Zero hour by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown

"Zero hour" by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown - Unlimited energy!

This book was published by Penguin in 2014 and has 432 pages. This is Book 11 of 'NUMA files'.

A secret lab. Zero point energy. Unlimited! A whacko scientist. Nicola Tesla. A traitor. A threat. Russians in the mix. Kurt and Joe. Zero Hour approaching! Australia under threat. 

What is Tartarus? What is Zero point energy? How does Kurt and NUMA get involved? What's the threat? Who's behind it? Who's after it? Who's the traitor? What's zero hour?

Zero point energy - Drawing energy from background fields which are all around us. It's practically unlimited energy but it isn't easy to control.

Author has used interesting locations. A secret lab in one of the world's deepest lake (1000 feet deep) in an abandoned copper mine, full of toxic water, is where the story starts. A desolate glacier volcano island at the bottom of the world is where the climax happens.

There are some interesting characters. Maximilian Thero, a brilliant and whacko nuclear scientist, out to punish the world. His scientist son and voice of reason. A former student who breaks away with her mentor. A Russian assassin who is determined to wipe out his only professional failure. Kurt and Joe keep poking their noses in matters that don't concern them.

Although VP James Sandecker, Dirk Pitt, Paul and Gamy Trout also play part in the story, Trouts are marginalized in this book. Dirk plays a bigger role than usual.

There is a surprise at the end. There is the traitor in Villain's lair. Who's it? I did not see it coming. It's a good surprise. 

All in all, a typical Kurt Austin book. 

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What did I like? Villain's lairs. 

What I didn't like? The ease of capture of Russian ship. Final detonation. 

Read if you are reading the series.