The Jungle

By: Clive Cussler, Jack Du Brul

Narrated by: Jason Culp

Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

The extraordinary new adventure from the number-one New York Times- best-selling author.

Jungles come in many forms. There are the steamy rain forests of the Burmese highlands. There are the lies and betrayals of the world of covert operations. And there are the dark and twisted thoughts of a man bent on near-global domination. To pull off their latest mission, Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon must survive them all.

A devastating new weapon unleashed in 13th-century China... a daring rescue in the snowbound mountains along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border... a woman gone missing in the jungles of northern Thailand and Myanmar... for Cabrillo and his crew, all of these events will come together - leading to the greatest threat against U.S. security that the world has ever known.

Take another thrilling voyage with the Oregon Files.

©2011 Clive Cussler (P)2011 Penguin

Another great read from Cussler

I have enjoyed listening to several of Cussler's books and this one is no exception. I'm amazed how Cussler can hook me in the first few minutes. I want to read on- keep listening- to see how the first couple of scenes resolve.
I also learn something historical every time; this time about Marco Polo.
I almost don't want to finish it to make it last longer.

Good story line but narration a distraction

The story was solid but a bit hurried at the end. The narration really was a distraction as the narrator cannot portray a female voice (sounds like Brutus of Popeye fame trying to sound like Olive Oil). The narrator also confused a Southern accent with the distinct attributes of a Cajun accent

edge of your seat

I work nights and often listen to audible to help me to relax. NOT this story I had to force myself to turn it off and go to sleep. However, woke up early to hear more.

This Review Needs a Title...So, I

This book is one of the most convoluted stories I've ever read authored by Cussler...it actually feels like several stories all mashed together. The plot progresses from impossible crisis to solution to resolution in a few pages. In fact, the villain is not revealed until about 2 hours left to go in the 13 hour listen. The rest of the book is just surfing from unimaginable crisis to unthinkable catastrophe.

Reader not the best.

I don't like to be negative but I'm sorry this reader had a really hard time with accents. in fact everybody sounded Asian from the Middle Eastern guy to the American guy to the Swiss guy except, for the Asian guy he sounded like he was from Texas so maybe just a little more practice Sir, you'll get it.

high action as usual for a Cussler

Would you listen to The Jungle again? Why?

Not again. A suspense is all about that and the story isn't that great.

What did you like best about this story?

fast action

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

some definite breathing

Any additional comments?

ended rather abrubtly

Cussler in true style

Where does The Jungle rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is a fast moving easy listening typical Clive Cussler tale with a little science fiction added to create a new twist.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Jungle?

Computer control of the world

Have you listened to any of Jason Culp’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. He is a good reader

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreem reaction but it did make me laugh because the heroes do the impossible.

Cussler is back in form thanks to new co-author?

I had sworn never to read another Cussler novel after the god-awful "Black Wind" but this one has changed my mind. New co-author Jack Du Brul seems to have reinvigorated the old Cussler while adding a new dimension of plotting and improved villains to the old Cussler formula.

The old formula is here: evil doers bent on world domination are thwarted by plucky nautical adventurers backed by high tech. The new elements are an actually intricate plot, smarter villains, and slightly more realistic (I emphasize 'slightly') plans for conquering the earth.

The sweeping, globe and time spanning plot where long lost discoveries and modern technology clash and combine is here but the story is intricate enough that it takes awhile to even realize who the bad guys are (unheard of for a Cussler novel) and then the bad guys proceed along their ruthless way without the "I'll arrange an elaborate death for the hero and then leave the room" kind of crap that sunk "Black Wind".

Is this flawed? Sure it is, as all the classic Dirk Pitt novels were too. Juan Cabrillo is basically batman without the suit: he knows everything, is physically superior, has a great team (a sort of a collective Robin), has a super cool lair (the ship "Oregon" is basically the Bat-cave), and of course has many high tech toys. At times it is just annoying: Juan doesn't really need to be as agile as a monkey and as strategic as a chess grandmaster and as strong as an ox and so on and so forth . . . .

Sometimes the action and the characters got a little too stock but somehow I was always eager to hear the next part and I guess that's the main thing after all. I was a little torn between 3 stars and 4, not sure if I'm being hard on the novel because of my old disillusionment with Cussler or easy on the novel because my expectations were low but I guess what it comes down to is that I will definitely listen to another story from the Oregon files and that's a pleasant surprise.

Narrator was excellent!

Great listen. Although a deviation from Scott Brick, Jason Culp did an excellent job. I disagree with other reviewers. I don't think it took anything away from the story.

Ever since Dirk Pitt teamed up with his children the Oregon Files has become my favorite Cussler series. I wish Pitt's kids would get new jobs and disappear.

Another Enjoyable Juan Cabrillo Adventure

What did you love best about The Jungle?

One has to suspend reality to some extent to enjoy the Clive Cussler books, but once you're comfortable with his formula, the storylines are really engaging.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I'd have to give away some of the plot twists to explain how the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. Suffice it to say there were some interesting developments. I also enjoyed the addition of a new character to the Oregon Files Cast.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The narrator was not a bad narrator, but he was NOT Scott Brick. It's very disconcerting as someone who has listened to all of the prior Oregon Files books, to suddenly have a different narrator performing ones known and favorite characters. I did not care for his rendering of Linda Ross' character's voice.