Cussler's novels, like those of Michael Crichton are examples of techno-thrillers that do not use military plots and settings. Where Crichton strives for scrupulous realism, however, Cussler prefers fantastic spectacles and outlandish plot devices. The Pitt novels, in particular, have the anything-goes quality of the James Bond or Indiana Jones movies. Pitt himself is a two-dimensional, larger-than-life hero reminiscent of Doc Savage and other characters from pulp magazines.
The sole attempt to film one of Cussler's novels--Raise The Titanic! (1980)--was a critical and commercial failure. Its failure was widely attributed to a weak script and the egregious miscasting of Richard Chamberlain as Pitt. Cussler remains, however, one of the most "cinematic" of all modern thriller writers.
As an underwater explorer, Cussler has discovered more than 60 shipwreck sites and has written non-fiction books about his findings. He is also the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), a non-profit organization with the same name as the fictional government agency that employs Dirk Pitt. Cussler owns a large collection of classic cars, several of which (driven by Pitt) appear in his novels.
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Bibliography
Dirk Pitt adventure novels
There is also a Dirk Pitt reference book:NUMA Files adventure novels
(co-authored with Paul Kemprecos)Oregon Chronicles adventure novel
(co-authored with Craig Dirgo)Non-Fiction
(co-authored with Craig Dirgo)