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Dirk Pitt® #4
Raise the Titanic!
The Sicilian Project is the undercover plan of the decade. It is undoubtedly the best-kept secret since the atomic bomb. And it's the President's baby. If successful, it will create a defense network that will insure America's security from foreign attack for the foreseeable future. The sole hitch is that the project requires a quantity of Byzantium, an extremely rare element. In fact, it looks as though the only Byzantium in the world lies in the hold of R.M.S. Titanic, sunk in 1912 and still resting more than twelve thousand feet deep in the North Atlantic. The task is simple enough: Raise the Titanic! The man in charge of the mission is Dirk Pitt, jack-of-all-trades and master of-most. Using highly sophisticated submersible equipment, Pitt sets to work at his Herculean job. The presence of two Russian spies doesn't help, nor does the intervention of one very nasty lady, Hurricane Amanda. For balance, however, there is one very sweet lady who doesn't in the least resemble your average marine archaeologist.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1976
1792 people are currently reading
8190 people want to read
About the author
Clive Cussler
648 books8,545 followersCussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work featuring his continuous series hero, Dirk Pitt, in 1973. His first non-fiction, The Sea Hunters, was released in 1996. The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered The Sea Hunters in lieu of a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in May, 1997. It was the first time since the College was founded in 1874 that such a degree was bestowed.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,111 reviews
June 23, 2023
This book was published a decade before the real Titanic was discovered 12,500 feet below the surface of the turbulent frigid North Atlantic the most treacherous sea on our planet.The ocean of icebergs and dread, forever associated with the doomed ship sinking into legend. Dirk Pitt is one of those countless millions who are mesmerized by the almost three hundred yards long behemoth sitting on the sand bottom, slowly deteriorating a few scattered pieces of furniture and debris lying by from the vessel, an eternal purgatory for the once glorious king of the floating liners. Mr. Pitt is a professional, fearless, intelligent, rugged, charismatic not handsome but ordinary looking man the ladies adore. His strict boss Admiral James Sandecker (ret.) the head of the federal agency NUMA, they search and recover shipwrecks, investigate any suspicious activity on the seas, clean deadly spills and on the side eliminate enemies of America. The President has a secret project which will stop Soviet missiles from penetrating U.S. airspace a kind of force field not science fiction but reality. There are always obstacles otherwise it would generate no interest, the C.IA. and Navy will cooperate. A very rare mineral is needed for success and this is where the Titanic is involved the only known quantity is in a safe two and half miles under the sea, yes our ship in the watery grave which never reached her destination New York. Before the revolution a group of nine tough miners from Colorado had after many months in backbreaking effort in the Arctic islands, of Novaya Zemlya, north of Russia they managed to abstract the precious mineral Byzantium and abscond with it getting as far as England before their enemies strike hard killing all but one, Joshua Hayes Brewster. He at last is about to get home safely booking passage on the White Star Line ship the Titanic and going with her down. Soviets espionage in Washington reveals a secret salvage operation to steal Byzantium, the mineral is rightfully theirs from its territory. The action becomes quite intense when Russian agents board the ship soon after being raised a sad derelict the once mighty craft. Two traitors help the Soviet invaders capture the boat, the Navy Seals arrive but not for a drink, the rumble begins in earnest. A Dirk Pitt adventure plenty of fun for his admirers the villains are neutralized and our team comes on top, what usually occurs in the series , you thought the bad guys would win? Still the highlight of the expedition is a striptease by the lone woman in the rescue crew for patriotic reasons to distract the enemy she does a fine job. But the doing brings to the numerous loyal readers relief, the man survives again and the world sleeps peacefully, with just a few nightmares.
November 20, 2025
Clive Cussler's novel "Raise the Titanic!" screams manliness.
Written in 1976, "Raise the Titanic!" was the fourth book to feature Cussler's manly hero, Dirk Pitt. Rugged, taciturn, ex-Navy, knows a lot about boats. Also: charmer with the ladies, who don't really figure much in the book. Women have three purposes: secretarial, sexual, or villainous. It's not that Cussler doesn't like women, it's just that he doesn't have a lot of things for them to do, and he's not quite sure what to do with them when they're there. Granted, this is Cussler in '76. I'm sure he's evolved somewhat.
Sexism aside, Cussler can write a pretty damn good maritime action/adventure yarn. I don't even like boats, and after the first 20 pages or so, I was ready to set sail into a hurricane on a dinghy and man the rigging. (I have no idea what I just wrote there…) Seriously, I still don't have a clue what "port" or "starboard" mean, but it doesn't matter. Cussler's vast knowledge of sea-faring only enhances the pleasure of reading this book, even for land-lubbers like myself.
The 1980 film adaptation directed by Jerry Jameson
The plot: a rare element known as byzanium is needed in a top-secret government project called The Sicilian Project. It just so happens that, in 1912, a large amount of byzanium was crossing the Atlantic in the cargo hold of a deluxe cruise ship on its maiden voyage. The ship was the Titanic. (Yes, the same ship on which Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio met, fell in love, and had sex in a car. According to history, the ship hit an iceberg and sank, never to be found again, until Bill Paxton discovers it many decades later, with funding from James Cameron.) In a series of interesting and somewhat coincidental events, the Titanic is discovered, and a race ensues between the U.S. and the Soviets. Dirk Pitt, a courageous jack-of-all-trades and manly man, leads the expedition to retrieve the Titanic and raise it from its watery grave in order to secure the byzanium. Little things like Soviet assassin spies, hurricanes, and naked women won't get in his way.
Did I mention this book is a testosterone-laden manly Manfest?
Alec Guiness and Richard Jordan
There are some weird things about it. One is that it was published in '76, but it takes place in the "present" of 1987. I'm not sure why Cussler chose to set it in a near future, although I'm sure the fact that the technology for underwater retrieval needed for raising a ship like the Titanic probably wasn't around in '76, or it was still in its early stages. In any case, the 1987 setting threw me off a bit. Interestingly enough, the socio-political issues Cussler writes about in his future aren't that completely far off from the real 1987. Weird.
Another weird thing is that, at the time, the Titanic had not been discovered. I can't recall exactly when it was discovered, although I'm pretty sure it was in the early '80s, because I was in elementary school at the time and remember it being in the news. I was fairly certain that scientists would discover that it was full of underwater alien eggs, and that they would hatch and multiply and eventually eat everyone in the world. (I think the movie "Alien" scarred my childhood. I curse my father for letting me stay up late and watch that damn movie…) Anyway, interesting to note that Cussler kind of predicted the discovery of the Titanic. Weird.
Overall, I was pretty taken in by "Raise the Titanic!" It's everything a manly techno-thriller should be: exciting, action-packed, full of good ol' fashioned fisticuffs, gunplay, and explosions. And some sexy ladies, of course.
Written in 1976, "Raise the Titanic!" was the fourth book to feature Cussler's manly hero, Dirk Pitt. Rugged, taciturn, ex-Navy, knows a lot about boats. Also: charmer with the ladies, who don't really figure much in the book. Women have three purposes: secretarial, sexual, or villainous. It's not that Cussler doesn't like women, it's just that he doesn't have a lot of things for them to do, and he's not quite sure what to do with them when they're there. Granted, this is Cussler in '76. I'm sure he's evolved somewhat.
Sexism aside, Cussler can write a pretty damn good maritime action/adventure yarn. I don't even like boats, and after the first 20 pages or so, I was ready to set sail into a hurricane on a dinghy and man the rigging. (I have no idea what I just wrote there…) Seriously, I still don't have a clue what "port" or "starboard" mean, but it doesn't matter. Cussler's vast knowledge of sea-faring only enhances the pleasure of reading this book, even for land-lubbers like myself.
The 1980 film adaptation directed by Jerry Jameson
The plot: a rare element known as byzanium is needed in a top-secret government project called The Sicilian Project. It just so happens that, in 1912, a large amount of byzanium was crossing the Atlantic in the cargo hold of a deluxe cruise ship on its maiden voyage. The ship was the Titanic. (Yes, the same ship on which Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio met, fell in love, and had sex in a car. According to history, the ship hit an iceberg and sank, never to be found again, until Bill Paxton discovers it many decades later, with funding from James Cameron.) In a series of interesting and somewhat coincidental events, the Titanic is discovered, and a race ensues between the U.S. and the Soviets. Dirk Pitt, a courageous jack-of-all-trades and manly man, leads the expedition to retrieve the Titanic and raise it from its watery grave in order to secure the byzanium. Little things like Soviet assassin spies, hurricanes, and naked women won't get in his way.
Did I mention this book is a testosterone-laden manly Manfest?
Alec Guiness and Richard Jordan
There are some weird things about it. One is that it was published in '76, but it takes place in the "present" of 1987. I'm not sure why Cussler chose to set it in a near future, although I'm sure the fact that the technology for underwater retrieval needed for raising a ship like the Titanic probably wasn't around in '76, or it was still in its early stages. In any case, the 1987 setting threw me off a bit. Interestingly enough, the socio-political issues Cussler writes about in his future aren't that completely far off from the real 1987. Weird.
Another weird thing is that, at the time, the Titanic had not been discovered. I can't recall exactly when it was discovered, although I'm pretty sure it was in the early '80s, because I was in elementary school at the time and remember it being in the news. I was fairly certain that scientists would discover that it was full of underwater alien eggs, and that they would hatch and multiply and eventually eat everyone in the world. (I think the movie "Alien" scarred my childhood. I curse my father for letting me stay up late and watch that damn movie…) Anyway, interesting to note that Cussler kind of predicted the discovery of the Titanic. Weird.
Overall, I was pretty taken in by "Raise the Titanic!" It's everything a manly techno-thriller should be: exciting, action-packed, full of good ol' fashioned fisticuffs, gunplay, and explosions. And some sexy ladies, of course.
August 30, 2020
Raise The Titanic! has been highly recommended to me by a close friend for yeeears and every time he asked if I have read it my response was always - not yet. 😅 If people only understand how many books we GR community have on our TBR!! (exhale!)
I finally read it and I must admit it was a really good book. Keep in mind this book was first published in 1976 while the Titanic was discovered in 1985 by the US Navy, twelve thousand feet at the bottom of the north Atlantic ocean. Clive either did a lot of research or was very lucky to get so many things right except she didn't sink one piece but broke in two. Also there's a lot of spy games going on (think cold war era with USSR... for younger gen, that's Russia). The twist was great as the US top secret project along with NUMA tried to secure the precious cargo within the Titanic's vault.
I finally read it and I must admit it was a really good book. Keep in mind this book was first published in 1976 while the Titanic was discovered in 1985 by the US Navy, twelve thousand feet at the bottom of the north Atlantic ocean. Clive either did a lot of research or was very lucky to get so many things right except she didn't sink one piece but broke in two. Also there's a lot of spy games going on (think cold war era with USSR... for younger gen, that's Russia). The twist was great as the US top secret project along with NUMA tried to secure the precious cargo within the Titanic's vault.
August 23, 2011
I think I was in high school when Kate Winslet stood on the bow of the Titanic and let Leonardo DiCaprio take her in his arms as their doomed love affair began onscreen. I saw not only what the Titanic looked like from its final resting place on the bottom of the sea, but also James Cameron's lovingly crafted vision of the Titanic when she sailed on her maiden voyage. This said, Clive Cussler's original imagining of the raising of the Titanic was breathtaking. It was not hard to believe in a world where even her location on the sea floor was as yet undiscovered. The first discovery of debris from the ship elicited excitement, and the final cresting of her decks above the waves brought tears to my eyes. Cussler gave us an amazing interconnected plot and the best crew in the world to undertake the salvaging of the most amazing ship in "Raise the Titanic!" a decade before she was actually located. Could I go back in a time machine to 1975, I would rather had discovered her with Clive Cussler than James Cameron! (My only caveat to my endorsement is this: The character of Dana Seagram could be completely removed from the book with no qualms from me. She's a 1975 vision of what an 1988 independent working woman and wife would be like, and she is a disappointing, selfish, awful human being, much less, woman. Thank goodness that Mr. Cussler has grown past this view of women in subsequent years.)
May 13, 2025
A classic. This is what made Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt household names. A great blend of men’s adventure, espionage, and pulp action.
October 15, 2018
Thoroughly convinced that Clive Cussler has never actually met a real woman before
February 7, 2023
2023 ad-hoc February read
I first read this many moons ago, probably 25 B.G. (before Goodreads 🙂) and if I remember rightly I enjoyed it. And here we are in the 2020s and it's still an enjoyable read.
Unlike a couple of the early Dirk Pitt's , this did not feel dated and so it was what it was planned to be, an enjoyable adventure romp, a tad unbelievable but hey, you don't read adventure for believability , look at Jack Reacher !!
In this book, the good old US of A are after a special mineral that only came to light in one place in the world. This mineral will help them build a wonderful defensive weapon during the "cold war", however unfortunately the ore, mined in secret in Russia disappeared in the early 1900s. Ooh, now where could it be, yes you guessed correct, buried in the vaults of the Titanic.
So our hero has to come up with a way of raising the titanic, whilst him and his NUMA colleagues are fighting of the baddies on the high seas.
And then...... , well you'll just have to read it to find out what happens next.
Anyway, good fun, and my break from any "must reads/Group reads/Buddy reads in January has allowed me not only to get ahead of my target for the year, but also to re-read a few novels I knew I would enjoy !!
I first read this many moons ago, probably 25 B.G. (before Goodreads 🙂) and if I remember rightly I enjoyed it. And here we are in the 2020s and it's still an enjoyable read.
Unlike a couple of the early Dirk Pitt's , this did not feel dated and so it was what it was planned to be, an enjoyable adventure romp, a tad unbelievable but hey, you don't read adventure for believability , look at Jack Reacher !!
In this book, the good old US of A are after a special mineral that only came to light in one place in the world. This mineral will help them build a wonderful defensive weapon during the "cold war", however unfortunately the ore, mined in secret in Russia disappeared in the early 1900s. Ooh, now where could it be, yes you guessed correct, buried in the vaults of the Titanic.
So our hero has to come up with a way of raising the titanic, whilst him and his NUMA colleagues are fighting of the baddies on the high seas.
And then...... , well you'll just have to read it to find out what happens next.
Anyway, good fun, and my break from any "must reads/Group reads/Buddy reads in January has allowed me not only to get ahead of my target for the year, but also to re-read a few novels I knew I would enjoy !!
June 1, 2023
this gave me everything I wanted from a book called "raise the titanic!"
August 8, 2013
I decided to read a Dirk Pitt book after noticing that Sahara, a Matthew McConaughy movie I enjoyed a while back, was based on a literary character. I decided to read this book instead of Sahara since I was not familiar with the specific story, but was familiar with the ship.
As for this book, it was interesting although beyond unrealistic at times. It was fairly well written, although I would not call it spellbinding.
I did have a few specific gripes with the book (spoilers follow):
- Although it is a Dirk Pitt adventure, Dirk's character only appears in one paragraph in the first 150 pages. This left me feeling misled by the "Dirk Pitt Adventure" stamp on the cover of the book, although the first 150 pages were interesting, regardless.
- I could not stand how Clive Cussler wrote Dana Seagram, the only female character of note in the book. I know this was written in the 1980's, but it was seriously cringe-worthy.
- The only character that truly suffers at the end is the one person who sacrificed everything for the good of his country. Even the Russian villain is given a reprieve at the end, but the heroic scientist that saves America loses both his wife and his mind. Not even after Dirk finally finds the macguffin, or when the Sicilian Defense actually works and saves the country, is he revisited. I found this oddly unsatisfying for this type of book.
I am now debating whether to pick up another Dirk Pitt book and give it a shot, hoping the flaws I found were specific to this book and not to Clive Cussler.
As for this book, it was interesting although beyond unrealistic at times. It was fairly well written, although I would not call it spellbinding.
I did have a few specific gripes with the book (spoilers follow):
- Although it is a Dirk Pitt adventure, Dirk's character only appears in one paragraph in the first 150 pages. This left me feeling misled by the "Dirk Pitt Adventure" stamp on the cover of the book, although the first 150 pages were interesting, regardless.
- I could not stand how Clive Cussler wrote Dana Seagram, the only female character of note in the book. I know this was written in the 1980's, but it was seriously cringe-worthy.
- The only character that truly suffers at the end is the one person who sacrificed everything for the good of his country. Even the Russian villain is given a reprieve at the end, but the heroic scientist that saves America loses both his wife and his mind. Not even after Dirk finally finds the macguffin, or when the Sicilian Defense actually works and saves the country, is he revisited. I found this oddly unsatisfying for this type of book.
I am now debating whether to pick up another Dirk Pitt book and give it a shot, hoping the flaws I found were specific to this book and not to Clive Cussler.
October 6, 2020
That was just wonderful. So many twists and turns that I have a crick in my neck. And such breathtaking excitement!! The scene where the Titanic finally makes it to port and all the ships blow their horns to greet her brought tears to my eyes. Dana Seagram’s performance when she was forced to strip naked made me laugh. My heart was in my throat several times as things went so very wrong. What a fantastic wild ride! Thanks for guilting me into getting this off my TBR list, Kay!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2024
This would have been better at 300 pages. It was just too long. However, the first 200 pages were very good, but after that it just got boring. I will definitely try another CC book someday.
August 22, 2025
The cover blurb really, is not fibbing when it gleefully exhorts you that this is "Dirk Pitt's greatest adventure!"--for, it truly is. Its a one-of-a-kind conception. A unique reading experience in the annals of all paperback thrillers past, present, and future. Who is 'Dirk Pitt'? We'll get to that, below.
At this late date, it's somewhat surprising to realize that this is (chronologically) not the first 'Dirk Pitt' novel in the 'Dirk Pitt' series. But without doubt, this episode in the 'Dirk Pitt adventures' is certainly the one which brought his author (Clive Cussler), international fame. Simply stated, Cussler "knocks the ball out of the park" with this one. He stood the thriller genre on its head. I can't recall when a thriller author has ever made such a debut in his first 2-3 books. Maybe Frederick Forsythe? But that was well before my time.
Now, as much as I heap scorn on most of the later episodes in the 'Dirk Pitt' story--the unending stream of hackneyed dross which Cussler insists on shoveling into our faces--this is one book where his own lordly opinion of himself, is fully warranted. Sadly, quality quickly peters out after this one--the whole series only has 6-7 books worth glancing at. Cussler's career is one of the grossest examples of a writer 'going downhill' in modern times. Worse than Robert Ludlum in that regard.
But in this early effort--Cussler shines. Dazzles! I vividly remember the thrill of just holding that glossy, colorful bookcover in my hands, as he spun his astounding tale. With that cover-art which literally no other book has-ever-had-before, or will-ever-have-again. The massive, spooky after-deck of the sad, lost, HMS Titanic looming up through the fog and mist. An adventure yarn which took readers into a literary region covered by no other novel: "espionage" mixed with "sea-salvage". Its iconic, that paperback cover--audacious. As is, the novel's plot.
That plot--briefly--is: intelligence services of three modern superpowers reluctantly realize that the lost-since- 1912-HMS Titanic was carrying a super-secret scientific discovery in its vault. This 'macguffin' is 'Beryllium', a mineral to make sophisticated new weapons with; a mineral to tip-the-balance-of-global-power-for-whatever-nation-can-recover-it-first; a mineral ore to kill for. It necessitates first the outlandishly difficult pinpointing of--then, a complicated salvage-extraction process undertaken upon --the doomed ship itself. Technically-challenging in the extreme, the hulk must be hauled to the surface via ingenious sacs of air, to wrest the secret cargo from its abyssal trench.
Down, down, down ...grim skeletons of trapped passengers wafting to-and-fro undersea; ghostly apparitions, dangerous currents ...Cussler is never better than when detailing such fiendishly technical undersea operations. It is a supremely tense sequence here, described with genuine storytelling magic. But this is his forte'. It's what he knows best.
Later, when the ship hurtles up to the surface--there are helicopters and machine guns; ultimatums, standoffs, sabotage, spies; commandos. Clever twists and turns. And then suddenly, there's a brilliantly-written scene where everyone--including you--will hold your breath as a gorgeous, leggy brunette strips off her clothes and proudly displays her naked figure (no! don't cry 'sexism' here, please.).
Anyway, what next? Well, I don't rightly know how to describe it, but control of the ship teeters--then, finally goes in the Yanks' favor (rather than the Russkies). But nevermind. Because then --the ghost ship, with all its lost human souls --is impossibly, towed into New York harbor!!! What?!!! Yes! It's true, I am not even kidding you. Can you stand it? I can't friggin' stand it, can you? Greeted by a small-craft armada, crowds lining the New York docks, claxons screaming, foghorns blaring, fireboats sheeting the air. Right up the Hudson...she makes her destination port at last. It makes you want to leap atop the arms of your chair and roar! Boy, let me tell you what: if this does not make your heart race, nor put mist in your eyes--find a defibrillator asap, because you have no pulse. No feeling.
Now, the thing about this novel worth remembering is that 'Titanic-mania' was not always ready-to-hand in our society. It was once a sleeping giant. There was a time when there were no Discovery Channel specials on the topic; and when the fickle public imagination was completely somnolent as to the whole legend. Decades had passed without anyone sparing more than an occasional fleeting thought to the dusty, historic, chestnut that it truly was. Then this book came along, and blew everyone away. So, if anyone today tells you they've been a 'Titanic fan all their life', they're probably fibbing unless they admit the stark, caught-us-unaware paperback market upheaval that this book caused for everyone. It came out of nowhere. Cussler and David ('First Blood') Morrell together, coined the modern action-thriller book genre.
The crazy 'HMS Titanic' plot here, introduced readers as well, to an action-figure with an excessively macho and unlikely name. 'Dirk Pitt', husky maritime adventurer. Pitt was 'new', (in that we had never seen him before) but old, as in "familiar-as-James Bond". Dirk-Pitt is athletic; hardy; shrewd; and full of quips, as Bond always was. No, Cussler doesn't break-any-molds with this piece-o'-beefcake. The problem is rather, that he never stops re-using that mold ...how many novels are there, now? I've lost count.
Nevertheless. Even the most discriminating reader of thrillers would be hard put to find a single flaw in this fast-paced book (regardless of how bored we are to become with Pitt in subsequent outings). This one tale, really does offer everything; and its all managed very ably and well. 'Execution'--for once--truly lived up to 'concept' (when one would naturally have every reason to expect that it wouldn't). Pacing, editing, technical details, are all in perfect balance. A delight. As a one-off read, it stands alone and shoulder-to-shoulder with any other single title in its genre. It represents everything that is great in the thriller-genre itself.
Its bittersweet now to reflect upon all of this, of course. Can you imagine how fantastic it would have been, had Cussler written more novels as cracking good as this one? But he didn't. That dynamic, 'promise-rich' cover-art doesn't evoke at all, what the bombastic Cussler's follow-through brought to the publishing industry. His later career puts the 'lack' in 'lackluster' (although I'm sure he thought otherwise).
But he's wrong. Unfortunately, he wound up spearheading nothing; he barged into our cabin, broke down the door ---only to crash through the flooring and sink like a stone. His mediocre books litter the floor of the thriller genre like the ships he has so long written about--while he laughs all the way to the bank.
Ah Cussler...we hardly knew ye. Why couldn't you be straight with us? Was there ever a one-trick-pony that sired so many bastards as you? You're not King Poseidon, no ...you're King of Facsimiles and Copycats! You copycatted yourself!
At this late date, it's somewhat surprising to realize that this is (chronologically) not the first 'Dirk Pitt' novel in the 'Dirk Pitt' series. But without doubt, this episode in the 'Dirk Pitt adventures' is certainly the one which brought his author (Clive Cussler), international fame. Simply stated, Cussler "knocks the ball out of the park" with this one. He stood the thriller genre on its head. I can't recall when a thriller author has ever made such a debut in his first 2-3 books. Maybe Frederick Forsythe? But that was well before my time.
Now, as much as I heap scorn on most of the later episodes in the 'Dirk Pitt' story--the unending stream of hackneyed dross which Cussler insists on shoveling into our faces--this is one book where his own lordly opinion of himself, is fully warranted. Sadly, quality quickly peters out after this one--the whole series only has 6-7 books worth glancing at. Cussler's career is one of the grossest examples of a writer 'going downhill' in modern times. Worse than Robert Ludlum in that regard.
But in this early effort--Cussler shines. Dazzles! I vividly remember the thrill of just holding that glossy, colorful bookcover in my hands, as he spun his astounding tale. With that cover-art which literally no other book has-ever-had-before, or will-ever-have-again. The massive, spooky after-deck of the sad, lost, HMS Titanic looming up through the fog and mist. An adventure yarn which took readers into a literary region covered by no other novel: "espionage" mixed with "sea-salvage". Its iconic, that paperback cover--audacious. As is, the novel's plot.
That plot--briefly--is: intelligence services of three modern superpowers reluctantly realize that the lost-since- 1912-HMS Titanic was carrying a super-secret scientific discovery in its vault. This 'macguffin' is 'Beryllium', a mineral to make sophisticated new weapons with; a mineral to tip-the-balance-of-global-power-for-whatever-nation-can-recover-it-first; a mineral ore to kill for. It necessitates first the outlandishly difficult pinpointing of--then, a complicated salvage-extraction process undertaken upon --the doomed ship itself. Technically-challenging in the extreme, the hulk must be hauled to the surface via ingenious sacs of air, to wrest the secret cargo from its abyssal trench.
Down, down, down ...grim skeletons of trapped passengers wafting to-and-fro undersea; ghostly apparitions, dangerous currents ...Cussler is never better than when detailing such fiendishly technical undersea operations. It is a supremely tense sequence here, described with genuine storytelling magic. But this is his forte'. It's what he knows best.
Later, when the ship hurtles up to the surface--there are helicopters and machine guns; ultimatums, standoffs, sabotage, spies; commandos. Clever twists and turns. And then suddenly, there's a brilliantly-written scene where everyone--including you--will hold your breath as a gorgeous, leggy brunette strips off her clothes and proudly displays her naked figure (no! don't cry 'sexism' here, please.).
Anyway, what next? Well, I don't rightly know how to describe it, but control of the ship teeters--then, finally goes in the Yanks' favor (rather than the Russkies). But nevermind. Because then --the ghost ship, with all its lost human souls --is impossibly, towed into New York harbor!!! What?!!! Yes! It's true, I am not even kidding you. Can you stand it? I can't friggin' stand it, can you? Greeted by a small-craft armada, crowds lining the New York docks, claxons screaming, foghorns blaring, fireboats sheeting the air. Right up the Hudson...she makes her destination port at last. It makes you want to leap atop the arms of your chair and roar! Boy, let me tell you what: if this does not make your heart race, nor put mist in your eyes--find a defibrillator asap, because you have no pulse. No feeling.
Now, the thing about this novel worth remembering is that 'Titanic-mania' was not always ready-to-hand in our society. It was once a sleeping giant. There was a time when there were no Discovery Channel specials on the topic; and when the fickle public imagination was completely somnolent as to the whole legend. Decades had passed without anyone sparing more than an occasional fleeting thought to the dusty, historic, chestnut that it truly was. Then this book came along, and blew everyone away. So, if anyone today tells you they've been a 'Titanic fan all their life', they're probably fibbing unless they admit the stark, caught-us-unaware paperback market upheaval that this book caused for everyone. It came out of nowhere. Cussler and David ('First Blood') Morrell together, coined the modern action-thriller book genre.
The crazy 'HMS Titanic' plot here, introduced readers as well, to an action-figure with an excessively macho and unlikely name. 'Dirk Pitt', husky maritime adventurer. Pitt was 'new', (in that we had never seen him before) but old, as in "familiar-as-James Bond". Dirk-Pitt is athletic; hardy; shrewd; and full of quips, as Bond always was. No, Cussler doesn't break-any-molds with this piece-o'-beefcake. The problem is rather, that he never stops re-using that mold ...how many novels are there, now? I've lost count.
Nevertheless. Even the most discriminating reader of thrillers would be hard put to find a single flaw in this fast-paced book (regardless of how bored we are to become with Pitt in subsequent outings). This one tale, really does offer everything; and its all managed very ably and well. 'Execution'--for once--truly lived up to 'concept' (when one would naturally have every reason to expect that it wouldn't). Pacing, editing, technical details, are all in perfect balance. A delight. As a one-off read, it stands alone and shoulder-to-shoulder with any other single title in its genre. It represents everything that is great in the thriller-genre itself.
Its bittersweet now to reflect upon all of this, of course. Can you imagine how fantastic it would have been, had Cussler written more novels as cracking good as this one? But he didn't. That dynamic, 'promise-rich' cover-art doesn't evoke at all, what the bombastic Cussler's follow-through brought to the publishing industry. His later career puts the 'lack' in 'lackluster' (although I'm sure he thought otherwise).
But he's wrong. Unfortunately, he wound up spearheading nothing; he barged into our cabin, broke down the door ---only to crash through the flooring and sink like a stone. His mediocre books litter the floor of the thriller genre like the ships he has so long written about--while he laughs all the way to the bank.
Ah Cussler...we hardly knew ye. Why couldn't you be straight with us? Was there ever a one-trick-pony that sired so many bastards as you? You're not King Poseidon, no ...you're King of Facsimiles and Copycats! You copycatted yourself!
August 30, 2025
I’ve always loved the Dirk Pitt/NUMA series, and over the years I’ve read several titles in no particular order. This time, though, I decided to start from the beginning, and following the chronological order brought me to one of the most famous adventures: Raise the Titanic!
The structure is a Cussler classic: a prologue set in the past — the sinking of the Titanic and a mystery involving a passenger and the cargo he was carrying — followed by the main story, set in the late 1970s, in the middle of the Cold War. Here, the United States sets out to find byzanium, an extremely rare mineral capable of powering an innovative defense system. Since the precious cargo was aboard the Titanic, the NUMA team steps in to recover the wreck.
Compared to the earlier books in the series, this one feels more “global” in scope, with stakes tied to geopolitical balance, whereas Pitt’s first adventures had more contained plots and a slightly more “hands-on” feel to the action. There’s also a noticeable emphasis on technical detail and recovery procedures, almost as if Cussler wanted to make readers feel they were right there on the bridge. The moments of banter between characters, though still there, give way to more tension and the emotional weight of the Titanic disaster.
As always, Cussler shines in his use of details: he describes recovery operations, procedures, and equipment with precision, often citing specific brands and models that will make technology buffs smile. Today’s historical knowledge about the Titanic makes the premise less plausible, but that doesn’t take away from the story’s charm.
The pace is smooth, and the mix of thriller and adventure works well. Familiar faces return — Admiral Sandecker, Dirk Pitt, and Al Giordino — even if the witty exchanges between Pitt and Giordino are fewer than usual. Action and plot twists are still there, perfectly timed. And with such a real-life tragedy at the heart of the plot, the book carries a strong emotional component, serving as a heartfelt tribute to the Titanic’s victims.
It’s not my favorite in the series — I tend to prefer those where the opening blends history, legend, and mystery, like in Walhalla — but it’s still an engaging read.
A fun fact: many years ago I saw Raise the Titanic, the movie based on this novel. It was considered a flop, but I liked it, even though I hadn’t yet discovered Dirk Pitt’s adventures. My real introduction to the character came later, with the movie Sahara. And from there, I never looked back.
The structure is a Cussler classic: a prologue set in the past — the sinking of the Titanic and a mystery involving a passenger and the cargo he was carrying — followed by the main story, set in the late 1970s, in the middle of the Cold War. Here, the United States sets out to find byzanium, an extremely rare mineral capable of powering an innovative defense system. Since the precious cargo was aboard the Titanic, the NUMA team steps in to recover the wreck.
Compared to the earlier books in the series, this one feels more “global” in scope, with stakes tied to geopolitical balance, whereas Pitt’s first adventures had more contained plots and a slightly more “hands-on” feel to the action. There’s also a noticeable emphasis on technical detail and recovery procedures, almost as if Cussler wanted to make readers feel they were right there on the bridge. The moments of banter between characters, though still there, give way to more tension and the emotional weight of the Titanic disaster.
As always, Cussler shines in his use of details: he describes recovery operations, procedures, and equipment with precision, often citing specific brands and models that will make technology buffs smile. Today’s historical knowledge about the Titanic makes the premise less plausible, but that doesn’t take away from the story’s charm.
The pace is smooth, and the mix of thriller and adventure works well. Familiar faces return — Admiral Sandecker, Dirk Pitt, and Al Giordino — even if the witty exchanges between Pitt and Giordino are fewer than usual. Action and plot twists are still there, perfectly timed. And with such a real-life tragedy at the heart of the plot, the book carries a strong emotional component, serving as a heartfelt tribute to the Titanic’s victims.
It’s not my favorite in the series — I tend to prefer those where the opening blends history, legend, and mystery, like in Walhalla — but it’s still an engaging read.
A fun fact: many years ago I saw Raise the Titanic, the movie based on this novel. It was considered a flop, but I liked it, even though I hadn’t yet discovered Dirk Pitt’s adventures. My real introduction to the character came later, with the movie Sahara. And from there, I never looked back.
June 27, 2021
“Pitt experienced no pangs of uneasiness when he came on board, but, rather, a feeling of reverence. He walked to the bridge and stood alone, absorbed in the legend of the Titanic. God only knew, he’d wondered 100 times what it was like that Sunday night nearly 8 decades ago when Captain Edward J. Smith stood on the very same spot and realized that his great command was slowly and irreversibly sinking beneath his feet. What were his thoughts, knowing the lifeboats could hold only 1,180 people, while on the maiden voyage the ship was carrying 2,200 passengers and crew? Then he wondered what the venerable old captain would’ve thought had he known the decks of his ship would one day be walked again by men as yet unborn in his time.
After what seemed hours, but was in reality only a minute or two, Pitt broke out of his reverie and moved aft along the Boat Deck, past the sealed door of the wireless cabin, where First Operator John G. Phillips had sent history’s first SOS; past the empty davits of lifeboat No. 6, in which Mrs. J.J. Brown of Denver later achieved enduring fame as “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”; past the entrance to the Grand Stairway, where Graham Farley and the ships band had played to the end; past the spot where millionaire Benjamin Guggenheim and his secretary had stood calmly waiting for death, dressed in the finery of their evening clothes so that they could go down like gentlemen.”
I really wanted to give this 5/5-that’s right-I seriously considered giving a Clive Cussler book five big ones. My reason? Pure fun. This book was an absolute blast to read. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it though, and my reasons will be below.
Raise The Titanic! is a book written in the 1970s by the Master of Adventure, Clive Cussler. The plot involves a super rare mineral called byzanium that could be very useful to any government that could get its hands on it—the problem is, it only exists in trace amounts, and it turns out the entire world’s supply of the stuff happened to be traveling to the US from Europe in April 1912–on the RMS Titanic. This is discovered in 1975 and the race is on between the US and the Soviet Union (yes-a thriller written before the early 90s means the bad guys will inevitably be the USSR) to get at it. The US calls in the big guns—a bona fide James Bond/Indiana Jones style badass who can do anything named Dirk Pitt and his NUMA team, and the plan is, and you may have guessed, to RAISE THE TITANIC! And of course, all kinds of crazy stuff happens next. I couldn’t stop reading.
This book is realistic in only one way; Cussler actually did a pretty damn good job at guessing where the Titanic would be found, and nailed its depth. He did not however, get some other details correct, but that doesn’t matter. The book of course, requires suspension of disbelief on multiple levels, but that also didn’t matter. It was all worth it to me, as the idea of raising the Titanic up from its watery grave, and being able to walk around the old ship painted an absolutely wondrous picture in my head. I’ve (like many people, especially my age thanks to the film) been very interested in the Titanic sinking since I was a wee lad, and this book took me right back. It covers some aspects of the sinking as well as the ship itself that I still didn’t know, despite countless documentaries and a few non-fiction books over the years. I felt all those feelings again that I had when I first became interested in the wreck many years ago. Cussler succeeded phenomenally at this.
This book is pure plot. The writing is nothing special, but it’s serviceable and not distracting, and that’s all I look for in a novel like this. What you won’t find here is this: good character work, fancy prose, irony, satire, or anything thematic. I had to dock it a star, but nonetheless it is pure fun and adventure, and reminded me why I love reading so much in the first place. The plot moves fast and is perfectly done; it makes for a page turner that you will likely have a hell of a time putting down.
If this sounds even a little bit like something you may like, then I can assure you, it is. Go for it.
There’s no doubt that I will be checking out more Clive Cussler books, as every now and then a book like this is just what the doctor ordered. 4/5
After what seemed hours, but was in reality only a minute or two, Pitt broke out of his reverie and moved aft along the Boat Deck, past the sealed door of the wireless cabin, where First Operator John G. Phillips had sent history’s first SOS; past the empty davits of lifeboat No. 6, in which Mrs. J.J. Brown of Denver later achieved enduring fame as “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”; past the entrance to the Grand Stairway, where Graham Farley and the ships band had played to the end; past the spot where millionaire Benjamin Guggenheim and his secretary had stood calmly waiting for death, dressed in the finery of their evening clothes so that they could go down like gentlemen.”
I really wanted to give this 5/5-that’s right-I seriously considered giving a Clive Cussler book five big ones. My reason? Pure fun. This book was an absolute blast to read. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it though, and my reasons will be below.
Raise The Titanic! is a book written in the 1970s by the Master of Adventure, Clive Cussler. The plot involves a super rare mineral called byzanium that could be very useful to any government that could get its hands on it—the problem is, it only exists in trace amounts, and it turns out the entire world’s supply of the stuff happened to be traveling to the US from Europe in April 1912–on the RMS Titanic. This is discovered in 1975 and the race is on between the US and the Soviet Union (yes-a thriller written before the early 90s means the bad guys will inevitably be the USSR) to get at it. The US calls in the big guns—a bona fide James Bond/Indiana Jones style badass who can do anything named Dirk Pitt and his NUMA team, and the plan is, and you may have guessed, to RAISE THE TITANIC! And of course, all kinds of crazy stuff happens next. I couldn’t stop reading.
This book is realistic in only one way; Cussler actually did a pretty damn good job at guessing where the Titanic would be found, and nailed its depth. He did not however, get some other details correct, but that doesn’t matter. The book of course, requires suspension of disbelief on multiple levels, but that also didn’t matter. It was all worth it to me, as the idea of raising the Titanic up from its watery grave, and being able to walk around the old ship painted an absolutely wondrous picture in my head. I’ve (like many people, especially my age thanks to the film) been very interested in the Titanic sinking since I was a wee lad, and this book took me right back. It covers some aspects of the sinking as well as the ship itself that I still didn’t know, despite countless documentaries and a few non-fiction books over the years. I felt all those feelings again that I had when I first became interested in the wreck many years ago. Cussler succeeded phenomenally at this.
This book is pure plot. The writing is nothing special, but it’s serviceable and not distracting, and that’s all I look for in a novel like this. What you won’t find here is this: good character work, fancy prose, irony, satire, or anything thematic. I had to dock it a star, but nonetheless it is pure fun and adventure, and reminded me why I love reading so much in the first place. The plot moves fast and is perfectly done; it makes for a page turner that you will likely have a hell of a time putting down.
If this sounds even a little bit like something you may like, then I can assure you, it is. Go for it.
There’s no doubt that I will be checking out more Clive Cussler books, as every now and then a book like this is just what the doctor ordered. 4/5
August 24, 2025
Mi aspettavo molto di più da questo romanzo d'avventure anche perché l'argomento è appetitoso ed invece mi sono trovato davanti a lunghe pagine noiose, lette nell'inutile attesa di una svolta che non arriva mai.
June 27, 2021
Another awesome Brad Pitt novel. Fast paced and suspenseful- with non-stop action. You know if everything that came out in this novel: raising the Titanic , star wars, and spy infiltration took place ... wow, life 3ould be pretty cool.
February 22, 2012
Each time I'm tempted to laugh at Cussler, I remind myself that back in '75, Titanic wasn't the world's most over-exposed shipwreck (that would happen ten years later).
My knowledge of reality vs, Cussler's assumptions aside, this yarn goes well enough until, for some reason, Cussler seems to lose his mind. He discards a character he's gotten us to invest ourselves in, insures the happiness of one he hasn't, and generally lets the whole thing take a turn downhill. At the end of the novel, I'm left wondering: why? For the love of heaven, why?
I think I have an answer. Cussler is attempting to have his cake and eat it, too. He wants his hero, (note his, not the book's: the hero of this book is Gene Seagram, at least until Cussler pulls the rug out from under him) to be both a man of mystery and the guy everybody loves. The problem with this is, aside from the fact that it will not work—a man of mystery is too remote to be liked, a man who's liked is too well known to be mysterious— is that he's already gotten us to liking Gene Seagram. I think at some point Cussler realizes this and decides to cuckold Seagram, both plot-wise and literally, with Pitt. In the process, Cussler destroys a marriage he's had the reader (this reader, anyway) hoping would make it, sends a man who's sacrificed everything for his country to bedlam, and then packs Pitt off to prove the salvage operation that cost both lives, credulity, and a whopping amount of taxpayer money wasn't necessary in the first place, which would have worked if Titanic had been lost again, but as-is makes no real sense whatsoever. I point out that salvaging Titanic was Seagram's idea, and once again Pitt proves what a loser he is.
The only conclusion I can come to is we're supposed to end the book beaming, saying "That Pitt—whatta guy!" as he scampers off into the mist, sunsets being few and far between in merry old England, and Cussler being fond of framing.
The funny thing is, Cussler can write when he wants to. The scene of Gene Seagram's near suicide is a nice piece, maybe the best scene in the entire book (although a few of Seagram's other scenes rival it). Of course, it turns out to be useless, since Gene doesn't accomplish a darned thing after that, and then loses his wife and goes crackers to boot. After the lovely advice he gets from Pitt, who can blame him? A bedside manner our ubermench has not.
In conclusion: interesting concept, well-done up to a point, then completely goes to hell for obscure reasons best known to the author, although I suspect it's more a burning need to have Pitt be the Best than some half-assed idea that Titanic is cursed. All I'm left deciding is whether or not to read another outing of the Pittster. I'll have to sleep on it.
My knowledge of reality vs, Cussler's assumptions aside, this yarn goes well enough until, for some reason, Cussler seems to lose his mind. He discards a character he's gotten us to invest ourselves in, insures the happiness of one he hasn't, and generally lets the whole thing take a turn downhill. At the end of the novel, I'm left wondering: why? For the love of heaven, why?
I think I have an answer. Cussler is attempting to have his cake and eat it, too. He wants his hero, (note his, not the book's: the hero of this book is Gene Seagram, at least until Cussler pulls the rug out from under him) to be both a man of mystery and the guy everybody loves. The problem with this is, aside from the fact that it will not work—a man of mystery is too remote to be liked, a man who's liked is too well known to be mysterious— is that he's already gotten us to liking Gene Seagram. I think at some point Cussler realizes this and decides to cuckold Seagram, both plot-wise and literally, with Pitt. In the process, Cussler destroys a marriage he's had the reader (this reader, anyway) hoping would make it, sends a man who's sacrificed everything for his country to bedlam, and then packs Pitt off to prove the salvage operation that cost both lives, credulity, and a whopping amount of taxpayer money wasn't necessary in the first place, which would have worked if Titanic had been lost again, but as-is makes no real sense whatsoever. I point out that salvaging Titanic was Seagram's idea, and once again Pitt proves what a loser he is.
The only conclusion I can come to is we're supposed to end the book beaming, saying "That Pitt—whatta guy!" as he scampers off into the mist, sunsets being few and far between in merry old England, and Cussler being fond of framing.
The funny thing is, Cussler can write when he wants to. The scene of Gene Seagram's near suicide is a nice piece, maybe the best scene in the entire book (although a few of Seagram's other scenes rival it). Of course, it turns out to be useless, since Gene doesn't accomplish a darned thing after that, and then loses his wife and goes crackers to boot. After the lovely advice he gets from Pitt, who can blame him? A bedside manner our ubermench has not.
In conclusion: interesting concept, well-done up to a point, then completely goes to hell for obscure reasons best known to the author, although I suspect it's more a burning need to have Pitt be the Best than some half-assed idea that Titanic is cursed. All I'm left deciding is whether or not to read another outing of the Pittster. I'll have to sleep on it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 29, 2020
The book that broke Clive Cussler out. We now know, of course, that what was proposed was an impossibility given the state of the ship, but we didn’t know it then. The story I heard years ago was that a copy of manuscript was lying on an editor’s desk and someone walking by saw the title and was intrigued and the buzz started. One thing I constantly teach is that title is the #1 marketing tool you have control over as an author.
That’s on top of the fact it was a great idea. RIP Clive.
That’s on top of the fact it was a great idea. RIP Clive.
August 1, 2022
“A dollar for your thoughts.”
She opened her eyes and was greeted by the grinning and freshly shaven face of Dirk Pitt.
“A dollar? I thought it used to be a penny.”
“Inflation strikes everything, sooner or later.”
✮ ✮ ✮
*** a 3 star review is still a positive review. I consider a three star review to be more of a positive-neutral review.
I enjoyed this, well the last half of it anyhow. It took me a really long time to get into this book. I was really excited about a book about the raising of the mighty Titanic from its ocean depths. But, this just seemed a little underwhelming. It took ages for the story to pinpoint its direction, and the titanic wasn’t even mentioned until approximately halfway. But the plot was okay, if not a bit jumpy.
I like the fact that Clive Cussler can do action. He can do action in books really, really well. And he did again. Once his books get going, they are good, it’s just waiting for the peak of the book, which always seems to be near the end.
I do, however, enjoy Dirk Pitt’s adventures, no matter how over the top and unbelievable they are! Also, considering this was written before the wreckage of the titanic was located, he managed to get a lot of information correct! When fiction becomes fact.
She opened her eyes and was greeted by the grinning and freshly shaven face of Dirk Pitt.
“A dollar? I thought it used to be a penny.”
“Inflation strikes everything, sooner or later.”
✮ ✮ ✮
*** a 3 star review is still a positive review. I consider a three star review to be more of a positive-neutral review.
I enjoyed this, well the last half of it anyhow. It took me a really long time to get into this book. I was really excited about a book about the raising of the mighty Titanic from its ocean depths. But, this just seemed a little underwhelming. It took ages for the story to pinpoint its direction, and the titanic wasn’t even mentioned until approximately halfway. But the plot was okay, if not a bit jumpy.
I like the fact that Clive Cussler can do action. He can do action in books really, really well. And he did again. Once his books get going, they are good, it’s just waiting for the peak of the book, which always seems to be near the end.
I do, however, enjoy Dirk Pitt’s adventures, no matter how over the top and unbelievable they are! Also, considering this was written before the wreckage of the titanic was located, he managed to get a lot of information correct! When fiction becomes fact.
May 20, 2017
I've always been a fan of the Dirk Pitt novels. I read them when I was in my 20's and loved them. Back then, I would have given all of them 5 stars. Now that I've read far more books in a lot of different genres, I'm more critical. I'm re-reading through these novels, and up to this one have been a bit more disappointed than I am with #4. I remember liking this one a lot more than the others 20 years ago as well. The plotting is more intricate, and Pitt's character is more developed, showing a side that he hasn't in the first 3 books. The subject matter, the Titanic, is well researched and presented well for the time it was written. We know more now, of course, which dates some aspects of this book. But a great story, and well worth reading for any Cussler fan.
August 4, 2023
Ridiculous, but very enjoyable adventure that effectively mixes geopolitics, mystery and good old fashioned derringer do. It’s also appallingly chauvinistic, but if you can ignore that you should have a good time.
September 1, 2023
I think the first thing I need to say about this book is the age of it - the introduction in the edition I read openly admits that the story was written before the actual Titanic was discovered and as such some of the storyline details are therefore no longer possible - but at the time - with the fate of the vessel totally unknown the story was open.
Now that is aside the story itself is pretty much what you would expect for a Clive Cussler - full of action daring do and heroes in all shapes and sizes. Now that may sound rather dismissive but this was only the fourth Dirk Pitt book and I suspect this character was still being developed. That said the story was great fun and I can see why so many of his books have sold over the years.
I guess the trick now is to read more of the saga of Dirk Pitt to see both how he and his stories evolve.
Now that is aside the story itself is pretty much what you would expect for a Clive Cussler - full of action daring do and heroes in all shapes and sizes. Now that may sound rather dismissive but this was only the fourth Dirk Pitt book and I suspect this character was still being developed. That said the story was great fun and I can see why so many of his books have sold over the years.
I guess the trick now is to read more of the saga of Dirk Pitt to see both how he and his stories evolve.
December 17, 2020
I read this is paperback form decades ago, it was probably the only well-written novel that Cussler has ever written. It was written at the height of his talents which, sadly, quickly declined.
This one is worth reading, as is Red Storm Rising, everything else the author has ever written has been pretty bad, nearly unreadable.
This one is worth reading, as is Red Storm Rising, everything else the author has ever written has been pretty bad, nearly unreadable.
August 26, 2020
Another marathon of Historical fact & fiction. Wish I knew which was which!
Want to read
December 6, 2025bring back gritty, well-themed illustrated covers
August 5, 2019
I needed to finish off my evening reading last night with some mental chewing gum and this is what I picked off my shelves. So far so good and easy on the brain after Dostoevski and Sterne. The dialogue is at best functional, but the plot is all in a book like this anyway, and it's a page-turner so far. The Colorado stuff is appealing. Mr. C. lived in Arvada, I think.
- plenty of product placement so far, and lots of smokers smoking pipes, cigars, and cigarettes.
Moving right along with this engrossing read. I am undeterred by the ridiculously dated sexist take on women in this book. Other Goodreads reviewers have commented on it. Makes me shake my head and laugh and move on.
- "Bronco" Stadium???? NO! It's(or was) Mile High Stadium.
- Poor Dana - the author makes us hate her already, because she's a married woman who's poor frazzled husband is trying to save the nation while she frets about not getting laid(by another man) when she wants to.
- The back cover picture is inaccurate. The iceberg did NOT rip a lateral hole in the hull of the Titanic. It buckled the hull plates, which caused water to come rushing in along the buckled area.
Didn't do much book reading last night between listening to football and perusing a bunch of magazines. One thing did become clear, however, and that is that other(mostly female) G'reads reviewers have it right when they cite the author for his relentless, gratuitous male chauvinist piggery. The relentless women-as-sexual-objects thing is in fact rather striking. Also quite dated ... but, the plot is all and it keeps one interested.
Moving along now as the BIG project is underway with as many serious complications as CC can toss into the pot. Seems unlikely that Pitt would be told to back off on pursuing the Russian saboteurs, but what do I know. This IS fiction. BTW the back illustration now makes sense - sort of - but there's still no reason why the hull plates above the water line along the "gash" should be depicted curled outward. Anyway, we now know that there was no gash in real life. Also, of course, we now know that the ship went down and settled in two pieces, not one, which CC didn't know when he wrote this.
- Dirk's in Exeter, Dawlish and Teignmouth. I visited those places on a bicycle trip back in the summer of 1980. Train from London to Exeter and bicycle to Plymouth. Very scenic indeed!
Finished up last night with a whirlwind of well-written if implausible action stuff. What WAS actually plausible was the method that Dirk Pitt used to save the day. Perfectly logical if you think about it. Then came a gratuitous sex scene(REALLY!?!?) with super-pukey dialogue, some political exposition(of the author's views, I assume), a bit of spy vs spy silliness, and a couple of false endings before we wind up with Dirk in a cemetery in Norfolk(I think). Shades of "The Nine Tailors"!
- What kind of coffee? "Steaming mugs" of it - OF COURSE! A dead giveaway of bad writing.
- Barely a 2.75* - rounds up to 3*
- plenty of product placement so far, and lots of smokers smoking pipes, cigars, and cigarettes.
Moving right along with this engrossing read. I am undeterred by the ridiculously dated sexist take on women in this book. Other Goodreads reviewers have commented on it. Makes me shake my head and laugh and move on.
- "Bronco" Stadium???? NO! It's(or was) Mile High Stadium.
- Poor Dana - the author makes us hate her already, because she's a married woman who's poor frazzled husband is trying to save the nation while she frets about not getting laid(by another man) when she wants to.
- The back cover picture is inaccurate. The iceberg did NOT rip a lateral hole in the hull of the Titanic. It buckled the hull plates, which caused water to come rushing in along the buckled area.
Didn't do much book reading last night between listening to football and perusing a bunch of magazines. One thing did become clear, however, and that is that other(mostly female) G'reads reviewers have it right when they cite the author for his relentless, gratuitous male chauvinist piggery. The relentless women-as-sexual-objects thing is in fact rather striking. Also quite dated ... but, the plot is all and it keeps one interested.
Moving along now as the BIG project is underway with as many serious complications as CC can toss into the pot. Seems unlikely that Pitt would be told to back off on pursuing the Russian saboteurs, but what do I know. This IS fiction. BTW the back illustration now makes sense - sort of - but there's still no reason why the hull plates above the water line along the "gash" should be depicted curled outward. Anyway, we now know that there was no gash in real life. Also, of course, we now know that the ship went down and settled in two pieces, not one, which CC didn't know when he wrote this.
- Dirk's in Exeter, Dawlish and Teignmouth. I visited those places on a bicycle trip back in the summer of 1980. Train from London to Exeter and bicycle to Plymouth. Very scenic indeed!
Finished up last night with a whirlwind of well-written if implausible action stuff. What WAS actually plausible was the method that Dirk Pitt used to save the day. Perfectly logical if you think about it. Then came a gratuitous sex scene(REALLY!?!?) with super-pukey dialogue, some political exposition(of the author's views, I assume), a bit of spy vs spy silliness, and a couple of false endings before we wind up with Dirk in a cemetery in Norfolk(I think). Shades of "The Nine Tailors"!
- What kind of coffee? "Steaming mugs" of it - OF COURSE! A dead giveaway of bad writing.
- Barely a 2.75* - rounds up to 3*
June 3, 2015
Going way back in time and reading some of his earlier books that I never read. Not as good as his later books by far...I would rate this more of a 2.5. I guess he improved his writing as the years went by....
January 16, 2023
This book as a strange meaning to me. My last living grandparents died back in 2012. I received my paperback copy of this book from them as a Christmas present probably in 2000 or 2001, and have just recently actually read it. All those years waiting to be read, it reminded me of my grandparents and it remained one last item from them I could enjoy.
Enjoy might be a little strong. Compared to the other Cussler novels I've read, this one is actually very good. The plot is a fine little action concept. It's discovered that something very valuable for national security sunk on the Titanic all those decades ago, and secret US forces hatch a plan to try to raise the ship and recover the McGuffin. No complaints there.
Unfortunately the writing itself is, as usual, extremely annoying. I hope you are interested in learning the breast size of every female character within the first sentence of their appearance. There is a lot of very dumb commentary on feminism, presented in the most ham-fisted way imaginable. Dirk Pitt, Admiral Sandecker, and the rest of the boys have almost no personality beyond liking booze and standing up for the American Way.
Some of the international jockeying between Soviet and US operatives could have been an enjoyable element if treated more seriously, but the whole thing make James Bond feel like a hyper-realistic depiction of spycraft.
All this said, holding this book in my hands did remind me of my grandparents and is a last physical token that I have of their time here on this planet, and that does mean something to me. If your deceased grandparents also gave you a copy, I recommend breaking it out to read, and spending a little time reflecting on the happy memories of them you may have.
Enjoy might be a little strong. Compared to the other Cussler novels I've read, this one is actually very good. The plot is a fine little action concept. It's discovered that something very valuable for national security sunk on the Titanic all those decades ago, and secret US forces hatch a plan to try to raise the ship and recover the McGuffin. No complaints there.
Unfortunately the writing itself is, as usual, extremely annoying. I hope you are interested in learning the breast size of every female character within the first sentence of their appearance. There is a lot of very dumb commentary on feminism, presented in the most ham-fisted way imaginable. Dirk Pitt, Admiral Sandecker, and the rest of the boys have almost no personality beyond liking booze and standing up for the American Way.
Some of the international jockeying between Soviet and US operatives could have been an enjoyable element if treated more seriously, but the whole thing make James Bond feel like a hyper-realistic depiction of spycraft.
All this said, holding this book in my hands did remind me of my grandparents and is a last physical token that I have of their time here on this planet, and that does mean something to me. If your deceased grandparents also gave you a copy, I recommend breaking it out to read, and spending a little time reflecting on the happy memories of them you may have.
July 1, 2018
I've been reading Cussler for the last couple of years, but this book, the one that sealed his name as a best seller is the earliest one I've read.
It's very different than the ones I've read. Instead of a formulaic novel with an insane billionaire and an end of the world device, we get a deep cold war thriller. The search is on for a rare earth element that just happened to be on the Titanic. None of the moral equivalence that was so prevalent then.
Very good. Highly recommended.
It's very different than the ones I've read. Instead of a formulaic novel with an insane billionaire and an end of the world device, we get a deep cold war thriller. The search is on for a rare earth element that just happened to be on the Titanic. None of the moral equivalence that was so prevalent then.
Very good. Highly recommended.
November 6, 2012
One of those stories that holds up even though it is not historically correct.
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