Created in 1973, Dirk Pitt and his NUMA crew have travelled the seas of the world, battling some of the most devious villains ever encountered - all in defense of humanity and the world at large. Arctic Drift, their 20th outing, is a rollicking adventure set against the topical themes of global warming and the world’s oil and gas crisis. The book begins in Cussler's usual fashion with a historical account into the final days of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition which set out to find the North-West Passage and became trapped in the ever-shifting ice. There is no survival in this outing. This provides both an interesting opening as well as the storyline for the book.
Meanwhile, Dirk Pitt, who is now running NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency), has a narrow escape from an explosion in a laboratory. After an initial investigation, he concludes that it’s sabotage. The lab is involved in experiments to develop an artificial photosynthesis process, which depends entirely on a rare mineral known as ruthenium. It then becomes the treasured target of an unscrupulous Canadian businessman, Mitchell Goyette, who controls most of the gas and oil production in the northern regions.
Through the use of government bribes, murder and extortion, the greedy Goyette orchestrates a conflict between Canada and America that soon has both suspecting the other of harbouring militaristic goals. Into this convoluted plot of evil twists and turns, the brave men and women of NUMA must find a way to stop him and save the world from disaster.
Meanwhile, Pitt goes in search of minerals in the midst of a threatened war between the United States and Canada which is spiralling out of control due to the escalating energy crisis in the US as well as plot stages by Goyette.
There is also a subplot involving Pitt's children, Dirk Jr. and Summer and their oceanographic research expedition. They are monitoring the plankton health along the south Alaska coastline for NUMA. However, the children have their own adventure and also close encounters with minions of Goyette.
The other supporting cast such as Pitt's sidekick Al Giordino, computer expert Hiram Yaeger and even old-favourite Admiral James Sandeker contribute their skills in fighting the enemies.
Both Dirk Jr. and Summer know there’s a connection between the artificial photosynthesis process and the ruthenium but they also know they have very little time to find it.
The only real clue might just be a mysterious silvery mineral traced to a long-ago expedition in search of the fabled Northwest Passage. But no one survived from that doomed mission. But Pitt and his buddy Giordino are desperately seeking clues to find the ruthenium deposit. And they believe the minerals can be found in the ships of the Northwest Passage expedition. The race to locate the ruthenium ends in a climatic battle between Dirk and Giordino with the assassin and his men employed by Goyette.
The book also has a cameo appearance by Clive Cussler himself.
