Even though this is the fifteenth book in the Kirk McGarvey series, you can safely jump in for a thrill ride. Nobel Prize winner Eve Larsen believes she has the solution to the world’s energy problems and a remedy for climate change. But interests who have bet billions on a continuing oil-based economy seek to stop her. Kirk McGarvey–James Bond without the glitz–sees the implications of Eve Larsen’s solution and tries to protect her from the assassin that stalks her. There’s an attempt to cause a Florida nuclear power planet to melt down, an invasion of an oil platform in the Gulf, and plenty of violence in-between. If you’re looking for a non-stop thriller, David Hagberg’s Abyss will keep the pages turning. GRADE: B
Don’t you wonder how many times, an inventor with an idea for an alternate fuel source has been bought off or worse?
There are urban legends about cheap alternate fuels being surpressed by Big Oil, Patti. The concept in ABYSS, harnessing the Gulf Stream, was a new one for me.
Now see, I didn’t even know Hagberg wrote a series.
He’ll always have a place in my heart (as I’m sure Bill Crider would concur) for his classic CROC (written as by David James). I still remember when Bill and I approached him at a Bouchercon to praise the book lavishly and get him to sign copies. At first he was taken aback. I think he thought we were joking. But when he saw we were (sort of) serious he was very gracious.
Hagberg also wrote some nice paperback thrillers as “Sean Flannery,” Jeff. CROC is a classic!
Croc.
“In the tradition of NIGHT OF THE CRABS”… – as Bill said at the time, what a great tradition.
I saw the movie some time back, but don’t remember this plot, it took place mostly under the sea.
I think you’re confusing this with THE ABYSS, Rick. That was a 1989 James Cameron SF movie.
I would probably give this more like a C – I though it was way too long. But I don’t read 6 billion words a minute like you do, George, so books that take too much time to read I tend to give lower grades, like the Willis duo.
You’re right about the plot taking its time, Stan. Plenty of pages devoted to setting up the assassination attempt, more pages on the mock-up of the oil platform. A good editor could have cut 100 pages and made ABYSS a better book. But we all know that editors are mythical creatures in these dark days of publishing.
I might skip ABYSS, which sounds long-winded and bloated. This CROC though, with the giant reptile in the tunnels sounds like something I’d wanna read. Many of those Belmont/Towers books were a lot of fun.
George, concerning a totally different author, the latest issue of the New Yorker has a quite interesting article on Simenon, a writer whom I believe you’re fond of.
Thanks for the heads-up on Simenon, Drongo. I consider him one of the great writers of the 20th Century. ABYSS, like most thrillers today, suffer from excess length due to little or no editing. CROC is a classic. No bloat in that book!