By definition, a typhoon is a mature, tropical cyclone. It is a force of nature. In TYPHOON FURY, the latest thriller/adventure by Clive Cussler and Boyd Morrison, the typhoon takes on many roles. First off, the threat of a major typhoon makes the final act of this novel that much more fun to read. “Typhoon” is also the term given to the much sought-after drug at the heart of the book.

The way Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon go after their mission is sort of like a force of nature itself. We were fortunate to have spent time with them in the prior Oregon Files volumes: PIRANHA and THE EMPEROR'S REVENGE. The combination of Cussler and Morrison have really struck gold with these characters as they are so well developed you want to spend time with them and will become forlorn once the book ends --- at least until their next adventure.

Project Typhoon was the military name given to the drug developed by the Morale Division in World War II. The rumor that it may still exist is the driving force of TYPHOON FURY, especially when it becomes known that those who possess it may be capable of creating a league of super soldiers that would be all but unstoppable. Cabrillo and the Oregon crew are assigned the mission of finding the alleged hidden cache of Typhoon before some really bad guys can get their hands on it.

In this case, the bad guys are numerous, and at one point there are actually three factions vying for Typhoon. An Asian drug lord named Udom becomes the gateway to another individual far more dangerous. Salvador Locsin is a militant leader of an insurgent communist group based in the Philippines. He sees Typhoon as a way of turning the tide in his battle for Communist control of Asia and the world beyond. They are a formidable bunch of foes for Cabrillo and company. In fact, Cabrillo and his crew are so vital to this and every mission that they have been chipped by the government as a form of GPS among other things. It gives you a real Jason Bourne feel!

"If you find that you are a little lightheaded by the end of TYPHOON FURY, it is due primarily to the realization that you may have been holding your breath through most of the unbearable and terribly enjoyable suspense created by these top-notch authors."

TYPHOON FURY is a multi-faceted, deeply layered story with many intriguing plotlines weaving through it. A woman named Beth Anders, accompanied by her female bodyguard, Raven, uses her expertise of the fine art world to infiltrate Udom and his group. When Anders is uncovered and kidnapped by Locsin, Cabrillo and his crew are tasked with getting her back safe and sound. They may have different styles and strengths, but Cabrillo and Anders are both playing for the same team.

The setting for most of the action is Asia, especially due to the fact that Typhoon is alleged to be in an underground bunker created by the Japanese during WWII. The location appears to be Negros Island, and this is where the pursuers of the drug will eventually converge. Cabrillo and his crew are all in, and are dedicating the mission to their fallen colleague, Mike Trono.

In addition to the Oregon crew and Locsin's communist revolutionaries, we have a team led by the German/South African mercenary, Gerhard Brekker, who has his own agenda for wanting to possess Typhoon. It is almost like some of the major players from WWII are back in play in this modern battle for global supremacy. As the different groups finally come together in the last act, they are met with another force that seeks to upend their plans. This force is known playfully as Mother Nature, and she is taking the form of a massive ocean storm nicknamed Typhoon Hidalgo. Hidalgo is so powerful that it can wipe out anything in its path. The role it plays in this story is that of a wild card, since no one really knows where it will go. For the purpose of necessary suspense, the mere existence of this monster storm severely shortens the time frame available for the players in the deadly Typhoon game to find their cache of hidden treasure and get away in one piece.

A weakness that Cabrillo and his colleagues --- who also can be labeled the “good guys” --- have is their sense of humanity. When Locsin commits an act of utter, bloodthirsty savagery, it becomes apparent that Cabrillo may not be able to do whatever it takes to come out of this mission on top. I won't give anything away here, but this particular evil act calls to mind Christopher Nolan's film, The Dark Knight, and the scene featuring the commuter ferry boats.

Morrison described the collaborative process between himself and Cussler in a straightforward manner. It begins with them getting together at Cussler's Arizona home and spending a few days discussing all the necessary elements of the plot: protagonists, villains, historical perspective, setting, etc. Morrison then does his part, continuing to write at his home in Seattle and sending a hundred pages at a time to Cussler, who then proceeds to work his magic on them and bring everything together in a cohesive and exciting way.

The end result is a pile driver of an action thriller that continues to ramp up the intensity page by page to nearly unbearable levels. Readers of both Cussler’s and Morrison’s work will be able to identify their specific styles throughout the novel. Separately, they are terrific writers; together, they become the unstoppable force of nature that drives this story straight through to the fantastic finale. If you find that you are a little lightheaded by the end of TYPHOON FURY, it is due primarily to the realization that you may have been holding your breath through most of the unbearable and terribly enjoyable suspense created by these top-notch authors.