This is the second time Clive Cussler has hit the #1 spot on the hardcover charts after just one week in the stores; Valhalla Rising is the 16th in his popular adventure series starring Dirk Pitt, director of special projects for the National Underwater Maritime Administration. Book #15, Atlantis Found, also made it to the #1 slot after just a week in the stores and the mass market edition did the same. His fan base keeps increasing and the reviews are glowing; PW's accolade included this: "Cussler speeds and twists through the complex plot and hairbreadth escapes, giving the thriller the intensity and suspense of a NASCAR race." Putnam launched the book with a 725,000 first printing and an August 13 pub-date interview with Bryant Gumbel on the CBS Early Show, plus multiple ads on NBC's Today Show and on CNN. Cussler packed the house on his eight-city autographing tour, which is no surprise, since he writes personal messages in each copy. According to Putnam, a popular message for women was, "We'll always have Tahiti," and for men, "My model for Dirk Pitt." While in Denver, Cussler stopped to check out his collection of 85 classic automobiles, many of which are familiar to his fans—each novel features a cameo by at least one of these cars.
With reporting by Dick Donahue
