being in the right place at the right time to help avert tremendous, sometimes world-altering events. Phillip is called to oversee an excavation underneath the highly classified Area 51 only to discover something under the earth that by all rights should NOT be there. The entire project is sabotaged by an amazing bad guy that Du Brul paints with a great deal of tongue-in-cheek humor, and forces us to look forward to the eventual confrontation with Mercer later on when he receives his due. After a very creative fire-fight at the incredible Luxor Hotel on the Vegas Strip (seriously, Kudos to Du Brul, this was one shoot-em-up I would LOVE to see on the big screen) Mercer finds himself inheriting the horrific news that a disaster is soon to happen -- one that will have global consequences if it cannot be stopped. The problem is that Phillip only knows SOME of the information, what he needs desperately is the exact date, and the only way to find this out is to penetrate a hidden complex deep in the mountains of Tibet. Along the way Mercer also finds some romance (I'd be disappointed if he hadn't...) and pulls off another last-minute nail-biter of a near-disaster. Let's face it: there was NEVER any doubt that the outcome would be a favorable one, but its the JOURNEY along the way that makes Du Brul's novels worthwhile. Some have loved this tale and some have been horribly upset with it, but I for one continue to hold Jack in the highest regard for his literary talent. Another Triumph for Mercer and Du Brul, and as far as I'm concerned, the reader as well. Simply FUN.

I read this right after reading Dan Brown's DECEPTION POINT and, while it doesn't have the pure adrenaline rush of that novel, this is still one helluva thriller. The ingenious plot has an obscure order of monks who are able to predict when cataclysmic geological events will occur, only they are split between keeping it a secret and using it for their own gain. Geologist Philip Mercer finds himself caught in the middle, and soon finds himself racing against the clock to prevent a geological disaster that could cost the lives of tens of millions of people. Though an intriguing plotline is dropped early on, and there are questions as to how a certain device could have been invented and constructed, these are only minor complaints. In a thick book filled with cutting-edge science and jaw-dropping action scenes, my favorites have to be Mercer's underground discovery at Area 51 and a scene on a ferry halfway through the book. DuBrul is one more name to add to my must-read list.

I have been a fan of Jack since his first book. (I am also a Fan of Cussler's work) After six books I know more of who Mercer is. I feel I know what is going on in Mercer's mind (with Cussler's Dirk Pitt, I know what he has done but not who he is) This book shows another aspect of Mercer's life, what is going on in his heart. His knowledge of his craft is uncanny. I don't like comparing Dirk Pitt to Mercer. What they do is so similar. Pitt has so much reference material at hand. You don't find him seeking information on his own. He calls on others friendship to help. Mercer has done that in some of the earler books, but his knowledge has grown.