5 comments about Valhalla Rising Unabrigded Cass.

1. This is the first Cussler book I have read in maybe 3 or 4 years. It started out well, and I always enjoyed the way Cussler started with a few "historical" passages before getting to Dirk, and this was as interesting as any of his preludes.
   
   However, this book really fell apart in the second half. The rescue of the cruise ship was tense and exciting, and Cussler's handling of the magnetohydrodynamics was interesting and plausible, but the story fell apart after the air battle. I know Cussler writes ridiculous stories, but that was so out of character for Pitt. It just went further downhill from there. After that point, all the good guys (especially well trained soliders) seemed to lose their minds and behave like Redshirts, lining up to take bullets like chumps.
   
   The teleportation killed it completely, though, and the villain's resolution felt totally tacked on at the last minute.
   
   I also have to say I hate when he writes himself into the books, and I hate Max as well. I wish he would go back to his earlier style without those two elements.



2. If you haven't read any of Cussler's work, this light read is a great starting place. There are elements in every Cussler text that every fan knows to look for. Dirk's autos, his ladies and that elusive appearance by Clive himself. I never miss a word. I am almost disappointed at the making of Sahara into a movie, that is not at all how I pictured Dirk.



3. This is the last Dirk Pitt book that I really liked. Every other book of his I've read after this one has just seemed to go downhill. This book is fun. It's the standard Dirk Pitt formula: something in the past happens for prolog, Dirk gets in way over his head, Dirk comes and saves the day, tons of action, and lots of fun. Good book for those looking for some good action and good story telling.



4. At first I thought Vahalla Rising was going to be a great story, but then it went downhill from there. In the story Mr. Cussler creates the evil corporate CEO who is trying to get a monopoly on the oil industry by sinking or sabotaging rival imports. Then there is the account of how Vikings colonized New York. I could not find any connection between the plot and the Vikings. I plotted through the story looking for a connection that just wasn't there and the "magic" briefcase had me wondering if this was going to be a sci-fi story. If you haven't read any of Cussler's books I wouldn't recommend starting with this book. Overall, I was disappointed in the story, but I'll keep on reading others works by this creative writer.



5. While I understand the appeal of formula novels, I was amazed at how bad this one actually is. I am all for suspension of disbelief - I love the ability to delve into unreality on occasion - but here the plot manipulation is pretty silly (though sometimes its fun) while the writing is downright pedantic. Writing oneself into a story is the supreme ego-trip, and to do so in such a strange and useless way just pushes into the absurd. Connecting the mythical/fiction (Jules Verne & Captain Nemo) with the historical (Viking exploration) is fine, but the writing simply doesn't support such an odd pairing. I was so glad to finish the book, just to be done with it.

5 comments about Treasure.

1. Clive has certainly come thru this time. Though some of his novels can be pedantic and repetitive, this seems to have a fair amount of originality while also having enough maturity in his writing. A good, fun adventure.



2. Once again Clive Cussler wrote another exciting story and maybe that's why I consider him one of the best writers out there today. The story line follows a rich family that is trying to take over Mexico and Egypt. However, a few people need to be murdered to make this happen. Then up pops Dirk Pitt to put a monkey wrench into their plan. The story moved along at a fast pace and there was plenty of action. The plot was great, and I tried to guess what would happen next but didn't really succeed. If you want a thrilling read for a change I recommend this book.



3. Of course, Karl May wrote 120 years ago and created the hero Apache Chief Winnetou who was the idol of every joungster in Germany when I grew up; we loved the American Indians for their bravery in their struggle against homicide by the western Christians and their mass murder weapons against the natives of this continent. Clive Cussler brings the old struggle back to life with Dirk Pitt. Great reading.



4. Treasure's protagonist is again the indestructible, larger-than-life, and incurable Casanova, Dirk Pitt. This time he is on the search for treasures from the ancient Library of Alexandra. And these treasures are to be found in a place where nobody would expect them to be! While searching for the treasure, Dirk has to contend with hardened international criminals, terrorists and other unsavory characters. Dirk's own father is taken hostage in a conspiracy to take control of Egypt and Mexico and Dirk has to rescue him and some other world-influential people out of the situation. The novel is a real page-turner filled with over-the-top action, adventure and suspense and I would think the best of Clive Cussler's books that I have read thus far.



5. Clive Cussler's Treasue starts out like any other og his books. On this historic flashback, a roman named Julies Vernator sails a fleet of ships carrying a unknown cargo across the ocean. He hides the cargo in a cave somewhere on the unknown continent they sailed to. Vernator and his crew come under attack by primitives and never make it back to Spain. One ship makes it away and it's final resting place was unknown. Many centuries later, Dirk Pitt stumbles across the wreck of the ship and an assination attempt on the Egptian Secretary General, Hala Kamil. The mystery unfolds as Pitt tries to find the treasure that was mentioned on tablets in the sunken ship. The treasure just happens to be a portion of the Library of Alexandia. NUMA is recruited to help find the Ehyptian national treasure so that the Egyptian leader, President Hasan, can stay in office a little longer so that a terrorist leader named Akmid Yazid does not take over Egypt. In his insane attempt to take over Egypt, Yazid orders his mercenaries to steal a ship with the Egyptian and Mexican leaders on board. They steal the ship and lose all the follers whil disguising the ship as an iceberg and sailing near Antarctica. Pitt and a team from NUMA track the ship and lead an American SOF team to retake the ship while stopping the terrorists and saving the hostages. Pitt then finds the treasure and peace is restored to Egypt. This is one book that has you by the pages. You wil not want to put this book down.
   
   
   
   -Hans Fertig

5 comments about Cyclops (Bookcassette(r) Edition).

1. This is one of Cussler's best books. I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day and a half!



2. As a long time Cussler fan I was deeply disappointed. Although Mr. Cussler's stories are quite often true escapism at its finest, the plot behind the plot was too inconceivable and ridiculous.
   
   The book is also quite dated, in that it was written during the cold war. To read today of the KGB plots and our paranoia is uncomfortable and boring.
   
   I am sure this book would have been much more enjoyable if read 20+ years ago.



3. I'm a Clive Cussler fan. I approach the Dirk Pit Novels with a suspension of disbelief and go in to enjoy the ride. If you're a fan too, you already know that Cussler uses formulas that have worked for him many times in the past. I missed a couple of those easter eggs in Cyclops: Did I blink, or did I miss the Hitchcockian Cussler appearance?
   
   In Cyclops, the moon colony plot was far fetched and didn't have strong ties to the adventure yarn in the first place. It fit into the Dirk Pitt line in the same out of place way that Moonraker strained the James Bond Franchise. Nevertheless, Cussler never fails to deliver a story of international intrigue with ties to ancient mysteries. El Dorado was a gender-bender variation of La Dorada? Dirk vs. a Soviet invasion force intent on taking over Cuba...fun stuff. I won't give away the ending, but count on Dirk Pitt to give it everything he's got to save the world from iminent threats. Enjoy this one.



4. Have read most of Clive's books, and this is one of his best......could not put it down...........



5. Very fun Dirk Pitt novel. Great characters, both good and bad, and a fun plot. Dirk does it again in the 8th novel in the Pitt series.

5 comments about Lost City (NUMA Files).

1. I've been a fan of Clive Cussler since I was a high school student in the early 80s. Lost City follows the Cussler formula of fantastic plots, easy female conquests, indestructable heroes, hair-breadth escapes, and fancy cars -- great stuff when you're looking for mindless entertainment. Suspend your disbelief for a fun ride as Kurt Austin, his beautiful female sidekick and his pals track down evildoers, discover the details of their nefarious plot to take over the world, and prevail against all odds to defeat the bad guys while dodging mutant zombies, robot submarines, flooding tunnels and other videogame obstacles.



2. 
   Clive Cussler was born in 1931 and grew up in Alhambra, California. He attended Pasadena City College before joining the Air Force. He went on to a successful advertising career, winning many national honours for his copywriting. He has also explored the deserts of the American Southwest in search of lost gold mines, dived in isolated lakes in the Rocky Mountains looking for lost aircraft and hunted under the sea for shipwrecks of historic significance, discovering and identifying more than sixty. He is married with three children, and divides his time between Colorado and Arizona. His credentials as a best selling author cannot be doubted and he has a large `stable' of best selling adventure novels.
   
   Lost City is not one of Clive Cussler's best books and I have to admit to being a little disappointed with it. However it is quite readable, if a little far fetched and better than a lot of the so called `Adventure novels' in the book stores today.
   
   An enzyme or chemical catalyst has been discovered two thousand feet below the North Atlantic, in an area known as the `Lost City.' The enzyme has been proved to extend life, but why are the people who are attempting to harvest the substance getting killed?
   
   Why are the scientists from a remote Greek laboratory systematically disappearing one by one? And what does all this have to doe with a body found in the ice high up in the Alps? Kurt Austin and his colleague Joe Zavala from NUMA's Special Assignment Team may have their greatest ever challenge.



3. The best thing I can say is that the plot was somewhat interesting. The characterization of the people was awful and very unrealistic and their actions just don't seem to reflect reality. I mean,you're held prisoner and just about killed and barely escape with your life, but instead of alerting any of the authorities, or anyone else, you plan a romantic dinner instead? The characters are very shallow and all the good guys portrayed as perfect (i.e the girls are constantly described as beautiful and the men as handsome, and no one has a single fault or blemish, and whatever they do they are perfectly skilled at). And of course everyone the characters talk to has heard of the fame of Kurt Austin and NUMA.
   
   Another reviewer of a Clive Cussler book has said it best "Dialogue is completely pompous; everyone talks to each other in a very formal way, almost like they're in a Shakespeare play. The characters are all superlative in their abilities and have no flaws or idiosyncrasies. This whole thing is just loaded with cliches and hackneyed descriptions."
   
   I would recommend reading something by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs instead - you won't be disappointed.



4. I couldn't get into this book at all. The story wasn't very exciting and it just wasn't written as well as the Dirt Pitt series. Wouldn't recommend this to anyone but a die-hard Cussler fan.



5. As with all Clive Cussler novels that I have read, the plot very far fetched, and the heros/heroines seem to have more lives than a cat!
   
   This prologue of the book starts with a air battle in September 1914, where one of the carachters is in a plane with a synchronising mechanism that allows the machine gun to fire through the propeller. This mechanism was not if fact invented until the Spring of 1915.
   
   However, from the start, the book did grab my attention. The action swings from Paris to rural France, Scotland, and a number of underwater locations, and there is rarely a dull moment.
   
   The different nationalities, that the various main characters come across on their adventures are however, very stereotypical. This is a common trait I find in this author's books.
   
   Overall, though, the book is pure escapism, should keep your attention (if you can get over the far-fetched pieces) and is ideal for a holiday read. If you have not read any of Clive Cussler's other books, I would recommend Sahara or Dragon, ahead of this one.

5 comments about Sahara.

1. I read this particular novel in one night. I started it because I have this thing about reading books before seeing the movies based on them. I didn't realize at the time that it would hook me into a whole new genre. I've read four other Cussler books, and working on the fifth, and so far this is the best, with 'Pacific Vortex' and 'Raise the Titanic' in a close second and third. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys a fly by your seat adventure that just keeps going and going...Cussler does go a bit overboard on descriptions, making for long paragraphs, but it was easy to overlook.



2. The first time I saw the movie Sahara it was great. But when I read the book it was even better. Reading this book is like going back in time. I like how Cussler puts some history in his books but twists it just enough to make it more interesting. Dirk and his sidekick Al are at it again, but this time they are in a race against the clock to save the world because the Oxygen in the world is about to run out if a chemical pollutant isn't stopped. They are pushed to go to the middle of the world's biggest desert because of a surprise perk that you won't believe. I recommend this book any one that like action, little romance and humor.



3. I don't know what I find more incredible:
   That a man who claims to be a writer wrote this book,
   a publisher actually published it,
   readers actually paid for it.
   I have never seen more childish, adolescent prose in book published by a major publisher. It was so bad, I put it down around page 180, only kept going that long because I kept thinking "There has to be something to this if this guy's so popular".
   Some people who liked the books even though the writing is bad say the action sequences and descriptions of foreign countries make up for it. I disagree. The action was not believable and the descriptions are shallower than seeing a country from group tour bus window.



4. This is a beautifully written yarn that makes the unbelievable seem somehow plausible. I absolutely love this story.
   
   If you have friends that rave about Clive Cusslers books, read this book and understand why.



5. This is my tenth Clive Cussler book that I've read and it's just didn't seem to be up to par with the others. Some parts of the book didn't need to be there and just added to the length. which was fairly long. Other than that a good standard Dirk Pitt novel. Also the movie is just awful which I actually rented the day after I finished the book.

5 comments about The SEA HUNTERS TRUE LIFE ADVENTURES WITH FAMOUS SHIPWRECKS : True Adventures with Famous Shipwrecks.

1. I bought and read this book because I've -- literally -- bought and ready every other Cussler book.
   
   Frankly, I found this one a bit of a bore. Not bad... but not why I read Cussler.
   
   I'm going to stick with Cussler's fiction.



2. This book is mostly non-fiction in that the greatest emphasis is on the real activities Cussler and NUMA members go through to find different ships (and a train). If you love his fiction stories of Dirk Pitt and Steve Austin then you'll get a little sense of what is in this book. Multiple short stories of different catastrophes at sea or in other waters. He dramatizes each catastrophe detailing what (he believes) happened to the crewmembers and the ship (or train) in the last hours of its life--these seem very realistic. Fast forward to today and he documents all the research and interviewing of witnesses (if they are still alive) he does in order to prove or disprove the historical records of where the wreck is located. He finally details the long, boring hours of trolling with a magnetometer to find the wreck. He admits that these are boring. When he spends a lot of time on those details that makes the stories somewhat boring too. What I thought was fascinating was the research, his sifting through multiple conflicting pieces of evidence and how he sometimes comes to the conculusion that the historical record was wrong and the wreck was actually in a different place, how after he finishes searching for the wreck, he does find it within a 1/2 mile of where he expected to find it and sometimes tens of miles away from the officially recorded location. To me this is much like a good detective story.



3. Dusting off Dirk Pitt novels for a bit, Clive Cussler took some time to write "The Sea Hunters" True Adventures with Famous Shipwrecks." In it, Cussler writes a small dramatization of what might have happened to certain ships, from the terror of the Mississippi that was the C.S.S. Arkansas, to the wretched misfortune of the Leopoldville. After each dramatization, Cussler then explains the actions taken by himself and his group, NUMA, as the seek out each of these wrecks. Some of them are successful hunts, while others end with less impressive results.
   
   The group finds wrecks in some of the strangest places. They uncover one ship in a parking lot on Galveston Island. They also "find" a locomotive in Colorado that was washed down river when a storm destroyed the train tracks. I won't spoil want they actually find on that particular case, but it does have a slightly humorous result.
   
   Cussler seems to be more relaxed with his writing style in this particular book. He attempts to come off as an egotistical lurch, but it is easy to realize that this man really enjoys what he is doing. His enthusiasm is what keeps this book afloat, and it makes for a fun read that's just as good or better than his Dirk Pitt books.
   
   Highly recommended to fans of nautical history, especially those interested in the Confederate Navy. Cussler reveals quite a few gems in the Rebel fleet. My personal favorite is the aforementioned C.S.S. Arkansas. Until I read this book, I had never heard of it. But much like Cussler says in this book, "The winners write the history."
   
   A very nice read.



4. This book was great, as always with this author. Even more so since the stories were based on fact.



5. this book is different from cusslers novels, it is many historical stories of the search for famious shipwrecks.

5 comments about Deep Six CST.

1. The indestructible Pitt does it again, but this time is puts a feather in his political cap (not that he needs it) by saving the President. Great action adventure story that can keep you guessing and entertained.



2. This book reminded me a lot of a good season of 24: tons of action, ridiculous political scheming, one-dimensional evil villains, an indestructible hero, and an implausible but highly entertaining plot. A great beach read if you're looking for something action-packed and fast moving.



3. Great book. Lots of action and suspense. Typical Clive Cussler. Just bought Treasure of Khan written by Clive and Dirk Cussler. Would NOT recommend that book. Definitely can tell the difference between Clive and Dirk.



4. This is about the earliest that I actually enjoy Dirk as a character. Still not they way that he is in later novels but not as arrogant as the earlier books. Good read though.



5. Very well written. Loved reading it. It was truly one of Clive Cussler's best works

5 comments about FLOOD TIDE : A Dirk Pitt Novel.

1. I enjoyed this Book by Cussler as I have enjoyed the previous novels read. I did have one issue with the story from historical preservationists view point. **SPOILER** I did not like the fact that Cussler reveals the bones of Peking man to the open air due to their age after being submerged 50 years. Pitt acted very uncharacteristically when he orders the anthropologists to unwrap them for all to see. Not a big deal, but just something that bugged me as a historian. Other than that, it was a fairly new plot with interesting insight into problems America faces today with our dealings on the international level and the immigration issue. Cussler may be using his work to express his views on these matters which could detract readers who disagree. I will still read because I enjoy the plot and writing.



2. Flood Tide was my first foray into the world of Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt. I expected much more from such a prolific writer, but what I found were contrived plot lines, underdeveloped characters, and prose loaded up with cliche phrasing (She stared up at him with pure hatred in her eyes), and way too many adverbs. I get tired of characters saying things caustically, shrugging smugly, and muttering contemptuously (all of which occurred on just one page: 78). I got to chapter 18 before I decided it wasn't going to get any better and put the book down. Thank God the copy I had came from my public library. At least I didn't waste any money on it.



3. I thought this novel was a very entertaining story. The author takes the reader to numerous interesting places, such as the northwest, Mississippi River, the swamps and the Great Lakes. As I traveled to these places he weaved a great story that involved the practice of smuggling illegal aliens, the skill required to navigate the Mississippi river, the Great Lakes, and the skill required to recover sunken treasures. Dirk Pitt brings to the read a lot of action that makes this book a great action/thriller. Highly recommend it.



4. OK so this is my 16th Cussler book and this is my lowest review I've ever given him. I'm not sure if it's my taste as a reader changing or if maybe I've just read too many Cussler books.
   
   To start off I felt that the book almost started off right in the middle of the story building process. The last book "Shock Wave" was before this book and finished only a few months before this one started. The author reminds you that he's tired from his last adventure a few times. From the get go you seem that you are in the middle of something without a lot of lead in and not a lot of development in the story. This beginning "action" last for around 100 pages before we get to sit back and get some plot/character development.
   
   On the flip side the ending of the book ends about 100 pages shy of the actual ending. I had to force myself to finish reading after the climax has already happened. Cussler always starts his book with a prologue from the past and the last 100 pages of the book are just a "oh man I guess I should tie that beginning in somewhere" sort of feel to it.
   
   Another problem I had with this book was the dialogue. It had no flow and seemed forced. The force was the author trying to make every character say something witty/sarcastic/funny to every situation and it just didn't work and seemed very amateurish for an author that I really like.
   
   It took me over two months to finish this one off and actually read three books in between the start and the finish. I just couldn't pick it up for more than 10-20 pages at a time. I think it had something to do that the story was very standard Dirk Pitt and the Evil Bad Man's horrible plot just really wasn't that daunting to me.
   
   Ok so after that review I just have to say that I really like Cussler and his books helped me become a bookworm when I first picked up Inca Gold about 8 or so years ago. After that book I went a picked up all the Pit books that had been written and only have about 3 left out of the 10 or so that I bought that day.



5. I've read many of Clive Cussler's novels. In general I enjoy them, even with the meglomaniacs and the machismo attitude which I ignore. I enjoy how Dirk and Al, and Kurt and his side-kick, Joe etc., work together and support each other. I enjoy the history info that is woven in, (intriguing). The underwater gismos--interesting. I enjoy the Geography lessons, usually getting out my atlas at least once per novel. The pace is usually good and holds my attention. The treasures found absorbing. The new tech stuff--if not based on reality, which I think a lot of it is, creative. However this is the first CC novel I've read that I'm finding tedious. I find this CC effort lacking in the writing style. The plot and info are good-- however, I am not finding the flow that makes a person want to keep reading. I have to put it down and for example go weed the garden or just become overwhelmed with boredom. I will finish it and will read other of CC's novels but have found this one long and tedious.

5 comments about Shock Wave.

1. This is my first Clive Cussler book, and as a fanatical reader of thrillers I would say Shock Wave was an occasionally entertaining near miss. Cussler is clearly a very imaginitive storyteller with a deep knowledge of all things nautical, but he goes overboard on the action to the point where the story becomes a cartoon. If he would tone it down a bit, add a little more realism, the story would become much more gripping and suspenseful. After 2 or 3 superhuman escapes by Dirk Pitt, you realize that he's Superman and nothing can hurt him, so the story loses all suspense. Also, the main storyline about a sound wave that can kill over thousands of miles seemed utterly ludicrous and unbelievable.
   
   The best parts of the story were the opening scene on the doomed ship, and the chapter where Pitt is cast adrift on a raft and manages to survive. Cussler is great when he's describing ocean survival and the lore of the sea; if he would stick closer to that instead of the over-the-top James Bond stuff he could spin a great tale. The rest of the story is mostly cliched, cartoonish and silly to anyone who has read better writers in the genre like Forsyth, DeMille and Fleming. Not recommended for serious fans of thriller fiction unless you really love nautical adventure and don't expect much realism or refined writing in your novels.



2. Even though I've read a lot of Pitt novels they are still very enjoyable to read. Standard ocean catastrophe and Dirk and Al have to figure out the mystery. Good mix of adventure and science. Very well written.



3. By far Clive Cussler's best book yet. Almost an unputdownable book. Only weaknesses albiet small was the beginning and the end. But the middle towards the end, how my gosh! I couldn't put it down! A different spin in every chapter!



4. If you do not believe in the religion of global warming and corporate consiracy theories your eyes will pop out of your head every two pages. The best part of this book is the lead-up to the main story line. The main story line is more suited to a scooby-doo episode than an adult action novel.



5. One of the best Clive Cussler novels I've read, and I've read quite a few. Gripping adventure as always. Cussler never fails to deliver. Shock Wave will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Cussler uses a topical situation on which to base his story around, and as always some interesting characters are introduced as the story progresses. Being an Aussie, I liked the fact that an Australian character was included, albeit the villain. A top read and a must for all Cussler fans, and those not yet fortunate enough to have read a Clive Cussler novel.
   
   How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good
   
   Real Life Dramas - Volume One
   
   Darren G. Burton

5 comments about Inca Gold.

1. This was my twelfth Cussler book and the stories are still entertaining. Some of the plot is getting predictable, but the books are still a pleasure to read. The struggles Cussler puts his two main characters through can make them seem superhuman at times, but these are fiction books to be read for entertainment value.



2. Growing up reading Clive Cussler novels, I never thought I would be able to go back to them and enjoy them in the same way. I actually like them more now, for although some of this kind of fiction is stretches of the truth, it easily touches the imagination. Inca Gold is one of my favorite Clive Cussler novels only next to Sahara and Dragon. With Inca Gold, I get to again experience the adventures of the brave character Dirk Pitt, who by now has been explained and defined as an "Indiana Jones meets James Bond" type of character. Needless to say that is pretty close to the truth, and along with that character I was again introduced to a bizarre and tantalizing tale full of an interesting array of bad guys, undersea treasure hunts and historic mysteries that wait to be discovered. If you enjoy International espionage novels from the likes of Ian Fleming or Robert Ludlum, you just might want to take a chance on a Cussler novel and I think that Inca Gold is in fact, one of his greatest treasures.



3. This is the only Cussler book I think I have read, because a friend had it while I was staying at their house for a while. Anyone, there are archaelogical adventures, kidnapping, now you have it, now you don't treasures, dodgy people who seem ok, and of course a decent sort of a woman to be rescued and be charmed.



4. This is actually the very first book I ever read from Clive Cussler. I loved it! I enjoyed it from cover to cover. It was entertaining, and full of adventure and suspence.
   
   I have read many other books written by him, but these is one of my favorites. I think this is a good choice to start any youngster into reading. It's a good choice if you are stressed out and only want to unwind and put your mind at rest for a while.



5. This was my first Cussler book and just loved it. Great mix of action and adventure. I was really into archaeology at the time of reading this book and just was really exactly what I was looking for. Great book.