THE OREGON FILES

       The Oregon Files is about an independent Intelligence corporation.
       The word Files relates to the cases that this organization conducts. The Oregon is a rusty tramp steamer, barely able to ploy its low-paying trade as it scrapes a meager earning traveling about the world carrying whatever cargo a desperate shipper might trust to a ship not guaranteed to sink at any moment.
That is above deck. Below, it is a state-of-the-art intelligence gathering marvel armed with torpedoes and missiles. It is owned and crewed by the group known as the Corporation, a team of highly trained professionals who describe themselves as "mercenaries with a conscience". These people make their living performing nearly impossible jobs for countries of the West who find it better for deniability to not use their own services.
       Lead by Juan Cabrillo, the team lacks little in comfort as they risk their lives on a daily basis. A world-class chef works in unison with a skilled doctor to keep the members well-fed and trim. The perks are needed to offset the considerable danger the crew, each part owner of the company, face on each mission.
       The concept for each mission is simple and straightforward. Hired by some agency of a Western power, the team of the Oregon will sail into a harbor or dock at a port or just meander slowly along a shoreline, whatever it takes to get the mission done. The mission may be to collect intelligence or to extract someone or to recover a stolen or lost item. The crew is varied enough in skills and training that virtually any task an operative might be asked to do can be handled.
       Since these people put their lives on the line with each mission and since it is a for-profit corporation, the fees are impressively high. This means that the Oregon is not hired from just any job. It has to be very dangerous or very tricky to warrant the expenditure they charge but they usually pull it off.

       I've always preferred books about individuals, only enjoying a team book when the people really are a team and the Oregon crew definitely qualifies. This is not a case of a superstar with a few gofers. These people really work as a team.
       Juan Cabrillo is certainly the leader and the stories revolve mainly around this character but you get to know and like many of the others.
       I enjoyed the first two books a lot. I really enjoyed the next few because I've been a huge Jack Du Brul fan for years. In fact, my only complaint about his writing Oregon stories is it keeps him from crafting more Philip Mercer adventures.
       It seems obvious that Mr. Cussler wanted to create another series what was substantially different from his first two but which still used the oceans as the principal setting. He succeeded handily. I look forward to more tales of the Oregon (actually Oregon II now but you need to read the books to understand).

My Grade: A-

Your Average Grade:   A+

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