Fans of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
will enjoy Golemon’s recasting of the Jules Verne novel, his fourth Event Group thriller (after Ancients
). A prologue set in 1802 at an isolated French prison evokes another well-known classic, The Count of Monte Cristo
, then the action leaps forward by increments until it reaches the present day. The U.S. president calls in the Event Group after a mysterious undersea vessel, the Leviathan
, begins terrorizing the seas, sinking ships and subs alike. Those aboard the Leviathan
threaten nuclear destruction if the land dwellers don’t stop their abuse of the ocean. A traitor enables the terrorists to infiltrate the Event Group’s headquarters and take its leadership hostage. Once Event Group operatives manage to board the Leviathan
, the plot echoes its inspiration even more closely. While Golemon adds his own closing twist, the story line’s overall lack of originality makes this less interesting than the series’ first and strongest entry, Event
. (Aug.)
