by Robert Serling ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 27, 1990
A lumbering occult thriller that imagines ghosts and other ghoulies aboard the wreck of the Titanic. Veteran aviation writer Serling (Eagle: The History of American Airlines, 1985; Air Force One is Haunted, 1984, etc.) starts with a nose dive--a flashback that takes up half of his 448-pages and that comes alive only in its predictable and sharply melodramatic final scenes. It's 1975, and a small band of adventurers is on a hush-hush mission: to locate the Titanic in order to plunder the fortune in gold presumably hidden in Cargo Hold Three. After a snail's-paced set-up (revolving around exposition of the cliched cast, including a dashing military man, a salty demolitions-expert, and a sexy female scientist), the expedition at last Finds the Titanic. At once, disaster strikes: While exploring the wreck, two of the crew are scared to death, apparently by a giant plesiosaur; then one of the expedition's deep-sea subs implodes, and finally a weird storm sweeps down on the salvage ship, killing all aboard except Titanic scholar Derek Montague. Cut to 1993, eight years after the real-life Robert Ballard expedition has explored the Titanic: Montague, now in his 70s and still eager for the gold, contacts the US government about the 1975 expedition. On presidential orders, a new expedition is launched, and history begins to repeat itself as Navy divers sight a monstrous eel--which, like the 1975 plesiosaur, turns out to be a psychic illusion projected by the scores of well-attired ghosts who eventually manifest, putting on a silly spook show (including another weird storm) to protect--this time, forever--their watery grave from the unwanted intruders. Strong premise, flimsy execution--and, despite a few spooky scenes, not nearly as eerie as Robert Ballard's nonfiction The Discovery of the Titanic (1987).
Pub Date: Nov. 27, 1990
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: N/A
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1990
Categories: FICTION
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.