Polar shift, Clive Cussler & Paul Kemprecos

During WWII a scientist evades both the Russians and the Nazi army with a secret knowledge about electromagnetism warfare. Nowadays, giant waves of more than eithy feet coming out of nowhere sink huge ships in a matter of minutes. Enters Kurt Austin in action, director of the Special Assignment Team of the NUMA, the National Underwater and Marine Agency. He will discover the mysteries of the sea, and the strange implications of neo-anarchists working against the domination of corporate elites.

Each character, and there are quite a few, is carefully introduced: physical features, character traits, short background about their personal and work life… Their houses and offices are also well-depicted, down to their historic details and style of furniture which serves as a mirror to their occupant personality.

The good guys are bigger than life, fit, muscular and nice-looking even in their late seventies, always true to themselves with a monolithic personality. The bad guys are quite the same, even the mere thugs, althtough they can have a tendency for swearing and casting fierce glances. But, hey, they're bad guys after all.

And nevertheless, it never gets tedious at all, as the action-packed scenes and the life-threatening adventures need some quiet counterparts to let the story breathe and the rythm cool off from time to time.

Jordan Gant was lie a Chimera, the mythical Greek monster of antiquity that was an assemblage of different, incongruous parts.
He was as disciplined as a fasting monk, and he projected an ascetic air, but the black, tailored suite and matching turtleneck that emphasized his pale skin and silver hair cost more than many people make in a week. His Washington office on Massachusets Avenue was spartan compared to the luxurious lairs of the other high-powered foundations in the neighborhood, yet he owned a palatial Virginia farmhouse, a stable of horses and a garage full of fast cars. He had made a fortune off multinational investments, but he was the director of an organization whose stated goal was to hobble corporations like those that had made him rich.

Polar shift (Putnam Adult editions, 2005, 448 pages), written by Clive Cussler & Paul Kemprecos, is part of the Numa files series.