Description /Buy link takes you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.
The name Philip Mercer refers to a series of techno-thrillers written by Jack Du Brul. Jack started writing fiction when he moved to Florida after college. The author is best known for his work on The Oregon Files with Clive Cussler.
Get notified when Jack Du Brul releases a new book at BookNotification.com.
Order of Philip Mercer Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vulcan's Forge | 1998 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Charon's Landing | 1999 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | The Medusa Stone | 2000 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Pandora's Curse | 2001 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | River Of Ruin | 2002 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Deep Fire Rising | 2003 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Havoc | 2006 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | The Lightning Stones | 2015 | Description / Buy |
Of the two authors, Cussler is the more popular and it has become the norm for Jack Du Brul’s work to be compared with Cussler’s, often to the detriment of Jack’s novels. It doesn’t help Jack’s case that so many of his stories feel like they could fit perfectly into Cussler’s books.
An example is Vulcan’s Forge, the first book in the Philip Mercer series. Vulcan’s Forge is about a plot to unleash the power of a volcano hidden beneath the ocean floor. It has been argued that while Jack’s work does mirror Cussler’s in some places, Jack takes things a little further, exaggerating his villains and stretching the capabilities of his heroes beyond belief.
Philip Mercer takes center stage, the protagonist of the Philip Mercer. Mercer is introduced as a geologist with a passion for adventure. However, it doesn’t take long for readers to realize that Mercer is no ordinary nerd.
The geologist has been described as a combination of James Bond and Albert Einstein. Mercer is always the smartest person in any room. He might not have the technical knowledge to go toe to toe with specialists in fields outside his arena, but you can trust Mercer to concoct a plan that will thwart any evil machinations that might be at play.
With an IQ that would stun most intellectuals, Philip Mercer spends this Jack Du Brul series kicking serious ass. There’s always an evil mind plotting something nefarious. Whether they want to take over the world or cripple the United States, their misfortune emanates from the fact that Mercer has such an adventurous spirit.
When he isn’t diving to the lowest depths of the ocean, he is out exploring jungles. Mercer’s inquisitive mind keeps driving him to seek out greater thrills. And it is during those explorations that Mercer stumbles into trouble.
If he isn’t in the wrong place at the wrong time, then someone who is well aware of Philip Mercer’s skills is inviting him to resolve life and death situations. Mercer is often the best person for the job not only because of his mental capabilities but also the physical skills he brings to the table.
For many readers, Philip Mercer is simply too competent to root for. The protagonist’s ability to outthink every villain while, at the same time, fighting off multitudes of trained fighters and assassins bleeds the tension from the Mercer series.
The books are even made worse by the fact that Mercer achieves so much while barely sustaining any injury. The comparisons with James Bond are further cemented by the fact that every woman Mercer meets wants to and almost always sleeps with him.
If Philip Mercer had one flaw, it is the fact that he drinks too much. However, that particular plot point is rarely explored.
Best Philip Mercer Books
Philip Mercer might be too good at his job to pique the interest of some readers but that hasn’t stopped the hero from eliciting quite the love and passion from certain literary circles, with some of the best books in the Mercer Series including:
Pandora’s Curse: During the Second World War, looted gold was used to create containers whose cargo had the capacity to unleash untold hell on the planet.
Philip Mercer’s journey begins when he finds an irradiated dead body buried in ice at a long-abandoned American base in Greenland. Mercer and Doctor Anika Klein want to investigate it.
But then a flash fire forces an evacuation. When a bomb threat forces their plane to land, the circumstances that follow put Mercer in a race to stop a corporate mercenary from holding the world hostage.
River of Ruin: Philip Mercer is a geologist who wants to get his hands on a rare diary written during the digging of the Panama Canal. Mercer’s attempts at acquiring the diary at a Paris auction house are complicated by the Chinese assassins determined to claim the prize for themselves.
The result is a cat and mouse game that leads Mercer to discover a Chinese plot to shift the balance of power in the world.
Other Book Series You May Like
The “Xander King” Series by Bradley Wright is another great one. Most people know Xander King as a handsome and successful businessman that had the courage to move past the brutal murder of his parents. Most such people do not know that Xander is America’s most renowned soldier, a legendary military figure that has since become a vigilante assassin.
You may also enjoy the “Will Finch” Series by D.F. Bailey. This techno-thriller trilogy tells the story of Will Finch, a crime reporter who survives a family tragedy and returns to work to investigate a disturbing conspiracy.
What Is The Next Book in The Philip Mercer Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Philip Mercer Series. The newest book is The Lightning Stones and was released on September, 8th 2015.