Discuss Dirk Pitt. Who is Dirk Pitt? Compare and contrast him to James Bond. How are they similar? How are they different? Is Dirk Pitt a more believable character? Why or why not?

Why does Dirk Pitt become enraged by Julie Mendoza's death? Why is Pitt so intent on finding Mendoza's killer? Was Mendoza a friend of Pitt's? How would you describe their relationship? What might have happened between them if Mendoza had lived? How would this relationship have affected Pitt's relationship with Loren Smith?

Who is Loren Smith? What is her role in Pitt's life? How does Smith's involvement in the kidnapping of the President of the United States pull Pitt into that investigation? Why does Pitt board the Leonid Andreyev? How do Pitt and Smith get separated? How does this affect Pitt? What does Pitt's reaction say about his relationship with Smith...