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Fargo Adventures #5
The Mayan Secrets
The Mayan Secrets is the exceptional fifth Fargo adventure by Clive Cussler.
Mexico, present day: a revelation of precious knowledge from the past has the power to change the course of humanity's future.
Treasure-hunting husband and wife team Sam and Remi Fargo are in Central America when they come upon a remarkable discovery - the skeleton of a man clutching an ancient sealed pot. Inside the pot is a well-preserved Mayan book, larger than any previously found by archaeologists. The book contains astonishing information about the Mayans, about their cities, and about mankind itself. The secrets are so powerful that some people would do anything to possess them - as the Fargos are about to find out. Before their adventure is done, men and women will die for the riches contained in the ancient book - and it's just possible that Sam and Remi may be among them . . .
With all the breakneck pace, wild imagination and high stakes thrills that Clive Cussler has made his own, The Mayan Secrets proves once again that the World's No.1 Adventure Writer is in a league of his own. It is the latest in the gripping Fargo Adventure series, following the bestselling titles Spartan Gold, Lost Empire, The Kingdom and The Tombs.
Praise for Clive Cussler.
'Clive Cussler is hard to beat' Daily Mail
'The guy I read' Tom Clancy
'The adventure king' Daily Express
Clive Cussler is the author or co-author of a great number of international bestsellers, including the famous Dirk Pitt� adventures, such as Crescent Dawn; the NUMA� Files adventures, most recently Medusa; the Oregon Files, such as The Silent Sea; and the Isaac Bell historical thrillers, which began with The Chase, and the recent Fargo adventures. He lives in Arizona.
406 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2013
588 people are currently reading
3345 people want to read
About the author
Clive Cussler
645 books8,524 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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October 18, 2014
Posted to The Literary Lawyer.ca
A Fun Romp Through the Jungle - 3 Stars
If you have read any of the other books in this series written by Clive Cussler/Thomas Perry (previously Grant Blackwood) than you are pretty much assured that you know what you will get in this fifth installment. You are in for a bit of treasure hunting fun with a rich and superbly talent married couple. There are some bad guys, explosions, near death experiences and some scheming and conniving. While the series is a tad formulaic, I still enjoy the adventures of Sam and Remi Fargo.
Plot summary
After a serious earthquake in Guatemala, the rich Super couple, treasure hunting, amateur archeologists Sam and Remi Fargo attend the country to provide assistance through some hard work and delivery of medical supplies. On a mountainous hike to a remote village, they quite literally stumble upon an as of yet undiscovered Mayan archeological site. It is here they discover a codex that is set to turn the understanding of the Mayan people on its ear. Of course, things are not easy and they face off again hitmen, drug runners and a uber-rich villain as they traipse across the jungle discovering treasure, hidden Mayan sites and narrowly avoiding death.
The Good
Fun Factor
When I was a kid, one of my (many) dreams was to grow up to be a globe trotting archeologist who would spend his life discovering hidden cities and ancient treasure. Turns out I did not become a Canadian Indiana Jones but the interest in such things has always remained. Regardless of any fault you find in these novels, they deal with interesting ideas. The story involves real history and real historical mysteries. While it might add information to made the story more exciting, it manages to make history fun. There is treasure and priceless artifacts. What is not to love.
While the characters lack any significant depth and they essentially possess any skill necessary to escape danger, they manage to be interesting if you accept them for what they are. Sometimes this means the storytelling is lazy as they always reach within the vast expanses of their minds to find the solution, it is fun in the way that McGuyver could get out a locked room with a q-tip and a stick of gum or the A-Team could build a functioning tank with a junk yard car, scrap metal and an industrial fan. Don't over think it. This will not be shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
The Bad
While fun, it is not especially creative. I would not read this series one after the other as it something for which you need to be in the mood. While you might eat salad every day for lunch, every once in a while it won't kill you to have a meatball sandwich.
Sam and Remi Fargo are about as white bread as they come. You know they will always make the moral choice, use violence only when utterly necessary, will always help the downtrodden even when it puts them in danger and will never have a rough patch in their relationship. Yes. The characters are far too good to be true. Again, try not to over think it and you will make out just fine.
Can this Book Stand Alone
Yes. There characters tend to be reintroduced. There is minimal backstory and it plays very little into this story. If you are so inclined, you can read this one first with confidence.
Final Thoughts
If you are in the mood for a little literary junk food that has a sprinkling of history, treasure hunting, gun fighting and some saintly WASP's, this book might be for you. The first three novels were written by Clive Cussler/Grant Blackwood. Personally, I liked Blackwood's writing a lot more. I see that book six is using a new author so we will see where that leads us.
Audiobook Notes
This is narrated by Scott Brick. I love the guy. He is my go to narrator for the action adventure type novels. He has a deep and overly dramatic voice that is a perfect fit for these types of stories.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1.5
If kissing falls under sex than there is some sexual content. Sam and Remi are know to chastely lock lips from time to time. There is the occasional reference to Remi's good looks and shapely physique and stunning beauty. There is nothing in the story that would make your grandma blush.
Language - 2
The characters tend to avoid adult language. There are few potty words here or there but Sam and Remi contribute very little to the swear jar.
Violence - 3
If Clive Cussler's name is on the cover, there has to be some violence. There is plenty of shooting and quite a few bodies litter the jungle. Surprisingly, the violence is less than the previous novels and tends to be mild in nature.
A Fun Romp Through the Jungle - 3 Stars
If you have read any of the other books in this series written by Clive Cussler/Thomas Perry (previously Grant Blackwood) than you are pretty much assured that you know what you will get in this fifth installment. You are in for a bit of treasure hunting fun with a rich and superbly talent married couple. There are some bad guys, explosions, near death experiences and some scheming and conniving. While the series is a tad formulaic, I still enjoy the adventures of Sam and Remi Fargo.
Plot summary
After a serious earthquake in Guatemala, the rich Super couple, treasure hunting, amateur archeologists Sam and Remi Fargo attend the country to provide assistance through some hard work and delivery of medical supplies. On a mountainous hike to a remote village, they quite literally stumble upon an as of yet undiscovered Mayan archeological site. It is here they discover a codex that is set to turn the understanding of the Mayan people on its ear. Of course, things are not easy and they face off again hitmen, drug runners and a uber-rich villain as they traipse across the jungle discovering treasure, hidden Mayan sites and narrowly avoiding death.
The Good
Fun Factor
When I was a kid, one of my (many) dreams was to grow up to be a globe trotting archeologist who would spend his life discovering hidden cities and ancient treasure. Turns out I did not become a Canadian Indiana Jones but the interest in such things has always remained. Regardless of any fault you find in these novels, they deal with interesting ideas. The story involves real history and real historical mysteries. While it might add information to made the story more exciting, it manages to make history fun. There is treasure and priceless artifacts. What is not to love.
While the characters lack any significant depth and they essentially possess any skill necessary to escape danger, they manage to be interesting if you accept them for what they are. Sometimes this means the storytelling is lazy as they always reach within the vast expanses of their minds to find the solution, it is fun in the way that McGuyver could get out a locked room with a q-tip and a stick of gum or the A-Team could build a functioning tank with a junk yard car, scrap metal and an industrial fan. Don't over think it. This will not be shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
The Bad
While fun, it is not especially creative. I would not read this series one after the other as it something for which you need to be in the mood. While you might eat salad every day for lunch, every once in a while it won't kill you to have a meatball sandwich.
Sam and Remi Fargo are about as white bread as they come. You know they will always make the moral choice, use violence only when utterly necessary, will always help the downtrodden even when it puts them in danger and will never have a rough patch in their relationship. Yes. The characters are far too good to be true. Again, try not to over think it and you will make out just fine.
Can this Book Stand Alone
Yes. There characters tend to be reintroduced. There is minimal backstory and it plays very little into this story. If you are so inclined, you can read this one first with confidence.
Final Thoughts
If you are in the mood for a little literary junk food that has a sprinkling of history, treasure hunting, gun fighting and some saintly WASP's, this book might be for you. The first three novels were written by Clive Cussler/Grant Blackwood. Personally, I liked Blackwood's writing a lot more. I see that book six is using a new author so we will see where that leads us.
Audiobook Notes
This is narrated by Scott Brick. I love the guy. He is my go to narrator for the action adventure type novels. He has a deep and overly dramatic voice that is a perfect fit for these types of stories.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1.5
If kissing falls under sex than there is some sexual content. Sam and Remi are know to chastely lock lips from time to time. There is the occasional reference to Remi's good looks and shapely physique and stunning beauty. There is nothing in the story that would make your grandma blush.
Language - 2
The characters tend to avoid adult language. There are few potty words here or there but Sam and Remi contribute very little to the swear jar.
Violence - 3
If Clive Cussler's name is on the cover, there has to be some violence. There is plenty of shooting and quite a few bodies litter the jungle. Surprisingly, the violence is less than the previous novels and tends to be mild in nature.
September 7, 2013
Full of filler. I don't care what the Fargos ate, ever. Or what type of wine they had with their food or how that wine tasted. I don't need an exhaustive list of what they packed and in what type of luggage, or what the bad guys pack to come after them. Or every hose and connection they check in their vehicle before driving away.
The plot wasn't that great to begin with and it really got dragged down with all this stupid unnecessary crap.
The plot wasn't that great to begin with and it really got dragged down with all this stupid unnecessary crap.
September 6, 2013
I am very fond of Sam and Remi Fargo. I love the characters and their interactions. My favourite is Selma Wandrash. What a great character she is, I really want to see more involvement with Selma. MI really loved the line in the Tombs "be a good Selma".
While a departure from the iconic Dirk and Family, Clive has really hit the mark with these characters. Their adventures are fun, entertaining, and thought provoking. My favourite has been and is book #4 "The Tombs".
In this, the 5th book of the series head to Central America for an exploration of the Mayan culture, present and past. The primary antagonist in this book is not as strong as in previous book but interesting nonetheless. You will enjoy taking this person 'down'.
There is a scene, near the end, where Sam's past is revealed to be something a bit more than he has led Remi (and us) to believe. It is perhaps a sign of deeper character development to come and was most satisfying.
I have tried not to include any spoilers here. In closing I would not recommend you read this without having read the previous books (indeed this applies to the whole series as Clive has done a great job of building the story from book to book). It won't be your favourite entry but you will enjoy it.
Have Fun!!
While a departure from the iconic Dirk and Family, Clive has really hit the mark with these characters. Their adventures are fun, entertaining, and thought provoking. My favourite has been and is book #4 "The Tombs".
In this, the 5th book of the series head to Central America for an exploration of the Mayan culture, present and past. The primary antagonist in this book is not as strong as in previous book but interesting nonetheless. You will enjoy taking this person 'down'.
There is a scene, near the end, where Sam's past is revealed to be something a bit more than he has led Remi (and us) to believe. It is perhaps a sign of deeper character development to come and was most satisfying.
I have tried not to include any spoilers here. In closing I would not recommend you read this without having read the previous books (indeed this applies to the whole series as Clive has done a great job of building the story from book to book). It won't be your favourite entry but you will enjoy it.
Have Fun!!
December 1, 2016
Sigh. Oh how I expected so much more from you, Clive!
Cussler is one of the few novelists whose books fill three or four full bookshelves in the bookstore. This was my first venture into Cusslerland, if you will. I was really disappointed.
I don't know how he managed it, but there was so much filler in this novel, yet there was so much nothing at the same time. He spends a lot of time telling us about what the characters pack in their bags to go on their little adventures and what they eat at the restaurant, but so little about what actually should be described to the reader in an adventure novel; namely, oh I dunno, the adventure!?
For an adventure novel I really didn't feel like I was on an adventure. The novel is too thin for that. Literally, there aren't enough pages to describe what needed describing to make a good story out of this. The Fargo duo hops from one destination on the globe to another with the blink of an eye. Snap your fingers, they are in Europe; snap them again, they're back in America; again, Central America. Ugh, just stop for a second and tell us the damn story!
And for as much "action" that takes place, I felt like the main characters experienced almost zilch in terms of danger or conflict. There wasn't enough there to make me feel like they had anything stopping them from the inevitable conclusion. They had too much going for them for me to believe they wouldn't succeed. Shocker, the bazillionaires with every resource at their command end up beating the bad guys - where's the fun in that? Cussler reminds me of a Danielle Steel type. They churn out novels at an alarming rate simply because they can, without taking time to develop a novel with substance.
Probably on the lower side of 2 stars, more like 1.5. The only adventure I took was the walk to the bookstore and back home. I wish I could go on another to return this book. Alas, it was already used and can no longer be returned. The more you know.
Cussler is one of the few novelists whose books fill three or four full bookshelves in the bookstore. This was my first venture into Cusslerland, if you will. I was really disappointed.
I don't know how he managed it, but there was so much filler in this novel, yet there was so much nothing at the same time. He spends a lot of time telling us about what the characters pack in their bags to go on their little adventures and what they eat at the restaurant, but so little about what actually should be described to the reader in an adventure novel; namely, oh I dunno, the adventure!?
For an adventure novel I really didn't feel like I was on an adventure. The novel is too thin for that. Literally, there aren't enough pages to describe what needed describing to make a good story out of this. The Fargo duo hops from one destination on the globe to another with the blink of an eye. Snap your fingers, they are in Europe; snap them again, they're back in America; again, Central America. Ugh, just stop for a second and tell us the damn story!
And for as much "action" that takes place, I felt like the main characters experienced almost zilch in terms of danger or conflict. There wasn't enough there to make me feel like they had anything stopping them from the inevitable conclusion. They had too much going for them for me to believe they wouldn't succeed. Shocker, the bazillionaires with every resource at their command end up beating the bad guys - where's the fun in that? Cussler reminds me of a Danielle Steel type. They churn out novels at an alarming rate simply because they can, without taking time to develop a novel with substance.
Probably on the lower side of 2 stars, more like 1.5. The only adventure I took was the walk to the bookstore and back home. I wish I could go on another to return this book. Alas, it was already used and can no longer be returned. The more you know.
November 24, 2013
I am reviewing the novel The Mayan Secrets by Clive Cussler et al which is an excellent adventure story which I bought from a local supermarket. This book is part of the Fargo series about a married couple who are also treasure hunters and they often get into scrapes connected to that. The story kicks off in Guatemala in the 16th Century when soldiers try to hunt down ancient texts owned by the Mayans that a priest has been studying in the hope of learning about and which a rival priest has claimed are satanic. They hide at least one book which in the present day Sam & Remi, the treasure hunters find. A rival treasure collector who isn't interested in its history and just wants to own it is hot on their trail. She is an extremely wealthy heiress with her own private army at her disposal. The fargo's are also trying to help a nearby area with aid because it has an erupting volcano. They have to track down where the book came from and when the heiress takes it, prove it's been stolen and get it back. It results with a big battle in Guatemala and there is a happy ending when the find the book is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of historical artifacts. There is also a secret in the book and they fear the heiress may get it translated. It's an exciting story and one which I really enjoyed. The Fargo series is one of the best series that Cussler does and this is one of the better ones in the series. It has only just been published in hardback in Britain, presumably to take advantage of Christmas and the potential sales. I should think this book will do well.
December 2, 2014
Fifth in the Fargo Adventure archeology suspense series revolving around Sam and Remi Fargo, a pair of scrupulous and wealthy adventurers.
My Take
Well, it is a Cussler, so it is full of adventurous fun. The more outrageous, the better. And, yes, the writing is a step up from Tombs , 4, *shudder*, although Cussler/Perry still have issues with too much tell and too many info dumps, and it still reads too simply.
It’s all fun and games from great white sharks to fending off pirates, escaping through underground cisterns and rappelling from helicopters. But it reads too much like a congratulatory brag-up with Sam and Remi the so-very-modest heroes of the hour. Yes, they are wonderful, but must it be delivered in this suck-up manner? Nor do we get a sense of how tired, hungry, or aching they are. It’s like reading a simple diary of we did this and then we did that. As if Cussler/Perry started to fill in the outline and decided they didn’t need to put a lot of effort in. After all, it’s a “Cussler” and the suckers will buy it no matter what.
I do love the improvements they’ve made on the house’s security.
Okay, explain this to me. The Fargos and Caine know the rules about informing the government about archeological finds, and they’re going to hang onto the pot? They know there’s a danger of it being taken, so, hey why use the security of the Fargos’ house? Why not dump it in a public institution? Um, computer backup, anyone?
Once Sarah Allersby delivers her threats, why aren’t the Fargos and Caine thinking ahead to the future? They must know her type? For that matter, shouldn’t Russell and Ruiz be a lot more savvy?
As for the wicked Sarah. Oh, brother. She’s so one-dimensional that it’s embarrassing to read.
Um, Caine talked to all sorts of people. How does he know which one he “mistakenly trusted before”?
I do love how Sam and Remi circumvent this witch, LOL. It’s good and only works here because that’s how Cussler/Perry wrote it. God forbid they should come up with a villain with brains. Which leads to another quibble. How is it that Sam and Remi blithely breeze through all this? They rarely come up against any real opposition. And when the chips are down, everyone is in place. Pretty impressive…*excuse me while I gag*
Oh, please, that scene in which Sam claims he “sees no other way out”? Sure I can see Sam saying it, but I can’t see Remi reacting to it as she does. Totally out of character.
And, yeah, it’s still a step up, barely from Tombs , even if it does read more like a diatribe against tomb raiders.
The Story
The story takes up a few months after Tombs left off with the Fargos’ home---the new and improved---being put back together.
While their domicile is being rebuilt, the Fargos are off adventuring. This time helping to tag great white sharks off the coast of Mexico when an earthquake hits and a volcano erupts. It’s Fargos to the rescue as they bring aid of all sorts to the towns hit by this twin disaster. All this rumbling has brought devastation but it also reveals that which was lost long ago. And if Allersby has her way, it’ll stay “lost” a few more years.
But it’s not an option as far as Sam and Remi are concerned. There is no way they’ll allow Sarah Allersby to rape the Mayan heritage.
The Characters
Sam is former black ops of some sort, and Remi is a crack shot. Both Fargos enjoy the good life, but they spend their wealth giving it back. They employ Selma Wondrash as their chief researcher while Pete Jeffcoat and Wendy Corden are junior researchers who all work out of the Fargos’ La Jolla home. Zoltán is their alert German shepherd.
Aboard the Marlow Explorer are:
Captain Juan Sandoval, mate Miguel Colera, and the cook George Morales who make it easy for the Fargos to tag sharks.
Part of the rescue team includes:
Dr. Maria Garza and Dr. Christina Talamantes are both ER doctors, and Dr. Martinez is a surgeon. Both women doctors also come along on the trek to the volcano villages along with Raul and Paul Mendoza and a lawyer named José Sanchez.
Dr. David Caine is an archeology expert specializing in the Mayans, and he teaches at the University of California-San Diego. Albert Strohm is the vice chancellor for Academic Affairs.
Sarah Allersby is a British heiress who owns businesses and an extensive ranch, Estancia Guerrero, in Guatemala with more of an interest in wringing everything she can out of it. She’s a party girl with a reputation for taking what she wants as well as being an amateur archeologist and collector. With emphasis on collection. She’ll soon be just like her father.
Alfredo Montez is the Minister of Culture for the Republic of Mexico, Mr. Juárez is his assistant, Special Agent Steven Vanderman of the FBI, and Milton Welles is with U.S. Customs.
Russell and Jerry Ruiz love doing odd jobs for Sarah Allersby. Diego San Martin is the drug dealer using a part of Estancia Guerrero. Amando Gervais, Rico Sabas, and Santiago Obregón work for San Martin.
The villagers in Santa Maria de los Montañas include:
Father Gomez and Dr. Carlos Huerta are the first people Sam and Remi meet in town. Señora Velasquez is the padre’s housekeeper; Pepe is the village mechanic; Señor Alvarez owns the restaurant; Señor Lopez owns a shop; and, Carlos Padilla is their long-time mayor.
Amy Costa is with the State Department in Guatemala City. Commander Rueda is sweet on Amy and inclined to support her. Tim Carmichael is the helicopter pilot in trouble; Art Bowen is his boss. Cobra One, Viper One, and Viper Two are friends who move really, really, really fast.
In 1537 in what is now Guatemala
Friar Bartolemé de Las Casas is a Dominican monk and Prior of Rabinal who believes in converting the Mayans one person at a time and giving them equal rights. He is also enthusiastic about the knowledge contained within the Mayan books. Kukulcan leads the people in Rabinal; Tepeu is his warrior son.
The Cover
The cover is a scene from the end when helicopter gunships take out armored cars, jeeps, and more helicopters in a small village just outside a Mayan ruin.
The title may be The Mayan Secrets, but those secrets are more about those held by the good and bad guys in keeping the Mayan codices for themselves.
My Take
Well, it is a Cussler, so it is full of adventurous fun. The more outrageous, the better. And, yes, the writing is a step up from Tombs , 4, *shudder*, although Cussler/Perry still have issues with too much tell and too many info dumps, and it still reads too simply.
It’s all fun and games from great white sharks to fending off pirates, escaping through underground cisterns and rappelling from helicopters. But it reads too much like a congratulatory brag-up with Sam and Remi the so-very-modest heroes of the hour. Yes, they are wonderful, but must it be delivered in this suck-up manner? Nor do we get a sense of how tired, hungry, or aching they are. It’s like reading a simple diary of we did this and then we did that. As if Cussler/Perry started to fill in the outline and decided they didn’t need to put a lot of effort in. After all, it’s a “Cussler” and the suckers will buy it no matter what.
I do love the improvements they’ve made on the house’s security.
Okay, explain this to me. The Fargos and Caine know the rules about informing the government about archeological finds, and they’re going to hang onto the pot? They know there’s a danger of it being taken, so, hey why use the security of the Fargos’ house? Why not dump it in a public institution? Um, computer backup, anyone?
Once Sarah Allersby delivers her threats, why aren’t the Fargos and Caine thinking ahead to the future? They must know her type? For that matter, shouldn’t Russell and Ruiz be a lot more savvy?
As for the wicked Sarah. Oh, brother. She’s so one-dimensional that it’s embarrassing to read.
Um, Caine talked to all sorts of people. How does he know which one he “mistakenly trusted before”?
I do love how Sam and Remi circumvent this witch, LOL. It’s good and only works here because that’s how Cussler/Perry wrote it. God forbid they should come up with a villain with brains. Which leads to another quibble. How is it that Sam and Remi blithely breeze through all this? They rarely come up against any real opposition. And when the chips are down, everyone is in place. Pretty impressive…*excuse me while I gag*
Oh, please, that scene in which Sam claims he “sees no other way out”? Sure I can see Sam saying it, but I can’t see Remi reacting to it as she does. Totally out of character.
And, yeah, it’s still a step up, barely from Tombs , even if it does read more like a diatribe against tomb raiders.
The Story
The story takes up a few months after Tombs left off with the Fargos’ home---the new and improved---being put back together.
While their domicile is being rebuilt, the Fargos are off adventuring. This time helping to tag great white sharks off the coast of Mexico when an earthquake hits and a volcano erupts. It’s Fargos to the rescue as they bring aid of all sorts to the towns hit by this twin disaster. All this rumbling has brought devastation but it also reveals that which was lost long ago. And if Allersby has her way, it’ll stay “lost” a few more years.
But it’s not an option as far as Sam and Remi are concerned. There is no way they’ll allow Sarah Allersby to rape the Mayan heritage.
The Characters
Sam is former black ops of some sort, and Remi is a crack shot. Both Fargos enjoy the good life, but they spend their wealth giving it back. They employ Selma Wondrash as their chief researcher while Pete Jeffcoat and Wendy Corden are junior researchers who all work out of the Fargos’ La Jolla home. Zoltán is their alert German shepherd.
Aboard the Marlow Explorer are:
Captain Juan Sandoval, mate Miguel Colera, and the cook George Morales who make it easy for the Fargos to tag sharks.
Part of the rescue team includes:
Dr. Maria Garza and Dr. Christina Talamantes are both ER doctors, and Dr. Martinez is a surgeon. Both women doctors also come along on the trek to the volcano villages along with Raul and Paul Mendoza and a lawyer named José Sanchez.
Dr. David Caine is an archeology expert specializing in the Mayans, and he teaches at the University of California-San Diego. Albert Strohm is the vice chancellor for Academic Affairs.
Sarah Allersby is a British heiress who owns businesses and an extensive ranch, Estancia Guerrero, in Guatemala with more of an interest in wringing everything she can out of it. She’s a party girl with a reputation for taking what she wants as well as being an amateur archeologist and collector. With emphasis on collection. She’ll soon be just like her father.
Alfredo Montez is the Minister of Culture for the Republic of Mexico, Mr. Juárez is his assistant, Special Agent Steven Vanderman of the FBI, and Milton Welles is with U.S. Customs.
Russell and Jerry Ruiz love doing odd jobs for Sarah Allersby. Diego San Martin is the drug dealer using a part of Estancia Guerrero. Amando Gervais, Rico Sabas, and Santiago Obregón work for San Martin.
The villagers in Santa Maria de los Montañas include:
Father Gomez and Dr. Carlos Huerta are the first people Sam and Remi meet in town. Señora Velasquez is the padre’s housekeeper; Pepe is the village mechanic; Señor Alvarez owns the restaurant; Señor Lopez owns a shop; and, Carlos Padilla is their long-time mayor.
Amy Costa is with the State Department in Guatemala City. Commander Rueda is sweet on Amy and inclined to support her. Tim Carmichael is the helicopter pilot in trouble; Art Bowen is his boss. Cobra One, Viper One, and Viper Two are friends who move really, really, really fast.
In 1537 in what is now Guatemala
Friar Bartolemé de Las Casas is a Dominican monk and Prior of Rabinal who believes in converting the Mayans one person at a time and giving them equal rights. He is also enthusiastic about the knowledge contained within the Mayan books. Kukulcan leads the people in Rabinal; Tepeu is his warrior son.
The Cover
The cover is a scene from the end when helicopter gunships take out armored cars, jeeps, and more helicopters in a small village just outside a Mayan ruin.
The title may be The Mayan Secrets, but those secrets are more about those held by the good and bad guys in keeping the Mayan codices for themselves.
August 9, 2020
Lieta di fare la vostra conoscenza, coniugi Fargo!
Con voi non c’è pace, mai un attimo di respiro, niente è realmente scontato, un colpo di scena dietro l’altro, capovolgimenti di fronte... ok, è tutto molto veloce, forse un po’ approssimativo a volte, ma godibilissimo. E poi... Va bene la competenza, l’esperienza, l’intuito, ecc., ma avete anche una fortuna sfacciata!
Beh, però con voi mi sono distratta, mi sono divertita, ho viaggiato (da poltrona) in lungo e in largo beandomi di paesaggi magnifici, ho apprezzato la cultura e l’arte dei Maya, mi sono tolta il cappello (ad averlo!) di fronte al vostro senso dell’onore, di giustizia e al rispetto per l’antichità e le tradizioni.
Mi è dispiaciuto che molti altri non la pensassero come voi, ma (eh eh!) gli è stato reso pan per focaccia!
Arrivederci a presto per un’altra avventura!
🌎 LdM Mini sfida: America- task 33: Honduras
🌎 America: Messico 🇲🇽 e Guatemala 🇬🇹
✍️ C.C.
Con voi non c’è pace, mai un attimo di respiro, niente è realmente scontato, un colpo di scena dietro l’altro, capovolgimenti di fronte... ok, è tutto molto veloce, forse un po’ approssimativo a volte, ma godibilissimo. E poi... Va bene la competenza, l’esperienza, l’intuito, ecc., ma avete anche una fortuna sfacciata!
Beh, però con voi mi sono distratta, mi sono divertita, ho viaggiato (da poltrona) in lungo e in largo beandomi di paesaggi magnifici, ho apprezzato la cultura e l’arte dei Maya, mi sono tolta il cappello (ad averlo!) di fronte al vostro senso dell’onore, di giustizia e al rispetto per l’antichità e le tradizioni.
Mi è dispiaciuto che molti altri non la pensassero come voi, ma (eh eh!) gli è stato reso pan per focaccia!
Arrivederci a presto per un’altra avventura!
🌎 LdM Mini sfida: America- task 33: Honduras
🌎 America: Messico 🇲🇽 e Guatemala 🇬🇹
✍️ C.C.
February 26, 2014
Sam and Remy Fargo are a fabulously wealthy couple who have the kind of adventures most people can only dream of.
In this story, they accidentally find an ancient Mayan book, or codex, which has a map of Mayan cities and sacred places in Guatemala that have never been discovered. They alert David Kane, a professor from UC who specializes in Mayan studies.
When super wealthy heiress Sarah Allenby gets wind of the codex, she is determined to gain possession of it so she can get the credit for discovering the ancient sites and sell the artifacts to buyers all over the world.
When Sam and Remy refuse to sell it to her, she steals it.
Sam and Remy do everything in their power to get it back, but it seems they have set themselves an impossible task. She has very powerful allies in Guatemala, including high-ranking government officials, who control the law enforcement authorities, and a notorious and ruthless drug baron.
I think what I like the best about the Fargo series is that revenge is sweet and everyone always gets what they deserve in the end.
In this story, they accidentally find an ancient Mayan book, or codex, which has a map of Mayan cities and sacred places in Guatemala that have never been discovered. They alert David Kane, a professor from UC who specializes in Mayan studies.
When super wealthy heiress Sarah Allenby gets wind of the codex, she is determined to gain possession of it so she can get the credit for discovering the ancient sites and sell the artifacts to buyers all over the world.
When Sam and Remy refuse to sell it to her, she steals it.
Sam and Remy do everything in their power to get it back, but it seems they have set themselves an impossible task. She has very powerful allies in Guatemala, including high-ranking government officials, who control the law enforcement authorities, and a notorious and ruthless drug baron.
I think what I like the best about the Fargo series is that revenge is sweet and everyone always gets what they deserve in the end.
July 29, 2014
This book was well written in my opinion. Mr Cussler and Thomas Perry take us on an adventure comparable to that of Indiana Jones. There are so many mysteries, twists and turns along the way. He takes a prior military married couple who seek out adventure after adventure. Sam and Remi find the last one to be more embracing than their research project that they took on earlier, and their humanitarian project that they took shortly before. This Mayan adventure unravels many secrets over a four hundred year time span. However, with any good archaeological mystery, there are dangers and risks along the way. As Sam and Remi and a team of people work to put things back in order, and turn things back over to the proper authorities, see what challenges they embrace along the way. How do they handle it. I could go on and on, but I would rather not spoil the read for you. Enjoy. In my opinion, again, this was wonderfully written. I look forward to reading another book by Clive Cussler.
October 9, 2013
Oh My God! This has to be one of the worst of Clive Cussler's!
The plot only uses "Mayan Secrets" as a background and really there isn't anything more relating to Mayans in the plot.
Replace "Mayan Secrets" with "Hoard of Illegal booze hidden in Texas" and the story could have still worked.
The entire book is about events and scenes of the Fargos fighting with Sarah Allersby - who wants to usurp the map that leads to the "hoard of illegal booze hidden in Texas"
Beyond this juvenile cat and mouse, there really isn't any discussion of the "Mayan Secrets"
AVOID!!!
The plot only uses "Mayan Secrets" as a background and really there isn't anything more relating to Mayans in the plot.
Replace "Mayan Secrets" with "Hoard of Illegal booze hidden in Texas" and the story could have still worked.
The entire book is about events and scenes of the Fargos fighting with Sarah Allersby - who wants to usurp the map that leads to the "hoard of illegal booze hidden in Texas"
Beyond this juvenile cat and mouse, there really isn't any discussion of the "Mayan Secrets"
AVOID!!!
August 12, 2014
As always, adequate. It's difficult to impossible to rate the Fargo series any higher due to their formulaic nature and cardboard characters, but they serve their purpose. I listen to then in audio format with ever reliable Scott Brick doing the reading and it makes for a decent, undemanding of attention entertainment to walk and bike to. This one might have ended 2 discs ago, it sort of dragged on at the end, but it was fine. The beginning (the historical prologue) is always the best part. From there on it's just a sort of bland mildly entertaining adventure.
April 21, 2021
বইখানার অনুবাদকের কাছে আমি বিশালাকারে কৃতজ্ঞ। এত জঘন্য অনুবাদ না হলে কখনো ইংলিশে বই পড়ার প্রতি ঝুঁকে পড়তাম না।
আর সত্যি বলতে, বেচারার চয়েজও খুব খারাপ। মানে, একেতো উপন্যাস হিসেবে বইখানা সুবিধার না। তার উপর অনুবাদও বাজে। সব মিলিয়ে রিয়েল অখাদ্য টাইপ ব্যাপার আছে একখানা এইখানে। ১৫ সালে পড়েছিলাম মেবি। এখনো ভাবলে শিউরে উঠি 😂
আর সত্যি বলতে, বেচারার চয়েজও খুব খারাপ। মানে, একেতো উপন্যাস হিসেবে বইখানা সুবিধার না। তার উপর অনুবাদও বাজে। সব মিলিয়ে রিয়েল অখাদ্য টাইপ ব্যাপার আছে একখানা এইখানে। ১৫ সালে পড়েছিলাম মেবি। এখনো ভাবলে শিউরে উঠি 😂
January 9, 2015
Only finished this book because it goes against my nature not to complete a book. The writing was on a middle school level and nothing like any other Clive Cussler book I've ever read. Disappointing is an understatement for this book. I'll stick with his other series.
July 26, 2016
This book was about as expected. If you’ve ever seen the television show Heart to Heart (late 70's-early 80s), add a little violence and you’ve got Sam and Remi. I’m not going to knock it. It was fun, and I knew what I was getting into. I happened upon Tim’s Review which summed up my thoughts about it, pretty well. I liked that Tim gave a content advisory. I may add that to some of my reviews.
September 7, 2013
I love the Fargo series and Cussler's books in general,but this one takes the reader for granted, almost being an insult to the reader's intelligence. Be it plot, action, climax or general themes, there was very little twists/unexpected stuff.
May 8, 2021
This book has all that I expect from the Fargos. Another good one in the series. I liked the preservation of the Mayan history aspect of this novel and also the good guys win :)
June 29, 2025
what is it with these people and taking an underground river somewhere
August 4, 2014
An ancient secret, present day adventurers, an accidental discovery and the race against time to protect the long lost remains of one of the most intriguing civilizations of the world from the hands of a rich mercenary and a spoilt brat.
The story lives up to the expectations when it comes to drama, adventure, older descriptions, fascinating set ups, gun battles, planning,plotting and to top it all history which bears the brunt of it all. The book is easy paced and delivers various portions of action and history mingled up together to the readers. The ease of narration is another factor which works in favour of the readers. The book manages to maintain a steady tempo which is a prime asset in a historical fiction book.
The downside of the book is it's very predictable nature which gives it up all too soon. The interest in reference to history dies down with time and the action takes precedence over historical relevance which makes it a torrid affair. The book losing out to a plain jane in the end. The story feeling dragged and a lot of other issues taking more limelight over history.
All in all the story has something to offer to the history enthusiasts and adventure readers. It does manages to pull off surprises but let go a lot of potential scenario. The story moves along at a good pace but it fails to lighten up the sparks. It's a mixed affair and serves well as a one time adventure read.
The story lives up to the expectations when it comes to drama, adventure, older descriptions, fascinating set ups, gun battles, planning,plotting and to top it all history which bears the brunt of it all. The book is easy paced and delivers various portions of action and history mingled up together to the readers. The ease of narration is another factor which works in favour of the readers. The book manages to maintain a steady tempo which is a prime asset in a historical fiction book.
The downside of the book is it's very predictable nature which gives it up all too soon. The interest in reference to history dies down with time and the action takes precedence over historical relevance which makes it a torrid affair. The book losing out to a plain jane in the end. The story feeling dragged and a lot of other issues taking more limelight over history.
All in all the story has something to offer to the history enthusiasts and adventure readers. It does manages to pull off surprises but let go a lot of potential scenario. The story moves along at a good pace but it fails to lighten up the sparks. It's a mixed affair and serves well as a one time adventure read.
October 10, 2013
I like the Fargo stories. They provide some historical background information that makes them interesting. The stories are entertaining, but don't have much depth. I find them like bubble-gum for the brain; a quick read with action and adventure.
Unfortunately, Mayan Secrets just didn't quite get there with the villain. She was a spoiled rich girl that was stymied along the way by the Fargos. She meets her end, as do two of her henchmen, but not in a way that was consistent with what Cussler was trying to portray. I would have had a greater sense of satisfaction with her demise being financial ruin, along with her father who is only briefly referenced. For both of them financial ruin would have been a fate worse than death.
The AH-64 Apaches seemed to be a cop out on how to beat the drug lords. That lacked creativity. It seemed as though the story boxed itself into a no win confrontation and to get out of it the Apaches were added to make it easier to take care of business.
I also look forward to the Fargos running into an older, blue-eyed, gray-haired, bearded gentleman in their travels. That is generally amusing in the books and is treat to see how he is woven into the story. Mayan Secrets, however, left him out. I missed him; it's too bad.
In summary - entertaining, a fun read, but not one of the better books in the series. Not quite three stars.
Unfortunately, Mayan Secrets just didn't quite get there with the villain. She was a spoiled rich girl that was stymied along the way by the Fargos. She meets her end, as do two of her henchmen, but not in a way that was consistent with what Cussler was trying to portray. I would have had a greater sense of satisfaction with her demise being financial ruin, along with her father who is only briefly referenced. For both of them financial ruin would have been a fate worse than death.
The AH-64 Apaches seemed to be a cop out on how to beat the drug lords. That lacked creativity. It seemed as though the story boxed itself into a no win confrontation and to get out of it the Apaches were added to make it easier to take care of business.
I also look forward to the Fargos running into an older, blue-eyed, gray-haired, bearded gentleman in their travels. That is generally amusing in the books and is treat to see how he is woven into the story. Mayan Secrets, however, left him out. I missed him; it's too bad.
In summary - entertaining, a fun read, but not one of the better books in the series. Not quite three stars.
November 7, 2016
I had high hopes for this one as the blurb made the story sound utterly gripping and the opening pages as we follow Friar Bartolemé de Las Casas as he tries to protect the Mayan heritage from the ravages of the Spanish invaders and their religious discrimination and hatred are superb. But then the rest of the story happens and it was such a disappointment. I found the Fargos to be completely unbelievable as characters as they seemed to be nothing but nice people and do nothing but good and just so happen to be filthy rich which means they can do whatever they want. I get that they are the good guys but everyone has negative points, even Mother Theresa had some and for Cussler to try and convince the reader that these two don’t is a little insulting. The story itself is also nothing new with the usual bad guy trying to get the treasure and power/prestige that comes with it, a good dollop of corruption and bribery and a big splash of drug trafficking and modern slavery. The writing was okay and it did flow well but seemed to have a lot of useless information and seems to vastly under-estimate the readers’ intelligence. This is such a shame given the promise of those opening pages.
December 28, 2017
Another Cussler and Co. Fargo adventure has the Couple battling wealthy English woman wo=ho has a huge land holding in Guatemala and likes to collect ancient artifacts, mostly by nefarious means.
While on a rescue mission following an earthquake the Fargos come across an ancient Mayan manuscript (codex) which ends up plunging into a series of possibly deadly adventures. Another Cussler quick and fun read and I am glad this PB showed up on the Library desk..
While on a rescue mission following an earthquake the Fargos come across an ancient Mayan manuscript (codex) which ends up plunging into a series of possibly deadly adventures. Another Cussler quick and fun read and I am glad this PB showed up on the Library desk..
October 29, 2022
Typical Cussler. Just enjoy reading Cussler.
August 19, 2016
This review is specific to the first seven books of the Fargo series by Clive Cussler in audiobook format narrated by Scott Brick. All are published by Penguin Audio and are in the area of eleven to twelve hours of listening. Some of The Fargo Adventures have been co-authored with Grant Blackwood, Thomas Perry, Russell Blake or Robin Burcell. Early writings by Clive Cussler did not involve co-authors, however Cussler is in his mid-80s at this writing. All of these books cover a specific era of ancient history and are rich with detail. There is a great deal of historical research, ergo co-authors. The Fargo Adventures series is in the tradition of all Cussler works, i.e., mysteries wrapped around history, a formula that defines his basic plot structure. The difference, in my opinion, is the married couple lead characters in this series, Sam and Remi Fargo, as opposed to the type A macho men, Dirk Pitt and Isaac Bell.
The entire series revolves around ancient treasure, excavation, archeological digs, etc. Think DaVinci Code on steroids with a brilliant engineer and his historian wife as the lead characters, Sam and Remi. Or possibly Nick and Nora or Jonathan and Jennifer Hart with satellite cell phones and iPads. The leads chase clues galore across the world involving everything from deep sea diving to mountain climbing to hot air balloon escapes to spelunking. Exotic cities, exclusive hotels, and sumptuous dining experiences of the locales are explicitly described in each story. Remi and Sam are experts at and can do anything and are very philanthropic. All of their finds are turned over to the local governments or historical societies. The two are not ‘in it for the money’, but rather the adventure. At their California home/office is Selma and her staff. Selma is a researcher who finds answers to the most obscure elements of ancient history, makes travel and equipment arrangements for Sam and Remi, and knows what they need before they need it. The pair independently wealthy enough to have enviable lives traveling the world and getting themselves in and out of trouble, turning the tables on bad guys along the way. Although Sam and Remi are married and deeply in love, the entire series is squeaky clean, i.e., chaste kisses on cheeks. No gratuitous sex, no language issues as is true of all Cussler writing. Don’t hesitate to present as gifts to anyone.
Regarding Scott Brick’s audiobook performances … well … it’s Scott Brick, ergo not much to say. He does a particularly great job with obscure accents and pronunciations. Male and female voices unique, no trouble discerning who-says-what-to-who, nice timing and tempo, solid productions.
Spartan Gold, 2009 = Napoleonic history that begins with Sam and Remi finding a Nazi-era German mini-sub while scuba diving. Ancient bottles of wine found in the sub have them hunting for Napoleon’s lost cellar and more treasure.
Lost Empire, 2010 = Aztec history. Very convoluted, complex story. Clues galore poof away during the story and are wrapped up in neat package in the Epilog. Not my favorite, but finding a mystery (no spoiler) in the Krakatoa volcanic ash is a very cool element of the plot.
The Kingdom, 2011 = Nepal history. Sam and Remi are sucked into a mystery taking them from an egomaniacal Texas baron to Shangri-La!
The Tombs, 2012 = A narcissistic maniac believes he is a descendent of Attila the Hun. Other greedy creeps simply want the riches found in a cadre of tombs, which results in a search for Attila’s final resting place - another tomb.
The Mayan Secrets, 2013, opens in the 16th century with the sheltering of a book containing Mayan history. Sam and Remi battle to preserve a book found in an ancient clay pot. The resulting mayhem begins a wild adventure.
In The Eye of Heaven, 2014, Cussler should have been tougher in the supervision of co-authoring, as the character of Remi has changed to be more of a liability for Sam - she acts like a spoiled child, often wanting to go home. The book might be better if he sent her. The two argue about strategy rather than scheme together as in previous novels - way too much ’sneering'. That, and after all they’ve been through, Remi is jealous? Really? That said, the story: How do ancient artifacts from the interior of Mexico wind up in the hull of a Viking ship found west of Greenland buried in glacial ice? Thus is the mystery of The Eye of Heaven.
The Solomon Curse, 2015. Beneath the waters off the coast of Guatemala lay the structures of a village or town. A wealthy tycoon in Australia is up to no good. There are ancient tales of gold and jewels and yep: Giants! Sam and Remi spelunk their way through adventures and march through jungles to find treasure, dead bodies, and ancient dead bodies. Not quite as ‘thrilling’ as some of the books, but an enjoyable read.
Since the books stand alone, jump in anywhere. Recommended for adventure lovers interested in ‘clean’ reads. Not great literature, just fun reading.
The entire series revolves around ancient treasure, excavation, archeological digs, etc. Think DaVinci Code on steroids with a brilliant engineer and his historian wife as the lead characters, Sam and Remi. Or possibly Nick and Nora or Jonathan and Jennifer Hart with satellite cell phones and iPads. The leads chase clues galore across the world involving everything from deep sea diving to mountain climbing to hot air balloon escapes to spelunking. Exotic cities, exclusive hotels, and sumptuous dining experiences of the locales are explicitly described in each story. Remi and Sam are experts at and can do anything and are very philanthropic. All of their finds are turned over to the local governments or historical societies. The two are not ‘in it for the money’, but rather the adventure. At their California home/office is Selma and her staff. Selma is a researcher who finds answers to the most obscure elements of ancient history, makes travel and equipment arrangements for Sam and Remi, and knows what they need before they need it. The pair independently wealthy enough to have enviable lives traveling the world and getting themselves in and out of trouble, turning the tables on bad guys along the way. Although Sam and Remi are married and deeply in love, the entire series is squeaky clean, i.e., chaste kisses on cheeks. No gratuitous sex, no language issues as is true of all Cussler writing. Don’t hesitate to present as gifts to anyone.
Regarding Scott Brick’s audiobook performances … well … it’s Scott Brick, ergo not much to say. He does a particularly great job with obscure accents and pronunciations. Male and female voices unique, no trouble discerning who-says-what-to-who, nice timing and tempo, solid productions.
Spartan Gold, 2009 = Napoleonic history that begins with Sam and Remi finding a Nazi-era German mini-sub while scuba diving. Ancient bottles of wine found in the sub have them hunting for Napoleon’s lost cellar and more treasure.
Lost Empire, 2010 = Aztec history. Very convoluted, complex story. Clues galore poof away during the story and are wrapped up in neat package in the Epilog. Not my favorite, but finding a mystery (no spoiler) in the Krakatoa volcanic ash is a very cool element of the plot.
The Kingdom, 2011 = Nepal history. Sam and Remi are sucked into a mystery taking them from an egomaniacal Texas baron to Shangri-La!
The Tombs, 2012 = A narcissistic maniac believes he is a descendent of Attila the Hun. Other greedy creeps simply want the riches found in a cadre of tombs, which results in a search for Attila’s final resting place - another tomb.
The Mayan Secrets, 2013, opens in the 16th century with the sheltering of a book containing Mayan history. Sam and Remi battle to preserve a book found in an ancient clay pot. The resulting mayhem begins a wild adventure.
In The Eye of Heaven, 2014, Cussler should have been tougher in the supervision of co-authoring, as the character of Remi has changed to be more of a liability for Sam - she acts like a spoiled child, often wanting to go home. The book might be better if he sent her. The two argue about strategy rather than scheme together as in previous novels - way too much ’sneering'. That, and after all they’ve been through, Remi is jealous? Really? That said, the story: How do ancient artifacts from the interior of Mexico wind up in the hull of a Viking ship found west of Greenland buried in glacial ice? Thus is the mystery of The Eye of Heaven.
The Solomon Curse, 2015. Beneath the waters off the coast of Guatemala lay the structures of a village or town. A wealthy tycoon in Australia is up to no good. There are ancient tales of gold and jewels and yep: Giants! Sam and Remi spelunk their way through adventures and march through jungles to find treasure, dead bodies, and ancient dead bodies. Not quite as ‘thrilling’ as some of the books, but an enjoyable read.
Since the books stand alone, jump in anywhere. Recommended for adventure lovers interested in ‘clean’ reads. Not great literature, just fun reading.
June 16, 2017
Sembrerà strano, ma dei libri in serie mi piacciono quelli auto conclusivi, quelli che puoi leggere da soli, senza dover per forza seguire uno schema ben preciso. L'enigma dei Maya ha la particolarità che, se pur narrando di personaggi già noti, l'autore ti porta a conoscerli ancora, senza né annoiare il lettore che segue la saga, né rischiare che un lettore nuovo si perda in protagonisti già noti e definiti.
L'enigma dei Maya è fatto di strane coincidenze, è fatto di avventure, di fulmini a ciel sereno, è un onda adrenalinica che inizia già dalle prime pagine e non si ferma se non arrivati alla parola fine.
Iniziamo questa nuova avventura indietro nel tempo, verso il 1500, alle prese con uno strano e antico libro che molti definiscono scritto dal diavolo in persona. La persona che conosciamo in queste poche righe ci lascia il bisogno di sapere e scoprire come mai quel libro viene definito pericoloso e importante al tempo stesso.
Qualche pagina più avanti eccoci in Messico, al largo dell'isola di Guadalupe, insieme ai coniugi Fargo e all'animale più potente dell'oceano: lo squalo bianco. Sam e Remi Fargo sono volontari in una ricerca marina per capire il movimento degli squali bianchi e tracciarne ogni tipo di segnale. La ricerca prosegue nonostante qualche dubbio, fino a quando diversi terremoti cominciano a farsi via via sempre più violenti. Per sopravvivere ogni uomo si trasforma in un animale e i coniugi Fargo si ritrovano a dover proteggere le scorte di cibo e medicinali dello yacht, fino a quando la necessità di aiutare la popolazione residente nelle coste è sempre più forte e insieme ai soccorritori decidono di avventurarsi direttamente sulla zona e tentare di salvare ogni persona.
Passano i giorni e i coniugi Fargo decidono di percorrere la montagna per salvare i villaggi residenti verso la vetta. Riga dopo riga l'autore ci permette di sentirci in quel sentiero, di sentire sulla nostra pelle il cambiamento dell'aria, la fatica della salita e l'angoscia nel cercare di aiutare ogni villaggio della zona. Il ritmo cambia quando i nostri protagonisti si ritrovano di fronte ad un enorme blocco di basalto con raffigurati disegni e scritture Maya. Attratti da questa nuova scoperta, i coniugi decidono di andare avanti e capire l'origine e la provenienza di quel blocco, fino a che l'ingresso di una grotta, permette loro l'entrata in una sorta di tomba sacra. Quello che gli autori descrivono è qualcosa di immenso.
Ammetto di aver riletto questa parte diverse volte, in quanto la scrittura così evocativa e i minuziosi dettagli permettono di immaginare realmente il corpo steso e gli oggetti contenuti nel luogo sacro. Il bisogno di mettere in salvo il ritrovamento dai violenti terremoti e dalle frane, permette i coniugi Fargo alla scoperta di un antico oggetto chiuso, contenente qualcosa di strano.
Ogni riga è puro colpo di scena, una scrittura che ad ogni parte tiene con il fiato sospeso, che spiazza pagina dopo pagina, specialmente quando i nostri protagonisti si rendono conto del valore di ciò che hanno ritrovato: un antico libro Maya, contenente codici e mappe. Se all'inizio ci sentiamo elettrizzati dalla storia, proseguendo il ritmo non scade mai e a questo punto diviene ancora più incalzante, con l'arrivo di nuovi personaggi pronti a tutto pur di metter mano su quei codici.
Nonostante il romanzo possa contare quasi quattrocento pagine, L'enigma dei Maya, è un romanzo che si legge in poche ore, è una sfida contro se stessi e la storia, è pura adrenalina fatta a scrittura. Diversi sono i personaggi descritti, eppure pagina dopo pagina, gli autori riescono a definirne ogni dettaglio, a tratteggiare come un abile disegnatore ogni sfumatura, ogni chiaro - scuro, permettendoci di individuarne la complessità e la diversità di ognuno di loro.
Il romanzo si sviluppa in più ambientazioni e questo ci permette comodamente di viaggiare in quei luoghi e cogliere anche le diverse tradizioni. Gli autori non ci lasciano alla deriva, in quanto ogni ambientazione è minuziosamente descritta e questo ci permette di immaginarci realmente in quel luogo e di viverlo da sempre.
Che Clive Clusser sia un uomo capace di scrivere emozioni in ogni parola lo abbiamo sempre saputo, ma l'enigma dei Maya ha qualcosa in più, non solo per l'agguerrita avventura, ma per la sensazione che questo romanzo lascia a fine lettura. Verremo completamente incantati pagina dopo pagina, riconoscendoci egoisticamente in ogni personaggio principale.
Il linguaggio forbito, evocativo, a tratti crudo, ma pur sempre corretto, ci permette di non annoiarci mai e di voler continuare a leggere ancora una pagina - solo che una non è mai - . Il pericolo costante e nessuna garanzia di ritorno e successo, ci porta a rimanere senza fiato ad ogni riga e a sentire il cuore correre veloce. E' attraverso i protagonisti che riusciamo a cogliere ogni sorpresa, ogni passione, ogni contraddizione della storia.
L'enigma dei Maya è puro fuoco da leggere. E' appassionante e indimenticabile.
L'enigma dei Maya è fatto di strane coincidenze, è fatto di avventure, di fulmini a ciel sereno, è un onda adrenalinica che inizia già dalle prime pagine e non si ferma se non arrivati alla parola fine.
Iniziamo questa nuova avventura indietro nel tempo, verso il 1500, alle prese con uno strano e antico libro che molti definiscono scritto dal diavolo in persona. La persona che conosciamo in queste poche righe ci lascia il bisogno di sapere e scoprire come mai quel libro viene definito pericoloso e importante al tempo stesso.
Qualche pagina più avanti eccoci in Messico, al largo dell'isola di Guadalupe, insieme ai coniugi Fargo e all'animale più potente dell'oceano: lo squalo bianco. Sam e Remi Fargo sono volontari in una ricerca marina per capire il movimento degli squali bianchi e tracciarne ogni tipo di segnale. La ricerca prosegue nonostante qualche dubbio, fino a quando diversi terremoti cominciano a farsi via via sempre più violenti. Per sopravvivere ogni uomo si trasforma in un animale e i coniugi Fargo si ritrovano a dover proteggere le scorte di cibo e medicinali dello yacht, fino a quando la necessità di aiutare la popolazione residente nelle coste è sempre più forte e insieme ai soccorritori decidono di avventurarsi direttamente sulla zona e tentare di salvare ogni persona.
Passano i giorni e i coniugi Fargo decidono di percorrere la montagna per salvare i villaggi residenti verso la vetta. Riga dopo riga l'autore ci permette di sentirci in quel sentiero, di sentire sulla nostra pelle il cambiamento dell'aria, la fatica della salita e l'angoscia nel cercare di aiutare ogni villaggio della zona. Il ritmo cambia quando i nostri protagonisti si ritrovano di fronte ad un enorme blocco di basalto con raffigurati disegni e scritture Maya. Attratti da questa nuova scoperta, i coniugi decidono di andare avanti e capire l'origine e la provenienza di quel blocco, fino a che l'ingresso di una grotta, permette loro l'entrata in una sorta di tomba sacra. Quello che gli autori descrivono è qualcosa di immenso.
Ammetto di aver riletto questa parte diverse volte, in quanto la scrittura così evocativa e i minuziosi dettagli permettono di immaginare realmente il corpo steso e gli oggetti contenuti nel luogo sacro. Il bisogno di mettere in salvo il ritrovamento dai violenti terremoti e dalle frane, permette i coniugi Fargo alla scoperta di un antico oggetto chiuso, contenente qualcosa di strano.
Ogni riga è puro colpo di scena, una scrittura che ad ogni parte tiene con il fiato sospeso, che spiazza pagina dopo pagina, specialmente quando i nostri protagonisti si rendono conto del valore di ciò che hanno ritrovato: un antico libro Maya, contenente codici e mappe. Se all'inizio ci sentiamo elettrizzati dalla storia, proseguendo il ritmo non scade mai e a questo punto diviene ancora più incalzante, con l'arrivo di nuovi personaggi pronti a tutto pur di metter mano su quei codici.
Nonostante il romanzo possa contare quasi quattrocento pagine, L'enigma dei Maya, è un romanzo che si legge in poche ore, è una sfida contro se stessi e la storia, è pura adrenalina fatta a scrittura. Diversi sono i personaggi descritti, eppure pagina dopo pagina, gli autori riescono a definirne ogni dettaglio, a tratteggiare come un abile disegnatore ogni sfumatura, ogni chiaro - scuro, permettendoci di individuarne la complessità e la diversità di ognuno di loro.
Il romanzo si sviluppa in più ambientazioni e questo ci permette comodamente di viaggiare in quei luoghi e cogliere anche le diverse tradizioni. Gli autori non ci lasciano alla deriva, in quanto ogni ambientazione è minuziosamente descritta e questo ci permette di immaginarci realmente in quel luogo e di viverlo da sempre.
Che Clive Clusser sia un uomo capace di scrivere emozioni in ogni parola lo abbiamo sempre saputo, ma l'enigma dei Maya ha qualcosa in più, non solo per l'agguerrita avventura, ma per la sensazione che questo romanzo lascia a fine lettura. Verremo completamente incantati pagina dopo pagina, riconoscendoci egoisticamente in ogni personaggio principale.
Il linguaggio forbito, evocativo, a tratti crudo, ma pur sempre corretto, ci permette di non annoiarci mai e di voler continuare a leggere ancora una pagina - solo che una non è mai - . Il pericolo costante e nessuna garanzia di ritorno e successo, ci porta a rimanere senza fiato ad ogni riga e a sentire il cuore correre veloce. E' attraverso i protagonisti che riusciamo a cogliere ogni sorpresa, ogni passione, ogni contraddizione della storia.
L'enigma dei Maya è puro fuoco da leggere. E' appassionante e indimenticabile.
January 3, 2020
Will not win a Booker Prize
The Mayan Secrets is a Fargo adventure novel, co-written with Thomas Perry. It is the fifth book of the series, but can be read as a stand-alone tale. The plot sees husband-and-wife team Sam and Remi Fargo in Mexico. They appear to lots of money and don't worry about day jobs. Not only that but they spend months away from home travelling on a whim. Anyway, while in Mexico they come upon a remarkable discovery. This is the skeleton of a man clutching an ancient sealed pot. Within the pot, a Mayan codex, larger than anyone has ever seen. The codex contains astonishing information about the Mayans, their cities, and mankind itself. The secrets are so powerful that some people would do anything to own them. This leads to:
the inevitable bad guys,
explosions,
close calls with death,
treasure hunting,
fighting,
shooting, etc.
All quite formulaic, with a sprinkling of history. The characters lack any depth. There are lots of filler details the majority of which should have been cut to speed up the plot. Do we need to know what they packed, ate, drank and other trivial matters? I got to the end, because I didn't overthink it. This is literary junk food.
The Mayan Secrets is a Fargo adventure novel, co-written with Thomas Perry. It is the fifth book of the series, but can be read as a stand-alone tale. The plot sees husband-and-wife team Sam and Remi Fargo in Mexico. They appear to lots of money and don't worry about day jobs. Not only that but they spend months away from home travelling on a whim. Anyway, while in Mexico they come upon a remarkable discovery. This is the skeleton of a man clutching an ancient sealed pot. Within the pot, a Mayan codex, larger than anyone has ever seen. The codex contains astonishing information about the Mayans, their cities, and mankind itself. The secrets are so powerful that some people would do anything to own them. This leads to:
the inevitable bad guys,
explosions,
close calls with death,
treasure hunting,
fighting,
shooting, etc.
All quite formulaic, with a sprinkling of history. The characters lack any depth. There are lots of filler details the majority of which should have been cut to speed up the plot. Do we need to know what they packed, ate, drank and other trivial matters? I got to the end, because I didn't overthink it. This is literary junk food.
September 28, 2014
I love reading the Fargo Series! Especially this one (my fav so far) because, finally, I've already been in the area of the exotic locations Cussler describes so visually. The Real Hotel in Guatemala City is incredible. It was fun to read about and relive going to Central American archeology digs that are dear to my heart, about the interesting cultures, the food, the goodness of the people. I wish the authors would have included descriptions of the local villagers native hand woven dress. Colorful and timeless. Was impressed this started with humanitarian service, which is another topic dear to me. Yes, that is the most rewarding thing you could do. I've been to the museums in Central America and Europe and seen the artifacts referred to in this book. I could see that the authors did their homework on the technical information, geography, and simple things like the foods served. Look forward to more Fargo Adventures!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2018
Sam and Remi Fargo discovered a new Mayan codex and have to prevent Sarah Allerby's intention to use it to her advantage.
Clive Cussler describes everything very clearly, from the scenery to any items that everyone is wearing and packing. However, it seems a bit overboard when what he describes were not used in the story. The whole story itself is great and for those who don't have an archaeological background, including me, will have an adequate explanation about Mayan.
Clive Cussler describes everything very clearly, from the scenery to any items that everyone is wearing and packing. However, it seems a bit overboard when what he describes were not used in the story. The whole story itself is great and for those who don't have an archaeological background, including me, will have an adequate explanation about Mayan.
November 22, 2013
I love Sam and Remy Fargo and the adventures they have. There is nothing serious or mind provoking about these books, but rather they are pure entertainment. The Fargos always keep us entertained with their travels and their relationship is something we would all like … along with their standard of living and adventures. Yes, pure entertainment but an enjoyable read.
September 28, 2013
I really liked the last Thomas Perry book. I almost always enjoy Clive Cussler, but this one is a big dud. 1 1/2 stars. A silly story, a little excitement and almost no character development. I wasn't familiar with the Fargos, and nothing was ever explained about them except they almost had superpowers and a bottomless pit of money. Don't waste your time.
August 31, 2015
Too meandering a storyline, too many convenient escapes, a out-of-the-blue Deux Ex Machina - all contribute to making what could have been a fast-paced gripping book into a aimless, pointless exercise...
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