Summary and Reviews of Valhalla Rising by Clive Cussler

Valhalla Rising by Clive Cussler

Valhalla Rising

by Clive Cussler
  • Critics' Consensus (3):
  • Readers' Rating (11):
  • First Published:
  • Aug 1, 2001, 544 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jul 2002, 528 pages
  • Rate this book

About This Book

Book Summary

The past and the future collide for Dirk Pitt in the most audacious novel yet from the grandmaster of adventure fiction.

Ancient Legends Collide with the Future. Ancient Evils Rise from the Deep.

The past and the future collide for Dirk Pitt in the most audacious novel yet from the grandmaster of adventure fiction.

"Clive Cussler has no equal," writes Publishers Weekly, and he proved it again with the intricate plotting and astonishing set pieces of his number-one bestselling Atlantis Found. Fans wanted to know how he could possibly top itand the answer is Valhalla Rising.

It is July 2003. In the middle of its maiden voyage, the luxury cruise ship Emerald Dolphin suddenly catches fire and sinks. What caused it? Why didn't the alarms go off? What was its connection to the revolutionary new engines powering the ship? NUMA special projects director Dirk Pitt races to rescue the passengers and investigate the disaster, but he has no idea of the bizarre events that are about to engulf him.

Before the next few weeks are over, Pitt will find himself confronted by an extraordinary series of monsters, both human and mechanical, modern and ancient. He will tread upon territory previously known only to legend. And, at the end of it all, though many lives will be lost, and many saved, it is Pitt's own life that will be changed forever...

Filled with dazzling suspense and breathtaking action, Valhalla Rising is Cussler at the height of his storytelling powers.

Chapter One
June 1035
Somewhere in North America

They moved through the morning mist like ghosts, silent and eerie in phantom ships. Tall, serpentine prows arched gracefully on bow and stern, crowned with intricately carved dragons, teeth bared menacingly in a growl as if their eyes were piercing the vapor in search of victims. Meant to incite fear into the crew's enemies, the dragons were also believed to be protection against the evil spirits that lived in the sea.

The little band of immigrants had come across a hostile sea in long, elegantly shaped black hulls that skimmed the waves with the ease and stability of trout in a peaceful brook. Long oars reached from holes in the hulls and dipped into the dark water, pulling the ships through the waves. Their square red-and-white striped sails hung limp in the listless air. Small lapstrake boats twenty feet long and carrying extra cargo were tied to the sterns and towed behind.

These people were the precursors of...

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $60 for 12 months or $20 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Reviews

Media Reviews

Publishers Weekly
The master of action/adventure fiction strikes oil with this nonstop thriller.... nothing will prepare even longtime Cussler fans for the major surprise he drops at the end.

Booklist
As somewhat of a bonus, a plot twist dropped in during the last few pages hints at a follow-up work. This novel is great fun to read and will prove to be as popular as the rest of the series.

Library Journal
No one will ever mistake Cussler's works for great literature, but they are great fun. For any beach, vacation cabin, or library.

Reader Reviews

Salys

By far Cussler's best!!
Valhalla Rising was my 12th Cussler book in under a year and I must say it was definitely the best. The best part of Dirk Pitt's adventures is that they don't have to be historically accurate in order to be a good story. The shocking twists make the ...   Read More
uber

awesome!!!!!!!!!
Ryon

Great book. This is my first Dirk Pitt novel, and I thought it was fantastic. The surprise at the end was difficult to believe, but I thout it was exiting. I am a 14 year old from Canada, and was deeply entertained.5/5
Nathaniel

Cussler has done it again!!! Now, it's surprising that some people would say, "This book stinks," when this is one of his best books ever. He is soooooo good!!!! I just can't wait for his next book!!

Write your own review!

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $60 for 12 months or $20 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Read-Alikes

Read-Alikes Full readalike results are for members only

If you liked Valhalla Rising, try these:

  • The SIGMA Protocol jacket

    The SIGMA Protocol

    by Robert Ludlum

    Published 2002

    About this book

    More by this author

    Ben and Anna race to uncover the diabolical secrets long hidden behind the code word Sigma, secrets that threaten everything they think they know about themselves, their friends and families, and everything they were ever taught about history itself.

  • The Bear and The Dragon jacket

    The Bear and The Dragon

    by Tom Clancy

    Published 2001

    About this book

    More by this author

    President Jack Ryan faces a world crisis unlike any he has ever known, in Tom Clancy's extraordinary new novel.

  • Hong Kong jacket

    Hong Kong

    by Stephen Coonts

    Published 2001

    About this book

    More by this author

    Hong Kong is a powder keg ready to explode. A political murder and the closure of a foreign bank by the communist government are the sparks that light the fuse . . . and Tiger Cole is right in the middle of the action.

We have 4 read-alikes for Valhalla Rising, but non-members are limited to three results. Join free to see the complete list of recommendations.
More books by Clive Cussler
Search read-alikes
How we choose read-alikes

Books with similar themes


Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $60 for 12 months or $20 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!
Win This Book
Win Theo of Golden

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…

Enter

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    Chelsea Girls
    by Catherine Lloyd
    A glamorous biographical novel on Mary Quant, whose daring design of the miniskirt revolutionized fashion.
  • Book Jacket
    Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
    by David Woo, Margalit Shinar
    Nine linked stories reveal how globalization sparks life-changing consequences across continents.
  • Book Jacket
    Days of Sun and Shadow
    by India Hayford
    A young woman’s coming-of-age story set in the early American frontier, shaped by tragedy, nature, and resilience.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket
    An Infinite Love Story
    by Chanel Cleeton
    “A tender, romantic drama that soars as high as it’s astronauts.” —Kate Quinn
  • Book Jacket
    Summer of Love
    by Kerri Maher
    Three women reshape their family's Napa Valley winery after the 1967 Summer of Love.
Book
Trivia
  • Book Trivia

    Can you name the title?

    Test your book knowledge with our daily trivia challenge!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

The C is A R

and be entered to win..